I don't own Harry Potter

Chapter Twelve — The Potion

"So, what are we doing today? I hope it's not something terrible boring like that Polyp Potion we did last week. I was done with within fifteen minutes."

"I think were doing some kind of an appearance changing potion. He might have said something about our eyes."

Harry abruptly stopped. An appearance-changing potion, any appearance-changing potion, could really hurt a Metamorphmagus. Tonks told him that she was forced to drink one and had to spend two weeks at St. Mungo's Hospital.

"Harry, why are you wearing your dragon-hide gloves? This isn't a dangerous potion to make. We study some of these ingredients in Herbology."

"It's not the plants, Neville, it the potion. While it won't cause you any harm it could severely hurt me. I don't want to take any chances of going to St. Mungos."

"Potter, why on earth are you wearing those ridiculous gloves? Since this potion does not require the use of gloves I will have to take points off for not following the rules."

Harry accepted the loss of points. If he argued, he would have gotten in even more trouble. Snape just wasn't going to listen. Between getting sick and tell the professor about his ability, Harry didn't know what to do. Eventually he had to try his potion.

"Professor, please don't make me drink this potion. I'll do extra work, but this potion, even tough I believe it was made correctly, will hurt me. Any potion of the type could."

"What's wrong Potter?" Snape sneered at Harry. "Are you to important to follow instructions? Or are you confessing that your potions making skills are abysmal at best? Now shut up and drink that potion or it will be a weeks worth of detentions."

Harry started to protest repeating that he would get sick. Snape just wouldn't listen to the child.

"I know you don't like me but you can't force me to drink a potion and then punish me for doing so."

"Is that so?" Snape made up his mind he wasn't going to let that insufferable brat disrespect him like he had since the day they met. "Galcio!" Snape froze Harry so that he couldn't move the class stared at him in amazement he forced a vial of the potion down his throat. He removed the spell and noticed that Harry's eyes were a bright hazel. "That wasn't..." Harry threw-up on the Potion's Master before he fainted.

The Gryffindors gasped as Harry fell. Hermione was by his side in seconds to see if he was still alive. She checked the pulse on his right arm.

"We have to get him to the Hospital Wing. His pulse is very low and I think he may be in shock. Professor this is your entire fault. He warned you that this would happen if he drank that potion. But you wouldn't listen. Neville, Ron, help me get Harry out of here before Professor Snape causes any more trouble."

They ran out of the room. Fortunately, they knew how to get to the Hospital Wing. Unfortunately, it was on the four floors above them. They all knew that they didn't have much time to get Harry there. But running was the best they could do since the Floo didn't work in the dungeons. Ron suddenly stopped.

"He's not breathing. Why isn't he breathing?" They were really beginning to panic. But Hermione was surprisingly cool and collected.

"Ron, put him down and go get a teacher. I'll stay here and try some Muggle respiratory techniques. Hurry!"

The boys ran down the hallway looking for a used classroom. Hermione put her mouth over Harry and blew. Oxygen went down Harry's throat and filled his lungs but it wasn't enough. She blew again this time Harry's chest rose as he took a small breath on his own. She sat by his side until Ron and Neville returned with a Professor none of them knew; he put Harry on a stretcher and in minutes they were at the Hospital Wing.

Professor McGonagall was already there. As it turned out a Third Year Hufflepuff accidentally turn her right ear into a doorknob during class and she had to go to Madam Pomfrey to un-transfigure it. Pomfrey turned it back just as the four entered the ward. The students began to explain what happened with out being told.

"...and then Snape froze Harry and forced him to drink it." Hermione finished the tale for the three of them. McGonagall knew exactly what the dangers were if someone forced you to transfigure. If the children were telling te truth, and she had no doubt that they were, Severus Snape would be in a lot of trouble. Without telling anyone where she was going, she practically ran to Dumbledore's office.

She quickly went over the situation with Dumbledore who then called Tonks to ask for her help. Within minutes, Remus and Tonks were in the Hospital Wing. Tonks fortunately wasn't her trademark clumsy self and was very useful in getting Harry stable. While this happening, Dumbledore was in Snape's classroom observing how he treated his students. What he saw was worse than he feared.

The Gryffindor Fifth Years were with the Slytherins. He noticed that all of the Gryffindors stayed toward the back, close to the door. Dumbledore watched as Snape walked among the students. He commented on Marcus Flint's potion and how it was the right color blue. When he stopped at Oliver Wood's potion, he sneered at the student and loudly told the class that it was too light and too watery. Dumbledore glanced at both potions and noticed that they were the same exact color and texture.

Dumbledore had heard enough. It was time to take action but he wasn't going to do that with a bunch of students watching. He stepped out of the shadows and everyone stared at him.

"This class is dismissed and Prefects I expect you to put up notices that Potions will be cancelled for the rest of the day. I will be making an announcement at dinner when classes will recommence. Severus I would like a word with you, now."

"Headmaster, what can I do for you?"

"Shut up Severus and pay attention to what I have to say. I will NOT have any of my teachers harming and belittling the students. I watched your last class and was shocked by your behavior. Oliver's potion was as good as or even perhaps better than Marcus' but you shot him down and deliberately embarrassed him in front of his peers. You endangered the life of an ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD BOY. And for what, a paltry revenge on a dead man. Tell what me Harry has done to you that warranted your dismal treatment of him."

Snape was speechless. The truth was, aside some rude comments, Harry Potter had done nothing to him. Snape also knew he couldn't lie to the man.

"He is rude. He disrupts the class with useless chatter. I had no reason to believe that the potion would cause him any harm. The boy was probable faking it the whole time."

"Harry wasn't faking it. Right at this very moment he is in a coma and very likely will be for a very long time. He obviously doesn't trust or he would have told that he was a Metamorphmagi. Being forced to morph is very dangerous to a Metamorph's body. Harry pulse is very low and according to Hermione Granger, Harry stopped breathing for a few minutes. I don't want your excuses.

"You are herby suspended for two weeks with no pay. You are on probation. You may not give any one a detention unless they are in your house. You may not take House points from any student that isn't in your House. You may not give any points to your own House but must give at least five points a day to each other House a day. Gryffindor and Slytherin will no longer have Potions together. As from now on, Gryffindor will have class with the Hufflepuffs. This will include all Years.

"I hope you are happy Severus. By treating the Gryffindors with disrespect only shows those in your House that it is okay to do so. You are supposed to be their role model. You should be some one that all students can look up to. You have two hours to pack your things and leave. You will report back to me when the two weeks are over. I really hoped that it won't come to this, but if I see you harassing another student then I will be forced to terminate your employment."

Dumbledore left without another word, without looking back. Snape was in a stunned silence. Then he began to seethe. It was all Potter's fault. He will pay for humiliating him as he did.

There were plans to be made and not much time to make them. Dumbledore called all the Heads of Houses (beside Snape because he was packing) to his office to create new timetables for all of the students. They also had to discuss who would replace Snape while he was suspended. No one outside of the school was available so the teachers had to take turns teaching the subject; Dumbledore was to teach the First Years.

Dumbledore also had to make his speech at dinner informing the students what had happened. He could already picture how all the Houses would react. Gryffindor and Hufflepuff would cheer that their most hated professor was temporarily gone. Ravenclaw would be indifferent as always. And the Slytherins were going to protest and blame the Gryffindors.

"May I have your attention please? I have a few announcements I would like to make. First, I have to inform you that Harry Potter is in a coma and is being transferred to St. Mungos. Second, Professor Snape has been suspended for two weeks for his involvement in this event. Third, tomorrow morning you all will be receiving new timetables. This is not a punishment towards you but a way to protect you all. In no way are any of you are to lash out against another House. If you do, the penalty will be severe. This punishment will include detention, suspension, and expulsion depending on how severe the offense."

With that, Dumbledore sat down. For the rest of dinner the entire school was silent. It was not the reaction he was expecting. He knew that the Gryffindors were going to be more subdued, especially the First Years. But seeing the whole school in a stupor was a little disquieting.

In the Hospital Wing Tonks and Remus were helping the nurse stabilize Harry. They were debating whether if they should send Harry to send to St. Mungos. They realized that they wouldn't have a choice if he doesn't wake up soon.

After about an hour Harry's breathing was stable and his pulse was almost back to normal but he still hadn't woken up.

Tonks was worried. She had never seen such a bad reaction to a simple eye color potion. She hated the man that hurt the boy that she became so fond of. In her opinion, Snape got off to easily. And she was the one who to make sure that he suffered.

No one noticed that Harry's eyes were glowing under his lids.