Editor's Note: So sorry for the crazy delay between chapters! Pandemic is crazy and chapter ended up languishing away on my computer…for weeks. This chapter was written by both frankie and another young woman whom I will figure out how to cite. All recogizable Harry Potter characters and locations belong to JK Rowling and no copyright infringement is intended.
Chapter 4: The Worst Potions Class
One gloomy Monday, Harry headed to the dungeons for Potions. He walked in and was about to go sit with his friends, but Professor Snape stopped him.
"You'll sit with Mr. Malfoy today," said the grumpy professor. Harry could hear Malfoy laughing even before he got to his table.
"You should bring your dog down here sometime," said Malfoy. "I'm sure Professor Snape would love to use him for potion ingredients! After all, that dog is nothing but a pain in the..."
Harry felt anger surge through him. "You bastard!" he screamed. "Don't you dare insult Padfoot!"
"Potter! Language! Twenty points from Gryffindor!" Professor Snape snapped. "Take your seat and be silent."
"Shut up!" Harry yelled. "He is all that I have left of my one golden year!" Snape sneered.
"You have Lupin," he retorted. "But wait, he's absent!" The Slytherins laughed at that.
"Leave my best mate alone!" Ron growled, his face morphing to match his famous red hair. It was getting nasty.
"Another 20 points for your agreement with Mr. Potter," the Potions Master declared. Hermione rose out of her seat.
"This is getting out of hand!" she broke out. "If this is how you continue to treat my friend and other then I might as well throw your authority over me out the castle window!"
The classroom went silent.
"Who are you and what have you done with Hermione Granger?" Ron squeaked.
Hermione smiled brightly. "As I have said before, there is more to life than books and cleverness. There's love, hope, loyalty, friendship, understanding, family, and unity."
Snape was speechless for a moment.
He found his voice too quickly as he ordered, "Class dismissed!"
When Harry was reunited with Ron and Hermione, he ran as best as he could out of there, in search of Padfoot. He was on Harry's bed, napping.
"Padfoot," Harry sobbed. "I'm so sorry!" The big, black dog scooted closer to the distraught teen. He let his godson cry into his silky fur. Padfoot listened to the heart-breaking sounds that his pup made. What could have Harry so upset? The animagus waited until Harry's crying ceased.
"What happened?" the man asked as soon as he could.
"Snape took points from Harry just because he was sitting with us," Hermione began. Sirius raised an eyebrow at the lack of professorial title but didn't comment on it.
"Then he forced him to sit with Malfoy and then that blond ponce said that his wish was to have you come down to class in order to be used as a potion ingredient," Ron added. "He also took points when Harry called Malfoy a bastard." Sirius was disturbed.
"And Malfoy is thirteen, correct?" he asked. The trio nodded. "Well, I have a plan, but first I need to speak with Narcissa, my cousin, and Draco's mum." Harry blanched in shock.
"You're related to Malfoy?" he asked.
"Yes," Sirius answered. "Most of the pureblood families are distantly related."
"I'll tell you the plan when we can launch it, but for now, I'll go back to being Padfoot," his godfather said. Harry nodded as the man changed and he cuddled him momentarily. He wore a smile as he laid there, dreaming up all of the plans Sirius could have up his sleeve. The world wouldn't know what hit them.
When Harry walked into the classroom the next day that he and Scott used, he was not alone. Padfoot was with him.
"Hello Harry," said Scott.
"Hi," Harry said. "Did you hear what Snape did?"
"No I have not," said Scott.
Harry explained the whole story to Scott, and added that Sirius had a plan. Scott chuckled. Knowing Sirius, it would be quite the prank. After they talked for a few minutes about how Harry felt about the situation, Scott dismissed him so he could talk to Severus Snape.
"Severus!" Scott called, knocking on Snape's office door. Snape flung the door
open in seconds.
"What?" he snapped. "I don't have all day."
"May I come in?" Scott asked. Snape mumbled a yes and let Scott in.
"Why have you been treating Harry badly?" Scott asked. "I know you're a spy, b…"
"You KNOW ABOUT THAT?" Snape yelled. "How?"
"Albus told me a long time ago," said Scott. "Now, as I was saying, why do you treat Harry worse than any other student?"
"Because I have to!" Snape snapped.
"What would Lily say if she saw you treating her son like Harry's good-for-nothing?" Scott asked, knowing this would do it.
Sure enough, Snape was silent for a moment before saying, "She would be very disappointed in me."
"Yes, she would be," said Scott. "She would be very upset that a teacher, who used to be her friend, was tormenting her son. Furthermore, she would not be happy that you placed Harry with a classmate who clearly hates him. Severus, I know that you don't like Harry, but I know that you don't hate him either. Treat him like a real student who deserves to learn and to grow. You helped him out when he was here for a weekend when he was still at the Training Institute. Harry will not remember the kind side of you on that day if all he can think about is the greasy git of the dungeons."
Severus Snape didn't know what to say. He had so much to think about now. All he could muster out was, "Fine! Get out!"
Scott decided that it was best to obey the man because otherwise, he was at risk of being hexed. He left the office feeling satisfied that something may be different in Potions class for now on.