Harry Potter was rapidly becoming certain that he had idiots for friends.

They thought Snape was after the Stone, and they -both- wanted to stalk him.

Nevermind that they had classes, and if Harry was going to steal something, he'd either do it during class or after curfew. Actually, he'd probably do it at 3am, when even the guard dog was sleeping.

They wouldn't listen to him at all, either. Even when he'd said he'd have nothing of it.

This just made tonight's detention all that much worse. 'You'll tell us what he's up to, won't you Harry?' Ron had asked. Hermione had simply looked gleeful, and said, 'I'll help you with your charms work afterwards, I promise.'

She wouldn't be having this much trouble with her studies if she'd just STUDY and not STALK TEACHERS.

Harry Potter almost wanted to talk with Severus Snape about this. It was the sort of thing that he'd probably find hilarious. "My friends are IDIOTS, but what did you expect? They're Gryffindors!"

Snape was about the only person in the entire castle who would understand. Understand, and not seek to twist such a simple sentiment. Nott might listen, but he'd want to twist Harry towards himself. Malfoy wouldn't understand.

Snape would, Harry thought, tell him to make better friends.

If only it were that simple.

Snape was in more of a mood during Harry's detention, and Harry didn't have the chutzpah to ask about why Snape was so mad. Had Hermione ruined something Snape was working on? Not a potion, she'd never do that, not willingly. But... a scheme?

Snape being moody didn't change Harry's assignment, of course. It was always the same, scrub cauldrons until the cauldron pile was done. If he hadn't spent enough time, he got another detention. Harry knew that this year he'd done quadruple what anyone had ever done during a year. (the Twins had the record before this, and that was because they got in an unbelievable amount of trouble, and people tended to count them together).

"Get out of here," was all Snape said to Potter.

At least no one was around to beat the crap out of him.

[a/n: Harry's had a rough life. His scheme doesn't last an eyeblink if he says anything to Snape. Leave a review?]