Author's notes:

I was so psyched about doing the scene with BlindHarry and Snape. I think it worked out fairly well. Again, I'm trying to make things run as close to the 6th book as possible.

Please remember to read and review please!

Ch. 2 New Developments

If Potions was the highlight of Harry's morning, the first of his afternoon classes provided his with his low point. Snape stormed into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, his robes billowing around him, sweeping the floor as he spun around at the front of the class, his dark gaze lingering on each and every student. His mood was foul, and his voice the low, dangerous sneer that Harry knew Snape reserved only for Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville as the professor said, "All of you are here because you managed to get grades high enough to make it into the advanced classes. This year, there will be no scattered lesson plans, no chaos… no… disorder. Many of you are only here because good fortune smiled on you. You will receive no mercy from me," Snape said, silkily. "This year, we will work on nonverbal spells, which I can only hope that some of you are better at than other pursuits." Harry glared in Snape's direction as Snape instructed the students to divide into pairs and practice nonverbal dueling.

Ron was working with Harry who, while perfectly capable of producing a wordless shield charm, was unable to aim his spells properly. "Come on, Harry. Just picture the spell hitting me," Ron said as a stinging hex failed to hit him. "Concentrate and focus."

"I'm trying, Ron," Harry said, his face screwed up in concentration. Pointing his wand again, Harry fired a Jelly-Legs Jinx which, instead of hitting Ron, struck Professor Snape.

All activity in the classroom came to a complete halt until Hermione performed the countercurse. Snape straightened up and swept over to Harry and looked down his nose at the blind youth. "Tell me, Potter," Snape said, his voice low and dangerous. "Are you incompetent as well as blind? Your last spell was spoken aloud. Do you not remember me telling you to practice nonverbal spells?"

"Yes," Harry said, stiffly. It made the hairs on the back of his neck prickle that he couldn't see what Snape was doing as he spoke.

"Yes, sir," Snape said, the sharpness to his voice like the edge of a well-honed blade.

"There's no need to call me 'sir', Professor," Harry said, a smirk tweaking the corner of his mouth.

"15 points from Gryffindor, Potter," Snape hissed. "And detention Saturday night for your stupidity and insolence."

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"Harry, that was downright suicidal, especially for you," Hermione said as she, Ron, Harry, Ginny, and Neville sat in the Great Hall during their break. "Snape could have cursed you… or worse."

"Hermione has a point, Harry," Neville said, shooting his friend a look. "With you not being able to see, you never would have had a chance to block something from Snape."

"Yeah, but the look on Snape's face," Ron said, grinning. "Bloody Hell, I wish you could have seen it, Harry."

"Harry, I forgot to tell you," Ginny said as she took her boyfriend's hand. "Slughorn caught me before Charms today. He wants you to meet him in the potions classroom after dinner tonight."

"Did he say what for?" Harry asked, turning in the direction of Ginny's voice.

"No. Just that he needed to talk to you about something," Ginny replied as she pulled Harry into a long, lingering kiss that broke off only after Ron started having a violent coughing fit

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Once the Gryffindors had finished their dinner, Harry left and headed down to the Potions classroom, wondering exactly why Slughorn had wanted to talk to him about.

A jovial voice broke into Harry's musings. "Harry, m'boy!" Slughorn said, hurrying up to Harry. "Glad you could make it. Very glad indeed." Putting a hand on Harry's shoulder, the paunchy professor said, "This way, lad. Come on." Slughorn led Harry into the Potions classroom and told him to sit down at the nearest desk. "Very impressed with you in class today, Harry. Very clear you have your mother's talent for potions. Why, if you could see you'd be the best of the year, make no mistake. But we'll work on it, m'boy. We'll work on it."

"Excuse me, sir," Harry asked as he heard Slughorn moving around the room. "But… why did you…?"

"Private lessons, Harry. Like I told you in class, you have to use senses other than sight in Potions and I promised your mother before term that I would help you as best I could." Slughorn's voice grew reflective as he said, "Finest student I ever taught. Swore she must be a pureblood, the way she worked."

"I'm sorry, Professor Slughorn," Harry said, slowly.

Slughorn's eyes narrowed at Harry as he asked, "Sorry for what?"

"That I couldn't be as good a student as my mother," Harry replied, quietly.

Slughorn let out a laugh and clapped Harry on the shoulder. "Such modesty! Harry, m'boy, blind or not, I'll make you an expert at potions this year, mark my words! Now, let's start on identifying ingredients, eh, lad?"

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When Harry left the potions room, he found Ginny waiting for him just outside. "How long have you been waiting?"

"Not long. I got tired of listening to Tobias and Katie snogging in the common room," Ginny said, taking Harry's arm. The two of them were silent until they reached the entrance hall. "Harry, are you okay? You've been more quiet than usual since…"

Harry knew what she meant and what she'd wanted to say. "Since I've been blind," Harry finished. "I know. I just don't know what to do anymore, you know."

Ginny squeezed Harry's arm and said, "Harry, when I found out… I was confused. But I love you. As long as I know that… I know what to do."

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Over the next month, life at Hogwarts transpired fairly uneventfully. Harry managed to get through his classes and the spell work with Neville and Hermione's help. In Potions, Harry continued following the random instructions scribbled in the book which had been written by someone who called himself the Half-Blood Prince. When Harry had written to his father and Sirius asking if they'd heard of the Prince, both Marauders had written back negative replies. Even with the help of the Prince, Harry kept working with Slughorn on everything from ingredient identification to the smells of various potions.

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One cool October morning, Harry was awoken by Ginny shaking him violently. "Harry, wake up! You're supposed to be in Herbology!"

Harry shot up and felt furiously around for his watch. Hitting a button on it, the watch chirped, "8:23 am."

"Damn," Harry muttered, heatedly, as he got dressed. Ginny grabbed up her boyfriend's things and handed Harry his cane, bag and wand.

Once Harry was out of the dorms, he hurried as best he could down to the greenhouses, trying to keep his footing on the rocky terrain. Unfortunately, Harry's foot loosed a rock and he tumbled down a short hill, everything flying out of his hands as he landed sprawled on the ground. Panic started quickly as Harry got to his knees, suddenly realizing that he had no idea of where he was or what the ground was like. "Perfect," Harry muttered, feeling along the ground. "Just perfect. I can't believe this." Harry's right hand brushed against a thin piece of wood and further examination confirmed it to be his wand. "Accio cane," Harry said, and felt it fly into his hand. Tapping along the ground, Harry went slowly until he reached a boulder. Sitting down, Harry tried to think about his location and where the greenhouses were.

Sounds of footfalls made Harry stiffen and when he heard a woman's voice, Harry pointed his wand. "Easy, Harry, it's Tonks. I was popping in Hagrid and saw you coming down the hill."

"I tripped," Harry said, sighing. "I was late for herbology and… And I'm completely lost."

"Don't worry about it, Harry," Tonks chirped. "Come on, I'll take you down to the greenhouses." She grabbed Harry's bag and gently took his arm guiding him down the hill to Greenhouse 2 where Professor Sprout was already in the middle of her lecture.

"Potter, what happened? You're not usually late," Sprout said, in surprise.

"Harry just got a little bit turned around, Professor," Tonks replied, smiling.

"Very well," Sprout said, pointing Harry in the direction of Neville.

When Harry finally say down, Neville leaned over to him and whispered, "Malfoy kept saying you'd accidentally walked into the Forbidden Forest. Sprout docked him 20 points." Harry just nodded and started reading the information on the day's plant. After a few minutes, Neville put a hand on Harry's shoulder and said quietly, "Harry, mate, maybe you should think about getting a seeing-eye dog or something." Harry pretended that he wasn't listening and Neville, sensing Harry's discomfort, continued with the class work.

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