Chapter Six: New Classes, Adventures and Friends:
Harry woke up bright and early the next morning and had a large breakfast in the great hall and went to his classes and enjoyed them all. The last one of the day was potions with Snape and he wanted to do well as he knew Snape was not a professor to disappoint. At least that is what Remus drummed into his head, be nice to Snape, treat him with respect that and Remus had warned him of what Snape would do in the first class with him. Slytherin and Gryffindor had the class together and Harry was very glad Snape did not mix up the two houses, Slytherin said on once side of the room, Gryffindor on the other. He came in and gave his speech he gave to all his first year classes then looking down at Harry he glided over and stood over the boy.
"Ah Mr. Potter our new celebrity" he said trying to rile up Harry as Harry knew he would. "Tell me Mr. Potter what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Hermione's hand shot up but Snape ignored her.
"Um a sleeping drought sir, the drought of living death, like the one used on sleeping beauty sir?" Harry said innocently.
"I see, I seem to have started too easy, tell me what is the difference between monkshood and Wolfsbane?"
"They are the same plant sir, and another name, is, um" Harry saw Hermione practically out of her seat her had in the air.
"I am waiting Mr. Potter what is another name?"
"Aconite sir." Harry said softly.
"Mr. Weasley let's see if you have any of your brothers' brains." Snape said encoring Hermione completely and rounding on Ron. "Tell me what would you do if I asked for a beazor?"
"I would ah look for the stone from the stomach of a goat and um it's used for antidote for poison sir?" Ron said so glad Remus had told him what to expect with Snape.
"I see, so you think a little book reading will get you through my class do you?" Snape said icily. "Let's see how well you do at actually making a potion, a simple potion to remove boils."
Unfortunately though Neville was good with plants he did not have a prayer of doing even this simple potion right. Yes the poor boy managed to melt Seamus' cauldron and get the potion all over himself. Snape was so mad he took five points from Gryffindor and sent Neville to the hospital wing in near tears. Harry helped clean up the mess and got one more strange look from Snape who instead of having a reason to yell at Harry watched as he carefully started to clean up the mess. Snape made a motion with his wand and Harry looked up at him startled as the mess vanished.
"Would not want the golden boy to have boils for hands would we?" Snape sneered.
"I am sorry sir." Harry said knowing better than to talk back to this very temperamental wizard.
"Indeed." Snape said.
Now Snape was finding Harry Potter to be a very confusing boy to work out. He looked like his father but he did not act like him, he was so like his mother it pained him. He was sitting in the staffroom sipping tea later that week when McGonagall came in looking smug, oh joy she had found herself a seeker. She sat across from him and he put his tea cup down and glowered at her. They were friends but they were heads of rival houses and they loved to one up the other. McGonagall cared deeply for Snape and tried to take care of him when he needed it, then and teased and annoyed him as it was amusing. He did it to her as well and right now the news she had was going to get him to go through the roof.
"I found a seeker." McGonagall said primly.
"Oh joy." Snape growled. "Who did you find?"
"Harry Potter." McGonagall said.
"You what?" Snape said his eyes going wide with shock. "But first years, not in my life you cannot, he has too much fame, I am going to kill myself!"
"Alastor is bringing up his broom." McGonagall said. "He has mixed feelings, he is happy his boy is playing but as you know…"
"I will hate to see Slytherin loose." Came the voice of Moody from the doorway. "Hello Severus, you look like you need a pint."
"Or four." Snape growled rubbing the bridge of his nose as he was getting a headache. "That boy is like his father, arrogant rude….."
"You sayin' I did no' raise my boy right?" Moody snarled at Snape. "Cause my boy would no' be allowed t' be a spoiled brat. I do have final say in him being on the team." Moody said.
"Will you then?" Snape said.
"Yea I will." Moody said, " 'e will help take out Slytherin and it breaks me heart in that but he will be happy an' that will make me happy."
"Traitor." Snape said with a smirk and seeing the look on Moody's face he ran for it.
After the first game Snape wanted to kill himself, Harry had caught the snitch, oh but not in a normal manner, oh no he had mimicked a tree frog and caught it in his mouth! This after Snape was sure Quirell tried to kill the boy. He had no proof but he was sure he had and McGonagall could not stop gloating about Harry catching the snitch! The school year went on, Harry was tolerable in potions at least he did not melt cauldrons like Neville did, no he did not in that respect. He was not his mother that was for sure but he did well and took potions seriously.
Then there was Draco trying to get Harry into trouble, he had claimed seeing Potter out on the Astronomy tower one night in early spring. However there was no sign of the boy found out of his common room but Snape had seen an interesting sight, several wizards on brooms with a crate between them that was smoking! He had not been happy when McGonagall brought his first year to him and it was at this time Snape was very glad he was very close to the boy's father and his godfather. When Snape was finished with Draco Malfoy the boy found it very hard to sit for a week.
Snape remembered the mountain troll and how Hermione Granger lied to him about how Harry and Ron had come to rescue her. He had let it slide but oh he was having a hard time with Harry, he felt as if he was being pushed aside by Dumbledore as Harry was now Dumbledore's new project. It stunned the poor potions master and he could not help it, he should be the old headmaster's first concern and he knew he was being childish but he could not help it. He knew the day would come when Harry came to Hogwarts he would be called to do his duty, keep the boy safe and alive.
Which was why he damn near had a heart attack when Harry and his friends went into the chamber where the Philosophers stone was kept. They had used their brains and got through the puzzles, Snape had thought that the puzzles chosen would keep Quirell out and he suspected Quirell no matter what the headmaster said. The aged headmaster could be so, well trusting! After all he let a werewolf help raise Harry Potter and an insane Auror. No matter when Harry had defeated Quirell and Voldemort had fled him Snape had visited the boy in the hospital wing after casting an disalusionment charm on himself. Moody of course saw him but did not say a word as he knew that would just cause a fight.
"You gave us a quite a start Harry." Moody said to Harry.
"Are you mad at me sir?" Harry asked Moody.
"Well a little boy, but mostly worried." Moody said sternly.
"We both are Harry, why did you go in there anyway?" Remus asked taking a seat by him.
"I-I felt, I mean I felt like I was called sir." Harry said.
"Hmm, must be that scar." Moody said looking at him keenly. "I am gonna do some research on it, see what we kin do about it."
"Okay, can we not have what I did get around the school?" Harry asked looking worried.
"Okay Harry I can talk to the headmaster." Remus said. "But why?"
"I just don't feel, I mean I was foolish sir." Harry said looking down at his quilt.
Snape had to pick his jaw up off the floor, a Potter refusing glory and fame? That could not be! What was the world coming to? He did not have much time to think about things as the leaving feast came too quickly and he found himself for the first time in seven years sitting with another house getting the inner house cup. It was not Gryffindor, nor was it Slytherin, in fact Gryffindor and Slytherin tied for second and Hufflepuff came in first with ten points more than the two rival houses. Snape was not unhappy about this but a certain Slytherin first year was not too happy as he felt he would be blamed. The next day the students boarded the train and headed back to London for the summer and Harry was looking forward to it as he would be allowed to stay with the Weasleys part of the summer!
I want to thank all who have reviewed so far: Tumshie, The Geeky Quill, graypheonix, Lady Clark-Weasley of Books, JWOHPfan, AllMightyPen, DeliaDee, Rainbow2007, Charcoal Hunter Winston, danielle72679, HarrySirius Fan, Auralia Mortimer, world peace, kloette.
I know this chapter covered all of Harry's first year, however I did not see much I needed to really cover. The first potions class was really all I could think of covering and wanted to show how being raised by Moody and Moony would have made Harry a better kid. Besides Severus needs to be treated with respect and Harry is smart and given the right tools he can show his intelligence too.