Hey guys,
MY LONGEST CHAPTER YET AND A PRETTY GOOD ONE AT THAT! lol I know that my chapters are pretty short and all but that's only because I update more often and regularly then others and I would rather have a new, short, chapter once to twice a week, then a long chapter, but only once a month. Anyhoo, I tried to add some action into this one and create a little tension but I'm still building up and attempting to establish a relationship between Harry and Snape... we'll just have to see how that goes.
Love you guys,
MissGallagherGirl
It had been a week since Harry had had his talk with Snape, where it was decided that he would join him in his personal rooms for lunch everyday. Since then Harry had become accustomed with eating there on a daily basis.
The conversations were rare and when they took place it was always on dull topics, such as potions or grades... several times he felt like he was being interrogated when Snape would suddenly start firing away random questions about his health or welfare.
Nevertheless, they ate in peace and most of the time the animosity was low, they kept there opinions about one another to themselves and overall it wasn't as bad as Harry had assumed it would be.
Once in a while when Harry was dying for a reprieve from his friends, he even actually welcomed the affair.
But today was not one of those days.
Harry had been having nightmares all night long and when he finally awoke from the terrors of his dreams he was not exactly in a pleasant mood.
The first thing that went wrong was that Ron had used all the warm water in the shower, so he got out to get his wand out of the pocket in his pants, which were currently lying in a heap with his other clothes. But when he finally padded over there, he only found that it must have fallen out in the middle of the night when he was thrashing around in his bed.
Putting his ear to the door he discerned the voices of Seamus and Neville... deciding he didn't want to give them a show by walking out nude or in just a towel, and determining he was too lazy to redress and then undress in order to go out, he angrily decided he was destined to a chilly shower.
Once he was done washing, he was in an even crosser mood.
He went looking for his wand in his bed but couldn't find it, he bent down to search on the ground and found it under his mattress, but when he reached for it, he lifted his head up too early and ended up knocking it hard on the wooden frames holding the bed up.
He quietly seethed to himself as he noticed what time it was and that he was already late to Transfiguration, then he became aware of the empty room... nobody had waited for him or even had the decency to warn him what time it was.
He scowled all the way down to Transfiguration where Mcgonagall scolded him in front of the entire class and threatened him several times with detention.
After thoroughly admonishing him, she told him to remain after class where she continued rebuking him for a good 10 minutes until he finally sincerely apologized and told her he would be late to Potions and that as it was, already he wouldn't arrive there in time.
"Mr. Potter if you can be late to my class, then surely you can arrive tardy to Professor Snape's class as well", had been her simple stern response.
After being once again reprimanded by Snape and receiving a detention, to be served the next night, he was irate in rage.
When lunch time rolled around he considered skipping the entire affair all together, but in the end his stomach got the best of him.
Determining he didn't exactly feel up to eating with the evil bat he decided to just dine in the Great Hall with Ron and Hermione.
Lunch was a decent affair, Hermione studied the entire time while Harry vented to Ron about the "evil git of the dungeons."
The meal was almost over when Harry felt a light tap on his back, he turned around only to meet the obsidian eyes of an extremely angry looking potion's master.
Snape looked down demeaningly at the boy, infuriated that the ignorant and imbecilic boy had not even had the decency to owl him to say that he would be having lunch in the Great Hall.
Honestly Snape wouldn't have really minded, he noticed that the boy was eating more and was actually going to let him go back to eating in the Great Hall again for all his meals, but then of course the empty-headed boy just had to pull another stunt like this.
Snape had been distraught, searching all over for the boy. He was even beginning to come up with inconceivable and absurd scenarios in his head. Really, since when did he worry this much over the Potter boy, or for that matter, anybody at all?
But instead of apologizing or even attempting to explain himself, the infuriating dunderhead simply lifted his defiant green eyes up and disrespectfully questioned, "What do you want?" Although it sounded a lot more like a demand then an inquiry.
Harry hadn't meant to be so rude, but he had had enough for one day. He was tired of putting up with so much crap in only a few hours and therefore his manners and etiquette had taken a turn for the worse.
Snape simply glared daggers at the boy, "excuse me?" He demanded, his voice silky and smooth, and even though low, it brought the whole hall to silence, everybody turning to see what had brought Professor Snape up from the dungeons and what the commotion was all about.
Harry now feeling all the eyes burning into him, began to feel pressured, like he had to defend himself and stand up to the bastard.
"You heard me" he said his truculent eyes unwavering.
Snape, now appalled at the boys behavior was beginning to loose his patience.
He too was aware of the many eyes of the students all looking upon them to see how the events would turn out and Snape knew very well that he couldn't let the boy win this one, if his students believed he was becoming soft then all hell would break loose.
"10 points from Gryffindor for your cheek Mr. Potter and I strongly suggest you keep your attitude in check".
Harry continued to glare at him, his eyes unrelenting. "For the last time, what do you want?" Harry ordered.
Snape's patience broke, he grabbed the boy by his mop of unruly hair and hissed, "You will mind your manners with me Potter and furthermore you will NOT use that tone of voice with me! Is. That. Understood."
Dumbledore stood from the long length of the teacher's table and quietly said "Severus", which echoed across the dining hall as if warning the man to keep his temper in check, but Snape simply ignored the old man and gave Potter another shake, his hand still curled up in Harry's disorderly hair.
"I said is that understood?" His voice now raising so the entire hall could hear him.
Finally Harry replied "Yes", Snape let go of his hair and looked down upon the boy, "Yes what?" he questioned.
Harry glared at Snape then replied, "Yes... Snivellus".
Snape was disorientated for a second, how did the boy know about his infamous nickname?
Then the thought came to mind, Black.
That stupid mangy dog, he turned around at Harry, flames in his eyes, paler then ever, and teeth bared as if ready to bite, "What did you just call me?"
Emphasizing the what, his voice boomed across the entire Great Hall, Harry now deciding he had to stand his ground, rose from his bench and brought himself up to his full height, which still only met Snape's chest, "Yeah I know all about you and your fun days here at Hogwarts, Snivellus" he snarled the word again.
Snape never recalled feeling this much hatred to the name and suddenly before he knew it he had brought his hand up and swiftly applied it to Harry's cheek, a resounding thrawp encompassed the entire room and total silence fell upon the Great Hall.
"Severus!" Dumbledore boomed as Harry picked his hand up and every so lightly rubbed his cheeks and wiped the blood from where Snape's ring had split his lip, blood now gushing, he exhaled and spit the bright red fluid onto the floor.
Eyes dazed he looked back up. Snape now realizing what he had done, stumbled backwards, surprised by his own actions.
The Potter boy had a bright red handprint on his cheek that was now forming into an angry looking welt, his split lip dripped blood, and his eyes seemed crazed.
Harry slowly looked up at Snape, then whispered, "Thank you, sir", Snape almost fell over in shock. But after he heard the next few words he was ready to deliver another blow.
Harry's demented and deranged eyes met Snape's appalled ones and he quietly hissed, "May I have another?"