CHAPTER 3
A/N: Dear all, I am sorry that the chapters are short. I am currently signing up for my Master's exams at University, writing seminar papers and doing translation jobs, so I am very busy. One of you remarked that the story was a bit clichéd. I am assuming that this is due to Snape's appearance. However, there is a reason for this. You'll soon find out more :-) I wish to thank my pal Esther S. most cordially for her idea with the karaoke bar. You rock, Esthi!
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It was with the strangest myriad of emotions that Harry Potter sat at the staff table on Albus Dumbledore's left side while Severus Snape was ensconced on the right, his mouth thinning whenever he happened to catch sight of Harry. The young man smiled as the terrified first year students were ushered into the Great Hall. Seven years ago, he himself had been submitted to the ordeal of being sorted into Gryffindor House in front of all the probing eyes. Professor McGonagall, looking as stern as ever, began to call out their names. Once the Sorting was over, Dumbledore rose to hold his customary welcome speech during which he also announced who would be in charge of the Defense against the Dark Arts position.
Harry must have been the first teacher to be greeted with such thundering applause. There was hooting, appreciative whistling and even stamping of feet from the older students. Harry got up, inclined his head and hastily resumed his seat with burning cheeks and an embarrassed grin. Dumbledore beamed. Snape looked as if he was going to throw up. The other teachers looked amused, and Hagrid, broad and jolly as ever, winked at him. It was the best homecoming Harry had ever experienced, and when he was finished with the feast, he was ready to drop on the floor and fall asleep at once. However, he stayed behind to exchange some hearty words with Hagrid and some of the other teachers, who were now his colleagues.
"Professor Potter, innit?" Hagrid bellowed, embracing Harry in a crushing hug.
"Not to you, Hagrid," Harry gasped. News about Grawp (who was accommodating slowly but steadily to wizarding life) and Olympe Maxime (who visited Hagrid regularly) was exchanged until Harry could not stifle a gigantic yawn any longer.
"Off ter bed, Professor Potter!" Hagrid ordered, slapping Harry's back.
Harry sleepily strolled away to his enormous but cosy quarters, crossing Severus Snape who was heading for his lonely rooms in the coldness of the dungeons.
"I trust you won't be doing any…sleepwalking tonight, Potter," the Head of Slytherin remarked.
"Neither will you, I'm sure," Harry said. Snape's eyes narrowed.
"As insolent as ever," he murmured, "just like your father."
"I'm sure glad I never knew your father," Harry answered quietly. They both knew that he was referring to what he had accidentally seen during his disastrous Occlumency lessons in his fifth year. They also knew that Snape could no longer deduct house points or put Harry into detention. Professionally, they were on an equal basis. Snape first paled, then flushed before striding away, his back stiff with anger.
"Why on earth do you have to go out of your way to be unpleasant to people? Treat them the way you want to be treated, for heaven's sake, man!" Harry said to himself softly, shaking his head. It was great being back at Hogwarts, but he was just going to have to put up with Snape's snide and even downright cruel disposition. He still managed to enjoy a quick shower and an excellent sleep in his luxurious bed.
Breakfast started with a good meal and an interesting piece of information.
"Have you heard of the new karaoke bar down in Hogsmeade, Harry?" Professor Sprout inquired.
"Hogsmeade has a karaoke bar?" he asked, intrigued, ignoring the numerous glances the students were directing towards him. Some things simply never changed.
Dumbledore turned his head towards him.
"Yes – it just opened three weeks ago, my dear boy. It's called Enchantments. It has various sections, too. The Gothic section and the Romantic one, amongst others. The Romantic one is subdivided into further categories. You'll see if you're interested in taking a look. Even Severus likes going there, though he seems oddly reluctant to admit it." Dumbledore smiled mysteriously in his beard and sipped his pumpkin juice pensively.
Harry made a mental note to only go to the bar when he was sure that Snape was in the castle, though it would be extremely difficult to locate the whereabouts of the headstrong Slytherin. Without a certain map, that is.
"Well, the students will have something new to look forward to," he remarked.
"Only those who are seventeen and above – the place is restricted to adults," Dumbledore said regretfully, cutting a piece of sausage.
Harry began to feel mightily intrigued about the bar. Snape or no Snape, he was going to have to check it out on a weekend, when he had time to leave the castle in the evenings.
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