Trust In Me
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
A/N: January Exams are over which means a new chapter! Thank you so much to everyone who has left reviews, or added Trust in Me to their alerts and favourites. Hope you like it! Let me know what you think, I love to hear from you!
Chapter 4
At the same time Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore were discussing the events of that evening, Harry was hurriedly working his way through his Transfiguration essay. Despite the late hour, Harry was glad for the distraction as his mind kept wondering to his encounter with the Potions Professor. It was no secret that Snape hated Harry, but that evening, Snape had been almost... nice. Shaking his head at this absurd thought, Harry turned his attention back to his essay. The dorm was silent apart from the scratch of his quill and the quiet snores of Ron and Seamus. Harry finally settled down to sleep an hour later, after finishing his Transfiguration essay and quickly writing something for Charms. It wasn't his best work but it would do. Unlike previous nights, where Harry would sleep restlessly due to the painful throbbing of his hand, that night Harry slept peacefully, his cut hand still submerged in the bowl of Murtlap essence.
The next night was his last detention with the Toad. Or it would have been, if he'd been able to control his temper. In his defence, Harry thought to himself as he walked to Umbridge's office, he'd only opened his mouth to defend Hermione.
"Miss Granger, I am going to have to take five points from Gryffindor house." Umbridge had declared, ignoring the muttering of Harry's classmates as she spoke.
"What for?" Harry had angrily said. Hermione had done nothing wrong and here she was being punished for it.
"Don't you get involved!" Hermione had frantically whispered in response to his outburst. You're welcome Hermione, he thought dryly to himself, before turning his attention back to Umbridge.
"For disrupting my class with pointless interruptions. I am here to teach you using a Ministry-approved method that does not include inviting students to give their opinion on matters about which they understand very little. Your previous teachers in this subject may have allowed you more license, but as none of them – with the possible exception of Professor Quirrell, who did at least appear to have restricted himself to age-appropriate subjects – would have passed a Ministry inspection – "
"Yeah, Quirrell was a great teacher. There was just that minor drawback of him having Lord Voldemort sticking out of the back of his head." He had shouted, ignoring the groans coming from Ron and Hermione. The entire class had fallen silent, holding their breath as they waited to see what would happen next, but Harry only had eyes for Umbridge. He saw the satisfied smirk that momentarily appeared on her face, before being replaced by a disappointed look which fooled no-one.
"I think another week's detentions would do you some good, Mr Potter."
So that was where he was heading now. The cut on his hand had only just stopped weeping blood, but by the end of his detention, it was bleeding again. Harry said nothing to Umbridge while writing his lines and he did not give her the satisfaction of seeing his pain. When he was finally free to go, he hurried back to Gryffindor tower but Hermione and Ron were not in the common room. Dragging himself up to his dorm, he was surprised to find another bowl of Murtlap Essence on his bedside table. Next to it was a note; Just in Case S.S.
Angelina's reaction the next day was not pretty. "Potter!" She bellowed the minute he stepped foot into the Great Hall. Harry and Ron both winced, while Hermione rolled her eyes. "Good luck mate." Ron whispered before making his escape with Hermione. Traitors. Grabbing all of his Gryffindor courage, Harry slowly approached Angelina. "Good morning Ange-"
"Don't try and calm me down Potter!" She interrupted, glaring down at him. "Explain yourself!"
"Angelina I -"
"What part of control your temper did you fail to understand?!" Angelina screamed, startling several first years that were eating their breakfast. Unable to help himself, Harry snorted, wondering how Angelina can criticise him for failing to control his temper. Uh-oh, he thought to himself, soon realising what a dangerous mistake this was to make. Before she could kill him however, Professor McGonagall intervened. At the staff table, Harry could see Professor Snape watching this exchange with a frown.
"Miss Johnson, how dare you make such a racket in the Great Hall! Five points from Gryffindor!"
"But Professor – he's gone and landed himself in detention again – "
"What's this, Potter? Detention? From whom?" Professor McGonagall questioned, but from the glare she was currently giving him, Harry could tell she already knew.
"From Professor Umbridge." He muttered, looking anywhere but Professor McGonagall.
"Are you telling me that after the warning I gave you last Monday you lost your temper in Professor Umbridge's class again?" Professor McGonagall quietly said.
"Yes." Harry muttered, still refusing to look at his Head of House.
"Potter, you must get a grip on yourself! You are heading for serious trouble! Another five points from Gryffindor!"
"But – what –? Professor!" He said furiously, "I'm already being punished by her, why do you have to take points as well?" Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared. Well done Harry, anger her further.
"Because detentions do not appear to have any effect on you whatsoever! No, not another word of complaint Potter! And as for you, Miss Johnson, you will confine your shouting matches to the Quidditch pitch in future or risk losing the team captaincy!" Professor McGonagall and Angelina both shot Harry a look of disgust before turning away; McGonagall to the staff table and Angelina out of the Great Hall. Furious with the pair of them, Harry stormed over to Ron and Hermione. He didn't notice Professor Snape watching him thoughtfully as he sat at the Gryffindor house table.
The next time Harry had Potions was Thursday. He was nervous as this was his first Potions lesson since Professor Snape found out about his detentions with Umbridge. The Slytherins, led by Malfoy, taunted and teased him while they waited outside the Potions classroom but he ignored them, choosing instead to talk quietly with Ron and Hermione. After falling out with Hermione after the 'McGonagall fiasco', Harry was making the effort to be nicer to his friends, knowing they only had his best interests at heart. When they were finally allowed to enter the Potions classroom, Harry felt his heart sink when he was met Snape's usual glare. He shouldn't have been surprised really; Snape was the bat of the dungeon after all. But after the other night, Harry had hoped that maybe Snape wouldn't hate him as much now. Harry wasn't used to anyone looking after him when he was hurt; when he was little, Aunt Petunia would send him to his cupboard and at Hogwarts, Madam Pomfrey helped him because she had to, it was her job. But Snape, Professor Snape who hated him, had helped him, had tried to cure his hand, instead of taking away points or giving detention. Shaking his head slightly, Harry looked away from Professor Snape and focused his attention on the instructions on the board. They were brewing Draught of Peace, which, if brewed correctly, should turn turquoise blue. By the end of the lesson, however, Harry's had turned black, emitting dark grey steam. Not quite sure how he had done it, he looked up sheepishly and was startled to see Snape standing in front of his desk.
"What is this Mr Potter?" Snape asked, capturing the attention of Harry's classmates.
"Draught of Peace Professor?" Harry said, hating how nervous he sounded.
"Mr Potter, I can assure you that mess you have created is not the Draught of Peace. Everyone, out. Potter, stay behind." Snape commanded, walking over to his desk. Ron and Hermione shot him sympathetic looks before following their classmates out of the room. Harry packed away his belongings before sighing, walking reluctantly to stand in front of Snape's desk.
"Mr Potter, for failing to produce an OWL standard potion, you will serve a week's detention with me. I expect you here after dinner." Snape informed Harry, who was avoiding his gaze.
"But Professor, I have detention with Professor Umbridge." Harry replied, confused.
"I am aware of that, Mr Potter. I will speak with her and arrange for you to carry out the rest of your detentions with me." Snape said, shocking Harry. "You may bring your own quill." He added, smirking at Harry's look of surprise.