I Own Nothing!

Neville raised his hand a little nervously, refusing to look Harry in the eye. For some reason he couldn't explain, Neville thought that his question was about to get Harry into a huge amount of trouble. But even so the curiosity inside him was raging, and he knew he had to ask. "Harry, how did you get so good at potions in your sixth year?" At the huge change in the atmosphere of the room Neville quickly explained himself.

"It's just that that year I kept hearing about how good you were from everyone, when you never really excelled at it before and Hermione was mad all year…I was just curious. I kept hearing bits of rumours and conversations…" He smiled bashfully at Harry, who was now glowering at him. Hermione looked a cross between pleased and confused; Ron simply looked like he was expecting something bad to happen. The only other strange reaction in the room seemed to be Snape's. His lips had curled into a familiar, but more prominent sneer and he looked delighted.

"Yes do tell us Potter." He smoothly put in. Harry was starting to sweat, and when he went to the centre of the room he stood at the nearest point to the door.

Harry took a long time scratching the back of his head, thinking of a way to phrase the answer. "I…got a talented new teacher I guess." He ended up saying, this drew a sarcastic laugh from Snape.

"Tell them the real reason Potter. Or I will." He called sadistically. "Oh and Minerva do please release Albus, I want to hear what he has to say about our resident celebrity." As Minerva complied, his smile widened and looked most sinister.

"Uh…I used my textbook." He tried again, but the murderous look Snape sent him was too much. "Okay, I used these hand written instructions in my book, which were written by Snape as a kid."

Slughorn looked confused. "Then...It wasn't your own ingenuity?" He asked Harry. Rubbing the back of his neck, harry replied no.

"Harry…" Dumbledore sighed.

"And you didn't think that the book may be dangerous?" McGonagall demanded.

"Some would consider that cheating!" Molly sternly stated.

"I…" Harry grimaced.

"Did you ever tell anyone that the scribbles were more useful than the book?" Pomona said. "That could have helped many students with their work!"

Horace's eyes lit up and he turned to the smug Snape. "And why Severus, did you teach them with the worse instructions? The others could really have helped students. It was your duty as a teacher to teach to the best of your standards! I cannot believe this!"

"Where is the book now?" Pomona asked stiffly. She was annoyed that some of her students struggled for years with potions, when they could have easily been helped.

"Oh…Well it burned in the room of requirement." Harry sheepishly stated.

"How?" Filius asked crossly, not liking the idea of students being denied knowledge.

"Crabbe cast a fiend fire curse, which set the place alight. It was in the final battle so the room just repaired itself and became empty again. Unfortunately the room didn't protect the objects." Hermione supplied.

"Severus, do you think you would grace us with your knowledge in the art of options?" Slughorn asked. Harry thought it was quite clear he was attempting to flatter Snape. And Snape obviously wasn't buying it, he sneered and replied he would think about it.

"Think about it? After the damage you've caused to the children's educations you are going to tell us." McGonagall firmly stated. "Or I shall move you permanently." McGonagall firmly stated. "You have until September to recall it all."

Then eyes all went back to Harry. "You're lucky the potions in that book didn't explode or cause anyone serious harm young boy." Arthur reprimanded.

On the other side of the room George was smiling though. "So that's why Hermione was always so grouchy about you. You cheated, or not- it's debatable, and she didn't like that you were better than her." Hermione turned red and protested.

"I just didn't like the fact that Harry was so obsessed with that book. I was right; it had some nasty curses in it." She argued defensively.

"Uh huh. And it had nothing to do with the fact that he was beating you?" George asked.

"No! I was simply angry that he continuously got credit he didn't deserve!" Hermione hotly said. She sat back and crossed her arms. Ron chuckled and pulled her into a hug.

"Cheer up Hermione, it's alright." He kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear. "We're all getting a kick up the arse anyway. I think Mum's gonna wrap me up in a bubble charm and never let me out of the house! Scratch that." He said eyeing Harry. "I think she's gonna do t to all three of us!" Hermione giggled and felt slightly better in Ron's arms.

Harry however, was still trying to defend his actions. "I told Ron about it! He was fine with it!" He argued.

"Ron didn't use it though."

"But he didn't say I shouldn't!"

"He left it up to you to decide! It wasn't really his business." Harry was feeling smaller and smaller.

"It helped save Ron's life…" There was a pause in the onslaught at this.

"I suppose it did my boy. But that doesn't excuse you at all, as a potions master I would've helped." Slughorn stated. Feeling betrayed, Harry continued arguing. He was slowly getting angrier and angrier.

"You were shocked! You might not have done anything!"

"That is beside the point we are trying to make-"

"- I don't care! I did it, it's done and I've learnt my lesson. I don't need 20 odd lectures about what I should've done! You don't know what might've happened without that book. Yes I was stupid, selfish, and the list goes on. You've said. I know. Just please leave it."

This left the group of adults looking rather shocked at the weary expression on Harry's face. Hermione and Ron's expression mirrored his, they understood what he meant. As a rather angry Harry sat down again he sighed when Madame Pomfrey came over. "Okay, just try not to make me swallow too much." He wearily stated.

Happy that she would finally get to have a look at him the school nurse conjured a bed in her corner of the room and told him to lie down. "Now, this may take a while as you have been exposed to a horrendous amount of dark magic." She shuddered. "But I just need to run a few diagnostics." She began waving her wand about and a spectrum of colours started flowing steadily out of her wand. For a few minutes she just muttered to herself and took notes, so Harry allowed his mind to wander back to his previous conversation. He started to feel slightly guilty about his outburst, but anger immediately frothed back up.

'What did they expect? I've been independent all my life, apparently abused and starved of love, been through more life or death situations than I care to remember and defeated a dark Lord all before I was eighteen! Then suddenly they come in, all good will and advice and start lecturing me on what I did wrong. Where were they when it happened? If they'd dealt with it properly then I wouldn't have had to have done all that stuff. I'd like to see them try it.' He thought darkly.

"They're only trying to show they care." Madame Pomfrey stated sagely. "I know you're mad but that's what they're doing. They blame themselves you know, which is why they're trying to help now." She then shoved a green coloured potion at him and watched him swallow.

"Well they should work it out some other way!" Harry ground out. "I don't need it now."

She bustled about with some more potions smiling sadly. "You'll understand eventually. You may still not agree, but you'll understand." Then she seemed to harden before his eyes and became the stern medi-witch he knew. "Right now, that was better than I was expecting, your body heals well. I dread to think why. However there are still some dark traces that will need to go and this potion will flush it out. The next on will sort out those nightmares you have and the rest are to strengthen your bones and internal organs. It'll help prevent damage in the future."

She glared at him. "I know about your career choice, trust you to pick the most dangerous. We'll be worried sick." Turning around again she picked up a foul looking grey potion. "Oh and this one will help you gain that weight back- you're all much too thin still." As she spoke she had pointed to a number of phials and bottles. Harry was thankful to note that they all had instructions. "Now I am going to need you to return for a check-up next month, and if you don't look after yourself I will know. If that happenes I shall be very angry, and then I will keep you in my care until I am satisfied you are healthy. Be glad Minerva convinced me to give you three a chance."

"Er…Thanks Madame Pomfrey." She waved him off and brushed off her robes. Then she looked up with a determined air. Harry could see her observing a wary Hermione and decided to let her avoid it as long as she could. He doubled his conviction as soon as Poppy sat back down. She had handed a copy of her notes to both Molly and Minerva, who were scanning it with narrowed eyes and scrutinizing him afterward. Feeling uncomfortable, he moved out of sight and sat with his two best friends.

"That was okay, I think she knew I was mad." He whispered.

"What did she do?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"She did something to trace where the dark magic had affected my body."

"…Oh." Hermione bit her lip, and he saw her gaze flick down to her arm and back. Reaching out to her he squeezed her hand.

"It's okay, I'm sure Madame Pomfrey won't ask questions." Hermione nodded slowly and looked away. She didn't mind Harry or ron knowing about the scar, but with other people it would make her feel…dirty. Like it was announcing the fact that she was a mudblood for the world to see. Hermione also didn't think she could take their mothering nature. Her parents were still fresh in her mind.

"Maybe we should move on now? It's getting rather late." Filius said. Nods went around the room, and the next person stood up.