Pretty Boy
Chapter 38
Teaching And Digging For Answers
While Harry was preparing to take over Severus' class, or rather 'Hadrian' was in public opinion. The others, Sirius, Remus and Bill were digging into Dumbledore's past. Using all every connection they had, whether they were paid of or just someone they knew. Like Bill's 'Great Aunt Muriel' she was more than willing to spill everything she knew on Dumbledore. The old woman didn't like him, and made it known, even to Molly and Arthur. Hence why none of the children had seen her other than special occasions where it was considered proper for them to invite her. Weddings, funerals, baby showers and even christenings. Muriel though had quite a lot of information on Dumbledore, stuff he certainly wouldn't approve of being spoken about. She had also much to Bill's shock, disowned Molly from the Prewitt name and given it to Bill. He was now the heir, which meant when she died; the title of Lord will automatically pass to him. He felt a sudden fondness for the woman he'd never felt before.
"You were serious weren't you?" sighed Hadrian, as he waited on Severus coming of the front door. He was concealed from all magical items, magical auras and of course invisible. All those actions from just one potion, Severus really were brilliant wasn't he?
"Of course I am, I take no chances, you should know that by now." said Severus, although part of him was going to see how Harry would do. He wasn't sure how to feel, one day the school had been back and suddenly Harry was taking over the classes? They were either going to love him or hate him…he wasn't sure which he preferred.
"Hmm," said Hadrian stalking of towards the classroom, taking the shortcut that Severus quietly recommended he take. It had him inside Severus' office, then through to the classroom. Looking around at the tables, he felt remarkably calm, despite the fact he was about to teach a bunch of students, students he'd call snotty nose brats.
"Get in and get your cauldrons set up now," said Hadrian, banging open the door, before walking confidently to the front of the classroom. Flicking his wand at the board, the instructions began writing themselves out. With the amount of instructions being magically written, he'd have been there all night. The seventh year students were talking quite loudly, wondering where there 'Greasy Git of a Potions Master was'. Not a good thing to say in front of Harry - as Severus was his lover and wouldn't put up with anyone disrespecting him in his presence.
"Silently or you will find yourself fifty points short." Said Hadrian sharply. The nerve of them! To say such words no wonder Severus was always pissed off. Couldn't they find somewhere else out of earshot to say anything degrading?
That sorted them out no problem; they quietly did what they were told. Still glancing at Hadrian curiously from hooded eyed, especially Severus' Slytherin's. Hadrian just smirked at them, if they thought they were going to get special treatment they were in for a surprise. He wouldn't favour anyone, they would be treated equally. This was his chance to prove to Severus what he'd done and continued to do - wasn't good for the Potions community. He went on about the lowering numbers, yet he continued to do this - it was madness.
"Now I'm going to show you how to shield your cauldron, only you will be able to add the ingredients. So the student adding them best be the one to do the spell. Deciding before you start might also be a good idea as well. You have three minutes to perfect the spell before we get moving on to the potion. As you well know spells are dangerous to potions so the wands will be put away afterwards am I clear?" said Hadrian his voice demanding respect and their attention.
"Yes sir," said the students in unison clearly understanding.
"You may call me apprentice Williams if you prefer, now say after me, Maximus Protego." he said smoothly, showing the wand movements.
The seventh years had no problem with the spell. Particularly the Slytherin side, they were ready by the time Harry had finished explaining. The Gryffindor's took a minute more, but by that time they'd all got into order. Who was retrieving the ingredients, cutting them up and who would be adding them. It was a much more orderly fashion than Severus was used to.
"You have three minutes to gather the ingredients, Gryffindor's go first." said Hadrian. That way nobody would end up injured, with the pushing and shoving. Let's not forget the purposefully hurting each other. The Slytherins immediately began grumbling in anger, not amused, they were used to being first in this class.
"Quiet, the next time you will go first, there is no longer favouritism in this class…is that understood?" asked Hadrian sternly.
"Where's professor Snape?" demanded one of the Slytherin's students. Hadrian didn't know his name; he didn't know any of them yet unfortunately.
"Slytherins go fetch your ingredients," said Hadrian once the Gryffindor's had returned.
"Sir! You didn't answer my question." snapped the same student looking angry.
"I have no need to answer your question; you have no need to know where Professor Snape is. Now shall we get to the real reason you are here? To learn the craft of brewing potions, which will last you throughout your life." said Hadrian.
"Sorry sir," said the student quietly, looking a cross between sulking and genuinely worried about his Potions Professor.
"As you know this potion takes forty five minutes. Now if you are unsure of anything, raise your hand before anything happens. The directions are in your book and on the board, double check as well. I want complete silence unless you need something, begin." said Hadrian.
"But sir, you haven't told us what the potion does!" protested Sara Granger looking shocked.
"I thought it would be pretty obvious don't you?" said Hadrian blankly, the instructions were on the board. There was also her book, explaining exactly what the potion did, why on earth was she wanting him to tell her what she already knew? He was genuinely confused, she also reminded him of someone but he couldn't put a finger on it.
Sara Granger went bright red, but tried to stutter out "Bu-t - Pr-fessor Snape tells us what it is!" she protested looking horrified.
"I am not Professor Snape, if you haven't read the book you have that is not my problem." said Hadrian smoothly, daring her to open her mouth again. He noticed the others were quietly getting to work, checking their books as they waited on the cauldron to begin boiling so they could add their ingredients, one slicing and dicing, another crushing, mincing and measuring. Even her partner was chopping ingredients looking embarrassed to be paired with her.
"That's hardly fair sir, we cannot learn if we aren't forewarned," protested Granger angrily, her partner trying and failing to get her attention to their potion meanwhile shaking her head in agitation.
"And you are?" asked Hadrian irritated but hiding it as best as he could. Everyone else was doing the work why couldn't she? It was as if she was deliberating goading him. Perhaps trying to get him back for how he'd been at the Order meetings.
"Sara Granger sir," said Sara smugly.
"Fifty points from Gryffindor. Granger you are trying my patience." snapped Hadrian furiously, finally understanding why Severus snapped at them all the time. She had to be the most infuriating little idiot he'd ever met. Granger…she was Granger's sister. Hermione had never mentioned a sister, not that they'd been friends of course.
"That's unfair you aren't even a teacher!" protested Granger wide eyed, clasping her hand over her mouth when she realized what she had said. Even Severus was surprised at her actions, her big sister was better at holding her tongue and obviously smarter - even Severus had failed to get a rise out of Hermione Granger in her seven years at Hogwarts.
"Pack up your things and leave," said Hadrian his face harder than stone, his voice deceptively soft.
Sara Granger gawped at the man as if she couldn't believe her ears; she'd never in all her years at Hogwarts missed a single class. Never got sick enough to miss one, she had the prefect unblemished record, and now this happened.
A few flicks of his wand he had Grangers' things packed, and had her expelled from the room. He wasn't under any circumstances going to put up with anyone as obnoxious as Sara Granger. Severus nodded understanding his need to take such action. But hadn't actually had the guts to do it. However, he mused silently to himself as he watched Harry prowl the room slowly ensuring everyone was doing everything correct. Sara Granger hadn't treated him with any sort of disrespect she had just shown Hadrian.
"Do you want to brew alone or join one of your fellow Gryffindor's?" asked Hadrian, enquiring to Granger's partner. He needed to find out who everyone was; they seemed to sit at the same place, so hopefully Severus would provide their names for him.
"I'll be fine sir," said the Gryffindor smiling before immediately getting back to work.
"A-apprentice Williams?" asked a hesitant voice from the Gryffindor side of the room.
Hadrian walked over and asked "What's the problem?" his voice was quiet as everyone else was working quietly.
"It says to let it simmer for five minutes, but it says it should be light purple. Mine's is a little dark…what did I do wrong?" asked the Gryffindor obviously bewildered and upset that his potion hadn't turned out right.
"Add a pinch of this and only a pinch." ordered Hadrian, handing over the mortar and pestle. Staying nearby as the boy did as he was told. Severus watched surprise as the Gryffindor beamed as he went on to correct it. No one had ever done that before, not even his Slytherin's, who usually just smirked in satisfaction at having perfected something as usual. His Slytherin's did so well in his class to win his approval. It was nothing to do with the fact they actually liked potions.
"Congratulations, you've successfully brewed this potion correct, two points to each of you for your hard work." said Hadrian; he knew a little praise went a long way. That certainly got them whispering heatedly. "Quiet, now you know what to do next. Bottle and place them on the desk, Professor Snape will grade them."
"The beauty of this potion is that the lighter the colour the more powerful the pain relief is. Also that it gives you enough time to correct any mistakes you make in between shimmering. There's a more difficult pain reliever to brew which doesn't allow you that chance…and it can end up poison instead. Which is why it's very important to be precise, and careful while brewing." said Hadrian, as students tidied up their desks listening as well quite intently to what the man was saying.
"Do we get an opportunity to brew it?" asked one of the Slytherin's curiously.
"I have no idea, I'm not aware of Professor Snape's lesson plans." said Hadrian honestly.
"Oh, I'd love the chance to try it" sighed the Slytherin almost wilfully ignoring the incredulous looks he received from most of his year mates. Hadrian however, did notice them and became curious, what was that all about?
"The bell is about to go, pack up and get to your next class, no homework today." stated Hadrian calmly. "You, what's your name?"
"Layton sir, Colin Layton." said the Slytherin swallowing thickly, as he was glared at by every Slytherin there.
"Mr. Layton please stay behind." said Hadrian smoothly as the students began making there way out of the class.
"Yes sir?" asked the student standing in front of Harry respectfully.
"Tell me, how much do you like potions?" asked Hadrian softening his face.
"Um…well as much as everyone else" shrugged Colin looking very uneasy.
"None of the others are here and I'd very much like the truth if you please," said Hadrian coolly. He wasn't sure why but Colin was reminding him of himself when he was younger.
"I really like them!" declared the teenager passionately.
"Care to explain why the others looked at you the way they did?" asked Hadrian grimly.
Colin Layton stared at the floor a sad look on his face.
"Well?" asked Hadrian clearing his throat rather loudly.
"They don't believe I deserve an apprenticeship under Professor Snape," sighed Layton looking if possible even more saddened.
"Why?" Hadrian asked surprised. Severus didn't take on apprentices, why would they even assume the boy didn't deserve the apprenticeship. Was this some sort of Slytherin thing he didn't understand? If Severus had lied to him he was not going to be happy.
"Because I'm a Muggle Born," said Colin bitterly, his lips twisted. "I'm alright to bully into doing homework but when it comes to an apprentice I don't deserve it!"
"You believe Professor Snape takes on apprentices?" asked Hadrian sitting down. "Who told you this?"
"The head boy, when I first started Hogwarts, Malfoy I think." said Colin confused.
"I'm afraid you've been tricked, Professor Snape's never taken on an apprentice, least of all a student at Hogwarts before. I am the first exception to the rule and I've never been a student here. " said Hadrian feeling rather sorry for him.
How could he have missed it? How his students were treating one of their own? He should have realized really. He was a loner but then most Slytherin's mostly were…he had been. He had never seen Colin with any of the other students, he ate by himself, went to class by himself. However in the common room he had seen him with boys his own age and older than him…go figure he missed the obvious right in front of him. Even worse he hadn't realized his students were getting their work done by this boy. To think he had accused the Gryffindor's of getting help, ever since Harry had come into his life all his decisions were getting called into action. How he treated his students, was the most particular one. Severus felt as though another rug was being pulled from under him.
"May I go?" asked Colin looking uncomfortable now.
"Why haven't you told your head of house?" asked Hadrian. He had been forced to do his cousins and friends homework all the time, and had his own ripped to shreds so his teacher used to berate him for his stupidity. He understood all too well how Colin felt, he wasn't just angry at the situation as well but at Severus' blindness.
Colin laughed bitterly his face showing everything "I know what he thinks of Muggle Born's sir,"
"That would be…?" asked Hadrian he had a fair idea what the boy was meaning.
"It doesn't matter, he'd probably just encourage it and I've only got this year to go before I can leave this place." said Colin emotionlessly.
Colin slipping out saying a quiet goodbye; Hadrian rubbed his eyes tiredly, wondering how many other Slytherin's were treated the same way. "He thinks you are a Death Eater." said Hadrian after silencing the room. "You don't give him the time of day, yet he protects you."
"Indeed," said Severus swallowing bitterly, giving away his location. "I think some private tuition might be just the thing to repay him. I also know a Potions Master that would be willing to take him on."
"He wants you," said Hadrian, "Not someone else."
"I know, but I'm not wasting three years of my life training a student, at least not right now." said Severus sounding slightly regretful.
"He would only get in the way," agreed Hadrian, "Speak to the students as well Severus please; I know what its like to be used all the time."
"That I will be doing." said Severus his eyes narrowed in fury. "Will you be alright for the next class I'd like to have a word with him now."
"Yes," said Hadrian, once again talking to thin air, he heard footsteps and he shouted "You might want to remove the potion before you go. Nobody can see you remember?" he bit his lip stopping himself from laughing. Oh this was rich, Severus Snape appeared in front of the door, and if he wasn't mistaken, Hadrian could see red stains on his cheeks. He was embarrassed; he stalked out though without pausing or saying anything.
I love a harry with nothing to loose :D there we go and you'll be pleased to know the story is nearly complete ;) R&R