Disclaimer – Isn't mine.
Chapter 5 – Judging Others
Harry stood still, leaning back against the blackboard as his first class of the day filed in. They were all chattering madly but at the sight of Harry quickly stopped, several even blushing brightly before sitting down. Harry arched an eyebrow in amusement.
'Now what that can be about I wonder.' He murmured, pushing off the board and limping slowly to the front of the class.
'Good morning. As you know my name is Harry Potter and I will be your Defence against the Dark Arts Professor for the year. I will let you all know right now that I do not tolerate disrespect, tardiness, laziness, or plagiarism of another's work. I also will not tolerate any fighting or words between the houses. The war is over. Do not let hatred start another one.'
Harry hadn't moved, instead resting one hand on his cane and one on the desk. 'Now, if you will pull out your books and open to page two hundred and ten and begin reading the chapter, you will notice that to begin with this year we will be studying shielding charms, from there we will move onto some of the stronger offensive curses before finally revising your last five years in preparation for your OWL's. I have read over your transcripts and I know you know all about magical creatures and the basics of duelling as well as the standard duelling spells. This year you will learn those that are not classed as standard. Are there any questions?' Harry glanced around the room.
'Are you really going out with that greasy git Snape?' a voice called out.
Harry's eyes narrowed. 'That's Professor Snape to you, Miss…?'
'Gladwyne, Sir.' The teenager blushed.
'Miss Gladwyne, please show some respect. Professor Snape may be a little…difficult…to get along with but he is one of the best Potion's Masters the world has ever seen.'
'Sorry, Sir.' She said sheepishly and Harry's eyes became icy.
'As to any relationship I may or may not have with Professor Snape, it is not relative to this lesson and certainly none of your business. I'll kindly ask you to remember that.'
'Yes, Sir.' The girl was on the verge of tears.
'Good, because that was the only warning you are going to get.' Harry said curtly, spinning and pointing to the board, ignoring the young girl who had tears dripping down her cheeks.
'There are today's tasks. Practical lessons are on Wednesday and Thursdays. Theory on Friday and Monday. Get reading.' Harry limped around his desk and was thinking about sitting when he heard a whisper from the second row.
'I can't believe that poofter destroyed You-Know-Who. He can hardly bloody move.'
Harry froze, his fingers tightening painfully on his cane as he turned. The young man swallowed at the look on Harry's face.
'One hundred points from Gryffindor and detention, for a month, with Filch.' He whispered; his voice cold and his eyes flashing dangerously. 'Now get the hell out of my classroom and don't come back until you can show some respect.'
'I'm sorry Sir.' The boy sneered.
'Get out.' Harry hissed.
'I apologised.'
Harry limped the eight feet until he was standing by the boy's desk and glared at the seventeen year old. The teenager swallowed visibly at the angry magic dancing around the Boy-Who-Lived. 'Never, ever apologise when you don't mean it.' Harry whispered harshly. 'And never, ever judge someone by the way they choose to live their life.' He lowered his voice even further. 'I gave up everything so that you and the rest of the wizarding world wouldn't have to bow down to a monster and there is no way I'm going to let a child like you tell me what is right and what is wrong. When you have killed someone, when you have saved someone, and when you have lost everything, then you can come back here and tell me that keeping close the only thing you have is wrong and I might even listen to you. Until then, GET THE HELL OUT OF MY CLASSROOM.'
The boy grabbed his bag and fled the room as Harry raised his fiery green eyes to survey the shocked group of fifth years. 'Does anyone else have anything they wish to say?' he asked acidly without waiting for an answer. 'Good, now get back to work. I want three feet on the six different types of shielding spells on my desk on Wednesday.' The teenagers quickly bent their heads and began reading or writing furiously and Harry sighed and limped back to his desk.
It was going to be a long day.
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He was right. The day got longer and longer. He decided to skip lunch in the great hall, instead having a sandwich in his office as he psyched himself up for his two afternoon classes.
'They're just twelve year olds, how bad can they be?' he murmured. He soon found out. Unlike their older classmates the two classes of second years, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, Slytherin were very curious about Harry's relationship with their irascible potions master and tried to ask him all types of questions. Harry growled and snapped and told them to mind their own business but it was to no avail as the questions kept coming. It wasn't until a little Gryffindor bravely mentioned the large number of apparently highly descriptive and rather graphically explicit Howlers that had arrived during lunch that Harry finally understood and after large losses of points from all four houses and several dire threats of detention that they could finally get to work.
Everything was aching by the time he dragged himself to his room at the end of classes. He grabbed two vials from the drawer and sat himself down with a gasp.
'Good god.' He breathed. He didn't know how long he sat there but eventually his musing was interrupted by a soft knock.
'Come in.' Harry called out, opening the door with a wave.
'Almost three hundred points, a month of detention and one student in tears. All in only a day. My, my, Mr Potter, I am impressed.' Came Severus' silky drawl as he stepped into the room.
Harry snorted. 'Sod off, you bastard.' He said with a sigh. 'Those brats are absolute demons. I don't know what possessed me to even think that I could do this.' He hissed as he shifted slightly, running a hand through his hair.
Snape made a soft noise in the back of his throat and handed Harry a headache potion from within the depths of his robes before very gently lifting Harry's legs up on the sofa so he was sitting sideways. 'Sorry.' He said apologetically as Harry gasped. Harry shook his head and smiled wanly.
'It's fine.' Harry whispered. Snape sat down and began gently massaging Harry's feet.
'Oh god, Sev.' Harry groaned.
'You didn't sit down all day, did you?' Snape said accusingly.
Harry closed his eyes, leaning his head sideways and letting his breathing slow as the pain in his feet was softly and gently soothed by nimble fingers. 'If I'd sat down, I'd only have to have to get up again.' he mumbled. Severus didn't say anything, instead continuing his task with the diligence with which he was renowned and it was almost half an hour later before he finished and moved up to perch at Harry's hip. He reached out and tenderly brushed Harry's hair back off his face and cupped his cheek. He thought Harry was asleep until Harry's hand came up to cover his own and bright green eyes opened.
'Thanks.' Harry whispered.
'Anything Harry. You do know that, don't you?' Severus questioned.
Harry smiled and nodded, lifting himself slightly and wrapping his arms around the other man as soft lips descended onto his own. It was soft and slow. The kiss just delving into passion as the love they shared shone through.
'Sev.' Harry breathed tilting his head back as the potions master trailed kissed down his neck and nibbled on his collarbone. Harry pulled the man's head up and plundered his mouth, his tongue tasting every inch, taking in the hint of peppermint Harry knew the man had in his tea each afternoon. His hands mapped out well known but long missed areas, fingers nimbly undoing buttons and quickly reaching skin. Severus hissed as Harry rubbed a nipple, tweaking it firmly as his mouth travelled down the potions master's neck. Finally undoing the last button he pushed the robes off the broad shoulders and attacked the other man's chest in earnest.
'Harry, wait.' Snape whispered.
Harry pulled away reluctantly. 'What is it? Is something wrong?'
Snape smiled and shook his head. 'No, nothing's wrong. I just wanted to get you somewhere more comfortable.' He said, standing and gently lifting the younger man and carrying him through to the bedroom. He set him down and crawled up next to him, letting his boots drop to the floor with a thud as he covered Harry's mouth with his once more.
'I love you Harry.' He whispered as his mouth moved downwards. 'I love you.' He repeated.
Harry was in heaven as Severus opened his shirt and proceeded to kiss, lick and nibble every inch of his chest. He had almost forgotten how much his body responded to the worshipping that Severus gave it. He felt as if he were flying as the older man's hand came up to rub gently at his crotch.
'Oh god.' Harry groaned, arching upwards slightly as he pushed against the hand. Snape moved back up to his neck and slipped his hand into Harry's pants, gripping him firmly and stroking up and down.
'Oh Sev.' He whimpered moments later as he came. Severus continued to kiss him softly as the bright lights faded and he came back down to earth.
'I love you too.' Harry whispered as he pulled the other man close. They lay like that for some time before Harry rolled onto his side and began laying kisses down the firm chest in front of him.
'Harry, I don't need.' Snape began but Harry stilled any further protest by opening the older wizard's pants and pushing them downwards.
'Yes, you do.' Harry whispered, sliding carefully down the bed so he didn't jar his leg and taking the other man in his mouth. Severus didn't last long and was soon screaming Harry's name. Snape looked down to see Harry smirking at him as he licked his lips.
'Impertinent brat.' He whispered, reaching down to grasp Harry's arms and pull him gently up the bed. Harry bit his lip as a sharp pain shot through his leg but it faded as soon as the potions master, laid him gently on his chest and wrapped his arms around him.
'Harry?' Snape said softly.
'Hmm.'
'Thank you for coming back. To me, I mean.'
Harry tilted his head and smiled at his lover. 'There was never any doubt. It's where I belong.' He said softly.
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Dinner that night was rather eventful; the Howlers continuing right through the meal. By the time the third one had exploded in Severus' face, screaming all sorts of obscenities as him for supposedly corrupting their precious Boy-Who-Lived Harry had had enough. The next owl that flew in with a bright red envelope clutched in its beak was slowed with an Impediment charm as Harry murmured several words and sent it on its way; only his fingers and mouth moving at all.
'What did you do?' Severus asked quietly. Harry just smiled mysteriously at him.
This happened with several more owls, everyone in the hall wondering what Harry was doing to stop them exploding and where they were going when he sent them away. It wasn't until the puddings had just been served that the questions were answered as the ninth owl flew in and as before Harry slowed it, murmured softly and sent it on its way once more. But instead of flying out it crossed the hall to the Gryffindor table to perch before a seventh year who was looking at it in horror. The envelope began smoking and before the seventeen year old could grab it and run from the hall the owl dropped it and it opened of its own accord. The Gryffindor winced expecting to hear her voice magically enhanced screaming throughout the hall about the wrongs of her potions professor and was instead surprised to hear the menacing whisper of her DADA professor, whose words, in spite of their whispered volume were still heard by all.
'Do not dare to judge others unless you yourself wish to be judged.'
There was a deathly silence that remained for several moments before the girl burst into tears and sprinted from the hall.
'My word Potter, two in a day, I'm so proud I'm almost speechless.' Severus murmured, his usual scowl replaced with a full blown smirk.
'Thank god for small mercies.' Harry muttered causing Minerva to break out into a coughing fit as she tried to hide her laughter.
'Harry, how did you do that?' Albus enquired softly from his left.
Harry shrugged. 'It's just a spell.' He said simply going back to his pudding. Albus glanced at Severus who also shrugged as if to say, I don't know either.
Albus seemed to want to question Harry further but Harry lay down his spoon and with a deep breath stood up.
'Bloody hell.' He croaked.
'Harry?' Severus said tentatively.
Harry grimaced. 'I'm fine.' He breathed heavily. 'Come up later?'
Snape nodded. 'As soon as the brats are in the common room.' He promised. Harry bid the rest of the staff goodnight and limped as quickly out of the hall as his injured leg would allow.
'Is it just me or is Harry trying to avoid my questions?' Albus mused.
Snape smirked. 'Questions, Albus? I think Potter knows your questions are more like a Spanish Inquisition; although I would agree that he is hiding something.' He said knowingly.
'Do you know what that may be?'
Severus shrugged again. 'Not really, and I don't really care either. Harry has earned his right to keep his secrets to himself without some old busybody trying to ferret them out.' He scolded, placing his napkin on his plate and walking swiftly from the hall.
'Albus, for Merlin's sake, leave the poor boy alone.' Minerva whispered. 'You don't need to know everything.' Albus just smiled, his eyes twinkling as he unwrapped a lemon drop and popped it into his mouth.
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Harry was already in bed when Severus arrived, opening the door in his usual manner and smirking at the potions master as he jumped when the door shut behind him.
'You only do that because you know it makes me uncomfortable.' The older man groaned as he undid his robes and laid them over the back of a chair.
'No, I do it because it saves me getting up to answer the door.' Harry smirked again.
'Liar.' Severus scolded as he finished undressing and climbed into bed, wrapping his arms around the younger man and holding him close.
'Alright, maybe there is a bit of the other thing too.' Harry admitted, snuggling against the other man's chest, remembering just how much he had loved it when Snape held him.
'Brat.' Severus whispered, placing a kiss on the top of his head. 'Go to sleep.'
Harry murmured unintelligibly and closed his eyes leaving Severus intently studying the beautiful face of the man in his arms and wondering why on earth he ever let him go.
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