Author's Note: Hey guys, a family emergency came up this past week so I didn't update as soon as I wanted nor is this chapter as long as I wanted. However, I'm happy with what I have written. The grammar maybe a little rough but I'll reedit for you guys if you want. Anyway, on to the story!
Chapter 4: Attacking the Arts
Harriet
"Miss Potter, if you can hear my voice, tighten your grip on my hand." There was that baritone voice again. She came to and added pressure to her Professor's hand. She opened her eyes but the nausea stopped her quickly.
"Hello Professor. I think I bumped my head again. I do believe I have a concussion."
"You do. No one came to your aid when you landed on the tile floor." She could practically see Professor Snape glaring at Professor Lupin.
"Well, I can't floo you to the Hospital wing. Would you like to attempt to stand?"
"Not if I can avoid it, Sir. I'm rather nausea."
"Well, since that blasted stretcher is lost again, we must make do."
"I apologize in advance if I vomit, Sir."
"It wouldn't be the first time. Lupin, I do hope this won't be the end result for all of your defense classes." With that, the Assistant Healer of Hogwarts lifted the tiny Gryffindor.
"Is Hermione still there, Professor?"
"Indeed."
"Hermione, can you grab my stuff for me, please? I should be back by dinner." Professor Snape didn't waited Hermione to reply and Harriet refused to open her eyes again to check.
"You left the book with a listening charm on it, didn't you?" Harriet asked after a few moments. It felt odd being carried by her professor but she was certain that if she tried walking, she would vomit and lay in her own puke. So, she let herself be carried. Besides, she was comfy.
"Indeed. Lupin had insisted on the daft idea of letting your classmates remove that boggart. However, a Dementor seems like a rather unexpected boggart, don't you agree, Miss Potter?"
"What did you think my boggart was going to be?"
"The Dark Lord." He said confidently. Hm, that made sense. Yet, Voldemort didn't scare Harriet. No, what he had been capable of scared Harriet but Voldemort as a little spirit hiding in Albania, nah, he didn't scare her. A question hit Harriet after a few minutes of silence.
"Sir, is it normal that I hear a woman screaming every time I encounter a Dementor?" She felt the Potion Master's arms tense.
"Does anything else happen?"
"Well, this time it was a man and woman yelling at each other, a green light, and then the woman screamed. The first time was just a scream." She explained. The professor remained silent for a minute before responding.
"I will look into it." He's hiding something. Why is he hiding something? However, before Harriet could voice her question, they arrived at the infirmary.
"Where is that blasted stretcher? It was right- Severus, is that- Miss Potter?! Why on Earth must you try to break the Hospital Wing's record for the most times a person has been in here during the first week? Severus, put her on the bed. What's wrong with her?"
"Lupin's boggart lesson allowed Miss Potter to see her boggart. It happens to be a Dementor. Her apparent reaction is to faint when she sees them. Lupin allowed her head to collided with the staff room's tile floor." Her tutor spoke coldly as he placed her in her bed. Harriet decided to let the adults talk. Her head started pounding as their discussion continued.
"Concussion then?"
"Yes, here is the potion to lower her nausea. I'll send up a concussion potion within the hour."
"Thank you, Severus. Shall I inform Minerva of her sick ward or shall you?"
"I'll inform her, then watch with enjoyment as she yells at Lupin for his incompetence."
"Severus, you aren't being nice."
"Who ever said I was?" You're actually pretty nice to the people you like, Professor. You just treat everyone else like crap. He left.
"Well, Miss Potter, I do hope this is the last time you come here for the rest of the year."
"You and me both, Ma'am."
The rest of week went pretty smoothly for Harriet. She went to class, did homework, had her private lessons and practiced Quidditch with the team. Speaking of Quidditch, Cedric agreed to help her with the Quidditch game. She had convinced Madam Hooch to let them us the Quidditch set and the field was reserved in her name. She told Draco when she wanted the game, which was at noon on Saturday. At 11:50 that Saturday, Harriet led her year Gryffindors to the field. Ron grumbled under his breath while Parvarti and Lavender seemed worried about playing. Poor Neville. She had to beg him to come today because Hermione absolutely refused to participate. She had made some excuse about having too much homework, which Harriet found odd seeing it was only the first week of classes. The Slytherins were already there when they arrived. Cedric was getting lectured by Madam Hooch on how to be a good ref. Draco was the first to notice the group of red and gold.
"Harriet, how are we going to have an even number of Gryffindors and Slytherins if it's seven per team?"
"Simple. Because you and I are the seekers for our actual house teams, we will be the captains. I have to have four Slytherins on my team. You need four Gryffindors." The Third Years looked pleased by this. After all, this meant that Draco's team would consist of four Gryffindors and three Slytherins while Harriet's team had four Slytherins and three Gryffindors. Honestly, that was as fare as they were going to get. Neville still looked terrified though. He'll get over it.
The actual Quidditch game was fun, even if Harriet's team lost. While Theo, Seamus and Daphne were good chasers, Pansy and Greg failed at their beater occupation. And Neville probably wasn't the best choice for keeper. Turns out, Ron took the job of keeper very seriously and helped protect Draco's score. And Draco actually got the Snitch before Harriet could today. While Draco and Ron would never be friends, they had a grudging respect for one another's Quidditch skills. Lavender and Tracy struck up a friendship after working together as beaters while Parvarti took plain Millicent under her wing. Blaise, while fierce as a chaser, now talked to Neville about his favorite subject, herbology.
Draco had been walking back with Harriet after they put away the Quidditch supplies, when their conversation started.
"So why didn't the Mudblood play with us?" He said it so smoothly, as if he had just called Hermione a bookworm, not that degrading name.
"Don't call her that around me. I understand that you grew up saying it but please, I don't like it." Harriet knew that she couldn't expect instant change out of Draco's extreme Pureblood ways. Hell, he grew up in an environment where it was encouraged. No, it would take a herculean effort from Draco to change his habits. After all, old habits die hard.
"My apologies. Why didn't the Bookworm play with us?"
"She said she had too much homework." He looked puzzled.
"It's only the first week of school."
"I know. It's just an excuse. Hermione hates heights so she hates flying."
"She should have watched though. Longbottom looked ready to piss himself but he still played pretty decent."
"You're right. I'll talk to her later."
Only she couldn't find Hermione until dinner. And after dinner, Harriet had a session with Professor Snape. When she arrived at his office, he looked up from his novel, Anna Karina.
"Nothing broken? My, miracles do occur." He teased darkly.
"Why Professor, do you actually care? Why, I am touched." She witted back. He smirked back at her and waved her to the chair across from him. He closed his book as she lowered herself into the large chair. It seemed to swallow her. She watched as a grimmer, more serious look entered his already stern face.
"Miss Potter, I have thought over your question." Oh, now he had her attention. "You won't like the answer." She straightened.
"It's okay. I'll be fine." The professor nodded. That was one of the things she liked about Professor Snape. He didn't treat her like a child. Okay, let her rephrase that. He treated her like a child in certain situations and has called her as such. But in situations that he knew that she could handle, he let her. He trusted her judgement. And he was brutally honest was with her, which was kind of refreshing.
"Dementors have the power to force out… experiences. Experiences which we buried down deep and promised to never resurrect. What you hear during your exposure around Dementors could very well be an old memory." An old memory? An old memory of what-oh, oh.
"Could it…" She stopped and toke in a shaky breath. "Could it be Mum dying?" She watched carefully at her professor, desperately waiting for him to tell her no. He remained silent. A sad, almost faraway look entered his eyes. How strange.
"Miss Potter," His smooth baritone voice whispered. She locked eyes with him. "I will not lie to you. There is a rather large possibility that you witness Lil-your mother's death when you enter the Dementors presence." What? Dear God, no.
"How do I stop it?"
"The memory or the Dementor?"
"Both." She stated desperately. Her eyes implored him. Please Professor, how do I stop them?
"You will learn the Patronus Charm."
"When?"
"Now."
I can feel them all around. I think they are in the air I'm breathing.
Severus
Miss Potter was a determined young lady. Her essay on the Patronus charm that she prepared after their session was mastery worthy. Yes, if was anyone else who attempted to succeed at producing the Patronus charm at the age of 13, beside himself of course, he would say that they would fail miserably. Yet, Miss Potter had a drive in her when it came to defense, a drive that only someone truly gifted could achieve. Yes, he believed that she would master the charm before the year of through.
However, it was the Hogsmeade Weekend on Halloween that ruined the relatively peaceful September and October that Severus had been enjoying. The day started off well, rather peaceful actually. Miss Potter, who was restricted within the castle walls, had unknowing assisted him when he was preparing Lupin's potion. She blazed through his order of shrinking solutions with a finesse that reminded him of… of Lily.
Dammit Severus, don't think of her. But the thoughts roared through him. Her radiant smile, her lovely laugh, her vibrant hair, her shining eyes.
Severus loved her. He loved every part of her, the good and the bad. Because even though she held his heart in her hand and shattered it, the years that he had with her were the best in his life. She, even if it was only a brief seven years, was the only one who cared. Perhaps she didn't love him, in fact he accepted that a long time ago. But she had cared.
Did he truly love her? Hell, Severus didn't even know what love was at times. He was the cold, harsh teacher who made the damnable mistake of joining a mad man. He wasn't a good man and he didn't know love was.
Lily's miniscule acts of friendship were the only acts of love and happy memories that he had. So he clung to them.
At times, Severus would look at Lily's daughter and not know how he felt when he saw her. At first glance, she didn't even look like Potter, so the hatred he had for Potter dissolved. But the second glance filled him with disappointment, because she didn't look like Lily. Miss Potter did have Potter's coloring and Lily's eyes. But her face structure was different. Her nose narrow, her jawline square, her eyes almond, no, Miss Potter hardly resembled her parents. It was tea with Minerva one day that proved this theory.
"You know, I look at Harriet sometimes and think that I'm looking at an old picture." Minerva spoke and she sipped her tea. Severus raised an eyebrow.
"Hm?"
"Yes. She looks just like Dorea," Dorea? Minerva smirked at his quizzical expression.
"That's right, you don't know. Well believe this or not Severus, James Potter had a Slytherin for a mother. A Slytherin named Dorea Black." Severus nearly choked on his tea.
"What?"
"Yes. James got his coloring from Dorea. Harriet looks just like her, honestly. Same face, same body, same attitude."
"Professor, what type of potion are you making?" Severus interrupted his thoughts to ponder how to respond to his student. To lie or not to lie, well that's a question he never had to ask before. Hm, Miss Potter was a rather smart young woman. Let's see if she could figure it out.
"What do you believe I'm crafting, Miss Potter?"
"A poison with the amount of aconite you keeping adding in." Oh, so close, Miss Potter, try again late- "Or your creating that new Wolfsbane potion for Professor Lupin." Silence.
"So which is it?" She asked.
"I believe you already know. What I would like to know is how?"
"Professor Lupin shouldn't have assigned a textbook that specifically listed what to look for when trying to spot out werewolves outside of the full moon. Really, after reading page 394, it was quite obvious."
"Well spotted, Miss Potter."
"Why thank you, Sir. Will you answer a frank question for me?"
"Within reason."
"Of course. How can Professor Lupin teach?"
"Legally, he can't. However, the Headmaster had made measures possible so that Lupin can attempt to teach. As long as the students don't discover the sleeping lycanthrope, Lupin remains."
"And now that I found out?"
"Well Miss Potter, you hold a value asset in your hand." Miss Potter thought it over for a moment.
"Professor, you don't trust Professor Lupin, do you?" Ah, now she wanted his opinion. What an odd child.
"No."
"Do you not trust the wolf or the man?"
"Neither." He bottled the blasted potion. "Has your opinion on Lupin changed, Miss Potter?"
"Truthful, no it hasn't. I don't know him that well yet, but I can tell he hates who he is. And if he is willing to poison himself to protect others then how bad can he be?"
"You are far too forgiving, Miss Potter." Far more than he was.
"Oh, I wouldn't say that, Professor. I could still tell the whole school that our Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor is actually a dark creature."
"You won't."
"You're right."
Miss Potter went with Severus to deliver the potion. She wanted to see Lupin's reaction to the potion. As he escorted her to Lupin's quarters, the girl babbled on about classes and friendships.
"You see, Sir, Hermione's been acting weird since the beginning of school. You probably know this but Hermione wanted to take all of the electives offered for this year."
"Yes Miss Potter. I'm aware of Miss Granger's request."
"Well Sir, I think she may actually be taking all of the electives on top of her core classes. When I dropped Divination, it allowed me to take Ancient Runes. Hermione's in that class with me. However, Ron said that Hermione was in Divination with him. It makes no sense."
Oh Minerva, of all the idiotic students to give a time turner, why did it have to be Miss Granger? Granted, the girl wouldn't abuse her use of the time turner but she would likely kill herself in her effort to complete all of her classwork. No wonder the girl was actually quiet in class this past month. She'll probably collapse in exhaustion soon.
"Miss Potter, does Miss Granger appear exhausted and skinner?"
"Yes, Sir. I told her to visit Madam Pomfrey last week but she refused to. Said she didn't have enough time."
"Your friend is in possession of a time turner."
"What's that, Sir?"
"Due to your previous muggle lifestyle, I imagine you are aware of the concept time travel." She nodded. "Good, a time turner is the magical worlds equivalent. It is an hourglass locket that allows you to repeat an hour, day, month, year depending on the user's magical core and the number of turns on said device."
"So Hermione is using a time turner to go to class? How did she get her hands on one of them?"
"Your guardian and the Headmaster persuaded the Ministry to lend out England's only time turner."
"But to a 14-year-old? Hermione may be smarter and more mature than most of my generation but that's just plain foolish." Good, he wasn't the only one to think so. They arrived at Lupin's office. Severus was tempted to kick down his door again. It was rather soothing. No, he had a student with him. Though Miss Potter probably wouldn't care, he shouldn't scare the living shit out of Lupin again. No, he'll just make the wolf piss himself a little.
"Lupin, open up." Miss Potter chuckled as he banged at the door. She carried the potion for him, stating that she wanted Lupin to wonder about why she had the potion.
"Yes, Severus. What can I- Oh Harriet, how are you? Please come in." The excited puppy look entered Lupin's face again and he resisted the grudge to vomit. Miss Potter's arm tighten around his as he led her into Lupin's office. While it was a vast improvement from the horror show that Lockhart created, Lupin's office looked just as shabby as he did. Apparently, Lupin was enjoying afternoon tea when they had arrived. Lupin offered Miss Potter an ugly chair that she would probably break when she sat down. Severus transfigured the horrid thing into a far nicer, newer, and sturdy chair. The young Gryffindor sat and Severus stood slightly behind her. Lupin returned to his desk chair.
"Thank you for escorting Harriet down here, Severus."
"Actually, Professor, I can't stay today. We're just dropping off your potion." Severus nearly laughed at the horrified expression on Lupin's face when Miss Potter place the vial onto the dusty desk.
"Yes, Miss Potter insisted on bring it down here and viewing your reaction to the potion. She'll be constructing an essay on the potion." Lupin sweated profusely. Good.
"I see. Does she know-"
"Professor Lupin, if you really wanted to keep it a secret then I suggest you reread the textbook that you selected this year. Page 394 is rather damning; don't you agree Professor Snape?"
"Indeed."
"I see, so you know." Lupin asked pathetically.
"Yes, I know. However, I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt. I trust that you will take that potion whenever Professor Snape crafts it. I hope that wherever you transform in contains you, Professor. Because if something happens to any of us students, you will be butchered down. The Ministry won't be as forgiving as I am. I know that you are a good man Professor and I know that you are disgusted with your other half. But if you screw up, I'll have no problem ending you if it means protecting everything else. Do you understand, Professor Lupin?" She should be Slytherin. How the bloody hell was she placed in Gryffindor?
"Perfectly, Harriet." Lupin uncorked the vial and choked it down. Miss Potter nodded and glanced up at Severus. He nodded and he felt the familiar light weight of her arm circling around his.
"Professor Lupin," Lupin looked up at the student. "I'll be free next Saturday after lunch if you would like to have tea?" Well, that's why she wasn't in Slytherin. She wore her heart on her sleeve.
"Yes, that would be fine." Lupin nodded excitedly.
"Good bye, Lupin." The Head of Slytherin and the Golden Princess of Gryffindor left the werewolf's cave.
The shit hit the fan right after dinner. Severus had been walking back to the dungeons when the Slytherin ghost, Bloody Baron appeared.
"Sir, Sirius Black had entered the castle and attacked the Fat Lady."
"Mother fucking pig bastard from Hell. Baron, get the Slytherins into the Common Room and have it under lock down. Aurora, the Head Girl and Perfects will be in charge until my return." Severus ordered as he turned and ran to the Gryffindor tower, his wand drawn.
The plethora of Gryffindors surrounding the portrait both irritated and relieved him. He couldn't reach the portrait but there appeared to be no blood or loss of life.
"Out of my way." Severus barked and the Gryffindors parted like the Dead Sea. Miss Potter stood right next to the portrait, her wand drawn and her stance tension. She relaxed when he approached her. She was unharmed, scared but unharmed. The portrait's canvas looked as if a lion had shredded it. The Fat Lady was nowhere to be seen.
"Where is the portrait?" Severus demanded. Miss Potter was about to answer when Mr. Percival Weasely answered.
"According to Peeves, Sirius Black demanded her to open up. When she didn't, he pulled out a knife and started to cut her canvas. The Fat Lady escaped through the portraits. Black got away before we arrived." Damn, he could still be here. No, get the students to safety before going murder hunting.
"Mr. Weasely, I want a head count of the Gryffindors. Perfects, Seventh, Sixth and Fifth years, the First, Second, Third and Fourth years will be the center of the group. You will surround the perimeter. We're traveling to the Great Hall. Wands drawn everyone." He ordered and to his amazement they did as he said, no sass, no outbursts, no protests. He could get used to this.
Miss Potter was right behind him as he led the lions away from their dorm. When he glanced back, she looked less tension and less terrified. He heard Minerva's footsteps and shouting before he saw her.
"I don't care what you fucking believe, Albus. If he hurt any of my lions, I'll kill him, Ministry be damned." He held up his hand to stop the herd when Minerva and Albus spirited around the corner. Minerva halted and Albus nearly trampled over her.
"Severus?" Minerva asked in shock.
"Every Gryffindor is accounted for, Minerva. Black got away but no one's hurt." He purposely shifted his weight to the left, giving Minerva a clear view of Miss Potter. Relief covered Minerva's features while Albus tried to catch his breathe.
"Thank you, Severus. You were heading to the Great Hall? I'll take over. Thank you." Minerva stated. He nodded and turned to Gryffindors, to Miss Potter.
"Thank you, Sir." She mouthed. He nodded back to her and waited for all of the Gryffindors to pass him. Then he went to his dungeons.
He used the same method to round up his snakes and they too migrated to the Great Hall. When they had arrived, the Headmaster announced that entire student body would be sleeping in the Great Hall while the teachers would be patrolling the halls.
As Severus marched down the halls, his thoughts wandered. Hatefully thoughts of disgust and pain as he thought of Black. Black, who bullied him throughout his school life. Black, who tried to kill him with his werewolf best friend. Black, who killed the love of his life. And the fact that he, the spy, didn't find out that the Dark Lord was using Black to spy on the Order of the Phoenix, only added to Severus guilt. Severus had to admit, he didn't expect Sirius Black of all people to sell the Potters out to the Dark Lord.
Though, Severus' own guilt over Lily's death outweighed his hatred for Sirius Black. The sight of her lifeless body burned into his memory, becoming the worse scar he bore. Black may have given the Dark Lord their hideout but Severus had forever damned the Potters to death. He had hated Potter but he didn't want him dead. Sure he thought about killing James Potter but when it actually happened, Severus actually felt guilty. It was the sight of the two elder Potters, dead and cold, that made him vow to protect their daughter. Actually, it was the sight of the little baby was emerald eyes, screaming for her mother, her forehead bleeding from the Killing Curse, that solidified Severus' vow to protect Harriet Potter.
Author's Note: Sirius Black attacks Hogwarts! What will happen next? If you guys read JK Rowlings work than you already know. However, my Harriet twist will make it different, I promise. Love you guys!
-V.I. Winthrop