A/N: I do not own Harry Potter or any character thereof. Only the story line is mine so please don't sue! I don't own anything!

Chapter 24

After dressing, Severus headed off towards the Great Hall, black robes billowing around him. During breakfast, he kept a close eye on his Slytherin's. The older students looked bored. The younger ones looked apprehensive, except Malfoy. He simply looked smug.

As he scanned the room, he saw Potter eating toast. He looked like he was a nervous wreck. He snickered, 'courage indeed', he thought.

After he finished eating, he went to the Slytherin table and pulled schedules out of his robes.

Later that day, Severus was rubbing his temples. It had been a long day. Not everyone had turned in their summer homework, much to their displeasure. However, it seemed like every one of his students had let all of their prior knowledge go out of the window.

"I really hope this isn't an indication of how this year is going to go," he found himself muttering.

After dinner, he retired to his private chambers to begin marking papers.

Tuesday had not been much better.

"You are all in your final year of studies, supposed to be the smartest in your year in potions by maintaining your "O" grade level. So tell me why can you not even brew Essence of Dittany? That is a 5th year potion!"

He glared around the room. Since this was a N.E.W.T. class and their were so few students, all 4 houses were represented ... barely.

"Homework, due by next class, 3 feet on today's potion, all aspects of it, and why you all so obviously messed up. Then I want another foot on the properties of acromantula venoms. Dismissed."

It was still 10 minutes before the bell, but he knew that if they didn't leave soon, he was really going to lose his temper.

During dinner, Quirrell tried to make conversation again, but Snape just sneered at him.

"Bad day Severus?"

"This is indeed going to be a long year, Headmaster."

Albus chuckled at him.

Wednesday reminded Severus of why he needed to pay attention during staff meetings. It seemed that those 'appropriate nods' he occasionally gave indicated that he would proctor 2 different study halls during the week as well as do an extra patrol of the corridors 3 times a week at night.

His first study hall brought him into contact with the boy who lived for the first time.

'Oh, I can't wait for him to disrupt the hall. I'll bring him down from his high horses,' thought Severus.

As he prowled the room, he kept an eye on the brat secretly. His years as a spy had given him many ways to watch someone without even looking at them.

Snape watched as he and the Weasley boy would whisper occasionally, but they honestly appeared to be working. At one point he noticed that Potter was pulling out his hair. He made his way slowly to that side of the room and peered over the boys shoulder.

He could tell that the boy knew he was there even though he didn't give any outward sign. It seemed that he was trying to do his transfiguration homework. He sneered as he stalked away.

'His father's probably rolling in his grave right now because his son isn't a natural born transfigurist like he was,' Snape thought quite cheerfully (for him anyway).

At the end of the period, he was disappointed because he didn't get to take points off of or give any detentions to anyone, so when he heard Weasley offer to let Potter copy his homework, he was ecstatic.

But before Snape could swoop down on the boys, he heard Potter tell him no.

Severus stalked off to his classroom scowling and muttering, "The boy must have known that I was there".

Thursday afternoon found Severus scouring the potion section in the library. He was searching for a book for Dumbledore that he had requested and for some odd reason he couldn't find it in his own library.

As he left the section, he saw Potter alone.

Severus smirked. 'If only he knew what his mother and I done in those particular chairs together, I doubt he would be sitting there.'

He was slightly curious as to why he was surrounded by books far beyond his years. He then watched as he copied certain pages from the books onto his own parchment. His eyebrow rose a fraction of an inch. He was also curious as to what he was copying so much of and why Flitwick had taught them that spell so early in the year.

He watched as Potter went to the charm section to put the books away. Severus wanted to see what he was doing in hopes that he was planning pranks so that he could put him into detention. Before he could do much of anything though, the brat returned.

Thursday night on his late patrol, he found Quirrell lurking about on the third floor corridor. After watching him for a few minutes, he accosted him and watched him flee.

Friday was his day with the first years.

As soon as he entered the room, he started his speech. He watched the room sit up straighter as he spoke each word.

'Ah, yes. Let's bring the boy down about 10 notches,' thought Severus as he walked over to Potter.

"Potter!" He almost grinned when the boy started.

Severus mused to himself, 'Let's ask him a question that the book barely mentions in passing'.

"What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

He watched as Granger shot her hand up. When Potter replied, he heard his Slytherin's start snickering, even though he was sure none of them knew the answer either.

"Let's try again, Potter. Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

With the smallest touch of legilimency that he used on occasion while questioning his students to see if they were cheating, he was surprised to find that Potter knew what a bezoar was. It was a pleasant surprise when he said he didn't know where to find one.

He was becoming annoyed at the Granger girl. She was all but standing with her hand in the air now.

Severus decided to ask a question he was positive the brat couldn't know.

So to say that he was shocked would be an understatement when he knew that they were the same plant, though he betrayed nothing in his face.

"Are there any other names for it, Potter?"

The Granger girl was standing now.

Using a small touch of legilimency again showed that the boy did indeed know the answer so when he said that he didn't know, he was slightly confused. After all, he should be arrogantly flaunting his knowledge like his father did.

"Clearly ... fame isn't everything."

"Clearly, Hermione knows the answer, ask her."

When Potter said that he was unsurprised that the entire room went silent and stopped moving (except Granger).

"Put your hand down you silly girl." He thought she was going to cry.

After deducting a point for his cheek, he explained all of the answers to everyone.

During the practical part of class, he stalked around the room. Musing to himself, he realized that no student had ever dared to talk back like that. While deep down he was proud of Lily's son, on the surface he assumed that it was his father's arrogance coming out.

He praised Malfoy on simple things, just as he was supposed to do. 'At least the boy does have some talent,' he thought.

Then he heard a hiss and turned around in time to see a cauldron melt.

'Merlin, I have another Lilac Littlegrove,' his mind screamed as he went over to Neville Longbottom.

Snape took another point from Potter because he could. He watched as Weasley made him not say anything else. The scene slightly amused him.

After assigning homework, the students brought up their potions then fled.

As he glanced down at the row of bottles, he saw that only 4 of them were right.

He didn't tell the class that they had to infuse some of their magic to get the potion to blend properly that otherwise it would just be a messy pile of goo. This way, he got to see who actually cracked open and read the first couple of chapters of the book before class.

He picked up each bottle. He was unsurprised to see Malfoy and Zabini. He wasn't even surprised to see Granger. He was surprised to see one had Potter's name on it.

Granted, it was slightly the wrong shade, but it would still work, just taste fouler than usual.

This frustrated him. A lot.

Saturday, Severus found himself in the Headmaster's office.

"... Impertinent, arrogant, exactly like his father, basking in all his fame ... "

Albus let him rant himself out, as he usually did.

Finally, Severus sat down in one of the chairs and picked up a cup of tea.

"Better?"

"A little," Severus admitted.

"I've really only got one thing to say about everything you just raved about."

"Only one?" Severus snorted in disbelief.

"Yes. Let me just say that you see only what you want to see."

Severus glowered at the Headmaster.

"Now, on another note, I need you to do me a slight favor."

Severus nodded.

"I need you to keep an eye on Quirrell for me."

"I've already planned on doing that. I caught him nosing around on the 3rd floor earlier this week."

Dumbledore nodded.

They talked for about 30 minutes when Severus said, "Remember how I told you that it was going to be a long year?"

Albus nodded.

"I have another Lilac Littlegrove in my first years." Severus grumbled.

Albus chuckled. "Just because a student is in Ravenclaw does not mean that they are smart in every subject."

"She can blow up and melt cauldrons at the same time, Albus!"

Yet again, he chuckled. "Is this a Ravenclaw as well?"

"No, it's one of your precious Gryffindors actually."

"Is it Harry?"

Severus frowned. "No, he actually got his potion correct. It's Neville Longbottom."

Severus saw the Headmaster's eyes twinkle and scowled at him.

Sunday morning, Severus headed to the library. He was working on a new potion and he needed more information.

He was slightly shocked when he saw Potter was alert and doing homework at 6:45 in the morning.

It was even more of a shock when he saw the boy had his potions and herbs and fungi books out.

Potter then looked up and met his eyes with Lily's gaze.

"Good morning, Professor."

Snape raised an eyebrow minutely. "Morning Potter. Why are you up this early?"

He was silently hoping that he would admit to causing mischief, so when the brat smiled and said, "I'm always up early. I thought I'd get a head start on your homework, sir," Severus deflated mentally.

Outwardly, he raised his eyebrow even higher. "Already? Where is your sidekick?"

He saw the boy frown.

"Sidekick? If you mean Ron, he's my friend, not my sidekick, and I imagine that he's still asleep."

"Indeed. Have a good day, Potter."

"You too, Professor."

He stalked off (without his library book) to the Great Hall for breakfast.

During breakfast, he asked Flitwick why he taught the copy spell so early in the year.

"I don't cover that until 3rd term Severus if I even cover it at all. Why? Did you see a first year using it?"

"I did." Severus furrowed his brow. 'How did he do that then? I suppose it's possible he picked up his mother's knack for charms ...' thought Severus. He was deep in thought (in the process of ignoring Flitwick as he kept asking who he saw using it) until Minerva started complaining.

"I know the meals aren't mandatory except for certain ones, but he's so small, he needs to eat."

Severus listened to see if he could figure out who she was talking about.

"It's the weekend Minerva, dear. He's probably sleeping in. If you notice, his friends Mr. Weasley and Mr. Longbottom are missing as well."

Just then Longbottom strolled in to eat.

Minerva raised an eyebrow at the Headmaster.

"Oh, well then. Mr. Weasley is still missing," he pointed out.

Now that Severus realized she was talking about Potter, he wondered how long he should let her worry.

Ten minutes later, she was still voicing concern, so he leaned forward in his chair to look around Dumbledore. "Please tell me that the Golden Boy hasn't got you wrapped around his little finger like he does the rest of the staff."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You know as well as I do that I take an interest in my children, especially when their too small for their age."

Severus sneered. "Normally, I would just let you vent and complain but I'd like to eat my breakfast in peace. So would it make you feel any better to know that I've ran across the wonder boy this morning?"

"You? Why on earth were you in Gryffindor Tower?"

He smirked. "I most certainly was not in Gryffindor Tower. I was in the library. I ran across him there ... doing his homework of all things."

"So why is he not here eating if he's awake?"

"I am not his keeper, but it's possible that he is so engrossed in what he is doing that he didn't realize the time, though I imagine he's found some mischief since I've last saw him. With any luck Filch has caught him doing something." Severus grinned at that last statement.

"I'm going to go have a word with him."

Albus put his hand on her arm. "It's the weekend Minerva. He doesn't have to eat if he's not hungry. It's possible one of his friends is going to take him some food as they leave."

She scoffed at him then walked away.

Dumbledore turned to Snape. "You did that on purpose didn't you?"

Severus kept his face blank. "I have no idea what you mean Headmaster." He went back to his breakfast.

During the staff meeting later that afternoon, Severus graded papers while he listened in on what was said.

After it let out, he and Albus were talking as Severus tried to finish up the last of his 5th year's essays.

Suddenly he heard Minerva snort. She was talking to Filius in the corner.

He looked at Albus and saw a confused look on his face as well.

"Minerva, Severus and I want to know what has you in a fizzle?"

She turned and waved her hand at them but lowered her voice even more so she couldn't be overheard as she resumed talking to the tiny professor.

Severus narrowed his eyes at the two of them. He wanted to know what they were talking about. He would have to investigate the matter, and from the look in Albus's eyes, he too would be investigating. This was the first time that either of them had ever heard her snort.

A/N: Thanks everyone for the reviews so far! They encourage me! (Grin)

A/N: Warning, Harry will be powerful, but he won't be super powerful. He will still have to struggle with certain things as well as deal with other childhood issues. Harry is going to be incredibly smart, but don't worry about him out-doing Hermione ... to an extent anyway. (Evil smirk) And to alleviate some fears, he won't all of a sudden wake up and realize woah, I can take on the world! It will be a slow on going process. (Smile)

A/N: This story will stick mostly to canon of the Sorcerer's Stone book, and some quotes are from the book directly. However, every once in a while, a scene or two from the movie may sneak in. (All that of course aside from the fact that a lot of scenes from my own mind are sneaking in as well - evil cackle!)

A/N: Some of what's written in the Sorcerer's Stone will change to suit my whims for my own story! Don't hate me! (Evil smirk!)