Year 1

Chapter 5: Moving Through the Year – part 2

New chapter by Steve2

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or anything related to it.

{-5-}

Harry sat in Hagrid's hut for tea one day.

"So if I understand this right, you got booted out of school and have been living here ever since, right?" Harry inquired.

"Err… right," Hagrid confirmed.

"I bet it's because you have a learning disability, right?"

"Err… wha?"

"I know what you mean. I have one too. I have A.D.H.L.A.S."

"Whas' that?" Hagrid said.

"Attention Defi-Hey Look A Squirrel!" Harry started.

Hagrid beamed. "Hey! I have that too!"

{-5-}

Harry left Hagrid's house a short while later and returned to the Slytherin common room. There he was motioned over to talk about his experience with some additional Slytherins: Daphne, Tracy, Millicent, and Blaise.

"So what did you think of the groundskeeper, Potter?" Millicent inquired.

Harry shrugged his shoulders as he sat down, facing them. "Oh, he's okay."

Blaise looked at his classmates. Then, to Harry: "Don't you think he's a little odd? A little off?"

"Oh, absolutely. It's probably the scientist's fault," Harry agreed.

"Who?" Daphne asked.

"You know, the scientist responsible, whoever that is."

"What are you talking about?" Daphne was confused. She wasn't the only one.

"Oh, I'm sure Hagrid doesn't just know the scientist, but it's obvious that he's probably one of the experiments! Why, just shave him and I bet you'll find two-inch screws on either side of his neck!"

{-5-}

Harry had found an unused classroom during his self-guided tour of the castle during the Holiday break. In there was a large object with a tarp over it. Curiosity getting the better of him, he removed the tarp and looked at what someone had wanted to stash: a mirror.

Harry looked in the mirror, then sat down and smiled.

He was still there an hour later when "discovered" by none other than Albus Dumbledore. "Harry, this is a magical mirror."

"Yeah, right. Shhhh, you're interrupting."

Albus was shocked at what he felt was a blatant blow-off by the young Potter. "No, really, it's a magical mirror. People have gone mad staring at it for too long."

"Really? How long did you stare at it then?" Harry wondered aloud.

Albus ignored the jab and replied, "This mirror shows you your heart's desire. I myself see me in some new socks when I look upon it. What do you see, Harry?"

"I see myself surrounded by insane people. Namely you," Harry said. "Now, shhhh, it's back on."

"What's back on?" Dumbledore inquired of his student.

"The show: they went to commercial for a few minutes. Now it's back on. Star Trek; you know, Captain Picard, Number One, Mr. Data. I haven't seen this show yet – it's a meeting of Picard and a young Kirk; not sure how they got that done, but it's all good. Only, could you get maintenance up here to fix the audio on this TV? I can't get anything from this thing."

{-5-}

Around Christmas morning, Harry woke up to find a present at the foot of his bed. Not thinking of who would deliver presents at night or on a holiday, he rushed to see who it was from.

It was from his Aunt and Uncle.

Harry opened the envelope. It was a TV Guide for the upcoming spring season. Whoo-hoo!

{-5-}

It was time. He knew it. He couldn't put it off any longer. Albus was demanding answers. He had already done it with all the other students. Only Potter was left.

It was time to do his progress review.

"Potter! Get in here!" he bellowed to the young student waiting outside his office.

As Potter came into the office, he said, "I take it you know why you are here?" At the affirmative nod, he clarified anyway, "We need to discuss how you are progressing in your classes so far."

Harry sat and looked at his head of house. Then he started.

"How am I doing in my classes? You have to be kidding me, right? I'll concede that your chemistry class is good, even if you need some serious equipment upgrades; at least you're trying to teach. It's the only real class we have, in fact.

"Why, the whole 'charms, and transfiguration, and defense against the dark arts'… Dear Lord, is it any wonder they're all insane? There are limits on how far one can go to accommodate the inmates after all. The only other real lessons are herbology, which is glorified gardening with modified plants, the "care of 'magical' creatures" which is really "care of genetic experiments," astrology which is astronomy with added "magic" less the annoying horoscope, and arithmancy which is "magical" math, or as I like to think of it as: math without a calculator.

"Tell me how am I going to graduate from this asylum? No, wait! Don't answer that. Of course I'm going to graduate since the so-called headmaster is insane. He'll make sure I graduate. The only real question I have then is what kind of career do I want to go into? This place sure as hell isn't going to make it so I can get into Uni anytime soon."

"Is going to a Uni what you want to do?" Professor Snape prompted, trying to find some safe ground with this high-strung young Potter.

Harry thought for a moment. "No, not really. I guess not. I probably would have been in the same situation if I went to Stonewall, except without all the magic nonsense. Lousy education system."

"Yes, it is a sad state of affairs with the local education system," Professor Snape started.

"Is that why you went into Chemistry, Professor?"

"Excuse me?" Snape's eyes shot up.

"Figuring you had to do something about the local crazies, I bet you went into Chemistry so you could learn to study the inmates and their "potions" so you could devise ways to help medicate all the crazies and keep them off the streets. Right?"

"Sure," Snape agreed. "Why not?"

"Then that's what I'm going to do: study chemistry and find out ways to medicate these crazies."

"You know you could also learn charms and other spells to help deal with crazies…" Snape volunteered.

"That is just enabling them more, professor. No, I think Chemistry is where I'm going to start studying more. Maybe see if I can get some Bunsen burners installed at home or something. And if that doesn't work out, there is always electroshock therapy."

Professor Snape didn't have a response for that. At all.

{-5-}

Read and Review, please! Smiles!

Steve2