Urgh...only getting to post one tonight, I'm sure of it. Dealing with drama sucks...
Harry was feeling like a heavy weight was tied around his heart and tugging it down the next morning, which so happened to be the first day of the holidays as he was told later by a Slytherin girl he couldn't remember the name of. His attempts at sleep had failed due to constant replays in his mind of what he had heard at the pub and now he simply felt drained and worn thin. Not knowing what else to do, he wandered into the Potions classroom and headed straight for ingredients.
"Not so fast, Mr. Potter." Came his professor's voice and Harry's entire body slumped with displeasure. He didn't want to talk to the Head of Slytherin House as he was certain the conversation would turn to his outburst of tears the day before. Instead, he was shocked by the man's following words, "You should visit Hagrid."
"I don't want to see Hagrid." Harry replied, reaching for a cauldron, but a rap from a wand stopped him from grabbing it. He scowled at his professor.
Snape gave him a pointed look. "I'm not telling you to visit Hagrid because you want to. I'm telling you to because you should."
"And why should I?" Harry asked impatiently.
"Because he has received poor news." The man stated sternly. "About that hippogriff of his."
Harry instantly turned to run from the classroom, out of the dungeons, through the castle, and out on the path to go see Hagrid.
The trip to Hagrid's had been depressing to say the least. Harry had to endure the company of Hermione, though thankfully not Ron, and Ginny, who acted as if he was an aquaintance rather than the savior of her life just last year. Harry assumed this was because of pressure from her brother. All the while, Hagrid was a mess over it, feeling rather hopeless over getting Buckbeak pardoned, and all the while the three of them made promises to help him in his attempt to do just that. All these promises landed them in the library the next day, reading over volume after volume of possiblities, each giving their quest a darker hue than the volume before had. Harry had gone to bed feeling emotionally drained for the third night in a row.
Then Christmas arrived and Harry was surprised to discover that Mrs. Weasley had sent him an emerald sweater with a silver snake knitted on the front and a dozen home-baked mince pies, some Christmas cake, and a box of nut brittle. All of this he tasted and he tugged on the sweater, thoroughly overjoyed with it. Then he moved on to his next present, which happened to be a Firebolt. His mouth dropped as he surveyed it, a million thoughts crashing through his mind and then he dropped it back on its wrappings and tore off to his Head of House's office.
"Come in..." Came the sleepy drawl after the quick rapping of Harry's knock. "And this had better be important...ah...Mr. Potter."
"Sir." Harry felt weak in the knees, heart racing as though he had just discovered someone had tried to poison him. "Sir...sir..."
"Spit it out, Mr. Potter. I'm busy marking "T's" on first year students' papers."
There was a pause as Harry considered this and then he blurted, "Do you even read the first year students' papers?"
"Only the Slytherins'." Snape muttered as he reached for a cup of tea. "Well, you were saying..."
Harry cleared his throat and the words rushed out, "Sir, I received a Firebolt for a Christmas present from someone who didn't sign the card!"
"Well, well, Mr. Potter." Snape snarled slightly. "Thank you for bragging and..." His eyes suddenly widened. "They didn't sign the card?"
Harry shook his head, mistified a little at the idea that his professor hadn't caught on immediately.
"I am confiscating that broom, Mr. Potter."
"I assumed you would, sir."
"Until I and the rest of the staff have checked it thoroughly for hexes."
"Yes, sir."
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Mr. Potter, and not getting the brilliant idea to ride such a dangerous contraption."
"Of course, sir. I figured Black may have sent it."
Snape began to move past Harry, but gave pause enough to ruffle the boy's hair slightly. "I'll make a Slytherin of you yet, Potter."
"But I AM a Slytherin!" Harry objected as he followed his teacher out of the office and towards the Slytherin dorms.
This Christmas had turned into a terrible tease in only about ten minutes, Harry figured. Not only had he received a FIREBOLT of all things, it had been confiscated.
Honestly, he couldn't help the glum expression that he wore when he went down to the Great Hall during lunchtime. Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout, Flitwick, and caretaker Filch were there along with five other students: the Slytherin girl, two first years from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, Hermione, and Ginny.
Dumbledore greeted Harry when he arrived and Harry took his seat across from Snape, who gave him a nod of welcome.
"Crackers!" Dumbledore offered Snape one, who took it reluctantly and tugged. There was a bang and the cracker broke apart to reveal none other than a witch's hat topped with a stuffed vulture which Snape shoved Dumbledore's direction and Dumbledore swapped it for his wizard's hat.
Harry gently tapped the Potions Master's foot to grab the somber man's attention and gave him a slight "I'm honestly sorry for you" pinch of his brows. This seemed to loosen the lines on Snape's face as Dumbledore said, "Dig in!"
Then Trelawney arrived and, though she had "foreseen" herself here, she refused to sit upon learning she would make the thirteenth member. It took much coaxing from Dumbledore and some impatient snaps from McGonagall before the woman finally did sit.
Then there had been a long boring conversation about Trelawney's foresight and Lupin receiving his potion from Snape and then Hermione and Ginny went to leave at the same time and Trelawney nearly had a spaz attack of fear for which one would die. He was surprised when Snape gave him a "stay" look when Harry had made to rise from the table as well and he reluctantly did as he was...asked.
Eventually, the two first years went their way and the Slytherin girl followed shortly afterwards. During their stay, Harry had picked at dessert while the adults conversed casually, but he was done picking and couldn't even think to swallow another bite of ice cream.
Finally, Snape cleared his throat and made the announcement about the broom. There were several shocked and concerned outbursts at this, to which Snape showed he COULD be patient as he waited them out before continuing, "Potter has given the broom to me and we need to check it for hexes. I'd prefer for this to happen BEFORE our next game as Harry hasn't purchased a broom yet and it would honestly be unfair if he has to buy one when he already has a perfectly good one available."
Harry could see McGonagall's lips quiver as she wanted to say something about Snape just wanting to win the Quidditch Cup, but she glanced at Harry, gave a small smile, and chose to say nothing.
They all agreed that they would do their best to ensure nothing was jinxing the broom and then everyone rose and left. Harry, naturally, accompanied his professor down into the dungeons, but didn't speak until they were out of earshot of the others.
"Professor..." Harry murmured. "I'm not complaining...at all...but why did you want me there?"
"Because..." Snape's lips twitched upward slightly as he took on a fairly wicked smirk. "They needed to see the boy they'd be punishing if they didn't get the broom de-hexed in time."
"But they know what I look like."
"There is a difference between knowing your actions could cause someone pain and seeing said person's eyes as you think about your actions causing them pain. Seeing yours light up at the thought of you maybe having a good broom for your Quidditch match is really all any of those absolutley soft-hearted little nim...uh...your professors will be more inclined to assist you than they would me...is what I was saying."
Harry smiled slightly. "It was a Slytherin move than."
"It was indeed."
"I could...I could get used to that."
"You're in Slytherin House. You HAVE to get used to that."
This one is really short. I'm tired and I want to post it. Nothing too good here. I'll start working on the next part...but prob won't see it tonight. :( sorry