Chapter Thirteen
Hermione grabbed Harry's bag for him and her own before her and Harry's other friends helped him to the hospital wing.
"Was really mean of Snape to attack you like that." Ron said, running up behind them.
"He was right." Draco said quietly, "Harry shouldn't of just stood there like that."
"Thanks." Harry snapped.
"Least you would have had a chance to block him." Ron said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck, "I can't even do a blocking spell with speaking."
"Shame." Pansy drawled, "We learned last year." she gave him a smug smile.
Ron looked annoyed and shame faced at the floor for a moment, "I was wondering if you were going to start teaching again?"
Harry nodded, giving himself another wave of pain.
"Maybe… maybe I could come and join in? If that's OK?" Ron said slowly.
"I'm sure it will be fine." Harry said, "We all need to learn to defend ourselves."
"Thanks Harry." Ron beamed, "I'll try really hard, I mean really really-"
"I have to go Ron, I'm not trying to be rude but my head is killing me." Harry shrugged, cutting him off.
"Oh… yeah right of course!" Ron said, seemingly only just remembering that Harry was still bleeding.
Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes until he had his back turned to Ron at least.
The corridor finally ended at the hospital wing and Daphne knocked on the door. Madam Pomfrey opened to the door and sighed.
"Well, it's not even been the first day and here you are Mr Potter!" Madam Pomfrey said, looking over him, "I think that maybe a new school record. In you come. You don't need all of your friends, Mr Potter. I suggest they meet you later."
Harry thought it was unusually brisk of her to not allow them in, surely the room couldn't be that busy.
It wasn't.
In fact, apart from a rather worried looking Severus sitting on the edge of one of the beds, it was completely empty. Harry walked over to him, and sat on the bed opposite, giving him a half smile.
"Hi." Harry said after a few minutes.
He could feel Madam Pomfrey behind him, poking his head with her wand before cleaning the blood off and covering it in a sour smelling potion.
"Lily is going to kill me when she finds out." Severus said slowly, "I never meant to hurt you."
Harry wanted to say the right thing, it looked like Severus was about to cry.
"I know Dad." Harry said, "I just wasn't expecting it." he snorted a laugh, now that the pain was easing he found the whole thing rather funny.
Severus nodded, not laughing. Harry waited until Madam Pomfrey gave him a tap on the shoulder to signal that she was finished with him before standing up and sitting next to Severus, giving him a hug.
"I can't show any…" Severus couldn't find the word.
"You have to pretend that you hate me." Harry smirked, "So that it will be believed if you have to go over to… to Voldemort's side completely."
Severus nodded, "Exactly. I will try not to hit you so hard in future."
"Don't worry, give it a week and I'll be able to block you." Harry smirked, "You can't be the teacher who watches over the DA, can you?"
Severus smiled and nodded again, "Yes… yes I know. I wish I could though. I will ask Professor McGonagall. Dumbledore suggested Horace, Professor Slughorn, but I fear he would interfere to much."
"I should go, the bell is going to ring any minute." Harry sighed, rubbing his scar.
"Is it hurting Harry?" Severus asked, a look of concern across his face.
Harry shook his head and then nodded, "Yes and no. Not sharp hurting any more, haven't had that since… well since you know when. But it just aches all the time now, it's just because he's getting stronger."
Severus gave him one quick last hug, "Well at least we'll have detention to catch up!"
Harry smirked and rolled his eyes, "Yeah thanks for that, like I wasn't busy enough as it is."
Harry got up and walked towards the door.
"One moment Mr Potter!" Madam Pomfrey called, coming from her office with a small envelope in her hands.
Harry took the envelope from her, recognising Dumbledore's curly hand writting.
"I was asked to give you this. I wasn't sure if your friends were aware of the situation." Madam Pomfrey said gently.
Harry nodded, "Thank you. They do… they do know though."
Madam Pomfrey nodded and gave him a small smile, "Well, as I said, I wasn't sure. Now, the bell will being ringing any minute."
Harry once again managed to wait until he had turned his back on her before rolling his eyes.
His friends hadn't gone far, they were all waiting just outside the door to the hospital wing with wide, worried eyes.
"What was all that about?" Draco asked, handing Harry his bag.
"She's never not allowed us in before," Hermione said, "Not without an explanation."
"She needed to give me this." Harry explained, showing them the letter.
He slit it open with his finger and showed them all, gathered over his shoulder.
"Dear Harry,
I would like to start our private lessons this Saturday. Kindly come along to my office at eight p.m. I hope you are enjoying your first day back at school.
Yours Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
P.S. I enjoy Acid Pops."
"Who enjoys Acid Pops?" Pansy said, wrinkling her nose, "They're awful."
Harry snorted a laugh, "True. It'll be the password to his office."
"What do you think you'll be learning?" Neville asked as they walked towards the Potions Lab.
Harry didn't know, "Defence-ish stuff I guess." Harry looked around, making sure that no one was around to hear him, "Thing is, I'm just not sure that there is much he could teach me that I don't already know…"
Hermione shifted slightly uncomfortably, "Dumbledore is a great wizard Harry."
"What Harry means is nothing that Dumbledore could really teach him in a few evenings." Pansy elaborated.
Harry nodded in agreement.
"It does seem strange." Neville agreed, "He's not asked to see you for a longer time? Over the holidays or something?"
Harry sighed and shook his head, "Nope. I think he knows that Mum wouldn't let that happen anyway. She's still not forgiven him for last year. Not sure I have either really."
"It wasn't Dumbledore's fault that Sirius got hurt." Hermione insisted.
"Wasn't it?" Harry demanded, spinning round to face her, "What did he think was going to happen?"
Hermione took a step back at Harry's outburst and looked away, avoiding his eyes, "I… I don't know."
"Dumbledore was wrong, last year." Daphne said calmly, "But I don't think that he wanted anyone to get hurt."
Harry took several deep breaths, "Yeah… yeah I'm sure you're right."
The six of them stood awkwardly in the corridor for a moment.
"We should get going." Draco said after a moment, "Harry needs to keep in Professor Slughorn's good books, that doesn't involve being late."
"Actually maybe it does…" Harry said, stopping in his tracks and making Pansy crash into him, "You guys go ahead… I wont be long."
"Harry, what's up?" Draco asked.
Harry forced a smile, "I'm just tired and my head still hurts."
"Ok… and the truth?" Draco pushed.
"Just feels like it's all getting to be a bit much." Harry shrugged, "Everything feels very… impossible."
"You're not alone Harry." Draco smiled, giving him a quick hug, "We'll get though this. Here! I'll even take your bag into class for you."
Harry nodded and watched his friends walk down the hall without him. He only waited a few minutes after the bell had rung to run down the hallway, making sure he was breathing heavily before bursting into the Potion's lab.
Slughorn stopped what he was saying looking slightly shocked and confused at Harry, "Harry my boy! I was starting to worry you weren't coming!"
Harry forced a smile, "So sorry I'm late sir." Harry panted, "I was injured in my last class, ran all the way from the hospital wing to get here."
It had the intended effect, Slughorn's face and stance softened, "Why Harry! I am so sorry to hear that! Don't worry about being late, didn't miss anything at all!"
Harry smiled and took his seat. There were only just over a dozen students other students, making the classroom look almost empty.
It was always going to be slightly dark and damp in the Potions lab as it was deep in the dungeons, but most of the dampness and darkness was gone.
The walls had been freshly painted, in a light yellow colour with many of the jars of strange potion ingredients replaced with cheerful pictures of students of previous classes. There was a large fire burning in the hearth, the first time Harry had ever seen it in use.
Harry turned his attention to the teachers desk where four cauldrons were bubbling peacefully. Slughorn waited until Harry had dug his book from his bag before continuing with his lecture.
"So… as I was saying, you will all need to get your scales and potion making supplies out." Slughorn said.
Harry quickly pulled out his things, including a shining new set of silver scales that Severus had given him, they were the highest quality and glinted in the light from the fires.
"Yes Mr… Weasley?" Slughorn said, looking around.
"I haven't gotten any books or anything." Ron mumbled, "I didn't realise that I could take this course see… Professor McGonagall just didn't want me hanging about."
"Ah yes!" Slughorn said, walking over to the cupboard, "Here you are!"
He handed Ron a very battered copy of 'Advanced Potion Making' and a set of tarnished scales.
"These will do you until you can get a copy of your own things sent from home." Slughorn told him quickly.
Ron's ears turned red as he quickly faced the desk.
"Right, let us begin!" Slughorn beamed, "As you can see I have prepared several potions for you to look at. These are the sort of thing you can be expected to make after you have completed your N.E.W.T. You should know what all of these are even if you haven't prepared them before. So, can anyone tell me what this one is?"
The class surged forwards to looking into the first cauldron. It was filled with what looked like nothing but boiling water.
Hermione's hand was first into the air, followed by Draco's, Harry and Ernie Macmillan.
"Miss Granger?" Slughorn asked, "I think you got your hand up first."
"It's Veritaserum. It is a colourless, odourless potion that forces the drinker to tell the truth." Hermione said, proudly.
"Very good! Very good!" Slughorn beamed, "Ten points! Now what about this one? A little more tricky, but there have been several Ministry leaflets about it lately."
Hermione's hand was quickest once again, "Polyjuice Potion Sir."
"And what does it do?" Slughorn asked.
"It changes your appearance!" Harry said quickly, pulling a tongue at Hermione, "You need to add an 'aspect' of the subject and then one dose will change your appearance for one hour."
"Well done!" Slughorn let out a little laugh, "And a touch of inter-house rivalry, always good to see. Five points to you each. What about the next one?"
Hermione gave Harry an over dramatic bow, offering him the chance to guess first.
Harry stepped forwards and took a deep breath of the potion. It smelled like fresh treacle tart, warm from the oven, the smooth wood from a broomstick and something warm and spicy that seemed familiar, although Harry was quite sure he'd never been to a spice market before.
"I… I'm not sure." Harry said, pulling back, his head getting lost in the smell.
Daphne reached forward and pulled Harry back by the shoulders while smirking.
"From Harry's reaction I think we can safely say that is Amortentia." Draco grinned.
Harry was feeling a little embarrassed, the blood flushing through his cheeks, "Oh yeah." he agreed, "It smells different to everyone, and is a powerful love potion."
"You can recognise it without getting sucked into fairy land by the tell tale spirals of smoke, and one sniff is enough." Hermione finished off.
Harry rolled his eyes at her, thinking seriously at poking his tongue out at her again.
"Very good!" Slughorn beamed down at them, very pleased with his class, "Once again, five points each! You can also recognise it by the mother of pearl sheen, very distinctive." Slughorn turned to Harry, "Is Miss Granger the Muggle-born friend you told me about? The best in your year one? I can see why you think of her that way."
Hermione blushed, "You said I was the best in the year?"
Harry nodded and gave her a friendly nudge.
"Amortentia doesn't create really love of course, but more obsession. It is a sad sight, someone has been infected with this potion, not something to be messed around with." Slughorn told them all sternly, "And now we shall begin."
"What about the last one Sir?" Ernie asked, pointing to the last cauldron.
Harry didn't think for a moment that Slughorn had forgotten the last potion but was waiting for someone to ask him.
"This is a most rare potion, very useful, very dangerous… any ideas?" Slughorn asked the class.
"Liquid luck Sir." Neville said, leaning forward into the smooth golden surface.
"Correct Mr Longbottom!" Slughorn said, "It's proper name is Felix Felicis and it does what it says on the tin, gives you luck!"
"Why don't people just take it all the time Sir?" Terry Boot asked, trying to look closer in the potion.
"It's difficult to make, and very dangerous if gotten wrong which happens often. It is also highly toxic in large quantities. But, taken sparingly and very occasionally…"
"Have you ever taken it?" Harry asked, half out of wanting to show an interest and half out of pure curiosity.
"Twice my boy!" Slughorn informed him, "Once when I was twenty four, another time when I was fifty seven. Two perfect days."
He stared off longingly into the distance.
"And that," he said, coming back to the real world, "is what I am offering. One tiny bottle of Felix Felicis, enough for twelve perfect hours. Now I must give you a warning that this potion is a banned substance in organised competitions, sporting events, examinations or elections. So the winner is to use it on an ordinary day only!"
He waited for the effect of his words to sink in before smiling and showing them the tiny bottle, sitting it on the desk.
"So." Slughorn continued, "how are you to win such a prize? Well, turn to page ten of Advanced Potion Making. We have just over an hour left in the lesson, which should be time for you to make a decent attempt at the potion you are looking at, the Draught of Living Death. I know, I know it is a little more complicated than you are used to but I do not expect a perfect potion from any of you. So! You may begin."
Harry quickly looked down at the list of ingredients and started to think over the best way of doing things. He wanted to win that little bottle, and knew that he was up against fierce competition.
"My stupid book has been written in." Ron muttered to himself, he was sitting alone at one of the desks and seemed less than happy to be there, "I can barely read this!"
Harry turned over to see Ron glaring at the book. He caught a quick flash of the writing and felt the breath catch in his throat.
"I'll swap." Harry said quickly, "Here, you can have my new one."
Ron looked very confused at him, he couldn't understand why anyone would want such a beaten up old book but his desire to have a new school book, for the first time ever, was too great to ask to many questions.
They quickly exchanged books while Slughorn was busy reading a potions book of his own.
"What do you want that for?" Draco asked, wrinkling his nose, "I mean it's-"
"It was Dad's, I know the handwriting. It was Severus's." Harry said softly.