Chapter 23

It was quite confusing for anyone who noticed but the dynamic had changed between Harry and Snape. Just last night at dinner, Harry Potter was assisting Snape with the Slytherins' much to everyone's surprise and the two were quite civil to each other. Harry wore the goofiest and most welcoming grin when going down to the dungeons last night and Snape didn't seem too different at first glance but the air around him was a lot calmer.

However, this morning, Professor Snape looked absolutely lost and Harry Potter appeared miserable but being the bravest of the brave, he always wore a smile when his head was up and when people were talking to him. Hermione approached Harry with caution after he finished nibbling on his cold toast.

"Harry, how are your new sleeping chambers?"

On que, Harry made eye contact and smiled as warmly as he could to her, his troubles and shame shouldn't stop him from enjoying the company from one of his best friends.

"Yeah it's pretty good. The bath is pretty big, I can't wait to use it later. How about you?"

The small talk continued, naturally Hermione was so happy to finally have all of her books on display in her own space and from the sounds of things her chambers have now become a miniature library.

Even when asking open ended questions, Harry only answered with a few words. Hermione and Harry rose from the table with their books and made their way to their first class of the year: Charms.

Through the day, Hermione was observing Harry and came to the conclusion that something had obviously happened between Harry and Snape last night. Perhaps the potions master didn't take kindly to Harry's new residence? But even that didn't add up to the professor's worried looks he would give Harry at lunch when he thought no one was looking. Last class for the day was a study period thank Merlin. The students were in a spare room not too far from the astronomy tower quietly reading and writing among themselves while been looked over by Professor Binns.

Overall, the first day was uneventful and dinner was similar to lunch earlier. Harry kept to himself and only smiled when he needed to and Professor Snape stole glances when he could.

Just as dessert was about to be served, Harry stood to excuse himself and said he was just going to have an early night. 10 minutes later, Hermione noticed that Professor Snape had also excused himself.

How very strange.


It was now midweek and every attempt Hermione had made to talk to Harry about Snape, Harry had either brushed it off or changed the subject however today was their first class of Potions and if Harry wasn't going to talk to Snape about the two of them then she will observe as much as she could and stay back after class to confront the man herself.

The students seated themselves and waited for Professor Snape and just as the clock struck 9am sharp the door slammed open and in came the man himself with his black cloak billowing behind him. Even being cleared of all charges and proven to be Dumbledore's man all along, Professor Snape could still make this class of child soldiers intimidated.

"There will be no warm welcomes or congratulatory I'm sure you've had enough of that already." Professor Snape begun, looking towards the Gryffindor's.

"You are all here to brew complicated and delegate potions. Any explosions today will result in an automatic detention with Filch. The ingredients are listed on the blackboard but nothing else. You are adults now and should know by now what this potion is and how to make it. You have 1 hour, begin."

Professor Snape mentioned additionally that they can't work in pairs and can try to use their textbooks but by the time they worked out what potion it was there wouldn't be enough time to brew it. Potions class had felt intense, the students were put under pressure. The time limit made it tempting to rush but as the potion they were making (A concentration enhancer) made the students brew and prepare with precision and care. It was almost a cruel, ironic situation the professor had put the students in and after the first explosion set off by Blaise of all people, Professor Snape told him to clean up and leave, making an example of him. There were no favourites today, not even his own house was safe.

Hermione glanced when she could over at Harry and to her surprise Harry was only a step behind her. It pleased her immensely to see that he was keeping up and without resorting to cheating, Harry was actually brewing the correct potion. The shade was slightly off but she knew that it was a pass.

Professor Snape was leering over students' cauldrons, looking over making the occasional grunt of satisfaction or disapproval. Snape looked over Hermione's textbook perfect potion and didn't say anything and moved on to Harry's cauldron. With everyone so fixated on their brew, Hermione looked over discreetly and observed Harry and Snape's interaction. As Snape approached Harry, Harry jumped, as if someone had snuck up on him and mistakenly dropped his lemon balm and his knife into the cauldron. In a mix of desperation and panic, Harry instinctually tried to catch the items as they fell and his hands followed the herb and cutlery into the cauldron. Snape's façade instantly dropped and he tried to stop Harry but both he and Hermione were too slow getting to Harry who pulled his hands out of the potion screaming. Both his hands were raw red, blisters already forming and tears at the corner of his eyes. The horrible scream of a young man was ear piercing. Snape banished the cauldron and Hermione put hers in stasis and both tended to Harry. Just after no more than 20 seconds the signs of shock were present in the poor young man.

"Harry! Oh my god Harry! Why? It's okay, it's going to be okay!" Hermione was trying to calm him through his screams. "Oh my god professor! We need to get him help!" Hermione was now equally screaming and Harry's friends and fellow students began to abandon their potions to crowd around the boy who lived.

Snape pulled out a vial of a balm that was easily recognized as treatment for burns and slathered it onto Harry's hands, working through his broken and voice crackling screams. Professor Snape then placed his oiled hands under the teen man and lifted him up. Turning to Hermione while leaving the class he shouted "Clean this mess up and dismiss the class!".

Professor Snape was already gone when the next potion exploded in at Finnegan's desk from neglect.