CHAPTER 11: MISUNDERSTANDINGS AND MIRTH
"Thank you, sir," Harry acknowledged gratefully as he made his way towards the door.
However, Snape's silky voice halted him as he reached for the handle. "Mr. Potter," Snape spoke up, his tone inscrutable.
Harry turned back to face the Potions Master, meeting his gaze evenly. "Yes, sir?" he replied, curious about Snape's sudden interest.
"Did you enjoy your time today?" Snape inquired, his dark eyes piercing.
Harry nodded in affirmation. "Yes, sir, I did," he confirmed.
Snape arched an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "May I ask, what were you doing in there?" he inquired further, his tone betraying a hint of curiosity.
"I was talking," Harry explained simply. "Some studies have suggested that coma patients can hear and understand their surroundings, so I thought I'd speak to them, hoping they might be listening."
Snape hummed in acknowledgment, considering Harry's response. "Hmm, I see," he murmured thoughtfully. "I suppose you'd like to go again?"
Harry hesitated, not wanting to impose on Snape's time. "Yes, sir, but I don't want to disturb you if you're busy," he replied diplomatically. "I plan to visit them during the holidays."
Snape nodded in understanding, not seeming eager to return to the ward himself. "Very well," he conceded with a slight nod. "Thank you again, sir," Harry expressed his gratitude before finally exiting Snape's office.
Making his way to the Great Hall, Harry joined Daphne and Tracy at the Slytherin table, where they greeted him warmly.
"Hello, Harry," both girls chimed in unison.
"Hey, guys," Harry replied, leaning in to give Daphne a quick kiss on the cheek.
Tracy raised an eyebrow curiously. "Where were you?" she inquired.
"I went to see my parents," Harry explained, his tone indicating he didn't want to dwell on the subject.
Daphne, catching onto his cue, swiftly changed the topic. "Do you have plans today?" she asked.
"Not really," Harry shrugged. "Unless you have something in mind?"
"Well, I was thinking of getting our homework out of the way first and then just relaxing for the rest of the day," Daphne suggested.
"Ugh, homework," Tracy groaned dramatically.
Harry nodded in agreement. "Sounds like a plan to me," he interjected before Tracy could protest further. "Let's knock it out now."
Daphne smirked at Tracy's disgruntled expression. "See? Another vote in my favor," she teased.
"Of course he'll agree with you, he's your boyfriend," Tracy retorted playfully.
Harry and Daphne exchanged amused glances before chiming in simultaneously. "Doesn't change the fact that he agrees," they stated in unison, causing Tracy to groan in mock exasperation.
After breakfast, Harry and Daphne headed to the library to tackle their assignments. As they finished their potion essays, Hermione Granger walked in, catching their attention with a curious glance.
"What are you two doing here?" Hermione inquired, her attention solely focused on Harry and Daphne.
Harry raised an eyebrow at her question. "Oh, you know, just making passionate love on a flying white sabre-toothed tiger hovering over a rainbow in Ireland while consuming copious amounts of firewhisky," he replied sarcastically, gesturing to their homework spread across the table. "Or, more accurately, we're in a library with homework on our desks. What do you think we're doing here?"
Daphne couldn't help but join in the banter. "Wait," she interjected with a playful smirk, "who's drinking the firewhisky? You, me, or the tiger?"
Harry chuckled. "Why not all three? We've got plenty," he joked.
Hermione rolled her eyes at their playful exchange. "You don't have to be so rude," she retorted.
"Fair enough," Harry conceded with a shrug. "But then again, I don't have to make love to a flying white sabre-toothed tiger hovering over a rainbow in Ireland while consuming copious amounts of firewhisky either."
Hermione sighed in exasperation. "Do you ever stop making jokes?" she asked, her tone tinged with annoyance.
Harry grinned mischievously. "Yes, I have to sleep occasionally," he quipped before returning his focus to his homework. Daphne couldn't help but laugh at his response as she continued working as well.
Hermione, undeterred, pressed on with her questions. "By the way, I'd like to know why you're better in class than I am?" she inquired, a hint of frustration in her voice.
Harry glanced up briefly, meeting her gaze. "Simple," he replied without missing a beat. "I study and put in the effort."
Hermione frowned, clearly unsatisfied with his answer. "It must be more than that," she insisted. "You can't possibly beat me if you're just studying."
Daphne couldn't help but interject, her tone laced with sarcasm. "Are you really that arrogant, Granger?" she remarked. "Do you truly believe nobody can surpass you just by studying?"
"I'm the smartest witch of my age," Hermione retorted defensively. "I've been studying non-stop since I got my Hogwarts letter."
Harry chimed in with a dry remark. "And I congratulate you for that," he remarked with a hint of sarcasm.
Undeterred, Hermione persisted. "So, how did you do it?" she pressed. "Did you cheat?"
Harry sighed, shaking his head. "No, Granger," he replied wearily. "I don't cheat, at least not in something as trivial as school classes."
"Trivial?!" Hermione's eyes widened in disbelief, clearly taken aback by Harry's remark.
"Granted, they teach us important things, but do you really think I'd bother cheating in Herbology?" Harry countered, his tone exasperated. "No offense to the subject or the teacher, but I have better things to do. Besides, while Transfiguration, Charms, and Potions may impart more critical knowledge, if I were to cheat, I'd risk missing out on something significant later on. Nonetheless, they're just first-year classes."
"It's still class!" Hermione argued, her voice rising in frustration. "You—"
"Anyway," Harry interjected, cutting her off abruptly. "I don't cheat. If you'll excuse me now, I'd like to get my homework done. I have better things to do with my time than chat with you or waste time with homework."
Hermione scoffed, crossing her arms defensively. "Like what?" she challenged.
"Like talking to my girlfriend," Harry replied pointedly, gesturing towards Daphne.
"Girlfriend? You're too young to have a girlfriend," Hermione retorted, her tone bordering on maternal.
"In that case, you probably won't like that she's my fiancée," added Daphne with a mischievous grin.
"Fiancée?!" Hermione exclaimed, her eyes widening in disbelief. She glanced around, relieved that the librarian wasn't present to witness the chaos unfolding.
"Yes," Harry affirmed, seizing the opportunity to play along. "She's my fiancée. Do you have one? Who's yours? You do realize everyone eventually gets a fiancée."
"They wouldn't do that! That's barbaric!" protested Hermione, her voice tinged with indignation.
"It's true," Daphne chimed in, fully embracing the charade. "I heard rumors that Ronald Weasley wanted to choose you as his wife."
"What?!" Hermione spluttered, clearly taken aback by the unexpected revelation.
"Congratulations on being the future Mrs. Weasley," Daphne added with mock sincerity, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Horrified by the prospect, Hermione stormed off in a huff, forgetting her homework in her haste to confront Ronald Weasley. How dare Harry assume she would be his wife without her consent? She resolved to have a serious talk with him about boundaries.
As Hermione stormed off, Harry and Daphne exchanged amused glances, struggling to contain their laughter for a moment before it erupted in full force. Daphne even laughed so hard that she accidentally punched her desk, causing Harry to double over with laughter, tears streaming down his cheeks.
Their mirth was short-lived, however, as the librarian chose that moment to enter the room and promptly threw them out for causing a disturbance. But even being kicked out couldn't dampen their spirits. They continued to laugh all the way back to the common room, where they regaled Tracy with the absurd encounter, eliciting another round of laughter from their friend.
Later, at lunch, Harry sat with Daphne and Tracy as usual. While he and Tracy discussed Quidditch, it was evident that Daphne wasn't particularly interested in the sport. Nonetheless, she made an effort to join in, much to Harry's appreciation.
Snape, who had been silent until now, interjected. "And what proof do you have of this alleged cheating, Miss Granger?"
Hermione shifted uncomfortably under Snape's piercing gaze. "Well, it's just... he's always at the top of the class, and I can't understand how he does it," she stammered.
"Granger, academic excellence is not evidence of cheating," Snape retorted sharply. "If you have no substantial proof, then this accusation holds no weight."
"Furthermore," McGonagall added, "Mr. Potter has consistently demonstrated his academic abilities through hard work and dedication. Your jealousy does not justify baseless accusations."
Hermione flushed with embarrassment, realizing the weakness of her argument. "But... but he's always so flippant and disrespectful!" she protested.
"Miss Granger, while Mr. Potter's demeanor may not always conform to traditional expectations, it does not warrant false accusations," McGonagall admonished. "Now, let us address the matter of the marriage comment."
"I assure you, Professor, it was nothing more than a jest," Harry chimed in earnestly. "Daphne and I were simply engaging in banter, and Miss Granger misunderstood."
Daphne nodded in agreement. "Yes, Professor, it was all in good humor. We never intended to cause any distress."
McGonagall regarded them both thoughtfully for a moment before finally speaking. "While I am inclined to believe your explanation, Mr. Potter and Miss Greengrass, I must stress the importance of maintaining decorum and sensitivity in your interactions with fellow students. Sarcasm and jest can easily be misinterpreted, as this incident demonstrates."
"We understand, Professor," Harry said earnestly. "We will be more mindful of our words in the future."
"Very well," McGonagall concluded. "I will speak with Miss Granger regarding this matter. You are both dismissed."
Harry and Daphne exchanged relieved glances before exiting the office. As they walked back to the Slytherin common room, they couldn't help but feel grateful for McGonagall's understanding. They vowed to be more cautious with their words in the future, mindful of how easily misunderstandings could arise.
McGonagall sighed, rubbing her temples as if to ward off an impending headache. "I see. Miss Granger, it appears there has been a misunderstanding. Mr. Potter and Miss Greengrass did not intend to cause you distress or make unwarranted assumptions about your personal life."
Hermione's expression softened slightly, realizing the error in her assumptions. "I... I'm sorry," she murmured, albeit reluctantly.
"Apology accepted," Harry replied graciously. "Let's consider this matter settled then, shall we?"
"Indeed," McGonagall agreed. "However, I must caution all of you to exercise prudence in your words and actions. Hogwarts is a place for learning and camaraderie, not unnecessary strife."
"We understand, Professor," Daphne nodded solemnly.
"Good. Now, off you go. Miss Granger, I'll have a word with you separately," McGonagall concluded, dismissing them with a wave of her hand.
As Harry and Daphne exited McGonagall's office, they shared a relieved smile. Despite the misunderstanding, they were grateful for the opportunity to clarify the situation. As they made their way back to the Slytherin common room, they couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie, knowing that they had overcome yet another hurdle together. From that day on, they made a pact to be more mindful of their words, ensuring that their interactions with others were always respectful and considerate.
"I beg your pardon?" Snape's tone carried a hint of disbelief as he raised an eyebrow, his dark eyes narrowing at the two students standing before him.
"Well, it's just that the students have been speculating about your love life, Professor," Daphne ventured cautiously. "Somehow, Professor Trelawney has been linked to you, and Professor McGonagall to the Headmaster." She couldn't help but suppress a smirk, glancing at her companion.
Both Snape and McGonagall exchanged a look of disdain, their expressions mirroring their mutual distaste for the unfounded rumors circulating among the student body.
"Our point," Daphne pressed on, "is that rumors are just that—rumors. We can't control what others say or how they interpret our words. We certainly can't be blamed if Miss Granger misinterprets something and takes it as gospel truth."
Hermione interjected, unable to contain her frustration. "This is preposterous!"
"I concur," Harry chimed in. "It's highly unlikely that Professor McGonagall has any romantic inclinations toward the Headmaster."
Snape's lip curled in a mixture of irritation and bemusement. "And you, Potter, seem to imply that Professor Trelawney is my... 'type'?"
Harry shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Who knows, Professor? Perhaps she's not the eccentric seer we all envision. Maybe she's a twenty-year-old brunette with a penchant for French poetry."
Snape massaged his temples, feeling the onset of a headache. "Enough of this absurdity. Miss Granger's misunderstanding notwithstanding, there is no grounds for disciplinary action against these two."
McGonagall's lips twitched, suppressing a smile. "I believe Professor Snape is right. Let us put an end to this folly. You may leave now, but do exercise more caution with your words in the future."
"Yes, Professor," Daphne and her companion chorused before Snape escorted them out of the room.
"Is that it?" Hermione's frustration was palpable. "They're not going to face any consequences?"
"I'm afraid not, Miss Granger," McGonagall sighed sympathetically. "Without concrete evidence to support your claims, and with the explanation provided by these two, there's little I can do."
"But Professor, they knew what they were doing! They deliberately misled me!"
McGonagall nodded solemnly. "They may have, but proving intent is another matter entirely. I understand your frustration, but justice must be administered within the confines of evidence."
Dejected, Hermione gathered her belongings and left the room, her mind still reeling with indignation.
"Merlin's beard," McGonagall murmured to herself once Hermione was gone. "A prank worthy of James Potter himself." She couldn't help but feel a begrudging admiration for the students' ingenuity, even if it had caused her colleague and herself considerable annoyance.
WELCOME TO LORDARESARCTURUSBLACK ON P.A.T.R.E.O.N
FOR EARLY ACCESS TO NEW CHAPTERS JOIN US ON P.A.T.R.E.O.N LORDARESARCTURUSBLACK