Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my OC Bailey and any alterations to the original storyline plot her presence creates to various readers amusement everywhere across the globe.
A Dog's Purpose Is Strange Magic Chapter 24
The rest of the teachers and classes that Harry and Bailey pretty much went the same way as they had in Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall.
Most were very tolerant and accepting of Bailey while others didn't care at all like the ghost Professor Binns who taught History of Magic to the students. Now his story is very unusual. Professor Binns had been quite old when he had made the mistake of falling asleep in front of the staffroom fire. The next morning he got up to teach unknowingly leaving his body behind. To this very day Professor Binns continued to drone on and on about everything he knew about history. The students would robotically scribble down names, dates, and other historical preferences he brought up that were said to be important. Talk about one determined teacher.
Professor Binns is an anomaly to Bailey. In their first meeting, Bailey tried to paw at him and only had her appendage fall through his translucent body. Professor Binns is a spirit so he couldn't feel Bailey's appendage move through him, but he did cast her an annoyed glance telling her to shoo. And Bailey complied not because she didn't want to investigate further, but because this was all just too weird for her brain to comprehend.
While with Professor Binns all Bailey showed was curiosity, but Defense Against the Dark Arts would become a regular daily battlefield. The reason behind this is Professor Quirrell. He teaches the subject matter here. The first day when they set foot in that classroom Bailey's guard was immediately up. She was relaxed in all the other classes beforehand, but here she wanted to rip the guy's throat out. The fact that he helped her boy and Ron out earlier did nothing to temper her hatred towards him. At times when Professor Quirrell meandered around the room during the lesson the hairs on Bailey's back would bristle with her hackles rising in answer to a clear threat only she knew to look for. His persona as the stuttering fool may have fooled everyone else, but not her. Bailey knew it was all an act. It flabbergasted her that no one else could see how evil this man was.
But Harry had commanded her to behave and that's what Bailey would do no matter how much it irritated her. Thankfully they got through the first lesson with the man without incident. This was repetitive in the lessons that would follow in the coming months of the school year.
But the whole kudagra of the day lies in Potions. The Professor of this subject is the one she really needed to win over.
That class wasn't until Friday and when it came around things got very interesting.
That morning started like any other. They got out of bed, got dressed, and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. In this daily routine, Bailey had become accustomed to finding two bowls filled with water and food appeared in front of her on the floor whenever they sat down to eat. In the food bowl had carefully prepped food to cater to her needs. To her delight that didn't stop Harry from passing her morsels from his plate every now and again.
"What have we got today," asked Harry, pouring a small portion of sugar to sweeten his porridge. He didn't favor it bland.
"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron, helping himself to a huge portion of sausages. "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he favors them. We'll be able to see if it's true."
"Wish McGonagall favored us," said Harry, bitterly.
The day previously Professor McGonagall had given them a tone of homework. By some miracle, he managed to get it all done. Harry would've finished the assignments a lot sooner than he had if Bailey hadn't chewed up some of it.
The mail arrived then in the Great Hall. To their surprise, an owl landed down in front of the trio and dropped a note daintily onto Harry's now empty plate.
Bailey barked at the owl in greeting. The owl simply ignored her. Bailey then sat on her bum looking visibly put out.
"What is that," asked Ron, watching Harry read it over.
Harry then explained that he and Bailey had been invited for tea later on during his free period with Hagrid inside his home. Harry proceeded to write down his answer before sending the message back to Hagrid by the same owl. Harry, Ron, and Bailey left soon after for Potions not wanting to be late with this Professor judging by what had been told.
On their way there Bailey was mightily grateful for her fur because the Potions classroom was down in one of the dungeons where it was cold, dark, and dank. Void of all light except for torches lit along the walls.
Professor Snape was a reflection of his domain. He hadn't been there when the students had arrived and taken their seats.
The door had open with a bang announcing his presence, causing all to go silent as he waltzed right in and over to the front of the room with the mans robs billowing about him.
"There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class, many of you will hardly believe this is magic," said Professor Snape in a no-nonsense tone of voice, turning to face the wide-eyed students staring at him. "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making. I don't expect you to understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creed through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses. I can teach you to bottle fame, brew glory, even put a stopper in death."
The students were left speechless as they listened to him.
Professor Snape then proceeded with the roll call doing a headcount of the students in his charge.
When he got to Harry, sneering, Professor said "Mr. Potter. Our new celebrity."
Bailey didn't know what to make of this one. Bailey lay there underneath her boy's desk listening to this human berate her boy for not being able to answer questions correctly and then talking back to him afterwards. Harry ended up losing his House a few points for that show of cheek. Ron was quick to reassure her it was all fine. Fred and George lost Gryffindor so many points each year that the amount Harry lost is mediocre.
The students were eventually set to the task of concocting a known potion that could cure boils in groups. For the students this was a nightmare with Professor Snape stalking the room, criticizing almost everyone.
Disaster struck when Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob and their potion seeped across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. The students were able to avoid the concoction by standing on their stools, but, unfortunately, Bailey wasn't so lucky.
Bailey yelped uncontrollably in pain when drops of the messed up potion touched her tail. She could feel it burning on her skin and sores beginning to pop and drip puss.
"Bailey," said Harry.
"Professor," said Hermione, pointing at Bailey.
Snape then cleared the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand so he could move across the room and no other students would be injured.
Passing Neville, Snape spat "Idiot boy! I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"
Neville whimpered as boils similar to the ones Bailey was getting started to pop up all over his nose.
"Take him to the hospital wing," said Snape, speaking to Seamus.
Snape then turned his attention over to Bailey. She was still whining pitifully. Harry wanted to help her, but he didn't know how.
Snape knelt grabbing Bailey by the nap of her neck to keep the canine still. He then pointed his wand at her tail. Muttering an enchantment under his breath Snape rid Bailey's tail of the boils healing the skin and growing the pelt lost there in an instant. The pitiful noises Bailey was making then died out.
Bailey lifted her head meeting Snape's gaze. Snape's black eyes shifted allowing concern to peer through. Quick as a flash it was gone.
Turning to Harry, Snape scolded "Keep a closer eye on your pet. If something happens to her here you will be the one held responsible. The Headmaster may have made an allowance for you to have her come to class, but I will not make any rule changes for her. Do I make myself clear, Mr. Potter?"
"Yes, sir, said Harry, teeth gritted.
"See that you do," said Snape.
Bailey didn't know why, but she liked this guy. Strange. Very, strange indeed.
Authors Note:
So how was that? Is Bailey's interaction with Snape everything you were hoping for? To be perfectly honest I have had major writers block with how to go about it. In my opinion I think I hit the nail on the head.
Next chapter Bailey will come face to face with Fang. Any guesses how that is gonna go?