CHAPTER 14
5 September 1991 - The Great Hall - 7:30AM
Harry slowly chewed this buttered roll, reviewing his Potions notes while pondering on the week's events. After Howler-gate, Jim was thankfully more subdued, though he never failed to glare hatefully at Harry whenever their paths crossed. According to Hermione, he'd received another dressing down from McGonagall in the confines of the Gryffindor Common Room. As a result, Jim lost another Ten Points for breaking curfew to send his father the letter that'd resulted in the odious Howler. James Potter was also in a doghouse of his own making; Sirius' very public confrontation had resulted in him becoming persona non grata in the Auror Department, with most of his colleagues wanting nothing to do with him for his actions. As if that wasn't enough, Lily had sent him three Howlers that went off in the middle of the Auror's Office - "SO YOU ENJOY DRUNKENLY THREATENING MINOR CHILDREN THEN, YOU GREAT STUPID ARSE!" - their combined volume so loud James had spent a considerable part of his afternoon being treated for onset tinnitus. Harry snickered, wishing he could have witnessed the man's humiliation first hand. As of now, Jim and Ron dutifully avoided Harry, though he knew that they two were plotting something entirely Gryffindorish and Potteresque for revenge.
Meanwhile, Hermione actively spurned Jim and Ron, giving the two boys severe scowls that were uncannily identical to Professor McGonagall's whenever they were in each other's vicinity. It also seemed that Neville Longbottom had apparently fallen out with Jim and Ron, keeping a wide berth whenever they crossed paths. The notoriously shy and awkward boy made a point to partner with Harry in Herbology, something which greatly amused Harry. Neville had even nervously admitted that he was frightened of Snape and very desperate to pass Potions. Harry had been confused, internally wondering why on earth Neville would be afraid of Uncle Severus, who'd personally tutored Harry in Potions since he was six-years old. But he chalked it up to Neville generally being intimidated by almost everyone, especially adults. Neville had one on to say that partnering with an obviously intelligent young Slytherin in Potions would allow him to survive the class. Gauging Neville with a somewhat penetrating stare, Harry had agreed on three conditions:
"Firstly, we do not sit anywhere near Brother Dearest or his little Weasley lackey unless absolutely necessary." Neville shook his head rapidly, too stunned to speak.
Secondly, from this moment onward, you keep your head up, look everyone straight in the eye, and you always speak with confidence and believe in the confidence with which you speak."
Harry took a step closer to the wide-eyed boy. "You are Heir Longbottom, the last of the Longbottoms, and one day, you will rise to be Neville Lord Longbottom. You are deserving of the legacy of your great family, and it's time you started to act like it." He took another step closer, confidently extending his hand. "Lastly, you call me Harry."
Neville blinked several times, his eyes cycling through a range of emotions that Harry (somehow) understood. Then, he straightened his back, took a deep breath, grasped Harry's hand, and shook it firmly. "Right Harry, just as you will call me Neville." Harry gave Neville a bright smile, head nodding in pride. It felt like in the span of seconds, Neville grew an inch-and-a-half.
Harry was inordinately pleased at his new friendship (not just ally, because he knew Neville would be much more); Neville was a certifiable genius at Herbology, well-versed with plants in the Fourth and Fifth Year curriculums. It seemed Herbology was the family business, as the Longbottoms had made a veritable fortune in growing and selling exotic plants, both magical and mundane. Neville had known plants before he knew how to walk, and his knowledge was almost innate.
Smiling at the pleasant memories, Harry finished his roll and his tea, tidied his notes and placed them back in his satchel and made his way to the Great Hall entrance, smiling when Neville walked up from the Gryffindor table and joined him. Soon, they arrived at their first Potions class, and there was a crowd outside the locked door. Theo came over to join the two, and the three exchanged polite greetings. Malfoy followed with a sneer on his face and Crabbe and Goyle on each side, both doing their best attempts at a sneer.
"Honestly, Potter, you're partnering with Longbottom again? You're squandering what little status you have as a Slytherin by hanging with such a lump." Almost magically, Draco's sneer grew more severe.
Harry rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Honestly Malfoy, I am baffled. I understand your hostility to the Heir Potter, though I am still not certain why you hate Ron Weasley so much. However, why on earth are you antagonizing Heir Longbottom? Did your father, Lord Malfoy, instruct you to make enemies of every Heir of every Ancient and Noble Houses?!" Harry's tone was genuinely incredulous, and Draco's face flushed momentarily. But then, his eyes hardened.
"If you must know, Potter, I don't believe it will ever be possible for the Malfoys and Longbottoms to be anything but enemies." he spat hatefully.
"Seriously Malfoy? Have you so quickly forgotten what I said about amiable associations existing between a Slytherin and a Gryffindor?" Draco blushed once more but he was unyielding.
"Not after what his grandmother did to my father." he spat, eyes narrowing at Neville. Harry crooked an eyebrow and looked back to Neville, pleased to see that he met Draco's glare without so much as a waver.
"What Heir Malfoy is referring to is an incident from when we were both five and happened to be lunching with our families at Summerisles. My Gran and I ran into his parents, and she, quite loudly, referred to both his parents as 'despicable Death Eater swine' in the middle of the restaurant."
Harry schooled his face into a blank expression, pursing his lips as to not burst out in laughter at imagining such a scenario. "Well, in that case, I can definitely understand why someone might possibly hold a grudge but-"
"In my Gran's defense, Malfoy's aunt, his uncle, uncle's brother, and at least three of his cousins were known to be Death Eaters. I am certain we're aware that three of those were responsible for assaulting my parents, badly enough to leave them both… disabled and hospitalized. Lord Malfoy's family has also supported Pureblood policies for generations, and he himself was acquitted of Death Eater-related activities he claimed were committed under the Imperius Curse. I am also sure that it is purely coincidence that merely days after his acquittal, St. Mungo's received a massive donation to create a new ward, so aptly named 'The Abraxas Malfoy Memorial Children's Ward.'"
Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle threateningly step towards Neville and Harry, looking to fight. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Harry caught sight of Brother Dearest and Lackey Weasley coming down the hall, looking to be coming their way. A few beats later, Harry made his decision
"Alright, listen you two." Harry noted both Draco and Neville stiffen, though neither stopped glaring at the other. " I won't judge anyone I meet at Hogwarts based on what any of their relatives may or may not have done. Just as I'm not going to surrender the benefits of having a Herbology genius as my lab partner, simply because of an incident that happened between your caregivers when you were five! Nor will I blame the Malfoys for something - no matter how horrific - the Lestranges did. We are not the bearers of their actions, and it is not our responsibility to bear their grudges as our own. Now then, we're all going to be stuck with each other in some capacity for another seven years. Can we, for the sake of our respective dignities, try to be civil to each other? The two of you will all hopefully be Lords of your families one day, and you will both have to be on the Wizengamot. You may very well hate each other by then, but please, let that hate be because of your own actions, and not those of your sires past." Neville and Draco turned as one to look at Harry curiously, before turning to stare balefully at each other. Naturally, Jim chose that moment to yell down the hall.
"Oye, Longbottom! Don't let these slimy little snakes bully you around! Stand up for yourself!"
Neville raised his chin without breaking Draco's eye contact for a few seconds. Then, he turned towards Jim with a patronizing smile. "I don't know what you're on about, Potter. Malfoy was merely asking about our Herbology assignment, right Malfoy?"
Draco's mouth stretched into the same patronizing smile. "Quite so, Longbottom. Thank you very much for your advice. You are truly a credit to Gryffindor House," his smile turned scathing as he glared at Jim "unlike some others I could so easily name."
Jim and Ron both made a terrible face and started to approach them, before the door to the Potions classroom suddenly jerked open. Professor Snape - rather debonair in his tailored robes, trimmed goatee, and elegant ponytail - stared rather imperiously at the gathered group of students, his gaze inscrutable. His eyes warmed when they settled on Harry and Draco respectively. "Please enter the classroom in an orderly manner, find a partner, and find corresponding seats."
As the students filed in, Harry put his hand on Neville's shoulder. "Neville," he said softly, "I'm truly sorry about your parents. I-I'm aware of what happened to them. And I appreciate you for being a bigger and better man than Malfoy truly deserved."
Neville shrugged glibly but gave a genuine smile at the compliment. "No worries Harry. Malfoy's damned lucky that Jim and Ron have been bigger prats than him all week. They strut around like they're Godric Gryffindor incarnated, and we're all sick of their nonsense. They're a nightmare, honestly."
"Ugh, please don't remind me of those two idiots." said Hermione, coming from behind their backs to walk alongside them.
"Hi Hermione, how are you?" Harry smiled at Hermione, pleased when she smiled back just as enthusiastically. He'd initially been nervous that their different Sortings would become an issue, but Hermione had gladly proved him wrong.
"Hello Harry! I'm so sorry we haven't had a chance to talk since Tuesday, but I promised to sit with Parvati and Lavender in Herbology, and oddly enough, this is our only other class together. And I know I said this before, but thank you again for all the book recommendations. They were all available in the library for my use. Though I will say, most Gryffindors aren't nearly as well-mannered as Neville here." Neville blushed at the compliment. "If you're free and interested, Neville and I have a study session planned in the Library for the free period after lunch every Tuesday and Friday."
"Yeah, please come, Harry. Hermione's been an absolute life-saver! She's honestly the smartest of our year." Hermione blushed at the compliment, causing Harry to smile.
"Absolutely! Oh, forgive me. Hermione Granger, this is Theodore Nott of House Nott."
"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Granger," Theo said tersely.
"Likewise, Mr. Nott."
By the time the four students made it into the classroom, the only seats left were near the front, and unfortunately, right next to Jim and Ron, though Ron, Hermione and Neville separated the two feuding brothers. As the children settled in, Professor Snape reentered from the back storeroom with a most-dashing flourish, causing some of the Gryffindor and Slytherin girls to (softly) titter. Brow arching, he immediately took roll, nose lightly flaring when he called out "James Potter Jr." Once complete, he strode to the front of his desk and leaned against it, arms elegantly crossed. He calmly assessed the class for a few moments, before speaking in sotto voce:
"Welcome to First Year Potions. I am Professor Severus Snape, and I will be your guide into successfully completing this course. This class will require your unwavering dedication, discipline, and the necessary disposition to pay attention to everything I say. Be strongly advised; there will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. Potions is a subtle science and exact art, one that has no room for careless, thoughtless errors. If you are able to master the principles I will impart on you… I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I will show you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death." Severus' voice had turned sinuous, and the entire class sat enraptured. Lavender Brown - a budding potions ingenue - had literal stars in her eyes.
"Excellent. Now, we will begin with a little pop quiz, to ensure that you have completed your assigned reading." His dark eyes roved across the class, before settling on Jim.
"Potter." before clarifying "James Potter. What would I get if I added powdered root of Asphodel to an infusion of Wormwood?"
Jim rolled his eyes contemptuously. "I don't know, sir. Obviously not shampoo, though."
The room went deathly quiet. Besides Jim, Ron was grinning like a mad man, but the rest of the class were horrified. Almost in unison, Harry, Neville, Theo, Hermione, and Draco slowly turned their heads towards Jim Potter in complete amazement, though Harry was mildly confused. Severus had an impressive head of lustrous layered dark hair, a testament to his customized hair care potion regimen.
Severus' brow slowly quirked, the only outward sign of his anger. "Ten points from Gryffindor for your rudeness, and quite frankly, rather pedestrian insult." His gaze turned intense: "Here is an easier one: Where would you find a bezoar?"
Harry saw Hermione flinch her arm and suppressed a smile. It was apparently taking all of her willpower not to raise her hand.
"Sunken within the greasy depths of your hair, perhaps?" Jim asked sarcastically, his face pinking in anger. It seemed the boy was too angry to change his inaccurate insult.
"That will be another ten points from Gryffindor. Goodness me, I do believe we are on a roll!" He laughed insultingly, the class shocked at the action.
"My father said you'd be like this – bullying, snide, and cruel – and that you'd probably try to make an example out of me by asking a bunch of obscure trivia questions first thing. He also said to call you Snivellus." At the mention of that name, Severus' countenance darkened significantly.
"That will be twenty points from Gryffindor! Did your father also mention that I can go on all day? Well, here's another one: what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
"No idea Snivellus. Here's another one: what's the difference between..."
"JAMES POTTER JR. YOU WILL CEASE ACTING LIKE A BRAYING AND IGNORANT ASS THIS INSTANT!"
The entire class, including Snape, stared in astonishment at Hermione Granger, who had shot out of her chair and was literally shaking in rage at Jim's antics. Her expression was thunderous, and it looked like the only thing stopping her from physically punching Jim was the sanctity of the classroom. After a few seconds of dead silence, Snape quietly said "Ten points to Gryffindor. Thank you Miss Granger, you may be seated." Hermione took a deep breath and slowly sat down.
Snape turned back to Jim and practically hissed, "I believe I have had quite enough of your idiocy for one day, Mr. Potter. You have wasted my precious time, insulted my station, and quite frankly, humiliated yourself and sullied the collective reputation of your House." Jim's face darkened in anger, though he did not interrupt. "I will be discussing this matter with your Head of House, and if need be, the Headmaster. Since you choose to brazenly disrespect my authority, you may be more inclined to show some for theirs." Jim openly bristled, but thankfully remained silent.
"However," said Snape silkily, "in this instance, we have an unusual opportunity to investigate the relative value of nature versus nurture. Mr. Harry Potter! Will you be inclined to answer the questions I posed to your brother?"
Harry coughed delicately. "I'm confident I can answer all three, sir. In reverse order, monkshood and wolfsbane are two of the many common names for the poisonous flowering plants of the aconite family. If I had to find a bezoar somewhere around here, I would look for an emergency kit, or, failing that, search the store rooms in the section containing animal byproduct supplies."
"Kindly explain," said Snape. "For your less educated peers." He smiled mockingly at a sulking Jim Potter as he said that.
"Well, a bezoar is a small stone formed of undigested plant matter and harvested from the stomach of a goat. Per the textbook, it can counteract most poisons, although I don't believe it actually mentioned which poisons it would not cure." Snape nodded his head approvingly.
"Well done. For future reference, Mr. Potter, it will not cure poisons derived from dragon's blood or basilisk venom, though thankfully those are rare. And as to my first question?"
"Yes sir. Adding powdered root of Asphodel to an infusion of Wormwood is the first step in the creation of a extremely powerful sleeping potion, known as the Draught of Living Death." he turned to look directly at his fuming brother, "And as I recall, was on the very first page of the assigned reading." And then he smiled.
"An excellent showing Mr. Potter. Take thirty points for Slytherin for the succinct and accurate answers to my questions. Very well done." Snape smiled approvingly, before standing from his desk and unsheathed his wand, revealing the previously-obscured instructions for the Boil-Curing Potion.
"Take a few moments to review the instructions, and make your way to the store rooms to retrieve your necessary supplies. Since you are partnered, have one of your partners go to the store rooms to retrieve supplies while the other sets up your cauldrons and brewing stations. If you are confused about anything that is outlined, please raise your hand and I will provide a necessary explanation. Be advised that I will be walking around the room while you are brewing to observe your progress. Should you have an urgent question, please ask. Otherwise, pay the utmost attention to your cauldrons and the instructions." With that, the class got to work. The partners assigned to the stores collected the supplies, while the others arranged the stations. As they brewed, Snape calmly (and near silently) walked around the room and observed their progress, correcting any mistakes he observed, and (patiently) answering Lavender Brown's (and Pansy Parkinson's!) rather unnecessary questions, choosing to ignore the girls' equally starstruck expressions.
There were a few near explosions, but Harry kept Neville calm and on-task, and Hermione was close enough to whisper some advice and words of encouragement. Eventually, Neville and Harry produced a Boil-Curing Potion that Snape deemed as "Exceeding Expectations", as did Theo and Hermione. Ron and Jim were less fortunate, their potion resulting in a thick black sludge that melted out the bottom of their cauldron. Brow quirked, Snape vanished the sludge and assigned them a "Troll" for their assignment. In a pique of magnanimity, he did offer them to redo their potion at a later time of his convenience, after they met with their Head of House and the Headmaster. He'd smiled rather sinisterly at that. Once he'd finished assessing everyone's potion and grading them accordingly, Snape instructed them to clean their stations, bottle up a sample of their potion to place on his desk, and to Vanish any remaining. The students followed all his instructions, and once complete, he dismissed the class. As the students filed out, there were murmurings that spoke to enjoying the class, with some (like Lavender and Pansy), eagerly looking forward to the next class.
When everyone else was gone, Snape looked up from his notes to see that Harry was still there, and ensuring that they were alone, rose from his chair and came around to Harry, giving him a firm shoulder squeeze and an approving smile.
"Very well done Harry. As I said earlier, a truly excellent showing. You've done your House, myself, and the rest of your family very proud." Harry smiled, his chest warm at the praise.
"Thank you Uncle Severus. Eh… I mean 'Professor Snape'." The two quietly laughed at his mistake.
"I know this might seem unnecessary, but I am sorry for Jim's behavior. Granted, I know I bear no responsibility for his idiocy, but his behavior was nonetheless, very uncalled for." Severus waved him off, though his expression looked slightly pinched.
"Thank you Harry, I do appreciate the sentiment. Jim Potter is a regrettable facsimile of his odious father, and it seems his entire House will suffer the consequences of his thoughtlessness."
"True, forty points in one sitting is… incredible quite frankly. Is that a new Hogwarts record?"
"For Potions Class, yes. Ironically, James Potter and Sirius Black still hold the combined record, losing a tremendous hundred points in one sitting during their Transfiguration class. Professor McGonagall was decidedly not pleased with their antics." Harry's eyes widened, briefly recalling his Godfather's stories about his 'Marauder' days, when he and James Potter had truly been inseparable.
"Blimey! Well, I doubt Gryffindor House will see it that way." Severus smiled cruelly.
"Oh believe me, they won't." Snape snickered cruelly, and Harry laughed in kind. They chatted for a few minutes about all manner of mundane topics, though Harry did share some more about his plans for dealing with James and Howler-gate. Severus fully approved, and informed him that Tom approved as well. Beaming, Harry bid his goodbyes and made his way to the Great Hall for lunch.
The Great Hall - 12:08 PM
Harry sat at his usual seat, across from Draco and next to Theo, eagerly indulging in his hearty vegetable soup and double-cheese rolls. He was reviewing his notes in preparation for his afternoon class, and planned on reviewing his notes before his first Defense Against the Dark Arts class the following day. Some minutes later, Hedwig flew in bearing a thick, legal-sized envelope, gently dropping it in front of Harry. He gently stroked her feathers and indulged her with some large pieces of roast turkey, giggling when she gently cuffed him with her wing as she flew off. Harry eagerly tore into the envelope and pulled out several parchments over which he started poring, absently nibbling on a roll as he read.
"What's that, Potter?" asked Draco.
"Some documents from my solicitor. Speaking of which, thank you again Malfoy. Please remind me to send your parents a thank-you note as well. They were quite helpful."
"My pleasure." Draco turned then as the Gryffindors came into lunch late. Some were chatting amiably while others looked upset, and Lackey Weasley looked absolutely murderous. On the other hand, the eldest Weasley - Percy, if Harry recalled correctly - looked just as angry, if the glare he gave his younger brother was any indication. At that moment, Draco noticed that Jim wasn't with the rest of his House. Turning to the Head Table, he noticed That Professors Snape, McGonagall, Evans, and Dumbledore were all missing.
Draco pointed out their absences to Harry who just crooked an eyebrow and blandly said "Interesting."
"That's not the only interesting thing, Potter," said a Third Year. "I heard that your dad apparated in just before lunch. Lord Potter and his family are all together, without you of course" " The boy laughed rudely as Harry frowned at the reference to his "dad." In a flash, he straightened up with an excited look in his eye.
"James Potter is here? Truly? Where is he?" said Harry excitedly.
"After that spectacle his son – the other one – made in Potions class, I imagine he's in the Headmaster's office with McGonagall, Professor Evans, Professor Snape, and Junior," said Draco. "Why do you care? I didn't think you cared to see any of the Potters, especially after Monday. I honestly don't think he'd want to see you either."
Harry began rapidly sifting through the documents from his solicitor until he found a rolled-up gray parchment which he pocketed. Then, he stuffed everything else into his satchel, snatching another cheesy roll.
"What he wants is entirely irrelevant, Mr. Malfoy. All that matters is what he deserves." And with that, Harry Potter bit into his roll with gusto and calmly strode out of the Great Hall, ready to conquer the Potters.
AN 1: I've always wanted to write a competent and likeable Professor Snape who actually enjoys teaching. You'll note unlike in PoS, Snape actually awards Harry Points for his correct answers.
AN 2: I am also tired of the whole 'greasy haired' trope. Severus Snape will have a beautiful head of glossy hair, and that's that!
Next Up - Harry vs. James & Jim, and the Fallout in Gryffindor House post-Potions.