Chapter 38: Snape
Severus Snape swept down the empty corridor black robes billowing in his wake. The Headmaster had kept him in his office until the last possible moment, and now he risked being late for his sixth year potion's class. Severus despised tardiness which the Headmaster knew only too well. 'And he only wanted to see me about something that could have waited,' Severus thought grimly.
He still marveled that the man had called him away from important work to discuss him taking on not one, but two potions apprentices. He had never in all his years of teaching even taken on one apprentice to train in the subtle art of potions making. He did not care that two of the highest potion's scores ever on the OWL's had been obtained by two of his current sixth year students. Worse yet, the students themselves: one parroted his father, and the other was an accursed know-it-all. 'And yet, the blasted old coot seemed determined to make him offer the position to both students. 'We'll see about that,' he practically sneered. He had no desire to share his private potion's time with any student, the Headmaster's wished be damned.
The dark scowl and fast pace of the dreaded potion's master sent many students scurrying out of his way. As he rounded the final corner to his classroom he'd reached an impressive level of anger.
"Get inside," he bit out commandingly, and the students rushed to obey. They took their seats and turned their full attention to the potions master. Nobody dared say a word and risk the potion's master's wrath. Snape looked out over the small number of assembled students, and sneered as he found them lacking.
"I have decided, due to the volatile nature of several of our upcoming potions and the inability of most of you to brew a correct potion, to assign each of you a partner to work with for the next several weeks. Please use whatever amount of brain you have between the two of you to insure that you do not destroy my classroom," he informed them letting his gaze linger on Harry a moment longer. He still did not understand how Dumbledore's golden boy had gotten the necessary OWL score to even be in his class, but he was anxiously awaiting a reason to throw the idiot Gryffindor out of his class.
With an almost imperceptible shake of his head, he turned to his desk and retrieved the list he'd made the night before of his teams. Examining the list one final time, he decided on a change that should give him ample ammunition to squelch the Headmaster's idea of him taking on both Malfoy and Granger as a potion's apprentice. If the students couldn't work together in class, then he was not about to let them work together in his lab outside of class. Satisfied with his plan of action, he whirled back towards the students and called out the list of partners.
"Parkinson with Zabini; Malfoy with Granger; Potter with Nott; Abbott with Bones; Boot with Finch-Fletchley; Patil with Turpin, the directions are on the board, begin," he finished setting the list back upon his desk after flicking his wand at the board to make the directions appear. The students jumped to comply moving book bags and supplies and dividing up tasks.
"Potter," barked Snape, "stop mooning over Miss Granger, and get to work." Nott snickered as he set up their cauldron. Harry quickened his pace, but found it difficult to not keep an eye on Hermione. He didn't trust Draco Malfoy, and he certainly didn't like the idea of Hermione being forced to work with him.
"Don't worry about your girlfriend, Potter, Malfoy has better taste than to touch a mudblood," Nott whispered adjusting the flame below their cauldron and adding the first ingredient. Harry glared at his partner, but bit down on his reply as Snape watched him intently. Instead he checked the directions and began preparing the next ingredient, slicing the yellow root into exactly one inch pieces.
The two worked surprisingly well together despite the early animosity, as Harry let the Slytherin focus on adding the ingredients and stirring them precisely, so that he could keep a better eye on the pair working in front of them. He didn't mind preparing more of the ingredients. They were in the final stages of the potion when Harry felt it, like a gathering of power before an explosion. Time seemed to stop as he turned instinctively and watched as Parkinson and Zabini's potion erupted in flames that disappeared as suddenly as they had appeared. The power surge he'd felt dissipated with the flames.
"Parkinson, Zabini, what just happened?" Snape questioned rising from his seat where he'd been grading papers while surreptitiously watching over the final stages of the potion. If the two had added the wormwood before the pinch of ground unicorn horn the cauldron should have exploded in flames, melted, and potentially injured several nearby students. He'd been watching for just such an occurrence, though he'd assumed it would be Potter's cauldron that would explode.
"I don't know sir," Pansy stated hesitantly. She was stunned. She'd thought for sure the cauldron was going to explode, but then it didn't, and she had no idea why.
"Pansy added the wormwood before I could stop her, Professor, but the whole thing should have erupted in flame and melted the cauldron and quite possibly the table as well," Zabini answered much more sure of his answer. What he didn't understand was what had caused the flames to suddenly disappear.
"And how did you counter the flames and prevent the explosion?" Snape pressed staring hard at both of the students as if searching for answers.
"I didn't counter it sir," Zabini replied promptly. Snape eyed them both skeptically, but then turned his attention to the class at large.
"Finish your potions and bottle them, including yours Zabini. I shall test it to examine what effects the flames had on the potion, and why they went out so quickly."
He turned and swept back to the front of the room. He paused as he passed Harry and Nott's table, "Mr. Potter, I have warned you already. Stop gawking at Miss Granger and help your partner. Both you and Miss Granger will stay after class." Harry quickly glanced back down at his potion and helped Nott collect two samples of their potion before beginning to clean up their work area. The classroom emptied roughly ten minutes later, and he and Hermione both stayed seated waiting for whatever reprimand Snape would have for them. As soon as the others left, Severus cast a silencing charm followed by an imperturbable charm so that no one would overhear.
"Which one of you did that?" Snape growled openly glaring at the two students who remained.
"I sensed the oncoming explosion and stopped it, sir," Hermione stated calmly.
"Dating Potter has made you more reckless, Miss Granger. You could have seriously injured your classmates," Snape reprimanded her for her actions.
"The explosion would have easily injured half the class. By stopping it, I prevented any injuries from occurring," insisted Hermione and Harry was impressed. Few students challenged Snape.
"I was not finished, Miss Granger. Perhaps you should stop seeing Mr. Potter right away before you loose any more intelligence," Hermione bit her lip to keep from responding, and Harry was barely able to contain his own protest. "What if you had made the fire worse? I will not have you using your powers in my class. It is far too dangerous for someone as untrained as you to do so. You will both serve detention with me for the next week. Now get out of my site." He ordered undoing the charms and sending them on their way. The two grabbed their bags and left the room as quickly as possible.
"Hurry, Harry, we're going to be late," Hermione urged practically running down the fourth floor corridor. Harry kept pace with her easily, but suspected that even with the shortcut through the secret passage they had taken, they would still be late for their next class.
"Snape should have given us a note, the git," returned Harry as the two rounded the last corner towards the defense classroom. The bell rang just as they reached the door and pushed it open.
"Detention, Potter and Granger, you will be on time to my class," Narcissa Black barked as the two walked through the doorway. They settled into their usual seats by Ron and Neville still trying to catch their breath from the mad dash through the halls.
"Today, we will be working on blocks. The protego spell is not the only shield that you should know," Narcissa Black lectured as she looked around the room at her sixth year class. Her gaze settled on Blaise Zabini, as she questioned, "Mr. Zabini, please name a shield that is stronger than protego."
"Obstruěre," Blaise replied happy that he knew the answer.
"Very good, five points to Slytherin," Narcissa rewarded then turned her attention to Harry.
"Mr. Potter, please demonstrate obstruěre for the class please," she then ordered. Harry stood, and silently incanted the spell causing a bright blue shield to flare to life in front of him. He held it for a moment and then released the spell.
"It should be brighter, Mr. Potter, please work on putting more power into the spell. For the next thirty minutes, I would like everyone to pair up and practice this spell, aloud first, and then silently. I want to be certain you are all pronouncing it correctly." As the students moved to follow her directions, their desks and other items became mats for the floor should anyone get knocked down by a spell if the shield didn't hold. Hermione paired with Neville, as she and Harry were too good at predicting each other's next move to be much of a challenge for the other. Harry used the opportunity to take out some of his frustration on Ron as he sent spell after spell crashing through Ron's shield.
"What the bloody hell, Harry," Ron growled as he picked himself up off the floor for the fourth time in a row.
"Sorry, Ron," apologized Harry lessoning the power in his spells to give Ron a chance to really practice the block.
"I'm just glad I'm not the person your mad at," Ron answered getting back into position.
"Yeah, well, I can't exactly attack Snape, now can I?" Harry muttered still furious at the potions master. Ron just shook his head and blocked Harry's next spell.
"I told you not to take potions, mate."
"I need potions or I wouldn't have taken it," Harry replied softly and shot another spell at Ron.
"Mr. Weasley, you will not always be shielding yourself from a friend, now try harder," Narcissa Black criticized as she watched them spell each other. "Good shield, Mr. Longbotton, you surprise me," she added before moving on to the next group of students.
Neville was so surprised at her remark that he nearly didn't his next block up in time to stop Hermione's attack. As it was, the spell knocked him backwards, but not off his feet. By the time, Professor Black called a stop to the practice and assigned them an essay on the strengths and weaknesses of the new spell, including an entire list of the spells it would and would not block if done correctly, Neville's arm was aching from blocking Hermione's attacks. The bell rang not long after they'd begun work on their assignment, and Neville groaned as he realized he wasn't going to have time to work on his project for the Order this evening, not with a D.A. meeting and his homework from herbology and now, defense.
"Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, please stay to arrange your detentions," Professor Black reminded them before she dismissed the students.
"I'm starving, mate, see you later at lunch," Ron asked as he hefted his book bag onto his shoulder. Harry nodded, and watched as Neville followed Ron and the other students. Once the classroom was empty, Narcissa addressed the two students before her. They didn't often give her a reason for giving them a detention, so she wanted to enjoy this one.
"Be here tonight at seven o'clock to start your detentions," she stated pondering what she would make them do.
"Professor Black, we both already have detention with Professor Snape every night for the next week," explained Hermione.
"My, my, such troublemakers today," she drawled, mulling over this new piece of information. "I will consult with Professor Snape and then let you know when your detention with me will be. You are both dismissed." The two nodded and left the defense classroom. As they walked towards the great hall, Hermione spoke.
"I'll talk to Professor Dumbledore about rescheduling our special classes, if you'll talk to Neville about leading tonight's D.A. meeting." Harry frowned. He hadn't thought about either of those two responsibilities yet.
"Neville doesn't like leading the meetings," he reminded Hermione.
"I know, but he can lead them. Just remind him that Ron, Luna, and Ginny will all be there as well," she suggested shifting her book bag to her other shoulder. She huffed as she tucked a stray curl that fell into her face back behind her ear.
"Maybe we should talk to Dumbledore about those detentions from Snape. Snape was being completely unfair."
"Harry, Professor Snape had a point. I'm still learning how to control my powers," she began but Harry interrupted her.
"I felt some of the power behind that, Hermione. If that cauldron had exploded it could have seriously injured some of the students. You saved them," he insisted stopping and laying a hand on her arm to stop her as well.
"But what if…"
"No, you saved them. Snape just doesn't want to admit that." Hermione sighed. She'd certainly felt in control. Her lessons with Headmaster Dumbledore were progressing well, and she seldom got a result that she hadn't intended. She wanted to believe Harry, but she also knew she had a long way to go to completely control and feel confident about her elemental powers.
"Thanks, Harry," she said instead hugging him. She'd needed to hear that even if she had her doubts.
"Your welcome," he answered pulling her closer and kissing her. Hermione returned his kiss letting her book bag drop to the floor with a thud and tangling her arms around his neck. After several minutes she pulled back reluctantly.
"If we don't get moving, we won't get lunch," she whispered against his neck as they held each other.
"I'm not so hungry for food anymore," Harry breathed into her ear before kissing her neck just below it. Hermione shivered at the touch and felt her body lean into his even more. He continued his kisses along her neck until Hermione hands forced his lips back to hers. She kissed him with everything that she had pouring all her emotions into letting him know exactly how she felt about him.
Harry wished they were someplace private. They never seemed to get any time alone anymore. He thought of the room of requirement, thinking he'd request something cozy, and of kissing Hermione there where no one could stumble across them at any moment. An odd tingling sensation passed through his body, and he felt constricted for a moment, but then it was gone, and Hermione moaned into his mouth and he forgot what he'd been thinking only moments before.
Hermione opened her eyes as cool air touched her skin. She looked around her startled and stiffened. Harry, sensing her change, looked up from where he'd been undoing her robe and school shirt.
"Harry, where are we?" She questioned looking around at what looked like a cozy but smaller replica of the Gryffindor common room. Harry looked around them as well, and drew a blank.
"I don't know, Hermione. I remember wishing we were someplace private," Harry remarked looking around at the room again in wonder.
"Did you feel a strange tingling sensation, almost like you were being squeezed?" Hermione asked all serious now.
"Yeah, did we apparate here?"
"Don't be silly, you can't apparate in Hogwarts," Hermione reminded him.
"Then how did we get here?"
"I don't know," she replied frustrated chewing on her bottom lip. Harry found himself more concerned with her lips than with how they'd managed to move from the hallway to wherever they were now.
"We could just forget about how, and go back to what we were doing," he suggested really hoping she'd agree.
"Harry, we have to figure this out," she insisted pulling back even further from him and buttoning her shirt. Harry sighed and watched her as she started to work out this newest puzzle.
"I'll grab us some lunch and meet you in the library," he said knowing she'd want to go there immediately.
"Thanks, Harry," she returned giving him a quick hug before grabbing her book bag and racing off to the library. Harry looked around him one more time, and then exited the room, only then realizing he'd been in the room of requirement.
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