"Harry, I hate your dad." Ron said as the class hobbled out of the classroom.
"Yeah, well, it's better than the summer." Harry said, holding his side and wincing.
"Why?" Ron said immediately. "What happened over the summer that you're not telling us?"
"Uh," Harry hesitated. "Fine. Come on, Natalie, I'll tell you in... here."
The trio turned into an empty side classroom.
"You guys can't tell anyone." Harry warned them.
"Promise." Ron and Natalie said in unison.
"Okay, well..." Harry checked everywhere for teachers, ghosts, and Peeves, before transforming into a baby deer.
After a moment, he changed back.
"And Britt's a doe." he said, almost laughing at the looks on their faces.
"But, but," Natalie looked horrified. "But, you're registered, aren't you?"
"Um, no, actually." Harry said. "But come on, it's time for Potions. And nobody get's to tell Professor Snape about Defense Against the Dark Arts!" he shouted after his classmates. "Let him find out at lunch!"
"Fine!" they all shouted back at him.
"Okay, we need to hurry." Natalie said. "We can't be late for Potions. And we'll talk more later, um..." she paused, then smirked. "Prongslet."
"Don't call me that!" Harry demanded.
"Fine." Ron began smirking, too. "Bambi."
"Oh, no." Harry said. "We'll come up with a better one later."
------------------------------
Severus opened the classroom door.
"In." he said. The class filed silently past him.
"Um, Severus?" Harry said quietly, being the last in line.
"What?" Severus asked.
"Just thought you'd like to know that there's a surprise for you at lunch." Harry replied hurriedly, before quickly walking to the table with Ron, Natalie, and a girl he thought was called Hermione at it.
Severus looked apprehensive, but cleared his face of all emotion as he walked to the front of the class.
He started by taking roll, and once he was finished, looked up at the class.
"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death-if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
Hermione was on the very edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving she wasn't a dunderhead.
"Potter!" Severus said suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
"An extremely powerful sleeping potion, known as The Draught of Living Death." Harry readily answered.
"Where would you look if I asked you to find a bezoar?" Severus tried again.
"The pit of a goat's stomach." Harry once again had the answer. "It's a small stone that will save you from most poisons."
"What is the difference between monkswood and wolfsbane?" Severus tried one last time.
"They are the same thing, and they are also known as aconite." Harry seemed to have an answer for everything.
"Well." Severus gave him a measuring look. "I cannot say you're incorrect."
Harry grinned at his friends.
"Today, you will be making a cure for boils." Severus continued. He waved his wand. "Instructions are on the board. Everything you will need is in the store cupboard. You have one hour. Begin."
Harry thought that he did pretty well. Perhaps it was not quite the perfect shade of yellow as Hermione Granger's, but it was at least yellow. Neville Longbottom's had turned deep purple.
-------------------------------
"Hurry up!" Harry grabbed Ron's and Natalie's arms and dragged them up from the dungeons.
"What's the rush, Harry?" Ron complained.
"I want to get to the Great Hall for lunch before Severus." Harry explained, not slowing his pace. "I have to see him arrive and see Dad and Padfoot!"
"Oh, you're right!" Ron sped up, too. "Hurry, Natalie! We don't want to miss the show!"
Natalie sighed, but broke into a run alongside the boys.
When they arrived in the Great Hall, James and Sirius were sitting, quietly eating their chicken soup. Severus had not arrived. They both caught Harry's eye, and winked.
The Gryffindors and Slytherins were in a high state of anticipation, having had both Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions with the Gryffindors. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs didn't know exactly what was going on, but could feel the tension in the air.
Severus walked in.
He didn't notice. He sat down next to McGonagall and began his lunch. James and Sirius shared a disappointed look, before eating slightly louder, slurping their soup. Sirius caught McGonagall's eye, and she got the message.
"Professor Potter, Professor Black, do try to use your manners." she said.
Severus choked on his soup and looked up. James and Sirius were almost dying of laughter, as were most of the Gryffindors. Percy Weasley, of course, remained pompous and professional. Harry had actually never seen Percy laugh. 586Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89jTDJ07Eu
"Well, Snivellus." James said, walking around the back of the table and throwing an arm around him. "We're colleagues."
"Yes, Sniv." Sirius copied James. "We're colleagues for the next four years."
Severus looked sick.
ns 15.158.61.8da2
