Cupboard Space

CHAPTER 2

Harry sat on the bench outside Hagrid’s hut tossing empty snail shells into the upturned plant pot by the side of the half giants vegetable garden. After the meeting with the Headmaster Harry had not dared face his house mates and so had retreated outside in search of some company with Hagrid. The groundskeeper was out though and so Harry had sat on the bench to wait for him to come home. The beauty of Hagrid’s hut was that it was out of the way enough so that Harry didn’t run into anyone but still close enough to see the comings and goings around the castle at a relatively safe distance.

Harry hadn’t been alone long before he spotted the familiar bouncing step of a red haired Weasley coming down the path from the castle. Harry sighed heavily and debated whether to hide from the young girl but by now she’d have already seen him. Besides the fact Harry felt like a little company and Ginny Weasley was the only person at present he felt like talking to.

“Aren’t you cold down here?” Ginny bounced the last few yards down the path leading to Hagrid’s hut and propped her self up on the stone bench beside Harry. Ginny had grown up a lot over the last few years, her girlish figure broadening to the shapely curves of a woman. Her straggly red hair was now straight and tied back in a single ribbon and her once shy nature had blossomed into a confidant grace. Harry shook his head silently as he tossed another snail shell watching as it rebounded off the edge and rolled across the vegetable patch into the undergrowth of the forest. “Thought I better come down and tell you Hagrid’s occupied for most of the day, apparently Snape gave Draco shit duty in the Thestral stables, he’s there now with Hagrid shoveling crap by hand with the smallest spade you’ve ever seen.” Harry managed a small smile as Ginny laughed and picked up her own collection of snail shells and began tossing them at the upturned flowerpot. A comfortable silence hung in the air as they exchanged practice shots before finally Ginny sighed and reached across to place a sympathetic hand on Harry’s knee. “It’s not the end of the world Harry, you shouldn’t be ashamed of your problem.” Harry tossed the last of his snail shells before shaking his head and looking away from Ginny into the murky darkness of the forest.

“Right and I suppose being laughed at by someone who you trusted your privacy to is just a passing phase.” Harry snapped miserably, his eyes closing as he remembered the sniggers in the hall that morning. Ginny worried her bottom lip sadly and leaned in to rest her head comfortingly against Harry’s shoulder.

“She shouldn’t have done that, but you can’t have been dumb enough to think that at some stage it was going to get out. I mean Cho even confided in Hermione about you, and what about Pavarti, or Alex, they were bound to talk about you to their friends. It’s just what girls do especially if it’s their first time.” Harry sighed heavily and shook his head, not for the first time regretting having ever made the decision to have sex, if that’s what you could call his miserable attempts. Harry groaned and hung his head in his hands again feeling the swell of humiliation rising in his stomach again making him feel thoroughly ill.

“I don’t want to talk about this.” Harry mumbled as he went to stand up and head back for the castle, with every intention of hiding in his dorm until he died of starvation or humiliation, what ever came first. Ginny was quick though and grabbed Harry’s hand spinning him around hastily to stare at her.

“You can’t ignore this Harry and you need to face the truth. Who cares what others think, if you want to get this right you’ve got to start to take some proactive action and it begins with practice.” Harry frowned at Ginny wondering what on earth she was babbling about. “Hermione and I have been talking….” Harry let out another groan of frustration, was everyone talking about him and his sexual problems? Ginny ran to catch up with Harry however, determined not to be left behind. “We think its performance based anxiety,” Ginny continued despite Harry’s attempts to not listen. “We also think that if you have some practice with a friend, so there’s no pressure to get it right, things might pick up, so to speak.” Ginny blushed a little as Harry came to an abrupt halt and spun around to face her angrily.

“Ginny, I am not having sex with you, Hermione, or anyone else I consider a friend it’s not worth it. Just forget about it.” Harry snapped as he shook his head angrily again and strode the last few meters up the path and into the castle leaving Ginny staring after him sadly.

Harry retreated to the safety of his dorm room for what remained of the morning, purposefully pulling the curtains around his bed, as a sign he didn’t want to be disturbed. Thankfully it seemed most Gryfindor’s were outside enjoying the warm weather, leaving Harry well alone. In silence Harry finished his homework for the week and then lay on his back staring at the dusty canopy of his bed. Purposefully he missed lunch and the evening meal, ignoring Ron’s attempts to get him to come downstairs. Harry would have been content to stay bundled up in his private little space but tonight was Dueling Club. Dueling Club had been one of those events Dumbledore had made mandatory, as Voldemort’s reign of terror had gained momentum. Everyone was required to attend the three sessions a week without exception. As much as he would have preferred to stay in bed to mope, Harry knew it wasn’t worth the aggravation of not showing up. Plus tonight was Snape’s class and despite his misgivings the potion professor knew a hell of a lot about dueling, that Harry couldn’t afford to miss. Harry waited at length for the Gryfindor’s to leave for the great hall, before he emerged from the warm sanctuary of his bed. The castle was practically deserted as he made his way down to the great hall, where the entire school was gathered around the raised dueling platform.

Snape had already begun his overview of what they’d be learning and Harry took the opportunity of having the wizards back to him, to sneak in unseen and squirrel himself away in the corner. Harry should have known better than to sneak in late, because the instant his backside hit the bench Snape spun around and aimed his wand directly at him.

“POTTER!” Harry froze as everyone turned around to look at him, some still sniggering at the very mention of his name. Harry ignored the looks and narrowed his gaze dangerously at Snape whose thin lips twitched upwards in a satisfied smirk. “Get up here now boy.” Harry slammed his note pad and quill down on his seat and pushed his way through the students to climb up onto the dueling platform. Snape had already strode down to the other end of the platform with the same air of superiority he usually had when he was going to teach Harry a lesson. “Wand at the ready Potter.” Snape snapped already preparing himself. Knowing there was little else he could do Harry drew his wand. It would be little use to him, dueling with Snape was like trying to capture a two-headed snake, and without fail Harry would always end up losing in a spectacular display of public humiliation. “Serpenratius!” Harry wasn’t prepared with the effective counter curse but dutifully blocked the curse. Blocking curses as Snape pointed out on many occasions only delayed the inevitable; the far better solution was their counter curses. Harry knew he was going to pay for his blatant lack of effort. “Arachid Latimal!” Sure enough the next curse left Snape’s wand not a heartbeat after the first. Harry knew the curse quite well but he had no counter for the variant that Snape had just thrown him. In self protection Harry went to block the curse again but it was rendered completely useless as the curse tore through his protective bubble and hit him square in the chest. Before he realized Harry was on his back squirming around as his skin began to crawl like a million spiders were beneath it. Harry clawed like a madman at his skin, distantly hearing Snape addressing the gathered student populace.

“1st Rule of Engagement, Listen!” Snape spoke calmly completely ignoring Harry who was still gripped in the throws of the nasty curse. “A spoken curse can often be varied by a simple syllable change, without the appropriately changed counter curse your defense is useless!” Harry was beginning to panic, his nails already digging grooves into his arms and legs, so very close to drawing blood. This curse alone had killed many people, making them literally tear themselves limb from limb. “Recede!” Snape casually flicked his wand at Harry the curse instantly lifting, leaving Harry panting and shaking on the end of the platform. “Stand up Potter.” Snape growled already back in position for the next attack. At length Harry hauled himself to his feet, shaking off the lingering effects of the curse. No sooner had he taken his wand up, than Snape had attacked again.

“Furicular Minor!” Snape called quickly. Harry had a split second to think before he uttered the counter curse he’d read about briefly in defense earlier last week.

“Acrena Minor!” Harry squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself for failure but was somewhat surprised as he heard a gasp from the student populace moments before a thud hit the platform on the far end. Harry opened his eyes and winced a little as he saw Snape shake off the curse with some ease as he rose slowly to his feet again, his dark gaze firmly locked on Harry who swallowed involuntarily.

“Congratulations Mr. Potter, sheer luck triumphs again.” Harry knew he was going to pay and sure enough the next curse that left Snape’s mouth was one Harry had never heard before. The curse hit Harry in the arm, a strange place for Snape to aim for in Harry’s opinion. For a second Harry didn’t feel anything but then the pain registered. It felt as if a searing iron spike was being driven up his arm and into his shoulder. The pain brought him to his knees, his wand dropping from his hand and rolling off the edge of the platform out of reach. In agony Harry clutched at his arm that had begun to swell and stiffen. Tears threatened to leak from his eyes as he gasped for breath, the pain robbing his lungs of air. Snape was standing above him triumphantly as he calmly addressed the audience again.

“The 2nd Rule of Engagement, never underestimate your opponent.” Snape sneered as he looked down at Harry who was now hyperventilating as he struggled with the pain. At length Snape ended the curse with a casual flick of his wand, leaving Harry to collapse in a panting heap at the end of the platform.

“You bastard.” Harry caught his breath as the pain receded although his arm was still swollen and stiff. Gritting his teeth Harry sat up and glared up at Snape who was still towering over him authoritatively, waiting for him to recover.

”I beg you pardon Mr. Potter?” Somewhat taken back by the boy’s outburst Snape straightened himself and cocked a curious eyebrow in Harry’s direction.

“You heard me.” Harry growled as he pulled himself up from the platform realizing he was at a disadvantage sitting down. Snape’s expression darkened a snarl forming at the corner of his mouth at being insulted so publicly and with no remorse.

“You will watch your mouth Potter, less I take your tongue.” Snape barked out loudly his wand twitching threateningly in his left hand. Harry knew that Snape’s threats were not idly given and so refrained his language although he continued to meet Snape’s stare with one of his own. “Frustrated are we Potter?” Harry knew he was being taunted as he watched Snape’s sneer twitch into a smirk at his comment. This was what Harry knew would happen when Snape found out about his problem. Like most things it would be thrown back in his face, time and time again. With an angry rage, Harry automatically kicked out. Years of living with the Dursley’s had taught him a few things about fighting, and although he knew it was dirty he also knew that it was a weakness muggles and wizards shared. Sure enough as his knee sank into Snape’s groin the elder wizard crumpled, a silent gasp leaving his lips as he fell to his knees, his face pale and his lips trembling. Harry made sure to commit Snape’s expression to memory as the wizard whimpered and clutched at his groin in obvious agony. Harry bent down to Snape’s level so that he was close to the man’s face.

“Third Rule of Engagement Professor, Magic means nothing when your balls are in your throat!” With his arm still painfully swollen Harry turned around and strode from the great hall, leaving Snape still gasping and shaking on the dueling platform in front of the entire school.

TBC>>>>