Finding Love Amongst Hate

Chapter 4: ~Here we go again~

At breakfast they all got their schedules from McGonagall and except for Arithmancy Harry had class with either or both of his best friends. Ron still hadn’t dropped Divination.

“I was seriously considering dropping Care of Magical Creatures this term so I could take Advanced Transfiguration, but Hagrid might not take it so well and this is the last term we have to take it, so there is no point really.” Hermione said.

“Yeah, I just hope I survive it this year, Lord knows what Hagrid has in store for us.” said Ron. “Harry, I really don’t know why you gave up Divination, it is so easy.”

“I just got tired of hearing I was going to die every class. It was getting quite old.” Harry said.

“Yeah, who wants to hear they are doomed to a horrid death all the time” Hermione injected. “Plus, Trawlney is full of it.”

“You’re just jealous.” said Ron. “For you simply don’t have the gift of sight!” Doing an exaggerated rendition of the Divination professor, they all couldn’t help but laugh.

“UGG…” Harry moaned.

“What??” Both Ron and Hermione asked.

“LOOK!” Pointing at his schedule, “TRIPLE potions this year-- I think I’d rather be eaten by Fluffy then face Snape for three hours.”

“Really, Harry, he can’t be THAT bad!” Harry practically jumped out of his seat at the sound of her voice; it was just his Aunt Miriam.

“You have NO idea.” Harry replied.

Miriam snickered, barely able to keep a full blown laugh contained. “I’ll give you something later that will help you take your mind off it, something from when Snape was a 3rd year here. It will put him in perspective.” With that she went up to the head table.

“Wow!” Ron exclaimed. “I wonder what she has on Snape.”


“I don’t know but I’d be willing to pay 1,000 galleons for it, if it’s that good.” Harry grinned.

~

Later that day after Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures it was finally time for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry had been looking forward to this all day, so much so he was almost bitten by a Sniping Lily in Herbology and almost got slimed by one of Hagrid’s Elephant Slugs that emit a slime that will burn right through human flesh.


The hallway outside the DADA classroom was full of excited energy. The Gryffindors chatted amongst themselves while the Slytherins just scowled at the Gryffindors.

“She is probably going to be as fruity as Lupin.” Malfoy sneered

“Oh, shut it Malfoy. “ Harry said glaring at Draco.

“What? Did I hurt widdle Potty’s feelings?…awww, poor baby.” Malfoy replied.

“HARDLY,” Said Professor Potter making them all jump. “You would k bek being a bouncing ferret once in your life would be enough for you. However, if it wasn’t, I would be happy to oblige you.”

“You can’t threaten me” Malfoy started “My father…”

“Your father, Mr. Malfoy,” She interrupted. “Would do well to know his son is as much a little snot as he was. I won’t tolerate it from you anymore then I did from him. You had best watch yourself, Mr. Malfoy, your ambitions should be better then ending up a whipped lackey of an arrogant, insufferable, power hungry bastard like your father has become.”

For once Malfoy had the intelligence enough to keep his mouth shut. Whether that was fear of becoming a bouncing ferret again or intelligence Harry could only speculate.

“Come now,” Professor Potter said clapping her hands and shooing them into the classroom. “We have a lot to do today.”

Ron whispered to Harry, “I think I’m in love.” Harry just groaned—‘this is going to be an interesting year’ he thought. ‘Thank goodness Hermione didn’t hear him, I don’t think he would have survived saying that.’

“Now…” Professor Potter began after everyone had settled themselves. “Professor Dumbledore tells me you have covered the Unforgivable Curses, as well as the nasty little beasties out there, and werewolves and numerous other things. We will take the first two weeks to do a quick re-cap and we will have a test on that Friday”

The entire class groaned “A test in two weeks?!?”, “Oh man!” Even Hermione groaned at that announcement.

“Come now, it won’t be that bad.” Professor Potter said “and it will only be used to see what you know”

“Whew!” Ron said. “She had me worried.” he muttered under his breath.

“Yeah.” Harry replied

“Now, if that’s all settled we need to go over a few things.” Professor Potter started again. “What I expect from you and what you can expect from me. I will not tolerate fighting in my classes and you will not use what you learn in here on your fellow classmates. If you do you will wish you were in the safe comforts of Azkaban.
Keep your love lives, rivalries, bickering and everything else outside this classroom. In turn, you will find that I am tough but fare, I do not take sides with any student and I show no preferential treatment except to those students who excel in class.”

With that Professor Potter began their first class together in Defense Against the Dark Arts.

~

At the end of DADA, as all the students were leaving, Professor Potter called out, “Mr. Potter, if you will, please stay a moment.”

Harry turned to Ron and Hermione, “I’ll see you in a bit.”

“Ok, Harry.” Said Hermione. She and Ron left to go to the Gryffindor study period that followed DADA.

Harry walked back to the front of the classroom where his aunt was organizing some papers. She looked up at him as he got to her desk. He saw the distant look in her eyes and the light smile on her face as she was obviously remembering some fond memory.

“Sorry Harry, I was just remembering something about James when he was your age.” she said to him. “Its remarkable how much you look like him. Except for the eyes, you have Lily’s eyes.”

There was a slight pause.

“Oh, right!” She said, suddenly remembering why she had asked him to stay. “After your last class, if you want, we can have a talk. I am sure that you want to know why…” She drifted off. “I’m sure you have some questions for me.” she finally said. “I should be in my rooms by then, they are located near the statue of the witch with the hump. The entrance is the portrait of that awful knight Sir… now what was his name?...anyway the password is ‘Eden’.”

“Alright.” said Harry. He was excited and a little apprehensive about what she might tell him, but hey was excited none the less.

He turned to leave to go off to study period.

“Harry,” she called him back, “I did promise you something, something that might put Sev… Professor Snape in to perspective, and I am true to my word.” She said with a smirk handing him a picture. “Here, just don’t get caught with it alright, I don’t want to find out what he would do to us if he found out about it.”

The picture was of a younger Severus Snape in the Potion’s classroom as a student. He looked to be working intently on a potion of some sort when he added an ingredient and the potion blew up knocking the younger Snape back against the wall and leaving a smoldering chunk of melted metal that was a caldron on the floor. Snape and several of his near by classmates ended up with boils on their exposed skin where the remnants of the potion had splattered. The professor in the picture yelled at Snape, “You silly boy! You obviously added too much firefly wing, why can’t you pay attention to what you are ding? 50 points from Slytherin for your stupidity!” Snape just glared at the professor.

“You see, even he has melted his fair share of cauldrons, and blown up the classroom as well.” She said. “I’ll just ask one favor of you and you can keep the photo.”

“Sure, what is it?” Harry asked.

“Just show this to Neville Longbottom. Snape has that by so terrified that I am afraid Neville thinks he is practically a squib, and he isn’t, his power just lies in a different direction.” She said.

Harry agreed, actually he was surprised he hadn’t thought about showing Neville the photograph himself.

“Now off with you! We will talk this evening, you have classes left.” She said shooing him out of the classroom.

“Actually it’s only a study period now, then Potions, then I am done for the day.” Said Harry “I hope I survive three hours with Professor Snape. Who knows, he might actually poison me this year.”

“Harry, relax, Sev…Professor Snape would never put a student in jeopardy. If it were a test of an antidote he would have a backup nearby. He may be mean but he is not stupid. Now off with you! Your study period is almost up and my next class is in ten minutes. Besides I don’t want you running through the halls to get he dhe dungeons, it would look bad.” She grinned.

Harry grinned back and turned and left but not before tucking the picture of Snape his Aunt had given him securely in his book sack. He headed towards the Gryffindor common room hoping to catch up to Ron and Hermione, but they had already left so he headed down to the dungeons to face three hours with Snape.

Harry scooted into class barely in time and Snape just glared at him.

They then spent the first half of the class coping down copious amounts of notes on theory, dosages and various uses of several potions they would be working on this term.

The second half of the class consisted of the making of their first potion of the term.

Snape Began… “This potion is most complex, I seriously doubt that some of you have the mental capacity to successfully complete this potion but we shall try none the less.” he said glaring at Neville.

“This Potion is used to escape or else someone from magically charmed constraints where another charm would not work. It is called Alohamora Corae and is extremely volatile while brewing so every precaution will be taken, Ms. Granger you will pair with Mr. Longbottom and hopefully he will not kill us all this class period.”

With that he waved his hand dismissively and said “Begin!”

For once Neville’s potion was right, mostly thinks to Hermione and he wasn’t the one to melt a cauldron in class. Rather that distinction was Crabbe and Goyle’s. Instead of yelling and giving detention like he would have to a Gryffindor he threw rags on their table and stalked off.

After potions was over Harry told Hermione and Ron where he was going and that he would see them later at the feast. Harry went up to his aunt’s quarters and approached the witches hump. He found the portrait of Sir Cadogan and before he could just say the password to his Aunt’s quarters Sir Cadogan greeted him by bowing and saying “Ahh…Noble sir, how kind of you to visit and what pray tell may I do for you?”

“I am here to visit my aunt.” Said Harry

“I fear Sir I am not allowed to grant students access to a professors quarters.” The portrait said.

“The password is ‘Eden’, see, I know the password she told it to me when she told me to meet her here.” Harry said trying in vain to gee kne knight to let him in.

Sir Cadogan drew his sward and pointed it at Harry. “You sir, are a dastardly fellow, I will not let you enter my lady’s quarters…”

Sir Cadogan was cut off by Miriam “Oh really!” she said exasperated. “Harry is my nephew, he has my permission to be here whenever he wants now let us in before I let Peeves have his way with you!”

“Harrumph!” Replied Sir Cadogan and swung open.

“Really! He is driving me crazy; I think I will ask Dumbledore for someone else.” Said Miriam setting down her bag.

Meanwhile Harry, was looking around her sitting room which was decorated tastefully yet simply. It housed a small burgundy sofa facing the fire place as well as two large burgundy and gold overstuffed chairs on either end with a oak and glass coffee table in the center. Her sitting room was large and well lit, dominated by a large window facing the East letting in copious amounts of sunlight. All around the room were plants of every kind, herbs and flowers, she had dill, sage, rosemary as well as roses, daffodils and others that Harry could and couldn’t name. She even had small Sandalwood and Cedar trees.

“WOW!” Harry exclaimed, “It looks like a greenhouse in here.”

Miriam laughed. “Yeah, I know. I am a plant freak, what can I say. If I had my way I would live in some forest somewhere with wildflowers and trees all around and have a small garden for my herbs and my flowers and spend my day tending them.”

“Have a seat, I’ll get us some tea or would you rather a butterbeer?” she asked him.

“The tea is fine.” Harry said sitting down in one of her plush chairs. As soon as he did a black cat lept on his lap. “Oh, Hello!” Harry said.

“That’s Midnight,” Miriam said bringing a tray over with the tea pot and cups. “I am surprised; she usually doesn’t take to new people with the exception to Dumbledore and Severus, and now you.” She said sitting down on the sofa putting the tray on the table between them.

Midnight smelled Harry’s chest a bit as cats do, kneaded her paws in his lap and curled up and promptly went to sleep. She had decided that while Harry smelled funny he at least made a good pillow.

“Who knows why shees Ses Severus, maybe she knows something we don’t.” Said Miriam taking a sip of her tea.

“You said you were going to tell me…” Harry began.

“Yes. I suppose I ought to start with the night James and Lily were killed by Voldemort. By that time I had been an Auror for about 2 years and was tracking down some of Voldemort’s henchmen. Trying to gather evidence really, for a case against Luscious Malfoy and almost had enough, too. Meanwhile your parents were betrayed by one we thought a friend.”

“Wormtail…” Harry interrupted.

“Yes, Wormtail” she said.

“Dumbledore thought it best thau gou go to Lily’s family, the Dursleys for a while. It was safer and you were hidden from Voldemort’s supporters. I agreed. I knew that my life wasn’t fit for a child and wasn’t safe for you. So Dumbledore took you to Surry and left you with the Dursley’s. About a year later, after things had calmed down and most of Voldemort’s supporters were in Azkaban I was going to come get you and raise you myself in our world, which was what Lily and James had wanted had anything happened to them. But my foolish pride took over and I had to do one last mission-- catch Luscious Malfoy. I had a score to settle, I had found out that it was he who had turned Wormtail and set the plan in motion that killed Lily and James. So Alester Moody and myself went to bring him in. It was a trap, Moody got away, but I was captured by the Androvskis. They were friends of Malfoy’s… I was held by them for five years… there where things, things that happened to me during that time, that I won’t tell you… you shouldn’t hear about things like that. I was freed when Moody and the Longbottoms finally tracked down the Androvskis. My body and my mind had to be healed and they brought me back to Hogwarts and Dumbledore did what he could for me. By the time I was healed it had been seven years since your parents had been murdered by Voldemort. I didn’t feel that it was right for you to beooteooted from your home, or what I thought was your home. I never realized what a bitch Petunia was. Carrying on like that and you an innocent child.” she said shaking her head, tears in her eyes. “Dumbledore kept me apprised of some things, told me when you came to Hogwarts and some of your more colorful adventures.” she paused, forcing a small smile.

Harry just looked at her, stunned at what she had said, but didn’t say anything.

“I understand if you are angry with me Harry, I should have been there I shouldn’t have let my pride or my anger get in the way. I should have left Luscious Malfoy to someone else.” Miriam said looking down to her now cold cup of tea, her hands were shaking slightly, so she set down the cup and saucer rather then risk the annoying rattle of china.

“I don’t hate you. You did what you had to do.” said Harry. “I do wish that you had come for me anyway when I was eight but you had no way of knowing what they were like. You thought they would treat me right.”

They sat in silence for a while, and then Harry got up startling Midnight who jumped to the floor giving him and impertinent look. He went over to his Aunt Miriam and wordlessly climbed into her lap and laid his head on her shoulder like a little boy. She wrapped her arms around him and just held him, both of them letting their pain settle.

After a while Harry quietly asked, “So… can I come live with you?”

“Of course, Harry.” Miriam said absentmindedly stroking his unruly hair. “We will go pick up the rest of your things at the Dursleys at Christmas Holidays.”

“I really don’t have much there, we don’t have to get it, its nothing important.” Said Harry, dreading any confrontation with the Dursleys.

“Its ok, Harry, besides I have something I need to tell Petunia anyway…”

*A/N: Citrus coming soon, next chapter infact, its in beta so blame her....hehe ducking Chistine throwing a book at me.

PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!, I am very needy, and I need reviews. Thanks to all who have reviewed so far. MORE PLEASE!

~End Chapter 4~