Love Potion No. 13

Chapter 9

“Appalling effort Potter 5 points from Gryfindor for not following instructions.” Harry sighed heavily and threw his stirring rod back into the cauldron with disgust splashing hot liquid onto the two Hufflepuff’s sitting in front of him. Both girls hissed in pain at the splash again drawing Snape’s attention back to Harry. “20 points for endangering your class mates Potter.” Snape barked angrily as he inspected the burn marks in the girl’s robes to make sure none of the botched potion had touched their skin.

“Fuck you Snape.” Harry finally snapped. It had been three weeks since school had started back and three weeks of hell, dealt out from Snape. What ever was on Snape’s shoulder he was taking it out unfairly on Harry, who’d spent all three weekends in detention and had lost a record number of points putting Gryfindor, last on the scoreboard with negative 56 points. Harry had had enough, and combined with Slytherin’s new tactic which was to corner Harry had hex him at any opportune moment. Then to have Madam Pomfrey ban him from Quidditch until next season, due to his still healing arm the year had just begun as crappy as the last one had ended.

“Oooooo.” Was the teasing chorus that sprang up from the Slytherin side of the potions classroom. Harry ignored them though as Snape grabbed him around the collar and threw him bodily out of the room. Harry slammed into the wall of corridor and barely had time to stand up before Snape’s form was looming over him.

“You better prey you’ve got a good excuse for addressing me like that Potter or you’re going to wish you were never born.” Snape whispered deadly his face mere inches from Harry’s.

“Too late sir, Voldemort reminds me constantly that I shouldn’t have been born you’ll have to find a new goal in life.” Harry muttered challenging his gaze not leaving Snape’s. Snape’s gaze narrowed at Harry’s casual use of the dark lords name.

“Don’t push me Potter you won’t like what I become.” Snape growled low in his throat threateningly. Harry scoffed arrogantly and shook his head, his lips twitching angrily.

“What you become?!” The month’s worth of frustrations regarding Harry’s unintelligible dreams about Snape, and the elder wizard’s anger finally came to the surface as Harry began to shout. “You’re already a self righteous, slimy traitor what else could you possibly become? A bastard perhaps or is that just part of your genetic make up?” Harry took a deep breath as he continued, not daring to stop unless he lost his nerve. “It wouldn’t matter if the sun shined out of my arse Professor it wouldn’t be good enough for you. No matter what I do you find fault with it, nothing I do is right.” Harry screamed unaware that they’d drawn more than just an audience from the potions class but from the other students who’d come down to the dungeons to see what the screaming was about. “And guess what? I think I finally know what that look on your face was when you dropped me from that tree.” Snape took a step back from Harry in confusion his brow furrowed wondering what Harry was saying. “It was satisfaction. The sick pleasure you got from seeing me potentially falling to my death. Is that what he taught you to enjoy, the pain of others, the death of another life? If the rest of them hadn’t been there you’d have left me to die, and don’t deny it. I never trusted you Severus Snape and all this just proves me right. You’re a bastard through and through and when I kill Voldemort you’ll be the next on my list….” Harry never finished his sentence as a stinging slap connected with his cheek sending him sprawling to the floor in shock. There was a gasp from the crowd that had gathered in the corridor and Harry stared up at Snape who was staring down at him a strange expression on his face and his eyes flickering with untold emotion. No one dared move and before anyone could speak Snape transformed himself into a bat and with a flutter took off up the corridor all eyes staring at him in shock. When Snape had gone everyone turned back to Harry who was still cupping his stinging cheek.

“Oh, you’ve done it now Potter.” Draco Malfoy stood in the open doorway of the potions classroom looking down at his enemy. “Even I wouldn’t have done that…” With an evil chuckle Draco stepped over Harry’s form and with a huff of contempt took off down the corridor leaving chaos in his wake. The noise in the corridor was deafening and Hermione and Ron scrambled to get to Harry before the crush. Dragging their friend by the arms Ron and Hermione took Harry upstairs to the third floor girl’s bathroom and having scooted away moaning Myrtle dropped Harry onto the bench.

“That was awesome Harry, really put the bastard in his place.” Ron burst out before instantly falling silent as Hermione punched him hard in the arm.

“Ron! This is not a good thing, so we didn’t trust Snape. Dumbledore does and that’s what should make the difference. We trust Dumbledore, so we trust his judgment about Snape. Why the hell did you say those things to him Harry!” Hermione screeched angrily as she began pacing back and forth past Harry.

“You’ve seen what he’s been like Hermione he’s on my case 24-7 he hates my guts. And I’ve finally had enough of him. Just because he hated my Dad, gives him no excuse to take his fucking shit life out on me!” Harry defended himself angrily still worked up about everything, and trying to find excuse as to why he’d lost his temper.

“Yes he’s been a bastard but he’s a bastard to us all Harry. Think of what he’s done to help us, he’s saved your life countless times, he’s helped you pass subjects, taught you things like defense, occlumency and even protected you from Voldemort in certain circumstances. He’s not conventional but he cares about you.” Hermione shouted back.

“Oh bullshit Hermione, he cares about himself. If he cared about me he’d make an effort to be civil to me and he’s certainly not doing that.” Harry spat nastily back at Hermione who stopped pacing and shook her head in disgust.

“And this is what you call being civil to him is it Harry?” With a snort of disgust Hermione strode from the bathroom leaving Harry fuming on the bench next to Ron, who’d been strangely silent the entire argument.

“You think he tried to kill me don’t you Ron?” Harry muttered glancing across at his best friend who fidgeted awkwardly. “Ron?” Harry pressured when Ron wasn’t forth coming with his answer.

“Well, I….” Ron hesitated and that was enough for Harry.

“Oh fuck off Ron you’re useless.” Harry turned his back on Ron who with a sigh disappeared out of the bathroom leaving Harry to fume in solitude. Snape was a bastard and Harry knew it…


TBC>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>