Chapter 85: Chapter 85: "Potions"
Following a lively breakfast filled with laughter and camaraderie, Harry and his fellow students eagerly made their way through the dimly lit corridors of Hogwarts towards the potions classroom, nestled deep within the castle's dungeons.
On this particular day, Harry was slated to attend potions class alongside his Hufflepuff counterparts. He breathed a sigh of relief, grateful to avoid a session with the notoriously competitive Slytherin house. Not only would he dodge potential sabotage to his potion from the Slytherins, known for their cunning and competitiveness, but he was also relieved not to endure the chaos that typically ensued in classes with the Gryffindors, which often involved a fair share of accidents and mishaps.
Upon entering the classroom, Harry acknowledged Cedric Diggory with a friendly wave, finding his fellow Hufflepuff already seated and ready for the lesson. Choosing a spot next to Reginald, he settled in, preparing for what was to come. The classroom, with its walls adorned with glass jars containing an assortment of pickled creatures, promised an intriguing yet slightly unsettling experience.
The anticipation in the room was palpable, and as the clock struck the hour, the door swung open with dramatic flair. Professor Severus Snape made his entrance, his expression stern and his black robes billowing ominously behind him.
Harry could sense Snape's lingering frustration, no doubt a residue of anger from the prank that had disrupted the morning's peace. Known for his unforgiving nature towards those who crossed him, Snape had a long history of being the butt of jokes during his own school days at the hands of the Marauders, which only deepened his disdain for such antics.
Harry caught Snape's glare and braced himself, understanding that he, perhaps along with the rest of the class, might bear the brunt of Snape's bad mood today.
As soon as everyone had settled into their seats, Snape commenced the lesson with a roll call, his voice dripping with disdain each time he called out a name. However, when he reached Harry's name, his tone took on a particularly venomous edge.
"Hadrian Potter," he sneered as if the very name left a bitter taste in his mouth. "It appears we're graced with a 'celebrity' among us, attempting to walk in his famous younger brother's footsteps. I'm baffled as to how you managed to persuade the Sorting Hat to place you among the house of the intelligent. Rest assured, I'll be keeping a close eye on you—no mischief will be tolerated in my class."
The change in Snape's demeanor when addressing Harry caught the other first-years off guard, sparking whispers and puzzled glances. Harry's friends, equally bewildered, looked to him for an explanation, but Harry subtly signaled them to hold their questions for later to avoid provoking Snape further.
Once the roll call was complete, Snape turned to face the class, his eyes as dark and chilling as a bottomless abyss.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potionmaking," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word. "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."
A hush fell over the classroom, punctuated by Snape's piercing gaze sweeping over his students.
"Potion-making," Snape continued, "stands as one of the oldest magic arts. It is the most versatile out of any branch of magic. If done correctly, you can bring someone back from the edge of death, turn someone invisible, even bottle luck."
As Snape delved deeper into the essence of potion-making, Harry couldn't help but acknowledge Snape's profound knowledge of the subject. Despite this, Snape's delivery underscored his reluctance to teach.
Every time he spoke, Snape glared resentfully at the class as if he was offended by having to teach students who didn't meet his high standards.
Harry had heard from older students that Snape was great at making potions. Yet, Snape didn't seem to like teaching or getting the students interested. It seemed like he just wanted to get through the lessons fast and didn't care much about making students love potion-making.
Suddenly, Snape turned his attention to Harry, challenging him with a question, "Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"
Harry calmly replied, "A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat"
Snape responded skeptically, "Lucky guess. Now, tell me the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
Without hesitation, Harry answered, "There's no difference. They're the same plant, also known as aconite."
Pushing further, Snape asked, "And what happens if wolfsbane is taken incorrectly?"
Harry simply stated, "It poisons the person who takes it."
Harry remembered from his past life that Snape's questions had deeper meanings, suggesting Snape played the complex role of protector and spy. But Harry was not ready to overlook the past, especially Snape's part in his grandparents' demise.
However, Harry was open to giving Snape a chance at redemption. Not through spying though. Harry wanted Snape to redeem himself by using his potion skills for the good of the wizarding world. Snape was undeniably talented in potion-making, far more than being a spy or a Death Eater. Yet, Harry's future opinions would depend heavily on Snape's actions at Hogwarts.
At that moment, Snape was visibly frustrated. He had hoped to embarrass Harry, thereby venting some of his own frustration. But instead, Harry's correct answers only gave him more opportunities to demonstrate his knowledge, much to Snape's chagrin.
Snape's annoyance grew with each smile Harry offered after answering correctly. The morning's prank still fresh in his mind, Snape's irritation boiled over, and he sought to put Harry in his place.
In a moment of heightened tension, Harry, sensing Snape's brewing malice and guessing his next move, subtly lifted his hand to show Snape a specific finger. This wasn't just any gesture—it was a calculated one, displaying the prominent Potter Heir ring.
Snape's brewing storm of anger came to an abrupt halt. He had been on the verge of launching a discreet Legilimency attack on Harry, a tactic covert enough that no one would question Harry's sudden discomfort or fainting in class. It would have been a perfect way for Snape to discipline Harry without drawing any blame upon himself.
However, the sight of the Potter Heir ring on Harry's finger stopped Snape cold. Snape was well aware of the ring's capabilities. While the ring couldn't block a mental intrusion, it could record any attempt of such an attack. Given Snape's unique skill set, he would be the prime suspect if the ring logged such an incident. Snape, despite his disdain for Sirius Black, recognized the trouble the man could cause if he decided to act on this evidence.
Harry felt both relieved and disappointed when Snape stopped himself. Angry at how Snape was treating him but also knowing that Dumbledore would protect Snape, Harry understood that fighting back directly would not solve anything.
Dumbledore's support for Snape and the tricky nature of proving a mental attack even with the ring evidence meant Snape would probably not face any consequences. The only consequence Snape could face was pureblood families started doubting him and not wanting him to teach their kids. But that wouldn't help Harry in any way and the mind attack would also reveal the fact that he was a Master Occlumens to Snape and Dumbledore.
So, Harry decided to show the ring and stop Snape before he could do anything. It was a sad reflection of what Harry had to do just to hide some of his strengths, but it was the best way to avoid trouble and fight in the shadows.
Frustrated yet unable to act against Harry, Snape redirected his ire towards the entire class.
"Stop staring!" Snape barked suddenly. "A bezoar, for those of you who don't know, is a stone found in a goat's stomach and can counteract most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are indeed the same plant, also known as aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"
The class scrambled for their quills and papers in a rush. Snape, was clearly irked but had no grounds to penalize Harry. Harry had indicated with the way he acted that he was aware of his rights, suggesting any unfair deduction of points would be contested.
"Now, open your textbooks to the first chapter," Snape instructed, a hint of resignation in his voice. "There, you'll find the recipe for the Pepperup Potion. I expect a sample from each of you by the end of today's session."
The students hesitated, not accustomed to such an abrupt start to a practical lesson without any prior theoretical introduction. Confused, they opened their textbooks, only to realize they had no idea how to proceed. The instructions seemed like gibberish: which ingredients to chop, how they looked, or the correct way to stir the cauldron remained mysteries.
Faced with no support from Snape, the class decided to fend for themselves. They ventured to the supply cabinets, trying to match ingredients to those listed in their recipe.
Harry wanted to help his classmates but knew better. Snape's hawk-like gaze was fixed on him, eagerly awaiting a misstep as an excuse to dock points. So, Harry concentrated solely on his potion.
As the class progressed, it was evident this session comprised mostly of cautious students from Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. Although errors were made, there were no disastrous outcomes like explosions or toxic fumes.
Snape went around, scolding everyone for the mistakes they made. This approach, while far from inspiring, was at least somewhat a way of teaching.
About two hours later, the potions were bottled and handed over to Snape, and the students left the dungeon with much lower moods.
Reflecting on the lesson, Harry concluded Snape's presence at Hogwarts was doing more harm than good. He understood Snape might be important for Dumbledore as a spy in Voldemort's ranks, but having someone who doesn't like teaching to lead a crucial subject like Potions was not good for the wizarding world.
Harry could bet that the number of Healers, Aurors, and Potion masters in Britain should have drastically gone down since Snape started teaching at Hogwarts.
Harry wasn't sure if Snape always taught like this or if it was just because he was mad about the prank. Either way, it wasn't right to teach the first potions class like that.
Snape probably didn't enjoy staying at Hogwarts either, but he stayed for the protection it offered. Without Dumbledore's protection, Snape would be questioned under Veritaserum about his past as a Death Eater, and even his skills in Occlumency couldn't save him from that since the ministry had ways around that.
Snape would probably prefer working quietly in a potion lab rather than teaching. But the mistakes from his past meant he was stuck at Hogwarts, teaching students he didn't seem to enjoy teaching.
After the class, everyone felt drained but relieved that they had no more classes for the day. The general feeling about potions class was pretty negative, and the thought of enduring more sessions with Snape was something they all dreaded.
Harry could have offered his help, but he knew he wasn't responsible for tutoring his classmates. While he was willing to clarify their doubts, taking over Snape's teaching duties wasn't something he was prepared to do. Besides, Harry had his own studies to focus on and simply didn't have the time to teach others.
He did take a moment to share with his friends some background on the bad blood between his father, his godfather, and Snape. He explained that because of this history, he needed to tread carefully in potions class, as Snape was just looking for a reason to dock points. Harry emphasized the importance of staying out of trouble in Snape's class.
Later, the Ravenclaws decided to hit the library to brush up on their potions knowledge. They understood that they would have to learn much of it on their own.
Harry excused himself from joining them, claiming he had other commitments. He headed towards his private study space, the Room of Requirement, eager to dive back into his own studies.
Chapter 86: Chapter 86: "End of the First Month"
Time flew by for Harry as he settled into his new routine at Hogwarts. His days were filled with classes during the morning, hanging out with friends in the evening, and then sneaking off to study at night in the Room of Requirements, with the help of the Ravenclaw diadem to boost his learning.
To make sure he wasn't caught on his late-night adventures, Harry decided to secure the Marauder's Map. He remembered one day using a slime bomb to distract some Slytherin bullies, which conveniently created a mess for Filch, the caretaker, to clean up. With Filch occupied, Harry sneaked into his office, rummaged through a cupboard labeled 'Dangerous Items', and swiftly located the old parchment he was looking for, along with a few prank items he thought might come in handy later.
Harry had heard many things about the Marauder's Map from Sirius, who had regaled him with stories from his school days. He was curious about how it was created, especially since the item was very useful, and even Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts did not have a similar item to monitor the castle.
Sirius mentioned they had help from a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at the time. The map utilized sophisticated magic, including the Homonculous Charm for tracking everyone's movement in the castle and another spell for real-time updates. Normally, such magic shouldn't work within the heavily warded castle, but it seemed their DADA teacher knew a way around it. Harry suspected that the teacher must have had a deep understanding of wards and perhaps exploited a loophole since it was the only way he could think of for the map to work.
To activate the Map, Harry knew he needed to tap it with his wand and declare, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." This revealed the map's detailed layout. After checking for any nearby people, Harry then used "Mischief managed" to blank the map again before leaving Filch's room, careful to erase any signs of his presence to avoid being tracked by Filch's cat.
Another clever trick Harry employed to avoid detection during his nocturnal studies outside of his dorm involved using magical two-way mirrors, similar to those Sirius gave the canon Harry in his fifth year. Harry didn't have the original magical mirrors with him, thinking they would be more useful to Susan when she started at Hogwarts. However, Harry remembered how the mirrors worked and decided to create a similar set himself. After dealing with Voldemort, Harry even thought of creating a magical version of a mobile phone using this technology.
With the new two-way mirrors in hand, by placing one mirror in a hidden spot within the Ravenclaw common room, Harry could check from the other mirror if the coast was clear before making his entrance unnoticed.
Thanks to these precautions, Harry managed to visit the Room of Requirements every night without alerting his dorm mates. He would quietly close his bed curtains, leaving the inside of his bed hidden, and then slip away into the night. This gave him several hours of peaceful study time, far from the eyes of his fellow Ravenclaws.
As Harry settled into his Hogwarts routine, he became familiar with the different teaching styles and subjects offered. In Transfiguration and Charms, the focus for first-years was largely on understanding the theory behind the magic rather than practicing spells. This meant a lot of reading and not as much wand-waving as Harry had expected.
Potions classes showed improvement after their rocky start. Snape began to share his own potion recipes on the blackboard, complete with detailed instructions that deviated from the standard textbook. These modified recipes resulted in better potions, and Harry found himself intrigued by Snape's knowledge and spent time analyzing the changes to understand their benefits. This deep dive into potion-making became an unexpected source of learning for Harry.
Harry found more use in Snape's class than in any other class he attended at Hogwarts.
Talking about the other classes, Astronomy, a core subject, was kind of dull. It dealt with the study of stars, planets, and other celestial phenomena. This class was a lot like how the non-magical people learn about space, but the wizarding world's way was a bit old-fashioned. They didn't know as much as Muggles did and still used old-style telescopes.
Even though learning Astronomy mainly helped with timing magical rituals correctly and was an important class at Hogwarts, it didn't seem very useful in everyday life, especially since the Ministry of Magic had bans against a lot of magical rituals.
Herbology was a better experience, with Professor Sprout leading engaging lessons on plant types, cultivation techniques, and their myriad uses. Her expertise and passion for the subject made these classes enjoyable and informative.
Defense Against the Dark Arts (DADA) was another class that Harry found troublesome. He wondered how Dumbledore always ended up choosing such unreliable teachers. The current teacher, Professor Fletcher, seemed even less interested in teaching than Snape was. All he ever did in class was pick a student to read from the textbook aloud to everyone else, while he just sat at his desk, fiddling with some odd trinkets. So far, they hadn't even practiced a single spell in his class.
Seeking to optimize his time, Harry approached Professor Flitwick to discuss his History of Magic classes. With OWLs in the subject already under his belt, Harry proposed skipping these lessons in favor of independent study, promising to sit for the final exams. Professor Flitwick, understanding Harry's unique situation, granted his request.
Originally, Harry planned to use the History of Magic class time for alternative learning, but his priorities changed with the help of the Ravenclaw diadem. With the diadem's power to enhance his understanding, he saw no point in staying in class and reading books the old-fashioned way.
Hogwarts also became a lot more interesting in the past month. In the wake of Harry's initial prank, the school witnessed a surge in pranking activities.
The Weasley twins, not ones to be outdone by a mysterious prankster, launched their own mischief the very next day, setting off beautiful fireworks in the Slytherin corridor. Although it caused quite the spectacle, no one was harmed. However, their antics didn't go unnoticed, and they quickly found themselves in Snape's detention.
This, however, didn't deter the pranking spirit at Hogwarts. Harry took it upon himself to investigate bullies across all houses, targeting them with a series of harmless pranks aimed at embarrassing them. The smarter bullies quickly understood the reasons behind these pranks and made efforts to change their behavior. Those who were slower to understand found themselves frequent targets of Harry's playful schemes. Busy dealing with the aftermath of the pranks, like changing their skin color back or regrowing their hair, these bullies had little time left to bother anyone else.
The Weasley twins, meanwhile, embarked on a pranking spree without a specific target in mind, simply seeking to spread chaos and laughter. Harry remained vigilant, careful not to fall prey to their unpredictable pranks. He was particularly impressed by their ingenuity in discovering secret passages to Hogsmeade and acquiring prank supplies in such a short time, all without the aid of the Marauder's Map.
As time progressed, pranking became a common pastime among students, fostering a more lighthearted atmosphere at Hogwarts. Professors generally turned a blind eye to these antics, so long as they didn't escalate too far or provoke complaints from the victims.
The pranks at Hogwarts led to some unexpected good outcomes. One of them was that Warrington didn't end up as the leader of the Slytherin first-years. After the first day's prank and several more embarrassing moments caused by Harry, Warrington lost his cool status and became somewhat of a joke in Slytherin.
Arabella and Elvinia, due to their association with Harry and students from other houses, also didn't emerge as the leaders. Instead, Adrian Pucey, who was one of the more well-behaved among the Slytherin first-years, became their leader. Harry was quite happy with this turn of events.
By the end of the month, everyone at Hogwarts had gotten used to the place. Getting lost in the corridors was a thing of the past. Harry began to shine among his classmates as the year's prodigy, earning recognition and even some special allowances from his professors.
Harry was far from reserved about showing his talent, bolstered by the strong backing of Arcturus Black, Sirius, and Amelia. This network of support made him feel untouchable.
As the days filled with assignments and classes flew by, Harry truly enjoyed his time at Hogwarts. Harry hoped nothing unusual would happen this year, but deep down, he wasn't too optimistic. After all, every year in the stories of Harry Potter, something big always seemed to happen.
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