Harriet Potter

Although I didn't expect to continue my Potions class, I always knew it wouldn't be too far to see Snape again.Maybe it was at the back-to-term banquet, in the hallway after class, or something smoother, until he resumed giving me Occlumency classes—and then I woke up with a jerk and realized what a terrible idea that was.

And this scene was by no means what I expected.A lantern hung precariously before my eyes, its bright orange light illuminating from top to bottom a huge aquiline nose and greasy black hair, from which Snape's grim black eyes looked down on me; And I was locked out of the castle the night before school started like a dumb thief, missing dinner and wearing Muggle attire.For a moment, the deserted grassland turned into a dark underground classroom, with the cauldrons gurgling around me, and with a fever on my face, I frantically and hopelessly flipped through the textbooks in front of me under contemptuous eyes.

"Good, good, good," just hearing his voice made loathing roll in my chest, and I watched as he drew his wand and tapped the lock, and the chains that had made me miserable just now Shrinking back like a snake, the door creaked open. "You've shown your face at last, Potter, though you obviously think wearing school robes would spoil your looks."

"I can't change clothes, my suitcase—"

"There's no need to wait any longer, Nymphadora. Potter is very - er - safe in my hands."

Snape never addressed anyone by their given name, unless the person was on the same level as him, or he knew that a given name could do far more harm to that person than a last name.I've never understood him, and even after removing all the embarrassment I've had as a youthful feud with my father, the man's existence seems purely obnoxious, and he himself seems devoted to it.

"I was supposed to break the news to Hagrid." Tonks' apparent distaste seemed kind of friendly now.

"Hagrid, like Potter, didn't make it to the start-of-term banquet on time, so I took it. By the way," Snape took a step back, and I had no choice but to follow the gap he made into the door Li, "I'm interested in your new Patronus."

He slammed the door shut in Tonks' face and tapped the chain with his wand again, and with a clatter of metal the chain snapped back into place like a snake.

"I think the old one is better," said Snape, with unmistakable malice in his voice. "The new one doesn't seem to have much strength."

The light of the lantern flickered, and I saw anger flash across Tonks' face through the crack of the door, but then she was enveloped in darkness.

"Good night," I called to Tonks before walking towards the school, "thanks...thank you for everything."

"Goodbye, Harry," she replied, sounding still stiff and sullen, a far cry from the past.

I tried to catch up to the man in the black robe. He walked silently, one step almost equal to two of mine, and the sound of each step made my anger burn even higher.I can't believe I asked for more time alone with him that night, after he forced me to relive the most painful and humiliating memories over and over again, after he... treated Sirius like this.I can't stop thinking about how lonely and suffocating Sirius' final days were, with neither his goddaughter nor his friends bringing any support, but Snape, he taunted him, was the toughest, most loyal man I've ever known. And the brave man is slandered as a coward in his comfort zone.For this I will never forgive him.

But I will never forgive myself, so I will give Snape a chance to enter my brain, as long as he is willing, he can even replay the scene of Sirius falling into the veil over and over again in my mind until I lose my mind.My heart is beating wildly in my ribs, and the jumble of sentences in my head is roaring and colliding, yes, I am willing to do this, I hope--

I'll stop before I hit Snape's chest, panting more quickly than necessary, and realizing that the jersey does nothing to hide the shaking in my hands.Snape looked at me strangely, he must have been talking before, he didn't need to do that to force out all my darkest thoughts.

"So," he surprisingly didn't mock my absent-mindedness, "the headmaster relayed your special request to me."

"Yes." I whispered.

"I'm sure you realize," he drawled coldly, "that after the events at the Ministry I'm going to be very busy at work. And you've been, oh, no gifted in Occlumency. "

I took a deep breath, knowing before I even spoke it would make the situation worse.But Snape actually mentioned the Ministry of Magic lightly, how dare he—"And you are the most arrogant and narrow-minded professor I have ever met, I should thank you for teaching me how to deal with assholes so well Well, given that I deal with them every day - especially since Voldemort's return."

I was satisfied to see that name gave Snape a stab at who was more of a coward.

"I don't object to most of the content. As for your ability, it's hard to say."

"I'm not interested in your evaluation. You'd better tell me the decision directly so that I can free up the schedule."

We stared at each other, and I could almost hear the air crackling between us, before being vaguely aware that Snape was always the first to look away at these times.

"You'll be notified before the end of the week," he said, turning and walking so fast that I could almost trot to keep up, "I hope before then you or the principal realize that further waste of my time is How stupid."

An air of eccentricity surrounds us as we come up the castle steps, where the oak doors swing open to reveal the wide stone-paved hall within, with laughter and the clattering of cups and plates.

"Fifty points off Gryffindor for being late," said Snape, "and, let me see, twenty points off you for wearing Muggle clothes. I don't think there's a House yet Points were deducted so early in the term - before dessert was served - you probably set a record, Potter."

Something snapped back to normal, the blood rushing to my face and neck, and behind the scenes of my anger I half-thought to figure out how to slip on the Invisibility Cloak and slip unnoticed by the Gryffindor table sit down.Inconveniently, the Gryffindor table was at the far end of the Great Hall.

Snape clearly saw through my thoughts: "No invisibility cloak allowed. You just walk in and let everyone see you, I'm sure that's exactly what you want."

Well, even if it's going to hell, as long as you can get rid of him.

I strode across the auditorium, quickly located Ron and Hermione amidst the flickering lights and staring crowd, went straight to them, and squeezed my way between them and sat down.

"Where have you been?" Ron asked.

"I'll tell you later," I said, alert to the fact that Ginny, Neville, Dean, and Seamus were all listening, and that even Nearly Headless Nick floated down the bench to eavesdrop.

"But—" Hermione frowned, I'm sure she had checked me from head to toe with her eyes in just a few tens of seconds.

"Let's not talk about it, Hermione." I interrupted her in a tone that I thought was mysterious and meaningful, hoping that this and the reputation of "the girl who lived" would play a positive role in making them think I missed it. The Sorting Ceremony is for something important and brave.Dementors, Death Eaters, or Voldemort himself is up to them to guess, as long as Draco Malfoy cast a full-body binding spell and threw them in a train car to eavesdrop.

I should have covered myself while I was getting my food, and when I remembered to get chips and drumsticks, they were gone before I could touch them, replaced by dessert, so I got the honey stuffing instead Pie, luckily I have no problem with eating sweets for the whole meal.The food at Hogwarts was as good as ever, and Hagrid waved to me enthusiastically from the bench, and I responded in between gobbling.Ron and Hermione were chatting about things I'd missed: the curious questions they'd received on the train, the Sorting Hat's new song, Hagrid's late arrival.

"Good evening everyone!" Dumbledore smiled lovingly and stood up, opening his arms towards us as if to embrace the entire auditorium.

This is my favorite scene at the opening banquet, but it seems a bit ominous at this time. I heard whispers spread in the supposedly silent auditorium, and even Hermione asked in amazement—Dumbledore's hand was scorched Black, as dead.That hand was already like this the last time I saw him, and he had no intention of explaining, and I wasn't in the mood to ask questions.But even if I had, I wouldn't be able to ask anything, no one could.

"Don't worry." Dumbledore shook his purple and gold sleeves, and said lightly, "Okay... new students, welcome to enroll; old students, welcome back to school! A new school year is waiting for you magic education..."

Then, the news that Snape took over as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor took all my attention, and I was still in anger and shock until the end of the speech.I thought I'd at least get rid of Snape's public humiliation this year, but he's now taking over one of my proudest classes, and Dumbledore didn't even think to mention it in our previous meeting this point.Did he think that if I knew we were paving the way for Snape to become Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, I wouldn't have helped him convince Horace Slughorn to come back and teach?

There was a harsh rubbing sound between the stool legs and the floor, and the crowd rushed towards the exit of the auditorium. Malfoy seized the time to simulate the scene of a person sprawled on the floor for the last time. Laugh out loud.In a fit of rage, I leaned over and pretended to tie my shoelaces to avoid meeting them in the crowd, and Ron dropped his prefect duties to sit with me, and Hermione gave us a meaningful speech before leaving to guide the new students. eyes.

It was Hagrid's farewell that ruined the last of my good mood for the night, his huge frame radiating as much joy and energy as ever.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow. First class after lunch, come over early so you can say hello to Buck—I mean Drift!"

After Hagrid melted into the night, I looked at Ron: "You're not going to take Care of Magical Creatures, are you?"

Ron shook his head, "You don't choose either, do you?"

I also shook my head.

"Where's Hermione?" said Ron. "She didn't choose either?"

I shook my head again.

"Great," muttered Ron, looking as upset as I was.