As Harry and Hermione started getting out their ingredients and setting up the cauldrons, Pansy took an opportunity of Snape's back being turned toward the class to toss the magazine onto Hermione's desk and proceeded to act like she was writing a letter. She and her gang of girls giggled.
Hermione rolled her eyes and was about to toss it back when Professor Snape was there and took it from her, "Ten points from Gryffindor for having inappropriate reading material out in class. Ah yes the infamous Mr. Potter's complicated love life," He sneered as he looked down at the magazine.
Harry could feel his face burning as Snape started reading the article out loud to the class, pausing at the end of every sentence to allow the Slytherins a hearty laugh. The article sounded ten times worse when read by Snape. Even Hermione was blushing scarlet now.
"'. . . Harry Potter's well-wishers must hope that, next time, he bestows his heart upon a worthier candidate.' How very touching," sneered Snape, rolling up the magazine to continued gales of laughter from the Slytherins. "It didn't take you long to find another groupie did it Potter. Whether she is a worthier candidate, well after that Howler this morning, one might not think so."
"You leave Gabrielle out of this," Harry snarled as his eyes flashed at the Potion's Master, his anger rising again.
"Fifteen points from Gryffindor for the cheek Potter, and since it's obvious that Miss Granger has broken your heart, maybe we should separate you two in class. You can take the table in front of my desk."
Harry looked at Hermione who looked back at him, "Don't let him get to you Harry. He's trying to push. Ignore him," He grabbed his potions kit and Cauldron and made his way down to the table Snape had indicated. Snape followed him and as Harry started unpacking his ingredients again Snape sat down beside him.
"All this press attention seems to have inflated your already over-large head Potter," said Snape quietly, once the rest of the class had settled down again.
Harry didn't answer. He knew Snape was trying to provoke him; he had done this too many times before.
"You might be laboring under the delusion that the entire wizarding world is impressed with you," Snape went on, so quietly that no one else could hear him. Harry started pounding the scarab beetles the potion called for. He pretended each beetle was a little Snape, soon he had them to a very fine powder as Snape continued "but I don't care how many times your picture appears in the papers. To me, Potter, you are nothing but a nasty little boy who considers rules to be beneath him."
Harry tipped the powdered beetles into his cauldron and started cutting up his ginger roots. His hands were shaking slightly out of anger, but he kept his eyes down, as though he couldn't hear what Snape was saying to him.
His bond mates had picked up his anger and started trying to calm him. Hermione was pleading with him to ignore Snape.
"So I give you fair warning, Potter," Snape continued in a softer and more dangerous voice, "pint-sized celebrity or not - if I catch you breaking into my office one more time -"
"I've never broken into your office," Harry replied. "Why would I?"
"Don't lie to me," Snape hissed as his fathomless black eyes bore into Harry's. "Boomslang skin, Gillyweed, both come from my private stores, and I know who stole them."
Harry stared back at Snape, determined not to blink or to look guilty. In truth, he hadn't stolen either of these things from Snape. Hermione had taken the boomslang skin back in their second year - they had needed it for the Polyjuice Potion - and while Snape had suspected Harry at the time, he had never been able to prove it. Dobby, of course, had stolen the gillyweed.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Harry lied.
"You were out of bed on the night my office was broken into!" Snape hissed. "I know it. Potter! Now, Mad-Eye Moody might have joined your fan club, but I will not tolerate your behavior! One more nighttime stroll into my office Potter, and you will pay!"
"Right," said Harry coolly, turning back to his ginger roots. "I'll bear that in mind if I ever get the urge to go in there."
Snape's eyes flashed. He plunged a hand into the inside of his black robes. For one wild moment, Harry thought Snape was about to pull out his wand and curse him - then he saw that Snape had drawn out a small crystal bottle of a completely clear potion. Harry stared at it.
"Do you know what this is Potter?" Snape said, his eyes glittering dangerously again.
"No," said Harry, with complete honesty this time.
"It is Veritaserum - a Truth Potion so powerful that three drops would have you spilling your innermost secrets for this entire class to hear," said Snape viciously.
"Now, the use of this potion is controlled by very strict Ministry guidelines. But unless you watch your step, you might just find that my hand slips" - he shook the crystal bottle slightly - "right over your evening pumpkin juice. And then, Potter . .. then we'll find out whether you've been in my office or not."
"Eet's five years in prison in France for ze illegal use of truth serum," Fleur said. "Probably similar 'ere, 'e wouldn't risk it."
Hermione made a suggestion to Harry that caused him to smile. Turning to Snape he said, "Thank you sir for the warning. I think I will notify my Head of House of it, just in case you know. How many years in Azkaban is it for that illegal use of that potion?" Harry mentally grinned at his next statement, "Maybe they'll give you Sirius' old cell," Harry felt the look on Snape's face was worth whatever punishment he knew was coming.
"Potter.." Snape snarled menacingly, but before he could continue there was a knock on the dungeon door. Looking around at the door he called "Enter," Then looking back at Harry he snarled quietly, "This isn't finished Potter," And he walked to his desk.
The class looked around as the door opened. Professor Karkaroff came in. Everyone watched him as he walked up toward Snape's desk. He was twisting his finger around his goatee and looking agitated.
"We need to talk," said Karkaroff abruptly when he had reached Snape. He seemed so determined that nobody should hear what he was saying that he was barely opening his lips; it was as though he were a rather poor ventriloquist. Harry kept his eyes on his ginger roots he was cutting, but he was curious to what Karkaroff had to say to Snape.
"I'll talk to you after my lesson, Karkaroff," Snape muttered, but Karkaroff interrupted him.
"I want to talk now, while you can't slip off, Severus. You've been avoiding me."
"After the lesson," Snape snapped.
Under the pretext of holding up a measuring cup to see if he'd poured out enough armadillo bile, Harry sneaked a sidelong glance at the pair of them. Karkaroff looked extremely worried and Snape looked angry.
....
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