1 September 1992
Severus Snape followed the Headmaster and the Potter brat into the former's office. Minerva trailed along in his wake. He had better things to do then to deal with Potter's Spawn tonight. Slytherin House had a rather large intake of students that night and it was his responsibility to see them introduced to their new House and settled. Instead, he had to be here dealing with… this.
Albus settled into his normal throne-like chair. Then he waited for his 'guests' to settle down after his customary offer of his favourite candies. Potter naturally sat in the seat centred right in front of the Headmaster's desk like the little prince he obviously thought he was, Salazar help him.
"Ah, Mr Potter, how was your summer?" the Headmaster asked in his 'kind grandfather' mode.
"Very nice, professor. And yours?"
"Rather busy but it was a nice respite from the rigours of running Hogwarts."
"That's good."
"I actually stopped by your aunt's this summer to ensure you were adjusting to being back in the Muggle world. I was rather surprised to not find you there. I had wanted to congratulate you on finishing third in your class behind Ms Granger and Ms Patil. Quite an accomplishment."
"Thank you for that, professor." The Potter brat made a small shrug and answered the implied question. "Several of my friends offered to let me stay with them over the summer. I wrote Aunt Petunia before the end of the term and asked her permission. She was so excited that I wasn't returning she actually sent me a whole pound for my birthday." Severus could see Albus wasn't happy about that answer by the tension about the elder wizard's eyes.
"Now, Harry, I am sure your family missed you at home over the summer."
The little brat had the temerity to disagree with the Headmaster. "I doubt it, professor. They don't consider me family and that house was definitely never a 'home' to me." Potter snickered derisively. "If that troll last year had killed me Uncle Vernon would have probably sent whoever was responsible a thank-you note."
Minerva spoke up for the first time. "Surely you are exaggerating, Mr Potter. Life there couldn't have been that bad." Severus could hear the pleading in her tone.
'Trying to convince him or yourself, Minerva?' he thought with a mental sneer.
"Enough of this," Snape interrupted. Merlin knew if he didn't they would soon be holding the brat's hand and having house-elves feeding him grapes. "I have more important matters to be about than to listen to Potter whine about his eggs being slightly undercooked." Albus gave him a disapproving glance that Severus easily ignored.
"Yes well, Harry, we are here to talk about the incident on the Express today."
"He should be expelled for striking a fellow student," Severus sneered.
"Severus," Minerva snapped. "It was not that significant an incident to warrant such a punishment."
Potter ignored the two professors and responded to Dumbledore. "Malfoy came into our compartment, shot off his mouth looking to provoke a fight. I gave him what he was looking for."
Dumbledore consulted a sheet in front of him. "According to Madam Pomfrey, Mr Malfoy has a sprained jaw and two teeth had to be magically regrown. He will be able to attend classes tomorrow but he is in for a most uncomfortable night." He looked up at Potter with disappointment on his face. "It is never an acceptable behaviour to physically strike one of your fellow students."
"Malfoy came into our compartment and called Hermione a 'mudblood', Ron a 'blood-traitor' and the Patil sisters 'a pair of wogs only fit to clean his manor and be whores'. If anything I let him off light with only a single backhand to that big mouth of his."
The three professors looked at the composed but angry twelve year-old in shock. Severus was not shocked at what his godson had said. The boy was almost quoting his father verbatim. What shocked the Potions Professor was the calm, deliberate manner the Potter brat had spoken. He sounded much more like an adult than a student.
Dumbledore was the first one to set aside his shock. "We shall deal with what Mr Malfoy said. However, I still cannot allow this to stand. You shall have three nights detention with Hagrid assisting in his duties as he assigns. I do not expect to hear of a repeat of this incident. Thank you, Mr Potter. You may return to the Gryffindor tower now."
Potter stood up at the dismissal. He turned towards the door before pausing and turning to look Severus straight in the eye. Brilliant green eyes met Severus's black eyes stare.
"Professor, would you please pass a message on for me? Let Malfoy know that the next time he crosses the line into hurting my friends there will not be a third time. If he wants to fight me he knows where to find me, but leave my friends out of it. And if he ever calls my mother that name again, I will bury him where he stands." Then Potter was gone before any of the professors could react.
"Dear Merlin, what happened on that train?" Minerva whispered. She turned on Dumbledore and started in on him. Severus ignored them. For the second time in five minutes he was completely shocked. For the first time looking at the Potter spawn he hadn't seen James Potter. He hadn't even seen Lily either.
He'd seen Michael Evans.
...
Want to read ahead. Then Join my Pa*treon for the mass release of 60+ chapters that has happened.
Even Free members can enjoy 2+ advanced chapters FOR FREE.
Link: p*atreon.com/Divine_Quill (Remove the *)
Join Right Now