By the time that the school express had arrived at Hogwarts nearly every student had heard that Harry Potter - the boy-who-lived - had fought off dementors with a patronus charm. So by the time Harry and his friends had gotten out of the train they had nearly every eye on them.
"Why is everyone looking at us?" Jet asked. "Have they finally recognized our brilliance?"
"Seems like it." Harry said in a dry voice as they walked towards the thestral pulled carriages. Harry had looked up as much information as he could find on the creatures the very second he was able to.
The Thestral is a breed of winged horse with a skeletal body, face with reptilian features, and wide, leathery wings that resemble a bat's. They are native to the British Isles and Ireland, though they have been spotted in parts of other countries like France, they are very rare, and are considered dangerous by the British Ministry of Magic. Thestrals are, undeservedly in Harry's opinion, known as omens of misfortune and aggression by many wizards because they are visible only to those who have witnessed death at least once or due to their somewhat grim, gaunt and ghostly appearance. Harry was always able to see them, mostly because he had seen death many, many times just from watching Jet eat.
Astoria bid the group goodbye before she went with the rest of the first years to cross the lake by boat, Harry knew that it was tradition for all the first years to cross the lake but Harry along with many others really wished that they would just hurry things up so everyone can start eating. Harry was just glad that he was able to get his hunger and animal behavior under control in time for school.
Eventually Harry and his friends were able to arrive at the entrance to the castle, they had only taken a few steps forwards when Professor McGonagall and an irritated looking Professor Snape arrived in front of them.
"Mr Potter, please come with us." Professor McGonagall ordered.
"May I ask why?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow. "As far as I am aware I have broken no rules, in fact I had just gotten here. And if I am being quite honest I would rather not miss the feast after spending hours and hours on a train."
"Quite Potter," Snape said as he looked at him with an irritated expression. "cease your whining, we are not here to pander to your each and every desire." Harry stared back at the potions master, while wondering 'what in the ever lasting fuck is this guy's problem?'. Harry knew that the potions mater apparently had some problem with Harry's father but Harry had thought that the man would have bloody well gotten over it by now. Harry's father was dead, everyone knew that.
"I am merely asking why I am being held back, that is all." Harry calmly replied.
"Severus," Professor McGonagall interrupted when it looked like Snape was about to open his mouth again. "for Merlin's sake, show some control!" She hissed before turning to Harry and speaking in a much calmer voice. "Mr Potter, Professor Lupin has informed us about your close exposure to a dementor, we wish to simply take you to the hospital wing so Madam Pomfrey may check you over."
"Ah," Harry nodded in understanding. "I appreciate that Professor but I am fine, truly, I have not been exposed to the dementor anymore than anyone else."
"Perhaps not Mr Potter but you were far closer to one than anybody else, and I insist that you visit the hospital wing to make sure there are no long term negative side effects from your brief exposure." Professor McGonagall replied.
"Very well," Harry said with a small sigh as he turned to his friends. "guys, I'll see you later, save me a seat."
"Will do, mate." Blaise nodded to him before he turned and walked off along with the girls who all said goodbye.
"Professor," Harry said to Professor McGonagall. "is it truly necessary for you both to be here? I am perfectly capable of heading towards the hospital wing on my own."
"That's a maybe but I would rather at least one person be with you." Professor McGonagall replied.
"Well, in that case, might I suggest that Professor Snape leave and go enjoy himself in the great hall, after all we do not want to interrupt his busy schedule." Harry said, keeping his voice as polite as he could. The hardest part was keeping the sarcasm out of the his voice when he said the last two words. Snape sneered at him but gladly took the opportunity to storm away. Professor McGonagall said some things under her breath, things that Harry was sure she did not ever want a student to hear her say.
"Come with me, Mr Potter." Professor McGonagall said eventually, she turned and began walking to the hospital wing with Harry following after her.
"Professor," Harry spoke as they walked. "do forgive my bluntness but what in the seven hells is Professor Snape's problem with me? From what I understand it has something to do with my father."
"I...before I answer, may I ask what has brought this on? By that I am asking if there is a reason beyond his recent behavior." Professor McGonagall replied.
"Ever since I've came to this school I have been aware that Professor Snape does not like me," Harry began explaining. "he always looks at me like he hates me, you may recall during our meeting to discuss Jet that he mentioned my father. Whenever I am near him I always get the impression that if I was not a Slytherin then he would not be bothering to hide his dislike for me. Plus over the years he has made some 'very subtle' comments towards or about me, and he gets angry quite easily in my presence."
"Mr Potter," Professor McGonagall sighed. "Professor Snape and your father were in the same year, from what I understand they both detested each other to the extreme," Professor McGonagall said, she was tempted to mention the fact that the two competed over Lily Evans but refrained from doing so as she was not yet fully sure about how that would affect the relationship between Snape and young Harry. "Professor Snape would claim that your father and his friends were bullying him while your father and friends would claim that Professor Snape was the instigator and that he was the one to blame.
There were quite a few confrontations between them, I cannot claim to know about all of them, and there are a few that I will not mention but needless to say Professor Snape has never gotten over it."
"Okay...but...that is unbelievably stupid." Harry said after a few moments of silence.
"Mr Potter?" Professor McGonagall blinked.
"Forgive me but that is stupid on so many levels." Harry continued speaking. "First of all, you are aware that Mr Weasley and I do not get along?"
"Yes, I am." Professor McGonagall nodded, wondering where he was going with this.
"Well Mr Weasley's younger sister is in my house, despite my frustrations and dislike of him I have not done anything to her even though I easily could." Harry pointed out, Professor McGonagall frowned at that but conceded the point, it would be quite easy for Mr Potter to torment Miss Weasley if he desired. "And if that is not a good enough example then how about my new adopted family? They are quite literally related to Sirius Black, the mass murderer who has apparently broken out of Azkaban to kill me. Yet I didn't judge them based on their family relationships. And if I - a thirteen year old - can have enough self control to not judge and take out my anger on these people then Professor Snape, a man in his thirties, should have no excuse." Professor McGonagall for a moment wanted to argue against that case but knew that it was an argument that she would not win.
"Plus," Harry continued speaking. "he dislikes me because he dislikes my father, my father who is currently six feet underground and has been dead for years. Need I remind you that Professor Snape is a man who teaches at what many consider to be the premier school of magic, he should be professional enough to bury his grudge with my father's dead body instead of continuing it by going after the son who doesn't even remember the man. For the last few years I have behaved as well as I can, brought in a lot of points for Slytherin, have helped win the school quidditch cup twice so far and have exceled in all of my classes. I don't deserve to be judged because of the actions of someone else, especially a dead man who I was never responsible for unless you are all of the belief that it was irresponsible for me to stop it despite not being born. All I am asking for is professional behavior and to be made aware if that is not possible so I can look into other arrangements for my potions studies."
"I...will talk to Professor Dumbledore about this." Professor McGonagall said after a few moments. She had often thought that Severus should be better behaved around students, plus what did it say when a thirteen year old was acting more calm and controlled than he was. A few moments later they arrived in the hospital wing. "Poppy," Professor McGonagall said to Madam Pomfrey. "can you please inspect Mr Potter's health? He has come into close contact with a dementor."
"A dementor?" Madam Pomfrey gasped before she quickly rushed over. "Dear Merlin, I will never know what they are thinking. Please move your snake off of your shoulders, he may disrupt my spells." She said, Harry nodded and placed Jet on a nearby bed before allowing her to begin casting diagnostic spells on him.
"I have already fed myself some chocolate." Harry informed her.
"Really?" She asked with surprise in her voice, chocolate was a known way of decreasing the side effects from dementor exposure.
"I had heard that dementors would come to school and I researched them," Harry shrugged. "in my opinion it never hurts to be more prepared."
"Well...I wish I had more students that would act like you." Madam Pomfrey said as she continued casting spells. After several minutes she had finished. "Hmm, you seem to be fine Mr Potter, you may leave now, but I want you to head straight over here and inform me if you experience any problems, is that clear Mr Potter?"
"Crystal." Harry nodded before he picked up Jet and placed him on his shoulders. "Thank you for your help." Harry nodded before turning to Professor McGonagall. "Professor, may I go to the school feast now?" He asked.
"Yes," Professor McGonagall nodded. "I need to head there myself, follow me Mr Potter." Professor McGonagall said before she nodded to Madam Pomfrey. Professor McGonagall turned and began walking away, Harry gave Madam Pomfrey one last nod before he walked off after the Professor.
"By the way Professor," Harry said as he walked alongside her. "may I ask what we will be focusing on this year in your class?" Harry asked.
"Well Mr Potter, as this is your third year we will be focusing on quite a few different things such as hardening charms, owls to opera glasses and animagi." Professor McGonagall answered.
"Oh, speaking of animagi, I wanted to let you know that I have managed to become one." Harry said with a grin.
"Really?" Professor McGonagall stopped walking which in turn caused Harry to stop, she gave him a look that showed how hard she found it to believe. "In that case I believe you would not mind demonstrating."
"Sure." Harry smirked before he took Jet off of his shoulders and held him out so the Professor could take him. "Do you mind?" Harry said when she looked reluctant to hold him. Professor McGonagall frowned but did take Jet and carefully held him in her hands. Harry nodded to her and a second later he was replaced with a cat. "Meow." Cat-Harry meowed.
"Amazing." Professor McGonagall gasped as she looked at him, she was so impressed that she nearly dropped Jet. "That is most impressive Mr Potter, an animagus at your age, I can hardly believe it."
"Thanks Professor." Harry grinned after turning back into his human form. "I did it over the summer." Harry said as he took Jet from her and placed him over his shoulders.
"Have you registered?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"Yes, I have, ma'am." Harry nodded as the two began walking to the hall. "I live with a lawyer and a potions mistress so that makes the whole process a lot easier."
"Ah, Mr and Mrs Tonks." Professor McGonagall nodded in understanding. "Would I be correct in saying that Mrs Tonks helped you with the potion and Mr Tonks with the legality of it?"
"That would be right," Harry nodded. "but the whole family helped." Harry smiled. "They're good people, I'm rather glad I ended up with them."
"As am I, Mr Potter." Professor McGonagall said with a small smile.
"Harry," Daphne waved Harry over when he entered the hall, Harry took a seat between Daphne and Tracy, he was sitting opposite Angela and next to her was Blaise. Harry looked down the table and saw Astoria had been sorted in with the Slytherin first years, a few other students were still being sorted. "is everything okay?" Daphne asked.
"Yeah, I am fine." Harry replied. "Professor McGonagall just took me to Madam Pomfrey to make sure I was fine since I was the one who fought off the dementor."
"That was scary." Tracey shivered.
"Tell me about it." Harry said under his breath before he shook his head and turned to Daphne. "Sorry I missed your sister's sorting." Harry apologized.
"Harry, you fought off a dementor, I think you can be forgiven." Daphne said in a dry tone.
"Are you sure that you're alright?" Angela asked in a concerned voice.
"I'm good as can be." Harry said with a small smile.
"By the way," Blaise leaned forward and spoke in a low voice. "I heard Weasley had been spreading rumors about you fainting because of the dementors." Blaise said, earning angry looks from the girls, they all glared at the back of the head of an oblivious Ronald Weasley, who was quite lucky that the girls were not able to kill with their gaze.
"That's not a problem." Harry shrugged.
"Not a problem?" Tracey hissed with disbelief. "Harry, he's insulting you."
"Weasley is a stupid idiot, let him have his brief moments of victory. I can deal with him easily enough, he's as significant as...um...hold on...let me think of something..." Harry paused, Jet placed his head next to Harry's ear and hissed into it. "as significant as sweat from a baboons balls." Harry finished. "Thank you, Jet."
"Anytime brother." Jet lazily responded.
A.N: Hi guy's, hope you liked the chapter. There are two things I want to say:
Number the one: I have decided to not have Harry and Tonks have a physical relationship, if you do want to see that from me then I have a nice story called Apex for you all.
Number the two : I am currently trying to set up a account, it's a bit more complicated than I would have thought. It hasn't even asked for my payment details yet but whatever. Anyway I tried to launch it and am now being told that it is under review and someone will get back to me. Now I know I can't legally make money off fanfic stories but I've found a way around it.
To quote Richard Hammond, 'this is my genius' :
I plan to set my account around my Youtube channel and I will upload some playstation vids every now and then, and in the meantime if any of you lot ever want to 'throw some money my way/donate/tip' then it would be appreciated. I'm still working on it and hope to have it ready by tomorrow, if that happens I'll post a link for it. In the meantime does anyone know any other similar sites where I could get receive money?...Asking for a friend.
Anyway, thanks for reading and feel free to leave a review.