The Golden Boy

48

"I've Double Potions and Herbology today. What about you?"
"Charms. But that's not until 12:55." They both grimaced. They wouldn't see each other for a few hours. As they sat down at the breakfast table Professor Snape passed them. It would not have been suspicious had he not pointed to the staff table. More specifically Minerva Mcgonagall. She was staring at them. Hard. Guessing that it was a warning Blaise whispered to Harry to not make it known that they knew she was staring.
The duo continued on with breakfast but they were both on guard. More paranoid than before. Though they knew the professor wouldn't do anything. It didn't stop the worry.  Their shoulders didn't relax until she looked away to talk to Trelawney.
"Maybe she was just zoned out."
"If that was the case, Harry, Snape wouldn't have warned us."
"Ugh. She was staring so long I lost half my appetite." Blaise agreed.
"And we didn't eat enough." Harry patted his back as they walked out. "We might need to lay off all the food anyway. I think I gained twenty pounds in just a few days." Harry laughed loudly because he knew his best friend wasn't joking in the lightest.
"You might be right. I don't think I've ever been this big before."Blaise turned to face him instantly. But before he could comment Harry spoke. "I'll see you later, okay? Try not to annoy Snape too much."
"Ha. Like you need to tell me that. I'm sure I'm his favorite Slytherin." Harry could be heard laughing back to their Hufflepuff bedroom. "Tch, he's jealous."  Beside him he heard faint giggles. He might have side eyed the girls too hard because they ran away. Actually ran away.  Blaise sighed. 'Time for potions.'
As soon as he walked into class he went for the ingredients. Had Harry not told him what they were making he would have been extremely unprepared. He pulled out all that he needed and went to his seat.
Blaise watched silently as others walked in. A few looked his way. And some other Slytherins followed his lead. He smirked to himself.  But it fell when Snape came into the room. Robes billowing behind him. He looked even more annoyed than usual.
'Heres to the Gryffindors not being stupid today.' Blaise thought. Though multiple Slytherins thought the same thing.
Snape scanned the room and nodded. 'Smart little first years.'
"Today you will be brewing a Strength potion. I see some of my more competent students knew that and prepared adequately. Those who know what they're doing may start." He watched as a few gryffindors got up to grab the same ingredients as his slytherins. 'Silly Gryffindors.' He thought. 'They'll blow my classroom wide open.'
"To those of you who think they know what you're doing," He gave the gryffindors a warning look.  "If you blow up or melt a cauldron I'll have you cleaning the dungeon floor with a toothbrush." Severus smirked at the paled faces of the 11 year olds.  He then turned around to write the instructions on the board. 
"What do I do now?" Blaise rolled his eyes.
"You grind the arm bone into a fine powder then do the same to the snake fang."
'Idiot. The directions are on the board.' Blaise thought. 'I don't know why she helps the hopeless. Granger is much too smart.'
About an hour into class Snape addressed the class. "When should you add the Fanged Geranium?"
Blaise was reading a book but still registered the question and answered absentmindedly. "In 12 minutes. If you add it before then it will cause the potion to turn green and there will be no saving it." He turned the page as his eyebrows furrowed. 'Interesting. A calculated serial killer that thinks he has morals. Interesting indeed.'
"10 points to Slytherin." Blaise hummed. Too engrossed in his book. And Snape was glad the boy answered. He knew that when Harry or Blaise started to read they would zone out and forget their surroundings.
"So the potion shouldn't be any shade of green? Not even a light shade?" Blaise looked up from his book to across the room.
"You clearly did something wrong." Blaise muttered. He glanced at his Professor to see his face darkening in anger. 'I should probably put this away now.' Blaise pushed his book aside to watch what would probably be this child's death unfold. Severus walked over to the cauldron to try and save the potion before it got worse but it didn't work.
Snape banished the potion and told the Gryffindor to write a five page essay over the ingredients, preparation, and brewing process. "Next person who wants to mess up will be writing ten pages." The class again paled. "Zabini," Blasie met his gaze. "How much longer until we add the Fanged Geranium?"
"Seven more minutes Professor."
"What do we do after that?" The entirety of the class rolled their eyes when Granger started her infuriating hand waving. 
'Smart but annoying.' Severus couldn't help but think. When no one else raised their hand Severus called on the girl. "Yes Miss Granger."
"Once we add the Fanged Geranium we wait until the end of class to bottle the potion."
"It's not that simple. You've to stir widdershins thrice then wait five minutes to bottle it." A small blush crossed her face. Clearly embarrassed. Snape shook his head at the insufferable know it all.
Blaise knew that he didnt have much time before he needed to stir the potion but decided to clear his station anyway. He watched as some people had started to stir. And for a second he thought his counting was wrong. He leapt under Snape's desk as potions started to bubble and spew spores everywhere. Severus could be heard spelling shields around them.
Once he thought it was safe enough to come out he crawled from under the desk to look at the damage. Three students were covered in warts. Blaise could barely look at them.
"Mr. Longbottom, would you kindly take these students to the hospital wing." Neville nodded frantically and led his fellow gryffindors out of the dungeons.
Blaise was pulled from his thoughts by the baritone voice of the potions master. "Are you unharmed?"
"Ah, yes. We're alright." Snape nodded and went to walk around the classroom. Had to keep an eye out for any other brainless, spineless child.
"You all have a minute left. Get ready." Snape alerted everyone. Everyone grabbed their stirring rod.
"30 seconds." Blaise called out. All was quiet for the next 30 seconds.
"Now." All the students were silent as they stirred. Severus continued to monitor them.  In his peripheral vision he watched as Blaise stopped and sat down. 'Quick.' He smirked proudly. He saw a few others sit down as well.
It was quiet again as they all waited for the five minutes to pass. And once Blaise spoke everyone dived to the phials to bottle them. After that they lined them up and Snape said which ones were adequate and to him were 'Something even trolls could brew better.'
"Mhm. Clean up. Then you may go. Except Mr. Zabini. I need to speak with you after class."And with that he sat at his desk and started grading.  Blaise wondered what his head of house would need to talk about. He doubted it was about Blaze and Harry's revenge.
'Maybe he doesn't want me reading in class anymore.' When everyone was gone, Snape had told the other students to wait outside the door he turned to speak to Blaise.
"I needed to inform you that I had a talk with Mcgonagall yesterday." Blaise raised his eyebrow. As if to ask "What does that have to do with us?" Snape continued. "I told her that I was writing a letter to the Daily Prophet about all the bullying that goes on in this school. Starting with Harry's. Unless she gave me a reason not to."
"What did she say?"
"Quite honestly, nothing. She was frightened. She believed some of it. I also told her that I had already informed you and Harry of my plans and you had agreed."
'Explains why she was staring at us like that.' Blaise thought.
"I expect she will come to you and Harry to confirm it. I need you two to go along with it. If all goes well, you could get your revenge and still get them kicked out of the school."
"Harry will be happy to hear this, I'm sure. If that is all Professor." He said as he walked towards the door.
"Yes. You may go."
And he walked right to the green houses. Herbology was another class with the insufferable Gryffindors.
As soon as he walked in Professor Sprout waved to him happily. He had to resist the urge to sneer. It was a habit at this point.
'She knows. She knows the plan. Of course she knows the plan.' Blaise thought unsurprised. He was right. She knew Snape was going to keep him after class. That's why she didn't take any points.
"Now that everyone is here, we will be working with the Devil's Snare. It has the ability to constrict or strangle anything in its surrounding environment or something that happened to touch it. And not all herbalists have access to it."
Instantly four hands shot up. Though only one of them was waving back and forth.
"Um," She didnt know who to call on. "Mr. Nott what is your question?"
"Any drawbacks?"
"Good question! Struggling or resistance to Devil's Snare would cause the plant to exert a greater force of constriction. If you're able to maintain a presence of mind and relax, the Snare would relax its grip on you."
Blaise raised his hand enough to catch her attention. "Tips for if we were to encounter it?"
"Another good question! Devil's Snare preferred a dark, damp environment. It would stop its movement in the environment in front of bright light and would recoil away from the heat of fire, so a well-placed fire or light based spell such as the Bluebell Flames, Fire-Making Spell, Wand-Lighting Charm or Lumos Solem Spell would effectively drive it away from its victims." 
"Any more questions?" When no hands were raised Pomona continued teaching. And once again the class was truly invested in what they could learn. There would be no homework.
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"Sooooo bored. Never thought I'd be missing chores." Harry spoke to the ceiling. "And I won't be seeing Blaise till after 13:40. Ugghhhh. I'm bored." He groaned. The bored child rolled around on his bed in "agony."
"What to do? What to do?" He questioned aloud. 'I could read.' He looked at the pile of books. 'Not without Blaise.' He groaned again. This time it was louder and more tiring. 'I could catch up on my homework.' Harry dragged himself out of bed and to his desk. 'Why do I need to be so productive? Oh right! Reading a ton of books is the reward.'
And suddenly getting his homework done didn't seem so bad.
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Harry hoped he would at least see Blaise when he left their room to head to Charms. Just a glance. That would have been enough. But luck wasn't giving out petty wishes. A bit sad, tired and all round over it all he walked to class zoned out.
"Does anyone know what the wand-lighting charm is?" Terry Boot raised his hand. Upon being called on he answered. "A charm that illuminates the tip of the caster's wand, allowing the caster to see in the dark."
"Very good, very good. Today you are learning and casting that charm. Those of you who cast it correctly will earn 5 house points."
'Each?' Harry silently hoped he got it by the end of class. 'Maybe I could get my Ravenclaw friends back if I do well.'
"Now while Mr. Boot is right, the casting of the charm requires concentration. Take care not to accidentally set your wand alight as damage of this kind can be permanent. And at that point you're better off buying a lantern. The incantation is 'Lumos'. Say it with me now." For three minutes the class spoke the incantation.
'It doesn't even sound like a word anymore.' Harry inwardly groaned.
After a ravenclaw pointed out Harry's exact thought.  "Yes, I suppose it doesn't. Shall we move on to the wand movement?" At this the whole class nodded. And so Flitwick showed them the wand movement.
Flitwick dimmed the lights and waited to see who would light their wand.
'Flick wand, draw back, flick again.' Harry repeated this until he thought himself ready. When he flicked his wand, and muttered the word 'Lumos'.  A bright light flooded the room. 
'The first try? I got it on the first try!' His victory was short-lived. Professor Flitwick needed him to turn off the light now. He visibly cringed. Harry didn't know how.
Flitwhick told him everything he needed to know. The wand movement and incantation.
"It's like a wave, easy." Harry told himself. 'I can do this.'
"Nox." He made the half wave and darkness engulfed the tip of his wand.
"Good work Harry! five points to Hufflepuff."
Harry let a relieved sigh escape his lips. 'I did it.' He thought. 'I can't wait to tell Blaise.' He then looked over the room of his peers. There were dim lights and ones that would flicker. But that was enough light for Harry to see the looks they sent to him. As if they were angry he got the house five points instead of losing them. He thought they'd be happy. Harry thought they'd smile. Or at least acknowledge the small accomplishment.
Harry quickly stopped looking. He felt the anger and sadness start to rise but willed it away. 'I won't let this ruin my day. If they want to be like that I'll just show them that I don't need them. I don't need them or their praises.'
He reached for his wand again and began performing the charms over and over. Each time it was brighter than the last. It was fueled by his feelings. At the moment the only thing he was feeling was resentment.
Flitwick stood on his stack of books immensely impressed by Harry. He didn't see the look in Harry's eyes. Nor the scowl that was forming.
Luck wasn't giving out petty wishes today. Was it?