Paternal Instincts

Chapter 10

Severus Snape looked through the namelist of his first year Potion's class, calling out the names in alphabetical order.

"Draco Malfoy"

"Here", Draco held up his hand.

Snape looked at him approvingly. Draco looked so much like Lucius who was his friend and former mentor.

He finally reached Harry Potter's name. Potter's brat had arrived and he looked just like his worthless father. Bet Potter was proud of his son's fame. Both father and son received fame and popularity they didn't deserve. He mocked the kid by making a comment about his celebrity status and delighted in seeing the Slytherin students snigger in amusement. It was like seeing James Potter himself humiliated. To his surprise, rather than sniggering, Draco Malfoy shot Harry a stunned look with raised eyes. He continued his roll call and until he reached the end of the name list.

He then began his same, dramatic introduction speech that made his subject seem more intriguing than it really was. Draco's eyes perked up in interest, but Harry's eyes looked blank with disinterest just like his father's did during Potions class. Potions was the subject Lily was most passionate about and she always showed interest in it. He asked Harry a question from the Potions textbook. He ignored Hermione Granger's hand as he hated showoffs. Potter's only response was "I don't know sir". This satisfied him as it gave him an opportunity to further pick on Potter's brat. He mocked him by subtlety implying he was too stupid for his fame.

He asked him a second question and continued to ignore Hermione Granger's hand. He received the same "I don't know, sir", which only gave him more satisfaction. The kid was handing himself on a platter to be humiliated. He made a mocking comment about how he should have opened a book before coming. He enjoyed making James Potter's son look stupid. He asked him a third question and the annoying Granger girl held her hand up again a third time. That girl was beginning to look like just as big of a showoff as James Potter and even he wasn't as big of a show off till he achieved his Quidditch fame.

"I don't know sir, but Hermione seems desperate to answer a question though. Why don't you try her?" said Harry as a few Gryffindors laughed. Even Draco Malfoy looked like he was controlling a snigger.

This set him off. The brat was just like his father. Not only did he not inherit his mother's interest in Potions, he was a sarcastic, cheeky bastard like his father. Granger put her hand down after he snapped at her. Snape mockingly gave Harry the answers to the three questions. He also took this opportunity to deduct a point from Gryffindor.

Snape got the class brewing a simple potion to cure boils. He criticized quite a number of students but praised Malfoy and a few of his Slytherins. A clumsy boy, Neville Longbottom missed one of the instructions and caused an accident which had him in boils. He insulted Neville and snarled at him for missing the instruction and had Seamus Finnigan bring him to the hospital wing. Snape also decided he wanted an excuse to pick on Harry anyways, even if the boy had no part in the accident, so he accused him of trying to make himself look good by not warning Neville and deducted another point from him. He didn't care that he should objectively have punished the whole class by that logic. Snape saw the cheeky bastard open his mouth to retort but was stopped by his redhead friend.

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"Potter", Draco called out as Harry and Ron were heading back to their Common Room

Harry turned around to see Draco Malfoy approaching him with his usual cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.

"Alright, Malfoy?"

Draco turned around to makesure no one else was within earshot.

"Blimey Potter. You were right about Professor Snape taking out his hatred for your father on you,"