Dunderhead - A Harry Potter story: Snape becomes Harry's mentor

Chapter 16: SNAPE'S OFFICE

Harry wasn't sure how mature it was to hang upside down on a couch with his best friend, having a conversation about what it would be like if furniture were kept on the ceiling instead of on the floor. But in that moment he hardly cared. Several feet away were two stacks of books; - one Harry's, and one Ron's - and both had been placed there with the intent that they would encourage the boys in the completion of their homework. Unfortunately, Harry and Ron were quite content to busy themselves with anything but homework, and little did they know that this was the scene which would greet Hermione as she entered the relatively quiet common room: that of two large feet propped up on the back of the couch, with no bodies in sight.

"What are you two doing?" Hermione's weary voice caused Ron and Harry to exchange glances. 

Her expression and stance were easy for them to imagine. Her hand was most likely resting on her forehead, which would be wrinkled in frustration while the other would be stationed on her hip in a credible imitation of Molly Weasley. Harry righted himself and turned to Hermione, offering her a weak smile. 

"We're studying the effects of gravity on one's ability to do magic." Ron supplied, after having thought about it for a moment while still hanging in his upside down position.

"Don't lie to me," Hermione sighed, walking around the couch and staring down at her friends. "Your wands are both sitting over there and whether right-side-up or upside-down, the force of gravity on your bodies is the same, it's just distributed differently." She sniffed at them, as informative in her telling-off as she was in her praise.

"We didn't say the circumstances for experimentation were ideal but at least its an effort." Harry replied in a long suffering tone. 

Hermione rolled her eyes but then looked back at Harry anxiously. "Look, I came up here to tell y-"

"-That we're gonna miss dinner? Yeah, we know, we're coming." Ron said, and Hermione huffed at the interruption but stood back to let Ron get to his feet. She watched with a raised eyebrow as Ron slid to the floor in an ungainly heap, his long legs sprawling over his head and his elbows tucked underneath him. Harry laughed as Ron rolled over onto his knees like a beetle righting itself. 

"No." Corrected Hermione, "I was going to say that Professor Snape wants you, Harry." She said, turning to him expectantly.

The grin fell off both Harry and Ron's faces. "What? But Harry's doesn't have Occlumency until Monday evening! It's only Thursday!" Ron gaped at Hermione, looking outraged on Harry's behalf.

"Well maybe he wants to change the date or something." Hermione suggested. She looked at Harry and her face softened, "Just go down and see what he wants. And don't lose your tempter." She added gently, recognising Harry's apprehension.

Harry slouched upstairs to his and Ron's dormitory to pick up his bag. He considered that bringing his Occlumency book might be a good idea in case Snape decided to spring a lesson on him now. Although, having a lesson before dinner, and one so close to Monday's embarrassing events, seemed unlikely. "Hopefully he won't keep me." Harry said to Ron, who had joined his friend upstairs in sympathy. "Will you keep some treacle tart for me if he does run over into dinner?" Harry asked, trying not to look pathetic as he asked this.

"Yeah, 'course, mate." Ron replied soothingly, helping Harry to pile his school books under his bed and replace them with anything that he might need for Snape's extra Occlumency lesson, if indeed that was what he was going to now.

"Better hurry up, Harry!" Hermione called up the stairs. She was picking at a stray strand of cotton on her sleeve anxiously as she waited at the foot of the boy's dormitory. "He won't appreciate you keeping him waiting."