Harry Potter and the Misunderstanding

CHAPTER 10: SOAP

After breakfast, Snape ordered Harry into the library where the same books, parchment, ink and quills as yesterday were laid out on the desk waiting for him.

"You will spend today making up the work that you should have completed yesterday," the man growled at him. "There will be no playing outside for you today, Potter. When you have finished, you will stay in your room for the rest of the day."

 Snape paused here and seemed to consider Harry. "You may bring some books upstairs, just don't leave your room until I get back. And heaven help you if I come home to find you've disobeyed me again, young man." 

And then he was gone, and Harry was blessedly alone. Harry sighed as he looked at the books piled on his desk. This time he'd be sure to carry the finished papers with him everywhere. Noddy would not be hiding them from him again.

It only took a couple of hours to finish the lessons. Harry found that it wasn't easy to remember exactly how he'd written his first essay, and it was irritating to be doing the same work a second time but he was able to insert a few points he'd forgotten from the first time. Writing with a quill was hard work, and Harry was still trying to master the technique. Most sentences were still rife with smears and blots of ink, and it still got all over his fingers. But soon enough, Harry was able to cap the ink and blow on his final piece of parchment to dry it.

But what to do now? He didn't want to spend the whole day outside again. It was nice to be out in the fresh air, of course, but out there, Harry had no sense of time passing. He was worried about being locked outside too. He wouldn't put it past Noddy to do that...

Besides, hadn't Snape told him not to go outside? He was to spend the day in his room, although he was allowed to take books with him. Harry chose three thick volumes and, making sure to tuck his papers into the front cover of the largest book, retired to his room.

He actually found that this was preferable to going outside. His room felt somewhat safer than the rest of the house. 

Promptly at noon, Harry's door crashed open without warning.

Harry, who had not heard Noddy coming up the stairs, jumped out of his skin at the sudden appearance of the tiny creature who barged into his room, carrying a tray of food.

"Young Master's lunch is ready." Noddy spat at him, slamming the tray down on the chest of draws and glaring hatefully at Harry before leaving the room as noisily as he had arrived.

Harry didn't touch the tray for a long time, fearing some kind of trickery on Noddy's part. Why would he suddenly serve Harry lunch after practically chasing him out of the kitchen the day before and lying to Snape in order to get Harry punished? But finally Harry's stomach got the better of his fear and he slipped out of his chair and crossed the room to grab the tray. 

A shallow bowl of soup, a slice of plain bread, and a cup of tea. It didn't look too bad. Not at all, in fact. However, Harry ate tentatively. He nibbled around the edges of the bread, waiting for his insides to start clenching under the effects of some caustic poison. When several minutes had passed without him falling to the floor, dead, Harry gave in and devoured his lunch, grateful for the two meals he had had so far and wondering if he'd be pushing it too far to expect dinner.

-

 
Several hours later, Harry stood, uncertain, in the middle of his bedroom, wondering what he should do. His heart was crashing in his chest so rapidly that he could hardly think. Harry had been speechless when Snape had apologised to him for yesterday's loss of temper. Despite the... insincerity of the man's apology, no one had ever cut Harry slack before, and it had been a shock. Of course, it hadn't lasted. Not five minutes had gone by before he was out of favour again, this time for lying about the clothes he had brought with him.