Dark Lord

Snape?!

When (M/N) got a letter from his sons, he was incredibly happy yet anxious, worried that something had gone wrong. "My Lord, what could have possibly happened to them? They barely just left!!!" "You don't know, Regulus!!! They could've been attacked-" "Who'd be dumb enough to attack your sons? Besides, you've already taught them several curses, hexes, and jinxes!!! They're fine!! It probably is just telling you what houses they're in." The older male said nothing as he ripped open the envelope and began to read the letter. Reg was right. "It says Harry's in Slytherin and Neville's in Gryffindor. They better not fight with each other, or I'll send them Howlers every damn day!!!!" Regulus just shook his head and chuckled while the 'Dark' Lord puffed out his cheeks, still reading the letter, which was mostly just about their classes. Regulus noticed (M/N) suddenly tense up, now glaring at the parchment. The older male looked up, frowning, and said almost angrily, "Snape is teaching at Hogwarts." 

Harry walked up to breakfast with Draco and Blaise while Neville made his way down to the Great Hall with Hermione and Ron (who was one of his roommates). Today, they'd have class together for the first time, because they had Double Potions with Snape. The six all walked down to Potions together, Ron and Draco glaring at each other the entire time. 

Snape started his class by taking roll call, but when he reached Harry's name, he had a strange reaction. He paled just a little and a look of confusion, hatred, and worry mixed together dawned on his face. He quickly finished calling the names and looked up at the class. "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began. Snape spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word - he had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." More silence followed this little speech. Hermione was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.

"Riddle!" Snape snapped suddenly. Both Riddles looked at each other and then at their teacher. "Harry Riddle." He corrected, Harry nodding in understanding. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Hermione's hand had shot straight into the air. "A potion called the Draught of Living Death, which I believe is a powerful sleeping potion." Harry answered as he looked over questioningly at Neville, who nodded in affirmation. Snape scowled as he asked another question. "Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat, but the question had obviously been directed at Harry for some odd reason. "I look in the stomach of a ram?" "Goat." Neville corrected his brother. "Right. The stomach of a goat." Snape's scowl deepened. "If you're so clever, Riddle, then what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling. Snape was still ignoring her, however. "That's a trick question, they're actually the same plant." Harry replied with a smug look on his face. "It's also known as aconite..." Neville added. It was thanks to him, after all, that Harry knew anything about plants. Their dad and Uncle Reg taught them the rest. Snape didn't look pleased in the slightest. "Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?" There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment as the students rushed to obey. The professor placed them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. Harry and Neville were very pleased when they were allowed to partner together. Snape swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs. He was criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like, and the Riddles, though the look on his face said that he desperately wanted to find something wrong with their potion. In fact, he was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Draco had stewed his horned slugs, even though the Riddle brothers were doing everything perfectly as well, when a large fire erupted. Seamus, one of Neville's new roommates, had somehow set Dean's cauldron ablaze, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools. Seamus, however, had to be helped onto his by Dean, for he was covered in third-degree burns and was moaning in agony. "Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away and extinguishing the flames with one wave of his wand. "How did you manage to set the whole cauldron on fire?!" Seamus only answered in whimpers and groans, in too much pain to actually speak. "Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Dean. Then he rounded on Ron and Hermione, who had been working next to Seamus. He proceeded to accuse the two of sabotaging the boy to make themselves look better and took points away from Gryffindor. Harry and Neville shared dark looks, but neither said anything and just continued to focus on their potion. They didn't like Snape much, and they had a feeling he didn't like them. Or at the very least, he didn't like Harry.

"How is that arsehole a Professor at Hogwarts?! Didn't we frame him for the Potters murders?! He's a known Death Eater!!! Why would Dumbledore allow him to teach?!?!"Regulus tried to calm his Lord down, but the older man was too pissed and worried to be reassured so easily. "I can ask around, gather information." He offered, causing (M/n) to pause momentarily, a small smile slipping past his lips. "...Yes, thank you, Regulus." The younger male bowed slightly, before a different owl flew in and delivered another letter. This one was from the Malfoys. Reg frowned. "I see Lucius hasn't changed a bit." (M/N) chuckled. "He hasn't, has he? Well, I suppose he could prove useful, so for now let's play nice. Besides, from the sound of Harry and Neville's letter, they consider Draco a friend, and we wouldn't want to ruin that."