Harry Potter Short Stories

Inner Slytherin 4

"I'll take the transfiguration; it can't be worse than the cruciatus curse," said Harry.

"You think you could take that?"

"I have," said Harry.

"He has," confirmed Snape.

"Then this should be a piece of piss for you, laddie," she said.

It hurt, but it was no worse than when his head ached. Harry concentrated on thinking about his blue sky.

"I hope you inflict much pain on whoever has hurt this kid so bad he can lie there smiling," said Healer Nadder.

"I hope to do so," said Severus. "The boy has been through rather a lot. Can you fix him a pair of plain glass spectacles as well? It might be wise if nobody knows he can see without them."

"As you wish," she shrugged. "Whatever you're up to, I don't want to know."

"No, you really don't," said Severus.

Shortly thereafter they floo'd back to Severus' quarters, and Harry, practising his knee flexing, found he was able to go through without falling over, if not with elegance.

"You're a quick study, anyway," said Snape. "It's almost curfew; I'd better escort you to your common room in case anyone's watch is fast."

This meant Umbridge of course and Harry smiled grateful thanks.

"I can pay for the treatment when you take me to Gringott's," he said.

Snape surveyed him, and nodded.

"Thank you, Mr. Python," he said. "It means I will not have to worry if one of my own House needs treatment. I'm not too proud to accept. We shall commence your study on how to study tomorrow night."

"Sir, why didn't my father have his eyes fixed? And Dumbledore?"

"Your father did not want the pain. And Dumbledore? His eyesight degeneration may be old age, but as the old coot is a very fine transfigurationist himself, I suspect that his need for glasses might well be fictional, or he has glasses which are charmed to see the invisible."

"Is that possible?"

"It is, and I will consider doing the charm another time. But not tonight," said Snape.

oOoOo

Hermione joined Harry at his next supposed 'remedial potions' lesson.

"I read the book you loaned to Harry, sir," she said.

Snape regarded her.

"And what part of that statement was supposed to be news to me?" he asked. "Mr. Python has invited you to share his lessons, he has a book on the subject. It would be a surprise to me if you had not read the book. Did you understand it all?"

"No, sir."

"Thank goodness, a straight answer from the resident know-it-all. How much research did you do to cover the parts you did not understand?"

"Only a couple of hours," said Hermione. "I ... I thought perhaps you might have more coherent answers as you have experience ..."

"Now you HAVE surprised me," said Snape. "You actually give credit to me for knowing things that are not in the book? Will you perchance also at times respect my Mastery of the art of potioneering to believe me if I tell you that the book is not always telling you to do things in the best possible way?"

"Isn't it? Why not? Why do we have a text book which isn't telling us the best way to go about things?"

"There are three reasons. Firstly, because nobody has got around to writing a better text book for English students than the one we use. Secondly, because it simplifies things down for dunderheads to be able to reproducibly produce a potion which will do the job adequately, if not efficiently. Thirdly, because the only text book in the world which covers a similar course and which is better is in German. Do you read German, Miss Granger? I doubt many people do."