A New Story

Chapter 3

Harry had only been at Hogwarts for about 8 months but he knew that rumors spread as quick as fire here and this morning was a good example of that.

He was going to the Great Hall for breakfast with Ron when he heard someone ask him,

'Hey, Potter, is it true that you defeated Voldemort again and Professor Snape saved you yesterday night?'

'Where did you hear that from?' Ron questioned. 

'One of the Gryffindor firsties, she told us that she was trying to find the kitchen for a midnight snack when she heard people talking in the infirmary and she eavesdropped. She's telling everyone. I'll bet that it will be the headline for tomorrow's Daily Prophet.'

'Ugh, why can't people stop putting me in the limelight, it's so annoying. I'm already the boy-who-lived and now I will be known for defeating Voldemort for the second time.' Harry groaned.

As soon as the stepped into the Great Hall, the conversation stopped entirely and everyone was staring at Harry. Sure enough, people started crowding around Harry, giving him pats on his back and asking him questions, he was even sure that a camera light flashed before his eyes. 

'People! Give the poor kid some space.' Fred and George shouted while pushing the crowd away.

'Thanks.' Harry said and let out a sigh of relief when the crowd slowly dispersed.

'No problem, I think if you don't want to attract attention you should come with us. That Carmine girl is bonkers, she keeps going up to random people and telling them about your supposed incident. Come on, we're going to lead you to over secret little spot. Bring your friends if you want. You can have breakfast there in peace.' one of the twins told him, Harry still couldn't figure out which one was which.

So Harry went and found Hermione and Ron and told them to accompany him to this secret spot that Fred and George told him about. 

After they got out of the Hall, Fred put an invisibility charm around all of them and joked,

'We wouldn't want some fangirl following us, would we?'

'Oh and we almost forgot. You need to swear that you will never reveal the spot to anyone without our permission or else you will face some of our nasty pranks.' the twins chimed in unison.

'We promise that we will never ever do that.' Hermione said faithfully.

'Good.'

They reached the end of the narrow corridor and George murmured a password, suddenly a door appeared out of nowhere.

'Wicked.' said Ron, seemingly amazed by the entrance. 

The door opened to find a cozy living space with sofas and beanbags and a table with some chairs around it.

'Make yourselves comfortable and yell "Bing" if you want some food. He's the house elf and chef of Hogwarts and we made sure he wouldn't tell anyone about this room.' the twins told them.

'I've read all about house elves and their treatment and I think it's very unfair that they have to endure the abuse of  their masters just because they were not given a piece of clothing.' Hermione said disapprovingly.

'Well Granger, some elves enjoy working for wizards and witches and do not wish to be free, they might even be distraught if you free them. Bing is one of them. So don't go jumping to give an elf a sock when you don't know if they would like one. Okay?' Fred said slowly as if he was talking to a toddler.

Hermione nodded, slightly embarrassed.

'Now onto the important business. Potter, did you seriously do what Carmine said or is she just some attention-seeking cuckoo.' George asked.

'Yes, what she said was true but that didn't give her the right to blab all about it to everyone.' Harry muttered in displeasure.

'Blimey Harry.' both of them said.

'It's both funny and scary how easily people believe in rumors,' Hermione remarked. 'For all they knew, Carmine could've just been making stuff up.' she added.

'Harry, tell us more about it, we want to know all the details.' pleaded the twins.

So Harry recounted the event again with the twins interrupting at some points to ask him questions.

'Bit hungry now.' Harry told them and all of a sudden his stomach rumbled.

'Bing!' 

A little creature with big ears and grey hairs popping out at places, popped in and said, 'Yes Master Fred, how can Bing serve Master today?' 

'Please give us some breakfast.'

'Yes, right away.'

He disappeared and reappeared in a few seconds with a load of food. 

They all ate the food quickly and rushed off to their first classes. 

After the first period, Harry decided to go to the infirmary to check up on how Professor Snape was, his brain was saying no but when had he listened to it and so he went. When he went in, he saw his professor, whose face was without the glamor, propped up by some pillows  and the Headmaster was talking to him. 

He knew he shouldn't but he listened in.

'Severus, you do know that glamour charms aren't allowed correct?'

'Yes, Albus.' he said, rolling his eyes, too tired to argue with him.

'From now on, you cannot have the charm on, I'm sorry.' 

'However ridiculous the rule is, I understand.'

'I will make an announcement when you recover and are fit to teach again so that the students will not be confused.'

Then, he turned around and started to walk to the door and Harry was relieved that he was out of his sight.

Then, he walked over to his professor's bed and greeted him,

'Hello, professor. I was wondering how you are doing.'

'I am fine, Potter.'

'Good.'

There was a moment of absolute silence.

'Why did you come here?'

'I was hoping to thank you for saving me and I'm sorry I am the reason you got ill.'

'I did what any responsible adult did, I couldn't just leave you there. Just promise me to never ever risk your life again.'

'Thank you, professor. Sorry for Hermione lighting your robes on fire during the quidditch tournament. Hermione thought you were jinxing my broom, now that I think about him, I think it was Quirrell who was casting it, right?'

'Yes, I do not understand why the Headmaster hire these kinds DADA teachers every year.'

'Would you mind if I did my transfiguration homework here? I have a free period and all my friends have classes to attend.'

'That would be alright, Mister Potter. Would be better for you to stay here than go and start some other kind of trouble again.'

'I don't start the trouble, trouble finds me.'

He started to get his homework out of his bag and doing it at Severus's bedside. When Severus saw that he was having some trouble with a question, he actually helped him with it.

Harry felt grateful to the professor. He thought maybe he wasn't as bad as he seemed.