Second Chance at Saving Them {Harry Potter}

A Letter From Padfoot

So I was going to update several times in the past month but got sidetracked with finals and the holidays and whatnot. I'm really sorry and I know you've been asking for updates for a while.

What famous potion did Harry's grandfather create?

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In the next week or so following the second task, there was a strange lack of Rita Skeeter articles. Or rather, strange to everyone who didn't know Luna had Skeeter in a charmed glass jar on her bedside table. This lack of articles was good news for everyone except Skeeter and the fourth year Slytherins who had enjoyed using her scathing quotes as ammunition against Harry and the others. On the other hand, Hermione was extremely pleased with this new norm, seeing as she wasn't receiving threatening letters from people she didn't know.

During a Potions lesson mid-March, the Slytherins were taunting the Gryffindors once more, but without new material from Skeeter, they had to resort to older insults and, Harry thought with some amusement, how ridiculous Harry had looked with gills. Even though none of them retorted in any way, Snape seemed to think the Slytherins provided a large enough case to separate the trio.

Unsurprisingly, he brought Harry to the very front by his desk. Harry could feel his temper rising. Even though he was used to Snape's unfairness, this was ridiculous even for him. Quietly, so only Harry could hear, Snape started trying to get a rise out of Harry. He remembered where this was going; Snape accusing him of breaking into his stores.

Even so, Harry kept his eyes on his work and his mouth shut until Snape questioned him.

"Do you know what this is, Potter?"

Harry looked up and saw Snape holding a small vial full of a clear liquid. "It's Veritaserum. Super strong truth potion. Let me guess: your hand might just slip into my pumpkin juice?"

"Watch your - " Snape started.

"I really miss first year." Harry interrupted, glancing away from his potion for only a moment to read the professor's reaction. "Do you remember my first year?"

Snape fell silent as the threat became clear. His scowl deepened as he considered a retort, but just then, Karkaroff came bursting into the room, drawing Snape's attention from Harry.

"We need to talk." He said, but Snape was quick to wave him off, making the excuse of checking another nearby student's cauldron. Karkaroff would not leave, however, determined to talk to Snape.

Harry shifted his attention back to his potion. He already knew what the conversation was about, and had no need for Snape to think he was snooping into his personal life.

So when the bell rang, he packed as quickly as possible and got out of the room. But in his haste, he left behind his notes from that day. He considered leaving them but assumed he'd get in even more trouble for that, so he waved Ron and Hermione on and went back to the dungeons. He knocked on the door and after a moment Karkaroff came out looking none too happy, and Harry heard Snape say to come in.

"Sorry, I just forgot my notes." Harry said before Snape could say anything, and ran to the front to grab his notes before starting to walk away.

"Potter."

Harry winced and turned around, "Yes, Professor?"

"You would do well not to listen in to others' private conversations."

"I wasn't lis-" Harry tried to protest, but he was cut off by Snape dismissing him. He bit his tongue and walked out. He moved to shove his notes into his bag while he made is way back to the Gryffindor common room. In doing so, he bumped into someone who was putting her own papers in her bag.