Harry went up to the hospital wing to find out how his father was doing. When he arrived he saw Snape drinking a cup of tea. Harry at once was relieved to see that he was alright.

   “What happened?” Harry asked him.

   “It seems that someone thought it would be funny to put a knife on my desk. I cut myself.”

   “But I’ve cut myself loads of times and didn’t pass out,” Harry said.

   “The thing had poison on it,” Madam Pomphrey said, “And he was being an idiot in not accepting my help.”

   “I was doing fine, Poppy,” Snape told her and she huffed.

   “Likely story,” Madam Pomphrey said and then turned to Harry, “You need to put some sense in him.”

Harry grinned, “Like he’s going to accept my help.”

   “Darn right,” Snape said, “I do fine by myself.”

   “Well I hope that you’re going to find out who did this to you,” Madam Pomphrey suggested, crossing her arms and looking at the man. “Can you at least do that?”

   “Oh don’t worry, I’ll take care of it,” Snape vowed.

   “Good,” Madam Pomphrey said and went back to work.

 

Snape was released from the hospital wing a few days later just in-time for the next Potions lesson. Malfoy was once again pretending that his arm was hurting him and Snape was on the verge of showing him real hurt. Harry was up front, working on a Quick Wit Solution and from what Snape was seeing his son was doing it right. A few rows down Longbottom was having his usual problems. He groaned and walked over to where Longbottom’s cauldron was.

 “Mr. Longbottom; is there anything that you can do?” he asked the plump boy.Poor Longbottom shivered under his eyes.

“Ten points from Gryffindor and an essay on how to do this potion right.”

 He then returned to the front.

 By the end of the lesson he had taken eleven points from Slytherin because he caught Malfoy trying to ruin his son potion. He hid it under the fact that he was making Slytherin house look bad by proving that he had lied. Malfoy started his moaning line and that earned a stay behind.

 “Mr. Malfoy do you think that I was born a minute ago,” he asked the blond boy.

“I wasn’t doing anything wrong?” Malfoy lied.

“You were caught by all of the Gryffindors and me as well. They could have gone to Professor McGonagall, telling her that you were faking your injury. If you’re going to continue being a Slytherin you have to make it look as though you’re not doing anything wrong. And from what I’m seeing your doing that as well as Longbottom is brewing his potions. Therefore I’m taking another five points from Slytherin for lying to your Head of House and you get detention and a personal punishment.”

Malfoy looked scared and Snape was glad. No one tried to harm his son.

   “Leave Mr. Malfoy or I’ll take more points off,” Snape threatened and the blond boy got out of there.

 

“I can’t believe that Snape came back,” Ron snarled, “I thought that I had gotten him good.”

Harry was busy working on his History of Magic but stopped and looked at him. “What did you just say?”

   “I said that I thought that I got back at Snape but he’s still around,” Ron told him.

Harry saw red and grabbed Ron by the neck, “Why did you do that, you little snot?” Harry growled.

   “Harry, you’re hurting him,” Hermione said, fear in her voice.

   “He was the one that attacked the Professor,” Harry told her, “He was the one that put poison on that blade that almost cost him his life.”

Hermione gasped and then she asked, “You really didn’t do that, did you?”

   “Of course I did, now get off of me,” Ron snarled.

   “Oh Ron, you almost killed Professor Snape,” Hermione said.

   “Like I care about what happens to him,” Ron told her, “He’s a git and he hurt Harry.”

   “He didn’t hurt me,” Harry told him, releasing him.

   “Like I believe that,” Ron said, “I can’t believe that you’re defending Snape. I thought we hated him.”

   “I may not like him but you can’t poison people,” Harry said, hoping that Ron believed the lie. “Now get away from me before I send you to the hospital wing.”

Ron got up, muttered something, and then left.

   “Are you alright, Harry?” Hermione asked.

   “I’m fine,” Harry said, going back to his work.

   “Want to talk about it?” she asked him and Harry shook his head. “Are you sure?”

Harry slammed his quill on the table, making several people stare at them, “I’m fine, Hermione, now leave me alone.”

And he got up and left her alone.

 That night he was still in a foul mood with not only Ron but Hermione. It didn’t stop the next morning in Herbology. They were working on a Albania Tuff Tuff Bomb Bomb plant, a plant that waved its seed around and if you weren’t careful, and got it agitated by doing the pruning incorrectly, you got a face-full of whatever it had. Ron got the first shot and ended up going to the hospital wing because he smelled so bad that not even Sprout wanted to be around him.

   “Stupid git,” Harry muttered, though his muttering landed him in the wing as well, though he sat on the further side of the room.

   “I hope the both of you will start talking,” Madam Pomphrey said, through a mask.

   “No,” Harry snarled.

   “Not on your life,” Ron said.

Madam Pomphrey shook her head and slammed ‘Stink Patents: Wear masks, please’ sign on the door to the wing.

 Several hours later Professor Snape came to collect Harry. Ron at once wanted to know why Harry was being allowed to leave.

   “He cheated on his essay,” Snape told him, “Now get your stinky butt back on your bed.”

He motioned Harry to follow him and when they were out of earshot Snape told him the truth.

   “I have a remedy for that smell,” Snape told him.

   “Thanks, I don’t think I could stand being in the same room as attempted murderer.”

He then told his father that Ron had done the deed.

   “I’ll have a word with the Headmaster,” Snape promised.

   “Good,” Harry said.

 The remedy turned out to be real bad. He was dunked in a vat of vinegar and had to let Snape scrub the smell off him. Harry didn’t know what was worse the smell of the plant or the vinegar? Another part that was worse was the fact that Snape burned his uniform.

   “I’ll have a pair ordered for you,” Snape told him. “But if you put the uniform back on the smell will return.”

Harry at once could care less for the uniform now.

   “Now I’ve got something that I need to talk to you about,” Snape told Harry.

  “Sure, what?”

   “Have you ever heard of the Wolfsbane Potion?” Snape asked him and Harry shook his head. “The potion was invented to enable a werewolf to keep his mind when he transformed. The lost of the human mind is what makes werewolves dangerous. Therefore you must drink the potion everyday for a week up to the full moon.”

   “And this will make me safe,” Harry said.

   “Yes,” Snape answered.

   “Then I’ll drink it,” Harry said, “I don’t want to attack anyone.”

   “Glad to hear that,” Snape said, “But I must warn you that the potion tastes real bad and sugar makes it useless.”

   “When will you start brewing it?”

   “In two days,” Snape answered, “Now why don’t you sleep in your room and then return to class tomorrow.”

 Snape had been polite when he told Harry that the potion tasted bad. On the day that he had to drink it Harry felt as though he was about to vomit. But he drank it without complaint though it was on his face. When he was finished Snape filled another goblet and excuse himself.

   “So this potion will make you safe,” Hermione said.

   “Yes,” Harry said.

He had just finished explaining about what the potion did and he had included that it tasted bad.

   “Well usually the worst taste bad,” Hermione told him.

   “Thanks for pointing that out,” Harry said.

    “So when will you be back with us?” Hermione asked him.

   “A few days after the full moon,” Harry said, “Hermione, I’ve got a bad feeling that it’s going to hurt.”

Hermione put a hand on his arm. “Don’t worry, it won’t last long.”

Harry knew that Hermione was trying to make him feel better but it wasn’t helping.

 The next day he took the potion again and then that night he went to practice for the match against Slytherin. Wood was working them hard but Harry could feel the Full Moon coming and he wasn’t as focus as he usually was.

   “Are you alright, Potter,” Wood asked.

   “I’m fine,” Harry lied.

 When he got back from his match everyone was excited about the coming Hogsmeade visit. Ron at once told Harry that he should talk to Professor McGonagall about allowing him to go even though Uncle Vernon hadn’t signed the form.

   “I don’t think so,” Harry said, “The Dementors are out here and I don’t want to face them.”

   “But, Harry-.”

   “Don’t but Harry me,” Harry said, “I don’t want to go to Hogsmeade but I’m hoping that you bring me plenty of sweets.”

   “Don’t worry, we will,” Hermione said.

Harry smiled at her and then Crookshanks jumped on Hermione’s lap, a spider in its mouth.

   “Does it have to eat that here?” Ron asked.

   “Oh clever Crookshanks, did you catch that all by yourself,” Hermione said.

   “Well keep that thing away from Scabbers, he’s in my bag sleeping,” Ron said.

At once the cat leaped up and attacked the bag. Ron yelled, swinging it around. However the cat held on and only let go when the bag ripped.

 Scabbers bolted, Crookshanks behind him, and then hid under a drawer. Crookshanks tried to grab for it but Scabbers was out of reach. Hermione took hold of Crookshanks and drew him away.

   “What’s wrong with your stupid cat?” Ron demanded and then went to get Scabbers.

   “It’s not his fault,” Hermione said.

   “There’s something wrong with that animal,” Ron said, “It attacked my bag as soon as I mentioned that Scabbers was in it.”

   “Oh what rubbish, he could smell Scabbers.”

But Ron wasn’t convinced and Harry was certain that something wasn’t right with the rat. He decided to take it and have the rat checked out by his father. If anyone could find out exactly what was wrong with the rat and why Crookshanks was attacking it all the time his father could.