‘Harry Potter?'

Harry, who had just got up from the dinner table, turned around and looked up at a tall boy with dark-blond hair and blue eyes. ‘Yes?' he asked, although he had a good idea who this was.

‘I'm Brutus Brackley; Professor Snape asked me to tutor you in Potions,' the boy said.  ‘He's already told you, hasn't he?' Upon Harry's nod he added, ‘I thought we could start tomorrow evening, or do you have another appointment?'

‘Erm, no,' Harry admitted, a bit upset about his first tutorial being scheduled so soon. ‘Tomorrow would be fine.'

‘Okay,' the older boy said enthusiastically, ‘so meet me in front of the potions classroom at half past seven and bring all your potions stuff, if you still have it also from your previous years, okay? Oh, and make sure you have all your other homework done by that time, as we're likely to be a while.'

Harry nodded, and the older boy hurried off. Harry looked after him, feeling rather irritated by his attitude. What did he think who he was, ordering him around like that? What was it to him if Harry had finished his homework or not? And why couldn't he just ask Harry about what he thought they should practise? Grimly Harry thought that he should have known that Snape would choose the most annoying person for tutoring him. 

The following evening, Harry still didn't feel very motivated as he slowly walked towards the potions classroom to meet Brutus Brackley at the assigned time. Since he never left any of his school things with the Dursleys he had in fact been able to retrieve his potions books and his notes from the first two years, and as he carried his heavy satchel he thought that this must be how Hermione's bag always felt.

His designated tutor was already waiting for him in front of the classroom. However, when Harry arrived, it was not the door to Harry's usual classroom that Brackley opened but one a bit further down the corridor. He motioned Harry to follow him, and they entered a very small room that was set up as a potions classroom for no more than three pupils at the most. Upon Brackley's gesture Harry settled down at a table and the older boy sat down next to him.

‘This is one of the rooms NEWT students use for their potions projects', he explained.  ‘Professor Snape said we could use this one for our remedial potions lessons. I thought we could start with a first year potion today so I can see where your problems are, and then we can go over some basics, and slowly work forward so that we'll get you up to third year standard. So, as I said, I'm Brutus Brackley, you may call me Brackley or Brutus, I don't mind as long as you don't call me Brute.' He grinned at Harry who managed a smile in return. Harry remembered Snape's lecture about treating the older boy with respect, but now the faint hope grew inside him that maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

Harry soon found out that it really wasn't bad, quite the opposite in fact. Brackley had a profound knowledge of potions and an even deeper desire to pass it on. While Harry found the other boy's enthusiasm a bit overwhelming, it was a nice change to brew a potion and be constantly praised and encouraged during the process. With Snape in the room, Harry always had the feeling that Snape was just hovering, for his first mistake to happen, and then being all too pleased to be able to swoop down on Harry with loud insults. By contrast, although Brackley seemed pleased when Harry diced his roots not fine enough, even Harry could tell that it was out of eagerness to show him how to do it better and teaching him a handy sharpening charm for his knife.

‘Why has Snape never shown us this?' Harry burst out indignantly.

‘Hasn't he? Really?' Brackley asked, surprised. ‘He mentioned the incantation to my class in our first year.'

Harry squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. Had Snape done that in his class too? He couldn't deny that Ron and he tended to miss quite a bit of Snape's lectures, and he remembered sheepishly how they, unlike Hermione, had completely missed what Polyjuice Potion was and where to find the recipe.

‘Never mind,' Brackley said encouragingly. ‘As I said, I'm going to try to cover all the basics you might have missed, although we're surely not going to be brewing every single potion you've done so far. The first important bit to remember - now that you know the charm - is to make sure your knife is sharp before every lesson. By the way, for some magical ingredients a silver dagger is better than your ordinary knife, but of course those are quite expensive. That's why they are not mandatory for students to have one, but if you can afford one you really should consider buying one, especially if you want to continue with potions after your OWLS.'

Harry doubted that he would do anything that would force him to spend more time in Snape's presence, but he didn't have the heart to tell that to Brackley, who was trying so hard to help him. So he just gave a non-committal noise and nodded his understanding. Then, with his freshly-sharpened knife, he started dicing his roots once again.

An hour later Harry was staring into his cauldron in amazement as the anti-acne-solution was bubbling in exactly the shade that was described in his textbook.

‘Well done, Potter!' Brackley exclained and beamed at him. ‘You can bottle this up and keep it, in case you or one of your friends need it.'

Harry blushed with pride, being told that a potion that he made was safe enough to be actually used definitely was a first. And Brackley hadn't even sounded like he was making a backhanded insult about Harry's skin, something he was sure that Snape wouldn't have foregone. Carefully he poured the potion into several vials, and his feeling of elation even lasted through the time he needed to clean his equipment.

‘Okay, Potter,' said Brackley. ‘That went rather well, didn't it? Next week we'll try a swelling solution, so read up on the theory before then, okay? We can address any questions that you might have before we start brewing.'

Harry nodded and found to his astonishment that he didn't mind the other's attitude any more. He vaguely remembered the swelling solution, but as this had been the lesson where he had thrown the firecracker into Malfoy's potion, he hadn't been particularly focused on the actual brewing. So he acknowledged that it was a good idea to do it again. ‘Thanks for your help,' he said and meant it. ‘What can I do to thank you for all your help?'

‘Oh, that's quite alright, Potter. Unless... well they say that Dumbledore likes you, is that true?'

‘I'm not so sure about that...' Harry muttered, thinking about how it had been Dumbledore who had forced him into Slytherin.

‘Well, all you have to do to thank me is to get better in Potions and make sure that Dumbledore knows that I tutored you. You know, a recommendation from him would be a great help in getting a job as a potions teacher when I'm old enough...I'd really like to teach here, you know.'

‘I really learnt loads today. Honestly, you're already a much better teacher than Snape!'

Brackley looked pleased. ‘Professor Snape is a genius with potions,' he said, ‘and he is a  brilliant teacher at NEWT level, too. But I know what you mean, he's not very patient with those who don't understand...' He paused and looked at Harry pensively. ‘Tell me, Potter, is it true that you grew up completely in the muggle world?' he asked curiously.

‘...Yes', Harry said slowly, his wariness returning. A Slytherin asking about his muggle upbringing was something that always put him on his guard.

‘So you went to muggle school as well?'

Harry shrugged. ‘Yeah, why?'

‘I've read that to teach at a muggle school you not only have to know your subject, but also have to study and take an exam about how to teach, pedagogy and positive reinforcement and so on. Is that true?'

‘Yeah, I guess so.'

‘So, do you think you could ask your relatives to get some books for me on that?'

‘Er...' Harry said as he imagined Uncle Vernon's reaction on such a request.

‘I'd pay for them of course', Brackley said hastily, misunderstanding Harry's expression.

‘Yeah, all right, but you see... my relatives...,' Harry hesitated. How was he going to explain this? ‘You know, they are not much into reading,' he said, ‘but my friend Hermione, she's muggleborn and her parents are both really into books. I bet they would get them for you. You know what,' he said, his excitement rising as he realized something, ‘I can ask her straight away, there's still a bit of time until I have to be in the common roon, isn't there?'

Upon Brackley's nod, he gave him a cheerful grin and hurried off, glad for a pretext to rush off to his Gryffindor friends.

‘What are you doing here?' the Fat Lady asked, a few moments later. ‘You do know that you are not supposed to come in here, don't you?'

‘Yeah, I know', said Harry impatiently, ‘but I need to see my friends, so please open up so that I can tell them I'm here, will you?'

‘You can knock,' she said pointedly and Harry rolled his eyes. But he figured time was too precious to waste it with fruitless arguments with the Fat Lady, so he knocked. It was Neville who poked his head through the portrait hole.

‘Harry!' he exclaimed, obviously pleased to see him. ‘Great to see you! Er... are you allowed to come in?' he asked carefully.

‘No, unfortunately not,' Harry said and threw the Fat Laddy a fierce look. ‘Can you tell Hermione and Ron to meet me out here?'

‘Sure.'

A short time later, Harry and his friends were sitting together on a window sill in the corridor, while Harry told them about the remedial potion lesson and the request his tutor had made.

Ron whistled. ‘A Slytherin wanting to study out of muggle books? That must be a first! How come he's in Slytherin at all? The hat must have sorted him wrong!'

Harry shrugged. ‘I think he just really wants to become a teacher. And he wants to use every thing he can to be a good one. The Sorting Hat said, "Those cunning folks will use any means to achieve their end" or however that went. You know,' he said, as a thought entered his mind, ‘if he wants to teach here that means he's going to replace Snape, doesn't it?'

‘Hermione, you definitely have to get him those books! Even if it comes too late to help us, we owe it to future Hogwarts students!' Ron exclaimed, and Harry and Hermione giggled.

‘But it really seems a bit disloyal that he's so openly after Professor Snape's job', Hermione said reprovingly. ‘He is after all his head of house.'

‘Well, that definitely shows the Hat was right not to make him a Hufflepuff,' said Ron breezily. ‘But really, Hermione, who cares?'

‘All right,' she agreed. ‘I wanted to write to my parents tonight anyway, so I'll ask them - after all, I have finished my homework!' She looked at Ron pointedly.

Ron groaned. ‘I know, no need to rub it in!' He turned to Harry. ‘Have you already done this homework from hell, you know the one for divination? I haven't got a clue what to write!'

‘No, I haven't,' said Harry and took a deep breath. ‘I'm not taking divination any more,' he confessed and waited nervously for their reaction.

‘What?' both shouted together.

‘Just like that?' Ron asked incredulously.

‘Well, no,' Harry admitted. ‘I had a talk with Snape and he arranged with Professor Vector for me to change to Arithmancy. Snape said that that would be a better class for me since I don't have a talent for being a Seer. He was really definite about it, and no other Slytherin takes divination.'

As soon as the words had left his mouth he realized to his horror that for the first time he had referred to himself as a Slytherin, and from Ron's expression he could tell that his best friend had noticed his lapse as well.

‘Ah, I see', Ron said sarcastically. ‘So if none of the other Slytherins are taking it, you don't want to go there without them? I hadn't realized how how important it is for you not to upset Snape.'

Harry stared at him furiously. ‘That's rubbish and you know it! You know very well that I'd rather be in class with you than with Malfoy and his gang! But I think Snape has a point that divination is a stupid subject, and believe it or not, it's not much fun sitting there and having your death prophecied every lesson!'

Ron's facial expression changed immediately. ‘Yeah, I guess so,' he muttered a bit sheepishly. ‘And yeah, I guess Vector can only be better than Trelawney, but still it's a shame. We don't have that many classes together, after all. But listen, from what I've heard Arithmancy is pretty difficult, and you've already missed some classes. Are you sure Snape isn't just doing this to make things harder for you? Won't it be hard to catch up?. And you don't want to go and ask Malfoy for help, do you?' He grinned.

‘I'll help you', Hermione offered. ‘Arithmancy is lots more useful than Divination, and I don't think Professor McGonagall thinks Divination is very good either. I think it's really good of Professor Snape to arrange this change for you. I mean you are only temporarily in his house but he's still taking his job of advising you rather seriously, isn't he?'

Harry would rather endure a double lesson of divination than praise Snape, so he just made a noncommittal grunt. Luckily Hermione didn't go on about Snape but looked at her watch and sighed. ‘We need to go inside, it's later than I thought. The time has passed too quickly,' she said sadly. ‘You should hurry, Harry. You don't want to be missing in the common room when Snape gets there, do you? Does he visit every evening?'

‘No, but definitely more often than I would like,' Harry sighed and slid down from the window sill. ‘It was good seeing you. I'll try to do it more often, even if she' he glared at the portrait of the Fat Lady ‘doesn't let me in.'

Wistfully he followed his true friends with his eyes as they climbed through the portrait hole. Then he turned to go back to the dungeons.

‘Oy, Harry, wait!'

He turned around, and there were the Weasley twins, looking out of the portrait hole and beckoning him to stay.

‘Excuse me,' said the Fat Lady irritably, ‘I don't think it's asking too much at this time of day to have some peace and quiet!'

‘Nah, it's not,' George agreed. ‘All you'd have to do is let Harry enter and everybody would be happy.'

She huffed angrily, but the twins ignored her and climbed out into the hallway. Harry knew that he really had to hurry if he didn't want to get into trouble with Snape, but after the talk with his friends he already felt much happier than he had for several days, and he had missed talking to the twins as well. So he stayed. The twins approached him and pulled him into an alcove, turning their backs so that the Fat Lady couldn't see them.

‘Harry, Harry,' sighed Fred, making a face like Trelawney did when she made a fearsome prediction.

‘We had such high hopes in you', George said, ‘And what has happened?'

‘Nothing!' they intoned together.

‘Huh?' Harry asked, bewildered.

‘You were such a budding prankster!' Fred exclaimed. ‘But there has been not a single prank on Snape, not even on the other Slytherins! What has happened to you?'

‘It's easy for you to talk!' Harry protested. ‘You don't have Snape breathing down your neck 24 hours a day. He's a control freak!'

 ‘We thought you might say that', said George, ‘and that's why we've decided to give you this. But only for as long as you are in Slytherin! It's our most prized possesion, but desperate situations call for desperate measures, as we always say. Here!'

He produced a battered, yellowed sheet.

‘And what am I supposed to do with a ragged bit of old parchment?' Harry asked incredulously.

‘A ragged bit of old parchment, he says? It's the key to our success. Look!'

George tapped the parchment with his wand. ‘I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good.'

At once, thin ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that George's wand had touched. Words appeared, proclaiming:

Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs

Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief Makers

are proud to present

THE MARAUDERS MAP

Harry stared at the parchment indredulously. It was a map that showed every detail of the Hogwarts castle and grounds, but it was more than that. Little dots were moving on it, each labelled with a name. There was the Gryffindor Common Room, and Hary could see his name in front of it together with the twins' dots.

‘Bloody brilliant!' he exclaimed.

Fred and George grinned proudly. ‘It is, isn't it? It also shows loads of secret passages, as you'll see when you take a closer look at it. So now that you have this, you can be always a step ahead of Snape. And you have no excuse anymore to be the model student you are at the moment', Fred said.

‘And speaking of Snape, where is he?' said George, scanning the parchment. ‘There he is, in the dungeons as expected. Uh, oh, Harry, you might be in trouble.'

Harry looked where George's finger pointed and his heart sank. The dot labeled Snape was just entering into the Slytherin common room, approaching a group of dots whose names Harry wasn't too sure about but suspected they were first years, then he went over to Brutus Brackley and after that to where Malfoy was sitting. Then Snape's dot was quickly moving out of the Common Room and heading towards the Great Hall.

‘Snape's on the warpath,' said Fred and shuddered. ‘Always a frightening sight, even if it is just a dot that you see. Come on, Harry, he's surely after you. Quick, you have to get out of Gryffindor tower before he gets to its entrance. After that, there are several routes you can take to get to the dungeons and you can evade him. And don't forget, tap the parchment with your wand, say "Mischief managed!" and then it goes blank again. Whatever you do, don't let it fall into Snape's hands!'

‘Right,' Harry said and drew a deep breath. ‘Thanks!' With that he ran to the stairs as fast as he could and sat on the hand rail, sliding down. A quick glance at the map showed him that Snape had crossed the Great Hall and was almost directly below him. Harry quickly left the staircase and entered a corridor that led to various classrooms. With the help of the map he easily managed to get down to the dungeons without meeting anyone. Breathing a sigh of relief he whispered, "Mischief managed!" which wiped the map clean, folded it carefully and put it in his robe. Then he quickly ducked into the Slytherin Common Room.

As was so often the case, Theodore Nott and Millicent were sitting on their own. Harry sank down on the sofa next to Millicent and looked at the cover of her book. From the looks of it, it was a mystery novel this time.

‘Did Snape catch you?' she asked, without putting her book down.

‘No,' Harry admitted.

‘You're lucky then, because Snape left to go searching for you. He wasn't too pleased.'

‘So what do you think I should do now?'

Millicent finally looked at him with an amused expression. ‘You know, you sound like a first year, all panicky.'

Harry felt to his dismay that he was blushing. ‘I'm not panicky, it's just that I'm not too keen on finding myself in detention!'

Millicent shrugged. ‘You still sound like an ickle firstie. And you behave like one as well, getting back late without a clue what to do next!' With a taunting gleam in her eye she added, ‘Not used to a Head of House who takes his job seriously, are you?'

‘Rubbish!' Harry protested vehemently. ‘Snape's a control freak, that's what he is! You're just so brainwashed that you don't notice!'

‘Brainwashed, my arse! If anybody is brainwashed it's you! While I don't like being caught if I break a rule, I'm not so stupid not to understand that there's no point in setting school-rules if you don't enforce them. Well, I understand it theoretically at least.'

She grinned mischievously and Harry felt his indignation vanish. Still he felt he owed it to McGonagall to protest.

‘But Mc Gonagall is a good Head of House, even if she isn't constantly breathing down our neck!'

‘All right, all right, don't get your knickers in a twist! I don't blame her for not doing as much as Snape, I mean she's ancient, isn't she? And Flitwick is a dinosaur as well, albeit a very small one.' She grinned again but became serious in an instant. ‘Snape is really young for being a Head of House, he's younger than my parents and has been teaching at Hogwarts for about ten years, I think. Maybe he'll also be a bit more like laissez faire when he's old and doddery.'

Harry stifled his laughter. Snape as a dodderer - the image was just hilarious. But he had to admit that Millicnt probably had a point and he had never before realized how young Snape was compared to the other teachers. He leaned back on the sofa, not regretting in the least having chosen Millicent as his seatmate for the rest of the evening. She was witty and certainly intelligent, albeit in a completely different way than Hermione was.

It was at that moment that the subject of their discussion entered the room, and Harry tried his best to look innocent. Predictibly, after glancing around the room, Snape made a beeline for Harry.

‘Mr Potter, how long have you been here?'

‘Erm, I don't know, Sir, a while' Harry answered vaguely.

‘So why didn't I see you just ten minutes ago, when I was here? Where were you then?'

‘Don't know', Harry shrugged, ‘Loo perhaps?' He tried to adapt an expression of polite innocence.

‘Miss Bulstrode, what do you say?'

Harry waited breathlessly. Was she going to rat him out?

‘Well, I can't know if Potter was taking a leak, can I, sir? I mean, even if I prefer boys' company to theirs' she motioned with her head to the girls clustered around Pansy Parkinson, chattering busily about the latest issue of "Fashions for Witches", ‘that doesn't mean that I go to the boys' loo as well, does it?'

Harry snorted but quickly controlled himself when Snape glared at him. Snape turned back to Millicent. ‘Miss Bulstrode, we have already had a few discussions about your language, do you need another?'

She hastily shook her head.

‘Then I'd advise you to be more circumspect. And you, Mr Potter, become more familiar with time-telling spells if you don't want remedial tutoring on punctuality as well. Do I make myself clear?'

‘Yes. Sir', they answered together and Snape nodded curtly, moving over to discuss things with the prefect.

‘Whew,', whispered Harry, ‘I can't believe I got away with it. Thanks, Millicent, you were brilliant, I'm glad you didn't get in trouble for backing me up.'

 She shrugged. ‘He had no proof, so what could he do? I said it, you were panicking like a Firstie! And about me getting in trouble, well I'm due once in a while anyway, nothing I can't handle.'

Harry grinned at her, for the first time feeling a sense of real liking for a Slytherin. Millicent reminded him of Ron - though he realized that was a comparison neither of them would appreciate. He frowned, realizing for the first time how much the Houses isolated the students. Ron and Millicent would likely never have the chance to get to know each other, all because of where that stupid Hat had placed them two years ago. Harry chewed his lip. Maybe the Headmaster was right and this was a very unusual chance that he'd been given... though he still wasn't ready to deny it was a horrible punishment as well.