Chapter 13: What a Bad Student

First Day of Classes

It was very early in the morning when Harry decided to wake up. Having had a rested sleep, after retiring early from the feast the previous night. Harry went to breakfast at 6:30am as he wanted to beat the onslaught of students which he knew would come. After Professor Dumbledore had named Professor Slughorn their new Potions teacher, and Severus Snape the Defence against the Dark Arts teacher. Harry knew he had to do something about it. After eating his dry toast, eggs and bacon. Harry trekked up 9 flights of stairs in order to reach Professor McGonagall's office. Knocking on her door, he was met with an enter.

Professor McGonagall was sitting at her desk with a quill in her hand. Upon seeing Potter at her door, she dropped her quill, whilst looking at the clock.

"Potter, what ever is the matter, are you alright? It's only five past 7!"

Harry ignored her question and sat in the chair opposite his head of houses desk.

"I'm here to talk about my subjects, Professor" Harry said whilst looking at his Professor with a look that said, ‘try me, I'm going to see you now'.

"I'm fairly certain that this could wait till late.... Oh well I suppose you're here now, never mind. Alright, what is wrong with your subjects, do you wish the change or drop one?"

"Yes, professor I wish to drop..." As Harry spoke the professor could be seen searching through papers, searching in the P section to get to Harry Potter's file.

"Defence against the Dark Arts" Harry said in an almost bored tone.

"Potter, have you completed lost your mind?!" The professor's eyebrows were raised and the pitch of her voice, too rising precariously high.

"That is one of your best subjects, not to mention the fact that you indeed started, and taught Dumbledore's Army. Honestly what has gotten into you!" After a long pause of the teacher looking at the student it finally clicked.

"Ahh. So, it's not that you want to drop the subject, you want to drop the teacher! I thought it was your ambition to become an auror?"

"It is... but" the stern woman interrupted Harry.

"I'm afraid Harry, not liking your teacher is not a good enough excuse to drop a class. Especially a class as important as DADA. If you would like to go to the headmaster and challenge my decision, by all means do that. However, it will only be a waste of time, as I guarantee he will say the same as I have. Good Day Potter" Professor McGonagall signalled the conversation over, leaving Harry trudging miserably out of her office.

Potions Class

Harry sat next to Neville and Hermione in potions class. Professor Slughorn was walking around the classroom offering bits of advice to various students. Once he saw Harry's cauldron, he commented on how well Harry's brewing was, and that it greatly resembled his mother's adept potion skills. Harry, however, knew that the only person whose potion skills his resembled was Professor Snape's; considering the man did spend the summer teaching him. Harry merely smiled and thanked his professor.

For once, potions class went quite well, with Harry receiving an E for his class; and he hadn't even been trying that hard.

Defence Against the Dark Arts

Once the class started to fill up, Harry made sure to sit right at the back of the classroom. Hermione looked at Harry sceptically. Harry had no wish to be in Snape's close eye contact, at the back he at least at the whole class as a buffer between him and the professor. Once everyone had sat down, Snape came striding into the room, and up to the front. He spent the class talking about the content for the year, as well as discussing Inferi. Harry was listening to the class; however, he would glance to his desk, the walls or the ceiling. Never wanting to make eye contact with the man he hated with immense passion.

"Ah, Mr Potter. Can you tell me..." His professor thought that Harry was not listening. However, to Harry's smugness he recited word for word what the professor had just said. Snape merely nodded in agreement and continued with his lecture. Looking every now and then at his son, and his withdrawn behaviour. As the class finished, and Harry went to make a dash for the door. Snape requested Harry to stay behind.

Harry, pretending not to hear his professor. Merely grabbed his bag and strolled out of the room. Hermione and Ron were staring wide eyed at Harry's retreating form. They looked back to their DADA professor, and quickly made a beeline for the door; pushing their way through the hoards of people. Catching up to Harry, Ron was the first to comment on Harry's strange behaviour.

"Harry! What the hell is happening to you?" Ron almost yellow, whilst being ushered by Hermione to a quite area of the castle.

Hermione forced the two boys to sit on a ledge in an empty corridor. Sitting down herself, she began "You just ignored Professor Snape Harry, he is going to be very upset!" Ron agreed.

"You have been in a weird mood since the Hogwarts Express mate. What's going on. You barely stayed at the feast on the first night. Not to mention the fact, that every morning your always up early, not waiting for any of us to have breakfast. Then when we come into the great hall, you scurry away." Ron was speaking in a concerned voice.

"Look, I don't need to explain myself to you, you either Hermione. You're not my father... or mother. Just leave me alone" Harry said yanking his arm away as Hermione went to grab it.

Hermione and Ron, both sighed, watching Harry stride off angrily to his next class.

One Week Later... DADA Class

"Detention Mr. Potter! For such blatant disrespect" Professor Snape said in an angry voice.

The DADA teacher was at his wits end. Harry had been continuously showing poor signs of behaviour the whole week. Not only to himself, that Severus Snape could understand; considering their situation. However, being disrespectful to the other teachers, as well as not handing in any homework was inexcusable.

Severus had heard in the teachers lounge, that Harry was not completing any of his homework, and his grades in potions were more deplorable than ever. The boy had received a detention from Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall.

Detention with Professor Snape

He had waited for not 5, not 10, but 15 minutes for the boy to come. He had neglected to turn up for his detention. Obviously, the boy was trying to avoid him. Not bothering to sit like a fool waiting any longer, Severus decided to continue with his marking. Only once he was finished did he make his way up to Professor Flitwick's office.

"Filius" Severus said as he strode into his colleague's office.

"Ah, Severus what can I do for you; is everything alright?"

"Unfortunately, no. I was supposed to hold Mr. Potters detention tonight. However the boy never turned up."

"Yes, he has been behaving rather odly, as of late. I had to give the boy a detention as well I'm afraid. His course work is falling behind I'm afraid. It's almost as if, he has just given up on his education" Filius spoke in a saddened yet concerned voice.

"I heard from Minerva, that Mr. Potter in fact attended detention with her. I believe he is avoiding detention with me, for reasons only himself could give you. However, avoiding detention I'm afraid has only made his situation worse I'm afraid. I was wondering if you would do me a favour?" Severus asked, quirking an eyebrow. Filius waited for Severus to continue.

"Well, I was wondering I could take over your detention with him. You would of course tell him that he was to meet you in whatever room of your choosing. However, he would in fact be really doing said detention with me. I will lengthen the detention as well, so that he will be re-sitting my detention and taking yours. Do you think this would be satisfactory?" Severus asked.

"Well.... I Suppose it would be alright. I do have an awful bit of marking to do. That will do well Severus. I hop you can find out what is wrong with the boy. Otherwise, I am afraid of the impact this will have on in NEWTS... He previously wanted to be an auror from what I hear...." Severus merely nodded and left the office, leaving Filius talking to himself. 

Detention with ‘Professor Flitwick'

Harry walked into a classroom he had never been in before. Seeing the room was empty, he decided to sit at one of the tables towards the front of the classroom. As he sat down, he put his head onto the table. He was so tired these days, he was constantly overthinking about his personal life; that he had to time for homework. He supposed he deserved these detentions. Not completing homework for weeks in a row was not good. He was surprised the headmaster hadn't been brought in. He didn't mind these detentions, because he knew that he was being punished for something he had done wrong. However, the detentions with Snape. He just knew they were because the man just wanted to talk to him. And he most certainly did not want to talk to that man.

A second later, Harry heard the door scrape open. Lifting his head off of his desk, Harry rolled his neck, then turned around to see his charms teacher. However, upon seeing Severus Snape, Harry shot out of his chair in an instance.

"You! What are you doing here? You're not Professor Flitwick!!" Harry yelled at Snape.

"Yes, how very good. It seems after 5 years of education at Hogwarts, you do in fact know the different between myself and a man who only comes up to just above my knee" Harry sneered.

Harry went to pick up his bag and tried to make a run for it. Severus foreseeing this, lazily flicked his wand whilst leaning on one of the nearby tables. As Harry went to open the door, he blushed as he realised that Snape had locked them in.

"There is no use running. I have locked the door, in a way that only I will be able to open. And they will open once we have had a talk, and you have thoroughly listened to me.

"I don't want to listen to you. We have nothing to discuss, especially nothing about summer, mum and her letter" Harry glared at his professor.

"Mhmm, yes I agree. You can hate me as much as you wish for that Harry. I did not communicate effectively the last time we saw each other. Not the mention the fact that I did in fact curse you. No, this conversation is about your education. As much as I wish to have a relationship with you, you are old enough to make you own decisions. I realise that as you put it, I've been a ‘bastard', which is true. My treatment towards you in the past has been deplorable. As much as you hate me, I am still your father, and even if you don't believe me; I do care for you deeply. Now." Severus took and break and sat down on a chair opposite Harry.

"Your attitude, towards your friends, teachers and your commitment to your education I find deeply disappointing. Your attitude to me, I will understand, I don't necessarily approve of, but I understand. Your anger should only be at me. Do not be distant to your friends, you are very lucky to have them, and I do not wish for you to lose ties with such good people. Now, your teachers demand your respect at all times, which includes me. Now, before you say anything, while we are in class, you will be respectful, listen and complete your work. Out of class, I will turn my head the other way if you say something ‘unkind' about me. However, it better not be in front of others, and no swearing! You are not a bad child; therefore, I expect the best language coming from your mouth; understand?" Harry merely stared forward no really knowing what to say after what Snape had said. 

"Your homework on another note. You need to talk to someone about what has happened between us. If only for you to fully get your anger out, it is being deeply supressed; which is not healthy Harry. Now before you argue, there is no need. I see so much of myself in you, it's unsettling. When I was young, same age as you, I held so much anger inside. Angry because of my father, house mates; amongst other things. It poisons you, this is the sort of attribute I do not wish for you and I to have in common; ever. I am here if you wish to ever talk, however, if you wish to tell your friends I wouldn't hold it against you. As I have said you are lucky to have them as friends, and I do not believe they would spread this information about us with just anyone." Severus stopped talking merely gazing at his son, who now was openly staring into dark obsidian eyes.

"You know, I don't know if you have noticed yet. However, your looks are really changing day by day, the spell obviously starting to wear off. It's amazing how much more of Lily's features you now shar.."

"What?!"

"Surely you would have noticed?" Severus tilted his head. Harry looked around the room, obviously trying to find a mirror to look at his face. Severus used a spare bit of parchment and transfigured it into a mirror. Passing it to Harry, the boy cautiously took the mirror from the professor.

Looking at himself in the mirror, he was amazed. He looked the same, yet slightly different. His hair lay flatter, his cheekbones were higher.....

"You really are growing into quite a handsome young man. It is just a pity that your mother couldn't be here to see you" Severus looking out the window, swallowing back his emotion; tears welling in his eyes. Harry darted his eyes back and forth from the professor to the mirror he was holding.

Harry was confused of the man's behaviour towards him. To be fair, the teacher's behaviour hadn't changed from the holidays; only his own. Placing the mirror back down to the table, Harry sat back in his chair whilst slumping.

Severus snapped out of his past musings. Standing up from his seat, he began to pace back and forth.  

"I am very disappointed with your school work Harry. Whilst you have not been a dumb child, I have seen better work than this from Longbottom. Your mother and James Potter did not die, for you to throw your life away. From now on, you will be confined after class to my personal quarters. I will help you with all of your homework if need be. Normally I spend the time marking papers, which I will be doing, however should you feel the need to ask me any questions you will do so.

I will hear no arguments from you, you can hate me all you want; however this is happening. By all means if you wish to leave straight after our ‘tutoring sessions' by all means; leave. If you need someone to speak to, then you may stay, if you want to have some tea and play chess like we did during the summer; we will do so. But let me make this clear. We will improve those marks, no son of mine and Lily's will have sub-par results; is that understood?"

"Yes" Harry murmured.

"Yes Sir" Professor Snape repeated.

"There's no need to call me Sir, Professor" Severus Snape, known to be an extremely stern man, looked at Harry right in the eye. Waited 10 seconds, then burst out laughing whilst shaking his head.

Harry jumped when he heard his professors booming laugh, it was not malicious, but a hearty laugh.

The potions master unlocked the door whilst his laughing simmered down. Smiling and shaking his head back and forth he picked up Harry's backpack and handed it to the bewildered child.

"Take this and go, I should be docking points for that. However, as the last part of my conversation was as a father, not a teacher; I will let it slide. I believe I have gotten my point across. Our tutoring will be effective immediately. Meaning that tomorrow morning expect an own for me with directions on how to get to my quarters, as well as a password; for once you remember the pathway to my quarters. Do you understand Harry?"

Harry, too bewildered at what he had heard this afternoon, could do nothing but nod his head. Taking back his backpack, the professor unlocked the door, and gently pushed Harry into the hallway. Harry turned around to see Snape walk the opposite direction. Shaking his head, he retreated back to Gryffindor Tower.