The Other Potter

Blame and Boggarts

The next morning Elijah had woken early, and snuck around the dorm being careful not to wake his friends. Getting changed into his robes, making sure he had everything he would need for the day before grabbing his transfiguration book, and another on the same subject stuffing them into his bag. He headed down to the great hall, wanting to catch a little quiet reading before the chaos of the first week started. 

He was about to enter sit down when he noted two shadows cast over him, looking up to meet the disgruntled gazes of Snape and McGonagall. Shit. Maybe he should have waited for his roommates to come with him, it would be a lot easier to explain with the guilty parties actually here. 

"Care to explain yourself, Potter." Snape sneered.

"Well, breakfast is the most important meal of-"

"I believe you know exactly what I am talking about and to give you a hint it doesn't have anything to do with what you are currently doing." snapped the Professor.

Elijah sighed, looking up at McGonagall pleadingly, "Professor, I swear on my life I had nothing to do with the first years this time. Felix, Ezra and I were sat at the table way before the first years were even inside the building." Normally he'd cover for his friends when they were in trouble, no matter the evidence against them but the first year pranks Jay and Alix always confessed to. They loved having prank wars with the Weasley twins, seeing who could cause the most havoc throughout the year and by confessing to the first prank of the year they had set the standards for the two redheads. "The other two normal suspects, well, you'll have to ask them yourselves. But I had absolutely no part in it."

McGonagall looked down at the boy through her half-moon glasses, as if she was trying to peer into his mind to see if he was telling the truth. After what felt like a small eternity she nodded, "Very well, if you are sure. I will find the time later to talk to them. But if I find out you are lying, Mr Potter, you'll face a months detention." she replied sternly, nodding to Snape before striding up to the teachers table. 

Snape, however, remained looming over the boy, his expression remained the same. "You best hope your friends have the same story, Potter, or you will kiss your chance of quidditch captain goodbye."

"I wasn't aware I had a chance at captain, sir. What happened to Flint?" he replied.

"In light of Flint and his lack of leadership skills, I am having to find a replacement, and seeing as you have a fair bit of interest in your skillset currently it would only make sense, no?" the professor stated. 

"I gue-"

"It was a rhetorical question, Potter." Snape snapped, about to storm off in McGonagalls direction before stopping. "Whilst I have you, I realise you didn't sign up for Advanced Potions."

"No, sir. I just figured with all my other classes-"

"I expect to see you in class this week." he quipped before finally leaving and joining the other professors at the top table. 

Elijah let out a heavy sigh, sometimes, he could see why his father and Harry despised that man. Thankfully, Snape wasn't as harsh on him as it sounded like he was on his brother, then again, he was pretty sure if Harry stopped assuming Snape was behind every weird experience that happened in the school and stopped being so obnoxious then perhaps the professor wouldn't be such an ass.. But Harry was their fathers son down to the core. 

Getting back to his book, the boy lost himself in the pages, scribbling down more notes down the margins, hardly noticing that as the minutes passed more and more students flooded the hall. Everyone tucking into the breakfast laid out before them, chattering away about what they hoped their schedules would look like and what clubs they would be joining this year.