Hogwarts-L.S.✓

Second year at Hogwarts

~Chapter 6~

The chamber of secrets

To Louis' greatest surprise his summer wasn't too bad and his friends actually wrote him a lot. He teased the piss out of them for being so weird and idiotic but he knew that they got that he was joking and that he actually appreciated the gesture.

Yet again taking the portkey, he found himself in Diagon Alley, silently following his father and carrying anything that was handed to him.

As they walked into the main book shop where Gilderoy Lockhart was signing his books, making his father upset by the crowd, he took extra care to stay out of his way.

A tenderly floating paper caught Louis' attention as it slipped out of a kid's book, going unnoticed by him. He bent down and picked up the slit, petting the shoulder of the boy. Louis knew he was a Hufflepuff and was well-aware that both his parents were Muggles. Even a blind person could tell by how they were standing in the store.

He without a word gave the paper back and thanking softly the kid ran away, he soon understood why as turning around he was met with his father's harsh glare.

"We're not nice to mudbloods, they're mistakes." A callous slap ring aloud after which his father turned away like nothing in the world has happened. Louis tenderly touched his burning cheek, taking in his surroundings check that seemingly no one caught the hit. Spinning around to follow after his father, not wanting to piss him off more he came face to face with Styles.

"Get out of my way idiot." He pushed past the curly-haired lad who was staring at him oddly. The tiny lad just really hoped it wasn't because he saw what has just happened. He was dragged away anyways and Lockhart took a picture with him, clearly using Styles' fame in his advantage, while Harry was having no clue what is happening like usual.

Louis stayed put while his father talked to Styles, seeing how much antipathy was showing on his features to talk to the older Tomlinson. He should really work on his poker face. Louis' eyebrows furrowed as his father slipped one additional book into one of the Weasleys' cauldron but he said nothing.

He simply followed his father out of the shop, not giving a single look to any of them, still hoping that Styles did not see his father hitting him. It's not like it wasn't something he did often but the tiny lad still didn't want anyone to know about it, let alone someone like Styles.

After a long and uneventful train ride, they made it to Hogwarts where Louis was incredibly entertained by the fact that Styles and Weasley missed the express and now were facing some great punishment probably. He still hoped that Styles won't get expelled, he liked having the idiot around but he was almost one hundred percent sure that no one in their right mind would do such thing. He's like the Golden Boy here, the Chosen One.

The semester was kicked off with their brand new class. Professor Sprout made them replant mandragoras. They were nasty little things but the tiny lad knew all too well how useful they can be once fully grown.

After that lesson passed he walked to Defence Against the Dark Arts, he was at first excited that Quirrell was gone but when he heard who the new teacher is he was pretty sure even Voldemort himself would be better.

Lockhart came in and started the lesson, absolutely clueless of everything. Louis just doesn't understand why Snape is not allowed to take this class, like he's the perfect teacher in every way and certainly deserves to have the post if he wants to which he does.

Tomlinson simply made a run for it when things got out of control, his friends soon following. Their teacher was a right mess and Louis will not bother with his stupidity. Instead he got rid of everyone and walked towards their Potions classroom.

After three soft knocks, all short and rhythmic he opened the door and entered. Snape, without looking up, knew it was him, slightly nodding to greet him. He wasn't sure it's because he always knocks the same or simply for the reason that no one else ever comes here but he always knew it was Louis.

"Do you need help Professor Snape?"

"Why aren't you in class Louis?" Unlike Quirrell when Snape talked so slow, almost like he puts thought to each of his words, it didn't frustrate the tiny lad.

"Professor Lockhart was so focused on looking good and talented that he forgot to teach us anything." Louis smiled when one of the rarest things has happened and Snape chuckled. He was always so happy as he truly thought that his teacher needed that, everyone needs someone to just talk to and make you laugh sometimes.

"Here." The blue-eyed lad grinned widely, taking a seat and starting to help out his favourite person in this school. It was so peculiar how such an amazing person was ignored merely because it took the tiniest bit of effort to get to know him.

"Would you have really expelled Styles and Weasley?" Almost the whole hour has passed and at this point Louis wasn't helping anymore simply keeping his Professor company.

"Probably not but they don't need to know that now, do they?" Louis smirked shaking his head and got up with Snape. "Go and have some lunch."

After agreeing he walked to the Great Hall, feeling better about pretty much everything after having that chat with the raven-haired teacher.

A/N: Just as a side note in the books Snape is probably my least favourite person, he did not deserve the redeeming arc and he's nothing but a creep, just to be clear on my true feelings about the character.