Potions Class

Revelations

When the class ended, Harry stayed seated, haphazardly putting his stationary back in his rucksack. Within two minutes, the room was cleared, he kept his eyes on his desk while he heard his head of house approach. "Potter."

Silence. Stillness. The boy looked frozen. 'How to approach the boy? He looks decidedly terrified." Thought the older man.

"Harry. Please look at me." Harry heard the smooth, soft baritone voice pierce his eardrums and looked up. "Harry, are you alright?"

"Fine, Sir," Harry replied far too quickly.

"Please follow me." "This is going to be much harder than I thought.'

They walked through the door at the back of the classroom into a dimly lit hallway. There was a door on either side and one at the end of the corridor. The professor opened the door to the left and revealed a beautiful sitting room.

It was not a massive room but inviting and cosy with a firepit in the centre. "Stippy," Professor Snape called out. A second later, a strange little being popped into view and gave Harry a considerable fright. "Bring us your best hot chocolate and fluffiest marshmallows, please Stippy." The being popped away.

"Um, Sir?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"What-what was that creature?" Harry asked, hesitantly.

"That my young snake is a house-elf. They are magical creatures, they are very dedicated to those they consider their master. Their loyalty depends on the treatment they receive, they have their own magic and can use it to the advantage or detriment of their families. However, the little elf you just met, she is a Hogwarts elf and therefore serves all those who stay in the castle," Professor Snape explained.

"Thank you, Sir," at the confused look he received, Harry continued, "for taking time to explain to a freak like me."

"A freak, Harry?" Snape questioned genuinely confused.

"Well, that's what Aunt Petunia and Unc-"

"PETUNIA?" roared the professor, "that blasted, meddling old coot! I will KILL him for this!" He proceeded to rant and rage. Finally, his eyes caught sight of little Harry Potter, curled in on himself shaking and crying. He slowly approached the ball and gently laid his hand on the boys' shoulder blade. The ferocity of the flinch he felt under his pal, rattled him to his core. Carefully he sat down beside Harry and smoothly lifted him so that he was sitting in his lap. He held the boy and whispered words of comfort until the boy-who-had-wormed-his-way-into-the-dungeon-bats-heart, had fallen into a deep slumber. The hot-chocolate lay cold and forgotten.

AN: It's a short chapter, I know. However, I felt this was a good place for me to stop it. Please let me know what you think. I appreciate all the feedback you feel like giving. Thank you for reading my story.