Schedule Note: As a warning, since school is starting I may not be posting as often (and I might slow down my pace or increase anyway depending on inspiration or requests)
@teenagecupcakeperfection thanks for the idea!
“Great old bat.” Ron muttered.
There was a flat hollow sort of sound as Hermione whacked him with the latest newspaper, or ‘utter rubbish’ as Hermione had put it.
“Honestly, he’s still a teacher Ron.”
“Right mental teacher Snape is Hermione.”
Hermione pulled back with a stern look before she disappeared behind the Prophet. “Even so, I doubt you want to be overheard. He’s watching you know.”
Ron chanced a glance at the head table, head bowed to avoid Snape’s full gaze. “Nah, I reckon he’s looking at Harry again,” Ron looked to Harry. “He seems really out to get you this year mate.”
“Well don’t look at me. I didn’t do anything.” Harry stabbed his fork into a particularly stubborn piece of pie. “Haven’t exactly had the time, what with the tournament, dragons, almost dying. All that fun stuff.” He let his fork clatter onto his plate. “Snape can bugger off.”
There was a great inhale followed by an aggressive rustle of paper, and Hermione appeared from behind the Prophet, nostrils flared. “Quiet the both of you, he’s coming this way.”
Ron scowled. “How did you even—”
“I observe Ronald.” She lowered her voice. “Now shush up.” She vanished behind the Prophet again.
Harry looked toward the head table, eyes hidden behind his bangs, and saw that Snape was indeed coming toward them. He hastily busied himself, shoveling fruit and pie into his mouth, scrunching himself over the table as if the reduced size would render him invisible. Beside him, Ron awkwardly sliced off a piece of chicken.
Snape’s presence behind behind Harry felt ominous, and pressing, like the choice between a yawning cave and a storm, and, knowing the horrors that Snape contained, Harry would have chosen the storm, if it was such a thing, and if only to save him from the oppressing aura of his potions Professor.
Harry turned to face Snape, reluctance hidden in a tense spine. “Sir?”
A moment strangely filled with nothing passed them by, and Harry found himself observing his Professor with curiosity. There had been less derision filling Potions class that year, less sneers, less contempt, but more silence, more consideration; what the consideration was for, Harry wasn’t sure.
“My office Potter. After dinner.”
Harry nodded, wary. “May I ask why, sir?”
“After dinner, you will know. Come alone.”
Snape turned, robes flaring like black lighting, and left the Great Hall.
“What was that about?” Ron asked.
Harry gave a helpless shrug. “No idea. Hermione?”
She lowered the paper again. “I don’t like it Harry. He’s been acting strangely around you all year.”
“He’s been acting strange all year, period.”
“No, he hasn’t. Whenever you enter the room he focuses on you, despite anything else he’s doing. It looks like he’s gravitating to you; his focus is uncanny, and I don’t think you should go. At least not on your own.”
“What do you want me to do about it? He’s our Professor. I can’t exactly bring you along, he specifically said to go alone.”
“What about Dobby?” Asked Ron.
“Dobby?” Said Harry And Hermione.
“Yeah, I mean, he’s a loyal little bugger isn’t he? Saved your arse with the gillyweed yeah? And that’s already nearly two years after your last meeting. I’d say you’re friends at this point. Just call him now and ask him to be your invisible guard.”
Hermione beamed so brightly that Harry thought her expression might melt off her face. “Oh Ron you’re brilliant! And Dobby is an elf so that means homenum revelio won’t work if Professor Snape tries to look he won’t find anything.”
“Human revealing spell Ronald. But Harry I think you should try.”
“I’m not even sure if he’ll hear me, I’ve no idea how it works.”
“Elves are linked to humans they share a bond with, and you and Dobby are friends, and he quite likes you, so I think you can call for him and he’ll come.”
Harry nodded. “Right, right okay. I’ll go and do it outside the Great Hall then.I don’t think he should just pop up with all these people here. Might as well get it over with.”
Ron and Hermione gave him smiles that probably should have felt encouraging, but instead Harry felt each of them sink to the pit of his stomach.
“And stay safe, remember to ask Dobby to conceal himself!”
Harry waved at them over his shoulder. Good idea or not, Harry had a strange feeling that calling for Dobby would be more a hindrance for the approaching meeting than helpful; there was a wheezing sort of atmosphere in Harry’s lungs and his stomach jumped nervously around his torso like salmon up a stream, but despite his wariness, Harry steeled himself, and did not call out Dobby’s name, but instead continued down the path to the dungeons on his own.
I’m not as familiar writing this pairing, so I didn’t get much interaction, my apologies. I tried to stick closer to canon scenes that would help me to follow their personality depictions in an easier manner because I didn’t want to butcher their characters (plus I’ve wanted to try writing with Harry Ron and Hermione in the same scene for a while now so that was fun to try)
