His love for Potions I ✔

Chapter 24: The Marauders (and Snape)

Making up with Hermione wasn't as simple as one conversation, especially with Scabbers missing, but it made Harry feel a little better about the whole mess.

Watching the whole school laugh at Draco for a change after Harry won the match for Gryffindor was really lovely, though it was rather ruined by Sirius Black turning up in Harry's bedroom when Harry was too far asleep to fight him. Harry settled for making a mental note to talk to Draco about how while he appreciated Draco not being more of a berk than he absolutely had to be, he still needed Draco to understand that being normal levels of awful was going to get himself a Patronus to the face.

On second thought, Draco probably learned that already. Back to Black.

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"What are those spells you cast at the beginning of every afternoon?" Harry asked, watching Snape's practiced wand movements and sharp, quiet words.

"Wards against eavesdropping and entry, and one to alert me if anyone tries anything. I didn't live through the last War by being careless."

Harry put his bag down, and glanced up at his teacher.

"Which side of the war were you on, sir?"

"Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answers to, boy."

Harry tried to decide if he should go for his wand.

"I believe I have made myself clear about which side of the coming War I will be on," Snape said very softly. "To the people in this room. It will remain unclear to people outside this room, do you understand me?"

"No. Not really, sir."

"Good. Then we may begin the lesson."

It was a subdued review of potions history, and Harry found it hard to keep his mind on the task at hand.

At the end of the lesson, Snape asked, "Do you trust me, Harry Potter?"

"...not for all the world, sir."

"Then there may yet be hope. You may go."

Harry hesitated.

"Yes? I do have things to do besides coddle you, child."

"Do you hate Professor Lupin because he's a werewolf or do you hate werewolves because of Professor Lupin?" Harry asked hurriedly. It'd been bothering him, and he couldn't bring himself to ask Professor Lupin about it, when Professor Lupin was kind to him and always looked very tired.

That got an actual smile from Professor Snape.

"An interesting philosophical question. Now, when - ah. Granger. I shall have to consider the answer to that one carefully."

"How do you think Black's getting into the castle?" Harry asked, because letting Snape brood about his hatred of his fellow professor seemed like a way for this year's defense appointment to end in murder and/or sacking for attempted murder.

"Haven't we covered that?" Snape asked.

It took Harry a minute.