The One who Saved Harry

Chapter Nine

Harry groaned when his alarm went off the next morning. 

"What's up?" Ron asked. Ron was already up. 

"I actually have to attend the classes today." Harry sighed. "I don't get to just watch. Besides, History of Magic is the most boring thing you'll ever have to listen to." 

"Why?" Neville Longbottom asked from his bed. "It's always sounded pretty interesting to me."

"You've never heard it from Professor Binns." Harry finally climbed out of bed and began hunting for his robes. "He can make even bloody and vicious goblin riots sound as boring as a report on cauldron bottoms." 

"Wow." Draco said. "That'll be interesting." 

"Yeah." Harry sighed again as he sat down on his bed, pulling his socks on. "All he ever does is give us his lectures, and we have to take notes. Never anything different." 

When Harry, Ron, and Draco were all finally ready, they left Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnagin, and Dean Thomas to get ready themselves, and headed down to brekafast. 

"You know, Grandma M was telling me some pretty cool things about Transfiguration," Harry said, as they passed the Slytherin table. "She said-"

But what she said, Draco and Ron never found out, because at that moment, one of the other first years from Slytherin's voice rang out. 

"Grandma M?" he asked, laughing derisively. "That's what you call McGonagall?" 

Minerva had looked up from her breakfast at the sound of her name, and her eyes narrowed as they landed on the scene. None of the boys noticed this. 

"Yeah, so?" Harry asked, defending himself. 

"So that's lame!" the boy was still laughing at him. 

"And whats's your name?" Ron asked, rather rudely. 

"I'm Theodore Nott." the boy said. "And there's no need to ask yours. Red hair, hand-me-down robes, and loads of freckles? You must be a Weasley!" 

"Shove off, Nott." Draco said. 

"Make me." Nott challenged. 

Up at the staff table, Severus had noticed something was wrong, too. He and Minerva shared a look, and both descended.

"You want me to?" Ron and Draco both stepped forward, but-

"What is going on here?" Severus asked. 

Nott paled. "Nothing, sir." 

"Move along." Minerva shooed Harry and his friends away, while Severus moved closer to speak to Nott. 

"Let me tell you something." he said. "You leave my son alone, or the consequences will. Not. Be. Pleasant. Understand?"

Nott nodded, and hurried back to his seat. Upon arriving, he immediately began muttering with his friends, with some pointed looks at Harry and Severus. Both ignored him, and went on with their breakfast. 

oOXOo

Harry was coming back from the bathroom, heading to lunch to meet his friends, when Nott, Crabbe, and Goyle stepped out from behind a pillar. 

"So, Potter." Nott said, eyes gleaming. "We'd like to have a little chat."

"About what." Harry snapped. 

"You daddy." Nott said in a mocking tone. "I think that the only reason you got top marks in Potions today is because of him." 

"Or because I try." Harry retorted. "Unlike you." 

"Well, we have a problem with that." Nott said. "We don't think it's fair. So either, you stop 'trying' so hard in Potions, or we'll make your life here hell." 

"I don't care what you think, Nott." Harry said, rolling his eyes. 

Nott drew his wand. "You might care what my father taught me." he said. "He's been teaching me with his wand since I was nine. I know things you'd never dream of." 

Smirking, Nott pocketed his wand, and stalked off, leaving Harry feeling slightly sick. He suddenly didn't have an appetite.