The next day passed almost without incident. The entire school was abuzz about Draco Malfoy being recruited and playing on the Slytherin House Quidditch team as a Seeker, because of his flying ability displayed during the flying lesson the day before.

Harry had the same classes he did for most of the week and they went pretty much the same way, with him doing his own work or helping Hermione learn more basic spells. He was off early and reported to Filch, who was as mean looking as ever; but, Harry knew that was just his public face. When he was cleaning or talking to him and Missus Norris, an occasional smile would appear. They worked well into the night and Missus Norris meowed when it was time for him to get to bed.

“Thanks, Missus Norris. I forgot to set my alarm.” Harry said. “See you both tomorrow.”

“G'night, lad.” Filch said.

“Meow!” Missus Norris said and Harry left the fourth floor to go to bed and get some sleep.

The next morning, he was up and used the cleaning spells on himself, dressed and applied his concealing cream, and dug out the things he needed for Potions class. The book on potion making, the fairly large cauldron, the potions kit, his crystal vials, and his very expensive scales. He looked at the pile and knew he wasn't going to be able to carry them.

Harry went into his trunk and moved the extra things from the top of the bookcase and placed his potions things there, putting them within easy reach of the top of the trunk. He nodded and closed the trunk, then paused. If he took his trunk, then the house elves would make his bed and ruin his great nest. He took out some parchment and wrote out a note.

Dear House Elves, please do not make my bed. I sleep in it this way, since it's the most comfortable and my bed at home has always been this way. Thanks, Harry Potter.

Harry thought that would do it and left the note right on the middle of the blankets. He picked up his trunk and saw Neville struggling with his things. The other three boys had left already for breakfast.

“I can carry them if you want.” Harry said.

“Huh?” Neville turned to look at him. “Oh, hi.”

“I'm taking mine in my trunk.” Harry said and put it down and opened it. “I can take yours, too.”

“No, I... I can carry...”

“At least let me take the cauldron.” Harry said and held a hand out for it.

“Okay.” Neville handed over the heavy pewter cauldron.

“I'll give it back after breakfast if you want to carry it into class on your own.”

Neville smiled. “Thanks, Harry.”

The two of them left the dorm and went down the stairs. A few people whispered and wondered where Harry was going with his trunk. By the time they were in the Great Hall, half of the students thought he had been kicked out or was dropping out.

“Just... ignore... them.” Hermione panted as she sat down with a heavy backpack on her back. “They are saying... the same about me.”

“I didn't see you in the tower.” Harry said and then pointed at her backpack. “I would have taken that for you if I did.” He made a hand it over motion. “Come on, let's have it.”

“Thanks, Harry.” Hermione said and slipped it off her back.

Harry opened his trunk and slid it in, then closed it. They ate breakfast and talked about what the extra long potions lesson was going to be about.

“I think we're doing the most basic potion in the book.” Hermione said. “Boil Removal.”

“Blah!” Neville said and stuck his tongue out. “I thought a severing charm and a quick healing spell was best for that?”

“Wait, people use the severing charm on themselves?” Harry asked, surprised.

“Huh?” Neville looked at him with wide eyes. “My nan taught me it, so I can clip my fingernails and toenails.” He saw their surprised faces. “What do you use?”

“Nail clippers.” Harry and Hermione said together.

“What are those?” Neville asked.

Hermione took out the small travel pair she always carried, just in case. She showed him how they worked and Neville was absolutely fascinated.

“Are you sure that's not magic?” Neville asked. “That looked like magic.”

Harry and Hermione held in their laughs.

“We should probably get to class.” Hermione said and put the clippers away. She led Harry and Neville out of the hall and then suddenly there was a bright blue shield dome in front of her and she saw a spell bounce off of it and hit the wall.

“Impedimentia!” Harry said loudly and the shield shimmered as his spell passed through it and hit the running student. The student tripped and slammed onto the floor.

“WHO is casting spells in the Entrance Hall?” Thorfinn Rowle ask as he came out of the Great Hall. His eyes nearly bulged out of his head at the sight of the foot thick dome that covered Harry, Neville, and Hermione. He resisted the urge to reach out and touch it.

“It was him.” Neville said and pointed to the prone form in the hallway.

“He cast some kind of spell at Hermione.” Harry said, anger in his voice. “It hit the wall there.”

Thorfinn looked at the damaged stone and the scorch marks. “That's either a stinging hex or possibly a weak blast curse.” He said and walked over to Draco and picked him up. “Explain yourself.”

“I didn't do anything!” Draco exclaimed.

“I believe your Head of House will have something to say about you attacking other students in the hallways.” Thorfinn said.

“She's just a filthy mud-blood!” Draco spat. “She shouldn't even be allowed in the school!”

“You can see her shield from here.” Thorfinn said and turned Draco around to show him. “Look at it! Can you do that?”

Draco had an angry look on his face and didn't say anything.

“No, you can't.” Thorfinn said. “Your pure blood is a bit too intermixed to allow proper magic flow.”

“My parents are NOT related!” Draco said angrily.

“Some of your ancestors were.” Thorfinn said, then he sighed. “As were some of mine.”

Draco's face lost some of the anger.

“You still attacked a student and you will be facing punishment.” Thorfinn said and dragged the boy towards the Great Hall where Professor Snape still ate breakfast.

“Wow.” Neville whispered as they disappeared from sight.

“Harry, you can drop the shield now.” Hermione said and Harry dismissed the shield.

“Are you all right?” Harry asked.

Hermione nodded. “Let's get to class.”

Harry and Neville followed her down the stairs and into the dungeons of the castle.

“Everything seems so bright and clean down here.” Hermione said as she looked around.

“I'm surprised it's still this clean.” Harry said. “We did it on Monday.”

“This is what you've been doing during your cleaning detention?” Neville asked, surprised.

“We're up to the fourth floor now.” Harry said, a little proudly. It was a massive castle and there were a lot of things to clean.

“I... I thought... you would be dusting the portraits or something.” Hermione said as she opened the door to the potions classroom.

“I do.” Harry said as they went inside. “I also polish the wood, the banisters on the stairs, the chair rails, the suits of armor...”

“The armor?” Neville asked, surprised. “I thought they were just displays!”

“There's something wrong with some of them.” Harry said and opened his trunk.

“Some?” Hermione asked as Harry passed over her backpack.

“When you polish certain parts, they laugh.” Harry said, his face slightly red.

Hermione thought about asking, then changed her mind. She was pretty sure she knew what parts he was talking about.

“Thanks, Harry.” Neville said as Harry gave him his cauldron.

“You would think the school would provide these or let us keep them in the classroom.” Harry said and took out his own things.

“They'd be stolen almost immediately or damaged.” Hermione said with a sigh and emptied her backpack onto the table beside Harry.

“It makes me mad that people are so mean for such stupid reasons.” Harry said and closed his trunk.

“You shouldn't let it bother you that much.” Hermione said.

“I know... it's just... if someone did it to them, they'd be screaming their heads off at how unfair it is, and yet... they do it to other people and think nothing of it.” Harry said.

Hermione had to agree, because as soon as Harry tripped Malfoy, he denied everything and thought that he was the one being treated unfairly.

They quieted down as the other students came into the class. The rest of the Griffindors and then the Slytherins. The rival tension was high, especially when Draco came into the class with a smile on his face.

What's he smiling about? Harry asked himself as the classroom door slammed shut.

Professor Severus Snape strode to the front of the room. “There will be no foolish wand waving... in... this... class.”

Harry put his hand up immediately.

“Ah, Mister Potter. Our... resident... celebrity.” Severus said. “Speak.”

“Do you mean no wand waving for today's class or for all of your classes?” Harry asked.

“All of them.” Severus said, a bit sternly.

“What about the potions that require wandwork? Won't you be teaching them?” Harry asked and silence fell upon the entire class, because he had just contradicted one of the strictest teachers in Hogwarts.

Severus stared at him for several moments and then spoke as if Harry hadn't asked him anything. “Most of you won't believe that this is actually magic.” He said. “But, for a select few with the propensity for it... I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can teach you how to bottle fame... brew glory... and even... put a stopper... in death.”

Harry sat there and tried to not glare at the teacher.

“But... it seems that others won't make it very far in this class.” Severus said. “Mister Potter, tell me. What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?”

Harry frowned at the question. He knew he had read about it, because it was something he wanted to do to Dudley.

“No? Then where would...”

“Hold on.” Harry said and furrowed his brow. “I know this.” He thought back to reading the potions book and smiled. “It's the Draft of the Dead, isn't it?”

Hermione caught her breath and whispered. “So close.”

Severus looked a little mean for a second, then his face went blank again. “Five points from Griffindor for interrupting a teacher.” He said. “Now, where would you look if I asked you to find a bezoar?”

“A sheep's stomach.” Harry said right away. “It's a cure for nearly all poisons.”

“How do you know that?” Hermione asked before she could stop herself.

“The healers sent me one when I told them of all the food that a few random people that weren't from the hospital were sending me.” Harry said and took it out of his pocket. “I keep it on me all the time, especially here at school.” He said and looked at Severus. “You never know who might poison you or when.”

Severus walked over to Harry's desk and the room was deathly silent. “What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?”

“There is none. It's the same plant.” Harry said and put the bezoar stone away. “I looked it up in One Thousand Herbs and Fungi after Astrology class when I found out that werewolves were real.”

Severus squinted his eyes a little, then looked at the things on Harry's desk. He hadn't noticed them from the front of the room. Now that he was right next to them, he saw the brand new expensive crystal vials, the most expensive set of scales on the market that even pure blood families would balk at, and the full potions kit that none of the first year students bothered buying, because they could get the ingredients at the school from his stores cupboard.

Harry saw the man eyeing his things and he stopped himself from smiling. He knew buying the most expensive items for school was a great idea and this was the second teacher that he had surprised with them.

“Everyone, copy down the recipe on the board.” Severus said as he turned away from Harry's desk with and swish of his cloak. He tapped the board with his wand and Harry saw the same effect, where it looked like the writing was being written as it was revealed.

I need to learn that spell somehow. Harry thought and wrote out the potion recipe for the Boil Cure.