Draco didn't look convinced, but he didn't say anything more about it.
One thing about the cover story still struck Harry as a bit off. "Look, if we spread this story around, all the other students are going to believe that after Aran hexed me, he tried to cast a memory charm! I think it'll seem awfully strange that he's still allowed to teach, even if he is being supervised while he's at it."
"In the story he thought he was hexing you in self-defence," Snape reminded him. "Which shows lamentable lack of judgment, though not true malice. Therefore, supervision is an appropriate consequence. And as for the memory charm, you can point out that he didn't successfully cast it. That should create enough of a legal loophole to settle the matter."
"Loophole!"
Snape shrugged as if to say that Ministry regulations never had made a great deal of sense.
Personally, Harry thought Aran deserved a lot worse. He almost said so, but knowing Snape, the man would get worse. Harry could hardly wait. That sentiment, though, seemed a bit dark, so he tried to repress it, even as he wished he were alone so he could have more time with his needle.
"Who's been supervising him while you've been here with us?" Draco thought to ask.
"His first teaching day will be tomorrow, since Lucius--or the amulet, depending on which story one has--injured him."
"And who's going to teach Potions while you're watching Aran teach Defence?"
"A rather complex rotating schedule is being worked out."
For Snape to allow someone else to cover his classes said a lot, Harry thought. He was pretty sure his father didn't really think the other staff could do a decent job teaching Potions, especially not the advanced levels.
"Thanks," said Harry. It felt good knowing he wouldn't be alone with Aran again, even if the man did deserve to be sacked.
Snape didn't ask for what. The dark look in his eyes said he knew.
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Harry didn't know how things were going at the Slytherin table, but when he showed up to breakfast early Wednesday morning, nobody in Gryffindor seemed to find the cover story odd. Of course, students at Hogwarts were pretty used to barmy Defence teachers, and one of them attacking Harry outright wasn't too different from what Umbridge had done. A few people did voice the opinion that he should be sacked straight away, but reasoned that as it was so close to the end of term, it probably didn't make much difference.
Ron staunchly announced that the man belonged in Azkaban, attacking one of his mates like that, and if Ron had been there his hex wouldn't have missed. He'd taken out Nott, hadn't he, he asked several times while munching his way through rasher after rasher of bacon.
Harry almost sighed. The so-called Hero of Hogsmeade was going to be disappointed when he found out Draco actually wasn't inept.
"He should absolutely be sacked!" said Hermione furiously.
Harry used Snape's line, then, to say that Aran had thought he was acting in self-defence. Which made him a perfect idiot, of course, but that was Aran for you.
Everybody had a laugh at that one. Except Hermione, who pushed her plate away, she was so upset.
The one thing Harry didn't mention was the part about Snape supervising Aran from now on. He wasn't sure how the other Gryffindors would take news like that. A lot of them still didn't like his father very much, which dismayed him, though he could understand it. Better than before, actually, now that he wasn't trying so hard to ignore just how Snape had treated him throughout most of his school years. So yeah, he could see how Dean and Seamus and Neville and Parvati might not like the idea of having Severus Snape hanging about in Defence class.
Though they might like it that someone else would be teaching Potions for once. Harry wondered which teacher they'd get.
Still, Harry didn't mention anything about Aran being supervised. His mates would know soon enough anyway. They all had Defence straight away after breakfast on Wednesdays. Harry almost didn't want to go.
He felt, deep in his trouser pocket for his match. Somehow, having it with him made him feel better.
He almost panicked when it wasn't there, and all he could feel was Sals crawling in between his fingers. But the match turned out to be in his other pocket, so that was all right.
"Come on," Hermione said, standing up and smoothing her skirt down before she scooped up her books. "We don't want to be late."
Yeah, because Snape'll be there to see, thought Harry. Odd . . . when his father had first mentioned being in Defence class, Harry had thought the prospect brilliant. Now, though, he was dreading it. He wasn't sure why. It couldn't just be because of how the Gryffindors might react, could it?
Harry slowly pushed to his feet. Draco was waiting for him at the doors of the Great Hall, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Ready?" he asked. "This ought to be good."
"What ought to be good?" asked Hermione, looking from Draco to Harry and back.
"Defence is always good," said Draco, grinning. "Don't you think so, Hermione?"
"Yeah, we do think so," said Ron, taking Hermione by the arm.
Draco's eyes were still glinting, but he stopped trying to get a rise out of Ron, then.
When they arrived at the Defence classroom, Snape was already there, standing in the shadows in one corner, his arms folded across his chest. He looked almost like a giant bat lurking there, Harry thought. Most of the students hadn't even noticed him. Aran knew he was there, though. He kept glancing nervously to the side, then quickly averting his gaze. His face was redder than usual.
Good, thought Harry. You humiliated me and called me dark and wouldn't let me fight back when the Slytherins used me for target practice. Your turn to be embarrassed. Everybody will know that Dumbledore doesn't trust you alone with students now!
As it turned out, though, that was to be only the smallest part of Aran's humiliation.
"Your attention," Aran said in a diffident tone as he tried to start class. Clearly, Snape standing there was making him nervous. Aran's voice wasn't loud enough to carry; all the students kept right on talking.
Snape took a step out of the shadows and spoke in quite a loud voice himself. "Are you always so unable to control your classes, Professor? Attention!"
The sixth-year Slytherins and Gryffindors fell silent at once, just before a hushed whisper swept through the class, the comments ranging from What is he doing here? to Who's teaching Potions, then?
Snape merely raised an eyebrow at the noise, which made it drop off straight away.
Aran's face had turned brick-red as he stood there in front of the class, his fists clenched. He did try to soldier on, though. "Open your books to the chapter on the limitations of caninae," he said stiffly. "After you've all had a chance to digest that, I'll call up the students who are still having trouble conjuring them--"
"Excuse me, Professor," said Snape, stepping out of the shadows still more. Everyone's attention was instantly riveted on him. "Since these are sixth-year students--"
"I know that!" snapped Aran.
Snape continued as though he'd never been interrupted. "I'm quite certain they're capable of reading the text on their own time. Shouldn't valuable class time be reserved for practical application of skills under the eye of a trained professional?"
Aran went even redder, though Harry wouldn't have thought it possible. "Look here, Snape, this is my class and I'll run it as I see fit!"
Mistake, Harry thought, even before his father responded.
"Apparently you won't, since the headmaster has personally asked me to oversee all Defence sections from now until the end of term," said Snape calmly.