"Yeah," Harry agreed. "I really shouldn't've done that, right?" The elf nodded. "An' so I had t'be punished, yeah?" The elf nodded again, though it was with a little less assurance than before. "An' so that's what my Da did."
"Is Master Harry Potter Sir not being angry with Master Potion Professor?" the elf asked in surprise. "Even though naughty Master Potion Professor smacked poor Master Harry Potter Sir so hard that poor Master Harry Potter Sir couldn't sit down at breakfast yesterday?"
"Erm, well," Harry blushed. "I might have been exaggerating a little," he admitted.
The elf frowned. "But if Master Harry Potter Sir wasn't so sore, then he should not have been making the elves so angry with Master Potion Professor!"
"I didn't know you'd be mad at him," Harry protested. "It's not like I asked you to punish him."
"Naughty Master Harry Potter Sir!" the elf repeated, a lot less indulgently. "Now the house elves has been being mean to poor Master Potion Professor for no reason! We is now having to go and punish ourselves for being so wicked!"
"Da!" Harry looked over at Professor Snape in a panic.
Snape growled. Although he wouldn't have minded seeing the little creatures bang their heads against the castle in penance for daring to withhold his morning coffee, the noise would probably echo in his dungeons and disrupt his classes. And it would upset Harry no end. "No, you are not to punish yourselves," he ordered sharply. "I appreciate how much you care for my ward, even if he is a naughty brat who deserves many more smacks on his bottom," he added, looking pointedly at a sheepish Harry. "Bring me my coffee and our breakfast and we will say no more of this."
Except of course the house elves were wholly incapable of saying no more, and a procession of what felt like every house elf in the castle followed, each with a lengthy and tearful apology, coupled with paeans of praise to Master Potion Professor's kindness and forebearance. Snape felt nauseous by the end, while Harry happily munched his way through all the little delicacies and treats the penitent house elves brought to make amends.
Snape forced himself to look on the bright side. Not only was Harry ensuring that he didn't have to eat the numerous goodies, but also it was clear that the house elves held no grudge against the child. In the eventual conflict against Voldemort, it was obvious that the house elves would ally themselves with Harry, and while the little creatures were often overlooked, there was no denying they possessed a powerful magic all their own. Snape was certain he could find ways to use that to Harry's benefit.
"Mmm, that was great!" Harry said at long last, producing happy twitters among the remaining house elves. "I'm stuffed!"
"And so you should be, considering what you ate," Snape said severely. "No pudding for you tonight."
Harry nodded philosophically. His da was pretty fierce about not allowing him too many sweets, so the stricture came as no great surprise. "I've got Quidditch practice this afternoon тАУ can I study in the library with the others before then?"
"Yes, but you are not to тАУ"
"-go into Gryffindor Tower. I know, Da!" Harry rolled his eyes. Grown ups!
"Very well then, be off with you."
Harry grinned and left, snatching up his bookbag on his way out the door. Snape finished his coffee then made his way to his storage cupboard and downed a Pepper Up Potion. He had little hope of making it through his classes without magical assistance.
"Ah, Severus!" Dumbledore came into his classroom just before his first class. "I have excellent news. Aurors Moody and Shacklebolt will be coming on Friday, along with Miss Skeeter of the Daily Prophet."
Snape frowned. "And Amelia Bones?"
Dumbledore spread his hands. "Madame Bones expressed her regrets but said she was too busy to attend. But sending two of her top AurorsтАж" Snape tuned out as the Headmaster prattled on. His plan could succeed even without Madame Bones' presence, but it would go a lot more smoothly if she were there. On the other hand, her refusal was a reassuring demonstration that the entire Ministry and Wizengamot were not under Dumbledore's thumb. That could be very good news if the day ever came when he and the Headmaster had a serious difference of opinion regarding Harry.
Hmmm. No, he decided, his plan really did need Bones' presence. He would simply have to turn to his back-up method to compel her attendance.
"Thank you, Albus," he interrupted the older wizard politely. "I very much appreciate your assistance and I look forward to seeing the Aurors and Miss Skeeter on Friday. But now, if you will excuse me, I must prepare for my class of first year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws."
Dumbledore smiled, relieved that Snape was taking Bones' rebuff so well. "Of course, my boy, of course."
Soon thereafter, the first years all but tiptoed into the dungeon classroom, Snape's terrifying rage of the other day fresh in their minds. Fortunately for them, he appeared to be his usual snarky self, cold and sarcastic rather than furious and scary.
Class started off in a fairly unremarkable fashion, with the usual review of the homework assignment. "And what is the third ingredient in burn salve?" Snape asked. "Miss Bones?"
"Pickled newts' eyes," Susan responded promptly, glad that she had spent extra time on her essay.
"I beg your pardon?" Snape slowly rose from his chair.
"P-pickled newts' eyes?" Susan repeated, her voice faltering at the expression on the professor's face.
"Did you say pickled newts' eyes?" Snape demanded incredulously, swooping down in front of the now terrified girl.
"Y-yes, sir," Susan managed to squeak.
"Pickled. Newts'. Eyes." Snape rolled his eyes to the heavens. "Tell me, Miss Bones, while I am aware that your House is not noted for intellectual ability, does it not perturb you in the slightest to ensure that your House becomes known for academic incompetence?" he demanded. Ignoring the girl's whimper, he leaned close and demanded silkily, "Did you even bother to purchase the assigned textbook, Miss Bones? I only ask because it is apparent that you have never bothered to read the tome, and so I wondered if you at least had the common decency to spare your family the expense of the book."
"B-but, sir, I did the reading," Susan tearfully protested. "I really did!"
Snape snorted in loud disbelief. "Spare me the mendacious protestations, Miss Bones! I am aware that your disrespect towards both me and my topic is a mere reflection of your elders' contempt for this topic."
Susan gaped at him in utter confusion. "Wh-what? Sir?"
"Your aunt, Miss Bones," Snape dropped his voice to a menacing hiss, "has made her contempt for this course abundantly plain. She has rejected an overture from me, signaling to all and sundry just how little regard she has for the study of Potions. And your behavior has made it equally plain that you wish to follow in her footsteps and scorn both my instruction and my coursework."
"No, sir! No!" Susan pleaded, shaking her head in horror.
Snape ignored her protests. "Let me make it clear to you, Miss Bones, that your aunt's disrespect will cost you dearly. You may atone for your outrageous insolence in not bothering to read the material by copying тАУ before our next class тАУ the first two textbook chapters in their entirety. I am certain one of your classmates will be able to lend you their book. If your copy is not legible, you will spend your winter holiday copying the entire textbook. If you do not complete that exercise in the allotted time, we will see if spending the first week of the new term in detention will teach you better time management skills. Do you understand, Miss Bones? Or do you require additional encouragement to refrain from displaying your family's distaste for Potions quite so obviously?"