Harry Potter and The Force of Magic Chapter 19 (Challenging Snape) (Patreon)

"Every man should lose a battle in his youth, so he does not lose a war when he is old." - Tywin Lannister.

"Alright. What happened there?" Tonks had grabbed Harry, pulling him away from his friends as they all walked towards their next class. Hermione and Ron seemed to want to see what the fuss was all about, but Tonks quickly motioned for them to just go to their Class and not ask questions.

The empty desks and chairs were covered in a thick layer of dust, and the old blackboard was covered in chalk dust. As they entered, the door creaked and groaned as if it was reluctant to let them in. Once inside, Tonks turned to face Harry, who was sitting at a desk, his eyes downcast, lost in thought. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, the sound echoing through the empty room. With a determined look on her face, she walked over to him, her footsteps echoing on the creaky wooden floor.

Tonks still didn't quite understand why Hogwarts had so many unused spaces; the old rooms used to teach before would be abandoned instead of being repaired or something, but right now, she needed to talk with Harry, who had a small smirk on his face.

"Wow, Tonks. A beautiful Auror like you is forcefully pulling me into an abandoned class. I wonder for what horrendous reasons?" Harry inquired, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he held a look as if he was thinking deeply about something.

Tonks found herself in a perplexing situation, unsure of how to react to Harry in front of her. His smirk was infuriating, and part of her longed to slap it right off his face. But at the same time, she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing he had gotten under her skin. After taking a deep breath to steady herself, Tonks decided to take the high road and ignore his suggestive comment. Instead, she shifted the conversation to something more pressing. Clearing her throat, she posed the question that had been nagging at her since he entered the Great Hall.

"What happened between you and Professor Dumbledore?" Tonks asked, her tone laced with a curious edge as she crossed her arms in front of her chest, her eyes locked on Harry's face, waiting for a response. Harry's expression shifted from a smirk to a sour one, his eyes darting away from hers as he struggled to find the right words. It was obvious that he didn't want to talk about it, the memory still raw and painful. For a moment, he said nothing, the silence hanging heavy in the air like a thick fog.

"Nothing really, we just discussed a few unimportant things. Nothing you need to worry yourself with." Harry said dismissively after a short pause, his mind still going back to his discussion with Dumbledore.

On the one hand, he felt a sense of gratitude towards the professor for being honest with him - as honest as someone like him could be. However, as he thought about how he had been denied a normal family life, his anger toward the professor began to grow. Harry couldn't help but wonder how different his life would have been if the professor had been forthcoming with him from the beginning. Despite the mixed emotions that he was feeling, Harry made a vow to himself to use this newfound knowledge to make the most of his life and never let anyone control his destiny again.

Dumbledore had decided to control how he would be raised; he had no right to control his life. Harry knew perhaps the professor thought his reason was valid, but all he could think about were the miserable years he had spent with the Dursleys, his cruel and neglectful relatives who had made his life quite hard. The thought of those wasted years made Harry feel a sense of bitterness that he couldn't shake off.

In his head, he repeated the words, "If I look back, I'm lost," knowing all too well that dwelling on what had already been written could only lead to a spiral of despair and regret. He understood that he couldn't change the past, but he could choose to learn from it and use those lessons to shape his future into one that he could be proud of. With a newfound sense of determination, Harry vowed to make decisions that would lead him down a path of fulfillment and happiness rather than one of remorse and unfulfilled potential.

As Tonks stood beside Harry, she couldn't help but notice the way he was avoiding her gaze and fidgeting uncomfortably. With a deep inhale, she tried to calm her nerves, but she couldn't shake the feeling that Harry was hiding something from her. Tonks had hoped that by now, Harry would feel comfortable enough to confide in her about any problems he was facing. She had become a close friend to him over the months, and she had always been there to offer a listening ear and a kind word of advice.

But as she watched him shift uncomfortably from foot to foot, she realized that there were still secrets he was keeping from her. It occurred to Tonks that everyone had secrets they weren't comfortable sharing, even with those closest to them. She knew that some things were just too painful or embarrassing to talk about, and Harry was no exception. She resolved to be patient and understanding with him, knowing that he would come to her when he was ready.

"Very well. What about your incident in the Quidditch Match?" The damn Dementors had descended upon the stadium out of nowhere, their presence immediately sending a chill down Harry's spine. The game had quickly turned into a life-or-death situation as Harry struggled to fend off the soul-sucking creatures that almost killed him once before.

Everyone knew putting the Dementors in Hogwarts was an idea that could very easily backfire, but Fudge wasn't the sharp tool in the shop. Despite the clear risks, Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, remained convinced that it was a stroke of genius and refused to see any potential faults in his decision.

"I will need to make it public about their screw-ups. An interview, if the information was spread, everyone will know that the ministry genius's idea to bring creatures that can't tell the difference between a grown men and a child actually backfired. This will bring bad press to the Ministry, especially Fodge and whoever supports him." Harry explained, keeping his emotions in check.

"I agree, Harry, but first, I would suggest talking with Amelia Bones. She will be able to help." Tonks suggested, thinking back on her boss, she was quite the woman and with common sense, unlike the majority of the idiots who work in the ministry.

"You mentioned her back in the Hospital Wing. I don't know who she is, but I believe your words." Harry answered, happy to know that he had people he could rally on; Tonks, on the other hand, felt her heart flutter at Harry's words, but she knew that now was not the time to dwell on her emotions.

"But how can she help us with the ministry?" Harry asked curiously, his eyes fixed on Tonks, who was standing across from him, her expression thoughtful as she considered his question. The abandoned classroom was filled with a thick layer of dust, and Harry could see the dirt had settled on almost every desk. The silence was deafening, and Harry couldn't help but wonder what Tonks had in mind.

Tonks found herself smiling after hearing Harry's question. "She's the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. She can help you with every problem you might have." Tonks informed Harry with a smirk; his eyebrow shot up; he hadn't expected her to be so important.

She might help me; the Dementors on School grounds are only one of the many fucks up the ministry did. But first, I need to meet her, Harry thought, they were way too many things he saw that didn't exactly work how they should; Harry knew with his power, he could eventually change many things, including the Wizarding World as a whole, but for that to happen, he needed allies, strong allies and be powerful himself.

"That's wonderful; Tonks, you work there. When can I talk to her?" Harry asked with newfound confidence; he rose from the seat of his desk as he asked.

"There's no need, Harry. She's coming over to us for Christmas. You can meet her at our house." Tonks answered, knowing she was originally coming to deal with Sirius's problem since he never had a trial.

A part of her couldn't wait until Harry got to her home; they could get to know each other even more, and perhaps her mother could even agree for Harry to stay even during the Summer.

"Why is she coming to your house?" Harry asked with curiosity, knowing someone of her status wouldn't come to Tonks's house just to say 'Hi' and then leave.

"My parents have a business with her, Harry," Tonks answered vaguely; Harry furrowed a brow, slightly intrigued, making it clear that he knew she wasn't telling him everything but decided not to dwell on it any longer than necessary.

Harry was about to tell Tonks that he needed to return to his class when Tonks cleared her throat to grab his attention.

"Harry, I have some troubling news to share with you," Tonks began, her face etched with concern as she spoke. "It appears that Lucius Malfoy, that insufferable and haughty pure-blood wizard, has filed charges against you for the unfortunate incident that occurred in Hagrid's class with his worthless son." Tonks paused, her lips pressed tightly together as she watched Harry's expression darken with anger and frustration.

"I can hardly believe that someone like Lucius Malfoy would have the audacity to take such action against you, Harry," she continued, her voice trembling slightly with emotion. "But it seems that he is determined to make an example of you and show that the Malfoy family holds power and influence in the wizarding world."

Harry groaned loudly, to think someone like him had the guts to do that and think he would achieve anything.

What is he even trying to achieve? He should be smart enough to know he can't do anything against a class full of students saying that Malfoy was simply being a bitch, Harry thought, thinking of ways to fix this situation. Harry would make sure to see him crumble down like a sand castle; by the end, House Malfoy will be nothing but a bad memory.

"Thank you for telling me, Tonks. Don't worry about him." Harry reassured her; the pink-haired Auror didn't need reassurance; she knew Harry could handle himself.

"Since you're going to The Defence Against The Dark Arts Class, this is for good luck," she said, her voice laced with mischief. Harry's cheeks flushed red at the unexpected gesture, and he felt a little lightheaded as Tonks leaned closer and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. He could still feel her lips against his skin, the warmth of her breath tickling his face. Harry couldn't help but touch his cheek slightly, savoring the tingling sensation that lingered in the wake of Tonks' kiss.

"Perhaps I need a second one. This is The Defence Against The Dark Arts Class we are talking about. I will need all the luck in the world." Harry spoke with a cheeky grin; Tonks laughed out loud; she couldn't help but find him very handsome, especially the way he tried to flirt.

"Perhaps, tomorrow. The last thing I want to do is spoil you." Tonks replied, trying to sound serious, but she knew she was failing miserably.

"You wound my heart, Tonks. I thought we had something special." Harry spoke with sarcasm while wiping away fake tears; Tonks rolled her eyes playfully but couldn't help the smile that crept onto her face, amused by Harry's antics.

Later

With his heart pounding in his chest, Harry skidded to a halt outside the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. He could feel the sweat trickling down his forehead as he fumbled with the doorknob, pulling the door open and dashing inside. As he stumbled forward, he tried to catch his breath, only to find that he was already too late.

"Sorry I'm late, Professor Lupin. I—" Harry began, his voice trailing off as he looked up from the ground, expecting to see the kind face of his Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

But to his surprise, it wasn't Remus Lupin who stood before him, but Snape. The man's eyes bored into Harry, and for a moment, the young wizard felt a shiver run down his spine.

He knew that Snape had never been fond of him, and the icy tone in his voice only confirmed his suspicions.

"So, Mr. Potter, it seems that our lesson has already started without you. I believe it's only fair to deduct ten points from Gryffindor for your tardiness, don't you agree?" Snape sneered as he glared at Harry, who stood his ground with a defiant look in his eyes. Despite the professor's demand, Harry refused to sit down.

"Where's Professor Lupin?" Harry demanded with an ice tone that took a few by surprise as Harry stood in the middle of the class. Snape seemed to be particularly put off by the way he spoke as if the young wizard had overstepped some unspoken boundary.

"He says he is feeling too ill to teach today," said Snape with a twisted smile.

"I believe I told you to sit down?" Snape asked, but Harry stayed where he was.

"What's wrong with him?" Harry asked, his voice laced with worry and concern as he hesitated to take a seat beside his friends, Ron and Hermione.

As he waited for an answer, Hermione raised her head from her book, casting a fleeting glance at Harry before turning her attention towards Snape, who was standing before them with his usual stoic expression.

Ron, on the other hand, glared at the greasy-haired professor, his jaw clenched tightly as he awaited an explanation.

Snape's black eyes glinted in the dimly lit classroom; his lips curled into a deep scowl as he sighed deeply. "Nothing life-threatening," he answered in a gravelly voice.

As Professor Snape's cold and menacing voice echoed through the Hogwarts classroom, Harry felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. "Five more points from Gryffindor, and if I have to ask you to sit down again, it will be fifty," the professor drawled, his eyes scanning the room for any signs of defiance. Harry knew all too well that Snape had a deep-seated disdain for Gryffindors, and he wasn't about to let anyone challenge his authority, especially not a member of the house he despised so much. Despite his frustration and anger, Harry knew that arguing with Snape would only make the situation worse.

With his head hung low, Harry trudged over to his seat sluggishly, his feet dragging across the stone floor of the Hogwarts classroom. He felt a tumultuous storm of anger brewing inside him as he collapsed into his chair next to Hermione, who looked at him with a worried expression etched on her face. Despite his best efforts to remain calm, his clenched fists and furrowed brow betrayed the turmoil churning within.

Meanwhile, Snape, the greasy-haired Potions professor, surveyed the classroom with a look of disdain, his lip curled in a sneer as he relished in the discomfort of his students.

"As I was saying before Potter interrupted, Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so far —"

Hermione quickly interjected, "Please, sir, we've done Boggarts, Red Caps, Kappas, and Grindylows," hoping to help fill the gaps.

However, Snape's response was a sharp rebuke, "Be quiet. I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin's lack of organization."

"He's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've learned under." Harry defended quickly, a tinge of pride in his voice. He wouldn't allow Snape to mock Professor Lupin.

"Well, Professor Quirrel turned out to be a weak man, and Professor Lockhart was a fraud. I'm not shocked that you're impressed with Lupin's teaching since your bar for Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts was already at the bottom." Snape's eye glinted in a twisted way.

"You are easily satisfied. Lupin is hardly overtaxing you — I would expect first years to be able to deal with Red Caps and Grindylows. Today we shall discuss—" and began flipping through the textbook. Harry watched as Snape turned to the very back chapter, which Harry knew they hadn't covered yet.

"— werewolves," said Snape; his words confused the entire class; even Harry wondered why they suddenly started learning about Werewolves.

"But, sir, we're not supposed to do werewolves yet. We're due to start Hinkypunks —" However, her interruption was met with a chilling response from Professor Snape, who fixed her with a penetrating gaze and spoke in a voice that oozed with dangerous calmness.

"Miss Granger, I was under the impression that I am teaching this lesson, not you. And I am telling you all to turn to page 394." The air in the classroom seemed to thicken as Snape's eyes scanned the room, daring anyone else to challenge his authority.

"All of you! Now!" he bellowed, his voice echoing off the walls and causing the students to jump in their seats. The class glared at Snape with looks of loathing; despite their burning desire to unleash all manner of spells and curses on their professor, the class begrudgingly opened their textbooks, their eyes scanning the pages with a sense of dread and frustration. Harry, in particular, was giving Snape the nastiest look possible, his green eyes narrowed in anger and defiance.

The dimly lit classroom was filled with an eerie silence as Professor Snape's voice echoed through the walls, "Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" His piercing gaze scanned the room, but not a single student dared to speak up. The tension in the air was palpable as everyone held their breath, waiting for someone to break the silence. Everyone, that is, except for Hermione and Harry.

"Mister Potter?" Snape sneered, thinking the boy was bluffing, as Harry stood up from the chair with an air of grace around him.

"A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope, is a creature who normally resembled a human being but, upon the complete rising of the full moon, became an uncontrollable, fearsome, and deadly wolf. This condition was caused by infection with lycanthropy, also known as werewolfry. There were various differences between werewolves' wolf form and actual wolves, making it easier to detect one." Harry explained; all students grinned satisfactorily except Snape, who seemed a little red in the face from anger slowly building up inside him.

Snape had thought Potter wouldn't know the answer. "What is a Nundu?" Snape questioned with a small smirk, his black eyes glinting with amusement as he glanced around the room at the baffled expressions of his students. Even Hermione looked perplexed. It wasn't really their fault, of course - Nundus was a rare and deadly creature that wasn't taught until the seventh year, and they were only in their third year.

"A nundu is still considered one of the most dangerous magical creatures in the world. It resembles a leopard, despite its size, is very stealthy, and its breath is very toxic, to the point that it can wipe out an entire village with a single release of its breath. If someone is poisoned by it, it is almost impossible to cure it even with the best medical tunics in the world." Harry explained with a sly smirk, looking directly at Snape, who turned redder from anger; he was seething, barely containing his anger inside.

With each word left his lips, he watched Snape's face contorted with rage, his cheeks growing redder by the second. Harry knew he had hit a nerve and was relishing in the power he held over his once-intimidating professor. Despite Snape's attempts to contain his anger, Harry could see the fury boiling just beneath the surface, threatening to erupt at any moment.

As the students sat in their chairs, the tension in the air was palpable. The room was so silent that you could hear a pin drop. A sudden movement caught the class's attention, and all eyes were on Harry and Snape, who were staring each other down with intense animosity.

The atmosphere was thick with anticipation, and the class could feel something big was about to happen. The tension between the two was so high that it felt like an explosion could happen at any moment. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the confrontation to escalate. Harry and Snape looked like they were ready to unleash a barrage of curses at each other, but Snape didn't budge. He stood there, calm and collected, his eyes locked onto Harry's. His expression was unreadable, but the students could tell that he was not going to let Potter get the best of him.

"What are the three unforgivable curses?" The room was filled with tense silence, as every student knew the severity of these curses and the consequences that came with casting them. This earned a gasp from the class; Despite his calm exterior, Harry seethed with anger, his mind racing with thoughts about the dangers of these curses and how they had affected him and those he loved. Snape's question had struck a nerve in Harry, and he was boiling like an inferno within.

As Hermione saw Harry's frustration and anger boil over, she instinctively reached out and grabbed his hand, hoping to offer him a calming touch and ease his distress. However, despite her best efforts, Harry remained tense and agitated, clearly struggling to cope with the overwhelming emotions that were consuming him. Meanwhile, Ron's eyes were blazing with fury as he glared at the professor, his fists clenched and ready to strike. Everyone knew how Harry's parents were killed.

Ron's sudden jolt upwards caused his wooden chair to make a grating sound against the cold, hard stone floor of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. With a fiery determination in his eyes, he spoke out in defense of his friend Harry, his voice ringing out with a resolute tone. "The Unforgivable Curses are something that is not to be discussed until the fourth year, Professor. So why ask a question that has no relevance to the third year?" Ron defended Harry, looking at the Professor with a nasty look, but Snape seemed less than impressed.

"Sit down, Weasley. Ten points from Gryffindor." Ron's face flushed with anger as he slumped into his seat, but before he could even utter a word, Snape's sharp gaze had already shifted toward Harry Potter.

"What are the three Unforgivable Curses, Potter? Your father was quite familiar with one of them." Snape questioned with a sinister grin, his words made many gasps, and Harry looked like he wanted to kill Snape. Hermione was still holding his hand, trying to calm him down, but even someone like her was glaring at Snape for his insult towards Harry.

There was no answer from Harry, who glared furiously, ready to blast him with his magic if necessary. He wanted nothing more than to use 'Sanguis Holy Spell' on Snape. The spell would literally rot his body from the inside out; he would die painfully, screaming until he would draw his last breath.

"T-The three Unforgivable Curses are the Cruciatus Curse, which causes unbearable pain; the Imperius Curse, which allows the user to control the victim's actions; a-and the K-Killing Curse, which causes instant death." Harry finally answered with a furious glare; Snape took little joy since Harry had answered.

"Ten points from Gryffindor," he declared, his voice dripping with malice. "I won't allow any students to look down at me like that."

But his moment of triumph was short-lived, for Harry refused to back down. With a challenging glint in his eyes, he spoke up, "I'm afraid you can't do that."

"How dare you? Fifty points from Gryffindor." Snape spoke, his tone slowly rising, his hand moving close to his wand hidden beneath his robs.

"I can call Professor McGonagall right now. The entire class is present, and even if that's not enough. I'm willing to put my memory in the Hogwarts Pensieve. But can you do the same?" Harry challenged Snape; he was tired of allowing this man-child to do as he wished, he knew Hermione was telling him to stop, but he ignored her as he glared at Snape, whose face had turned red and seethed with anger, sending the deadliest glare towards Harry, many students back away in fear from the Professor.

"You are just like your father, Potter?" The venom in every word he spoke was evident in the way his lips curled into a sneer, and his eyes narrowed.

Harry formed a smile on his face, a genuine one. "I never expected such a good compliment from you, Professor Snape," Harry spoke with satisfaction; everyone knew this was like twisting the knife as Snape marched towards Harry, his hands grasping his wand.

Harry expected the professor to attack, his eyes turning from green to gold, ready to form a defensive barrier first...

"What is happening here?" The sound echoed through the classroom of Hogwarts, and soon Professor McGonagall appeared, her stern eyes scanning the room. The students turned to look at her, their faces marked with surprise and curiosity. But what caught their attention was the sight of Crookshanks, the ginger-haired cat, walking beside Professor McGonagall. The feline creature walked up to Hermione, and she rubbed its head against her leg. Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall walked up to Snape, her piercing gaze fixed on him as she glared at him with a mixture of anger and suspicion.

"Might I know why you have your wand out, Professor?" Her eyes darted between him and the students, all of whom were silently observing the exchange. The room fell silent as Snape held his wand between his long, slender fingers, almost as if it was a prized possession. From the redness of his face and the way, he was still glaring at Harry. Everyone expected the professor to start shouting about Potter, but instead, he moved the wand away.

"Nothing McGonagall, just a little... misunderstanding with our celebrity here." His tone was laced with such venom that it seemed to drip from his lips like poison, and he glared at Harry as if he were a literal snake.

"Professors are never to draw their wands to their students, Snape." She then turned towards the rest of the students and commanded, "You're coming with me to Professor Dumbledore. Everyone else. The class is dismissed." The entire class fell silent, and the sound of rustling bags and books echoed around the room as the students began to pack up their belongings. McGonagall's authoritative tone left no room for argument, and the students knew better than to question her. Snape looked like he wanted to protest, but the way McGonagall was glaring at him, almost daring him to do something.

"D-Dismissed." Snape stuttered out; he glared at Harry as he packed his things and walked outside of the class, but before he left, Harry turned to give Snape a triumphant smirk; as he left, the smirk made Snape's blood boil more than ever before.

Harry Potter

As Harry and Ron walked away from the scene of their latest triumph, Ron could not contain his excitement and admiration any longer as he exclaimed, "Harry, you're an absolute legend!" The rest of the group quickly joined in with enthusiastic agreement, their congratulations pouring in as they praised Harry for his fearless confrontation of Snape, who had long been known for abusing his power as a teacher to mistreat his students, except for Hermione, of course, who couldn't help but scold him for doing something so careless.

"Harry, you know Snape will still be the professor tomorrow and for the rest of your Hogwarts years. He will hate you even more." Hermione reminded him she had nothing against what Harry did to Snape; he had it coming since the first year.

"Come on, Hermione. Please don't tell me you're against it."

"Never. Snape deserves far worse." Hermione admitted, earning looks from almost everyone, especially Ron, who looked at her as if he couldn't recognize her.

"What?" Hermione asked, completely bewildered by the sudden shift in her Housemates' behavior towards her. She couldn't grasp why they were all giving her strange looks, as if she had just sprouted a second head.

"Ok, who are you, and what have you done with Hermione?" Hermione, walking beside him, let out a playful eye roll, knowing full well that Ron was teasing her. As they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, Hermione turned to face her friends, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"You never know, boys," she said, "I might just surprise you again." With that, she stepped through the portrait hole, leaving Ron and Harry to exchange amused glances before following her inside. Harry couldn't stop the smile from forming on his face, and he didn't want to.