Harry received a letter from Cyrus Greengrass the next morning, inviting him to Greengrass Manor the day after the start of the Yule holidays. Harry sent a brief reply saying that he would be honoured to accept their invitation. The day continued with Harry's first Transfiguration class with the Slytherins. It proceeded without any issue. He was able to get the spell correctly on the first try. After lunch, he had double Potions with the Hufflepuffs. Harry knew a lot about Severus Snape from reading his parents' journals. It was quite satisfying to see both points of view, from James' angle and from Lily's as well.
The potions master had been best friends with his mother since before Hogwarts. Harry knew that Snape had been abused by his Muggle father and that abuse turned him into a very bitter individual. When he had met James Potter on the train to Hogwarts, he had insulted James' father, with the latter throwing insults back at the former, starting a rivalry between them that never ended, mainly due to both of them, according to James, having affections for Lily. Their hatred for each other had only grown over the years and had become a lot worse when James and Lily began dating in their sixth year. At first, Harry wondered if his father had gone overboard, but there were several instances that were written in both his parents' journals that recounted incidents where Snape had proved himself to be very dangerous. James Potter's attacks on Snape had been humiliating, but nothing dangerous. Snape's attacks on James Potter, on the other hand, were malicious and lethal.
Harry decided to keep his guard up in front of the potions master.
He entered the classroom and took a seat at the back of the class. The door of the classroom burst open and Snape strolled inside. When he began talking the roll call, Snape's eyes flickered to Harry as he said in a very soft voice, "Mr Potter; our new celebrity."
When Snape looked into Harry's eyes, something strange happened. Harry had to do everything possible to not cry out in pain or clutch his head as a memory slammed into his conscious mind.
"My Lord, I have important news," said a figure kneeling before him.
"What is it Severus?" he asked in a silky voice, red eyes boring into the black ones of his Death Eater.
"My Lord, I did what you asked of me. I went to Hogwarts to request a teaching position. While in the Hog's Head, the old fool was in the process of interviewing a Seer, Sybill Trelawney. At first, it was all senseless babble, but suddenly, she said in a weird voice that the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches, born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. Before I could hear more, I was discovered and was forced to flee."
Red eyes narrowed in contemplation. Who had the power to defeat HIM? He was Lord Voldemort, the greatest wizard that had ever existed. Surely this prophecy was fake?
But what if it was genuine? He had to eliminate the threat.
"You have done well to tell me this, Severus. You shall be greatly rewarded for your loyalty. Bring Rookwood before me. I need to confirm this with the Department of Mysteries."
Harry gasped as he exited the memory, clamping down his Occlumency shields as he did so. His hands were shaking, gripping the desk tightly as he listened to Snape talk about potions and their uses. He closed his eyes and tried to suppress a pounding headache that was driving him insane. What had just happened?
"Potter!" said Snape suddenly, bringing Harry's attention back to the teacher. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Harry blinked for a second before his face became impassive again. "The Draught of Living Death, Professor," answered Harry promptly.
Snape's eyes narrowed. "Where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?"
"In the stomach of a goat, Professor."
"Which is the potion that requires Lacewing flies, powdered bicorn horn, shredded boomslang skin and Fluxweed?"
"Polyjuice Potion, sir."
"Which potion uses Occamy eggshell and Ashwinder eggs?"
"Felix Felicis, the potion which is also called as liquid luck."
"Well, why are none of you writing that down?" barked Snape as people began scribbling in their notebooks furiously. He then gave them instructions to brew a simple potion on how to cure boils. He watched Potter like a hawk and his suspicion was confirmed.
....
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