Chapter 36: The Half-blood Prince

"So, is there any reason why you are not going to help me with runes anymore?" asked Harry, poking Tracey with the feathery end of his quill.

"You are already better than most in our class. You don't need my help anymore. But, the main reason is because of what you did to Daphne." said Tracey.

Harry was taken back.

"What I did to Daphne?" Harry asked incredulously.

Tracey muttered something along the lines of 'thick-headed boys'.

"Because of you, she got kidnapped for that stupid task.."

"I had nothing to do with that."

It was true in a sense. He was not 100 percent sure about Daphne being his hostage. But of course, his protest fell on deaf ears.

"You rescued her and then snogged that Veela harlot in front of her and the school."

"That was an accident." Harry cut in and he was not happy with Tracey calling Fleur names.

"Then you ignored her for the next few days."

"Hey!" Harry protested. "Daphne was the one who said she is not interested in talking to me. Besides, why is she bothered when Fleur kissed me?"

"Because she likes you potato head." Tracey hissed.

"Really! She never said a word about anything like that." said Harry, folding his hands across his chest.

A small lie. He could deduce Daphne harboured a crush but that was not relevant here.

"Then what were you doing cosying up to her at the Yule Ball? Were you just using her to get what you wanted?" asked Tracey, her voice eerily similar to the hissing of an angry snake.

"And can you say Daphne was not using me to get what she wanted?" Harry snapped back.

For once, Tracey suddenly looked hesitant and that was the wriggle room he needed.

"What did your friend tell you about our supposed date in Hogsmeade?" Harry asked, but silence was the answer. "I thought so. So, don't come preaching to me Tracey on who is using whom."

The silence between them stretched on while they worked on their rune work.

"Okay. Alright. I'll have Daphne speak to you and you two talk it out today evening." Tracey finally suggested, breaking the silence.

Now, Harry was in a real bind. He was hoping Tracey would drop the topic at least for today. It'd have certainly given him some breathing room to get his emotions in order regarding Fleur. He was also not looking forward to a serious conversation with Daphne. If what Tracey said is true and Daphne genuinely liked him beyond any political necessities then it'd be foolish of him to shoot her down. He could come out clean and be truthful about his current trysts with Fleur but common sense pulled him back from making such a blunder.

Daphne is the heiress of House Greengrass and like it or not she will be inheriting a substantial fortune in the future. Her father is already a powerful man and Harry had personally witnessed how wily the man can be. With the second wizarding war looming on the horizon, Harry realized he should be looking to score allies or at worst keep as many powerful purebloods neutral. It'd be to his advantage to have the Greengrasses in his corner instead of working against him.

He was not going to give them a reason to turn against him especially when he was in the dark when it comes to the motivations behind Damien Greengrass. He did not for a moment believe the man only helped because of a wish to see Malfoy being taken down a peg or to secure obscure tomes. His mind urged him there was something at play here considering Malfoy's smooth escape from prison despite the man's financial woes.

Not just that. In the books, Astoria Greengrass ends up marrying Draco Malfoy after the war. So, he was very sceptical of Damien Greengrass' aid. The only reason he had gone out of his way to please the man was to ensure Sirius' freedom. With Sirius free, Harry was one step closer to breaking Dumbledore's hold on his life.

Keeping all this in mind Harry searched for a way to push a meeting with Daphne away till he got a grip on the issue at hand. What he needed was time to come up with a plan. The simpler way would have been to push Fleur away but that was not happening.

Not on his watch.

It was the unspoken code of his love life to not leave a beautiful woman disappointed especially when it is the woman who's approaching him. In this case, it was Fleur who approached him and initiated the relationship. He'd be an idiot to not reciprocate.

'So, how can I escape out of this trap?' Harry pondered.

Suddenly, his eyes widened with realization.

'Oh, Snape. You wonderful bastard. You just saved me.' Harry thought giddily before putting on an appropriate amount of regret on his face as he addressed Tracey.

"Sorry, Tracey. I've got detention with Snape for the whole week." said Harry.

"But, isn't Professor Snape supposed to be on probation? How can he assign you detention?" Tracey asked sceptically.

"He didn't. The prick ratted me out to McGonagall for being late to Potions. She complimented me for my win on the Second Task and promptly slapped me with a week's detention with the resident bat of the dungeons."

For a moment Tracey didn't say anything before letting out, "Huh!"

'What does that mean?' Harry wondered.

He was careful not to air his thoughts out.

"Can I believe the two of you have finished your discussion, Miss Davis, Mr Potter?" asked Professor Babbling, a sharp look on her face.

Harry muttered out a hasty apology as did Tracey but it never saved them from getting detention with the Ancient Runes professor.

'Man, I really miss the point system. Without the House Cup in play, detentions were the go-to disciplinary action from the professors.'

XXXXXXXX

The dark oak doors of the dungeon stared back at him ominously. Harry could smell the residue of potion fumes lingering in the air.

He sniffed the air.

'Hmm. Smells like ginger.' Harry thought as he rubbed his nose.

Without further adieu, Harry knocked on the door twice and waited. The door swung open with Snape on the other side in his usual greasy self.

"Potter. I see. It'd seem even celebrities have to attend detentions." Snape said, his classic sneer taking life on his crooked face.

"It'd seem you have to walk three flights of stairs and three long corridors to get a detention for little old me." Harry snapped back just as fiercely.

"Mind your tongue Potter."

"You first Snape. Your misconception is that you won some kind of victory here. The only thing you won Snape is my company. I came here out of respect for Professor McGonagall. If you are planning to present your sunny personality any longer I'll be on my way back. So, you choose." Harry asserted, staring resolutely into the onyx-coloured eyes of Snape.

Just because he agreed to serve detention under Snape doesn't mean he was going to tolerate Snape's unique personality. It was a battle of wills, one Harry was confident he'd win. Snape could either admit him inside or just stare at him with his exalted greasy self that'd amount to a sum total of nothing.

Of course, Snape could go to McGonagall and increase his detentions.

"Get inside and begin scrubbing the bottom of cauldrons. I want those cleaned before you clean the glass vials in the cabinet." Snape snapped before turning away and walking into the potions class with his robes billowing behind his back.

Harry smirked at Snape's retreating form. The man would huff and puff but if Harry stands his ground Snape would fold like a lawn chair. Because they both know Snape is on thin ice. Dumbledore could only protect the Potion Master so many times.

As Harry began his work Snape became his usual douche self within a few minutes.

"Tell me, Potter. What sordid scheme are you planning with Granger this time?"

Harry looked at the Potions Master out of the corner of his eye but otherwise remained silent.

"You might be a pint-sized celebrity who can do no wrong in many eyes. I'm not one of them Potter. If I find out that you are the one who is stealing Boomslang skin from my private stores, you'll be lucky enough to get an expelling letter from Hogwarts." Snape hissed, eyes squint and his greasy hair looking like a veil of darkness flaring in the light.

Harry said nothing and wondered how someone like Snape was being fooled by Barty Crouch Jr. Surely, if Snape's private store was being raided by Moody repeatedly then someone like Snape would have found ways to track the thief. It made him wonder whether Snape was aware of the fake-Moody prowling the halls of Hogwarts. He wouldn't put it past both Dumbledore and Snape to play ignorant of the fake Moody.

"Do you know what is the punishment for stealing Potter?" asked Snape.

"I know it is certainly not as severe as making unsubstantiated accusations against a minor who is also the head of a founding Noble House and also has the backing of one of the richest Noble House. So, choose your next words very carefully because I can see a cold dark cell with those soul suckers for company in your near future." Harry snapped back having enough of the bullshit from the greasy git.

"Why you arrogant little…" Snape trailed off as there was a knock on the door.

As Snape retreated to address the door Harry continued to scrub the bottoms of the cauldrons. It was then Harry noticed an open cupboard on the far end with some books on the top shelf.

It immediately struck him.

'I'm in the potions classroom for sixth and seventh years.' Harry thought.

He looked towards the door and it was Karkaroff on the other side looking rather pale and out of breath.

"We need to talk Severus. This is important. I won't allow you to slither away this time." Karkaroff said, a hint of desperation in his voice coming through.

"What do you want Karkaroff? I am rather busy." Snape growled, looking ready to pack Karkaroff in a matchbox.

"We need to talk about this…" said Karkaroff, who proceeded to fold his left sleeve up and show it to Snape.

Harry assumed it was the Dark Mark because Snape was suddenly very reluctant to continue the conversation.

Harry paid that no mind. It was not exactly news to him that Voldemort was regaining his powers as days go by. Instead, he used the opportunity to nick something useful from the classroom. Looking forward to seeing whether his hunch was right, Harry silently uttered the Summoning charm while discreetly aiming his wand at the cupboard.

'Accio Half-blood Prince's potion book.'

To his delight, a book flew across the classroom from the cupboard and settled in his hand. A cursory look at the book revealed it was the sixth-year potions book of the Half-blood Prince. Quickly before Snape could notice, Harry pocketed the book inside his cloak securing it with a sticking charm for good measure.

Harry took a look at the Death Eater duo. Fortunately, they were rather engrossed in their conversation to notice anything amiss in the classroom. With his part done, Harry kept his ear out for the conversation between Karkaroff and Snape.

"You know what this means Severus. He is coming back. What are we going to do?" Karkaroff sounded desperate as if his days were numbered.

"There is no 'we' here Karkaroff. I've made arrangements for myself." Snape said, his dry tone capable of taking the last drop of water from a dry desert.

"Don't you fear Him?" Karkaroff asked incredulously.

"I…." Snape suddenly stopped and turned around sharply with a thunderous expression.

"Potter! Get out." Snape snapped.

Harry didn't raise any protest and made his way out of the classroom. He was quite happy to be away from the Death Eater duo. Whatever they were about to discuss didn't bother him. After all, he knew more than what they knew by this point.

Last but not least, he got what he wanted from the detention.

Harry palmed the sixth-year potions book safely tucked inside his cloak and smirked as he made his way through the halls of Hogwarts. There was more work to be done and plans to be made. It was now time to step up his training.