7

Chapter 7: Wanted Points

Nathan spent the weeks following his detention observing the Potions master's attitude during class. He kept notes of every point Professor Snape awarded or took. The corners of his book and parchment sheets were full of numbers, names, a G or S and words such as right answer, bad chopping, good brew and cauldron explosion. He had notes for at least three weeks worth of Potions classes. The same kind of notes were all over his Defense texts as well. He was similarly observing Professor Lupin, Head of Gryffindor House, for comparison matters.

Now, Nathan sat at a table in the common room near where Kevin and Andy were playing wizards chess. He flipped through his books and classroom notes, organizing the information he'd collected into a Points Chart, when Kevin, while waiting for Andy's move in their game, interrupted his work, "What are you so caught up with, Nathan? You're going through the pages of these books like crazy, taking notes. You can't be studying at this rate," he stated.

"I'm not studying," Nathan answered, filling yet another line of the Points Chart. "It's some independent research I'm working on," he added, without taking his eyes from the parchments on the table.

That caught Andy's attention. "What? You're working on independent research along with all the homework we've been assigned?" he said, shaking his head lightly. "You should try chess some day, Nathan," he added, contemplating the board for his chances after Kevin's last move.

"Yes, you could play a match with me after I finish with Andy!" Kevin added with a playful smile. "He'll not last long, anyway."

"I appreciate the invitation, but chess is not my game," Nathan answered while turning the pages of his Potions book until he found another side-note to add to the chart.

"What are you researching, anyway?" asked Andy, after moving a reluctant bishop into battle with the opponent's knight.

"I'm evaluating the differences between Gryffindor's and Slytherin's Head of House behavior concerning house points," Nathan stated, and was rewarded with an arched brow by Andy while Kevin snorted in amusement.

"You're a weird guy, Nathan. What would you gain from such research? House points?" asked Kevin, sarcastically.

"In fact, that's exactly what I'm expecting," replied Nathan, "I'm trying to understand what Professor Snape most awards points for and doing the same with Professor Lupin. That way I'll be able to come with a plan of action to make both of them award Gryffindor as many points as possible," he explained matter-of-factly.

"That's a great idea!" said Andy enthusiastically, "We can make the Slytherins lose as many points as we win, too, and take the lead in the House Cup!" he added with a mischievous grin.

"Yeah, yeah," said Nathan dismissively, "as soon as I finish the Points Chart," he added, letting his annoyance with the interruptions show in his voice.

The two boys went back to their game and Nathan to his chart. He wasn't telling them all the reasons for his research on these particular professors, though. I'll prove he doesn't award points only to Slytherins, he thought.

An hour later found Kevin and Andy engaged in a game of Exploding Snap with Josephina and her best friend, Anna. Nathan was finishing his Points Chart, seated at the same table. "I'm done!" he stated. All he had to do now was add a totaling line at the end of the chart and analyze the results.

And so he did. Taking his wand and pointing it to the parchment he uttered, "Totalus," and frowned at the result. Professor Snape didn't award any points to Gryffindor, he acknowledged mentally, and it's not a common behavior of Head of Houses, because Professor Lupin awards points to Slytherin, so…

"What's wrong, Nathan?" asked Kevin, seeing his friend's distress.

"I need more information," Nathan said, not wanting to believe his conclusions. It must be a coincidence. Taking another careful look at the Points Chart, analyzing the specifics of each awarded point, Nathan realized Professor Snape prized good potions and correct answers the most. Well, the Gryffindors aren't the best brewers of the class, he admitted mentally, and they're too afraid of him to volunteer answers to his questions. He wasn't a volunteer himself, and it was a crucial matter on the points awarded. You had to volunteer to answer the questions.

The good potions points were another matter. Nathan was an excellent brewer and his potions were always perfect. That was a disturbing conclusion. Does he have something against me? Is it me, then? The thought saddened Nathan. Maybe it's because of my mother, he thought reluctantly to himself.

He wanted to dismiss that line of thought, so he needed more information. The Potions master couldn't be treating him differently because of things that had happened more than a decade ago. Professor Snape hated Harry, and Ron and his mother for being Harry's friends. He doesn't hate me, does he? Nathan shook his head. I need more information before I can conclude anything.

Nathan collected his papers and books from the table at which he'd been working. He needed to talk with someone who had known Professor Snape for more than a month. Nathan looked around the full common room and rested his eyes on a group of seventh-years seated near the fireplace. The Head Boy! he thought enthusiastically. He's perfect! He's a good student, disciplined. He'll know!

Approaching the seventh-year students, Nathan called, "Mr. Cornwell, do you have a minute?"

The Head Boy looked up to find the first-year. "Is it something wrong, Mr. Granger?" he asked Nathan.

"No, I just have some questions, if you don't mind," he answered.

The older boy excused himself from his friends and gave Nathan his undivided attention. "Very well, Mr. Granger, what is it that you want to ask?"

"I wanted to know if you have ever won any house points from Professor Snape," Nathan said, not wanting to waste the Head Boy's time with small talk.

"Professor Snape?" Cornwell asked, surprised by the boy's question.

"Snape doesn't give Gryffindors house points," another seventh-year, who was listening to the conversation, answered. "He only gives points to Slytherin, the git!"

"Pretend you have some respect for Professor Snape, please," admonished the Head Boy.

"Is it true?" asked Nathan, wanting Cornwell's confirmation of the boy's accusations.

"Yes, it's true. Professor Snape is very hard to please," the older boy answered.

"And he's a greasy git that hates Gryffindors," added the other seventh-year.

Nathan would have intervened with the boy's slander of the Potions professor if the revelations hadn't affected him so deeply. So, it's true. Professor Snape favors Slytherins. He couldn't avoid the melancholia that hit him. Nathan was very disappointed with Professor Snape, the man his mother was always adamant was so honorable and deserving of people's respect.

Thanking the seventh-years, Nathan went back to the table his book bag was resting on and left the common room for the boys' dormitory. He prepared himself to sleep but felt he couldn't. His mind was racing with thoughts, but before he finally fell asleep his expression wasn't a sad, disappointed one anymore, but one light with hope.

Next Monday morning, Nathan entered the Great Hall for breakfast with confidence. He had worked through the weekend and had a plan he was sure would make Professor Snape give him house points. His fellow Gryffindors just didn't know how to do it; that was the conclusion he had got after analyzing the Points Chart over and over.

He'd start with the first phase of his plan today. He'd volunteer to answer the questions. He'd read the text book for the lesson twice, as well as some additional texts he'd found in the library. He was prepared and he knew it.

He ate his breakfast, chatting animatedly with his friends. He glanced once in a while in the direction of the High Table, meeting a mirror of his dark eyes glancing back at him. Snape was scowling, of course, but that was his normal behavior.

The Gryffindors walked their way through the dungeon halls; the Potions classroom was cold, despite the mild temperature outside. Nathan took his usual seat and prepared himself for the class, and Professor Snape arrived a few minutes later, sliding his tall figure towards the front of the room with his black robes billowing after him.

The lecture started and with that the Potions master's questions. Nathan had his hand up on every single one, providing precise answers that would make his mother proud; yet it seemed not to be enough for Professor Snape.

"Adequate, Mr. Granger," was the most positive appreciation Nathan got from the Potions master.

At the end of the class, Professor Snape was beyond annoyed with Nathan.

"Can anyone tell me why I should not combine these two substances?" the professor asked.

Nathan's hand was in the air as soon as his teacher finished the question.

"Anyone?" insisted Snape.

Nathan was almost on his feet by then. Professor Snape had his jaw closed tightly and his fists clenching alongside his body. He hissed, "The resident know-it-all seems to know the answer; do enlighten us, Mr. Granger."

Nathan was taken aback by the Potions master's tone and the potency of his venomous glare, but answered firmly, "They are a base and an acid, respectively. Combined, they'll form a salt and the side-product would be water, which would ruin the potion at this point of the brewing."

The boy was confident. That was a perfect answer, and it couldn't be found in the assigned text book. He only knew the information because he had been working with other books, too. Nathan watched his teacher expectantly. This one deserves at least five points, he thought.

"Correct… but incomplete," was Professor Snape's comment.

Incomplete! Incomplete! The disappointment was written on Nathan's face. He let his weight fall back on his stool and just stared at the Potions master in disbelief. Incomplete.

The class was dismissed shortly after that, and Nathan took himself out of the dungeon classroom accompanied by his classmates. Andy was close beside him while they headed for the Defense class.

"Where did you learn all that, Nathan?" he asked.

"It doesn't matter, does it?" Nathan answered acidly. "Professor Snape didn't give me a single point for all the questions I answered." He threw his hands up in front of him in a gesture of disappointment.

"That's okay, Nathan," said Kevin, patting him on the shoulder, "he's just a greasy git who hates Gryffindors. You weren't less brilliant because of that. Did you see Malfoy's face? Not a hundred points would be worth more than the expression on that Slytherin's faces," he added, grinning.

"Yeah, that was priceless!" agreed Andy, patting Nathan on his other shoulder.

That helped a little, Nathan had to admit. His friends were trying to make him feel better and that was great, and although it worked on the surface, deep down inside he was hurting. Professor Snape was unfair and hated Gryffindors. Or he hates only me. He sighed inwardly at the thought. They were just entering the Defense classroom when he decided to let it go for the moment and concentrate on his other classes.

Professor Snape entered his classroom prepared for another annoying first-year Gryffindor and Slytherin double class. The potion he had assigned for today wasn't easy for their level of skills, and he expected at least one cauldron explosion.

He reached the front of the room and started lecturing. Asking his first question, he didn't bother to look at the Granger boy to see if he had his hand up to answer; he chose the first Slytherin who waved his hand instead. Another question, and now he glanced the boy's way to smirk at him while choosing another student to answer, but realized the Granger boy didn't have his hand up at all.

That intrigued him. Last class, Granger was so annoying Snape was reminded of the boy's mother, the insufferable know-it-all. And then today Mr. Granger was back to the way he was at the beginning of the term, self-absorbed and contained.

He asked another question, more difficult than the previous one, trying to instigate the boy to volunteer an answer, but got nothing. Not containing himself anymore, he approached the boy and paused in front of him with a smirk forming on his face and said, "What happened, Mr. Granger? Didn't read the chapter today? And I thought you were a know-it-all, just like your mother."

There! Let's see what you're made of, little Granger, he thought, still smirking.

"I know the answers, sir, I just didn't think you want me to give them. You seemed a little annoyed with me last class," Nathan answered frankly.

Snape was so surprised with the boy's sincerity that it showed on his face for a moment until he was able to control himself again, regaining his blank outward demeanor that betrayed no emotions. The fact that the Granger boy could unsettle him was annoying, and with pinched eyebrows, he said, "Five points from Gryffindor for your impertinence, Mr. Granger."

Somewhat recovered after the points lashing, Snape turned his attention back to the class and waved his wand, making the instructions for the potion appear on the board. He instructed the class to start brewing and sat back at his desk to grade some papers, never leaving the class unattended. This potion could be especially disastrous when brewed by dunderheads, and he wasn't going to take any risks.

From time to time, he would leave his desk to walk between the workstations, perusing the cauldrons. After taking some points here and there, he reached Granger's cauldron. The potion is… perfect, he dared admit to himself. The boy was at a more advanced stage than his classmates; he was at a particularly delicate stage of the brew, actually. Snape looked the boy's hands chopping, slicing and measuring the ingredients, and was impressed with his ability. His movements are very precise and fluid, he thought, mesmerized by Nathan's graceful movements.

When he tried to take Nathan's attention from the potion, he realized how concentrated on the task the boy was. The boy is really talented! he caught himself thinking. He went back to his desk and his papers, but every once in a while he would spend a few minutes observing the boy work. He was now officially intrigued by Nathan Granger. The boy acted so differently from class to class; he was definitely and officially a mystery.

Some time later, Nathan stirred his cauldron clock-wise one last time. Perfect! he thought with a smile. He had finished brewing and was really satisfied with the resulting liquid laying inside the cauldron. He bottled a sample and cleaned his workbench. Just then he looked around him and realized he was the first to finish the potion. Great! I'm the first to finish and the brew is perfect! he thought, eyeing the bottle carrying his sample proudly.

He took the vial and walked to the desk where Professor Snape sat grading papers. The Potions master looked up from his work and started to say, "What are you doing out of your…" but stopped after catching sight of the bottle on Nathan's hand.

"I've finished, Professor," Nathan said, leaving the bottle on the desk. He hovered a little before heading back to his stool. He wanted to know what Professor Snape thought of his potion.

The Potions master looked at Nathan, at the bottle and then back to the papers he was grading. "You're free to go, Mr. Granger," was the only thing he said.

He's dismissing me! What about the potion? It's perfect and he's not going to say anything! Nathan sat there in astonishment. It took him a few moments to gather his thoughts before leaving the classroom with long strides, slamming the door after him. He was furious!

He strode through the dungeons, not even noticing his surroundings. His head was still in the Potions classroom. He passed by Professor Lupin, who noticed something was amiss.

"Nathan, is something wrong? Shouldn't you be in Potions right now?" asked Professor Lupin.

"I was dismissed, sir," said Nathan. Lupin could see the boy was livid.

"Well, I never saw a student so angry for being dismissed from Professor Snape's class before. Did you explode your cauldron or something?" asked Lupin, observing the boy with interest.

"No! I just finished my potion earlier than everyone else and he dismissed me," Nathan stated in a way that left Professor Lupin no doubt he was annoyed with the Potions master. He couldn't think of a motive for this annoyance, though. He started walking towards his classroom and the boy, still lost in his thoughts, followed.

"And it's a bad thing because…" Lupin trailed out, wanting the boy to explain.

"My potion was perfect and he didn't say anything! He just… dismissed me!" Nathan said, throwing his hands in the air to show his irritation over Professor Snape's actions.

The Head of Gryffindor had a knowing look on his face when he said, "And you were waiting some recognition for your good work, right?" Lupin was used to it by now. Every year he had one or two Gryffindors angry with Snape for his lack of recognition of true talent.

"Well, yeah! My potion was perfect! It was worthy of at least five points to Gryffindor!" answered Nathan, indignation clear in his tone of voice, his black eyes shining with the strength of his emotions. He was really pissed off!

Professor Lupin smiled at the boy. "Nathan, you have to understand that Professor Snape is not the kind of teacher who distributes points to Gryffindor. However, it doesn't mean he didn't appreciate your good work in the classroom."

"But why? Is it because he's Head of Slytherin?" asked Nathan. "You're Head of Gryffindor and you give points to all houses, including Slytherin," he added.

"That's true, Nathan, but you've got to understand that Professor Snape thinks differently than I do. He believes Gryffindors work harder when they are challenged, while Slytherins need recognition," the Defense professor explained.

Nathan snorted. "Do you think he's right, sir?" he asked, shaking his head in amusement.

"Well, I don't use that specific technique, but I can't deny it works fairly well on his classes. He's been teaching for a long time, Nathan. His class can be dangerous sometimes, and he has to be in control or something pretty bad can happen," Professor Lupin said seriously.

Nathan was silent, absorbing the information. It made sense.

Lupin, seeing Nathan was taking his words, continued, "You shouldn't be disappointed if Professor Snape didn't award you house points, he'll praise your good work in other ways. I believe the fact that he dismissed you earlier today is one of them."

That statement got a lifted eyebrow from Nathan. "And how is that?" he asked curiously.

"Professor Snape could have made you stay for the rest of the class and asked you to write an essay or something, but he decided to dismiss you. It's not a common practice coming from him, Nathan. I'm almost convinced that it's equivalent to ten points," Lupin said with a smile.

Nathan responded with a smile of his own. Professor Lupin was right: the Potions master could have given him more homework or something. That calmed him a little.

They were in front of the Defense classroom by now. Nathan took a seat and reached for a book to read before the class started. Professor Lupin left the boy to it and entered his office, smiling.