Challenge #001: First line
Title:Help from Snape
Rating/Warnings: PG/none
Characters/Pairing: Gen. Some alusion to Ron/Hermione but it's not the focus
Summary: “So Snape was offering to help him? He was definitely offering to help him?”
Word Count:1536
Author's Notes:None
Registered purchases?:None
First Line
This challenge is to pick up any of the six Harry Potter books. Open up to a chapter, any chapter. Take the first line of that chapter, and type it out. Close your book, set your timer and begin writing, using that first line as the first line of your fic! Remember, only write for thirty minutes! :)
Half Blood prince chapter 16 - A very Frosty Christmas
“So Snape was offering to help him? He was definitely offering to help him?”
“So Snape was offering to help him? He was definitely offering to help him?”
“That’s what I said,” Lavender said, rolling over on her bed to lay on her back. Hermione gave her a dubious look. It did seem a little far-fetched, everyone knew Harry and Snape couldn’t stand each other, though she wasn’t quite sure just where that animosity came from. Why would Snape, of all people, offer to help Harry, of all people. And what did Harry even need help with. He hadn’t come to THEM for help and they were his best friends.
“And you overheard this yourself?” Hermione asked.
“Yes,” Lavender said with a protracted sigh. “Parvati and I were heading up to the astronomy tower and we both heard it, so you can check with her if you don’t believe me.”
“No, I believe you,” Hermione said quickly. Years of living with Lavender and the others had taught her to keep the peace. “I just, I don’t think what Harry needs help with.”
“It’s probably just his defence grade or something,” Lavender said with a shrug. “After all, what else would Snape be able to help with?”
“What else indeed?” Hermione said, mentally listing the possibilities.
~*~*~*~
Three hours later Hermione had a firm list of things that Snape could be called on to help with ranging from the mundane to the ridiculous. She was sure the list wasn’t complete either, she doubted she knew the man well enough to make a full list of his talents, after all. Some of them, well, maybe Harry did just want potions or defence help . He wanted to be an auror after all, that needed a decent potions grade. But, well...
If it was just potions, surely he would have come to her first, not to Snape. After all, Snape hardly had a track record as a caring and understanding mentor and, well, she didn’t think Harry would trust him for Defence. And he had been doing ridiculously well in potions.
No, it had to be something else. And the other things on her list weren’t so hopeful. After all, Snape wasn’t exactly the kind of wizard Harry would be comfortable approaching for a chat about his career prospects or something like that. No, if Harry had gone to Snape for advice, for help, it had to be something to do with Voldemort.
She knew it shouldn’t, that he was only a wizard and he would be overcome, but his name did still send a little shiver of fear down her spine. Voldemort. It was knowing, too, that she was so close. She had suspected for a while now that Harry’s fate was bound up with Voldemorts, and she wouldn’t leave him now. No matter how much the prospect of staying with him frightened her.
But, well, maybe this was a good thing. She knew Harry suspected Snape, but Dumbledore trusted him so there must be more to him that it seemed. Maybe Snape was helping Harry prepare for the fight?
She couldn’t imagine them doing that, somehow. But, then, she couldn’t imagine Harry letting Snape help him with anything.
She had to know, it was driving her mad. But she couldn’t find out alone.
~*~*~*~
When she turned up with the list and her story about what Lavender said she’s overheard, Ron looked at her like she was mad. She spent a good length of time trying to convince her that Lavender had misheard, and in the end they tracked Parvati down and got the same story from her, which put it beyond even Ron’s doubt.
Something was up.
He did manage to cross a few things off the list for her, pointing out that Harry would go to someone else with them. She put a few things back on, pointing out that even though Harry would undoubtedly go to Dumbledore for advice about how to cast the kinds of dark spells that might kill Voldemort, Dumbledore was a busy man and he would probably send Harry on to Snape, who would have much more experience with those things anyway.
He also added a few things she hadn’t thought of, but they were all personal things and she doubted Harry would approach Snape for a cure for some embarrassing ailment instead of going to Madame Pomfrey, but it made him feel happy to contribute to the list so she didn’t argue.
Still, there were so many avenues to explore. She knew it wasn’t going to be something that they could solve by thinking through, there were too many valid possibilities. After talking for a while they realised there were two approaches, either they could ask Harry directly or they could try and find out by following him.
~*~*~*~
It turned out that trailing a person with their own invisibility cloak was exceptionally hard. It didn’t help that Harry had always been a bit of a private person, with his own habits and his own way of just disappearing for a time.
Ron tried it first, going the cheerful route of offering to accompany Harry everywhere he went, but Harry caught on to that pretty quickly and just said no, and there wasn’t really a comeback to that so Ron didn’t have much choice but to let him go.
Their next attempt had been to follow him covertly, but Harry proved exceptionally good at slipping away into the shadows, which worried her because it spoke of experience. Ron tried following him first and, when he had no luck, Hermione took over. He managed to give them the slip every time. He’d walk into a crowd or around a corner or down a staircase and when he should have come into view again as the followed him, he just didn’t.
He didn’t say anything to them and he seemed happy as could be expected and so, since Harry was incapable of hiding his feelings he probably didn’t know they were following him and it wasn’t intentional, but they needed to try something else.
Ron came up with hiding near Snape’s office and waiting for Harry to come past, and Hermione kissed him for his cleverness and kicked herself for not thinking of it sooner. They traded off days, hiding in an empty office across the hall, one that had previously belonged to Lockhart and was still scattered with photos of him. In a week, they established that Harry visited Snape in the evenings, twice in the week they watched.
It wasn’t very helpful.
And, in the end, that only left plan B.
~*~*~*~
“I can’t ask him,” Ron objected, fidgeting under Hermione’s gaze. “I’m his friend, I can’t pry into his life.”
“Ron, it’s because we’re his friends that we’re prying,” Hermione replied, all business. “And besides, you’re his best friend. I mean, I know I’m Harry’s best friend too but I think there are some things he should talk to you about, not me.”
“But, look Hermione, that’s not the kind of relationship Harry and I have. It’s easier with you in a way, because you’re a girl. We can say things to you that guys don’t cay to each other.”
“Honestly, I have no idea who you can’t just talk to each other about your feelings,” Hermione snapped. “It’s not like there’s a rule. Oh Ron, I just think that if there is something wrong he might be more comfortable telling you, that’s all.”
“’Mione...”
“Don’t you want to help him?”
“Who are we helping?”
Hermione turned to find Harry stood behind them, eyebrow raised. She flushed and he smiled, obviously catching on to their conversation.
“Hermione’s got something she wants to talk to you about, mate,” Ron said helpfully, laying a hand on her shoulder. She glared at him but he just shrugged.
“Yes, I mean...yes. I do want to talk to you, Harry. I just, I’m a little concerned is all.”
“What are you concerned about?” Harry asked, frowning. “Nothing’s going wrong at the moment. Well, not that I know of, or other then the things that are always going wrong but they don’t really count.”
“It’s just, it’s probably nothing but, well, Lavender and Parvati overheard you the other week talking to professor Snape, something about him helping you with something. We don’t want to pry but, well, we wanted to make sure that you’re ok. That you don’t need any help.”
“I’m fine,” Harry replied with an easy shrug. “there’s just something I needed, but it’s nothing to worry about, Snape’s been very helpful. And don’t worry, if I need you two to help I won’t hesitate to ask.”
“So, it’s all good?” Ron asked. Harry nodded. They chatted for a few minutes more before Harry wandered off, leaving them alone again.
“See,” Ron said, satisfied. “He’s fine. Whatever it is can’t be that important.”
“Didn’t you notice,” Hermione said with a frown, “That he didn’t tell us what it was Snape was helping him with?”
“’Mione,” Ron said with a sigh. “I think that was Harry’s way of telling us he’s not going to let us know. Now, come on, let’s leave him to it. I’m sure we can find some other way to fill the time.”
1536/30 = 51
Emma//Hufflepuff
Rating/Warnings: PG/none
Characters/Pairing: Gen. Some alusion to Ron/Hermione but it's not the focus
Summary: “So Snape was offering to help him? He was definitely offering to help him?”
Word Count:1536
Author's Notes:None
Registered purchases?:None
First Line
This challenge is to pick up any of the six Harry Potter books. Open up to a chapter, any chapter. Take the first line of that chapter, and type it out. Close your book, set your timer and begin writing, using that first line as the first line of your fic! Remember, only write for thirty minutes! :)
Half Blood prince chapter 16 - A very Frosty Christmas
“So Snape was offering to help him? He was definitely offering to help him?”
“So Snape was offering to help him? He was definitely offering to help him?”
“That’s what I said,” Lavender said, rolling over on her bed to lay on her back. Hermione gave her a dubious look. It did seem a little far-fetched, everyone knew Harry and Snape couldn’t stand each other, though she wasn’t quite sure just where that animosity came from. Why would Snape, of all people, offer to help Harry, of all people. And what did Harry even need help with. He hadn’t come to THEM for help and they were his best friends.
“And you overheard this yourself?” Hermione asked.
“Yes,” Lavender said with a protracted sigh. “Parvati and I were heading up to the astronomy tower and we both heard it, so you can check with her if you don’t believe me.”
“No, I believe you,” Hermione said quickly. Years of living with Lavender and the others had taught her to keep the peace. “I just, I don’t think what Harry needs help with.”
“It’s probably just his defence grade or something,” Lavender said with a shrug. “After all, what else would Snape be able to help with?”
“What else indeed?” Hermione said, mentally listing the possibilities.
~*~*~*~
Three hours later Hermione had a firm list of things that Snape could be called on to help with ranging from the mundane to the ridiculous. She was sure the list wasn’t complete either, she doubted she knew the man well enough to make a full list of his talents, after all. Some of them, well, maybe Harry did just want potions or defence help . He wanted to be an auror after all, that needed a decent potions grade. But, well...
If it was just potions, surely he would have come to her first, not to Snape. After all, Snape hardly had a track record as a caring and understanding mentor and, well, she didn’t think Harry would trust him for Defence. And he had been doing ridiculously well in potions.
No, it had to be something else. And the other things on her list weren’t so hopeful. After all, Snape wasn’t exactly the kind of wizard Harry would be comfortable approaching for a chat about his career prospects or something like that. No, if Harry had gone to Snape for advice, for help, it had to be something to do with Voldemort.
She knew it shouldn’t, that he was only a wizard and he would be overcome, but his name did still send a little shiver of fear down her spine. Voldemort. It was knowing, too, that she was so close. She had suspected for a while now that Harry’s fate was bound up with Voldemorts, and she wouldn’t leave him now. No matter how much the prospect of staying with him frightened her.
But, well, maybe this was a good thing. She knew Harry suspected Snape, but Dumbledore trusted him so there must be more to him that it seemed. Maybe Snape was helping Harry prepare for the fight?
She couldn’t imagine them doing that, somehow. But, then, she couldn’t imagine Harry letting Snape help him with anything.
She had to know, it was driving her mad. But she couldn’t find out alone.
~*~*~*~
When she turned up with the list and her story about what Lavender said she’s overheard, Ron looked at her like she was mad. She spent a good length of time trying to convince her that Lavender had misheard, and in the end they tracked Parvati down and got the same story from her, which put it beyond even Ron’s doubt.
Something was up.
He did manage to cross a few things off the list for her, pointing out that Harry would go to someone else with them. She put a few things back on, pointing out that even though Harry would undoubtedly go to Dumbledore for advice about how to cast the kinds of dark spells that might kill Voldemort, Dumbledore was a busy man and he would probably send Harry on to Snape, who would have much more experience with those things anyway.
He also added a few things she hadn’t thought of, but they were all personal things and she doubted Harry would approach Snape for a cure for some embarrassing ailment instead of going to Madame Pomfrey, but it made him feel happy to contribute to the list so she didn’t argue.
Still, there were so many avenues to explore. She knew it wasn’t going to be something that they could solve by thinking through, there were too many valid possibilities. After talking for a while they realised there were two approaches, either they could ask Harry directly or they could try and find out by following him.
~*~*~*~
It turned out that trailing a person with their own invisibility cloak was exceptionally hard. It didn’t help that Harry had always been a bit of a private person, with his own habits and his own way of just disappearing for a time.
Ron tried it first, going the cheerful route of offering to accompany Harry everywhere he went, but Harry caught on to that pretty quickly and just said no, and there wasn’t really a comeback to that so Ron didn’t have much choice but to let him go.
Their next attempt had been to follow him covertly, but Harry proved exceptionally good at slipping away into the shadows, which worried her because it spoke of experience. Ron tried following him first and, when he had no luck, Hermione took over. He managed to give them the slip every time. He’d walk into a crowd or around a corner or down a staircase and when he should have come into view again as the followed him, he just didn’t.
He didn’t say anything to them and he seemed happy as could be expected and so, since Harry was incapable of hiding his feelings he probably didn’t know they were following him and it wasn’t intentional, but they needed to try something else.
Ron came up with hiding near Snape’s office and waiting for Harry to come past, and Hermione kissed him for his cleverness and kicked herself for not thinking of it sooner. They traded off days, hiding in an empty office across the hall, one that had previously belonged to Lockhart and was still scattered with photos of him. In a week, they established that Harry visited Snape in the evenings, twice in the week they watched.
It wasn’t very helpful.
And, in the end, that only left plan B.
~*~*~*~
“I can’t ask him,” Ron objected, fidgeting under Hermione’s gaze. “I’m his friend, I can’t pry into his life.”
“Ron, it’s because we’re his friends that we’re prying,” Hermione replied, all business. “And besides, you’re his best friend. I mean, I know I’m Harry’s best friend too but I think there are some things he should talk to you about, not me.”
“But, look Hermione, that’s not the kind of relationship Harry and I have. It’s easier with you in a way, because you’re a girl. We can say things to you that guys don’t cay to each other.”
“Honestly, I have no idea who you can’t just talk to each other about your feelings,” Hermione snapped. “It’s not like there’s a rule. Oh Ron, I just think that if there is something wrong he might be more comfortable telling you, that’s all.”
“’Mione...”
“Don’t you want to help him?”
“Who are we helping?”
Hermione turned to find Harry stood behind them, eyebrow raised. She flushed and he smiled, obviously catching on to their conversation.
“Hermione’s got something she wants to talk to you about, mate,” Ron said helpfully, laying a hand on her shoulder. She glared at him but he just shrugged.
“Yes, I mean...yes. I do want to talk to you, Harry. I just, I’m a little concerned is all.”
“What are you concerned about?” Harry asked, frowning. “Nothing’s going wrong at the moment. Well, not that I know of, or other then the things that are always going wrong but they don’t really count.”
“It’s just, it’s probably nothing but, well, Lavender and Parvati overheard you the other week talking to professor Snape, something about him helping you with something. We don’t want to pry but, well, we wanted to make sure that you’re ok. That you don’t need any help.”
“I’m fine,” Harry replied with an easy shrug. “there’s just something I needed, but it’s nothing to worry about, Snape’s been very helpful. And don’t worry, if I need you two to help I won’t hesitate to ask.”
“So, it’s all good?” Ron asked. Harry nodded. They chatted for a few minutes more before Harry wandered off, leaving them alone again.
“See,” Ron said, satisfied. “He’s fine. Whatever it is can’t be that important.”
“Didn’t you notice,” Hermione said with a frown, “That he didn’t tell us what it was Snape was helping him with?”
“’Mione,” Ron said with a sigh. “I think that was Harry’s way of telling us he’s not going to let us know. Now, come on, let’s leave him to it. I’m sure we can find some other way to fill the time.”
1536/30 = 51
Emma//Hufflepuff