When Harry and Hermione went to their first DADA class, it was a disaster. First, there was a useless quiz, only containing stupid excerpts from his books. Harry wrote across it, 'NONE OF THIS INFORMATION IS RELEVANT TO DEFENSE, OR ON OUR OWLS! Harry then pocketed the quiz. Harry was just sitting there, glaring at Lockhart, while in his black battle robes. He had worn them thinking this was a combat class. It wasn't.
After going over this ridiculous quiz, Lockhart released Cornish Pixies into the room, and even had his wand taken from him by the pixies. Lockhart attempted to use a made-up spell that did nothing! Once, Lockhart lost his wand, he ran and locked himself in his office. The class was reduced to bedlam! Soon someone was going to get hurt.
Harry had enough. He released his wand, pointed it at the center of the room, and hissed loudly. All the pixies were suddenly immobilized in the air. The students started settling down, though some of them were looking fearfully at the angry Black Lord, who was obviously a parselmouth!
Harry growled out, "I am leaving, the pixies will remain immobile for a time. I suggest everyone else leaves while they can!" He then handed Hermione up and led her out. They were followed, fairly calmly, by the other Hufflepuffs. The Ravenclaw had been bolting while they could. No one cared what happened to Lockhart. Once everyone was out, Harry pointed his wand at the door, and hissed hard. The door loudly squelched shut. Hermione just looked at him. Harry replied, "Just locking the Pixies in, we wouldn't want them to infest the castle, would we?"
Neville just laughed while Hermione shook her head, "honestly."
Neville then asked, "So a parselmouth?" Most of the Ravenclaws in the process of leaving, stopped to hear the answer.
Harry calmly and confidently responded. "The Blacks have been parsels for millennia. My Lord Black, realizing I have inherited this most important ability, has demanded I use parsel for all my magic, as it helps attune me to the Black family magics." A couple of the Ravenclaws knowing the truth of such things nodded, and calmed down. When your lord commanded it, it was done. It would soon be spread to everyone that Harry was a parsel…as all the greatest Lord Blacks had been.
Funnily enough, not even the prefects could open the door, and it became something of a game to see if anyone could undo their local parselmouth, Heir Black's, locking spell. It wasn't until Friday, before McGonagall was notified her Defense Instructor was locked in his classroom with a group of Pixies for the last two days. She had to get Flitwick to undo the spell. Flitwick was very impressed.
It was Friday afternoon. Harry and Hermione were finishing their lunch when Cedric came over with the Twins. Cedric said with some concern, "So are you joining us today?" Looking directly at Hermione.
Hermione had that look in her eye, and was about to say something when Harry smacked her bottom, SMACK! "Ouch" and she looked at Harry slightly hurt.
Harry looked at her sternly. He said warningly, "You were about to imply Cedric was looking forward to seeing your naked bum get caned. That would have insulted him and demeaned you. Control your anger. Cedric has done nothing to deserve your ire."
Hermione turned red giving credence to Harry's claims. Cedric just grimaced, "It isn't fun seeing anybody get caned. We all vividly remember the experience…which would color the experience of seeing any bottom, no matter how cute."
Hermione, exhaled and with a defeated tone, said "I am ready to bare my bottom to Master Snapes cane...I hope it is worth it."
Fred in all seriousness, exclaimed "It is. It truly is. It isn't going to feel like it for a few months as you will not do anything correctly."
George then continued, just as upbeat "But past that time, when you start to actually learn and understand what he is teaching. You will realize, this is magic at its purest form."
Harry and Hermione entered the lab for the first time. It was much bigger than the classroom. There were numerous intricate brewing stations along the walls, except the front where there was a desk with nothing on it and many writing boards, covering the front wall. Many of these brewing stations were being used and had auto stirrers performing intricate stirring patterns. In the center of the room were 10 large tables, each with an advanced brewing station on it. Each station, a true potioners dream, with the highest quality equipment, all clean and ready to use. This was completely different from the normal potion lab in Hogwarts.
As they entered, Cedric said "Never touch one of the wall stations unless you are specifically involved in that stations brewing. If something is going catastrophically wrong, hit the big RED button on the wall. Obviously, hitting that button without a good reason is a guaranteed high-level caning. Take off your robes and put on the protective apron. You have a peg with your name next to the door for both. When changed, go take the first two stations at the front."
Harry and Hermione had removed their robes, and put on the aprons. They then went to sit down, and were sitting, at their stations when Master Snape entered. He walked up to the front and held out his hand to Harry. Harry put the contract in it. Snape read it, saw it was authentic and valid. He then set it down on the desk.
During the time Master Snape was examining the contract, Harry removed his apron, slacks, and pants, walked up to Snape's desk, and bent over it. Snape just raised an eyebrow. "Lets get on with it, we have potion brewing to learn." Harry said calmly.
Snape nodded and flicked his wrist. A ratan cane appeared in his hand, 1 meter long and half a centimeter thick. Snape whipped it through the air and it whistled ominously. Harry did not move. Snape walked over to his side and struck! The whistle and THWACK! of the cane made Hermione jump. A bright red line appeared across Harry's buttocks. Harry never moved. He didn't move for the next two strikes either. Once the third strike had hit, Harry stood up, gave a slight shudder, proceeded to casually walk back to his station, then put on has pants, slacks, and apron, before standing by his desk. Snape just watched him.
Harry at that point said, "If it's fine with you Master Snape, I would prefer to stand today. That did hurt." Snaped nodded and turned to Hermione.
Hermione was white and with a trembling hand extended the contract to Master Snape. He took it and also verified it was valid and authentic, before he placed it on his desk. Then with the cane he motioned her forward. Hermione with tears in her eyes, but her chin up walked in front of her desk. She then removed her apron, and dropped her skirt, placing both behind her on her desk. She then went to Snapes desk after glancing at Harry.
Harry nodded to Hermione with pride. Hermione calmed herself with a deep breath, and turned to the front of the class. She then walked up to Snapes desk, and quickly removed her knickers balling them up in her hand. She leaned over the desk and said in a trembling voice but loud enough to be heard. "I am ready for my punishment Master Snape."
Snape stood to her left and struck with no warning swing. swish THWACK! A bright red line appeared across Hermione's buttocks and she let out a blood-curdling scream while jumping up, and rubbing her bottom. Her bottom was literally on fire!
"Back in position Miss Granger. Bottom out, hands forward." Master Snape said calmly. Hermione with a frightened look in her eyes, timidly returned to position, and had just stuck her bottom back out when THWACK! a second line appeared. She screamed again and was now sobbing, kicking her legs. She quickly got herself back into position, without being asked this time. THWACK! A third bloodcurdling scream was let out, and Hermione had jumped back up dancing in place, holding her bottom, and sobbing loudly.
Master Snape calmly said, "It's done for now. Get dressed, and back to your station, Miss Granger." Hermione quickly pulled on her knickers hissing as she settled them on her sore bottom. She then put on her skirt and Apron, and went back to her station. Like Harry, she did not sit down.
Master Snape then motioned to the other apprentices, and they started cheering and clapping. Cedric yelled "Welcome to the family, you two!" "Bravo!" "Good job Hermione!" "Harry really is a monster, not a peep from him!" were heard behind them as they slowly turned and saw the other apprentices were on their side, and cheering for them.
Master Snape then raised his hand and the cheering stopped. "Alright, lets begin. All assignments forward. We have much to do."
Harry and Hermione handed in their assignments as requested. Cedric had explained any evaluations for assignment would occur on Tuesday, so if something was flubbed badly, the cane would appear Tuesday. After handing in the assignments, Harry and Hermione were told to begin.
They had both studied the texts as they were instructed. They soon realized the entire class was performing this potion. Interestingly, the others were doing things differently than Harry and Hermione. Harry was dicing up his quills, and Snape came over, "Crush them instead, you will get a purer form of the essence you need."
Harry nodded and changed his recipe. He soon heard Snape talking to Hermione, "I know you heard me instruct Heir Potter, why are you still dicing them?"
Hermione then stated, "The recipe says-"
Master Snape cut her off, and coldly instructed, "I know what the recipe says, has it occurred to you the recipe may not be the best path to a perfect potion? There are dozens of ways to make this potion with thousands of variations. It is one of the best potions to show how advanced your art has developed. I have never caned somebody the first day, despite my threats, are you trying to be the first?"
Hermione started crying in obvious distress, "I'm sorry Master Snape. I memorized the recipe and was trying to follow it perfectly."
Master Snape calmed himself, and patiently instructed her, "If you try to follow a recipe perfectly, you will someday be an adequate brewer, but you will never be an exceptional one. Ingredients change in quality, purity, and availability. Potions is an art where you feel what is happening in your caldrons, and you change what, how much, and when you do things in response. Now crush the quills instead of dice them, and feel the difference."
Snape walked among others. When Harry glanced and saw what the two senior brewers were doing, he had no idea they were brewing the same potion it was so different. Harry actually realized with being an intuitive genius, Master Snape probably wanted to see where he would go. Harry had no idea, but he was willing to suffer some more pain to get there. Now if only he could steel Hermione to the realities of life. Life really was pain, after all.
At the end of the class, everyone had a whit sharpening potion, despite the many different roads to the goal. Strangely enough, Hermione's was the weakest with Harry's slightly better. The twins were identical and as good as Cedric, while the two senior potioners had made a potion so perfect, it was miles beyond what that potion should normally do.
Snape at the front addressed everyone, but was looking at the new apprentices, "This is a test we do regularly. As can be seen, the road is long, but very worthwhile. For my junior apprentices, we do these tests to show you where you were." Pointing to Harry and Hermione, "to where you are", pointing to the twins, "to where you wish to be", pointing at the senior apprentices.
Snape then talked to Hermione, "Hermione, other than the one change I forced on you, followed the recipe perfectly. You had the worst potion. Harry made the change I told him to make, but also slightly altered 4 other things. Two made the potion slightly worse, and two made the potion better. As a result, his potion was appreciably better than yours. I can tell he is going to experiment too early, before he knows what to change and what to keep the same."
Snape looked back at Hermione, "You have the opposite problem. I see you unwilling to vary anything even when you know what could make things better. Not surprisingly, this is what I expected. You two will study together, but brew separately. We will see if you can keep him, at least, near the road, while he leads you off of it."
Now talking to both beginners, Snape continued, "Oh, a side note, that may make your education in classes that will not let you stand, more enjoyable. I have no problem with the use of Dittany, Bruise Balm, or any other potion if you made it yourself. However, you must make fresh potions for each caning, after you are caned. This is part of the punishment, so don't try to stockpile. It will be noted."
Walking to his desk and leaning on it Snape said, "The labs are always available. Remember to have your equipment clean and in perfect working order, at all times you are not using it. Always have the equipment available for Friday potions. Dirty and unavailable equipment is the easiest way to earn attention from my cane."
Snape then motioned to the two apprentices behind the beginners, and Fred and George came forward because they knew they would be explaining how to clean. They stood next to Harry and Hermione awaiting their instructions as Master Snape continued, "My apprentices help each other, if a senior apprentice recommends something, there is a possibility they are saving your bottom from me. Heed them. Not heeding a senior apprentice is another good way to feel my cane…almost as good as a senior apprentice not giving you good advice."
Turning to the twins, now standing next to Harry and Hermione, He said, "I expect you two, to show them how to properly clean their…
Hermione interrupted, "I kno…." and Fred had a hand over her mouth, gagging her.
Snape turned and glared at Hermione, "He just saved you from being the first apprentice to earn a caning the first day. As I was saying, they will show you how to properly clean your equipment, whether or not you think you already know. They will then, this weekend, teach you how to make an adequate Bruise Balm and Dittany for your bottoms. I expect a fresh bottom when I cane you, being otherwise is just stupid, like interrupting me when I am instructing you."
Walking up and looking directly in Hermione's eyes as Fred released her and stepped back, Snape growled out "I don't like stupidity. It makes me wonder if I actually made a mistake picking an apprentice. As that is rather unlikely, it means you are pretending to be stupid, in an effort to get my attention. Attention I am more than happy to provide." Master Snape then turned and left the room.
The twins quickly start explaining to the new apprentices, exactly how Master Snape expected each piece of equipment to be cleaned. Harry and Hermione were listening to Gred explain, when Hermione interrupted again.
Hermione in her lector voice "This isn't the…" SMACK! "OOOOWWW! That hurt!" she said looking at Harry with betrayal. Harry had swatted her hard on her bottom.
Harry looked fiercely at Hermione. He replied angrily, "Well good, then I don't need to take off your skirt and do it properly! Seriously Hermione, Master Snape may know a better way to clean something, and even if it isn't better, is your bottom worth less than your need to correct people instead of listening to another option? The twins were instructed to teach us how MASTER SNAPE wants things cleaned."
Harry grabbed her face and turned her to look at him as she was trying to look away. "Master Snape will have exactly one response to you refusing to follow a direct order. Getting yourself caned for something so stupid is going to make him give you enough to change your mind...possibly 20. If only to see if you really are that stupid and a waste of his time! That's not something I can see you enduring after the three you got earlier!"
Hermione wasn't convinced, she started to argue "But..." SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! Harry had actually pulled her across his leg, bent her over, and lifted her skirt this time, so he could swat her hard right over the cane marks. "OOOOOWWW" Hermione was now sobbing again.
Harry was furious and pulled her back up, yelling right in her face. "Merlin Hermione! No buts, being right is not always the most important thing! Sometimes you keep your mouth shut, and do what you are told! If I hear one more word from you, I am going to take off my belt and strap that bottom! This is too important! Master Snape will not have any sympathy for such foolishness! Now get over there and do exactly what Fred."
"I'm George."
"Forge tells you to do. Now!" and Harry gave her a push to her station.
Hermione was looking at Harry with a sad and betrayed look in her eyes, tears falling down her cheeks, but Harry wasn't having it. He would not look at her and started cleaning his station, doing exactly what Gred told him. Soon enough she was doing what Forge told her to do without comment. Interestingly, the other apprentices, and even Master Snape who was at the doorway having heard the yelling, never said a word as Harry dispensed the discipline. It may be unusual for one junior apprentice to take another to task, but being so obviously correct, excused it.
Once everything was clean, Harry held out his hands and Hermione rushed into his arms hugging him and crying. "I'm so sorry Harry, sometimes I can't help myself."
Hugging Hermione tightly, Harry responded not sounding very sympathetic "Well Master Snape, when he wants to cane a bottom, will be more than willing to trigger a response. I suggest you fix it, less you get as used to pain as I. I really don't suggest that." Then kissing her on her forehead, he changed the subject, "We need to prepare for your bruise balm and dittany tomorrow."
Hermione slightly confused, "What about…Oh right, you will just heal tonight."
Harry shook his head and replied, "I still have dueling with Flitwick. He will notice my reduced mobility instantly and punish me for it. So yes. I will pay for my healing. Also, of course I am making the potions tomorrow. Two Snape recipes? I would be a damn fool not to learn them…and I'm not that much a fool."