Harry Potter's Pen Pal

Chapter Three

 Hi, Tom, sorry I didn't write last night. Snape kept Weasley and I up late.

Snape...?

Oh, right. Severus Snape is the Potions professor. He's a horrible teacher and he hates me.

I'm still not sure how anyone can hate you. You're very intelligent and quiet.

Well, Snape seems to think I'm arrogant, rude, and attention-seeking.

Why?! You're the opposite of that!

Tell that to Snape.

Why'd he keep you up?

He was the one who caught us when we got to Hogwarts. After we crashed the car into a tree that hits back, of course.

Oh my goodness! Are you alright, Harry?

I'm fine. I've gotten worse. Weasley's fine too, he just broke his wand.

Why do you keep calling him Weasley? I thought he was your friend.

Some friend he's been! I am currently not speaking to him.

Why? What did he do?

A lot of things! Do you know how hard I tried to persuade him that we shouldn't take the car?! The idiot can't drive, at all, and we could have just waited for his parents to take us to the school! And he had the nerve to say it was my fault that we got caught!

...I seriously hate him.

Yes! And we got punished! We are twelve-year-old children who got in way over our heads! I sent a letter to Dumbledore explaining what happened, that we tried to solve the problem based on the knowledge we had, and he told us we were lucky not to be expelled! McGonagall gave us a week of detentions and I have to serve mine with that idiot Lockhart!

Who is Lockhart?

DADA Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile award, and a colossal idiot. He set a cage-full of Cornish Pixies loose on a second-year Gryffindor/Slytherin class.

I don't know whether to laugh at that or demand that he be fired. Are you alright?

You've been asking that a lot. Yeah, I'm fine. Weasley got bit on the ear, though. Serves him right --he hit one of the fairies.

Pixies.

Is there a difference?

Yes. Pixies are generally smaller, lighter, and quicker.

...Tom....

Yes, Harry?

Would you teach me Defense instead?

Absolutely. Why don't I teach you about pixies and fairies, since that seems to be what Lockhart was TRYING to teach you?

Hah! That sounds great.

Let's get started, then. Take out your notes.

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That was way better than Lockhart's class. Thanks, Tom.

It was my pleasure, Harry. You're a good student.

You're a great teacher. Could you help me with Potions, too?

Of course! I love Potions. When do you have it next?

...Wednesday afternoon. That doesn't give me time to finish my summer homework.

Let me help you, then.