First Place - Angst

It was the first practical lesson for the seventh year N.E.W.T. students. Severus had switched around the distribution of students, putting both Harry's friends in the practical session with him, along with Malfoy, Nott, Parkinson, Patil, Bones, Corner, Entwhistle, Abbott, and Boot. All the partners would be assigned and mix up the houses.

"Everyone up and stand against that wall," Severus entered the classroom with his quick stride and pointed. Every student obeyed instantly. "Front right, Malfoy and Potter. Next to them will be Patil and Granger. Behind Malfoy is Abbott, then Parkinson behind Potter. Weasley and Corner sit behind Patil and Granger. Boot and Nott can take the desk behind them, and Bones and Entwhistle at the final desk."

The students all went to their seats as he assigned them. Harry and Malfoy nodded politely at each other, their relationship one of mystery to most of the school. Harry insisted that they just agreed to tolerate other and shared views on various matters but that was all. Granger and Patil smiled at each other, though Severus detected some jealousy from the Ravenclaw girl who had also been in the running for Head Girl.

The pair that would least be suspected to dislike each other, Weasley and Corner, glared as they sat as far apart as possible. Severus was slightly taken aback by that but knew he could just ask either Harry or Ron at a later time.

"Each pair has three potions in front of them, all of which you have brewed in this school," Severus smirked. He had chosen the potions particularly for each pair. It would be amusing to see what his son and his two friends made of their assignment. "Together you will identify the potions and describe the method you used. Treat this as a quiz. You may use notes, but not texts, and you may talk with your partner only. Begin."

Severus walked around the room and observed the pairs as they worked and talked quietly. His other practical class would be much easier, as the students were less inflammatory. He had refused to allow Crabbe and Goyle to continue in his class and Longbottom had elected not to, though his O.W.L. score had been surprisingly high. As only three students had scored an Outstanding, Malfoy, Granger, and Patil, Severus had allowed those with Exceeds Expectations into his class.

"Oh my," Granger said as she inspected a ladleful of Severus's surprise for the three Gryffindors. "Professor?"

"Yes Miss Granger?" Severus approached her workstation with a sinister smirk on his face.

"I don't think Padma has brewed this potion," Granger said tentatively. Harry and Ron both snapped their heads in her direction and the three exchanged uneasy looks.

"At least one of each pair has been involved in the brewing of each potion, not necessarily both," Severus returned to the front of the room and when he turned Harry and Ron were both looking mildly ill as they inspected their own foul smelling cauldrons.

The cauldrons in front of each pair were small, containing perhaps one or two doses of each potion. He saw Harry's hand in the air.

"Yes Mr. Potter?"

"May we test the potions by consumption?" Harry said cautiously.

"No."

Harry nodded and leaned in to whisper to Malfoy.

"You brewed WHAT?" Malfoy demanded, then straightened his robes and acted as though he hadn't yelled during the class. Severus let it pass and watched with an amused smirk.

Harry's face turned slightly red as he elaborated. Malfoy looked furious at first, then thoughtful, and finally amused. The two of them spent the good part of half an hour trying to hold in giggles. Ron and Hermione were not doing as well with their partners.

"That's illegal!"

The outburst had come from Corner and Ron's face was getting increasingly redder. Severus stalked towards the pair, "Is there a problem?"

"Weasley brewed an illegal potion!" Corner announced maliciously.

The whole class turned to watch the expected fireworks.

"Mr. Corner," Severus took great pleasure in drawing out the name to make the boy uncomfortable. "You may recall that I am aware Mr. Weasley has been involved in the brewing of the potion you are referring to." Corner nodded with wide eyes. "Do you believe that I would ignore students brewing illegal potions?" Corner shook his head. "Are you aware that potions restricted by the Ministry may be brewed by Potions Masters under certain circumstances and that students may assist professors?" Corner nodded again. "Five points from Hufflepuff. Do not interrupt my class with baseless accusations."

Harry, Hermione, and Malfoy were all looking impressed as Severus took his place at the front of the room, glaring at the class. Weasley was doing his best to avoid his partner's angry movements.

The class proceeded quietly, and Severus considered breaking up the Corner and Weasley partnership for the next session. The two of them were not working well together at all. Seeing that his students were working well, except for the two already mentioned, Severus sat down to work on correcting essays. There were perhaps ten minutes left to the class when a crash echoed through the room.

"What was that Potter?" Malfoy's was the only one speaking loud enough for everyone to hear as every student looked at his desk.

Harry stood up, rubbing his backside, and straightened his stool. He glanced around, blushing in what had to be embarrassment, and sat down again. A quick whisper to Malfoy got a snort of laughter from the Slytherin.

"Care to explain Mr. Potter?" Severus asked his son.

"Erm, not really," Harry responded.

A raised eyebrow and an increase in the volume of the whispers in the room were the only reply. Harry fidgeted uneasily under his gaze, and gave Severus a pleading expression.

"Very well," Severus glared at the room in general and they settled down. "Five points from Gryffindor for the disruption. Remain after class."

Harry nodded and got back to work. When the ten minutes ended the students began packing their notes away and one of each pair brought forward their parchment. Luckily, Harry had let Malfoy write. Harry's handwriting was still atrocious.

"What was that all about?" Severus asked as he and Harry entered his office.

Harry looked even more uncomfortable than he had right after he fell, "Um..." There was a long pause, then a rushed string of words, "I got drunk and got a tattoo and it moved and tickled me and I should go now, goodbye."

His office door was opened and almost closed again before Severus managed to sort out the words.

"Harold James Potter get back here this instant!" Severus bellowed.

A sheepish looking Harry reluctantly walked back into his office and shot a glare back at the snickers in the classroom from the students that hadn't left yet. He sat down in one of the simple chairs Severus had for his students.

"Say that again, more slowly," Severus said firmly.

Harry nodded and swallowed. "I got drunk... I got a tattoo... It moved and tickled me."

"Show me," Severus ordered.

Harry shucked his robes, untucked his shirt, and lifted it to show his midriff. There was a dragon with brilliant green, almost iridescent, scales. The dragon let out a puff of fire and Harry squirmed. The shirt was put back down and Harry looked at him with a guilty expression, his lower lip being gnawed between his teeth.

"When?"

"This summer," Harry said. "Reggie got sick and Charlie was on duty so I decided to hang out with Jean Pierre, Erin, Dieter, Aaron, Kari, Randy, Sandro, and Francesca. I had a lot to drink and I woke up with the tattoo."

"You...," Severus rubbed his temples and counted to ten. "Do you realize how phenomenally irresponsible that was?"

"I'm sorry," Harry looked down at the floor, his face flushed. "I didn't think..."

"That is precisely the problem!" Severus scolded. Harry flinched and Severus tried to calm himself again. "You will write me three feet on the effects of alcohol on spellcasting."

Harry looked up in surprise, but none of the anger Severus expected, "I thought..."

"I believe we just established that you did not," Severus snapped and Harry flinched again. "I cannot punish you just for drinking, as you are of age, but I will punish you for your lack of judgment."

"I meant...," Harry shifted in his seat. "You're not mad about the tattoo?"

"Should I be?" Severus questioned and gathered from Harry's expression that he had expected that. "My own tattoo is much more damning Harry. It would be hypocritical of me to condemn you for a rather tasteful one. My anger stems from you getting inebriated to the point that you forgot the night in question. Do you realize what could have happened if the preserve was attacked with you in that state?"

Harry paled and Severus saw he had not considered the possibility, at least not fully, "I... I'm sorry."

"Do not apologize to me," Severus said firmly. "It is your own life you endangered."

Harry nodded and looked suitably ashamed, "Yes Dad. When do you want the essay?"

"You can have until the first Hogsmeade weekend. It is the weekend before Halloween I believe. I know you have other work to do," Severus allowed.

"Okay," Harry nodded again. "The first Gryffindor game is that weekend too."

Severus sighed, but Harry had insisted that subject was off-limits. He settled for a small smile, "Now let me see that dragon again."

Harry grinned and lifted his shirt, twisting to display his back, "Jean Pierre spelled it on, and he had to be as drunk as I was. He was equally surprised by it the next day but Erin swore up and down it was his doing, and his idea."

"Nice work," Severus reached out a long finger and was surprised to feel texture on the scales. "What...?"

"It changed," Harry's grin widened, "when Eliza gave me her blood. The color was... less vibrant before that... and there was no texture."

"Have you tried talking to it?" Severus inquired, his Potions Master's brain trying to figure out exactly how the dragon's blood had affected the tattoo.

Harry nodded his head, then the sibilant sounds of Parseltongue were heard in the office. The dragon flapped its wings and curved around to rest on Harry's right hip with its wing and head up.

Harry's eyes lit up. "It listens to me."

"Indeed," Severus smiled. He then summoned a flask from his private stores and handed it to Harry. "This potion will negate the effects of alcohol in an emergency. The dosage is a half-vial. I expect you to use better judgment in the future, but I understand that you are still a teenager. I know you will make mistakes again. Do not abuse this privilege. If you need more come to me, but I will want an explanation."

"Thank you," Harry said with a small smile, "and not just for the potion."

Harry was out of his office before Severus could respond. He remained silent for a few minutes, watching the door his son had left through and replaying the words of their conversation in his mind. It was the first time Severus had to exercise his authority as Harry's father to discipline him.

The fact that Harry had actually left his office happy, despite being assigned a three foot essay that had nothing to do with his schoolwork, had Severus perplexed. He threw a handful of Floo powder into his fireplace.

"Lupin!"

"Yes Severus?"

"Busy?"

"Just a moment." The werewolf stepped into his office after a few seconds. "You look confused."

"I assigned Harry a three foot essay on the effects alcohol has on spellcasting and he's happy," Severus explained.

Remus laughed, "Of course he is."

"Do you mind elaborating?" Severus said in irritation.

Remus sat down and looked Severus over carefully. His eyes were very amber as the full moon approached and he looked worn down but his mood was positive.

"How has Harry been disciplined in the past?" Remus then added, "Outside of Hogwarts."

Severus immediately grasped the point Lupin was making, "He was starved, locked in his cupboard or room, beaten, or a combination of the three."

"No one has ever disciplined him as a real parent does," Remus smiled fondly and then chuckled. "Then again, most parents do not have their children write essays as punishment."

Severus rolled his eyes, "I can not give him detention for an infraction off of school grounds. How else am I to punish him while we are here?"

"What did he do?" Remus asked curiously.

Severus shook his head, "He got completely wasted and an equally wasted French wizard gave him a beautiful tattoo. I probably wouldn't have found out if the tattoo hadn't tickled him in class today."

Remus snickered, "He would be lucky enough not to have something hideous tattooed while under the influence. You never saw Sirius's tattoo. James was not an artist."

"Ask him if you can see it sometime," Severus suggested. "It's a Welsh Green, but it looks like the Viking graffiti on Maes Howe."

Remus lifted his eyebrows, "I'll have to ask him after class tomorrow." The Marauder grin then stretched across his face, "On a lighter note Severus, Albus wants us to try our hand at a dueling club again."

Severus remembered the last time an attempt had been made, a disastrous attempt, "He doesn't think the DA is enough?"

Remus shook his head, "It's only for older students. They work on more dangerous fighting techniques and don't cover dueling etiquette at all."

"Death Eaters do tend to skip the formal bow before they cast an Unforgivable your way," Severus reasoned. "When do you propose we hold it?"

"How are Sunday afternoons when there are no quidditch games?" Remus asked.

Severus nodded slowly, "I think the DA meets on weeknights. We want to include them. A few etiquette lessons would not be amiss."

"And the younger students can see some advanced dueling from them," Remus grinned.

"Shall we begin with an exhibition duel?" Severus suggested, his mind already planning the various lessons. Lockhart had only requested his assistance in the first demonstration, confident that he wouldn't need Severus beyond that. Disarming the flop had been extremely satisfying.

Remus's grin widened to show his pointed canines, "Do you think we can recruit Harry for a father and son duel?"

"If we give him no choice," Severus smirked. Harry's distaste for public attention would definitely prevent him from agreeing if Severus and Remus suggested such a performance. It would be good for his fellow students to get a taste of what Harry was capable of. There was a chance that a few of the older students might think twice about joining Voldemort after seeing Harry thoroughly trouncing Severus in a formal duel.

Remus looked thoughtful and Severus thought the werewolf might be coming to the same conclusions, "I'll speak to Albus about a few temporary wards." Severus lifted an eyebrow. "The headmaster only can create a bubble within the school where the wards that protect the castle are not active, allowing dark magic, apparition, all sorts of things."

"Make the announcement at dinner," Severus said with a satisfied smirk.

"This Sunday?" Remus asked.

Severus nodded.

Finding the Key - Chapter 22

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