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Hadrian Potter

Chapter 25: A Potions Master

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"Mr Potter, Mr Longbottom," A sneering voice intervened, it took a moment to realise that I was Mr Potter. Even though I had been thinking about my 'supposed family,' for some time while on the run, particularly about their betrayal and the revenge I would bring down on them, I had not yet thought about the name Potter in relation to myself.

When I was on the run, for so much of my life, Nev and I was vehemently against that, 'Light' world.

It was an US and THEM paradigm.

Now all I was, was, 'Mr. Potter.' and to say I hated it was an understatement.

The sneering voice, could only belong to head of Slytherin, the contemptuous black haired man, stood waiting impatiently for me to answer him, even though my thoughts had taken up only a few seconds.

"Severus..." I hissed out cheekily, I wondered what he thought about us. It was obvious by the way he looked at my brother, William, that there was no teacher student relationship; Snape looked thoroughly disgusted at the Potter son.

He looked critically at me however, from my stance lent up against the entrance hall wall, to the earrings and cigarette hanging out of my mouth.

Smirking, I wondered what he'd find.

Snape POV

I looked over my classes. Ravenclaws, were fine to teach, they knew the syllabus and answered my questions intellectually, unlike the Hufflepuffs who seemed to quake in my very presence. The Ravenclaws had faults too, their intellect, their most important device and they liked to use it to the point, that it became annoying.

Put in a few words, they were showoffs.

I saw that I had, Slytherin and Gryffindors 6th years, marvellous, the combination of the two always did end up in full out house war.

I was nodding at the names, Malfoy, Nott, Alex Morti, Tyler Vilin, Jared Niko more Slytherin boys whom I respected and new could study this class.

Two more names were added, Hadrian Potter and Neville Longbottom.

I tensed, then sighed loudly.

I knew I would have to teach them, but the reality of it kicked in. The fact that a pair of delinquent teenagers ran a business so vast still irked me. I secretly complimented their resourcefulness to other potion masters who too wished to acquire materials not normally sold on a common market stall, not even in Knockturn Alley.

Neville was tall, very tall, he did look a lot like his father. I remember Frank, he was awkward and emotional, but this made him kind too. My experience at school wasn't a joyful one; James Potter and Sirius Black made the rest of the school, apart from the Slytherins, to hate me. This mean't constant pranks that would cause pain or humiliation, I remember that James normally enjoyed the combination of the both.

Neville, had a stubble just enough to be considered a beard, a strange addition to a young man especially one who was only a 6th year. I had to admit, it suited him very well. It gave him the sense that he was some dangerous biker, the tattoo and the smoking added to this effect.

He seemed distracted talking, no whispering to Alec Morti, another tall boy who seemed much too old to be in 6th year. They were talking animately, the way it seemed was as if they were scheming and disagreed on some of the details.

The two girls, Daphne and Tracy who seemed to never leave each other side, stood unsurprisingly side by side. However this time another stood with them, no with Tracy, close too. It was Theodore Nott, obvious things had occurred over the summer, a relationship had evolved.

Many others stood around the group, which contained many more Slytherin boys. The 6th years Slytherin had a heavy boy to girl ratio.

However, despite all these goings on, it was a solitary figure leaning against the stone wall of the castle that interested me. He watched on with a hidden intelligence, his face was, and I would never outwardly admit it, handsome like his fathers. But he was much more than James Potter, from the way he stood, to the calculating assessment of his friends.

My body froze, when his cold eyes hit my own. A smirk I had seen him exhibit many times since he had been here, presented itself once more. The idea of a mere boy, making me freeze in nervousness at being caught staring, made me want to laugh.

This 'boy' however wasn't normal, he was different. I know knew why he could build such an organisation.

He was transcendent.

I knew that Dumbledore wasn't comfortable around him, he made him doubt himself, an ability no one except one had achieved, and we all knew how that turned out.

"Professor Snape," Hadrian spoke, the politeness was unexpected, so was the deep husk of his voice. It aged him, making him seem superior in that wise way elderly individuals seem to achieve. He rolled himself off the wall, which he so nonchalantly leant against, and made his way toward me. I readied myself for an attack, I wouldn't normally do this, but there was something in the air.

It felt electric, I spiked every now and then, it made me nervous.

"Mr Potter," I sneered, "I have yours and Mr Longbottom's timetables," I announced, falsely unconcerned. The boy, no...man, looked over to Neville, whom was flirting, it seemed, with another Slytherin girl. He seemed playfully and not really that interested in the girl who was very pretty, she however was completely infatuated, leaning in to him as he spoke and hung of his every word.

"Nev." Hadrian yelled, loudly, almost irritable. It was the first time, I had seen the change in the emotions Dumbledore kept going on about. It isn't normal, Dumbledore would say. As much as I wished Dumbledore was wrong about this, I know knew he was not.

But it wasn't just Hadrian, who seemed to display this sociopathic trait, as soon as Hadrian snapped out his Neville's name Neville's face became one of serious thought.

I knew what I liked, what I was drawn too. It was never men or women, it was what I wanted in the moment, and despite my teacher status the power coming of Hadrian Potter drew me in, enough that I was worried I would never get back out.

Hadrian Potter was intoxicating, in a dark earthy way. Obviously I was being delusional, no member of staff should feel such hunger for such a student.

Maybe I just wished I was him.