Authors Note: Hi everyone, this is my first ever fanfic (like as in ever ever) and I appreciate reviews, constructive criticism and feedback. This is not slash! I can't stand those stories. I do not own Harry Potter, J.K Rowling has already stamped her name on that. I will update whenever I can. I hope you enjoy.

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Potter," Snape sneered as he slammed Harry's potion essay down on his desk with a loud thud. Harry snapped his head up to look his professor in the eyes.

"What for?" he demanded. He worked really hard on that essay, staying up late into the night rereading the material to make sure Snape had no reason to dock points or make snide remarks. Even Hermione would have been proud at his effort.

"I beg your pardon?" Snape frowned. "There is a word missing off your question, Potter."

"What for, sir," Harry replied with as much venom as he was allowed.

"Your atrocious handwriting. For goodness sake, Potter, even Longbottom has better writing than you do."

The Slytherins sniggered and Harry bit his tongue and took a few deeps breaths. Ron opened his mouth but Harry kicked him under the bench.

"Thank you for bringing that to my attention, professor, I will work to improve on that in the future," Harry said politely. Everyone was stunned at Harry's sudden change of attitude.

"See that you do," Snape said before he stalked off towards Malfoy. "Handwriting worthy of your family name, Mr. Malfoy. Keep up the good work."

Snape handed Malfoy his essay as if it were made of crystal glass. He may as well have gone all out and presented the prat's essay on a velvet green cushion. Malfoy smirked.

"It must be my upbringing," he said smugly and Pansy swooned in her seat. Harry looked down at his essay. It was marked as acceptable with a few spelling corrections. At the bottom of the parchment was a snarky comment about his writing and that if Snape didn't have to decipher it three times then he could have earned the next grade. Ron looked over his shoulder and his eyebrows shot up into his forehead at the grade. Hermione beamed with pride and mouthed a well done. The rest of the class went smoothly and Harry bottled his potion sample. It was a pale lilac; a bit too pale according to the book. He labelled his vial and placed it along the Professor's desk along with the rest of the class.

"Potter, remain behind," Snape barked when he saw the potion.

"I'll see you guys in the Great Hall," Harry called over his shoulder. Hermione nodded and practically dragged Ron away. Snape waved his wand and the classroom door slammed shut before he straightened up in his chair.

"How long have you been attending Hogwarts, Mr. Potter?"

"Um, five years, professor."

"And in these five years your performance in my class has been below average, yet you have shown some improvement lately. Has Miss Granger been doing your assignments for you?"

"What?" Harry blanched. "No, not at all. It's all my work, besides her writing is much neater than mine."

"I'm not an idiot, Potter," Snape snapped. Harry had to use every inch of willpower to not comment. "I have been forced to go though Miss Granger's tome sized assignments for five years that her writing is easily recognisable. Has she been telling you what to write and you scribble it down?"

"No."

Snape raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, no, sir," Harry corrected himself. "Sometimes she says what pages I should use to find my answers but that's all."

"This potion," Snape nodded to Harry's vial, "has some problems with it but it is acceptable. Did Miss Granger whisper directions to you out of the corner of her mouth?"

"No, I was focused on my potion. Well, apart from stirring it one too many times, I think that is why it is a bit too pale."

"You astound me, Potter. Any fool knows that the stirring of a potion is the reason why it changes colour but for you to actually identify what you did wrong is a new level for you. However, you also left it on the flame for six seconds too long. Where has this sudden improvement come from? Have you finally realized that your name will not be enough to get you a job? I'm sure being The Boy Who Lived, saviour -to -be of the wizarding world doesn't earn that much money."

"I didn't ask to be the Chosen One," Harry replied hotly. "I just want to be as normal as a wizard could be. Just for one year I don't want to be in any danger, I just want to focus on my studies because I know that they will help me. I thought you would be happy not to have to deal with my blundering idiocy in class. Yes I make mistakes still but not as badly as I did in my previous years!"

"Fifteen points from Gryffindor for raising your voice at me," Snape growled. Harry clamped his lips shut. "If I find out that this work is not your own or that Miss Granger has helped you more than you are saying, then you will earn a zero for the entire school year. If you are taking Hogwarts seriously as you should have five years ago and not as a playground for your personal use then I expect the improvement to continue."

Harry nodded and turned to leave.

"I have not dismissed you, Potter."

Harry fought the urge to roll his eyes but turned around regardless.

Snape looked him up and down. "You will work on your penmenship. Detention tonight, be at my office at seven precisely for an evening of writing lines. Your writing is giving me a headache and you will improve it if it is the last thing you do. You may leave."

Harry spun on his heel and forced himself not to storm out. The door opened automatically as he reached it and shut behind him. He made his way to meet his friends, fuming that he had detention. He cursed himself for losing his temper and losing more points. Hermione had talked to him about yoga and how to focus his mind. He found out that he quite enjoyed the exercise and tried to use it whilst doing his homework. He wanted to make a name for himself without it having something to do with Voldemort and decided to throw himself into school work so he would stay out of trouble. Maybe he could use the yoga breathing exercises for his detention tonight.

"What did the Greasy Git want?" Ron demanded as soon as Harry sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"He just wants to know where my sudden improvement came from," Harry replied honestly as he reached for a pumpkin pasty.

"Really? That doesn't sound like him?"

"Oh, and I have detention tonight writing lines, he said my writing is giving him a headache."

"That sounds more like him."

"And he also took away fifteen points."

"Now that is definitely him!"

"What did you do to earn that?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

"I may have raised my voice at him," Harry admitted.

"Honestly, Harry!" Hermione huffed. "Why didn't you use your yoga?"

"What do you expect me to do? Do warrior pose on him?"

"You know I mean your breathing."

"Back of, Mione," Ron defended. The busy haired girl narrowed her eyes and flicked to the next page of her book with more force than necessary.

"I am glad that you passed your assignment though. It's nice to see that you are putting schoolwork first for once," Hermione muttered the last bit of that sentence to herself. Harry heard it none-the-less. He growled and snatched an egg sandwich from the table before storming off to his dorm. He managed to calm himself down halfway up the grand staircase when Nearly Headless Nick drifted by.

"Hello, Mr. Potter, and how are we this afternoon?" Nick said cheerfully.

"Hey, Nick. It was going alright until a few minutes ago. I was just going to do my History of Magic essay," Harry said, happy to have someone to talk to who was in a good mood.

"Ah yes, schoolwork. How I miss those days; running around the school grounds, playing hide and seek in the hallways after curfew. Those were the days. How to be alive and young again."

Harry stopped outside the portrait of the Fat Lady and an idea struck him. He turned to the ghost who seemed to be drifting away.

"Hey, Nick, are you busy?" Harry asked. Nick shook his head and his head wobbled slightly.

"Would you like to help me with my history homework? I find Professor Binns quite boring but maybe you could make it more interesting?"

Nick's face lightened up and his smile showed all of his teeth. "Yes! Yes I would love to help. It will give me something to do."

"Great, I'll just go and grab my books from my dorm. You coming into the common room?"