Nobody ever asked my birthday

Chapter 250

Harry hadn't, to this point, really taken into account the idea that he was training, in the morning. Well, he had, kind of.

He'd thought he'd been training physically, and Snape's attacks had been... just a natural consequence of him being awake when no one else was. Not meant maliciously, but more of a "Are you there? Are your wits sharp enough to be awake at this hour?" than actual training. He'd figured he'd done well to escape Snape...

And so he had.

But he'd also been learning, apparently, exercising mental machinery that he hadn't known he'd possessed, let alone how to train. Honestly, he'd thought Snape's training was over when he'd been inducted into the Order. He'd told himself during that month that it was almost over, even.

Apparently not.

Monday Morning, he wasn't at all surprised to be dealing with a disillusioned Snape, dodging hexes and transfigured rocks as he ran. It was a trial, but one he thought he'd mastered.

Until he wound up with a cat as a hat on his head, blood running from dug-in claws.

Prof McGonagall presented a problem he hadn't thought of how to solve, but Harry knew what to not do. And that was stand around. He dove, belly down, under a bush, hoping - futilely, that McGonagall would dive off his head.

Killing his professor (either of them, really) would wind him up in a lot of trouble. And that was above and beside the fact that he didn't want to kill them.

Still, he had three spells in mind before McGonagall had finished digging her claws in - each of which would wind up with her in shreds.

Lesson Learned: He'd look in those books Hermione had for some more non-lethal spells.

In the meantime, he'd better concentrate on surviving, he thought, as he heard a slicing spell slice in atop his bush, neatly severing the top. Shite. He's found me!

Harry went rolling out of the bush, only to find himself pressed to the ground, Snape's wand digging into his forehead. "Hold," Snape said, and Harry froze at the command.

"Inside, for a debrief." Snape said, gesturing to the hidden door that Harry had used just a few days ago. Harry wasn't surprised that Snape had no trouble finding it, either. Sneaky bastard.

[a/n: I love reviews! Leave me one! We're going to leave that debrief alone (Harry knows what he did wrong), and move onto Breakfast!]