Author's Note: Hello there! Welcome to chapter one. Not entirely too creative, but I'm happy enough with how it turned out. Don't leave hateful comments; no one's asking you to read this. Constructive criticism is always appreciated, though. I plan to get chapter two up soon. Enjoy!

"Remember to speak clearly when you recite the spell," Professor McGonagall called over the heads of the busy sixth years in her Transfiguration class. "Diction is everything," she repeated.

Genavieve Colbert took a deep breath before saying loudly, "Evanesco!" The large tortoise that was sitting on her desk vanished completely.

"Nicely done, Miss Colbert," McGonagall said with an admirable tone. "Ten points for Ravenclaw."

Genna grinned. After Professor McGonagall had moved on, Jasey elbowed her hard in the ribs. "Show off," Jasey mumbled.

Jasey raised her pale wand, flicked it, and half-heartedly muttered "Evanesco." Her tortoise's head disappeared, making it angry. A hissing noise emitted from somewhere deep in the shell and Genna giggled. Jasey looked amused.

"Focus, Miss Levanti," McGonagall scolded Jasey as she passed their table again. "Mr. Weasley, that is not to be used as a quaffle!"

Genna and Jasey diverted their attention towards the back of the room where most of the Gryffindors sat. The Weasley twins, Fred and George, were happily tossing an empty tortoise shell across the room to one another. Genna couldn't help but admire their ability to disappear only the turtle and not the shell; that took skill.

Professor McGonagall flicked her wand once and the shell popped out of existence. The twins looked disappointed.

"We were only having a bit of fun, Professor," Fred explained in a sugar-sweet voice.

"You were welcome to join," George added cheekily.

"Don't push your luck," McGonagall threatened seriously, though Genna swore she saw her thin lips twitch into an almost-smile once she had her back turned.

Genna continued to watch the twins even after they had sat down. For months the sixth year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws had shared most of their classes, but she had hardly spoken to any of them.

"Hey, twinkle eyes," Jasey hissed.

Genna turned around and saw that Professor McGonagall was in a whispered conversation with Professor Snape.

"Bet I know what that's about," Jasey muttered darkly.

As if on cue, Snape turned and looked straight at Genna. "Miss Colbert," he said in his deep, droning voice.

"See you later," Jasey whispered under her breath.

"Bye," Genna replied. She collected her books and followed quickly behind Professor Snape.

They walked in silence all the way down to his classroom in the dungeons. Once there, she took a seat at a desk in the front of the room while he put a vile of red liquid into a golden goblet. He stirred it three times clockwise and handed the goblet to Genna who downed the drink in seconds.

The taste never got better. And it had a slight after taste of bitter onions. "Disgusting," Genna couldn't help muttering.

"You will be escorted to the Shrieking Shack at five this evening by Professor Hagrid," Snape recited in the same monotone voice just as he did every month.

Genna simply nodded. Most students at Hogwarts – unless you were in Slytherin – loathed Snape and would take any possible measure to embarrass him, but Genna saw something more; he was obviously the way he was for a reason, right?

Either way, she and Professor Snape got on well enough in the sense that he made her the Wolfsbane potion and she didn't talk back to him in class. The same couldn't be said for Jasey who took Snape's existence as an insult. It was probably because Snape once used Jasey's mother as an example of complete stupidity when it came to Potion-Making. Jasey wasn't one to forgive and forget.

"Thank you," Genna heard herself say. Snape didn't answer, so Genna left the room, already feeling sick as the day turned to evening.