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"Alright settle down children. Settle down," called their diminutive Professor with a kind smile. "Now today we are," Professor Flitwick waved his wand and a bunch of writing appeared on the blackboard, "going to-"

"Professor Flitwick?" a Ravenclaw in Harry's year was raising their hand high up in the air.

"Yes, uh, Ms. Turpin?"

"What was that spell? Um the one you used on the blackboard."

"Oh that! It requires a little swish and then a flick straight down. The spell's incantation is actually tabella scriben. Everyone say it with me."

"Tabella scriben!" Everyone said out loud, dutifully.

"Great job! Yes, you won't have to know how to do that yet my dear, but a great question nevertheless! It's been years since I've been asked to demonstrate this spell. 2 points to Ravenclaw for a great show of curiosity and inquisitiveness! Okay, okay now everyone open up their books to page 17 please."

After a great deal of grumbling and almost everyone had their charms book open to that page, they were asked to read it for there would be a small quiz in the next few weeks to see if everyone memorized the safety regulations for using charm spells.

All in all it was not much of an exciting morning on Friday and it was probably going to get worse from all the moaning sounds Ron was making during breakfast because the first-year Gryffindors had double potions in the morning as well. He told everyone who was listening about the horror stories his brothers told him about Professor Snape, including a nervous Neville who was hanging on to his every word. Harry didn't believe all of it, because wasn't it the same brothers who told Ron that he was to fight a troll to be sorted? However he felt a little nervous when Ron went on about telling them what Percy told him. Percy was the oldest Weasley in Hogwarts and he was a bit too uptight in Harry's opinion, but it was Ron's brother so he wasn't to judge. However it seemed that Ron and even Fred and George had the same opinion. And anyone of authority who could make a teacher's pet and a stickler for rules like Percy curse at him, was someone to watch out for.

So it was a wary bunch of first year Gryffindors who entered the Potions classroom for their next class. As they were already strung up, Professor Snape gave them all quite a huge scare when he banged the door open and flew in like a bat. Neville fell out of his chair!

The Professor sneered at all of them and began taking roll call. It felt fairly unbelievable that the person who could cut you into potion ingredients was taking roll call. Still Harry felt on the edge as he watched the Professor scowl at everyone not Slytherin, and he tensed up when the man paused at his name.

"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new- celebrity."

Harry stayed quiet and Malfoy and his friends giggled into their hands. The man finished calling out all the names on his list and then vanished the parchment away. Everyone had their eyes on him as he swept around the room, his black cape billowing after him. He reminded Harry of one of Dudley's old action figures- Batman, though he had none of his personality.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he had a deep voice, but it was also soft, almost hypnotizing. Harry poised his quill to start writing. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Harry looked up at the sudden abruptness of the last sentence.

"Potter!" the Professor yelled suddenly, and Harry jumped, causing some of his ink to spill. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Harry gulped, trying not to hyperventilate as the man's eyes bore holes on his head. He desperately racked his brain trying to search for an answer. His mind came up blank even though he knew he read all of his potions book. Hermione Granger had her hand straight up in the air.

"Um, I don't know sir."

"Hm. Clearly fame isn't everything. Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

This Harry knew because he heard someone talking about it with the apothecary when he was in Diagon Alley with Hagrid.

"A stomach of a goat sir," he answered softly. The Professor frowned a little, causing his scowl to look less menacing.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" he asked another question without commenting on his last answer. Hermione was waving her hand, jumping up and down. She accidently hit the Professor's crooked nose and the Professor slowly turned his head toward her, his intense black eyes leaving Harry's face.

Hermione looked like she was about to have a heart attack. Her face was dark red and her eyes wide and round. She ducked her head murmuring frantic apologies to the stone-faced man. Ron was looking at Harry with a fearful expression, mouthing, "She's dead. She's so very totally dead!" Everyone was looking at the two with very worried expressions. Even Malfoy was quiet.

"Ms. Granger," everyone leaned forward to listen, "please refrain in the future from hitting me or your classmates with your hand."

"Yes sir," Hermione blushed and everyone else breathe out a sigh of relief.

"Potter!" Professor Snape yelled once more, his eyes back on Harry. "You haven't answered my question! Thought you could get away with it, huh? Well, answer me!"

Harry shook his head frantically. "I don't know sir!"

"Shame," the man sneered. "10 points from Gryffindor for yelling at a Professor Potter."

Ron made an indignant noise.

"Do you have a problem you wish to speak to me about Mr. Weasley?"

"Harry didn't yell at you Pro-"

"5 points from Gryffindor Mr. Weasley, for talking back at me."

Ron just glared, but didn't say a word.

"And for your information Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

Everyone fumbled with their quills and began scribbling frantically. The Professor then flicked his wand, and just like Professor Flitwick, writing appeared on the blackboard. They had to make a potion to cure boils. They set to work. Harry opened his potions book to the correct page and gestured at Ron to get the ingredients. He did the slicing and dicing, it was relatively simple, like cooking actually, except this was way more disgusting as he was slicing flobberworms (or at least that's what the book said) instead of carrots. Ron gave him a bump on the shoulder as he watched in awe as Harry got everything cut into perfect little pieces. Ron carefully did the stirring, but they both tensed up as Professor Snape began breathing down them. Harry accidentally nicked his finger and he stared in astonishment as blood began to stem freely out of the cut. He hadn't cut himself in years while cooking! Professor Snape really had an effect on him. Thankfully the Professor was on the other side of the room, so Harry quickly put his finger to his mouth, trying to stem the blood.

"Harry you're cut," Ron hissed out quietly in concern. Harry waved him of with a small smile, saying he was fine. They continued brewing their potion, when suddenly Neville's and Seamus's potion exploded. Most of it went on poor Neville, who had boils appear all over his face and hands. His eyes teared up as he stared at his hands quietly.

Professor Snape ordered Seamus to take Neville to the hospital wing after scolding the boy and then screamed "Potter," and Harry jumped once again, "why didn't you tell him not to add the quills! Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."

Harry looked down at his shoes, not arguing. He had thought that it would be new in this school. A place that would not blame him for once for everything. He should count himself lucky that the Professor did nothing more than yell at him and that at least not everyone else was like him.

Harry tried to ignore the voice in his head by chopping the worms harder, trying not to show how badly shaken he was. He didn't notice Ron looking over at him with concern.

Severus turned away as soon as the last of the students trailed out of the classroom. He let out a breath of relief, more glad than he could imagine that the walking replication of James Bloody Potter and Lily's imploring eyes were finally out of his classroom. He banished the mess that the students made and the incomplete potions along with the bad ones. Severus let the good ones stay behind. He was annoyed to see that Potter's was one of them, and he was about to banish it out of spite when a voice interrupted him.

"Er Professor."

"What?" he spat out angrily as he turned to see an anxious-looking Ron Weasley wringing his hands.

"Um, I just need my potions book. I accidently left it here."

Severus irritatedly summoned the boy's book and handed it over to him.

"Um and Professor?"

"What?" Severus almost yelled as he turned back the second time. "Spit it out already Mr. Weasley, I haven't got all day."

"It's Harry. Can you not be so mean to him, sir?"

Severus slowly looked at him dangerously. "What, is Potter too big of a celebrity not to come here and tell that to me himself. He sent his fans to do it for him?" Severus sneered.

"No!" Weasley bit out angrily. "He didn't tell me anything! He never would. He never would tell you that you- you are a big bully!"

Silence. The boy stared at Severus in horror. Severus stared back in shock. Did- did the boy just call him a bully? Him, Severus Snape, a bully? How dare the impertinent little brat call him that! How-

"I-I didn't mean that Professor. I-"

He did. He was lying. Severus cut through him and spoke menacingly, "And pray tell me why you are insinuating that you think I am, hm, let's say it in your crude terms, a bully."

"Well- well first you are mean to everyone, but then you are even meaner to Harry! You pick on him and your awful to him! I mean what did Harry ever do to you? And he was just a baby when he defeated You-Know-Who," the boy looked nervous when he said that, "so if you are mad at him about that, it isn't his fault. Anyway that's what bullies do Professor."

"I know very well what a bully means, Mr. Weasley!" Severus spat out. Was it true. Had he turned into someone like James Potter? Was he turning out to be like the people who had tormented him when he was younger? Well that would have to change.

He took a deep breath. "Thank you Mr. Weasley. I'll keep that in mind in the future."

Weasley looked amazed. "That's it! You are not going to like, uh, you know cut me into potion ingredients because I said all that." He added hastily, "not that I want to be cut and all, but…"

Severus's mouth twitched. "You are indeed pushing it Mr. Weasley. Perhaps I shall-"

"No, no that's alright Professor," Weasley backed away hurriedly. "I'll be leaving now. Sorry for wasting your time Professor. Goodbye! And thank you!" He was out of the door in seconds.

Severus smirked. He turned back to see the boy's potion. With a wave of his wand it was floating behind him with the other two perfectly made potions and he walked out of the room.

Harry was hovering worriedly over Ron all day. He was the only one not paying attention to the other Gryffindors congratulating Hermione for staying alive after hitting Professor Snape. The twins were on the floor bowing to her 'greatness and bravery' for hitting the Slimy Snape on his nose.

"You sure your okay Ron?" Harry asked for the upteenth time.

"Yes Harry! Professor Snape did nothing to me alright. See," Ron turned around to show Harry his still intact body parts.

Harry was relieved. Hermione fell behind them, escaping their yearmates notice.

"You know," Ron said thoughtfully, "Professor Snape is not actually all that bad."

Harry stared at his friend, wondering faintly if apocalypse was on them.

"Really," Hermione said a little disbelievingly.

"Yeah for a Slytherin he is okay. I still think he's a greasy git though."

"Ronald!" Hermione scolded him, but for once her face shown with something like admiration rather than the usual distaste and slightly tolerating expression she saved for him.

Harry patted his friend. "Come on Ron. After a night of sleep, you'll hopefully be yourself by morning."

"Hey," said Ron indignantly and ruffled the shorter boy's hair. Harry half-heartedly tried to get him of, but he was beaming at being touched like that. For once when someone touched him, it didn't mean pain and that felt wonderful.

The three of them stopped walking when they saw Professor Mcgonagall.

"Hello," she said smiling warmly at her three young lions.

"Hi Professor," all three chirped.

"Well be on your way then. I won't stop you."

They nodded and said their goodbyes.

"Oh Mr. Potter can I have a word with you. It'll just be a moment."

Harry nodded, curious of what she wanted to say.

"Are you sleeping well? Not staying awake too late I hope?"

"No Professor," Harry said a little astonishedly that somebody would care about what time he slept and if he was getting enough.

"Wonderful," she smiled, seeming unusually cheerful.

"Well I won't keep you, so run along now Mr. Potter. Good night!"

"Good night Professor!" he yelled back as he ran to catch up with the rest of his yearmates.

Yay! Third chapter done! (do a little jig in the cave I live in)

Review if you want Minerva McGonagall to appear at your doorstep with a Hogwarts letter no matter what your age is!