Author's note: This is shorter than the last two chapters, but I cannot help but add when asked so eagerly. I'm finding Victoria's formality around Severus amusing.
Potions
When Severus woke up the next morning he again found Victoria sleeping beside him. He made an attempt at getting out of bed without waking Victoria up but it was unsuccessful.
"Good morning Severus" murmured Victoria opening her eyes.
The nerve of that girl thought Severus. Coming into my room and my bed and sleeping beside me and then waking up and not even addressing me with proper respect. Yet as Severus took one more look at Victoria Evans's smile all his anger was diminished.
"Do you have any food I'm hungry!" stated Victoria.
Severus again found his temper flaring, but he wasn't going to let that show. Not while Victoria had information she wanted. "Why are you here?"
"Because I wish to spend time with you" replied Victoria.
"Are you in love with me or something? T-"
"Not in the way you are suggesting, no. Have you got some food or not?"
"No," Severus said, looking rather confused. She's got to be my daughter. No she can't be. Maybe her father is dead. He could be a ghost or something.
"Alright, then I'd best be going. See you in potions!"
Remembering what Lily said about taking care of Victoria, Severus decided her would get some food put in his rooms. After all, Victoria didn't seem to be letting up on staying in his rooms.
Victoria was the first to arrive in the potions classroom, having rushed over right after her boring History class. Victoria had always been an avid reader and knew all the main stuff, though she hadn't cared for specific battle names and captains and all the other intricate stuff that didn't revolve around the things she loved.
When Ginny walked in, Victoria motioned for her to come and sit beside her.
"Hey," Victoria said.
"Hey."
"Ugh, I'm not ready for this," Ginny said.
"I am. See my mum gave Ann her old school books, and Mum had made notes in her potions books. Some of them are even Severus's suggestions. They give lots of insight, looking at them alongside 1000 Magical Herbs and Fungi."
"Are their notes in that one too?"
"Yup," Victoria said, "so I'm all set. We can work together too if you want."
"I'd love that."
Soon class begun. Victoria held back a giggle when Severus entered, with all the countenance of a man in his element.
"There will be no foolish wand waving in this class."
She raised her hand.
"Yes," Severus said, with a slight but unmistakeable sneer. That only made it harder for Victoria not to laugh. Out of the corner of her eye she could see that Ginny was trying to make herself look smaller, but Victoria enjoyed Severus's tone of voice; she had to appreciate it, when she used it herself sometimes.
"What if we want to do a reveling spell; I mean, do you expect us all to be capable of wand-less magic by our sixth year?"
Silence. Severus's lips curved unmistakingly upward. "If any of you wish to do a revealing spell on a potion you may do so. Now I don't expect you all to be able to appreciate the subtle art and delicacy of a simmering potion…"
Victoria sighed inwardly. He was brilliant, inspiring even. How could Dumbledore have kept them apart this long?
"I can teach you how to brew glory, and even put a stopper to death. If only you aren't the usual dunderheads I have to teach."
Victoria turned and winked at Ginny, who smiled back.
After finishing instructing the students, Severus gave them the task of brewing a potion that, if brewed correctly, could help one with sleeping problems. The potion was good, when drunk in tea, to send one into and eight hour uninterrupted sleep.
"Wait," Victoria said to Ginny, "crush it with the knife, like this."
Ginny listened, and smiled when her potion turned a deep blue, not quite as dark as Victoria's, but dark all the same.
At that moment Severus stopped by and peered into Victoria's cauldron.
"It seems," he said, "that you have inherited your mother's talent."
"How do you know it isn't my fathers?" Victoria said, hardly looking up as she added the last ingredient: groglio pines. The potion immediately turned crystal clear.
"Perfect," Severus mumbled, not realising until he moved on to Ginny's that Victoria again hadn't addressed him with proper respect.
Ginny's turned clear as well, though not as quickly.
At the end of class only five students had clear potions, and the only Gryffindor with a clear potion was Ginny's. They all received five house points, except Ginny received three, as Severus pointed out a non-existent bit of fog in the potion. Ginny was elated none-the-less.