Severus Snape, 1

The next day when I woke up, the dorm was full of sleeping sounds. The other girls were still sleeping. I performed tempus charm and saw that it was just 6 am. Not being able to sleep more, I got up and got ready.

I was done before 7.30 and I had time for breakfast so I started reading textbooks. At 8, I decided to head to the Great Hall. Halfway there I met Luna and we started walking down.

Soon we reached the Great Hall and went to our respective tables. We were handed our timetable too. Soon Harry and Nev joined me and even Ronald and Hermoine sat across us.

We three ignored them as best as I could. We ate our breakfast and headed to our 1st lecture which was Potions with Slytherin.

"Snape is downright scary. He is totally unfair towards other houses and loves taking points from Gryffindor." Said Ronald.

"Well I really think he hates me." Harry spoke.

"Don't worry, Harry. Everything will be fine. Not everyone is how they look like." I assured him. He seemed to feel relaxed by my reply.

When we reached the Potions classroom there were two groups infront of the door. On the right side there were Slytherins and on the left Gryffindors. Seeing this Weasley and Granger headed to the left side but Harry and Neville stayed beside me waiting for me to move. Without waiting for anyone I went forward and pushed the door open and headed inside followed by Harry and Neville.

Seeing us enter Draco entered too and soon all the Slytherins followed him. The Ice Prince of Slytherin gave a smile to us and sat at the 1st bench at the right side. Soon Slytherins filled right side of the classroom. The Gryffindors filled the left side. Feeling suffocated by all the Gryffindors on the left side I sat on the middle bench in the no man's land. Neville sat in front of me and Harry behind me.

After sometime of settling down, Snape entered. He seemed a bit surprised by the filled classroom but quickly put on his bored mask back on.

"Who entered the classroom first?" He drawled looking at everyone. Not feeling even a bit intimated by this, I raised my hand.

"And you are?"

"Suchita Patil."

"So Miss Patil, what made you enter my classroom when I am sure every student was standing outside?" He gave me a look which would have scared the bravest souls but not me.

"Snape, you see the students were standing outside in two groups -- Slytherin and Gryffindor... And I would have had to stand with the Gryffindors and wait for you but I didnt want to do that, so I entered." I replied with a blank expression on my face.

Everyone was holding their breaths and looking from me to Snape and back. Expecting him to lash out at me for the use of his name.

Snape looked at me with a glare and I returned the look with a raise eyebrow. Something inside of him clicked at that and he only gave a nod.

Everyone had their mouth hanging open at that and seemed to gape at me. Everyone except Harry, Neville (Both knowing me well) and Draco, who seemed to hide behind his Malfoy mask well.

Snape turned around and started speaking, "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of

potionmaking," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "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 put a stopper death -- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

"I don't know, sir." said Harry. Snape's lips curled into a sneer. Hermoine's hand had shot into air as soon as Snape had finished his question. How foolish of her. Snape ignored her hand.

"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

The know-it-all stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat. While Draco was looking forward with a straight face, the Slytherins were shaking with laughter.

Draco turned and gave them a sharp look, which caused everyone to stop and look forward. As he was turning to look ahead, I gave him a small nod of acknowledgement and he smiled back.

"I don't know, sir" was Harry's reply again.

Still ignoring Hermoine's hand Snape questioned Harry again.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"I don't know," said Harry quietly. He was going to speak more but I shook my head in no slightly and he stopped when he noticed.

Then Snape turned to me and asked, "Do you know the answers, Miss. Patil?" He sneered at the end.

I looked him straight in the eye and spoke, "Asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite."

Snape had a blank look on his face but his eyes had widened a bit in surprise. Everyone looked at me with shock. I just shrugged at them and looked at Snape again.

"Atleast someone has read their books before coming. Well what are you all doing? Write it down." He said and turned to Harry, "Well Potter next time before coming to my class do open a book. As for your lacking 10 poi--"

I cut him off mid sentence and spoke, "I assure you Snape, Harry did open his book before coming. But do you really expect him to remember everything? After all the term just began and he didn't even have an idea about the wirzarding world before coming here. Surely you can understand?" And I looked straight into his eyes.

He stared at me for one long minute, then spoke, "OK Miss. Patil." And started to walk to the front but then stopped and turned and said, "10 points to Gryffindor for bravery and knowledge." and with that he went back to teaching.

He soon put us in pairs but before he could partner me with anyone I asked, "Snape can I please do my potion alone. I don't want anyone else to do it or should I say to fail me with them."

"Well, if you think you can manage alone then do as you wish." was his reply which caused many to gasp.

"Thank you, Snape." I said and went back to my potion.

It was a simple enough potion to cure boils and I finished the potion in exactly half the time required to make it while everyone else else was still on third step.

As I had already completed my potion I just sat back and looked around.

Everyone except Draco and Granger were doing the potion wrongly. When Snape saw that I was just sitting and looking around, he came to me, "And may I ask Miss. Patil why are you not doing your work?"

"Because I have already completed it." I replied calmly.

"What rubbish, this potion takes half an hour more to complete. You can't lie about... " As he turned to look at my potion he forgot his speech. Seeing that I wasn't lying he looked at me curiously.

The whole classroom was looking at us in shock. Just Draco was paying attention to his potion and stirring calmly. Granger had forgotten what she was doing and was looking at me in apparent jealously. Her potion was getting neglected and hence it was turning a nasty shade of blue which made me happy.

"How did you...?" Snape was speechless.

"Very well, if your potion is complete you could hav read your textbook. You shouldn't waste your time."

"But Snape, I have already done that."

"Really Miss. Patil. So tell me what is the name of the law that dictates how to brew antidotes?"

"Golpalott's law." was my answer. Snape was surprised.

"How long does Felix Felicis take to brew?"

"Six months."

This time he was down right gaping at me. Because this question was not present in our book. This was an OWL level question.

"Very well, Miss. Patil. It seems you have really read everything. 20 points to Gryffindor." I actually smiled at him.

He was in good mood that lecture so he didn't even deduce points from anyone bar Granger, which really made my day.

Soon the time was up and we were leaving. Harry and Neville by my side.

As we were walking, I saw that Draco and his gang were walking just behind us.

"Harry, I think you must thank Malfoy. He did stop his housemates from laughing at you." Harry nodded and stopped. Neville and I stopped too. Soon Draco and his gang joined us.

"Thanks Malfoy for your help.."

"Well I would have said welcome but then what are friends for." replied Draco.

"I think we should get going." I said. And so we left. Our next class was Transfiguration with Ravenclaws, let's see how this goes...

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AN: Sorry for the late update... From now on I will try to update weekly if possible. I have my classes and so I don't get a lot of time for this. Hope you guys like this chapter. Review please.