Chapter Seven

The Potions Master


The following days were interesting to say the least. The lain robes I had purchased from Madam Maulkin's were now decorated with the red and gold colors of Gryffindor, and the lion standing proudly. I had quickly learned now that I actually had a schedule and that it was rather hard to remember where everything was. Everything was so much more active now that term began.

There were a total of a hundred and forty-two staircases in the school, and all of them were different. There were doors that wouldn't open unless asked politely, or tickled in just the right spot, and then there were wall pretending to be doors. The portraits often left their frames to visit one another so you really weren't able to rely on them for landmarks.

Peeves was being a terror too. Picking on a majority of the first years. He left me alone for the most part. Perhaps worse than Peeves was the Hogwarts caretaker, Mr. Filch. He had a nasty temperament and always scowled as though you were doing something wrong, eve simply by walking. He owned a cat named Mrs. Norris, a scrawny dust-colored creature with bulging lamp-like eyes like her owner. She often patrolled the corridors alone. However put a toe out of line in front of her and she would whisk off to find Filch, who would appear wheezing heavily two seconds later. Filch knew the school better than anyone, except perhaps the Weasley twins. Who had a habit of popping out of nowhere like the ghosts that wandered the school. Mrs. Norris however, disliked me particularly she followed me around when she wasn't busy patrolling. More often than not Nox was trailing behind me or riding on my shoulders hanging out for the ride. This displeased her even more, she was frightened of Nox, and avoided him like the plague.

There was more to magic than what was portrayed on the television. We studied the night skies on Wednesday at midnight. Learning the names of the stars and the movement of planets. The sky was so bright and clear, it was almost like being on another planet looking up at the starts.

Then three times a week we would go to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology with a small little witch named Professor Sprout. Whom I learned was the Head of Hufflepuff house.

I also discovered my least favorite class, the class I struggled the most in, History of Magic. It was the bane of my existence. It was the only class taught by a ghost. But the sound of Professor Bin's voice, I could concentrate and the names and dates escaped me.

I officially met the Charms teacher, Professor Flitwick, he was a tiny wizard who needed to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. He was also the Head of Ravenclaw House. On our first day of class on roll call, he arrived at Harry Potter's name, gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight.

In our first Transfiguration class I saw Professor McGonagall in her prime teaching form. She definitely was not teacher to cross, she was strict and clever and gave us a talking to the first day.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

With that she turned her desk into a pig and back again. After taking a bunch of complicated notes she gave us a match and we were to try and change it into a needle. By the end of the lesson there were only two of us who managed to make any difference in our matches. Hermione managed to make hers silvery and pointy, where mine was more ridged and solid like metal.

Everyone had been looking forward to Defense Against the Dark Arts, but his lessons were disappointing. His classroom reeked of garlic, everyone said it was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania that threatened to get him back one day. His turban, we were told, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie. None of us were sure we believed his story. Many of us notices a funny smell hung around his turban, Fred and George were convinced that it too was stuffed with garlic.

I realized that I wasn't far behind the learning curve. Even wizarding families like Ron's didn't have much of a head start due to the sheer amount to learn.

Friday had arrived and I was finally comfortable enough to move about the castle without getting lost. Nox rode around my neck as I sat at the table in the Grand Hall. Harry and Ron soon joined me.

"Morning," I said sleepily.

Ron didn't seem quite awake but Harry said good morning. I hadn't approached him yet about being cousins, after all it was the first week and we were already overwhelmed with homework.

"What have we got today?" Harry asked Ron as he poured sugar into his porridge.

I nibbled on some toast and handed some bacon to Nox who munched on it happily.

"Double potions with the Slytherins, Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favors them – we'll be able to see if it's true." Ron said sadly.

"Wish McGonagall favored us," Harry replied.

It was true McGonagall was Head of Gryffindor, but it hadn't stopped her from giving us a load of homework the day before. Just then the mail had arrived, at first it had startled so many of the first years. So long as Nox had something to occupy his attention he left the owls alone. While I hadn't expected to receive any mail, I felt kind of jealous of all the others getting mail. Today, Harry's owl Hedwig, dropped an envelope on his plate. Politely ignoring the mail, I murmured goodbye and headed down to the dungeons for class, not wanting to be late. Nox hopped off my shoulders as I arrived.

The room was quite colder down here rather than the rooms in the main castle, and was quite creepy with the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls. Hermione was the on other Gryffindor when I arrived, Slytherins were strung about lazily, including Draco Malfoy and his cronies. Once everyone arrived Professor Snape took rollcall. His voice lingered on my name but stopped all together when he reached Harry's name.

"Ah yes," He said softly. "Harry Potter. Our new – celebrity."

Draco and his friends sniggered behind their hands. Snape finished calling names and looked up to address the class. He had dark eyes, it reminded me of tunnels.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making."

He spoke in little above a whisper but everyone heard what he said. Like our Head of House, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. He did have an intimidating aura.

"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldrons with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through the human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses…I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper to death – if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads I usually have to teach."

Silence follow his speech. And while I had read the Potions book back to front, I knew we wouldn't be learning any of that for quite some time. Although to be honest, the right person could easily do those things. From what I can see, Harry and Ron were exchanging looks with one another and Hermione was at the edge of her seat looking somewhat desperate to prove she wasn't a dunderhead.

"Potter!" Snape said suddenly.

Harry jumped and looked up at the dark haired man.

"What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

A bewildered look crossed both Harry and Ron's faces, Hermione's hand shot in the air. Hesitantly I raised mine as well.

"I don't know, sir,"

Snape's lips curled into a sneer.

"Tut, tut – fame clearly isn't everything,"

He ignored Hermione and I's hands.

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

Hermione's hand reached as high as it could without leaving her seat. Harry looked still perplexed. Malfoy and his cronies were laughing, their shoulders shaking. I wanted to kick him.

"I don't know sir,"

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?"

Harry forced himself to remain staring into those cold dark eyes. I had to bite my lip to remain silent, the professor wasn't being fair. Snape still ignored our hands.

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

At this Hermione was now standing her hand stretching to the dungeon ceiling. I wanted to smack her, she was acting so desperate. I sat there quietly with my hand raised.

"I don't know," Harry said quietly. "I think Hermione does, or Harper, why don't you try them?"

A few people laughed, the sandy haired boy, Seamus, winked at him. I internally groaned. The Professor was not pleased and spun around and glared at the bushy haired girl.

"Sit down, you silly girl." He snapped.

A slightly less cold glare had me pulling my hand back into my lap. He then spun his cold glare back onto Harry.

"For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of the 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 aconite."

There was silence following his speech.

"Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

There was sudden rummaging for quill and parchment, even from the Slytherin. Over the noise Snape looked down at Harry.

"And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter."

And things didn't seem to improve for Gryffindor. We were all paired and set to mix a simple potion to cure boils. My own partner was so lazy that he didn't bother to take out any of his own materials and managed only to look busy when Snape swept by in his black cloak. He nearly messed the potion up several times had I not stopped him.

I had just pulled the cauldron off the fire and was adding the porcupine quills and stirred five times when I noticed the clouds of acid green smoke and the hissing noise. I managed to finish the potion, pink smoke rising gently from the cauldron. Neville somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. I managed to climb up onto my stool before it reached me. But soon the whole class was standing on their stools. Meanwhile Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up on his arms and legs. With a wave of his wand, Snape cleared the potion away.

"Idiot boy! I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville didn't respond, but whimpered as boils began to appear on his nose.

"Take him to the Hospital Wing!" He spat at Seamus.

He then rounded his ire on Harry and Ron who had been next to Neville and Seamus.

"You – Potter – why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Though he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."

I saw Harry open his mouth to argue, but a swift kick and a mutter from Ron made him shut his mouth. Professor Snape came by our cauldron and looked at us coldly.

"Why are you not working?"

I swallowed nervously, not sure of his mood.

"I've finished, sir."

My partner looked up at Professor Snape with a slow lazy smile.

"She meant to say WE'VE finished, sir."

I bit my lip.

"No, I've finished." I reiterated.

I felt my partner's hateful glare on me but I kept my face blank as I felt Professor Snape assess the situation.

"Runcorn, where are your potions ingredients?"

I saw him pale slightly, then recovered almost as quick.

"She insisted we use hers. Mine apparently were not good enough."

I clenched my hands at my sides at his blatant lie.

"And I suppose those moments I saw you lounging about were because she insisted on doing everything herself?"

Runcorn opened his mouth to answer but the Potions professor cut him off.

"Or are you simply lazy Mr. Runcorn? I am not blind nor a fool. Do not believe me to be stupid. Detention for lying to me, we will see if you can make the potion yourself without aid."

I could see nearly all of Slytherin House mouths open in shock, including Runcorn. Professor Snape turned towards me suddenly, I flinched slightly, a movement that didn't go unnoticed.

"Good work Ms. Evans. Five points to Gryffindor."

With that he went to check other cauldrons. And although he awarded no more points to Gryffindor, not even to Hermione who had done her potion correctly, I felt everyone's eyes on me. And I wanted to hide. I never did well being the center of attention. As the bell rang for the class to finally end, I managed to dodge everyone as they tried to come over to fawn and congratulate me. I made it to my room with little trouble. A quick scratch to Nox's head and I settled down at my desk to start on my Transfiguration homework, a report on the differences on the different types of Transfiguration. Taking a steadying breath I opened my Beginners Guide to Transfiguration and dived in, losing myself upon the words.