Disclaimer: In chapter one

AN: Please review.

The next day dawned. Harry woke to an excited James leaping onto his bed. Albus was stood in the doorway. "Mummy told us to wake you up so you can go to school." James told him. Harry saw Ginny smirking at him from the room opposite. He slipped from his bed and went to get ready.

The family quickly found its way to the Gryffindor table. The owl post arrived and with it came Hedwig despite her lack of post. She perched on an empty goblet near Lily. Lily had already filled a plate with rashers that she'd gotten her mother to cut into smaller pieces for the young owl. Hedwig ate with them happily nattering away with Lily. Harry discovered to Ron's disappointment that he and Ginny had begun to share taste. Pumpkin juice bacon was not a particularly nice taste. Ron had been covered in the released pumpkin juice. Ginny had reacted to the sudden taste sharing by choking severely.

Ron had begun to shout at Harry when Harry, through Ginny's sight, saw Professor McGonagall's approach. "Is there a problem here Mister Weasley?"

"Harry sprayed his juice all over me."

Harry looked at the professor with his own eyes. "It was an accident, the juice had tasted odd." He had not lied, he'd just withheld why the juice had been so odd tasting. Harry and Ginny had already decided to not tell anyone of their bond. The stern witch was frowning at him, clearly she hadn't forgotten overnight that they'd not sat with their house when they were meant to the previous evening.

"Mr Potter, this is your timetable. It is for your lessons only. Your family shall not be attending these lessons. Mrs Potter, this timetable details activities that the headmaster will be providing this year for yourself and your children, it shall be changed on a weekly basis so ensure that you keep it with you." She then left them and continued down the table looking for the next person on her list. Already Albus was attempting to read the timetable, Lily, however, remained uninterested in human population of the hall.

Ginny was getting worried. Hedwig was no longer the only owl that was speaking with Lily. The rest of the children did not seem to find it so strange but many of the older students were looking over at the gathering with confused expressions. Harry had caught many of those looks as well. He decided it was about time to herd the family back to their rooms so that they could get ready for the first lessons of the day.

Ron continued to grumble at the table as they left. The owl flock took wing and flew from the hall and back to their homes, both in the owlery and further afield. Harry arrived at the rooms and started to pack his bag for Potions and Charms. Ginny however was packing a bag with a change of clothes for each of the children. They'd be learning to cook, or at least as much as children of their age could cook. They'd be starting with biscuits in the kitchens under the tutelage of the house elves.

Harry rushed off to the dungeons after hugging each of the children, exacting a promise that they'll be good for their mother and giving Ginny a quick kiss. The bell rang and Harry entered the room. He sat at a table near the door so that he could help Ginny if she needed it. Ginny and the children were making the trek down to the kitchens when the bell rang. Ron entered the dungeon and sat as far from Harry as possible. Neville, who had had to suffer being called 'Professor Neville' by James and Albus at breakfast, sat with Harry.

Then a pale man with a sallow face entered the room. Harry remembered his children talking about this man. He was Severus Snape, Albus' middle name was named after this man. Apparently Harry had said that he was the bravest man that he'd ever met. Although at school he had apparently also been a harsh teacher. Ginny had told him of her brother's tales, they were vastly different from their children's. They'd decided to judge him for themselves, a harsh teacher wasn't necessarily a bad one.

Ginny and the children entered the kitchen. Blinky, the head house elf welcomed them and showed them the magical cookers that they'd be using. He started them with weighing flour.

When Professor Severus Snape entered the room it fell into silence. He began to speak. "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making, 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, and even put a stopper in death." Silence continued to reign supreme after this speech.

Blinky had already had to remove an entire upended bag of flour from the floor. Ginny had admonished the boys for getting vast amounts of flour on themselves. She also noticed that many house elves had looked over at Lily often. In fact she was certain that some had been using house elf magic to help Lily as she had barely a single speck of flour on her. She edged slightly closer to Lily.

"Potter!" Professor Snape called. "What would I get if I added powdered rot of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Harry had no idea. "What would I get if I added powdered rot of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Ginny asked Blinky. The house elf looked up at her in surprise.

"That would be the draught of living death Lady Potter, we can make it if you wish."

"No that's ok Blinky, I just wanted to know." The house elf nodded in response before it brought out milk for them all. Ginny glanced over at Lily. She smiled slightly. A bottle of milk happened to be gently floating to the table.

"The Draught of Living Death Professor." Harry told the Potions professor. He raised an eyebrow.

"Perhaps you did open a book before coming here today Mr Potter." The professor turned now to Ron.

"And you Mister Weasley, where would you find me a bezoar if I asked you for one?"

"The cupboard over there." He replied pointing at the students' supply cupboard.

"I do not keep my bezoars in the students' supply cupboard Mister Weasley, perhaps Mr Potter would know where bezoars are from?" The professor had turned back to him.

"Blinky where are bezoars from?" Ginny asked.

The elf was surprised by the sudden question, not as much as before. "They come from a goat's stomach. We can get you one, if you would like."

"No thank you Blinky, I just wanted to know."

"Is Lady Potter interested in potions? We can bring some books to you?"

Ginny thought about the offer, she and Harry, it would seem, needed the help as they hadn't known any of the answers. She could feel Harry's approval. "Yes please Blinky."

A half dozen house elves disappeared.

"Bezoars can be found in the stomach of a goat." Harry told Professor Severus Snape. The professor nodded.

"It would see that your fame has not encumbered you too greatly, if you would want to excel in this subject, it could be done." The professor turned back to the board and struck it with his wand. "You shall be producing the boil curing potion. The instructions are on the board. Get started."

Harry's eyesight had improved greatly. He assumed that the instructions would be correct and as such he would not need any potions knowledge to complete the lesson. He set to work. Similarly Ginny and the children were close to completing their first few bowls of biscuit mixture and would soon be rolling it out.

By the end of the hour, Harry had produced a batch of four doses of the boil curing potion, having bottled it all to avoid wasting any. Professor Severus Snape had nodded and smiled very slightly when Harry had handed in all four doses. Ginny and the children had baked a score of biscuits each. Albus had burnt a few and some of James' were sharp around the edges but Lily's biscuits were perfection. Ginny glanced at the house elves. First owls and now house elves. She hoped that the next activity wouldn't involve a band of admirers.