Fun times with Harry! Yay! And hey look at that some plot advancement going on here hell yeah! Ahem, maybe, we'll see. Before I go on I'm glad that my OC's are enjoyable to you all. I know that they can be total hit or miss and I was cautious of putting two in this little tale but so far its been garnishing positive responses so thanks. Cheerio then loves!

Robin

The train ride back to Hogwarts was more than satisfying since my brother had since kept his mouth shut around me since my outburst. I can only hope that he doesn't decide to open it once we return to the castle. I had been very fortunate this year indeed. The day after Christmas I received a letter from my beloved.

Which I would keep tucked in my robes or pocket forever. I was determined to ensure our future interactions would not be as awkward as our last. Clearly he understood me now, he would not fight my claim, only humbly accept it. I had also been successful in figuring out what my original potion would be. If it was a success I would be accepted into his N.E.W.T. classes in my fifth year. After that I could apply as his teacher's aid and then an apprenticeship under him in my seventh year and post Hogwarts. Only one student could be selected though.

However…

Though I was his most accomplished student the only real competition I may have is Draco Malfoy. He was a year behind me but he was ambitious enough, especially in favor with our potions professor so I would have to watch myself and not become complacent. No matter. I would just have to find out if he was even interested in such a position. If he wasn't then my path was clear, if he was or undecided my challenge would be more difficult than originally expected. As it were I couldn't imagine any other student wanting to be his aid or apprentice. It was no secret that as desperately in love with him as I was, he had a hard side about him. Difficult for other students to favor him or vice versa.

Its entirely possible that this was the Hufflepuff in me but, in the most fraction of instances I could see a softness in him. Not just to me but others as well. He may have fooled others but I could see the most obvious times were with Harry Potter.

At first I was envious of such attention, although very indirect. But after watching him closely and seeing him trying so hard to make it unknown he cared for the boy I suspended my jealousy. There was something beyond my understanding in his careful stares and smirking responses to the boy. I left it alone.

Oddly enough I liked Harry Potter. He's polite, honest and above all surprisingly of someone in his position, humble. In fact his sorting ceremony is the only one I remember other than mine of course. My eyes burned at the hat, although it didn't know it, screaming silently, 'do not put him in Slytherin, I swear to all that is holy if you do I will burn this place down and you'll be my ignition you old piece of leather!' Only because Harry wished so badly not to be in Slytherin, and I well…

Most of the snow had gone on the grounds when we returned but there was still a thick fog about.
"Rutilus Lumos" I said with a twitch of my wand, the tip glowed with a red wisp that took off to lead me to my destination. My mother and father had us take the early train home so I was alone in my trip back to the castle. Once I reached the gates the red light returned to my wand and I stepped inside. It would be nice to come back to a nearly vacant common room so I could work on my potion.

The only ingredient left was blood grass. A process of retrieving which I was not excited about. Creatures like thestrals and unicorns would occasionally eat grass to settle their stomach and when they vomited it up I would have the honor of picking out the remaining pieces of grass which would be coated in their stomach acid and blood.

This was the essential ingredient. Both creatures pure in their own right, would allow the potion to take its full effect. I hadn't come up with a name for it but the idea was that it was a less complicated version of Veritaserum. While it wouldn't enable the drinker to tell all their secrets it would reveal the most significant one and without prompting. In theory.

The extent of my research told me such a concoction did not yet exist. I had originally planned this to be the moment I revealed my true feelings for professor Snape but things being what they are I'm not sure what secret would plop out of my mouth upon his inspection of my efforts.

The advantage of using the unicorn bile over the thestral was that it would only take seven days opposed to a whole month. However, both presented difficulties as I could not see thestrals and unicorns were exceptionally rare. Both dwelled in the forbidden forest, perhaps I could ask Hagrid, or Harry, I'm told they have encountered both creatures.

I followed Harry to the potions classroom. I had study hall that day and I knew by eavesdropping that he was heading there to catch up on some work. He sat in the last row closest to the door. Professor Snape was there but in his office with the door cracked open. Harry yawned as he browsed through his book and carefully dropped three cray leaves in his boiling cauldron. I sat directly next to him. He glanced back twice at me and returned to his pot. I cleared my throat and he turned back at me for the third time.
"Oh, hey Robin, hows it going?"

"I know the book says three leaves but try another half." He ripped another leaf in half and pending my approval he plopped it in the water.

"Thanks."

"No worries. So I realize this may be a forward question but…"

"I'm afraid all of the forward questions in my life have been used up in my first year so go on then."

"Is it true you can see thestrals?"

"Thes- what?"

"Thestrals…you know horse looking creatures with wings?"

"The only horse creature with wings I've seen are hippogriffs."

"Huh…" Harry looked back at me curiously.

"Why do you ask, haven't you seen them?"

"Uh…well they can only be seen by someone who has witnessed death and I guess I figured…" I trailed off and Harry nodded thoughtfully. "I'm sorry Harry that was so rude of me." I bit my lower lip.

"No, its alright. I mean I'm sure if I saw one I'd be able to."

"Right…your mother." At that moment professor Snape burst through his office door and eyed me curiously.

"Miss Ryen…" he began, I did my best to hide my smile. "Just so you're aware I haven't been able to teach Potter anything beyond a pompion potion but I wish you the best of luck." With a sharp twist he slid back into his office and this time shut the door all the way. I could see Harry gritting his teeth. The boy who lived could see my weak, assuring smile.

"Don't worry, he's always like that to Gryffindors. Especially to me." His brow wrinkled for a moment. "Hang on, how is it…I mean, is he always this nice to you?"

"Nice? I don't know about that but I mean I do well in his class I suppose." I swallowed and prompted him to add the next ingredient as to change the subject. As luck would have it, Harry had seen a unicorn in his first year and believed he could at least try and point out where he had seen it. Grateful for any help I eagerly accepted his offer in exchange for me helping him with his potions final.

"Honestly I'm not bad at potions." Harry said as we left the classroom. "Its just I donno, it seems Snape hates me or something." He kicked a pebble far into the courtyard as we made our way to the great hall.

"Professor Snape Harry, and he doesn't hate you. He has a general…distain for almost everyone he comes into contact with but not hate." Harry looked at me with a raised brow but I could tell he was interested in my assessment. "Take me for example, I may be good at potions but professor Snape never lets me hear a compliment without 'even if you are Hufflepuff, or if you weren't so soft you may have been Slytherin.' I don't even think he means it to be honest."

"Then why be so unpleasant all the time?"

"I don't know. Maybe he's not comfortable with people liking him. It seems like his own predisposition. Though I won't deny you are a special case. Maybe its your celebrity status, maybe because your Gryffindor I can't say for sure. But, what I can say is he doesn't hate you."

"How do you know all that?"

"One of the great things about being Hufflepuff is that I am a good judge of character. I just know these things is all. In this dark world Harry, I have to give people the benefit of the doubt. I have to believe that all of their actions are done with the best intentions." We stopped at the doorway, Harry looked between me and the table full of his classmates.

"Thanks for the…chat. And the help with potions."

"No problem. Thanks for agreeing to help me find a unicorn." I laughed coming back to the thought of having to touch its regurgitated food. "Its an odd request that most would not give me a second thought for."

"I have quiditch until Sunday afternoon, maybe we can meet then. Best I can do is show you what I remember and in the daylight."

"I'll meet you here then, Sunday afternoon."

"Great." Harry smiled genuinely for the first time in our conversation and turned to meet his friends who would be soon inquiring about the nature of our discussion.

Save for the blood grass, my potion was finalized. From then on I spent the rest of the week writing out the steps and ingredients, possible substitutes for them and finally the properties of my potion that in which I hypothesized with great detail how and why it should work. The forste sannhet serum or just sannhet serum should be successful assuming I could procure the integral piece.

As promised Harry met me in the dinning hall just after lunch and together we unconsciously made our way into the forest. Our journey was spent much in silence. Once we came to our destination Harry apologized profusely at being so quiet. I assured him I understood that this wasn't his idea of a great Sunday afternoon and that he had other things on his mind. He accepted my explanation though not entirely willingly.

"You know…" he began after a long lapse of stillness between us. "In all the time I've been here, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say anything nice about Snape. That's a talent, you have. Seeing the good in people."

"Are you saying you agree with me?"

"About Snape?"

"Professor Snape Harry, and yes…that's what I meant."

Harry shrugged and adjusted his glasses before continuing. "I donno… can't say I can see anything good about him. But…I mean, its good that you can."

"I see what is presented to me Harry Potter. And more importantly I don't take things personally." It was quiet for a moment, so much so that we both looked up with a twig near us snapped. About twenty feet away was a young unicorn. Her ivory coat brilliant in the dim sunlight that broke in scatters from the thick tree tops only to shine upon her. For a long time she just stared at us and when she determined we were no threat to her she went to eating the ground before her.

"I reckon you'll just be…uh waiting for her to get sick."

"Yup." I said with a hesitant sigh. "that's the plan anyway. You don't have to stick around Harry. You helped me find her and that's all I needed. Once she's done gobbling up the grass I'll wait and follow her til she throws it all up." Harry nodded at me before slowly backing away and out of the forest. I leaned against a nearby tree and watched the unicorn who was all but ignoring me.

"Just what I always wanted." I said to myself. "Watching beautiful creatures vomiting." She snorted at me, seeming as though she knew what I was saying. I leaned my head back and looked to the sky, the trees stretching up to cover the gray sky. As I waited patiently my fingers came around Myrtel's gift. I laced the chain through my fingers and stroked the vial with my thumb.

Right then so that happened! "A rice ball may think himself plain until another one points out he has a plum in his back."