Chapter Eleven:
The following day Draco did as he had said and had made sure Ariana had gotten to each of her classes on time, even the ones he didn't have with her. Professor McGonagall had taken her aside that morning to talk to her, letting her know that because she had missed out on the previous years there would be some classes that she would have with the rest of the first years for the first semester then they would see where she stood in her classwork come Christmas. "But why isn't Professor Snape telling me this?" Ariana asked politely. "Isn't he my head of house?"
"Professor Snape asked me to talk to you as he said he was too busy to mess with a child that has foolishly missed out on the past three years of school," At her downfallen face she had added, "His words not mine Potter," Professor McGonagall took off after giving her her schedule and a paper that her teachers would need to sign after each of her first year classes to see where she stood on a educational level.
"I've barely been here 24 hours and already a teacher hates me." Ariana said looking down at her schedule. "That has never happened to me before..."
"Don't let it get to you. He hates me too." Harry's voice brought her head back up.
"What did you do?" Ariana asked.
"Look like Dad." Harry said flatly. "You probably look too much like Mum for his liking. Trust me, I'd take Snape ignoring me over him harassing me anytime. Enjoy it while you can." Harry gave her a reassuring smile before having to take off to his own class.
After that Ariana had done her best, and had received nothing but wondrous comments from all her teachers, even Madam Hooch who was in charge of her flying lesson. After being able to do every trick Madam Hooch had her try she had given her a wondrous standing ovation. "Your Father couldn't have done it better!" She said as she signed the paper that needed to be signed.
"Thank you Madam Hooch," Ariana said taking the paper back, after her first charms lesson hearing almost the same thing except about her Mum, she was starting to think that maybe she wasn't such a duffer after all. It was only that she started back down towards the dungeon with Draco for her first potion lesson that she actually felt nervous. Professor Snape had flat out refused to let her be in his first year class. He had told her that she was accepted as a fourth year and would take the classes as such. Given he wouldn't look right at her as he said it, but she had gotten his drift. She sat at the same table between Blaise and Draco, Crabb, Goyle, and Pansy sat behind them, she was almost sure she felt Pansy's death glare burning into the back of her head.
"Your instructions." He said softly pointing his wand at the board. "Are up." Ariana looked at the words that had appeared on the board, the instructions for a Wit-Sharpening Potion sat there.
Okay, you can do this. Aced every other class so far. This. Is. Easy. Ariana thought to herself. Ariana began mixing in the Ginger Root until her potion was lime green. Snape had started walking around the room, seeming to want to avoid their table until he seemed to have no choice, after looking at everyone else's "Pitiful excuses" as he had called them three different times. She was in the process of sprinkling in her scarab beetles when Snape turned to their table.
"Well, what sad excused do we have he-" He stopped in his tracks looking down into Ariana's caldron. She was paying no attention, despite the fact her heart was beating faster than it ever had in her life. Just as the instructions said it was turning red. Fully aware of Snape standing in front of her she continued with the steps, only looking up to make sure she was doing them in the correct order. As she finished chopping up more of her ginger roots and placing them into her caldron bits at a time as to not shock the potion as she added the last pieces it turned a beautiful shade of green, unlike Blaise who had added them all at once shocked the potion and it turned more of a blue green. Looking up at the board once more, she began stirring clockwise until it turned the yellow it was supposed to. Still not looking at Professor Snape, she took her caldron off the flame and let it cool. When she noticed Professor Snape still had not moved from in front of her table she chanced a look up.
"Professor?" She asked, doing her best to hide the fear from her face and voice, most of the other students had stopped trying and were not watching them.
"Why did you add the ginger roots a little bit at a time instead of all at once like the instructions say?" He asked his voice sharp and cold.
"Um, well because I thought the instructions were wrong..." She said, not understanding why she would be in trouble for telling the truth, at her words she heard the entire class gasp, if Snape had heard, he paid no attention.
"Wrong?" He said magicking up a stool and sitting down in front of her. "Are you telling me you believe my instructions were wrong?"
"No sir, I think the instructions you got from the book is wrong." Ariana said, keeping a straight face, thinking that she was about to get yelled at worse than she had ever had before, she was quite surprised when Snape actually smiled at her.
"So, I finally have a student who understands the madness to my methods." He stood up. "15 points to Slytherin, good job Potter." He stood up, collected some of her potion and continued to sulk around the classroom to the scraping of caldrons and tools.
Ariana let out a sigh and a small giggle as she slid down deep into her chair so far she was almost under the table. "I cannot believe what just happened in there!" Harry said as they busted out from Snape's cold classroom as he and a few other students from Gryffindor surrounded Ariana. "I never thought I'd EVER hear Snape say 'Good job' and 'Potter' in the same sentence!" Harry said.
"That was mental what you did, talking to Snape like that Ari." Ron said shaking his head in disbelief. "Bloody wicked, but mental."
"I didn't talk to him badly Ron, I just spoke to him like I'd want to be spoken to. There is a difference you know." Ariana said.
"Why did you really not just add it all together like that?" The boy Nevile Longbottom asked, hoping for anything to help him on the homework Snape had given everyone but her.
"Well, I did a lot of cooking for my pare- people that raised me, and I know that when you are cooking you have to be careful when adding cold ingredients to a hot pan. You can shock the food and depending on what you are making and how it needs to be made that could be bad. I just took a chance and it paid off. I just got lucky." Ariana said, trying to shake all the people. She wasn't used to being the center of attention. "But hey, I'm going to go get something to eat then head to go see Professor Snape. I want to talk to him about taking Care of Magical Creatures. I told Hagrid I'd look into taking it as soon as I could. " Ariana said taking off from the group after many people wanted to pat her on the back once more, never seeing Snape tell anyone good job, or even smile at a student like he did her. Finally breaking away from the group she turned around the corner almost running into Draco. "Oh thank god." Ariana said sighing. "I only just got away. Can we please go get dinner? I'm starving, and I'm pretty sure I'm still shaking from what just happened in potions."
Draco stood just staring at her. "Why didn't you tell me not to add the ginger roots all at once?"
"Did you not see that Professor Snape was standing right in front of me? I was terrified! I wasn't about to start whispering instructions to you right in front of him!" Ariana said looking at Draco like he was mad.
"He knows my Father, he wouldn't have cared." Draco said not moving.
"Well I didn't know that now did I?" Ariana shot back at him. "Next time he gives us instructions and I find something wrong I'll just write it down for you, I didn't know you needed to be babied so badly." Ariana spun on her heel and took off towards the Great Hall.
She was still fuming as she sat down at the Slytherin table next to someone, she didn't even pay attention to who until Blaise spoke. "Nice job back there." He said, he sounded almost bored.
"Are you going to scold me too?" Ariana spat, picking at the chicken breast she had placed on her plate. "Because I already told Draco that I wasn't going to say anything because since he's too damn fucking blind Snape was standing right in front of me."
"I was just complimenting you. Take it easy." Blaise said standing up. "I can leave you be if you are so hostile."
Ariana sighed, letting some of her anger out. "No, I'm sorry. I'm just a bit pissed off. Sorry." Ariana said taking a small bite as Blaise sat back down.
"So looks like you have nothing to worry about being behind everyone else." He said, Ariana looked at him, she hadn't shared that fear with anyone else but Draco, at the thought of him she had stabbed her chicken a bit harder than what was needed. "I heard you talking with Draco." He explained and she relaxed.
"Oh, yeah. Guess not. I was worried learning magic was harder than learning something in muggle school." Ariana said relaxing a bit.
"And is it?" He asked.
"Well, muggle math is still the hardest thing I've ever had to do." Ariana said laughing. "You don't get it, but I mean the stuff you first learn is easy, then they start throwing in letters and it just gets crazy." Ariana sighed. "Thanks for listening Blaise. I really needed that." Ariana looked up at the teacher's table, Snape was still eating. "I want to talk to Professor Snape about taking Care of Magical Creature's class, since I don't have to take flying classes anymore." She stood. "Do you think I should wait till he's done?"
Blaise shrugged. "He's pretty good at disappearing right after dinner. So I would suppose now is as good as any other time." Ariana nodded, glad for a reason to walk away as Draco had just walked into the Great Hall, Pansy all over him. She was pleased to see, Draco wasn't thrilled about this.
Ha serves you right, ass. Ariana thought to herself as she made her way up the side against the wall waiting a few feet away until he called her forward. "Yes Potter?" Snape said looking up from his plate.
"Professor I was wondering if since I no longer need to take flying classes, if it's alright with you I take an elective like the other fourth years?" Ariana asked, pulling out the paper Madam Hooch had signed earlier and handing it to him. He looked down at it reading what each of her teachers had said from the day. After a few moments he nodded.
"What class?" He said.
"Oh, I was thinking Care of Magical Creatures. I've always really liked animals and I think I'd really like the class." Ariana smiled. "I'm already thinking of what I'd like to do after graduation."
Snape's eyebrows raised. "Really?"
"Yes, Sir. I had a plan when I still lived with the muggles... but since I'm not a muggle plans change."
"And what would that be?" He was more curious than she had seen him so far this year.
"Well, I'm still thinking about my options, but I was thinking something to do with animals, Sir." She said. She really wasn't sure why Harry didn't like him. He seemed quite nice to her. Maybe it's just because you're a Slytherin. Her inner voice chimed in.
"Well, then I see no problem with you filling your schedule with suitable classes." He wrote down something on the paper she had given him. "You will report to Professor Hagrid starting tomorrow, I'm sure Mr. Malfoy can show you as he has done such a memorable job of so today." He stood up. "Goodnight Ariana." He said sweeping off down between the tables and out of the Great Hall.
