On the Friday of their first week of classes, the trio sat eating breakfast in the Great Hall. Fay flipped through the pages of the new Witch Weekly that just arrived. Holly tried yogurt for the first time, complete with a variety of berries and granola.
"Have we got Potions today?" Holly asked aloud.
"I think so, it's the only class we haven't been to yet," Lyra replied, slowly stirring her porriadge. She looked tired more so this morning, preferring to sleep in at least a few extra hours.
She looked up to see Draco Malfoy standing across the table. Beside him stood his burly friends Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Gyole.
"A word? Outside," he said, looking directly at Lyra.
"Go on," Lyra groaned. "I'm not getting up."
Draco looked both ways down the Gryffindor table as he leaned in closer.
"It might be important, cousin," said Draco.
Lyra's eyebrows shot up in surprise, now full awake. "What are you on about?"
Draco pointed with his eyes towards the doors and stayed silent.
"Alright," she said before turning towards Holly. "I'll be back in just a minute."
Holly nodded but felt slightly anxious and shared a nervous look with Fay while watching her leave. Lyra followed the three Slytherin boys out the main doors of the hall. It took longer than a minute for her to return. When she did, she moved at a brisk pace and looked visibly annoyed.
"What did he want?" Fay asked once she sat back down.
"To try and tell me what I can and can't do," growled Lyra. "He is even more of a prat than I first thought."
"Is he really your cousin?" Holly asked lightly, trying not to make her angrier.
"Yea, I think so, I'll write mum about it but he acted really certain that we're related. Second cousins apparantly," Lyra huffed.
"And you didn't know?" Fay asked.
Lyra shook her head. "I knew there were some people on my dad's side. But I didn't know their names and I hoped they weren't gits like Draco Malfoy."
Lyra stopped venting a short time later as Professor McGonagall walked by handing out schedules. As expected only one class was listed for first year Gryffindors, double potions. They quickly finished their breakfast and exited the hall together.
"Does anyone know where the potions classroom is?" Holly asked.
Surprisingly she was answered by Draco Malfoy who stood nearby with his two large friends. He eyed Lyra critically still as he came forward.
"We know, it would be best for you lot to follow us," he said boastfully. "Since it's way down in the dungeons, one wrong turn and you'll be lost all day, maybe forever."
"Oh shove off," Lyra replied.
"Don't be like that cousin. There is so much you've got to learn," Draco said in his usual prompous tone.
Draco ignored her complaints while he walked beside his newfound cousin, leading her down into the cold depths of the school. Holly and Fay followed behind them a few paces as Draco made it clear he wanted to talk only to Lyra. Holly turned back to see the two other Slytherin boys walking close on their heels. Both of them looked similar to Dudley, her one and only cousin. Holly shivered a bit and it wasn't from the air growing colder as they went.
A few minutes of walking led all of them into a dark classroom deep in the dungeons. A few Slytherin girls already sat in their seats while the rest of the room was still empty. Draco still kept up his hushed conversation with Lyra while the three Gryffindors took their seats near the back.
"Alright, you've shown us the way," Lyra said loudly, motioning for him to move on with his friends.
But her cousin refused to, instead taking the seat to her left.
"Can't believe you don't know proper pureblood etiquette," Holly overheard him say. "I know your father wasn't there but that's a poor excuse-"
"Bugger off you prat!" Lyra bit out, her temper flaring dangerously as the boy clearly touched a nerve.
Draco looked somewhat shocked at her tone while he stared at her with his mouth agape. The room now became silent with everyone's eyes watching them. More students entering in now, signaling the class is about to start.
"You best come around cousin," Draco whispered threateningly.
Lyra kept her fixed glare on him until he finally left to sit with his friends near the front of the room.
"Are you okay?" Holly asked from her right.
Lyra nodded stiffly with her jaw still firmly clenched. "I really can't stand people like him," she admitted. "He thinks he's so much better than everyone."
At that moment a dark figure shot into the room, slamming the door shut. The black robes behind the Hogwarts potions master billowed up behind him. Everyone within the room went quiet immediately. He walked quickly to his desk at the front of the class. He began calling names and checking them off from the scroll he held. He seemed to pause at Lyra's name and completely stopped when he got to Holly.
"Ah yes, our newest celebrity," he mocked, causing some Slytherins to laugh.
Holly looked down, wondering to herself what she might to have done to make him dislike her already. After finishing calling the rest of the names he began a short speech about the art of potion making. Holly began to write some of what he spoke, though it was difficult to hear as he did not talk very loud. He introduced himself as Professor Snape, resident potions master.
"Potter!" he said suddenly, raising his tone much louder, causing Holly to jump up slightly in her seat. The quill she held marked a long inky streak across her new parchment. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Holly felt her mouth go dry, she had no clue what any of that is, much less the correct answer. Hermione Granger sat at the row of desks in front of her, an arm raised high in the air. Holly kept his eyes down at her fingers, though they wouldn't offer any help.
"I don't know, sir," Holly said quietly.
"Let's try another one Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"
"I don't know, sir," Holly said quieter still.
"Haven't considered taking a look at your potions book before entering my class?" he sneered. "Thought everyone would just give you passing grades and a pat on the back?"
Holly felt more and more eyes on her though she didn't look up. The sounds of students laughing at her ignorance brought back old memories of her muggle school days. Beside her Lyra nearly shook with indignation, as Professor Snape wouldn't stop pressing Holly. Lyra stared directly at him, though Holly still refused to glance his way.
"Let's find out if there is anything you do know Potter. Tell me what is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?"
Again she did not know the answer. Just as she was about to say that, Lyra leaned over a bit to whisper. "They're the sa-"
"Black!" Professor Snape said sharply. "Attempting to cheat are you? Five points will be taken from Gryffindor!"
Lyra gripped the sides of her stool tightly. Barely keeping a check on her anger while boring a deep stare at the man. Ahead of them Hermione began waving her arm back and forth, trying desperately to answer the question.
"Well Potter?" Snape continued a moment later. "Don't know that one either?"
Holly swallowed, trying to force down tears that threatened to come. "I-I don't know the answer."
"Tut-tut, fame clearly isn't everything," he said.
Half the class barely contained their laughter now. Professor Snape finally moved on to explain their lesson for the day. Groups of two were set up to begin brewing the potion for curing boils. He allowed Holly and Lyra work together while Fay paired with Seamus. None of the Gryffindors paired with any Slytherins either.
Instructions on the pages of the potions book were simple enough to understand, but harder to follow as the professor circled the room while they worked. Holly set about cutting and weighing the various ingredients while Lyra stewed the cauldron. She re-read the steps from her book a few times just to make sure before moving on to the next step.
"That's too many!" snapped the professor from above her.
Holly flinched violently, her hands accidently hitting her brass scales. A dozen or more porcupine quills were flung across her table. A few fell into their cauldron, causing an outpour of dark smoke to fly up. It smelt terrible, most students had to cover their noses and move away quickly from their own cauldrons.
"Idiot girl!" Professor Snape snapped above her again, his voice sounding raspy. He vanished their potion with a flick of his wand to stop the billowing smoke from continuing. "Are you trying to scar everyone's throat in here Potter? Five points from Gryffindor!"
Holly couldn't keep from looking down while Snape berated her further. She trembled slightly and fought back the urge to cry. Unfriendly gazes of her fellow housemates were now upon her. They were angry at both her and Lyra.
"Do you know anything of potions whatsoever?" he paused, awaiting her to reply.
Holly slowly shook her head. "N-no Sir," she mumbled, biting back a trembling bottom lip as best she could.
"Pay attention to the instructions then! And start over unless you both want to fail your first lesson," Snape rounded on Lyra before finally moving on.
Lyra looked to the clock on the dungeon wall, knowing there was little chance of finishing it before class ended. She turned to Holly, who looked panic stricken.
"I'm sorry," Holly gasped, a few tears gathered and ready to cascade down. "I didn't mean to mess it up," she continued to her new friend who likely wouldn't be after causing a zero grade and the loss of points.
"It's not your fault, it's his," Lyra said, motioning towards the turned back of the potions master. "The creep!" Lyra couldn't help but add, causing Snape to instantly turn back around and face them.
"Black! What did you say?" Snape stared directly into her stormy grey eyes.
"Nothing," Lyra jumped a bit in surprise that he somehow heard her from so far away.
"Liar," he said, confidently peeling through the pages of her mind. He could all the nasty things she wanted to say and do. "Five more points from Gryffindor."
"That's not fair!" Lyra snapped back.
"Do you wish to have detenion as well?" threatened Snape.
Lyra bit her lip hard to prevent the words she wanted to say from escaping. It was not until nearly an hour later, as they walked up from the dungeons that she could say it. They managed to finish another potion yet Professor Snape still gave them barely above a passing grade.
"I hate that overgrown bat!" she seethed. "Greasy old creepy vulture!"
Some Gyffindors within earshot laughed, but Holly didn't. Professor Snape truly frightened her and seemed to hold real animosity towards her. Or maybe it was just a Slytherin thing, as she understood it coming from older Gryffindors she'd occasionally overhear. She knew Professor Snape is the head snake of Slytherin House already. Serpents did not do well with any of the other houses it seemed.
"Especially with the way he would stare at Holly," Lyra pointed out.
"Wh-what do you mean?" Holly said, startled out of her wondering.
"You didn't notice?" asked Lyra.
"Even I noticed," Fay said, walking closer beside her.
"No, I did my best to not look his way. It would make me more nervous, I think," said Holly.
"I don't blame you, he's one that it's better to not look at," Lyra said, half joking and half serious. "Forget about him, we've got the weekend now to relax."
"But we still have a lot of homework to do," Holly reminded her.
"Oh there will be plenty of time for all that," said Lyra, waving her hand to mentally brush that aside. "We can wonder the grounds without worrying about being late for anything. Don't you want to explore? There is so much to see!"
Holly nodded, thankful for anything that would take potions class off her mind. They entered back to the main hall now. Lyra gently pulled Holly by the cuff her school robe towards the sunlit grounds.
"Come on, we haven't been to the quidditch pitch yet," Lyra said happily.
She took hold of Fay with her other hand to usher her along as well. Together they nearly sprinted outside and did not return to the castle until nightfall.