3 – Not The Kind

Heidi was sitting in a small huddle with the other first year Gryffindors in the cold dungeon classroom, waiting for the arrival of Snape.

'Hey, Heidi! Looking forward to seeing Daddy, are you?' Lindsaye, one of the first year Slytherins, shouted across the classroom. All the other Slytherins sniggered.

'Not particularly.' Heidi said. The door opened and Professor Snape entered.

'You should not be talking, Miss Snape, 10 points from Gryffindor.' Snape snapped.

Heidi's mouth dropped open in pure disbelief. The Slytherins snickered.

'What? No apology? Oh dear, another five points from Gryffindor.'

The rest of the lesson continued normally, with the Gryffindors constantly losing points while the Slytherins continually gained them.

At the end of the lesson, Snape asked Heidi to stay behind.

'He's going to apologise for being so mean to me.' Heidi thought to herself.

'Miss Snape.' Professor Snape began. 'I have found your manner most unacceptable today. Don't expect to be treated any differently because of our past; I am not the kind of person who tolerates bad behaviour, or the kind of person who would treat you differently because you are some unfortunate relative of mine.'

'Unfortunate!' Heidi gasped, before running out of the classroom in tears.

***

Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting in the Gryffindor common room, complaining loudly about how much homework Professor Binns had set them, when the portrait hole opened and Heidi came rushing in, still in tears. She ran straight past Harry, Ron and Hermione and up to her dormitory.

'I'll go and see what's wrong.' Hermione said, getting up and going off to the first year girls' dormitory.

Hermione quietly opened the door and went into the dormitory. Heidi was lying facedown on her bed.

'Heidi?' Hermione asked, sitting on the edge of Heidi's bed.

'He's so horrible!' Heidi cried, sitting up and facing Hermione.

'Who?'

'Professor Snape; he took about 30 points from Gryffindor from me in the lesson. Then he told me my manner was unacceptable and that I was an UNFORTUNATE relative!'

Hermione hugged Heidi as she burst into tears again.

'Snape is a cruel, heartless man. You're best off without him.'

'But he hates me! He's supposed to be my father!'

'I know, but he won't care. You've just got to ignore him, that's what we all do.'

Heidi sniffed. 'And your friend – Ron.  He doesn't like me, does he?'

'Ron? Oh, he's just against Snape. If you tell him how much you hate him, Ron'll like you.'

Heidi nodded, got off her bed and left the dormitory. Hermione followed, but stopped at the bottom of the stairs while Heidi went over to Harry and Ron.

'Are you alright?' Harry asked.

Heidi nodded, then declared her hatred for Snape to them.

Ron smiled – this girl wasn't so bad after all. 'Join the club!' Ron said. 'It's the Gryffindor way – hating Snape.' Harry and Heidi smiled, and Hermione came over to join them. From that moment, Heidi became close friends with Harry, Ron and Hermione.