(A/N Harry Potter and associated charaters etc., belong to J.K. Rowling not me. The only thing that does belong to me are; the plot of this story, and the characters who do not appear in Rowlings stories. Now, without further ado, I present my next chapter ^_^. Now, leave me alone, I have work to do.)

Harry Potter and the Staff of Time

Chapter 7

Brewing Trouble

The next morning Savana sat, staring at her breakfast. She was seated at the Gryffindor table, in the Great Hall, along with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. She found many of the food selections to be unappealing, so she had settled on toast with butter and marmalade; fruit juice; and something that was supposed to be coffee, though it was much too thick and strong for her taste. She suspected she would prefer just chewing the coffee beans and drinking a cup of hot water. She really needed the energy kick that the caffiene would have provided, since she was feeling exhausted from all of the events of the previous day. She decided to speak to Alex about teaching these people to make a decent cup of coffee as soon as possible, since she knew he was even more addicted to it than she was. She also suspected that, since the British were fond of tea, speaking to any of the resident staff about this problem wasn't likely to yeild many positive results. She sighed and pushed the offending beverage away.

Harry and Hermione sat opposite of her, intently studying their respective schedules and speculating about classes, professors, etc.

"Is it always so cool and damp here?" Savana asked with a shiver. The morning had dawned cool, foggy and damp. Savana found it to be uncomfortable and depressing. She didn't relish the idea of spending alot of time in this type of climate.

"I would think you'd like our climate, considering how cold and extreme the weather is where you're from." Ron said while stuffing his mouth full with something that smelled quite fishy.

Savana wrinkled her nose in distaste. "EWE! What are you eating?!"

"Mmm, kippers!" Ron replied. "Would you like to try one?"

"I'll pass, thanks." Savana gulped. Eating smelly, little fish just wasn't her idea of a tastey breakfast. "And living in northern Minnesota isn't like we're living on some Artic ice berg. We do have summer, you know, and it can be uncomfortably warm and humid."

"Yes, and the summer brings with it a myriad of nasty insects, most of which bite! And let us not forget the blood sucking mosquitos, which are so large and numerous, that the Muggles there, refer to them as the state bird. It all sounds absolutely charming." Hermione commented with authority.

"Where did you read that?!" Savana snorted.

"I didn't read it anywhere." Hermione retorted. "My uncle and aunt went to that area on holiday, a few years ago. They told me all about it and it sounded dreadfull!" She was warming to her subject. "Everywhere those nasty things bit them, they developed large, red, swellings, about the size of apples! It took them quite awhile, after they returned home, to recover. The doctors here, said most of us are allergic to mosquito bites, since we don't have anything like that here. It's true! I saw them!" Hermione defended herself, as she read the looks of disbelief on the others' faces.

Savana stared at Hermione with a mixture of scorn and disbelief. "Why didn't they protect themselves with a spell?" She asked.

"Hermione's parents, and most of her family, are Muggles." Ginny, who had just joined the group, supplied.

"Oops, sorry. I hadn't considered that." Savana said, then hastened to explain further. "All of Aurora Borealis, the grounds and the residents, are protected from mosquitos, and other pests, by protective spells."

"You still have to endure those long, dark, frigid winters. You can't change that with a spell." Ron asserted.

"What! Do you seriously think we live in igloos and wear furs and skins to keep warm?!" Savana was incredulous! She'd heard stories about people, who'd never been to Minnesota, believing that life there was primitive, frigid, etc., but, she had thought they were the property of history, comedy routines, or the ignorant. She never thought anyone would believe them in this day and age! She began to laugh, and ignored the stares from the surronding tables.

Savana continued to chuckle as she explained, "Yes, the daylight hours are shorter in the winter. We recieve about nine hours of sunlight on the winter solistace. (The shortest day of the year.) Our school buildings all have full spectrum lighting to compensate for that. And, while it is cold from November through the end of March, the months we typically experience as winter, the temperature averages at about 8 degrees below 0, Centigrade. We only get a few really cold snaps every winter, and those last for days, not weeks. Even so, it's not like we can't dress for it, or like we have to stay indoors. Anyway, most of the buildings at Aurora Borealis are connected by heated, well lit, underground tunnels. Most of the people I know only take the tunnels when it's really cold, otherwise we start to feel like moles. You'll also notice, I mentioned that winter usually lasts about five months, not eight, or ten. So, it really isn't as bad as some people make it sound."

"It still doesn't sound like someplace where I'd fancy living." Hermione sniffed. She couldn't understand why she felt so antagonistic towards this girl.

"There are also some really beautiful things about living that far north, you know." Savana felt the need to defend her home. "Sure, the daylight isn't as plentiful during the winter, but, without those long, dark nights, we couldn't see the aurora borealis, and that's a light show I wouldn't miss for anything!"

"Wha' da ya mean?" Ron's mouth was full of some other disgusting looking, and smelling, local breakfast food.

"I've read about the aurora borealis, as well as the aurora australis, and seen pictures of them." Hermione said. She felt the need to try to make amends between herself and Savana. "I've never actually seen them, but, the pictures are beautiful."

Savana suspected that Hermione was trying to apologise for the way she had been treating her. Savana, however, decided to let it go, for the time being.

"Pictures don't even come close to capturing the awesome beauty of the northern lights, not even wizard pictures. They're incredible! The sky lights up with shifting, shimmering, bands of color. The light they produce is so bright, it makes even the light of the full moon seem dim in comparison."

"The Native Americans have many different beliefs about just what the aurora borealis really are. My personal favorite is the Inuit Indian belief that the lights are the spirits of unborn children. They are at play in the heavens."1 Savana's eyes shone as she delivered this last bit of information, so, she was rather disappointed when Ron asked. . .

"So, do you go sledging alot during the winter?"

"What's that?! Some exotic sport that you like to indulge in here?" Savana was puzzled.

Ron described the activity.

"Oh, we call that sledding!" Savana exclaimed. "Yeah, we do that, as well as ski, snowmobile, and other things. Sometimes, we go mushing, too." Savana realised, judging from the others' expressions, that they, once again, thought she was kidding them. "That's a term for dog sledding." Savana added, before the rest could say anything else.

"I'm doing all of the talking, here." She continued. "I thought that I got to ask you questions and have you explain things to me. After all, I'm the new kid here!"

"Professor McGonagall did ask me to help show you around and explain the rules to you." Hermione said. She was a prefect again this year, therefore, she was supposed to do things like that. "And now, it's late enough for me to show you to your first class. All

of the sixth year Gryffindors have this class, and a few others, at the same time. So, we can go together. It's Potions class." She added ominously. Her face was a mask of disgust.

Savana couldn't understand the reactions of the others. She loved potions class and had always been very good at it. She said as much to the others as they walked toward their class.

"The problem isn't the course, it's the teacher, Professor Snape." Harry explained to the clueless Savana. "And, just to add to the expirence, this is one of the classes we take at the same time as the sixth year students from Slytherin House. Professor Snape is the Head of Slytherin House, and he favors them."

As the group descended into the dungeon classroom, where potions was taught, Savana began to wonder just how awful this class might be.

...`~*~`...

Harry trudged into the potions classroom, as though he were going to his own execution. He was followed, in similar fashion, by Savana, Ron, and Hermione. He searched the back of the room for a vacant seat. Unfortunately, the only open seats were in the front. The rest of the students, even those from Slytherin, knew better than to sit where they could become easy targets of Professor Snape when he was in a foul mood, which was often. The four reluctantly sat in the only seats available, the front row.

Professor Snape immediately followed them into the classroom and reguarded them in his typically cool and surley manner.

"Just getting to your class ahead of the professor is not the most auspicious way to begin the school term, is it Mr. Potter?" Snape's velvety tone was underlayed with maleficence. "And I would think that you would want to make a better impression, on your first day at a new school. Am I not correct, Ms. Walker?" He emphasised the Ms.in a most unpleasant manner.

Harry and Savana both flushed and slid down in their seats. "Strike 1!" Savana thought. She had hoped to avoid Snape's attention by flying under his radar, at least for awhile. Snape's present frontal assult, however, had destroyed any hope of that. She needed to employ a different strategy, if she wanted to survive this class and its instructor. She decided it was time to play the sweet, innocent, young thing.

"I'm sorry, professor. It's my fault, we were all late. Harry, and his friends, were showing me how to get here." Savana had deliberately chosen not to name Hermione and Ron, since Snape was currently ingnoring them and she didn't want to focus any attention on them. "I was lost. This is all so different from my old school! I promise, it won't happen again!" She said demurely, while she thought, "Hah! The ball's in your court, snake eyes!"

"Ms. Walker," Snape placed the emphasis on the Ms. once again, she noticed, "I should deduct 5 points from Gryffindor for your behavior, however, since this is your first day here, I will give you the benefit of the doubt." Snape had her fixed in his hooded, vulture-like gaze. "I would, however, expect, that for someone whose family was miraculously resurrected from the dead, that you would have a better sense of direction, as well as a better excuse."

"Strike 2!" Savana thought. "Three strikes and you're out!" She felt fury welling up inside of her. "What's his problem?! Neither Harry, nor I, did anything to him! Yet he's treating us like a pair of criminals! And where does he get off announcing secrets about my family to the rest of the world? I hope no one else knows what he's talking about!"

She thought it would be poetic justice, if something, say...a bottle of permanent, black ink...just happened to spill...all over Snape's head! She stared at just such a container, which rested on the desk behind Snape. But, she felt her concentration break when someone, who was sitting beside her, kicked her leg. She looked out of the corner of her eyes at Hermione, who was doing the same to her.

"DON'T YOU DARE!!!" Hermione silently mouthed at her.

Actually, Hermione was so upset, that the message felt more like a shout, through Savana's mind.

"All right!" Savana thought back at her. "But, if this guy continues like this, I WILL HURT HIM!"

"STOP THIS NOW!" Hermione thought back to her. "I'll talk to you about this, after class."

They both turned their attention back to Professor Snape, who had redirected his focus away from them, and was presently explaining what topics would be covered in the coming year. He then began to describe the potion they would begin making today.

"...a strength potion. It will give you strength and energy when you are weak and tired. But, if a person who possess adequate reserves takes it, it would have the opposite effect upon them." Savana noted that Snape took diabolic glee in delievering this particular bit of information. "They would become extremely weak and tired." He concluded.

Savana began to quickly page through her potions text, until she found the appropriate page. It had sounded very familiar...Yes! She had learned how to make this same strength potion last year. She also knew she didn't want to waste her time reviewing things which she already had down cold. Maybe she could convince Professor Snape to allow her to work on something else that was a little more challenging.

Professor Snape had completed his lecture and the class was moving about, setting up to brew the strength potion. Savana took this opportunity to approach Professor Snape and make her request.

"Yes, Ms. Walker, what is it now? You're unable to find what you need? Or, perhaps, you are simply unable to locate the necessary potion recipe?" Snape appeared to think that he was quite witty. He even attempted to smile at his own humor, however, to Savana, it looked more like a sneer.

"No, I can find everything I need, including the recipe." She replied carefully, while thinking about what a pompous, jackass this man was. "I just wanted to know if there was a different potion I could work on." Snape's eyes had narrowed and he no longer appeared amused. Savana decided she had better make her request. "It's just that I've already learned how to make this potion...last year...at Aurora Borealis." She stumbled to a halt, no longer feeling so sure of herself, as Professor Snape's face grew dark and she could see he was extremely perturbed with her. "On second thought..." She began to say, but, it was drown out by Professor Snape's response to her request.

"What's the problem, Ms. Walker, is the subject I'm teaching not interesting or advanced enough for you?!"

"No, it's just that I already know how to make this..."

"And you can do it so well that you have nothing left to learn, or perfect?" Snape sneered. "5 point deduction to Gryffindor House! You may thank your new, smart mouthed friend for this present!" Snape sneered while giving the stunned occupants of Gryffindor House a nasty look, which dared them to challenge him.

"What?! That's totally unfair!" Savana was not just stunned, she was furious! "How dare you...?! I only asked you for a more challenging assignment and I did it nicely! No professor at Aurora Borealis would dare to behave in such an irresponsible fashion!" Savana was near tears, she was so angry, and this gnat brained, excuse for a teacher was so unfair! "Strike 3...Yer out!" She thought. It was time to go on the offensive. "After all, I can't have much more to loose!" She had no idea just how wrong she was!

"I'm deducting 10 more points from Gryffindor House for that little temper tantrum. Would you care to try for more? That should make you extremely popular in your new home, Ms. Walker!" Once again Snape had made the Ms. sound like an insult.

Savana stood there sputtering and turning such a deep shade of red that she almost matched her hair. She had never been so angry, embaressed, and insulted in her entire life!

She could hear loud warning shouts, in her mind, from Hermione and Harry. She attempted to get some control over her temper, and might have been successful, if Pansy Parkinson had simply kept her big, fat mouth shut and her opinions to herself.

"Americans are so arrogant and crass!" Pansy said mockingly, in a stage whisper, to Malfoy and his cronies. A large portion of the class, Savana assumed they were all Slytherins, sniggered.

Savana fixed her gaze on the offender.

"Behave like an adult and ignore that!" This time, it was Harry who shouted the warning telepathically.

"I can't! I've had as much of this garbage as I can take for one day! I'll leave professor grease monkey alone, for now, but, Jo-jo the dog faced girl is MINE! NOW!" Savana mentally shouted back at Harry. "SHE'S A DEAD WOMAN! Why didn' t Snape deduct points for her little preformance?! She interrupted the class, too!"

"She's from Slytherin. Snape generally acts as though they can do no wrong." Harry shot back.

Savana spotted an ink well on the desk behind Pansy. She hoped the ink it contained was black and permanent. She also noticed that the students at that desk were busy making their potions. She suspected that even if they saw what she was about to do to Pansy, they wouldn't say anything. They were also from Gryffindor, and more to the point, were not aware of her gifts.

Pansy was wearing her dirty, blond hair in a braid, which fell most of the way down her back.

"Oh, this is just too easy." Savana thought, and chuckled to herself. She guided the ink bottle up behind Pansy's back and under the tip of the braid. Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked on in horrified amusement as Savana dunked the bottom four inches of Pansy's braid into the ink. She then quickly returned the bottle to where it belonged. As she watched the ink drip onto Pansy's robe and the floor, she became aware of Professor Snape, who was still chewing her out.

"...since you know so much about making potions, you will teach the rest of this section. If you don't do a credible job of it, Gryffindor House will be penalised 100 points and you will be doing two weeks worth of detention. Do I make myself clear?" Professor Snape looked immensely pleased with himself. He only wished he could make this spoiled, little, smart alec take over the class immediately. However, it was almost time for class to end. "I will also be discussing your behavior with Professor Dumbledore. We'll see just how clever he thinks you are." Snape continued ominously. "Class dismissed." He announced. "That includes you." He said to Savana, who still stood there, glaring at him.

Harry tugged on Savana's sleeve, "come on Savana, we'll be late for our next class." He began pulling her toward the door, while she continued to fume. When they reached the door, they could hear a girl down the hall shrieking, "...what has happened to your hair?! The bottom of it is black and wet...and it's all over your robes, too! Yuk! It looks like..." They couldn't hear the last part because Pansy and her companion had taken off, at a dead run, for a rest room. Probably to check out the damage.

Savana giggled, feeling satisfaction because she'd gotten revenge on someone, even if Pansy didn't know that she was responsible for the sorry state of her hair.

"That wasn't funny, Savana!" Hermione hissed at her, as they made their way down the hall.

"Oh, I don't know about that, Hermione. It's about time someone put "Pug" Parkinson in her place. Professor Snape has been rattling all of our cages for years, it's about time someone rattled his." Ron said nonchalantly.

"We can discuss all of that later." Harry said. "What I'd like to know, right now, is how Hermione and I were able to communicate telepathically with Savana during class."

"I was able to communicate with her by using a telepathy spell that I looked up last night." Hermione informed them. "That's why I had to keep eye contact with Savana while I communicated with her. It doesn't explain Harry, though."

"I don't know why I was able to do it." Harry looked confused.

"It wouldn't be the first time you've done something that you didn't know you had a talent for." Hermione said. "Remember the time you discovered that you were a parselmouth, during the duel?"

"I do, even if Harry doesn't." Ron stated emphatically. "Frankly, I don't think anything Harry does should suprise us anymore."

"Thanks for trying to help me out, you guys. I really do appreciate it, even if it didn't seem like it at the time." Savana told them as they approached their next class. Savana hoped that the potions class wasn't an indication of how the whole year would go. It would be bad enough just enduring Professor Snape for the time being, she didn't need anything else. She entered the classroom for The History of Magic feeling a little more hopeful than she had in awhile.

1. Burnham, Robert; Dyer, Alan; Garfinkle, Robert A.; George, Martin; Kanipe, Jeff; Levy,

David H.: THE NATURE COMPANY GUIDES: BACKYARD ASTRONOMY