Potions
The next morning dawned bright and clear. Tabby had been dragged down to breakfast by Hermione, who was now giving her fierce interrogation.
"So where is it you said you were from?"
"I didn't say."
"Oh, where are you from then?"
"Well originally I am from England, as you can probably tell from the accent, but I have been in America for the last few years, so I did my schooling there."
"Oh how exciting, why did you transfer?"
"My dad's job moved him back to England."
"Oh right," said Hermione enthralled, "is he in the army or something."
"No, he is a wizard."
"Oh cool. So what's it like in American schools?"
"Well the school was all stainless steel and chrome, nothing like here. I guess the teaching will be similar, I will have to let you know about that."
"Oh yes I am very interested in what it's like in other parts of the world. It was positively fascinating when Beauxbatons and Durmstrang came for the Triwizard Tournament, I found out a lot." Hermione rambled on, and on, Tabby was doing her very best to keep track of the conversation but her mind kept wandering. She was very nervous about the beginning of lessons. Who knew if she would be able to understand any of it? Dumbledore had assured her that she would be fine, she hoped he was right. Tabby was saved by the arrival of Harry and Ron.
"Morning," they said in unison.
"Morning Ron and, err, Harry wasn't it?"
"Yeah that's right," smiled Ron pleased she had remembered his name over Harry's.
"Tabby was just telling me about her school in America, weren't you Tabby," beamed Hermione.
"Oh leave the poor girl alone will you, she's only just got here and you're harassing her already. Watch out Tabby, it will get worse if you don't do your homework," Ron winked at her.
Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but was disrupted by the appearance of McGonagall who was handing out timetables.
"Ah yes, Tabitha Christie, how nice it is to finally meet you," said McGonagall warmly, "here's you're timetable dear, I'm sure you won't take long to settle into the way we do things here." She turned to Hermione, "I expect that you as a prefect will make Tabby feel welcome and help her out with her timetable."
"Yes Professor," beamed Hermione, she never got tired of her 'prefect' title. When McGonagall left Hermione glanced over at Tabby's timetable.
"You do most of the same subjects as me," she said in a happy tone, "oh, except Divination but Ron and Harry do that, so you'll be ok."
"Urgh will you look at that, we have double Potions this morning," sighed Harry.
"We do Potions with the Slytherins," explained Hermione.
"That's not good?" inquired Tabby innocently.
"No!" said all three of them together as they left the Hall, making their way slowly and reluctantly to the dungeons.
Snape was calling the register. He paused dramatically at Tabby's name.
"Ah, a new student. I do hope you don't take too long to settle in, I don't have time for people to get behind in my class," scoffed Snape with as much venom as he could muster.
"I'm sure under your expert guidance I will be up to speed in no time," smiled Tabby, "my father has told me what a fantastic teacher you are Sir."
The Gryffindors did a mass intake of breath, they knew what would be coming wouldn't be good, for both Tabby and their house points. The Slytherins smirked. The strangest thing happened though, Snape smiled, he actually smiled not his usual sneer pretending to be a smile.
"Ah just like your mother, always the charmer," said Snape and moved on down the list. The class were stunned. The Slytherins had never seen Snape pass up an opportunity to deduct points from Gryffindor. The Gryffindors where equally stunned, not only had they not lost any points but it seemed that their new member already had associations with Snape.
The complement seemed to put Snape in a favourable mood, so the potion he set wasn't too demanding. As they set to work, Draco Malfoy sidled over.
"Morning Potter, you and Weasley had a good summer I hope?"
"Get lost Malfoy," warned Harry not even looking up from the ingredients he was cutting. Malfoy stood his ground, his gaze coming to rest on Tabby.
"Hi there, I'm Draco Malfoy," he said, layering his voice with charm and extending his hand.
"Hello Draco Malfoy," said Tabby taking his hand in hers, "I'm Tabitha Christie," she replied brightly.
"A little word of advice, Tabitha, don't waste your time on this lot," he indicated Harry, Ron and Hermione, "there's always space on the Slytherin table for someone like you."
"Why thank you Draco," said Tabby her voice layered as thickly with charm as his, "I will take you up on that offer if I ever get tired of the scenery. And Draco enough with the formalities, you should know you need only call me Tabby," she flashed him her biggest smile, dazzling him with her perfect white teeth.
"Tabby, just like a cat."
"Mieow." And with that Draco moved away.
"What was that about?" said Ron accusingly.
Rather than becoming defensive, Tabby merely smiled, not quite so dazzling this time though. "What do you mean Ron?" she asked innocently.
"You know what I mean, talking so nicely to.to him," said Ron his temper rising.
"Sorry Ron, I was only trying to make friends. I take it you guys don't like him?"
"Don't like him?" Ron retorted, "Malfoy is our sworn enemy, you can't be friends with both of us."
"I didn't think he seemed too bad," muttered Tabby turning away to continue adding her ingredients to her potion.
The next morning dawned bright and clear. Tabby had been dragged down to breakfast by Hermione, who was now giving her fierce interrogation.
"So where is it you said you were from?"
"I didn't say."
"Oh, where are you from then?"
"Well originally I am from England, as you can probably tell from the accent, but I have been in America for the last few years, so I did my schooling there."
"Oh how exciting, why did you transfer?"
"My dad's job moved him back to England."
"Oh right," said Hermione enthralled, "is he in the army or something."
"No, he is a wizard."
"Oh cool. So what's it like in American schools?"
"Well the school was all stainless steel and chrome, nothing like here. I guess the teaching will be similar, I will have to let you know about that."
"Oh yes I am very interested in what it's like in other parts of the world. It was positively fascinating when Beauxbatons and Durmstrang came for the Triwizard Tournament, I found out a lot." Hermione rambled on, and on, Tabby was doing her very best to keep track of the conversation but her mind kept wandering. She was very nervous about the beginning of lessons. Who knew if she would be able to understand any of it? Dumbledore had assured her that she would be fine, she hoped he was right. Tabby was saved by the arrival of Harry and Ron.
"Morning," they said in unison.
"Morning Ron and, err, Harry wasn't it?"
"Yeah that's right," smiled Ron pleased she had remembered his name over Harry's.
"Tabby was just telling me about her school in America, weren't you Tabby," beamed Hermione.
"Oh leave the poor girl alone will you, she's only just got here and you're harassing her already. Watch out Tabby, it will get worse if you don't do your homework," Ron winked at her.
Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but was disrupted by the appearance of McGonagall who was handing out timetables.
"Ah yes, Tabitha Christie, how nice it is to finally meet you," said McGonagall warmly, "here's you're timetable dear, I'm sure you won't take long to settle into the way we do things here." She turned to Hermione, "I expect that you as a prefect will make Tabby feel welcome and help her out with her timetable."
"Yes Professor," beamed Hermione, she never got tired of her 'prefect' title. When McGonagall left Hermione glanced over at Tabby's timetable.
"You do most of the same subjects as me," she said in a happy tone, "oh, except Divination but Ron and Harry do that, so you'll be ok."
"Urgh will you look at that, we have double Potions this morning," sighed Harry.
"We do Potions with the Slytherins," explained Hermione.
"That's not good?" inquired Tabby innocently.
"No!" said all three of them together as they left the Hall, making their way slowly and reluctantly to the dungeons.
Snape was calling the register. He paused dramatically at Tabby's name.
"Ah, a new student. I do hope you don't take too long to settle in, I don't have time for people to get behind in my class," scoffed Snape with as much venom as he could muster.
"I'm sure under your expert guidance I will be up to speed in no time," smiled Tabby, "my father has told me what a fantastic teacher you are Sir."
The Gryffindors did a mass intake of breath, they knew what would be coming wouldn't be good, for both Tabby and their house points. The Slytherins smirked. The strangest thing happened though, Snape smiled, he actually smiled not his usual sneer pretending to be a smile.
"Ah just like your mother, always the charmer," said Snape and moved on down the list. The class were stunned. The Slytherins had never seen Snape pass up an opportunity to deduct points from Gryffindor. The Gryffindors where equally stunned, not only had they not lost any points but it seemed that their new member already had associations with Snape.
The complement seemed to put Snape in a favourable mood, so the potion he set wasn't too demanding. As they set to work, Draco Malfoy sidled over.
"Morning Potter, you and Weasley had a good summer I hope?"
"Get lost Malfoy," warned Harry not even looking up from the ingredients he was cutting. Malfoy stood his ground, his gaze coming to rest on Tabby.
"Hi there, I'm Draco Malfoy," he said, layering his voice with charm and extending his hand.
"Hello Draco Malfoy," said Tabby taking his hand in hers, "I'm Tabitha Christie," she replied brightly.
"A little word of advice, Tabitha, don't waste your time on this lot," he indicated Harry, Ron and Hermione, "there's always space on the Slytherin table for someone like you."
"Why thank you Draco," said Tabby her voice layered as thickly with charm as his, "I will take you up on that offer if I ever get tired of the scenery. And Draco enough with the formalities, you should know you need only call me Tabby," she flashed him her biggest smile, dazzling him with her perfect white teeth.
"Tabby, just like a cat."
"Mieow." And with that Draco moved away.
"What was that about?" said Ron accusingly.
Rather than becoming defensive, Tabby merely smiled, not quite so dazzling this time though. "What do you mean Ron?" she asked innocently.
"You know what I mean, talking so nicely to.to him," said Ron his temper rising.
"Sorry Ron, I was only trying to make friends. I take it you guys don't like him?"
"Don't like him?" Ron retorted, "Malfoy is our sworn enemy, you can't be friends with both of us."
"I didn't think he seemed too bad," muttered Tabby turning away to continue adding her ingredients to her potion.
