Thank you to my lovely new Beta who helped me so much with this chapter!!!

Chapter 5

Rebecca rushed into the Great Hall for lunch, late. All her friends were already sitting near the middle of the table, eating, and talking. As Rebecca walked up to them, Seamus noticed her and slid over to give her a spot. Smiling gratefully, she sat down. Ron and Harry were once again talking about Quidditch, Neville was writing an essay, with Hermione's help, and Seamus was staring at her, rather oddly.

"Hey," she said, hesitantly.

Seamus blushed. "Hi, um, are you going to the Halloween Ball?"

"I'm sure I would go, but I didn't know that there was one." Rebecca smiled at him and he grinned back.

"Well, since you know now, would you like, want to, um, gowith me?"

Rebecca went completely red in the face, and nodded slightly. She was beyond ecstatic; she'd had a boyfriend, before her moving to the wizarding world, but he had been anything but supportive after the accident, and Rebecca had known that she'd never wanted to see him again.

Seamus smiled widely and turned back to his food. Ron and Harry turned towards her and Seamus, including them in the conversation, although, as they began to chatter on about bludgers and snitches, Rebecca found herself tuning them out and taking Snape's book out of her bag.

Chapter Two: The History of Potions

"Potion-making has been an art for as long as wizards and witches have populated the planet. The various ingredients, from rosemary to boomslang skin, have been studied constantly, until every little detail of what the ingredient can do has been analyzed and recorded..."

As her friends began leaving the table, Rebecca realized that she had to be at the greenhouse, and, after gathering her things, headed on over.

Professor Sprout's lesson was very interesting. She told Rebecca, "the secret of Herbology is knowing which plants do what, and how to care for them best. Other than that, nothing could be simpler."

She also told Rebecca how to replant plants that were physically aware of their surroundings, i.e., the ones that understood what you were doing and who might have resisted. However, there was a way to placate them (as there were with humans and animals), so that you could go about your work undisturbed.

Rebecca took speedy notes the entire time, and was pleasantly surprised when Professor Sprout told her the same thing that Professor Flitwick had said. That she could advance to third or fourth year if she continued at the same pace. However, a little extra greenhouse time might be necessary, so that she would have time to work with the plants she was learning about. Rebecca left the tutoring session in high spirits, which slowly sank as she realized that her next tutoring period was with the infamous Professor Snape, who loathed Gryffindors.

As she walked into his classroom, early, she was very surprised to see that the room was filled with sixth and seventh-year Slytherins and Gryffindors. Snape was standing at the front, casually explaining the potion his class was to concoct, which was a drought of liquid fire. Rebecca, standing at the back, hoped that he wouldn't see her. She wanted him to bypass the tutoring session (which was planned), for his normal class. However, as Snape began to make his rounds, he noticed her in the corner.

"Class, stop," Snape said slowly, and the entire classroom suddenly became silent and still.

"If you notice the cringing girl in the corner," Snape glowered as he motioned at Rebecca, "you will see the newest member of this class. She is here so that she may learn from you, the oldest students, who, by now, should be efficient in the art of potion-making. You are all her new tutors. Ms. Bradley and Mr. St. Clemons, you will be teaching her about the 'drought of fire' today".

Two Gryffindors at the back of the room smiled at Rebecca and she slowly made her way to their table. They introduced themselves as Marie Bradley and Michael St. Clemons, two seventh-year Gryffindors. Rebecca was surprised that they liked Snape and that Michael even proclaimed Potions his favorite class.

"I thought that Snape hated all Gryffindors," Rebecca said.

"No," laughed Marie, "it's mostly only your year. He does rather favor the Slytherins, but he's never an outright ass to anyone other than Harry Potter and his band of friends".

Rebecca gulped nervously. "You know, that's the first warning I've had about Harry; the rest of the school seems to think that he's anextraordinary heartthrob of god-like proportions."

Michael and Marie both fell about laughing until Snape came over and sharply reminded them to watchtheir potion. He then turned to Rebecca and told her that he had the potion class once a week and that the rest of their tutoring sessions would be one-on-one. Rebecca nodded and watched as Marie and Michael both worked on preparing the tiniest amounts of certain ingredients, while explaining what they were doing.

Rebecca once again found herself taking hurried notes as the potion began to come together. Slowly, inside the cauldron, blue flames danced over the liquid, and, as the rest of the ingredients were mixed in, the cauldron filled with fire, ranging from bright orange to pristine white. Rebecca was astonished; the fire gave off heat and danced and flickered, 'just like a real fire', she told Marie and Michael. Both of them laughed, explaining that it was true fire, which waswhy it acted like it did.

Professor Snape came over to examine their potion and rewarded them full points on it, as well as fifteen points to Gryffindor, for completing it correctly. Marie and Michael began to pack up their things, although there was still at least forty minutes left inclass.

"Shouldn't you guys stay?" Rebecca asked.

Marie shook her head. "No, in Potions, you're allowed to leave once your potion is completed and has been marked off by Professor Snape."

They smiled at Rebecca and said goodbye. Rebecca sat there, wondering if she was allowed to leave or if she was still in her "tutoring" session.

"Ms. Johnson," Snape said from behind her, and Rebecca whirled around. "You may, if you wish, take your leave now."

Rebecca nodded, and began to pack up her things.

"I will expect you to be here tomorrow, same time," Snape said coldly and walked away.

Rebecca watched him for a second, before finishing her packing and leaving the classroom.

Leaving the dungeons, she pondered what Michael and Marie had said. That Snape was not a genuine ass, but that he only acted that way towards Harry and his group of friends, which Rebecca was becoming a part of. She didn't know the history behind it and she wasn't sure she wanted to. The way Professor Snape had recently talked to Hermione was a chilling enough factor to make her want to stay as far away from the situation as possible. She also knew that she never wanted to be talked to like that because it was rather degrading.

Entering the Great Hall, she saw she was the first person there, other than Dumbledore, so she sat down at the end of the Gryffindor table, and pulled out Snape's book again.

Reading the 'History of Potions' chapter, she realized that many of the facts that he included inhis lectures were not really understandable. For instance, the term "love potion" was incorrect, because a "love potion" never made someone fall in love with you, but simply created an animalistic attraction between the potion maker and the person who took the potion. Which was why many Muggles in medieval times were hoodwinked into buying such potions, not realizing why they didn't work. Most "love potions" also wore off within an hour because the ingredients used to make them were unstable and unreliable, the only part of the potion that was like love itself. She put down the book as she finished the short chapter and noticed Hermione sitting across from her.

"Hi, Rebecca," Hermione said, smiling. "How were your tutoring sessions?"

Rebecca put the book in her bag as she replied, "Well, the potions one was odd. Snape had some of his seventh-year Gryffindor students teach me how to make a drought of fire."

Hermione gasped. "You got to learn how to do that?" she asked enviously. "Fifth-year students are still essentially learning basics, although Snape has made the class harder now that it is OWL year. What about the other ones?"

Rebecca told Hermione about the Herbology and Charms tutoring sessions, relaying the good news that she would soon be able to advance to a higher year. While she was talking, Harry, Ron, Neville, Seamus, Dean, and a girl she didn't know filtered in around them. The girl looked a lot like Ron and was introduced as his younger sister, Ginny.

Seamus sat next to her and they started talking while everyone else chatted about different things and slowly, the conversation turned to the subject of the Halloween Ball.

"Dumbledore said that if anyone wanted to come this year, they'd have to wear a costume," said Ginny.

"I wonder why?" Hermione mused

"Probably to make Muggles feel more comfortable, or more at home," supposed Harry.

"Who are you going with, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"No one. I've already gotten asked about twenty times by random first-year students who probably think it would be cool to go with 'Harry Potter'. I'd just rather go with my friends, and have fun. Who are you going with, Ginny?"

"Colin Creevy. He asked me about a week ago and I said yes. He's nice," Ginny answered.

"Well, I agree with Harry," Ron said. "I'm just going to go with friends, and have fun."

"Unless some unbelievably hot girl asks you, eh Ron?" joked Harry.

At that comment, Hermione looked somewhat sad, but immediately perked up when Ron said that he would rather go with his friends, no matter what.

"So, Neville, how about you. Have you got a date?" Ron asked Neville, who was sitting quietly at the edge of the group.

"No, I don't think I'll go. I would just spend the entire night sitting at a table with a ridiculous costume on. Moreover, I couldn't find a date if I asked the most desperate first-year. Everyone thinks I'm a bit of loser."

"Well," Hermione said, "why don't you go with Rebecca?"

At this comment, both Rebecca and Seamus, who had been quietly talking, looked up sharply.

"Ah, sorry Neville," Rebecca muttered, "but I've already got a date."

Neville moaned, "You've been going to this school for a day, and you've already got a date! I'm always going to be single!"

The rest of the group tried to convince him that he would not.

Neville sighed. "I'm going to go to the library and work on the potions essay." Dejectedly, he got up and left the Great Hall.

"Poor Neville," sympathized Ginny, "he always thinks that he doesn't belong here."

"Where did that come from?" asked Ron.

"Oh, Neville and I used to talk a lot, during my first year here. Everyone in my year thought I was a bit of a freak, and Neville really didn't have that many friends. There were you guys of course, but he thought that, well, you guys just had these things going for you. Harry is... Harry Potter, Hermione is brilliant, and Ron is, well... Ron."

"Hey!" Ron said indignantly.

"Well, you get what I mean; he thought that he fell short of anyone who might have been his friend," Ginny finished.

"Oh," said Harry. "Well, the next time I see him, I'll tell him that - I don't know, he's a great friend or something. Anyways, Rebecca, Neville did have a good point. You've only been here a day, and already have a date for the Halloween Ball. Who is it?"

"Me," Seamus said.

The rest of the table began to tease him, but eventually, returned to theirindividual conversations. As dinner was almost over, Rebecca got up and told the table that she still had one more tutoring session, with Professor McGonagall and that she would be in the Common Room in about an hour.

On her way to the professor's classroom, Rebecca wondered about Transfiguration. What was it? It had been explained to her (that it was the 'magical transformation of anything'), but that definition still seemed rather vague to her. Entering the classroom, the only other sentient being there was a cat, staring at her. She sat down in the front row, noticing that, unlike normal cats, this one did not immediately accost her for attention. As she waited, she saw that the cat had markings around its eyes, like those of Professor McGonagall's glasses and, as she came to that realization, the cat's image blurred and morphed into the professor.

The entire transfiguration tutoring session was a lecture, starting with the Professor saying, "Transfiguration is the magical changing of a person, animal, or thing, into a different one. It is a complex and dangerous subject that takes many years to master, and beginners must start with the basics. The thing we will work on next time, will be turning needles into straw." The rest of the lecture was on theory, and the myths surrounding transfiguration.

After the Lesson

Entering the Gryffindor Common Room, Rebecca saw Hermione sitting by the fire with Ron and Harry, conversing in hushed tones. They looked like they didn't want to be disturbed, so instead, she joined Seamus, who was playing a game of Wizard's chess with Dean. Twenty minutes later, most of Seamus' chess pieces were lying in a broken heap on the side of the chessboard, and Dean had won. Rebecca smiled at the two boys and said goodnight before grabbing her bag and heading up to her dormitory. She had had a long day and was ready to sleep for about a century.