Tirza made her way to the Gryffindor table. "There you are!" Ginny exclaimed as she made room for Tirza beside her at the table. "Are you alright?" Maddie asked very concerned. Tirza sat down at gave them a small smile. "Yeah, I think so." "Good because we were worried," Ginny sighed in relief. "Was it really that bad?" Tirza asked. "No not at all," Ginny said quietly. Tirza nodded. "I'm sorry; I probably interrupted everyone last night." "I'm glad you did because if you hadn't have woken us up who knows what might have happened," Maddie told her. Tirza shrugged. "I woulda been okay...eventually. My dad said McGonagall was there." "Yes, she was," Ginny replied. "Was I loud enough to wake HER up?" Tirza asked. "NO!" Ginny exclaimed. "When you wouldn't wake up I went to get her."
"What a rotten first night, huh? I hope I didn't ruin things for you," Tirza told them. "Not at all," Ginny and Maddie said in unison. Tirza smiled. "You two are great!" "Yuck," Ginny said as McGonagall handed her the new schedule. Tirza peered at her own. "Shoot we got Potions first," Ginny grumbled. "Then DADA and History of Magic." "Potions might be cool," Tirza said. "I wonder if we'll be any good." "Yeah; we better get a move on," Maddie agreed.
"My dad will hopefully be good since I'm in there," Tirza said hopefully. "Maybe," Ginny said. "run says he's an awful teacher," she whispered as they entered the classroom. "Ick!" Maddie exclaimed. "It's that Raines boy let's sit far away from him." "Why?" Tirza asked. "Oh yeah you weren't there this morning," Ginny remembered. "He made a big show of just how good he was at wand work this morning by making his book bag disappear. When he went to make it reappear he couldn't get it right and kept bringing back only parts of it," Maddie added. "He finally got it back but like in a zillion pieces," Ginny said and both girls giggled.
Tirza giggled. "Let's sit in the back so we can talk while we work." "Ron says Snape doesn't allow talking," Ginny said. Tirza shrugged. Just then Snape entered with his usual flair. "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate powers of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually teach," Severus said all in one breath as he strode the length of the dungeon to the blackboard.
Tirza hid a giggle behind her hand 'the beauty of the cauldron' she thought. "Ms Snape, is there something you would like to share with the class?" Severus asked quietly Tirza gasped slightly... she hadn't thought he would hear her! Tirza shook her head no. "Good then we shall continue," Severus said. "Who can tell me what the ingredients for a simple cheering potion are?" A few hands shot up and Severus called on a dark haired Slytherin boy who got most of it correct. "3 points to Slytherin for an almost correct answer," Severus said "Now who can tell me what is used to make a dreamless sleep potion?"
Tirza raised her hand high, looking excited. "Yes Ms Snape," Severus called on Tirza and hid a smile. "Powdered rose leaves, chopped dandelion roots and a unicorn hair," Tirza answered proudly. "That is correct Ms Snape. 5 points to Gryffindor," Severus said as he hid another smile. "Last but most certainly not least who can tell me what is in a wolfsbane potion? Anyone? Yes Mr. Birchwood," Severus said calling on a blond haired Gryffindor boy. The young boy rattled the list off like it was old hand to him. "I see I have another Ms Granger in my class," Severus sighed. "10 points to Gryffindor."
Tirza and Maddie high fived. "Please copy down the ingredients that I will list on the board and pair up," Severus said and with a wave of his wand words began to magically appear. "I should also inform you that whomever you partner up with today will be your partner till winter break," Severus added.
The girls looked at each other and nodded. They would be partners together! The girls began copying from the board amongst quill scratches. "I will agree to this threesome under two conditions," Severus said as he walked to their desk. "One, that each of you does an equal amount of the work and two that you do not talk incessantly and forget your work." "Yes professor," Ginny and Maddie agreed. "Cool," Tirza said. "I do have the right to split you up if you do not follow those two rules," Severus said as he strode off to talk to another group.
"Now that you have finished copying the potion, please take out your cauldrons and begin," Severus stated sharply. "I will be walking around to check your progress." Ginny and Maddie took out their cauldrons. Tirza whipped out a pink cauldron with glitter all over it. "Isn't it cool?" she asked the girls. "Uh sure," both girls said hesitantly, not sure what to say. "Ginny how about you shred the radish stalks, I'll mash the asphodel, and Maddie you can get the water?" Tirza said. "Sure," they said. They began preparing the potion ingredients. "Tirza don't add that yet," Ginny said gently as Tirza almost added the bane to early. Tirza quickly put the bane back down. "Thanks," she said to Ginny. Instead she added the asphodel. "Now I'll add the shredded radishes and then we let simmer till it turns deep blue and then we add the bane," Ginny told them.
After about 5 minutes, instead of their potion being deep blue it was a putrid green. "That aint good," Tirza said. "What's wrong with it?" "Great here comes your dad," Maddie sighed. "Ms Snape, Ms Weasley, Ms Davidson," Snape said coldly as he walked up to their table. "Would you mind telling me why your potion is not deep blue like it should be?" "Your guess is as good as mine," Tirza said with a shrug. "I'm not sure sir," Ginny said "Any ideas Ms Davidson?" Snape questioned. "Uh...no……...sir," Maddie stuttered.
Just then the cauldron started bubbling and exploded. "Aw man!" Tirza and Maddie shouted as the girls and Severus were covered with the potion. "I believe you added your asphodel to early ladies, begin again," Severus stated. "Ms Snape, please get rid of your unacceptable cauldron." "Why?" Tirza asked. "If you do not remember it clearly stated on the school supply list that the cauldron may only be BLACK and I do not believe pink is any shade of black," Severus said. "But black is made up of every color," Tirza pointed out. "Black is black," Severus said sharply. "Do you see any other student in this classroom with a pink or any other color for that matter cauldron that is NOT black?" "No," she said quietly. "In this class all cauldrons must be the same color and the same size so you must get rid of this cauldron before the next class or you will receive detention and lose house points," Severus said. Tirza looked incredibly disappointed, but didn't say anything. "Get back to work," Severus stated as he strode toward the next group.
"Let's get this done and get out of here," Ginny said quietly as they set to work again; this time adding the ingredients in correctly. "Much better ladies," Severus said. "Bottle part of it and then disperse with the rest." They did as asked, and then Ginny and Maddie went into the hall while Tirza stayed behind. "Yes Ms Snape?" Severus said not turning away from the board. "Why can't I have a pink cauldron?" she asked, pouting. "As I told you in class pink is not the accepted color and if I allowed you to have a pink cauldron then everyone else would be bringing in multicolored cauldrons and that would not be acceptable," Severus said quietly.
Tirza thought for a moment. "Can I keep it at our place to practice with?" Severus smiled. "An excellent idea. Now you'd best run along to class before you're late." Tirza blew him a kiss, and then went into the hallway. "Are you okay?" Ginny asked as she joined Tirza in the long walk to the dada room "yeah; at least he isn't going to make me throw it out... I like my cauldron," she told them. "I do too but it's the rule that black is the only color," Maddie said with a sad sigh. tirza nodded. "At least the potion turned out good the second time." "Where shall we sit?" Ginny asked as they entered, Lockhart's ugly mug smiling at them from every inch of the room.
"Oh god, this room is going to give me nightmares!" Tirza said trying to shield her eyes from the pictures. "Please take your seats" Gilderoy called out from the top of the stairs. "Ladies and gentlemen may I introduce myself," Lockhart began. "I am the famous Gilderoy Lockhart order of Merlin first class. I am here to teach you how to defend yourself against the dark forces that roam this land," Lockhart continued. "I have battle many of them and I could tell you stories that would scare you stiff. I hope that each of you have copies of the various books that were on the syllabus because we will refer to them throughout the course," Lockhart droned on "This is by no means an easy course and I expect you all to do well."
When he had finished his speech he handed out papers, he said, "Please take out a quill and ink and take this simple pop quiz." Tirza raised her hand. "Yes Ms Snape," Lockhart said turning his attention to her. "What does this have to do with schoolwork?" she asked. "Loads," Lockhart said. "If you don't know the instructor you are working with then how do you expect to pass the course?" "By reading my book," she retorted. "NOT by knowing your favorite color." "I'm sorry you feel that way," Lockhart sighed. "5 points from Gryffindor." "What?" she asked. "Your attitude is not appreciated and unless you wish for me to speak with your father I would suggest keeping your opinions to yourself," Lockhart replied smugly as he collected the papers. Tirza was quietly seething, giving him looks of death behind his back.
"Geez nobody remembered that I fought a boggart two years ago in widing crest," he said as he looked through the collected quizzes. "My favorite color is lilac, not puce Ms Weasley," Lockhart said giving Ginny a glare. "oh dear god! How WILL life possibly go on," Tirza whispered to Maddie. "Ms Snape, would you like to share something with the class?" Gilderoy asked staring straight at Tirza "sure!" Tirza said. "I didn't come here to learn about YOU." "Testy are we," Lockhart snapped. "Well I'm sorry but I am the defense teacher this year and Dumbledore has given me permission to teach you as I see fit now be quiet as do as your told."
That day at lunch, Archimedes dropped a note on Tirza's plate. "Ooh, what is it?" Maddie asked. Tirza opened it and read aloud. "My office after classes," was written in Snape's familiar handwriting. "Are you in trouble?" Ginny asked. Tirza shrugged. "Who knows?" She looked over at the teacher's table, but Severus was talking with McGonagall and she couldn't catch his eye. "Come on, we have History of Magic," Maddie said, grabbing her book bag. Ginny and Tirza grabbed their bags and followed her to class.
History of Magic and Charms were the two classes left for the day. Tirza immensely enjoyed both classes, especially Charms, where she received praise from Professor Flitwick as well as ten points for Gryffindor. "Hey, you got the points back that Lockhart took," Maddie pointed out when they left Charms. "And five extra," Ginny said. Tirza smiled at them and packed her things in her pink school bag. "Well, I got to go find my dad. I'll meet you two in the common room later." The girls said goodbye and Tirza headed off to the dungeons.
Tirza knocked on the door of Severus' office, not wanting to barge in if he was busy with a student. "Enter!" Severus shouted gruffly. She opened the door and stuck her head in. "You wanted me to come?" He nodded and motioned for her to come over to him; she tried to read his face, but he was an expert at showing no emotions. Severus reached out and picked her up and sat her on his lap. He looked sternly at her for a moment, then smiled and hugged her. "So how was my girl's first day of school?" Tirza giggled. "Daddy, you're funny! I love it, except Defense against the Dark Arts. Goldie is an idiot." He chuckled and kissed her forehead. "I know sweetheart, but he is an adult and your teacher, so try and respect him……… but always feel free to vent about him to me because I don't like him either." Tirza giggled again.
"Um……… can I stay here tonight?" Tirza asked after they had talked for a while. "Of course; you may always stay here with me instead of the dorms if you wish." She smiled and leaned against him. "Cool. But can I hang out up there with the girls until it's time to sleep?" He nodded. "But I'll want you back here by nine-thirty." She hugged him tight. "I'm gonna go find the girls now." She slid off his lap. "Bye dad, love you!" she called.
Severus watched her bounce out of the office and shook his head; she never changed……… but he really didn't think he'd want her to.