A/N: I am sorry that this is late. I didn't have time on Monday and when I tried Tuesday, gave me trouble. Hope you like it. Reviews are always welcome.

Tania stepped back farther into the safety of the dark alcove as the Fourth Year Potions class was released. The Gryffindors were running as if freed from a death sentence. Once all the red and gold had cleared the hallway, small groups of green and silver began to trickle out. They were in no rush and a few had even stayed behind to talk to the Professor. Tania saw Blaise and Alex leave together, followed by a very put-out Pansy, who was shooting daggers at Alex's back. A brief smile flickered across Tania's face. Alex had the best comments and Pansy never knew to leave her be. The other girl never won these contests of wills, because Alex refused to allow Pansy the possibility of victory.

Soon after Alex had disappeared around the corner, Draco Malfoy and his...minions? friends? Tania wasn't sure what to call them, but they all exited the potions classroom together. Malfoy said something and the other two laughed as they walked past her toward Common Room. Obviously none of them noticed her, they didn't even paused as they walked. A quick mental count assured her that the classroom was now empty, except for Professor Snape.

Fear kept her glued in place. What was she thinking, considering going to talk to Snape? He'd fry her or something. Maybe not, she countered, He isn't like Father, remember? He doesn't seem to mind as much when your Year-mates ask questions. He doesn't scathe them the way he does the Hufflepuffs in the class. They never ask intelligent questions, only make him repeat something he's already said.

But what if her question was stupid? There might be an easy answer that was staring her in the face and she was just being dense. What if he got mad at her for trying to create her own potions? He had warned the class several times about the dangers involved in untested potions, though he was always really talking to the Hufflepuffs who had tried to 'improve' the potion assigned in class. She knew that new spells and potions were dangerous.

Tania shifted the book she had in her left hand to the right. She had already burned herself several times with this potion and didn't need to go stumbling around for who knows how long until she found something to balance it. Most of the normal balancing ingredients had been tried and wiped off her workroom ceiling. Sighing, she gathered what little nerve she had left and walked into the potions classroom.

As she had thought, it was empty of people. The desks and chairs were all neatly in place. The work surfaces were completely clean and just enough light filtered in to see by. At the other end of the room was another door. This one was open just enough to let a sliver of the room appear through it. Tania shook herself out of the daze she had been in and carefully made her way across the classroom. She was tense, ready to flee at the first hint of trouble. Once she reached the other side, she raised one shaking hand to the door and timidly knocked.

Of all the classes this year, I think that was one of the worst ones yet. Snape thought as he watched the last of the Slytherins leave the classroom. Straightening a few chairs with a violent wave of his wand, the Professor began to walk toward his desk. I know Gryffindors have no hope of matching my Slytherins in wit, but perhaps they could actually try to think. Ms. Parkinson and Ms. Bellmonte displayed a wonderful example of Slytherin intelligence, but not control. Ms. Parkinson had the worst of it, though. The Bellmontes have always prided themselves on their control.

Collecting the homework that had been turned in, Snape left his classroom and entered his office. Leaving the door open a little, he settled behind his desk to grade the, more than likely, horrible homework assignments. After the one from Weasley, he could take no more. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. What he wouldn't give for someone who could understand potions. Ms. Bellmonte, Mr. Malfoy as well as several other Slytherins were competent potion makers, but to them it was just another subject to excel in, not an art.

A quiet knock sounded on the door. Leaning back in his chair and sighing, Snape glared at the wooden door that had betrayed him.

"Yes?" he growled out, insisting that the knocker identify themselves as well as the reason for interrupting his blessed few minutes of peace. There was a long hesitating moment. Then a voice spoke, one that was the very definition of timid.

"P...Professor Snape? It's T-Tania Dethart. I'm a Third Year...In your House..."

The Slytherin Head of House was greatly amused that his reputation had obviously proceeded him so well for that kind of reaction. The amusement was quickly toned down with the realization that he had failed one of his students. While he knew that he couldn't give every Slytherin the attention and care they deserved and would never get anywhere else, it cut him to the core to see that he had erred so badly with this one. She was obviously terrified of the one person who should be the only staff she could trust without question, the one who she could come to and find support.

Standing up and making his way over to it, Severus Snape gently opened the door. "Yes, Ms. Dethart?" he asked in a much calmer voice, "Is there something I can help you with?"

"I..." all the frustration, stress, and fear suddenly burst, "I can't get it right!" she wailed. Maybe she had imagined it, but Tania thought she saw the corners of Snape's mouth twitch as if he was fighting not to smile. The older Slytherin motioned with one hand into the room behind him. "Why don't you come in and we can discuss it?"

Tania nodded slowly and, holding her books tighter in her arms, followed her Head of House into his office. She hesitated, trying to decide which chair she was supposed to take. Snape appeared to see her dilemma and led the way over to a small table and two comfortable chairs that were set closer together. Calmly sitting in one, he waited for her to take the other. After she did so, a long silence fell in the room. Tania, having used up all of her courage in knocking on Snape's door, couldn't make herself actually speak again. Her mind keep coming back to the certainty that he was going to be so mad.

"Ms. Dethart… perhaps if I knew more about the situation I could offer some assistance," he commented in the gentlest tone she had ever heard from an adult man. Swallowing she nodded and pulled out the top book. Speaking a Latin word, the symbols on the front shifted to English. Potions: Fire Related, Uses of Dragons Scales and Magical Enhancing. The Slytherin Professor arched an eyebrow at the title and what it implied, but said nothing so as not to scare the child away. If she felt the need to convert her notes into another language, she was obviously afraid of someone disapproving of them or taking them from her. It also said something about her skill level. Dragon Scales were not even discussed until 5th year.

Slowly Tania opened the book and turned to the last third of it, mentally yelling at her hands to stop shaking. She had never shown anyone her notes, except for Hunter. These were her most prized possession and she had so few possessions anyway. Sliding the book closer to the Potions Master, she took a deep breath and began to explain.

"I've been trying to find a potion to enhance a larger magical working...I ...everything is right, I think, but the potion won't balance." She risked a glance at the other Slytherin. His face betrayed nothing as to what he thought of her daring. He slowly read the page, including the notes on the failed attempts to balance the mixture. Finally he nodded and looked at her.

"I am impressed, Ms. Dethart. You have done your homework and went about this in the proper manner. Obviously you are working far above your level, but it appears there is a gap in your knowledge. However," he added, seeing her face fall at the criticism, "it is one that I can correct. Since this potion contains both blue root of Kingston and Vervaine, you cannot use anything but three drops of ground gremlin hair and water. The consistency needs to be a three to one rate. The two ingredients you used react to create leftover acid…"

"Which can be counteracted with the water and gremlin hair which are both bases." She finished, her eyes lighting up as the rest of the potion became clear. "But where to find gremlin hair," she muttered, forgetting about Snape for a moment.

"I have some you may have, " that simple statement drew the girl back to her teacher, " on the condition that you report back to me the results of your potion." It surprised him that Tania paused before nodding.

"Thank you, Professor. I shall," she promised. He rose swiftly and retrieved a jar with the power she needed.

"Do not hesitate if you need anymore assistance. My door is always open for my House," he informed her. She gathered her book and the jar and stood.

"I understand," she said, quietly, "Thank you again." He watched as she beat a hasty retreat. He had much to think about. Apparently there was one of his students who understood potions as he did. It would be his next task to encourage her to come to him to explore that. This year might not be as boring as he had worried it would be.