The Potion Master's Apprentice

Chapter 1

James looked around the library without concern, the few students present had not noticed his entrance and the librarian was nowhere to be seen, which was a relief. He had already heard some terrible stories about how mean the librarian was. Whether they were exaggerated or not, she seemed like the last person that he'd want to get caught by.

All the other students were clustered together at the opposite end of the room and whispering quietly. James had positioned himself near the door, so that should he need to a speedy exit could be made. His timetable laid abandoned on the table in front of him.

Bored his swung his feet, which were dangling at least two inches above the ground as the chair was meant for a bigger person. His classmates were currently attending their first class of the year – transfiguration, taught by the head of the Gryffindor head of house Professor Minerva McGonagall herself. James didn't really care for magic and had no intention of joining them anytime in the near future. Hopefully he'd get expelled and be allowed to return home.

"Well, well what do we have here?" inquired a soft silky voice from somewhere behind him, "It seems that a first year sees fit to cut class on the first day, and a Gryffindor at that."

Slowly James turned his head, only to find himself face to face with the sallow faced potion master Professor Severus Snape. Before he could stop himself he blurted out a comment based solely on rumors he had heard the night before, "Sir is it true that you're a vampire," at Severus' silence he continued, "Shouldn't you be off tormenting students in you dungeon where it's dark so you won't burn up in the sunlight?"

Anger briefly flashed across his features, no student, first year or not, got away with speaking to him in such a manner, "Fifty points for cutting class and another fifty for that sharp tongue of yours Mr. Martin," James started, why had he remembered his name out of all the first years, "Losing one hundred points on the first day must be a new record for a Gryffindor."

James managed to hold his tongue and said nothing.

"Now why don't we pay a visit to the head of your house, hmmm, that would be Professor McGonagall wouldn't it?"

"Yes sir."

Severus snatched up the time table on the table, "How convenient, you should be in her class now," he sneered, beckoning for James to stand up and swept him out of the library and towards the transfiguration classroom, maintaining a tight grip on his upper arm to prevent any ill-advised escape attempts.

Stopping in front of a large oak door Severus let go of James and rapped loudly on it with his fist. The door opened almost instantly and a witch in green robes appeared.

Behind her students turned around at their desks to see what was going on but returned to their work at the combined glares of both professors.

"Severus, what is the meaning of this? You're disrupting my class, surely you have something more productive to do?"

"Indeed I do Minerva however," he lingered on that word for a moment, "I am sure that you are aware by now that you seem to be one first year short, a Mr. Martin in Gryffindor if I am not mistaken," at her affirming nod he continued, "I was in the library when I found this," he dragged James forwards, who had before then been trying to hide behind him, annoyingly enough, "If he were in my house I would-"

"-You'd expel him," she finished, "That seems to be your solution for most problems Severus, besides he is not in Slytherin and he's only a first year," she pointed out.

"Minerva," Severus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as if he had a headache, "he broke the rules and has to be punished adequately."

"Oh he will be punished Severus but there is no reason to jump the gun and expel him. I trust you have already taken points from him," he nodded, the movement barely visible but it was there, it was as if he didn't want her to have his answer, "Well then all that's left is a detention with Mr. Filch, if that doesn't straighten him out then I don't know what will," she turned to address James, "I'll explain the details of your punishment in a moment, for now go inside and take a seat at the front," she shooed him inside and turned back to Severus, "The decision of how to punish him in this matter is mine, he is a Gryffindor after all."

When Severus tried to argue she simply shut the door in his face and returned to teaching her class, leaving him standing there in the corridor.

TBC