Haylin was having the time of her life.

She had lots of friends, the food was great, the beds were comfortable and the lessons were so much fun! At first she thought all she had to do was wave her wand and say some funny words but when she realised there was more to magic than that, she was ecstatic! She had always found things in her life to be too easy. But finally! A real challenge!

Every Wednesday at midnight, they had to study the night skies through their telescopes and learn the names and movements of stars and planets. Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology. There they learnt how to look after all the strange plants and fungi and found out what they were used for.

Haylin didn't enjoy History of Magic so much. It was the only lesson taught by a ghost and this was probably because Professor Binns hadn't realised he was dead yet.

Haylin and her friends from Slytherin had begun to get very annoyed every time the roll was called. For whenever a teacher reached Harry's name they would do something stupid like fall off their chair (or pile of books in the case of Professor Flitwick).

In Defence Against the Dark Arts, their teacher, Professor Quirrel, not only smelt strongly of garlic (which was said to repel a vampire he's met in Romania) but Haylin sensed something about him but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

On Friday morning, Haylin, Janaya, Adriel, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise were sitting at the table eating toast.

Draco had his timetable out and was trying not to get crumbs all over it.

"What have we got first, Draco?" Haylin asked between mouthfuls of jam toast.

Looking up, Draco answered, "Double Potions with the Gryffindors." The rest of the group moaned.

"Look on the bright side," Haylin said, dusting off her hands to rid them of crumbs and jam. "At least it's Snape. He love's us."

Just then, the post arrived and Draco's eagle owl (named Validus) dropped a letter into Draco's lap. Draco opened it and read it silently in his head.

Dear Draco,

Haylin Riddle? I am about to tell you something that you must swear on your life never to tell anyone. Haylin Riddle is the Dark Lord's daughter. Do whatever you can to please her, be her friend, etc. tell her you know if you must but tell know one else ESPECIALLY if she tells you not to.

Yours truly,

Your father.

Draco looked up from the letter and at Haylin. She was busy laughing at something Adriel had said. Her eyes sparkled with laughter.

The Dark Lord's daughter? He thought to himself. But she is nothing like her father. She doesn't allow us to bully three of the Gryffindors. I'm sure her father would have bullied them mercilessly. He shrugged, oh well, I suppose father knows best.

"Come on, you lot, Potions!" he called and they followed him out of the great hall.

oOoOoOoOo

In class when Haylin and her friends had found their seats, Professor Snape called the roll. Snape also paused at Harry's name but instead of falling over with delight, he smirked.

"Ah, yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new – celebrity."

Draco sniggered and Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise joined in. Haylin, Janaya and Adriel smirked slightly but they did not laugh.

Snape continued to call the roll and paused again, this time at Haylin's name.

Oh no! Haylin thought her eyes wide with panic. He knows!

Draco too had noticed the slight pause before Haylin's name. He looked at Haylin and saw her reaction. He reached across behind her and put his arm around he shoulders.

"Relax," he whispered in her ear. "Do you want everyone to know?"

Haylin turned to face him with a look of surprise on her face. Then she calmed down enough to listen to what Snape was saying. Draco took his arm from around her shoulders.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began quietly. Despite the lack of volume in his voice, the entire class heard him. "As there is little foolish wand waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses…I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even put a stopper in death – if you aren't as big a bunch on dunderheads a I usually have to teach.

Haylin looked at Hermione. She was sitting on the edge of her seat, eager to prove she wasn't a dunderhead.

"Potter!" Snape said suddenly. Haylin moaned inwardly. Even when it wasn't favouritism Harry still got all the attention. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Immediately, Hermione's hand shot into the air. Harry shook his head.

"I don't know sir," he said.

Snape sneered.

"Tut, tut – fame clearly isn't everything." He ignored Hermione's hand.

"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Hermione stretched her hand higher and again Harry shook his head.

"I don't know sir," Harry said.

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?" Snape continued to ignore Hermione's hand.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfs-bane?"

Hermione stood up, her arm still reaching up.

"I don't know, said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does though, why don't you try her?"

Snape scowled.

"Sit down," he spat at Hermione who hurried to comply. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfs-bane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of Aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

There was a loud rustling as everybody rummaged through their bags for quills and parchment.

"And a pint will be taken from Gryffindor for your cheek, Potter."

Snape then put everybody into pairs for preparing a potion to cure boils and Haylin had wound up with Draco.

Snape stalked around the room criticising everyone apart from Draco and Haylin. He was just complimenting them on how they'd stewed their horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon.

Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus' cauldron into a twisted blob and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people shoes.

Neville, who had been drenched by the potion, was now covered in boils.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the mess away with a wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville just whimpered.

"Stop yelling at him," Haylin said fiercely. Snape turned around to look at her with a shocked expression on his face.

"What Neville did was an accident, so leave him alone," Haylin's eyes were fiery and her hands were balled into fists so that she could calm herself down by digging her nails into her skin.

Snape froze for a moment, then:

You," he said, pointing at Seamus. "Take him to the hospital wing and get him cleared up." Then Snape moved on to Harry and Ron to criticise their work. Hermione was looking at Haylin in awe.

Haylin turned back to her own cauldron and found Draco staring at her opened mouthed.

"Maybe you really are your father's daughter," he said.

Haylin kept her head down for the rest of the lesson.