Chapter 3: First Year

I sleep in a little later than usual, so when I got up and went to breakfast in the Great Hall, I heard all the Slytherins laughing at me, and almost all of the girls mimicking kicking or punching me. I held my head high and walked into the Hall. I turned to go sit at the Slytherin table when two long-fingered, pale and freckled hands grabbed the top of my arms. Then the twins walked in front of me, bending down to look at my face.

"Your face looks much worse today," George said, gently poking at the bruise on my face.

"Thanks so very much," I said sarcastically before grabbing Georges' hand. "Stop it, that hurts," I let go off his hand and he let it fall to his side. They started to walk away and I turned towards my Houses table.

"Jaxon, where are you going?" Fred asked when he realized I wasn't behind him. I turned to look at him, gesturing towards my table. Fred rolled his eyes as George walked towards me and dragged me to the Gryffindor table. The Slytherins were pissed, I could hear them talking about me all the way on the other side of the room. The other tables, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, whispered at it but said we all ignored it. I then ate breakfast at a different Houses table, talking and laughing with Fred, George, and Lee Jordan. For the first time since I got here I enjoyed my breakfast with other people. I kinda've expected the other Gryffindors to not want me there but apparently, most of them had warmed up to me last night.

My first hour of the day was potions with the Gryffindors. I was hopeful that Harry, Ron, and Hermione would let me sit with them. Even though Hermione wasn't really friends with them, they still all sat together. But of course, Draco and the others had to try and ruin my good mood.

"Hey look, the mud-blood is hanging out with her own kind. Blood traitors." Other Slytherins started laughing but I had a confused look on my face. What's a blood traitor? Harry and the others happened to walk down the stairs in time to hear it.

"Shut your face, Malfoy," Ron growled, his ears turning red with anger. Malfoy opened his mouth to respond, but Snape, with impeccable timing, opened the door, preventing any further argument. We all walked in, but when I walked in, Snape gave me a strange look. I sighed, about to go sit in the back corner when I felt a delicate hand on my arm. I looked up to see Hermione.

"Come sit with us," I beamed as she said this, and for the rest of the class I sat in between Hermione and Ron. It was at the end of the class that it happened though.

"Green." I looked up to see Snape standing at the front of the room, arms folded, glaring at me.

"Yes sir?"

"What happened to your face?" the instant Snape asked, the Slytherins burst out laughing and the Gryffindors scowled at the whole lot of them.

"It's nothing, sir," I said in a small voice. Harry opened his mouth but I reached my foot over and stomped on his foot. He shut his mouth, glaring at me.

"As the head of your House, I demand an answer." he was actually starting to sound pissed.

"….I tripped…" I replied coldly. It wasn't that I didn't like Snape. He was alright when he wasn't being mean to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. It just wasn't his business. I wasn't going to be known as the mud-blood-traitor-Slytherin-snitch.

"I am not stupid. Tell me the truth." he said, each word said in a loud and slow way. I said nothing, just glared at him. He glared back. The Slytherins started murmuring. Something about no one with-standing the scary Snape glare. "Detention. Tonight at eight, Green." he then whirled around in a flurry of black cape and stalked into his office as it was time to go. I let out a relived breath, glad that he hadn't pressed for more information.

"Detention? That's unfair, the stupid git!" Ron yelled later as we walked up the stairs to our next class. Harry nodded in agreement while Hermione kept quiet.

"No it's not. I refused to do as an instructor told me to. It's perfectly fair." I said, surprising all of them.

"Yea, but-" Harry started, but I cut him off.

"Just because you dislike Snape doesn't mean it wasn't fair," I said, not unkindly. He stared at me before looking away.

It was silent and uneventful for the rest of the day. And for lunch and dinner I sat with the Gryffindors again. The Slytherins glared at all of us, but no body said anything. I guess they were getting use to it. As I was sitting next to Hermione, facing Harry and Ron, Fred come over to sit next to me, George next to him. I turned to face them grinning.

"We heard you already-"

"Got a detention. I have to say-"

"Were quite proud," The twins said, an they did indeed, look proud. My smile grew even bigger.

"When do you serve?" Asked one of the twins. It was still hard to determine which one was which.

"Tonight."

"Wow. You must've really made Snape mad,"

"He usually only gives out detentions on Friday's or Saturday's," I shrugged.

"Whatever." I said with a nonchalance. They laughed and we all ate and talked. When dinner was over, I was once again invited to go back to the Gryffindor common room, and this time I didn't even hesitate to say yes.

Once it was a quarter to eight, I left the cheery atmosphere to go serve my detention. I walked down to the dungeons and knocked lightly on the potions room door.

"Enter." Came the hard voice of my professor. I opened the door to see him sitting behind his desk, checking some papers. As I watched he kept scribbling out things the student had written and I felt sympathy. Looked like the poor bloke was getting a bad grade. After about a minute, he looked up at me, stopping his quill. He set it down and walked over to his personal store room. He didn't say anything but I followed him, knowing he wanted me to. I walked through the door to see huge shelf's of potions lining all the walls.

"Wow," I said quietly. I looked around, wondering at some of the ingredients were.

"I would like you to do through all of these ingredients and put them in there correct spot." He said. I turned to see him gesturing to a table filled with jars. My mouth opened.

"All of them?" I asked, shocked.

"All of them." He said, his voice daring me to protest. I sighed, knowing full well I deserved this. I walked over to the table, glad they were labeled. I heard him walk out as I put the first jar away. Thank goodness it was all alphabetized. After almost two hours, I walked out, all the ingredients put away in there place.

"I'm all done, sir," I said quietly, putting my hand to my mouth to stifle a yawn.

"Come sit down," he said quietly, not looking up from the papers he was grading. I sat down hesitantly. He put down his quill, moving the papers to the side. "What happen to you?" he asked softly, sounding almost kind.

"Nothing," I said, looking away. He sighed.

"Your damn stubborn, you know that?" he asked, and my head whipped around so fast I thought I would get whiplash. Then I laughed.

"I never thought I would hear one of my teachers curse," I said, smiling at him. He gave a small smirking sneer and I figured that was the closet he would ever get to smiling.

"As the head of your house, I am responsible for your health. I need to know what happen," he said and the smile fell off my face.

"I can't tell you," I finally whispered after a minute of silence.

"Why?"

"They'll just get worse."

"Who?"

"…The girls who did this…"

"Who?" he repeated. I sighed, knowing I was going to tell him.

"I don't know all of them, but they were girls from Slytherin."

"What years?"

"I don't know. I think they were in all different years." He sighed, standing up.

"Come. You will have to point them out to me." He headed towards the door.

"Wha-What?" I stuttered, jumping to my feet. "You can't!" I shouted. "You think they'll stop if you punish them? Then others will just do it to me because I'm a snitch!" he turned around with an undistinguishable look. "Please," I begged, and to my horror I felt tears start to burn my eyes. "Please don't. It'll just get worse for me. Just…Just leave this be. I can take care of myself."

"Why did they do it?" he asked, his voice almost a growl of anger.

"You know why," I said, sniffling. "Because I'm a mud blood."

"Do not use that word." He said sharply.

"Sorry," I said quietly. He sighed, walking over to me.

"I cannot just let this continue."

"Can't…can't you just ignore it?" he gave me an angry look, then let out another angry sigh.

"If that is what you truly desire." I gave a weak smile.

"Thank you," he merely nodded, walking back to his desk to grade his papers some more. I headed to the door.

"And Ms. Green," he said. I turned around to look at him. "If you ever need anything, feel free to come to me," I smiled in thanks, walking back to my dorm. As I put on my pajamas I thought of how nice Snape was. He almost reminded me of the father I had lost four years ago, except my father smiled a lot more. I feel in to bed exhausted, asleep the instant my head hit the pillow.

So I finally got the next chapter up. Sorry it took so long. I shall try to get them up as soon as possible. In fact, I'm already working on the next chapter ^.^ Well, let me know what ya think.