Maggie and her father shared a quiet breakfast that morning. He explained that he had a couple classes, but that they would be review lessons in preparation for the end of year exams. He spelled the door between his office and classroom so that Maggie could sit in the office and she would be able see and hear what took place in the classroom without anyone being able to see her.

He had a free period immediately following his first lesson and he would use that time to teach her how to brew a simple healing potion.

Maggie was extremely excited at the thought of putting some of her book knowledge to practical use. Her father set her up so that she could see into the classroom and he spelled the wall adjacent to the door to display whatever he wrote on the blackboard.

He was already in the classroom and she sat at the desk, fiddling with the parchment in front of her. She'd had to practice writing with a quill, as she hadn't thought to bring any pens with her to Hogwarts.

She watched the students slowly file in. Her father had told her these were the third year students. She listened as her father gave them their beginning instructions. She silently laughed when she realized he had them reviewing the potion he was going to make with her later.

Watching him slowly stride between the tables, she could see how intimidated the students were by him. She took notes on things he pointed out to the whole class, such as the way in which certain ingredients had to be prepared. Maggie wanted to be fully prepared for her private lesson with him.

When the bell finally rang, she watched the students literally scramble out of the classroom. He spelled the classroom door closed and gestured that she should exit the office. He shuffled through the homework before him on the desk before looking up at her.

"Are you prepared to try brewing this?" he asked her quietly.

She held up the piece of parchment on which she'd copied the ingredients and the instructions, along with a handful of notes. "I think I am," she said nervously.

He nodded, going to the side of the room where he picked up one of the nicer school cauldrons. He brought it to the front desk and returned to the side of the room, "Come here, Maggie. I want to teach you what the reagents look like."

Ten minutes later, Maggie had selected the best of the reagents at hand. He had patiently explained each one, telling her its function and which other items altered or negated it. He had also told her how to identify which was the best quality.

They returned to the cauldron and he carefully reviewed each step with her before he allowed her to begin.

Maggie, though slightly nervous still, nodded when he asked if she was ready to begin it. She watched him take a couple steps back before she consulted her instructions and began to brew her first potion.

-- --

Snape watched his daughter carefully prepare each ingredient. He allowed her to attempt each step on her own and he was pleasantly surprised to find that he only needed to assist her once when she hadn't diced the ginger quite fine enough.

Her final result was dead on the color and texture that it should be. It was so perfect, in point of fact, that he showed her how to bottle it. He would later take it to the hospital wing to replenish Pomfrey's stocks.

Although this was indeed one of the simplest potions to brew, it showed that his daughter did have the potential to do well at potions. To say he was pleased would be an understatement.

He cleaned the workbench magically, returning the school cauldron to its normal place once he had also cleaned it. "Come, let us have some lunch."

"You… you're really going to take that to the hospital wing?" Maggie asked quietly.

"While that particular potion is not one of the most complicated ones, your result was good enough that it would be mistaken for my own. It shows that you have the potential to brew more complicated potions. I will consider a slightly more difficult potion for this evening." He stopped and called for Dobby, asking the elf to bring lunch for the two of them. Once the elf left, he continued, "Unfortunately, the most complex potions require magic to complete. They are also the most dangerous ones and are quite particular. One simple mistake and the potion is ruined, or worse."

Lunch arrived and they ate, discussing the development of new potions.