Draco was sitting in a chair next to the fireplace waiting for Professor Snape to arrive. He had a blanket in his hands that was from the top of the chair. He had begun twirling it in his fingers almost the instant he had arrived in the common room and taken his current place next to the fireplace. Flint had remarked that Snape was not too mean and he did not bite, much and that did nothing for his already wary opinion of his Head of House.
The door to the common room opened slowly and Professor Snape came stalking in. Draco looked up quickly to see the Professor come in and for instant locked eyes with him, until Snape looked back toward the rest of the common room.
"My name is Professor Severus Snape. I am the head of Slytherin. As such, I expect you to give me adequate amount of respect. I also do not want Slytherin to be disrespected. Therefore, you will keep in mind, especially some older students, that if you feel the inclination to break any rules, do it discreetly. If there are no questions, I will ask the older students to collect their schedules and all the first years to assemble in front of the fireplace."
Professor Snape laid a pile of papers down on a large table and then came over to the fireplace. "Now, when I call your name I want you to say here and I will give you your schedules."
"Theodore Nott." "Here, Professor."
"Pansy Parkinson." "Here, sir."
"Millicent Bulstrode." "Here."
"Vincent Crabbe." "Here."
"Gregory Goyle." "Here."
"Blaise Zabini." "Present."
Professor Snape looked up at him, while the others chuckled. Snape simply smirked at Blaise and looked back down at his list. "You are Malfoy I assume?"
Draco had been watching the fire crackle while Professor Snape had been reading off the names. He looked up at the Professor. "Yes sir." Draco replied expecting his Head of House to elaborate more, but was slightly disappointed when Snape began to explain general rules.
"Well now that we are all acquainted let's begin shall we. As the Headmaster said during the feast, the Dark Forest is off limits. So please unless you wish to be devoured stay out of it. The third floor is off limits as well and if I hear anything about you searching around up there you will get detention. Now get up to your dorms. Mr. Malfoy, could you stay for a second?"
All the others left for their rooms as Draco turned back. "Mr. Malfoy your father is Lucius correct?" Draco noticed his professor's eyes narrow slightly and his voice held a bit of bitterness. Perhaps they knew each other.
"Yes, sir. You know my father, sir?"
"A long time ago...Has he made any statements about joining the Death Eaters?"
"Yes, my father speaks of it frequently."
"I see. I hope that you realize that I am not here to teach you Dark Magic, but rather potions."
"I understand, sir."
"Good. You may go to your dorm now." Severus watched the boy walk up the stairs.
All of the students filled into the Potions room not exceptionally pleased to be there, well the Gryffindors at least. This was Professor Snape's class and there was already rumours going around that he would come in and hex most of the Gryffindors. The only ones who were not 'terribly' frightened were Crabbe, Goyle and Malfoy. All of which had chosen seats in the front.
Draco did not know yet what to expect from Snape, but he had always been rather exceptional in potions. He distinctly remembered both of his parents being proud of this.
It was not too hard to tell why his father was happy. The Dark Lord could always use a person trained in potions for when he regained his control of the Wizarding Community.
His mother on the other hand seemed to be happy for another reason; Draco suddenly realized he had never asked her why.
The door flew open from the back of the class and Severus Snape came stalking in.
"There will be no foolish wand waving or incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion making however for those select few, who have the pre-disposition,"
Draco caught the quick glance that Snape made toward him. Draco lifted an eyebrow, in slight confusion. Why is he looking at me? He must have owled my father last night? Professor Snape continued. "I will show you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
Snape looked over the classroom as if inspecting there reactions, seemingly pleased. He suddenly picked on a raven-haired boy sitting in the second row. "Potter?" The boy looked up from what he was writing. "What would you get if you added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
"I don't know sir."
Draco listened on as Potter continued to repeat that he 'didn't know' the answers to the questions Snape asked him.
"Well, I guess you all must be dunderheads after all. Can no one tell me what any of those things are? No one?" Snape still ignored the raised hand of the Gryffindor girl sitting next to Potter.
Draco sheepishly raised his hand after no one seemed to want to answer. Snape turned and looked at Draco with a scrutinizing expression. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy?"
"Asphodel and wormwood make the Draught of the Living Dead, a bezoar can be found in the stomach of a goat and there is no difference between monkshood and wolfsbane. They are the same plant." Silent whispers filled the room as Professor Snape stared at Draco his once scrutinizing expression turning into one of slight confusion and surprise.
"That is correct, Mr. Malfoy." Professor Snape said as he turned back toward the class and began to start the regular lesson. Of course, the boy named Neville ended up blowing up his cauldron and had to be taken to the Hospital Wing, by a fellow Gryffindor of course. A Slytherin would not be caught helping a Gryffindor and vice versa. Once class ended, Draco got up from his seat to leave.
"Mr. Malfoy," Professor Snape stopped him before he could leave, "where did you learn about potions? I was not under the impression that Lucius was not very skilled in the subject."
Draco looked down at the ground and quietly answered. "Well, my mother is pretty good at them, but she never really had the time to teach me. I guess I just always had a knack for potions and DADA." Draco added afterwards. He might be good at potions but he was also good at Defence against the Dark Arts.
His father had him home schooled on the subject when he was very young. You could not have a future Death Eater not know anything about the Dark Arts, and it would certainly be insulting to Lucius if his only son knew nothing about them at all. At the mention of DADA, Draco quickly excused himself so that he would not miss that very class.