Chapter 3
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Valencia sat in the Great Hall, nearly finishing breakfast. Luckily Draco didn't have the guts to mess with her this early in the morning. She was about to get up to leave, when her black owl, Raven, came swooping in towards her.
Raven landed quite gracefully and stuck out her leg for Valencia. Valencia untied the letter from her owl and reached into her robes. She pulled out an owl cracker and gave it to Raven. The owl dipped her head with an air of smugness and flew off.
The moment the owl had left Valencia eagerly ripped open the envelope. She pulled out the parchment and her chest swelled when she saw that it was from her brother!
Dear Valencia,
The Academy offered me to live there in the school so I may continue my studies. I pondered about it for an awful long time then kindly refused their generous offer. I don't think I would be able to stand not living with you and Mother. The simple thought of it now drives me towards the direction of insanity! I won't bother asking about how you've been or anything because when I get to Hogwarts you'll be able to tell me about everything! I'll be there sometime tomorrow, until then, I hope everything's going alright!
Love,
Stefan
Valencia quietly squealed with excitement. She dearly loved her brother and was so glad that he would be here! She neatly folded the letter and placed it inside her robes. She then stood and headed off to her first class: Potions.
When Valencia walked in the classroom, only one or two people were there in the room besides the professor. She figured that she was earlier than she needed to be. She walked over to an empty table and sat her cauldron and things on it. She looked up at the professor and said, "Hello Uncle Severus." Professor Snape was her uncle.
Professor Snape gave her a scolding look and stated, "You will address me as Professor Snape."
Valencia shrugged her shoulders and replied, "Okay." Whatever he felt like being called. He was still Uncle Severus to her.
Kids started filing through the room, both Gryffindor and Slytherins. No one sat beside her, and she also noticed that she had Draco in her class. Oh, great.
The last person to enter was a Gryffindor with black hair and a mischievous glint in her green eyes. She sat at another empty table and seemed to have not a care in the world.
Everyone was silent as Professor Snape started speaking in monotone. "Today we are conjuring a complex mixture to kick off the beginning of the school year. It is called Nirum Septum. Can anyone explain what it does?"
Valencia's hand shot up at the same time as the hand of a girl with bushy hair.
"Ms. Granger," Professor Snape said.
The girl cleared her throat and stated, "Nirum Septumis a highly complex potion that makes the drinker fall into a coma-like state for several hours. It can be highly deadly if the dosage is not fairly reasonable."
Valencia smiled and knew the girl had forgotten something.
Snape seemed to stare the girl down and replied, "You have missed two things, Ms. Granger. Can anyone tell her what the other two might be?"
Before Valencia lifted her hand she started. "Nirum Septumputs the drinker in a coma-like state for exactly seven hours, and if the dosage is too little, for instance under exactly 5 milliliters, the drinker will die."
Snape nodded and said, "Today we will make this, so turn to page 394 of your textbooks and partner up."
In about a minute everyone had a partner except for Valencia. And the black haired Gryffindor girl. The girl showed no intention of partnering with Valencia. She said, "Professor there seems to be no more people to partner with."
Professor Snape glared at her and said, "You may sit with Ms.," he paused, "Valencia."
The girl rolled her eyes and Snape snapped, "Now, Ms. Black!"
She slowly made her way over to Valencia who had already started the potion. The girl didn't look at Valencia and she stated, "I don't have to talk to you."
Valencia looked at her and said,"Okay."
The girl sniffed. "Fine."
Valencia thought she was being rude but she said nothing. She was halfway through making the potion when the girl commented, "I heard he's your uncle."
Valencia didn't take her eyes off of the nightshade she was crushing and replied, "Yes he is."
The girl said, "Well, my name is Zoey. Zoey Black."
Valencia shook her hand and said, "I'm Valencia. Snape as you seem to already know."
The girl nodded and said, "I saw you talking to Malfoy yesterday. What do you think of him?"
Valencia snorted while she sprinkled in the plant and replied, "Absolutely horrid. He should go shove himself off a cliff if he knows what's good for him."
Zoey smiled and said, "Same here."
"What do you think of that Umbridge woman?" Zoey asked.
"Bor-ing." Valencia said flatly.
"I was planning a few tricks for her," Zoey said mischievously.
Valencia smiled. "That sounds like fun."
Zoey smiled also. "So where are you from?" she asked, not helping with the potion at all which was fine with Valencia.
"United States," she replied. "We didn't have for houses like here. It was boys' house then the girls' house."
"Sounds boring," Zoey said.
Valencia nodded in agreement. Midnight-blue smoke drifted from the potion as Valencia finished it. Snape was down upon them in an instant and said, "Done already?"
Valencia nodded. "Test it."
Snape took a small portion in a cup and told a boy to come over to them. He was covered in potion, because he spilled it all, and he looked very afraid. "Drink this." Snape ordered.
The boy did as he was told and immediately collapsed. Snape checked for a pulse and said, "Well done. You succeeded." He went back to the front of the room and said, "Dismissed."
Valencia started cleaning out her cauldron and Zoey clapped her on the shoulder and said, "Valencia. I can already tell that we are going to be great friends."
Then they left the classroom together.
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Chapter 3
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Zoey Black sat at the Gryffindor eating her breakfast lazily, in no hurry to go to potions with Professor Snape. Once in a while Zoey shot quick glances of loathing at Umbridge. Squawk, her horned owl, didn't come with a message. Neither did Jade.
At the Slytherin table, she could see Malfoy kept his distance from that new girl. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were chatting about nothing Zoey cared about. Instead Zoey's mind drifted to her uncle, Sirius Black.
Zoey had lived three years with Sirius on the run. It wasn't hard since they were both animanguses. She's always had the feeling, though, that Sirius loved Harry more than her, his own blood.
Zoey looked at the food and suddenly didn't feel hungry anymore. She stood up to get her supplies, unwillingly, to Potions class.
When Zoey walked into the classroom, almost everyone was already there. Zoey heard the new girl call Snape Uncle, but let her mind drift. She barely registered Draco sitting as far away as possible from the new girl.
The new girl had long, jet black hair and deep blue eyes. She looked slightly like Snape, but much more pleasant and bearable.
Zoey heard Snape say they were making a potion called Nirum Septum. It sounded like a serpent or something.
Snape asked, "Can anyone explain what it does?" Zoey saw Hermione's hand shoot up, but so did the new girl's.
"Ms. Granger?"
"Nirum Septumis a highly complex potion that makes the drinker fall into a coma for several hours. It can be highly deadly if the dosage is not fairly reasonable."
"You have missed two things Ms. Granger," Snape sneered, "Can anyone tell her what the other two might be?"
The new girl started without raising her hand, and Zoey saw a muscle in Snape's mouth twitch. "Nirum Septumputs the drinker in a coma-like state for exactly seven hours, and if the dosage is too little, for instance under exactly 5 millimeters, the drinker will die."
Zoey's mouth dropped open. Hermione was usually the one to answer all the questions. She had some competition. Hermione blushed and sat down in her seat with a huff. People started whispering, but the new girl seemed oblivious.
Snape nodded, "Today we will make this, so turn to page 394 of your textbooks and partner up."
In a rush, everyone grabbed a partner, except Zoey and the new girl. Zoey looked at Professor Snape, "Professor there seems to be no people to partner with."
Snape glared at her, "You may sit with Ms.," he paused, "Valencia."
Zoey rolled her eyes and muttered, "But she's a Slytherin," under her breath. Snape snapped, "Now Ms. Black."
Zoey glared at Snape as she proceeded slowly to Valencia's table. When she got there, Valencia was already brewing the potion, and didn't seem to need or want any help. That didn't bother Zoey at all.
By the end of the lesson Zoey felt like she'd found a new friend. For the first time in her life, Zoey was looking forward to her next potions class.
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