Chapter 5

Overall my injuries weren't that bad. At least they didn't look that bad the next day, on Sunday, when professor Snape handed me a hand mirror for me to overlook them. I had a nasty gash across my nose, but because of some wicked cream it was less visible now, and I had bruises that were strikingly purple on my paleish skin around my chest, abdomen and arms. Still, according to professor Snape, I had had 4 broken ribs and a very injured arm, but a couple of potions had soon fixed that up. At least I would be able to cover up most of the damage. He had let me out of his chambers hours before breakfast, letting me slip back into the Dormitories unnoticed.

I held my head down at breakfast that day, avoiding any eyes that might think to find mine. Once again I sat at the end of the table, close to the teachers, knowing that no one would dare to hurt me there. I was nervous, jumping at any sudden movement or a too loud noise in the Great Hall. I couldn't help it. I tried to make myself disappear, which luckily wasn't that hard, seeing that I was so small and tiny. Regularly I would look up at professor Snape, and discover that he was watching me. Somehow that really reassured me.

After breakfast I continued my exploring of the castle, taking the risk of getting hurt again. To me, knowing the castle and not make a fool out of myself on the first day of school, was much more important than my physical health. Besides, I knew that they would have to pay gravely if they dared to do it again. At least if professor Snape found out.

I didn't really meet that many students while walking the huge castle. Twice I found myself nearly entirely lost, but thankfully I would spot a teacher or prefect after a good while, and just followed them till I recognized the hallways again. Once I even asked a portrait for directions, and ended up getting more facts about the castle and secret hallways than I ever would've gotten without it. All in all it was a very peaceful day. No one came to bother me, and I got plenty of time to think things over. The back of my eyes stung each time my thoughts drifted to the attack, but I pushed the tears back every time. I knew I had to be brave, even though my school house did not require that certain trait. Being anything less than brave would be a betrayal to my family and upbringing.

I accidentally missed lunch and dinner, being too caught up in the many hallways of the castle to keep an eye on the time. At first my belly growled in distaste a couple of times, but of course I ignored it. In reality the attack had left me with a much smaller appetite than usual, so it didn't feel all that bad to go to bed without the delicious food. The thought of all that extra alone time just made me grin to myself. I would need it to be ready for the next day, my first actual day of school.

The next day

I didn't have to travel far out of my bubble for my first class, since it was Potions with Professor Snape. I went to breakfast bright and early, my book bag all set for my morning classes. I ate as much as I could manage to keep down in my nervous state, and was the first one to wait outside of the Potions classroom. I was so nervous I felt like throwing up, more over the fact that this class was with the Gryffindor's, our rival house. The waiting, of course, didn't help much at all. Mentally I kicked myself hard again and again for getting there so early, but there wasn't really much I could do about that. The other's came around eventually. Mostly my fellow Slytherin classmates at first, but eventually came the Gryffindor's too, with their loud talking and fooling around. I couldn't help but to look longingly over at their groups, knowing very well that I could've been on the other side of the hallway, with entirely different people, had things been slightly different. Still, I looked at them in distaste too, because deep down, even if I wasn't ready to admit it yet, I wasn't like them. I wasn't loud and impulsive and foolish or brave for that matter. I preferred the silence over noise and I was more of a over-thinker than impulsive.

I kept an eye on my pocket watch constantly, counting down to the time when classes would officially begin. And I was happy that at 8:50, I spotted Professor Snape striding down the hallway towards us, his robes bellowing behind him. Some of the Gryffindor's cowarded visibly as he approached, and I couldn't help but grin at their foolishness.

Once in the classroom, I sat down in the front alone. The Slytherin boys sat down on the row behind me, and my fellow female Slytherin's sat down in the row after that. An empty row seperated us from the Gryffindor's, who occupied the back. Some of them were still chatting quietly with each other, even though Professor Snape had positioned himself in front of his desk, giving them a cold stare. I checked my watch again. It was 9:00 exactly.

With a wave of his wand, the classroom door slammed shut, leaving a nervous silence in the room. He then began by taking the register. I noticed after a while that most of the people in the room was actually pure-blooded, even if only the ones in Slytherin was really proud of that at all. I recognized most of the last names, only a few were new to me.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making." professor Snape began after a while. "In this class there will be no foolish wand-waving, and many of you will hardly believe this is magic at all. I don't expect you to 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 and even stopper to death. That of course, remains to be seen."

Only silence followed his speech. I had a quill and paper prepared, writing down what he was saying, sucking it all up like a sponge. Professor Snape began asking questions, mostly directed towards the Gryffindors in the back, about more complicated potions making. Even I couldn't answer all of his questions, even though I had read the book several times over the summer. I only hoped that remembering these things would get easier as we began making actual potions.

Of course, Professor Snape soon set us off to do just that. We were supposed to pair up. I just sat still in my chair, not daring to move even an inch. Who was I supposed to pair up with? No one in the room liked me.

"And why, miss Potter, have you not paired up with someone?"

I swallowed, looking up carefully at professor Snape, who was hovering over me. I tried to come up with a good reason for him, I really did, but nothing would come out, so I let my eyes drop, ashamed.

"Mr Darthmoth!"

"Yes, sir?"

"Pair up with miss Potter."

"Yes, sir."

I turned around in my seat, looking astonished at the boy sitting behind me. He was collecting his books and equipment. His friends was sending him looks, which luckily he didn't return. He even smiled slightly at me as he sat down to my left.

"So, cure of boils, huh?" he asked, collecting the ingredients we were supposed to use.

"Yes, I guess so. Have you ever made a potion before?"

"Not really. How about you?"

"Never by myself, no."

Making the potion went pretty great actually. We both read the instructions several times before actually starting, and switching tasks occationally. One always keeping an eye on the cauldron, the other one readying the ingrediences. When it was done, it didn't quite have the correct colour that it was supposed to, but at least we hadn't had any complications like most of the class.

Professor Snape deemed it the best first try in the class, and let the two of us leave 10 minutes before anyone else. Two of the cauldron's had almost melted, and several had spilled lots of acidic potion on the floor or tables. Most had to stay to clean up.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch your name." I said in a small voice. We had just entered the entrance hall.

"Oh, I'm Teagan. I'm sorry, I'm not really supposed to be around you. My family is on a thin tread in the community already."

"That's okay. You do what you gotta do. I'd be happy if you stayed my Potions partner, though. You could always say that professor Snape made you."

He nodded, smiling slightly. I smiled too, knowing that I might not have a friend just yet, but at least I had an assosiate, and he seemed nice enough.

"So, Charms?" he began.

I only nodded.

Okay, so I'm really sorry about all the rewriting and that this is an additional chapter! But I've been really unhappy about the fanfic lately, and I can't make myself actually continue on it before I've fixed what I already have. I hope you understand! Hopefully I'll start to write more soon.

- Mattimo