Chapter-7

The next day, the day they had been anticipating for finally came bring their first double Potions with Slytherins. They had been waiting to see how Snape would treat them after he received the letter left behind by their parents since the day after their visit to Gringotts.

*Flashback*

That morning at breakfast Minerva had informed them that the letters and the money will be distributed to the benefices within 24 hours of the will reading as she handed them their letters left behind by their parents.

They had been left alone for the day to read their letters before being reminded multiple times by Aunt Minerva that if they wanted to talk about it or wanted comfort her door was always open for them, Noah had told Harry about the part of vision concerning his first year and about Snape's childhood friendship with their mother after they had recovered from the emotional breakdown they had from reading their letters.

"But where were you? There is no mention of you in any part of this vision," asked Harry confusion clear in his slightly red face.

"Don't know Harry. I must have died or was in a coma in the accident that I had a month ago," answered Noah slowly and started explaining about what happened when he saw Harry's questioning look.

"The doctor told me that I almost died and said that it was a miracle that I was alive," finished Noah as he watched all the color drain from Harry's horror struck face.

He quickly tried to reassure him, "Hey, nothing happened to me right. See I am still here".

But Harry hadn't listened to him and had desperately hugged him to reassure himself that nothing had happened to his recently found elder twin.

After that he had made a split decision and had opened up to Noah about the beatings, starving, chores and the unfairness he had endured at the Dursley's.

And by the time Minerva came to tuck them in like she did the previous day she had found them both sleeping peacefully in Harry's bed arms protectively around each other like they did when they were babies. The only difference was that they were not infants anymore and their faces were a little red from crying.

"I dearly hope that I will be able to give them all the love they deserve," Minerva whispered to the portraits of James and Lily as they fondly watched their baby boys sleep.

"They have gone through many hardships Minerva and we have no doubt that they will go through many more what with Harry being tied to the Prophecy and Noah being a magical seer. Just be there for them and support them in whatever they want to do, you will get along wonderfully with them. Don't try to hide anything from them just because they are still kids, they will not like that at all as they have too much of Lily in them. And remember that James and Lily would not have chosen you as one of their guardians if they thought that you were incapable of looking after them. So don't think about it that much and just be yourself around them," The Lily in the portrait stated.

"Thank you Lily," whispered Minerva as she slowly closed the door and made her way to her bedroom not noticing that Noah had been awake and had listened to their conversation.

*End of Flashback*

They made their way to breakfast as usual after getting ready for the day. They had been able to manage their way around the castle since Wednesday with the help of Noah who explored the castle whenever he was free and let them join him if they want.

As the breakfast dragged on Noah gave Harry the letter they have received yesterday from Minerva and started reminding him about what was going to happen in a low whisper so only he could hear.

Soon the owls started arriving to deliver their mail with Hedwig being one of them. She always had at least one letter for them daily either from Minerva or Amelia and if she didn't she just visited them for breakfast to spend some time with them or to nibble at their breakfast and went to the owlery to sleep or to their dorm to spend time with Lily.

She landed gracefully in front of them and let Noah pet her as Harry opened the letter she had dropped on his plate.

"I swear you both spoil Hedwig and Lily more than anyone else," commented Hermione as she watched Noah pet the proud owl.

"Well we can't help it as they are our Princesses," said Noah as he smiled gently at Hedwig, but was unable to duck when she cuffed his head with her wing.

"Ok ok, you are our Queen and Lily is the Princess," laughed Noah as he ruffled his hair and watched as Hedwig puffed out her chest with pride. Hermione laughed at the exchange as she shook her head.

"Here, it's from Hagrid. Shall we go?" asked Harry as he passed him the letter.

Dear Harry,

I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three?

I want to hear all about your first week. Bring your brother with you if you can. Last time I saw him, he was just a baby. Send us an answer back with Hedwig.

Hagrid.

"Sure, it would be nice to meet him again," said Noah and watched as Harry borrow Ron's quill, scribble Yes, please, see you later on the back of the note, and sent Hedwig off again.

After finishing their breakfast they set of towards the Potions class which was present in Dungeons and took their seats on the right side of the room and watched as Draco and his bodyguards enter and take their seat on the other side of the room. They gave him a quick nod when they met his eyes and watched as he returned it and went back to chatting with a girl they recognized as Pansy Parkinson from the sorting.

Soon Professor Snape swept into the room his robes billowing behind him like the wings of a bat. He started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name.

"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new - celebrity."

This time Draco and his friends Crabbe and Goyle did not sniggered behind their hands.

Snape stopped again to look at Noah for a moment when his name came before finishing the roll call and looked up at the class.

."You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word - like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really 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, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

More silence followed this little speech. Harry and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows as Noah quickly started writing the speech in his notebook. Hermione was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.

"Harry Potter!" said Snape suddenly as he met Harry's eyes. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Hermione's hand had shot into the air.

"They make a powerful potion called Draught of the living Death sir," Harry answered calmly as he meet Noah's gaze and silently thanked him. Noah gave a slight smile and nodded his head as he went back to writing.

Hermione dropped her hand as she listened to Harry and smiled at him as she realized that he was correct.

"Correct. Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" Noah tried hard to hide his disbelief at Snape admitting that a Potter was correct.

'That letter must have done wonders', thought Noah.

Hermione waited to see if Harry can answer it as she controlled her itch to stretch her hand out and wave it towards the Professor.

"The stomach of a goat sir", replied Harry trying to keep his voice steady under the calculating gaze of the Professor.

"Correct. Noah Potter! What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" Noah jumped slightly and his pen skid a little as he heard the voice suddenly above him and watched as the Professor snatched his book and looked into it.

He looked up from the book and gave a stiff nod as he return it.

"They are the same plant sir and they also go by many other names one of them being aconite", replied Noah his heart rate calming a little.

"Correct, Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?" He barked at the class as he swept back towards the front. There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment.

Rest of the class passed relatively calmly than expected as Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils.

He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like and the Potter's whom he watched silently but didn't comment on. Neville also didn't have any accident as Noah caught him before he did any mistake being his partner and by the end of the class they were able to make a perfect potion along with Harry and Hermione who were sitting at the table beside them and almost all of the Slytherins.

"God, that went better than expected," whispered Noah relieved at them not having to deal with Snapes bullying.

"Yeah," agreed Harry as they made their way to Great hall for lunch.

"We are going to meet Hagrid this afternoon, do you want to join?" Harry asked Neville, Hermione and Ron as he paused in his eating.

"Yeah sure," said Neville and the others agreed.

At five to three they left the castle and made their way across the grounds. When Harry knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "Back, Fang- back." Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.

"Hang on," he said. "Back, Fang."

He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.

There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.

"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked.

""Ha Noah it's nice to mee' yeah. Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby," said the half-giant. "Yeh look alot like yet mum".

"It's nice to meet you too Hagrid. How are you doing?" said Noah as he smiled at the friendly half-giant.

"Oh I am grea'. So who are all you' friends?" asked Hagid as he smiled at them.

"These are Ron, Neville and Hermione," Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a few plates.

"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles. I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest. Nice to meet yeh all".

The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth, but they pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid all about their first -lessons. Fang rested his head on Harry's knee and drooled all over his robes.

They were delighted to hear Hagrid call Fitch "that old git." "An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her - Fitch puts her up to it."

"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron. "I liked him a lot - great with animals."

While Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons, Noah picked up a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cozy. It was a cutting from the Daily Prophet. He gave it to harry and gestured at him to read it.

Confused at what Noah was telling, he started reading it.

GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST

Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown. Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day.

"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokes goblin this afternoon.

Harry's eyes widened and as he was about to comment on it, Noah stepped on his leg and shook his head as he mouthed later.

The rest of the afternoon passed calmly as they all chatted with Hagrid and got to know him.