Chapter Fourteen.
The Potions Master.
Potions lessons took place in a classroom down in the dungeons so finding the room was very easy for me and Mae because, well we live down here, Ron and Harry poked fun at our ability to navigate our way through the dark, damp and quite creepy corridors but Mae and I just threatened to leave them there as we knew the quick ways out, Mae and I also pretend that we know secret passageways which shuts Harry and Ron up with terrified looks.
As we waited outside the wooden door to the classroom, the diversity between Slytherin and Gryffindor was incredible. Slytherin crowed on the left side of the door whilst the Gryffindor occupied the right side. I felt very awkward as I stood with Hermione leaning against the wall opposite the entrance to the classroom because Pansy. Draco and his minions are staring as are some of the Gryffindor members.
Speaking to Hermione helped take my mind off being in the same room as Professor Snape after the start-of-term banquet and remembering the feeling of the shooting pain that echoed through Harry and I when we made eye contact with the man made me very nervous. I can tell by the worried look in my brothers eyes that he was just as afraid it was going to happen again and in a confined space such as a classroom could make it harder for us to pretend it didn't happen.
The classroom door opened allowing all of us to entire, the room was somewhat colder than the corridor but it didn't bother me majorly because I live down here but Gryffindors where shivering causing the Slytherins to laugh. There was something creepy about the room, not only because their was parts of animals floating in glass jars sitting on shelves along with other strange items. However off to the far right is a cupboard marked INGREDIENTS.
The room was laid out with three isles made for three students to sit out, each isle was made up of four desk. Hermione seated herself in the center isle so she's right in front of the raised area in which Professor Snape will stand, his desk is immaculately clean with a cauldron placed on top. Out of the three seats she took the left seat, Mae decided not to sit next to Hermione I'm not sure why but this means the middle seat is available. Harry took the seat on the left of Hermione on the first isle of desk and Ron sat beside my brother on the middle seat leaving a space free.
Professor Snape practically swooped in with a long black cloak, he turned around swiftly to reveal he is wearing practically all black except the white cuffs and hint of a collar. "There will be no silly wand waving in this class." was the first thing he said to all of us before picking up a sheet of paper, like Flitwick, Snape started class by taking the register and again, like the tiny wizard, the tall wizard paused on mine and Harry's name but he didn't say anything nor did he even look at us before continuing, "I can teach you to bewitch the mind and ensnare the sense. I can tell how to bottle fame, brew glory and even, put a stopper in death..." Snape's voice was incredibly drowning, he paused slightly, his eyes falling upon my brother who was writing down notes, "Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in procession of abilities so formidable that you feel comfortable enough... to not pay attention!"
And that is when Hermione jabbed my brother sharply in the ribs using her elbow, before Harry could complain to her, she jerked her head in the direction of a very irritated Professor Snape. He then glided over to my brother, "Mr Potter..." he drowns on, it looked almost as if saying and acknowledging my brother was a painful act. "Our new – celebrity. Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Powdered root of what to an infusion of what? I thought furrowing my brows, looking around I can see that everyone – but Hermione, of course – looked stumped by this question. I could see Harry's eyes flicker in embarrassment and sadness.
"I don't know, sir." said Harry, his voice was quiet.
Snape's lip curled into a seer that I didn't like. "Tut, tut – clearly fame isn't everything."
I could feel myself getting anger and anger with Snape because he is only picking on Harry and not me, I couldn't understand it, if Snape had a problem with Potter's then he needed to insult me. Professor Snape then signed, "What is the difference between monkshood and wolfs-bane?"
Harry was quickly going red with embarrassment and I could tell in his eyes he was getting upset about Snape hazing. "I think Hermione knows, why don't you ask her." I interrupt sharply, a few people laughed. Professor Snape's neck snapped his head to stare right in my direction, I look him sternly in the face trying to look as fearless as possible.
"Miss Potter," Snape kind of whispered, my face didn't faultier.
Unfortunately things don't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lessons continued, Snape paired everyone together making a very clear void between the two houses as me and Mae are removed from our friends. Snape swept around in his long cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, he criticised almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to have a liking for. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acrid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville was sent to the hospital wing when red boils sprang up all over his arm after he'd gotten the potion on him when it tipped over.
"You – Potter – why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you?" Snape snarled. Both Harry and I let out a noise to start an argument, but Snape swiftly turned to face me, "Not you, Miss Potter. That's another point from Gryffindor."
"It wasn't even Harry's fault!" I argue but Snape ignores me.
Ron shoots me a look, "Don't push it, I've heard Snape can turn very nasty."
Eventually, the end of the lessons crawled around slowly, everyone packs up either items and once we had finished every student was allowed to leave. Mae and I hadn't quite finished our potion so we were asked to stay behind in order to do that, Draco whispers in my ear "stir is clockwise" before he left the classroom, I expect the potion to explode in my face as I take Draco's advice and it works. Snape inspects our potion and decides its acceptable enough to allow us to leave.
"Thank God," I mumble as we dispose of our potion and rinse out Mae's cauldron. Mae and I don't even bother saying goodbye to Professor Snape, instead we just leave, the dungeon has a strange breeze fluttering through it which causes me to shiver. Hermione, Ron and Harry said before they left that they would be waiting upstairs.
"Lil – I mean, Grace!" a voice called down the cold corridor, both Mae and I turn to see the caller is Snape.
"Yes sir." I reply awkwardly.
Snape continued to march towards Mae and myself, "You left your quill."
I take my quill from him and smile slightly, "Thank you."
The man doesn't say anything else, in face his eyes just flicker across my face for a moment before settling on my scar before he signs gently, "Enjoy the rest of your day." he say before turning sharply and storming off.
Mae raised an eyebrow at me as I chuckled nervously, did Snape call me Lily? I didn't think about it anymore as we walked through the dungeons and headed back up the the light of the castle. Harry, Ron and Hermione were waiting in the Great Hall, I sat next to Hermione and Mae took a nervous look over at the Slytherin table, I follow her gaze to see Pansy looking snake-eyed at us, Draco scowled for a moment but then turned away.
"I'm going to go sit with them." Mae says before turning sharply and weaving through the long tables to sit with the first-year Slytherins. I can't stop staring as Mae takes a seat, Pansy is giving her a disapproving look before mumbling something. Hermione looks very uncomfortable as every now and again, she would look over Harry's shoulder to meet the eyes of Pansy before almost shivering. Maybe Hermione wasn't save around the Slytherins.
A/N: Well, they've now met Snape, how did you guys feel about it? Please review and follow/favourite if you're enjoying this chapter. I'm going to be writing the entire collection of books, how do you feel about that, would many of you be interested in reading them all?