The first thing Snape said to me was, "I am assigning you an essay about this."
I groaned as I took a seat in his office, leaning forward to place an elbow on the table and rested my chin on my hand. I was ready for his lecture about what I did. I knew it was going to be worse than Vernon's ones about control when I was younger. I just had a feeling.
"It isn't going to be a long essay, is it?" I asked. "I have lots from other teachers."
He thinned his lips but shook his head, "Less so an essay you have to write and moreso one you have to experience."
He walked around his desk, going into the drawer to bring out a book. He passed the book over to me. I ran my fingers down the front of the small tomb. It was thick-spined with burgundy leather and a copper clasp on the side. There was no title or summary on the book, simply a hexagram, a six-sided star with a circle around it, in the middle of the cover.
My Magic ached for me to open it, feeling in my bones that I should.
I pulled at the copper clasp and it snapped open to the first page.
This volume, of knowledge and information of creating spells, brewing potions and manifesting ambitions, is property of Morgan Le Fay given to B. Peverell.
May he find what he needs within these cursed pages, just I did.
"Can you read what is written, Miss Potter?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, why?" Curiosity was brimming in my veins now, much like my own Magic to the book's.
There was a dark tone to this volume, coming off in waves as I held it in front of me. It drew me in, making me want to read more and learn more but I wanted to know first.
"What is this, sir?" I stuttred my next words, feeling the crash of Magic against my own. "I…. What is this Dark feeling coming off the thing? But it's not…. Not truly dark, is it, Sir? Why is tt calling me to read more?"
"That, Miss Potter, is the Book of Morgan Le Fay," Snape said, sitting on the edge of his desk. "It holds all the information and knowledge she knew and everything she ever created. Of course, this isn't the real volume. She made sure that it was hidden, only ever creating a few copies for her devoted followers."
"Why are you showing me this, Professor Snape?" I asked, my tone sharp unneedly.
"Do you know who your ancestors are?" He raised an eyebrow.
I sighed and slumped in the bench. B. Peverell was a greatly distant ancestor of the Potter House.
"Let me guess, this book allows anyone with a Dark Magic Core, or something along those lines, to read it?"
"I have written you a note since this is a Hogwarts copy. You'll have it for an undisclosed amount of time, until you do not need it," He leant forward and closed it in front of me. "I will not lecture you on the misuse of Magic. You have learnt your lesson, I believe?"
I nodded glumly.
"Good," he nodded to himself. "This book will help you gain knowledge that would otherwise be undisclosed to you, including Pureblood traditions and whatnot, something I believe you could use with your new circle of friends. Go back to your dorm to read this. Let no other see it, lest they be tempted as others have in its history."
I took the book and left.
I was grateful he had mentioned this book. After reading only the contents, it told me much more about the society I would be forced into with my group of friends. It held so many ancient Traditions that all the other books I read didn't even hint at, there wasn't a hint of any of these little etiquette rules that Pureblood, even Halfblood Ladies and Gentlemen would know.
Of course, some of the rules and Traditions were quite sexist, to both genders equally.
There was so much to learn, almost too much to memorise. My mind took all the information swiftly, sorting it into categories in my mind. I might need this information in the future.
)(-)(
"The Antidote to Common Poisons," Snape said in his next lesson. "Can also be called The Antidote for Common Poisons, is a potion which counteracts ordinary poisons, such as creature bites and stings. The method is on the board, I do hope you manage to complete this without being complete dunderheads."
We were to work on our own for this potions, and I had my textbook, pen and items orderly set out on my desk. After I crushed the Bezoar and mint sprigs to a fine powder in the mortar, adding four and two measurements of that and holly oak, honeycomb and a wild cherry seed respectively, I counted five seconds on the heat then waved my wand. It turned green. I left it for the next twenty minutes.
I crouched over my textbook, comparing it to the method on the board and realising it was different. Snape used a modified version of the recipe that we were given and his potions were always perfect. I copied the additions and substitutions to my own book.
After twenty minutes, I quickly added in honeywater and the essence of lavender turned it two clockwise and left it for another twenty. When the time came, I , just like everyone else, added a pinch of unicorn horn, stirred twice, clockwise, added two mistletoe berries, stirred two, anticlockwise. I added the stewed Mandrake and stirred twice again anticlockwise. I finished with a wave of my wand, turning the potions a vibrant teal.
Everyone left their work alone as Snape walked around, vanishing most of them as they were not to his high, high standard. He stopped at mine and I was curious if it was good enough for him.
"Well done, Miss Potter, " He summoned a dozen vials, placing them on the desk. "Vial these and have twenty points for a perfect potion. Stay after class for a moment."
"How'd you do that?" Draco looked between his murky teal concoction.
"It's like cooking, " I finished up vialing my work. "What can I say? I like cooking."
"Miss Potter, I congratulate you on your potion," Snape said. "Is there a reason you added honeycombs to the potion? I did not write that down on the board."
"It was to thicken the potion and make it easier to administer to a patient," I answered with a shrug, pushing my hair back and smiling. "You catch more flies with honey."
)(-)(
Saturday was the first time anyone would see me play. I wasn't even nervous. My temper was calm, my appearance tidy and my skills honed. I trained for weeks for this day and I knew I was ready.
I stayed up late and woke up early. Perhaps too early but I didn't feel the need for sleep when my excitement was so high for me to remain calm. Even Emperor felt it, his levels of excitement rose.
Breakfast was a tiresome thing, it always made me feel sick if I ate too early in the morning. Deciding on a simple breakfast, I piled oatmeal, bananas and pomegranates onto the golden plate. My request of English Tea was granted, filling my goblet full of it. Though my meal wasn't big, it was filling and allowed me enough energy for the rest of the day, I hoped.
"So… Will you tell us now?" Blaise hoped I would spill my tactics of how I got on the team.
He had been asking for the last few weeks, irritating me with the questions. I liked the sudden attention but it was getting annoying. I suggested he ask Draco since he also partook in the troublemaking which caused this to happen. Even Draco ignored Blaise's insistent requests.
"Come on, tell us!"
I continued to eat, giving him a look that was an annoyed No. "Shoo, go. Go get some good seats as I need to get changed. I'll see you from the air in half an hour."
)(-)(
Being the only female on the Slytherin team, I had a locker room to myself. The room had a solid bench in the middle with several two-foot wide lockers along the sides. My emerald robes sat on a hanger, shoes underneath and the guards separated. I hurried to put on the uniform, shuffling out of the locker room to greet the rest of the team.
Laced with a black border, the back of my robes held the bright silver 7. The rest of my robes was the custom Slytherin green with the hem accented with black and silver trimming. My boots came up my calves and were laced with thick hide laces. I pulled my gloves on, my ring on a chain around my neck.
I twisted an enchanted green ribbon around my high ponytail, adding to my appearance yet keeping a feminine bit about it.
I hoped my knees wouldn't give as I walked onto the field, my hand gripping my broom and the crowds cheered for the teams. I stood to the side of Flint as Madam Hooch began to speak.
"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, pointedly towards the Slytherins
My eyes drifted to the rest of my House, the Slytherin green hues of their robes and unity calmed my nerves and excitement. I would do well in this match.
"Mount your brooms, please." I did so quickly. Fifteen brooms quickly flew into the air and the match began.
"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor, an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too-"
"Jordan!" McGonagall said, stopping his absurd commentary.
"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve. Back to Johnson and. No, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes. Flint flying like an eagle up there, he's going to sc-. No, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle. that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and. Ouch, that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger.
"Quaffle taken by the Slytherins. That's Adrian Pucey speeding toward the goal posts, blocked by a second Bludger. Sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which. Nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Rebekah Potter takes the Quaffle, her first time touching the thing and she flies like there is no tomorrow. Dodges a Bludger sent by a Weasley, dives past another. Passes it to Puncey as she dodges past the Gryffindors and regains the Quaffle."
My heart raced with adrenaline. I was so close to the goals. My hair flared in the wind and I felt the coolness of my ring against my collarbone.
"She's still going, blazing past them all with her small form close to her broom. What a broom for such a small girl, many of you would agree. Perhaps she shouldn't even be pla-"
"Mr Jordan." Snape warned him.
"Sorry. She goes for it, Woods tries to catch it, and… Potter SCORES!"
A flash of gold to my left, I caught sight of the Snitch. "Higgs, three o'clock!"
And then Higgs saw it too. The Gryffindor Seeker, I didn't care to learn their name, did not. What a bint, useless really.
"Higgs spots the Snitch and goes for it, blazing past like Potter did. Closer and closer, Daniels still hasn't seen it."
My broom jolted to the side and then to the other, violently tossing me . Everyone watching gasped as they saw my broom shove itself in different ways. I held on for dear life.
"Rebekah!" my friends yelled as I was tossed off my broom, catching the handle as I fell. My grip tightened as I willed myself to stay calm. I didn't need to panic. Certainly a predicament but I would get through it.
Flint stopped midair, the Quaffle under his right arm. He started coming closer towards me and my flailing broom but I jutted my head towards the goals. He smirked, nodding and he was off towards the goals.
I was glad I had read Curses and Counter-Curses, muttering a Counter-Curse that allowed me to hang on. My eyes stuck to the broom, finishing the Counter-Curse and the Anti-Jinx spell on my broom. Quickly, I swung my body and hugged the handle as I looked for the offender.
There.
Where the staff stood, Quirrell and Snape both muttered under their breaths and maintained eye contact with my broom. I was close enough to realise that Snape's lips moved in the same pattern as mine did. Quirrell, the garlic-filled turban around his head moving slightly, was the one muttering the jinx that was ruining my first match.
I met Snape's eyes, blinking a bit, then smirking and nodding. I let my gaze roam to Qurriel, he shifted as he felt my unnerving gaze.
Slytherin got five more goals, putting us to sixty twenty, Slytherin. And by the position of Higgs, Gryffindor's seeker, Daniels, and the Snitch. One of them was an idiot, several metres away and still didn't get any sight of the Snitch, and the other was Higgs, quickly advancing on it.
In three seconds.
Two seconds.
One.
Higgs had the Snitch in his grasp.
"No! Higgs catches the snitch!"
Madam Hooch ended the match by yelling, "SLYTHERIN WINS!"
All of the Slytherin Quidditch team celebrated, shouting and cheering. Flint congratulated me on my first successful match and I was happy, even if he made a slightly sexist remark about females on quidditch teams.
They all hurried to the locker rooms and changed, they adorning their normal school uniform, signature greens and silvers. I saw the boys running out, gathering in groups with their friends to celebrate.
As my friends sought me out, I hid in the group passing. I was avoiding them. I had better things to do than small frivolities.
I needed to know why Quirrel was trying to ruin the match.
