Chapter 6, First day.
Harry woke up the next morning and got ready for his first day of lessons, he made his way to the common room where the other Slytherin first-years was waiting.
Malfoy was sitting at a table talking to Crabbe and Goyle, there was also a fourth first-year at their table, a girl called Pansy Parkinson, it seemed that she had joined Malfoy's group.
Harry sat down on one of the empty sofas and waited, he had been told that Gemma would show them where their lessons was.
While Harry was sitting there Theodore Nott came over and sat next to him, "Hi, the names Theodore Nott, but you can just call me Theo" he said offering a handshake, "Harry Potter" said Harry shaking Theo's hand.
"Sorry I didn't introduce myself last night, Draco wouldn't leave me alone" said Theo, "That's OK, do you know Malfoy" asked Harry, "Sort of, our fathers are friend" said Theo, is seemed that there was more to this story but Theo didn't continue.
Soon Gemma led the first-years to their lessons.
Harry quickly learned that there was more to magic then just waving a wand about, they had to study the night sky and the stars in Astronomy, they had to look after magical plants and help them to grow in Herbology.
History of Magic was a lesson so boring that it put most of the class to sleep, even the teacher Professor Binns fell asleep at one point, Harry didn't even know that a ghost could sleep.
Charms with Professor Flitwick was much better, he was a rather fun and cheerful teacher, Harry felt that he would enjoy Charms, the Transfiguration teacher McGonagall was how Harry had imagined her, she was strict and stern, but she was also fair and she did seem to be a very good teacher.
Harry had been looking forward to Defence Agents the Dark Arts, but he quickly learned that Quirrell was far too nerves to teach properly, at times he seemed to be afraid of his own students.
"I can't believe that their letting him teach a lessen like this, how is anyone supposed to learn anything when the teacher can barely speak" said Theo as they left the classroom, Harry wanted to defend Professor Quirrell but he couldn't think of a reasonable defence.
On Friday morning while Harry was eating his breakfast Hedwig arrived and delivered a letter to him, Harry was surprised, this was the first letter he had received since he had come to Hogwarts, Harry eagerly opened the letter.
Dear Harry, I know you got 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, send us an answer back with Hedwig. Hagrid.
Harry quickly wrote a reply to Hagrid saying that he'd see him at 3.
Soon it was time for lesson, Slytherin had double potions with Gryffindor, Harry was looking forward to this, he wanted to see Ron again, the two of them hadn't seen each other since they got sorted.
Harry saw Ron and a few other Gryffindors waiting outside the potions classroom to be let in, "Hi Ron" said Harry in a friendly tone, Ron didn't reply he just turned very pale and looked away silently.
Ron's reaction hurt Harry, people had been looking at him funny all week, many would take a few steps back to avoid him when he walked passed them as if they was afraid of him, Harry had hoped that Ron would be different.
Soon everyone was let into the classroom and the lesson started, Harry was sitting with Theo, Theo had told him that Snape apparently favoured Slytherin, Harry hoped that this was true.
Right after the lesson began Snape approached Harry's table, "Mr Potter, tell me what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood" he asked, Hermione's hand shot up.
Harry had no idea what either of these ingredients was, "I don't know sir" he said.
"Then let's try this, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar" asked Snape, Hermione's hand was in the air again.
"I don't know sir" said Harry, Malfoy was laughing silently at this, Snape seemed to ignore Malfoy.
"And what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane" asked Snape, Hermione was once again ignored.
"I don't know sir" said Harry hoping that this would end.
At this point Ron sniggered, Snape's head immediately turned to face Ron, "5 points from Gryffindor for laughing at another student" he said, this coursed all of the Gryffindors to fall completely silent.
"For your information, asphodel and wormwood make the Draught of Living Death, a bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat, as for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant" said Snape looking at Harry, "Well, why aren't you all coping that down" he said to the class.
After this, everyone was sorted into pairs and told to make the Cure for boils, Snape seemed to criticise everyone, he didn't seem to think that any of them was very good at this, the lesson was tense but it was still far better then making breakfast for the Dursleys.
Just then the classroom was filled with acid green smoke from Neville and Seamus's cauldron, the cauldron had melted covering Neville in the incomplete potion, Neville was on the floor in pain as red boils appeared on his skin.
"Idiot, I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire" said Snape as he waved his wand making the spilled potion disappear, "Take him to the hospital wing" he snapped at Seamus, "5 more points from Gryffindor" he added.
At the end of the lesson Harry and Theo turned in their potion, Snape gave Harry a cold look but didn't say anything as he marked his potion as a pass.
Harry didn't know what to think of Snape, he had a feeling that Snape didn't like him, but at the same time he had mostly left him alone and given him a passing grade, one thing Harry was sure of however was that Snape had been unfair to the Gryffindors.
Outside of the classroom, Harry once again tried to talk to Ron, he wanted to say sorry that Gryffindor had lost points like that, "Ron, Ron please, can we just talk" said Harry as he hurried to keep up with Ron.
Ron turned around, "Please just leave me alone" he said, there was a mix of fear, annoyance and panic in his voice, Ron quickly hurried away with the other Gryffindors, leaving Harry feeling bad about the whole thing.
"What's wrong Potter, Weasley cut you off, you should be proud that that blood traitor's scared of you" laughed Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle was at his side, "Then again, maybe Weasley's the smart one, he's getting out while he still can" said Malfoy with a nasty grin.
Malfoy stopped his teasing when he felt a hand on his shoulder, "Leave him alone" came a voice, Malfoy turned and came face to face with Millicent Bulstrode, for a second Malfoy looked scared, Millicent was almost as large as Crabbe and Goyle.
Malfoy was silent for a second, he seemed to be thinking if Crabbe and Goyle could stop Millicent before she got her hands on him, after a second Malfoy looked at his friends and said "Come on, lets go" and the three left.
"Thanks Millicent" said Harry, he was happy there there was some people who would stand up for him.
"It's OK, Malfoy's really being a prat" said Millicent, she had started to dislike Malfoy a lot after what he had said at the start-of-term feast.
All of the Slytherins returned to their common room, Harry sat as far away as he could from Malfoy and his gang, luckily for Harry there was a lot of other Slytherins who was all keeping an eye on Malfoy, it seemed that there was quite a few people in Slytherin who didn't trust Malfoy.