Chapter 11: Of Potions and Quidditch

Wednesday 4th September 1991

The Great Hall

Hadrian watched as the Great Hall filled up for breakfast, it was usually within the final 20 minutes the majority of students would enter the hall, some scrambling to arrive as quickly as possible. Others took their time, groggy from staying up late, wanting to sleep a few extra minutes or whatever else they would do to leave bed late. Hadrian looked around at the students surrounding him, and he found that the same Slytherin students would place themselves around him, Blaise to his left, with Daphne across Hadrian and Tracey across Blaise. To his right would be Freya Johansen. Since the short conversation they shared on Monday they hadn't conversed much but he did notice she would keep her eyes on him from the distance, quietly observing him, as if she was watching him. Beyond that, he noticed that she seemed to watch over the food he would eat as if she was expecting someone to poison him.

Her friends would sit amongst the group, making up for a weird group of students to the others in the hall. A group of fourth years sat with first years wasn't regular normal people sat in their own cliques or friend groups, usually within their own houses.

Hadrian took note of the fact that Cynisca would elect to sit away from the girls she shared a dorm with and sit with the ever-popular, Quidditch chasers from Gryffindor - Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet. He also took note of the fact she would load her plate with eggs, bacon and hashbrowns or pancakes but she would never mix the two options. But even then she was somewhat of a clean eater, not messily stuffing her face like Crabbe and Goyle or Weasley would.

"So Potter, how are you finding Britain," Freya would ask, as she watched him fiddle with the knife in his hands, put it in different grips, turning the blade over, as his eyes observed the room surrounding them.

"I prefer Greece," he spoke dryly, taking note of how some of the students around him were actively listening in on the conversation he was in.

"Oh? And why is that," she spoke while taking a forkful of fried eggs and toast into her mouth showing off her pearly white teeth. Her eyes seemed to focus in on him, in a careful manner, observing him as he put his knife down to reach for his spoon. Weighing it lightly in his hand before spinning it and switching its position into a normal grip. He tucked it into his fruit, granola and yoghurt mix. Pulling his spoon from his mouth he noted how multiple Slytherins did a poor job at hiding the fact they were listening in on his conversation.

"Your government failed to catch most of the Death Eaters in its domain. Colder, wetter country, Greece's weather is better. And your food is boring." He spoke disinterestedly returning to his food, ignoring the insulted eyes and scoffs or the soft laughter coming from Freya. "Also the Greek ministry is better run and connected with the non-magical government." This was a true statement, both governments worked to maintain the Ancient Greek structures even though many of them were heavily damaged due to the natural course of history. They also worked together to make sure that the non-magical side's citizens would remain blissfully ignorant of the magical side but also made sure that magical children born to non-magical parents were safe and had a smooth introduction into the magical world. Although it was a difficult transition period to ensure and wasn't always smooth it was a difficult mission.

"So why are you here," came the whiny voice of his fellow first-year, Pansy Parkinson. However, she quieted down when she saw the glare.

"My parents paid for me to come here. That's not money to be wasted." His dry response caused some students to look at him weirdly, it wasn't a secret to anyone who knew that the Potter family was loaded. And a lot of them had rich families where money wasn't something to be concerned about. Freya nodded in understanding whereas Daphne and Blaise seemed to understand his viewpoint and Tracey nodded but her face showed she understood more than most would.

Before any more questions could be asked, Hadrian abruptly stood up, straightening out his wax cotton robe and turned away from the table leaving the group watching him from the distance.

Further up on the Slytherin table a sneer built up on the face of Draco Malfoy as he watched Potter leave. Letting an annoyed groan out of his mouth, his brow setting down more and eyes watching his adversary leave with barely concealed hate, "Who does that filthy half-blood think he his," he muttered to himself. "My father will hear about Potter and he'll put him in his place."

And on the teachers' table, the sallow-skinned professor watched the son of his lost love and enemy walk out of the hall, in his opinion swagger out just like his father. His eyes were locked in on the back of his head, staring through the pitch-black hair his eyes burning through him. Not that he received an acknowledgement from the boy since the day he gave him his timetable. Those angry eyes reminded him of that day in his fifth year when everything changed, though hate-filled betrayed eyes, the stiffened posture and anger he saw coming from her was visible in him but there was a foreign feeling to it, the anger felt aged, as if it was barrelled away to be aged. Such anger didn't belong in the eyes of an eleven-year-old but he would stamp it out and make sure the brat knew his place in Slytherin house and his classroom.

-Line Break-

Potions Corridor, The Dungeons, Hogwarts

The dungeons to most students at Hogwarts were a mopy cold uninviting space to be. This is why it made sense for Severus Snape to teach in such an environment. The cold tan stone walls reflected the sickly deep green of the Great Lake, making the corridor feel much colder. The smell of the corridor was slightly reminiscent of a dirty decaying swamp, with the mixture of smells coming from the Potions room in the far corner. Portraits of former successful Slytherins stood tall on different areas on the wall, some high up, some down low, and others standing from the ceiling down to the floor. Merlin, Morgana, Salazar Slytherin, Phineas Nigellus Black, Omnius Gaunt and Sebastian Sallow to name a few.

As the first-year Gryffindors made their way through the dingy dungeon corridor, huddled up in a group, observing as they were led towards the Potions room by fifth-year prefect, Percy Weasley. Hermione Granger was in the front of the group conversing with him, as they talked each other's ears off about Potions as her arms were wrapped around the thick potions book she had on her person. Neville Longbottom shuffled along next to her nervous and being careful about where he looked and stepped as if if he made a mistake he would be punished dearly for it. Parvati Patel and Lavender Brown gossiped as they walked down the dungeon talking about Witch Weekly but also some of the rumours travelling on the Hogwarts rumour mill some of the most recent topics relating to the most famous member of the student body, Hadrian James Artemis Potter, or as they called him 'Harry Potter'. A somewhat shy girl walked behind them, reading a small book on Quidditch, 'Quidditch Through the Ages', as she followed the group, her eyes flickering upwards every so often to make sure she didn't walk into anyone or get lost. Fay Dunbar was a late entry into the school year, having her family held up by Ministry Democracy but she was the newest student in the school. Following them were the three other Gryffindor boys, Dean Thomas who was explaining the rules of football to Ron who seemed to refute and argue with every rule arrogantly and loudly talk over him explaining Quidditch to him how his opinion that it was 'the best game in the world' was fact.

And at the back of the group was Cynisca Bishop who kept purple eyes watching the room, her hands rolling a closed police baton in her hands playing with it on her hands. Seeing some of the portraits look down on her as if she was filth pissed her off, her normally royal purple eyes were slightly pale, and she could feel a light hum against her skin as she furrowed her eyebrows.

As the group turned the corner they saw the assembled Slytherins walking towards the open door of the potions room. Draco Malfoy and his two thugs seemed to be leading the group with Pansy Parkinson following them closely, Lilith Moon also followed them with Blaise Zabini and Theo Nott talking with each other. Tracey Davis and Daphne Greengrass seemed to be inside already.

Cynisca took note of the fact Hadrian seemed to be standing far back within the shadows of the torch columns, his eyes following the Gryffindor students who walked him, but as Percy turned to face the students she moved quickly to stand beside Hadrian as he watched the group walk-in and then walked off his head held high, and chest visible out puffed out as if he had achieved something great.

"Potter."

"Bishop," he responded in kind, she noted how his voice remained the same in most encounters, oddly calm quiet and in a dull uninterested voice. But she did take note he did speak more carefully around her. She remembered the woman he was with when they first met in Madam Malkins.

"James Artemis, you used your middle names when we first met," she spoke not asking him but telling him what she knew about him. "But that's not what I'm asking about," feeling his eyes on her she pulled out her closed police baton tossing it in her hands. "That person you were with. Who is she," she spoke as if she was interrogating him.

"My guardian, one of two people who have raised me over the last few years." He spoke not giving her much information. "Sadly I thought Chiron would've given you more information." He said in that dull voice of his getting her attention, so fast she almost dropped her baton as her head swivelled in his direction. But before she could ask a question he turned into the room, taking a seat to the far left of the room beside Daphne Greengrass.

The tables were a dark green compared to the varied dark and light green on the walls. The walls looked like they were starting to peel away from the next exposure to potion fumes. The chairs were rickety with some having no backs. The tables were round allowing four students per table maximum. Shelves surrounded the students full of different-sized jars, some tall, some short and others were either fat or skinny. Full of a variety of different potion ingredients, Abraxan Hairs, Aconite, Adders Fork, African Red Pepper and Sea Salt, Ashwinder Eggs, Bezoar, Bones, Boomslang Skin, Chinese Chomping Cabbage, Chinese Fireball Claw, Dugbog Tongue, Essence of Comfrey, Exploding Ginger Eyelash, Flitterblooms, Flobberworm Mucus, and Pegasus Feathers to name a few. Some of the jars seemed to shine in the light visible from the column of fire that stood dotted around the room.

Hadrian pulled out his parchment, a copy of 'Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger', his enchanted black raven's feather quill, a gift from Babd enchanted by his grandmother to not require ink and to be indestructible in a school environment, and his protective gloves made from the rare Antipodean Opaleye dragon, clean white gloves with black patterns on the back, a crescent moon repurposed into a drawn bow and arrow on the left, and on the right a stags head looking forward with a lily in its mouth. It is a subtle show of wealth and the pull of the Potter family in just a pair of protective gloves.

Immediately the open door, slammed shut as Severus Snape strode his way into the classroom his black robes willowing in the background. He was dressed entirely in black as usually wore the same robes he always wore. His hair fell to his shoulders, greasy as ever and his sallow skin was pale as always a side effect of him not being outside enough but instead choosing to dwell in the dungeons of the prestigious school. He looked down from his crooked nose, glaring down at the next round of 'dunderheads' he would have to deal with this year.

"This is potions, I will not have you foolishly wave your wands, speak silly incantations or faff around in my classroom. Looking at you, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle art and science of potion-making." At this, he noted some of the looks of indignation from some students, especially the bushy-haired Gryffindor who was sitting at the front of the class and looking like she was handing upon his every word. "However, for those select few," he looked down at Draco who smiled at the acknowledgement, "who poses the predisposition and ability, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind, ensnare the senses, I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory," Draco straightened his back at that as did many students, Snape took note of how Hadrian raised a slight sceptical eyebrow as did Daphne Greengrass, "and even put a stopper in death." He took note of how Hadrian's eyes never left him, attentively watching him like a predator. Deeper green eyes with a silver hue. Also how cold purple eyes watched him from a table of Gryffindors.

Immediately he snapped onto the register. As he approached 'P's' he slowed down at the Patel's reading Potter. "Mister Potter. Our…new…celebrity." His voice mocked him with cold black eyes meeting Hadrian's. Deep forest green paled into silvery-green, and laughs came from Draco's crowd of Slytherin as the crowd Hadrian was more around, Blaise, Tracey and Daphne, remained silent. The Gryffindors were silent but Weasley did snicker at the treatment Hadrian was getting.

Snape moved on with the register finishing with Blaise. He waved his wand and the chalkboard wrote up the potion they would make today.

"Potter!" He spoke suddenly, "Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Granger raised her hand as if she was desperate to answer to the degree she would die if she didn't.

"Draught of the living death," Hadrian responded monotonly, his eyes meeting the challenge he could see in Snapes.

"Where would I finish a bezoar," he challenged further. Granger tried to reach up towards the ceiling, leaning up from her chair to make her hand more visible. Pathetic

"The stomach of a goat." - Same voice, same cold eyes, and the tightening of a fist under the table.

Snape hummed with thinned lips, eyes looking upwards, "What is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?" Granger stood waving her hand to get his attention, getting odd looks from other students she didn't pay attention to them, she was just focused on getting Professor Snape's attention.

"There isn't a difference," he paused looking past Snape at the jars of Monkshood and Wolfsbane behind him, "They are the same plant and they share the name of Aconite." He looked at Snape challenging him to ask more.

"Cheating are we Potter?" He spoke loudly with anger decorating his words, fury on his face, before turning towards Granger, "Sit down stupid girl," he sent his cutting words at her, as her face pinked as she shuffled into her chair hiding her face with her bushy hair.

Hadrian didn't dignify his words with a response, simply he kept his face neutral and impartial. This only seemed to further piss off the emotionally incompetent adult who seemed to be targeting the pre-pubescent son of his teen years. "You're as arrogant as your father. An arrogant brat just like your father. Strutting around as if you're better than everyone." He got closer and closer to Hadrian's face to yell at him. As he turned away from Hadrian to where he once stood, he heard Hadrian speak again.

"Are we done here or would you like to show the class more about why you are a pathetic excuse of a teacher?" His voice was thoroughly annoyed, and his silvery green turned into the silver of a knife. Sharp, cold and pointy. "Look at you, you demean the sacrifice of my father, James Fleamont Potter, for what a petty schoolboy rivalry. Look how you have fallen Severus. From the youngest Potions Master in Europe and a friend of my mother to this, a rabid dog that needs to be put down. You disgust me." His voice cut through the thickening silence in the room, as the students watched him incredulously. Hadrian stood up, holding his cypress and laurel wand waving it over his belongings as they floated into his bag with lay beside his stool. Turning away from Snape he walked towards the exit, his knuckles whitened around his wand ready to throw a spell at the disgraced Professor. Hearing shocked gasps Hadrian turned around to see a beaker barreling his way but unfortunately for Snape, Hadrian caught it with his free hand, placed it down by the closet student to him, Cynisca, he nodded towards her and made his way out of the classroom.

As the door slammed shut, he heard Snape yell at the class, "Well? Why haven't any of you copied that down?"

-Line Break-

As the day continued, rumours of what happened during the first year Gryffindor-Slytherin potions lesson spread over the school. Of course, Hadrian couldn't be found during the majority of the day considering after double potions he would need to attend History of Magic but since he had learned of Magical Britain's history through Hecate and she had provided him with books upon books on the subject matter he elected to avoid attending the classes. As the day went on the stories grew more egregious as time went on.

Allegedly Hadrian had bested Snape in a duel.

Snape had tried to kill Hadrian.

Hadrian attacked Snape and tried to kill him.

Snape had thrown the killing curse.

And vice versa.

And of course, they seemed to keep calling him 'Harry Potter'. Hadrian of course refused to acknowledge the stares of students as they watched him from the distance, watching him with eyes of disdain, excitement, fear and other emotions Hadrian rolled his eyes at.

Turning into the Great Hall, Hadrian ignored the eyes that fell to him as the Great Hall fell to a hush. Hadrian looked over them with cold eyes masking his disdain for their behaviour. Looking around he made eye contact with Cynisca whose eyes were studying him, observing him. His words from earlier did leave a mark on her.

But she would stick to trying to learn more about him before she would approach him.