Magda introduced Demelza to Stefan the next day, and the two of them immediately hit it off and became friends. I could tell that they had chemistry, and hoped that they could become a couple eventually. Amy and Andrew had also agreed to started hanging out more often, and with them I was sure that it would only be a matter of time before they became official. That left just me and Harry, though I was taking this more slowly. I knew that the Hogsmeade weekends would be my best chance of spending time alone with him, so I was just waiting for the first one to come around.

That was still some time away though. On the second Wednesday of the year, we were in Potions class with Professor Snape, when yet another unpleasant incident took place. These were becoming all too common in Snape's class, mainly due to how he turned a blind eye to every prank and disruption caused by one of his Slytherins. Today was no exception.

We all entered and took our usual seats. As I sat down, I saw people taking out pieces of already filled parchment, and with a horrible sinking sensation in my stomach, I realised I had forgotten to complete his assigned homework from the previous class on Friday. It was an essay on the correct composition of the Swelling Solution, which we had all struggled with making.

"He wants us to get our essays out Gin" said Demelza, thinking that I'd simply forgotten to take mine out.

I bit my lip

"I, uh, forgot to do mine" I said very quietly

"What, seriously?"

I nodded, gnawing on my lip

Demelza facepalmed and sighed heavily

"Mate, of all the classes to forget to do homework for, you forgot Snape's?"

"I didn't choose to forget anything!" I snapped angrily back at her

"What didn't you choose to forget?" said Snape's voice.

I looked up and found myself staring directly into his dark, soulless black eyes.

Gnawing on my lip, I said "Your Swelling Solution essay, Professor"

"Do you mean to tell me" replied Snape, his voice icy, "that after I explicitly mentioned how important this assignment was at the end of class on Friday, that you have failed to complete it? Do you not remember me specifically saying how this potion is near certain to be on the end of year exams? Well, Weasley?!"

"I do sir"

"Then why" and now he had bent down to look at me more closely, leaning on the desk "did you forget to complete it?"

"How would I know? I can't tell myself not to forget things"

Snape straightened back up.

"That will be two nights of detention Miss Weasley. One for failing to complete the essay, which you will do under my supervision tonight, and another, tomorrow night, for that cheeky response. 50 points will also be taken from Gryffindor. Stay behind after class so we can arrange it. Did anyone else forget, or are you all a hair's width more intelligent than this numbskull?"

There was silence

Snape drew everyone's essays into a pile on his desk with his wand.

"Now that is out of the way, let us move on to today's lesson. We will be making the fire protection potion, which, as the name suggests, will allow you to walk through fire unharmed, IF brewed properly. If it is not, it can actually become fire itself, which would very much defeat the purpose. Let's hope that you will avoid any mishaps today". He said that last sentence with a pointed glance at me. I was interested though, as it sounded exactly like the one Harry had used to get through the fire to face Quirrell. He pointed his wand at the board and the instructions appeared.

"Begin" he said

This potion had a difficult method to follow, but Demelza, who seemed to be starting to excel in this class, helped massively. At one point, she saved me from making a huge mistake which would have led to me starting a fire. With 5 minutes left, it seemed that I might be able to scrape a pass with this one. But of course, fate had to have other ideas. I was just following the last instruction which was to let the potion simmer, when my cauldron suddenly burst into flames. I looked wildly around and up and down the instructions to see how this could have happened, and then I saw it.

On the other side of the room, Yaxley had her wand out underneath her desk and had it pointed at my cauldron. Snape walked over to my desk, put out the fire with water from his wand, then looked down at the smouldering remains.

"What is this supposed to be, Weasley?"

"The Fire Protection Potion sir" I said through gritted teeth, with all the Slytherins laughing.

"I can't imagine that this would be any use against a fire personally" he replied, picking up a small piece of molten material. "Another zero for you then, and another night of detention. You will also write me another essay, this time on the correct composition of this potion, and that will be done during your third night"

"But sir, it was Yaxley who-"

"Do you understand me?"

Biting my lip hard, I said "Yes sir". It was taking all of my self control not to lash out. I knew it was pointless to even mention Yaxley. Snape would have easily seen what she had done, as her desk was in the direct line of sight from his.

At dinner, I slammed myself down into a seat.

"I can't fucking stand Snape, honestly". His second night's detention would be for me to clean out all the toilets on the second floor, without magic or assistance. That was in addition to the 2 nights I would have to spend essay writing directly in front of him.

"Well, to be fair mate, you were in the wrong today. You did forget the homework and you talked back to him in a rude manner" said Demelza.

"Yeah, you can't deny that Gin" said Amy

"I know, but Yaxley set my cauldron on fire, didn't she? Who did Snape punish for that, me or her?"

They had no response

"Snape is going to punish me or any Gryffindor for anything, regardless of if it's our fault or not"

As we were heading back upstairs to the common room, we heard a soft commotion coming from a small room which was far along a quieter side passage. We crept along it, with Amy getting to the door first.

She opened it by the tiniest of margins, and when she saw what was inside, she fell to the ground clutching her chest!

"What is it?" I asked urgently

"Andrew is in there, tied up! There's a whole bunch of Slytherins, including my sister, and god knows what their plan is!"