Chapter Two
The next morning, Stella woke, jumped out of bed, and rushed to the loo, dressing quickly before braiding her hair behind her head and going back to the dorm room. She grabbed a bit of parchment, quill, and an ink-well, writing to her mum and asking why she hadn't told her about her birth family before she'd come to school. She also told her that she'd been sorted into Slytherin while Ron had gone to Gryffindor, making her feel more isolated than she ever had been. She talked about Draco for a moment before letting the letter dry.
Her dormmates had only just began getting ready when she folded the letter and walked down to the common room, finding Draco writing his own letter. She sat beside him, sighing as she did so. He gave her a tired smile before frowning at her appearance.
"What?" she asked.
"Where did you get your robes?" Draco asked, picking up his quill again and adding a p.s. to his letter.
"We went to the second hand shop in Diagon," Stella shrugged and Draco groaned as Lily joined them.
"Moon, do you have an extra robe that my cousin can use for a few days?" he questioned.
"What's wrong with my robe?" Stella asked, confused as Lily nodded and turned back towards the dorm room. "I don't understand."
"You were born into the most ancient and noble house of Black," Draco stated, sitting up straight again. "You are also in Slytherin. You need to present yourself a certain way."
"I don't want to be presented," Stella whispered to him. "I just want to be… well, me."
"You can be you without second hand robes," he whispered back. "Take that thing off."
Stella sighed, able to tell by Draco's demeaner that she wasn't going to win an argument with him. He reminded her of Percy in that way. She slid the robe off, taking her wand and from her robe pocket in the process. Draco grabbed the robe and tossed it into the fireplace, causing Stella to gasp, staring in shock at his actions. Lily returned quickly, passing the robe to Stella, snorting at her shock.
"Hurry up, Black," she told her.
"Fine," Stella sighed, putting the robe on and putting her wand away before looking to Lily. "Thank you."
"Of course," Lily nodded. "Are we ready for breakfast?"
"I think it's still early for that," Stella shrugged.
"Then why are we up early?" Lily groaned.
"We have letters to send out," Draco shrugged, folding the letter to his mother.
"Is it about Black's lack of proper clothing?" Lily asked, brow raised as she looked Stella over.
"Partially," Draco nodded.
Stella just rolled her eyes before looking to Draco.
"How do we send our letters?"
"We'll use our owls," Draco shrugged.
"I don't have an owl."
"You don't have an… of course you don't. Let's ask an older student how to get to the aviary," Draco shook his head before doing just that.
The fifth year led them to the aviary, helping Stella tie her letter to one of the school birds before sending it on its way. Draco's eagle owl seemed far too regal as it flew off with his letter. They headed back to the castle, the fifth year taking them directly to their seats at the Slytherin table with the rest of their year before going to his own friends, waving off Stella's thanks quickly.
"What are you wearing?" Pansy asked.
"My clothes are terrible. Thank you. I get it," Stella sighed as she put a bit of food on her plate. "Can we move on?"
"Fine," Daphne sighed, pulling Pansy into a conversation quickly.
Stella sighed as Blaise sat beside her, Theodore on his other side. Stella gave him a small smile before turning back to her food. Blaise had actually smiled back, though his smile had been more amusement than anything else. Walter appeared before breakfast ended, leading the first years to potions. Professor Snape had the door open while he sat at his desk and they piled into the room, finding seats quickly. Pansy stole the seat beside Draco quickly, glaring at Stella as she backed away from her.
"Here," Blaise told her, taking her arm gently and leading her to an empty table and pulling her chair out for her.
"Thanks," Stella whispered, sitting down and pulling her potions book out.
Blaise just nodded and sat beside her. Theodore and Lily sat behind them and the tables to their right filled up as well, leaving the left side of the room open for the Gryffindors. The first-year Gryffindors began showing up soon and Stella turned her head, looking for Ron. He walked into the room with Harry and three other boys, all of them laughing at something Ron had said. Harry gave Stella an excited wave when he saw her. She smiled and waved back before catching Ron's eye. He gave her a nod and he and Harry took the table beside hers, Ron on the outside so he was closer to her. Blaise's elbow bumped hers and she turned to him.
"How do you know Potter and Weasley?" he whispered the question.
"I met Harry on the train and I was raised by the Weasley's," Stella said, voice steady and at a normal volume so that all of the Slytherins could hear her.
Draco groaned from his seat in front of her, rubbing his face. She knew he wouldn't like that she'd just announced who she'd been raised by, but she wasn't going to deny her family.
"Is that a problem?" Stella asked to no one in particular.
"Blood traitor," Pansy sniffed, staring straight forward.
"Inbred," Ron scoffed.
"Five points from Gryffindor," Snape spoke up and Stella glared at him as the bell rang, Snape standing to begin teaching. "There will be no silly wand waving or incantations in this class. You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through the human veins, bewitching the minds, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stopper death — if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.
"Potter! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
"I don't know, sir," Harry stuttered.
"Hmm. Let's try again. Tell me, where would I find a bezoar?"
"I don't know, sir," Harry shook his head.
"What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
"I don't know, sir," Harry had shrunk in his seat.
"Clearly fame isn't everything… Black! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" he questioned, Stella having jumped slightly when she's heard her name.
"I think it's Draught of Living Death, sir," Stella said.
"You think or you know?" he asked, brows raised.
"Think," she told him.
Snape rolled his eyes.
"Where would I find a bezoar?"
"The stomach of a goat, sir," Stella answered, actually knowing the answer.
"The difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
"I… don't know, sir. I was told they were the same thing."
"Hmm…" Snape hummed before nodding. "You are correct in all three cases. Five points to Slytherin."
Stella stared in confusion, looking over to Ron and raising a brow. He simply shrugged.
"Well?" Snape demanded everyone's attention. "Why aren't any of you writing this down?"
Quills could be heard scratching across parchment for the remainder of the hour. They took detailed notes, Snape continuing to lecture them through the class for the next hour. At the end of the first hour, the cure for boils was written on the board and they were told to work in pairs to create the potion. Stella pulled out her potions kit as Blaise prepared their cauldron. They worked together, speaking softly back and forth as they read through the directions in their book. Stella looked at the board though, noticing a few differences between the book and the board, deciding to write the differences in her book for Ginny next year.
They followed the board, coming out with a perfect potion before the end of class. Ron stared in shock at her cauldron before being distracted from the cauldron behind them exploding. Snape waved his wand, emptying Neville's cauldron quickly before taking points for not paying better attention. He turned to Blaise and Stella's potion next, staring at it before nodding to Blaise, glaring at Stella, and moving on. They bottled a portion of their potion and wrote their names on it, turning it in on Snape's desk before leaving his class.
"He hates me," Stella repeated.
"Yeah. I'm not sure why," Draco agreed as they continued towards the fourth floor for their next class.
"It's weird. I was told Snape always likes the Slytherins," Lily mumbled.
"Maybe it's because she was raised by blood traitors," Pansy laughed and Theodore grabbed Stella's arm as she turned, ready to punch Pansy.
"You'll get detention," he told her.
"Be worth it to break her pug nose," Stella responded to him, voice low as she tossed a glare at Parkinson.
"You're going to need a babysitter at all times," Theodore let out a quiet laugh.
"Is ickle little Stellakins causing trouble already?" Fred appeared beside her.
"Like the two of you haven't already blown something up," Stella rolled her eyes before a shriek left her as George lifted her into the air, tossing her over his shoulder. "George Fabian Weasley! Put me down this instant!"
"For a price," Fred smirked as he and George ran off with Stella, leaving the other first year Slytherins behind.
"What do you want?" Stella demanded, glaring at Fred as she righted herself on George's shoulder.
"Passwords," Fred shrugged.
"Obviously," George tacked on.
"Not happening," Stella shook her head.
"Fine. We already know the password anyways," Fred waved her off.
"You have Herbology, yes?" George asked.
"Yeah," Stella told him and they headed out of the castle towards the greenhouses ahead of the other first years.
"How are the Slytherins treating you?" Fred asked, voice serious.
"Well, Parkinson and Greengrass are rather rude, but other than that, it's fine. Did you know that I'm related to Draco Malfoy?" she asked him.
"Who?" Fred asked.
"The blond one who was walking beside me," she clarified.
"Oh. No," Fred shook his head, looking thoughtful. "We should have asked you this ages ago. Do you want us to try to figure out who your parents are in the library?"
"You know where the library is?" she smirked and George practically threw her to the ground, catching her at the last second so she didn't actually hit the ground. "Rude. Besides, the sorting hat told me my parents' names. Also, Draco wrote his mum to ask for a book on family lines or something."
"Isn't Malfoy who dad complains about?" George asked.
"Yupp," Stella popped the 'p' as the first year Hufflepuffs and Slytherins joined them. "Don't you two have another sibling to bother?"
"We bothered him in the common room this morning," Fred shrugged.
"Percy, too, but that's more of every moment kind of thing," George smirked.
"Yeah, yeah," Stella waved them off. "Go blow up a toilet seat for Ginny."
"On it!" the twins yelled, saluting Stella and running off.
Stella smirked, shaking her head fondly as she watched them run off. She turned to her classmates again, seeing the Hufflepuffs looking curious and the Slytherins looking annoyed.
"What?" she asked the whole group, receiving no response as the greenhouse doors opened.
Blaise was beside Stella again. Once the teacher set them loose on their plants, he began to whisper to her.
"We're supposed to hold ourselves a certain way," he reminded her. "Professor Snape isn't going to be happy about that little show."
"They're my brothers," Stella defended quietly.
"I get that," Blaise sighed. "I'm just warning you."
"Thanks," Stella gave him a smile.
"No problem, Black," Blaise nodded.
The two worked in silence after that, Stella giving a few pointers every so often.
"How did you know all of that?" Blaise asked as they headed back towards the school.
"I work in the garden a lot for chores," Stella shrugged.
"Wait, what?" Theodore asked, coming to her other side. "Did you just say you have chores in the garden?"
"Yes," Stella nodded. "It's great except for the gnomes. Little buggers like to bite."
"You are one strange witch, Black," Theodore sighed.
"Why do people keep calling me by my last name?" Stella asked them.
"Because it's proper," Blaise stated.
"I've been calling you Theodore and Blaise in my head," she admitted. "Feels strange calling you by your last names."
"Our names are our titles," Theodore shrugged.
"You are whoever you chose to be," Stella disagreed. "Are you Nott, or are you Theodore?"
"Nott," Nott answered and Stella sighed.
"You actually have a good point," Blaise offered. "We are more than our titles. Our titles are the first thing people see about us though so it's important that we make ourselves presentable at all times."
"So the dirt under our nails is a no?" Stella smirked, looking down at her own nails.
"Why didn't you wear gloves?" Nott asked.
"We couldn't afford new ones," Stella shrugged. "Plus, we aren't working with anything dangerous this year. I read through the syllabus just in case."
"Merlin, Black," Blaise groaned. "You're so improper."
"I'd rather be improper. It's more fun."
"Go wash your hands," Theodore pushed Stella towards the girls bathroom.
"Fine," she grumbled.
Once the dirt was out from under her nails, Stella found the two boys still waiting for her, Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle having joined them. She smiled to Draco before they headed to lunch, sitting as they had that morning. As lunch was coming to an end, two owls flew towards the Slytherin table as Fred and George ran into the Great Hall, seemingly out of breath and trying to look innocent. Stella rolled her eyes when she saw them before staring at the black owl that landed in front of her with a letter, sticking its leg out to her. Stella untied the letter and opened it, brows raising a bit as she read.
'Miss Stella Black,
My name is Narcissa Malfoy nee Black, your father's cousin. When I read Draco's letter this morning, I was rather shocked by the news of you appearing at Hogwarts, especially being accompanied by a Weasley. I'm not sure why you weren't placed in the care of another family member but I do hope that you'll write back so that I may get to know you. I shall speak to Molly Weasley about you coming to visit over the Summer holidays as well if you wish.
Draco told me that you didn't know anything about our family, not even the fate of your father. I have attached a news clipping of when he was arrested so that you may read what was printed. I do not know why he turned out the way that he did, as we lost contact while he was still in school. I will be sending you a few books as well.
I am also told that you were not aware that you are heiress to the Black family fortune. As the eldest child of the eldest male Black, you control the family vaults, trusts, and businesses. I'm sure a trip to Gringotts will explain everything. You should go as soon as possible so that you may claim your heir ring as well. If you do not claim it by your twelfth birthday, it goes to the next family member in line. I can take you myself if you wish.
I am sending you some proper robes. Consider it a missed birthday present. I hope you are enjoying Slytherin house. If anyone gives you a hard time, let me know and I'll speak to their family. Tell me about your first day?
Signed,
Narcissa Malfoy'
"Your mum is very… proper," Stella told Draco, opening the newspaper article and staring at it.
"What's that?" Theodore asked, looking over her shoulder. "Oh."
"This is my father?" Stella asked Draco, letting him see what she was holding.
"Yupp," Draco nodded, going back to him own letter.
"You've never seen him before?" Theodore asked, voice soft.
Stella just shook her head, still staring down at the photo. She didn't even realize that a tear had escaped her until Theodore wiped it away quickly, causing her to jump.
"Don't let them see," he whispered to her.
Stella nodded, taking a calming breath as she folded the article and letter back up. She stood then, leaving the Great Hall. Theodore and Blaise followed after her.
"I want to be alone," she tried.
"Professor Snape said to travel together," Blaise reminded her.
"If anyone hurts me, Fred and George will eat them alive," Stella defended.
"Still," Blaise told her, walking beside her now as they headed to the common room, having a break after lunch.
"Fine," she sighed as they reached the portrait. "Emerald."
The portrait opened and the three stepped inside to find Snape standing on the other side, eyes locked on Stella.
"Black. Follow me," he told her.
"Yes, sir," Stella nodded, following Snape back out of the common room and to his office.
Blaise and Theodore shot her sympathetic looks before going over to the chess table. Stella kept her head down as she followed Snape, sitting when he told her to and looking up again.
"Miss Black, would you like to tell me what happened between my class and Herbology?" Snape asked, brow raised.
"My brothers snuck up on me and carried me to class," she admitted freely.
"Did I not make myself clear on how you are to carry yourself in this castle?" he asked.
"You did," she nodded. "As I said, sir, they snuck up on me. I told them to put me down."
"There's also the issue of your robes," he told her.
"Draco's mum is sending me new robes," she told him.
"Why do you not already have new robes?" he asked.
"They're new to me," she mumbled.
"What was that?"
"Sorry, sir. Nothing, sir. This is what we could afford."
"Yes, I heard your outburst this morning," Snape rolled his eyes. "You'll have detention with me Wednesday."
"But, sir…" Stella went to defend herself.
"Further arguments will result in more detentions. Am I understood?"
"Yes, sir," Stella ground her teeth together.
"Good. Through that door. It'll take you straight to the common room," he told her, dismissing her.
Stella walked through the door, absolutely fuming. Blaise and Theodore gave her sad smiles as she headed straight to her dorm room. She grabbed the pillow off of her bed, ignoring Lily and Tracy as they asked what was wrong, choosing to scream into the pillow instead for a solid thirty seconds before pulling it away from her face. She set the pillow down and took in a deep, calming breath before looking to Lily and Tracy.
"I'm fine," she told them before leaving the room again.
Both girls watched her go, both extremely confused. They looked to one another and shrugged before going back to their potions notes, studying. Stella plopped down into the chair beside Blaise, watching as he moved his knight into a bad spot. Sure enough, Theodore took his knight without hesitation.
"Rook to B4," Stella spoke up and the piece moved, blocking Theodore's next move that would have put Blaise in checkmate.
"No teaming," Theodore grumbling staring at the pieces and trying to change his tactics.
"Where'd you learn how to play chess?" Blaise asked, smirking at the board.
"Ron. I've never beaten him, though," Stella sighed.
"Draco's really good. Ask him to help you get better," Theodore stated. "Queen to C5. Check."
Blaise looked to Stella and she rolled her eyes before smiling.
"Knight to C5," she spoke and Blaise scooted his chair over, giving Stella the spot in front of the pieces.
"Bishop to F7. Check."
The two went back and forth, Stella trying to save the game before admitting defeat. They reset the board and Stella demolished Theodore easily, smiling before they headed to their next class. The three talked excitedly about their favorite Quidditch teams. Well, as excitedly as they could get away with, all three trying to seem more posh than they truly were.
Percy had officially pissed Stella off. She knew she wasn't supposed to ask anyone who wasn't a Slytherin how to get to a class, but she thought she could trust her older brother that had always let her borrow his books. No. Instead, she was lost on the fourth floor, Percy's directions having lead her in a circle to a dead end.
"This way," a ghost spoke, chains shaking as he led Stella to the Transfiguration classroom just in time.
She thanked the Bloody Baron a few times before taking the seat beside Theodore.
"Where were you?" Theodore asked.
"Mum wrote me. I was going to read it away from everyone else, but then I remembered that we have Transfiguration," she explained in a whisper. "Percy told me the wrong directions."
"Who?"
"Doesn't matter," she sighed as Professor McGonagall called everyone's attention to the front of the room.
Stella looked around, noticing Harry and Ron missing from the Gryffindors. She gasped when the professor turned into a cat, smiling brightly.
"Wicked," she whispered.
She began copying down the notes from the board before hearing the door slam open. She turned, finding Ron and Harry rushing into the room. They seemed relieved before McGonagall turned into her human form again.
"That was bloody brilliant," Ron breathed.
"Why thank you Mister Weasley," McGonagall responded before threatening to turn one of them into a map and then a pocket watch.
They took their seats on the other side of Stella, Ron copying Stella's notes quickly as new notes appeared on the board. Stella moved the parchment closer to him so he could see it better, Harry copying Ron's notes as he went so they both had what they needed. At the end of the class period, McGonagall told them that by the end of next week they would be able to turn a needle into a matchstick.
Ron grabbed Stella's arm the moment they were out of the door, dragging her away. Blaise and Theodore followed quickly, wands drawn and glaring at the redhead.
"Ron, why are you dragging me?" Stella demanded, pulling her arm from his grip.
"I just wanted to catch up," Ron shrugged, giving Stella a confused smile.
"You don't need to drag me for that," Stella smiled softly before turning to face the other three boys. "This is Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott. Zabini, Nott, this is Harry Potter and my brother, Ron Weasley."
The Slytherins had already put their wands away and simply nodded at Harry and Ron, staying quiet.
"Why'd they follow us?" Ron stage whispered the question.
"Because they're my friends and a Gryffindor that they don't know grabbed me and dragged me out of our class," Stella stage whispered back before going back to her normal voice. "Honestly, Ron. There was no point to that. We have the same class next. You could have just walked with us to it."
"Oh," Ron slumped down a bit and Stella let out a soft laugh.
"Come on. No need to be late again."
The group of five made their way to class, Ron and Stella catching up before they reached the classroom. Stella and Ron sat in the center of the room so they could stay beside one another, the Slytherins taking the right side of the room and the Gryffindors taking the left just as they had in potions. The two took notes, passing a note back and forth between themselves so they could keep talking, Stella ending up the last one with the note at the end of class. She placed it in her class book before putting everything into her bag, walking with the five boys once again, all ending up in the main hall for lunch. They went their separate ways, Stella smiling more brightly than normal now that she'd had time with Ron.
Her smile fell however when two howlers flew through the hall, one landing in front of Stella and the other landing in front of the twins. She stared in confusion as Fred opened his letter, listening as mum yelled at him and George for actually blowing up a toilet seat and sending it to Ginny. Stella grabbed her letter, leaving the hall and going to the girls bathroom before opening the smoking thing.
"Stella Black! How dare you help Fred and George to blow up a toilet! They don't need your help causing chaos in the school, especially on the first day of classes! And I hear you received a detention for improper behavior from you head of house? I am beyond disappointed in you!"
Stella stared in shock as the letter tore itself apart, small flames falling to the floor. She felt tears leaving her eyes as confusion washed over her. She remembered Theodore's words though and wiped her eyes, drying her tears quickly before leaving the loo. She walked straight to the Gryffindor table, glaring at the twins as she approached them.
"Hey, Stell," George said.
"What'd you get a howler for?" Fred asked, genuinely curious.
"Did you tell mum I helped you blow up a toilet?" she demanded from them.
"Stella, you aren't supposed to be over here," Percy stepped in.
"Shove off," Ron and Stella told him together, Ron and Harry joining them now.
"We didn't tell her that you helped," George shook his head, seeming confused.
"We didn't even tell her about the toilet. She got a letter from the school," Fred defended.
"Well, she wrote me a howler because she seems to think I helped the two of you," Stella told them.
"We'll write her," Fred promised, seeing how upset Stella was.
"We promise, Stella," George nodded along.
Stella sighed before turning and heading back to the Slytherin table, taking her spot between Draco and Blaise again. She poked at her lunch but didn't eat it, feeling a bit nauseous after the howler. Fred, George, Ron, and Harry kept sending her concerned looks as they ate, seeing how Stella wasn't eating anything. Draco tried to distract her but she didn't want to hear about her birth family in the moment, too distracted by the words her adoptive mum had said to her.
Stella flopped onto her bed after classes, grabbing the letter that her mum had written to her before the howler had come. She opened it, hands shaking.
'Stella,
I know you're upset with us for not telling you about your parents but, really? Getting yourself put in Slytherin to spite us for it? That's going to affect your future, darling. We'll write to Professor Dumbledore and ask him if you can be resorted but I fear it may be permanent now.'
Stella put the letter down, hands shaking angrily. To spite them? She didn't even know anything about her birth parents yet at that point! And she didn't want to be resorted! The hat put her in Slytherin because that's where she belonged! She let out a frustrated groan before picking the letter up again, reading the rest of it.
'I hope you'll do better in the future, especially in classes. Don't let Ron fall behind just because you're in different houses. I know you'll want to win the house cup, but don't get too competitive over it.
Dad, Ginny and I will be going to Romania for Christmas so you'll stay at the school.
Love,
Mum'
Stella vowed to gain as many house points as possible in that moment, really be sure that the Granger girl wasn't able to get all of the points anymore. She grabbed her potions book, reading through the next few potions they would be making before closing it and heading to her detention, book and self-inking quill in hand. Professor Snape opened the door when she knocked, allowing her entry.
"You'll be washing cauldrons for the next half hour," he told her. "You will not be needing your… is that your potions book?"
"I wanted to ask you a few questions before I start my detention if that's alright, sir?" Stella asked and he saw the determination in her eyes.
"What questions would that be?" he asked.
"Well, I noticed that the directions you wrote on the board were different from that in the book. Even a few of the ingredients were different. I was wondering if we'll be using any other ingredients in tomorrow's potion."
"You will see tomorrow in class," he told her, brow raised in challenge. "What brought this on?"
"My mum thinks I tricked the hat into putting me into Slytherin to spite her for something I didn't know about until after the sorting. She also basically told me not to outshine Ron. I want to earn as many points as possible for my house now, sir. Prove a bit of a point."
"Yes. I heard that a Molly Weasley asked for you to be resorted."
"I don't want to be resorted, sir. I'm right where I belong," Stella stood tall, looking proud.
"Yes, I believe you are," Snape nodded. "Very well. Have a seat. This will be how you serve your detention today."
Professor Snape walked Stella through the changes to the strengthening potion. He told her two ingredients that would be used that weren't in the book and why, Stella writing notes in the margins of her book quickly as she listened intently. They went over the Wiggenweld potion as well, that one taking quite a bit more time than the strengthening potion did. An hour and a half had passed before Professor Snape realized the time and sent Stella back to the common room.
Stella smiled as she skipped into the common room, feeling rather proud of herself before she went to bed. The next morning, Stella sat in the same seat she'd been in on the first day of class, Blaise sitting beside her. Professor Snape walked into the classroom, causing a silence to fall over the room.
"Who can tell me two ingredients that can be added to a strengthening potion to speed up the brewing process?" he questioned.
Stella and Hermione's hands both hit the air, Hermione glaring at Stella.
"Miss Black."
"Herbaria and poppy seeds, sir," Stella stated.
"Correct. Ten points to Slytherin," Professor Snape stated and Hermione scowled heavily at Stella. "Copy the notes on the board and then begin making the potion. You have forty-five minutes."
Stella copied the notes as quickly as possible, already having some of the notes from the night before. She started the cauldron that sat between herself and Blaise, beginning the potion as he finished taking his notes. Stella pushed her book between them, opening it and showing Blaise all of her notes so he could follow along with her instructions. The two completed the potion first, turning in a portion of the potion.
"Twenty points," Snape told them. "A perfect potion."
"Thank you, sir," Stella smiled.
"She cheated!" Hermione yelled, holding up Stella's book.
"How so, Miss Granger?" Snape asked, eyes narrowing at her.
"She has a bunch of notes in her book," Hermione stated. "Look."
"She read ahead and made notes in her book," Snape rolled his eyes. "Twenty points from Gryffindor for disrupting my class, Miss Granger. Perhaps you should take the same initiative Miss Black did and read ahead? Maybe then I would be staring at two outstanding potions instead of one outstanding and one acceptable."
Granger shrank under Snape's gaze and Stella snatched her book back, sending a glare at the girl. She walked back to her seat, smirking at Blaise as she sat down and turning to the page with the cure for boils, deciding to read through that one and try to figure out on her own what she could do to it. She wondered if she could get Professor Snape to look it over once she was done and tell her if she'd gotten everything or not.
Herbology was next and Stella made sure to answer every question, already acquainted with the syllabus and the plants from the garden at the Burrow. She ended up only getting twenty points for answering five questions before a Hufflepuff was given ten for answering one. She glared at Sprout for a moment before rolling her eyes and working with her plant, making sure that it was perfect before turning it in before anyone else. Stella ignored the anger she felt when a Hufflepuff got another ten points for their plant, which was tossed into its pot haphazardly. The other Slytherins noticed the treatment as well though, seeming angry for her.
During lunch and their break, Stella opened her transfiguration book, reading through the spell they were working on. She grabbed the needle from her sewing kit that Molly had given her and practiced the spell over and over until the bell rang, her needle thickening a bit and changed its color to more of a light brown. Blaise and Theodore smirked as they watched her, excited to see how this class would go.
They began practicing in Transfiguration and Stella slipped her robe off of her arms. Ron looked over as Stella got her needle to change color and thickness again, a small nub forming on the end of her needle. She continued trying as McGonagall walked around the room. She watched as Stella almost got the spell, moving her wand precisely and just needing the nub to turn red at this point.
"Five points," McGonagall told her before walking away to check the other students, stopping in front of Granger. "Oh. Ten points."
Stella turned her head sharply, staring at Hermione's needle that had only thickened so far. Granger sent her a smirk as Stella stared at McGonagall in disbelief. Her glare hardened and she looked down at the almost matchstick. She got the spell halfway through the class period, raising her hand to call McGonagall over. McGonagall struck the match and it lit, a large flame appearing on the end.
"Five points, Miss Black."
Stella glared at her back as she continued her rounds around the classroom. Blaise let out a scoff and McGonagall turned to him.
"Yes, Mister Zabini?" she asked.
"You gave Granger ten points for making the smallest bit of progress, but Stella only got five for a great deal of progress and then for being the first one to get it," Blaise answered.
"You do not tell me how to distribute points in my classroom," McGonagall narrowed her eyes.
"I just think it'll be interesting to see what the headmaster has to say about the blatant favoritism that you and Professor Sprout are showing to your own houses," Theodore spoke up.
"Snape gave her extra points in his class," Ron tried.
"Professor Snape gave her points for answering his question, making a perfect potion, and turning in their potion before the rest of the class," Draco corrected. "Just as the other professors should."
Stella stared at Ron, eyes narrowed. He glanced at her and looked away quickly, face turning bright red under her gaze.
"Ten points from all four of you," McGonagall stated.
"All four?" Stella asked, looking shocked. "What did I do?"
"You seem like the ring-leader of your little group. Seems only fair."
"Fair," Stella laughed. "How is any of this fair? You showed favoritism towards one of your students and, when it got pointed out by students who aren't in your house, you take points from people who weren't even involved in the conversation!"
"Detention, Miss Black. With your head of house tonight," her stern voice responded.
"And now you're passing out detention because you know that I'm right," Stella let out another laugh. "Bloody brilliant, miss."
"A week of detention. Would you like to make it a month?"
"Gladly," Stella sneered, not caring in the slightest as she stared McGonagall down.
"Fine. A month it is. Take this note and go see Professor Snape. Maybe he can teach you a bit of respect."
"Maybe you should earn it," Stella stated as she left the room.
The walk to the dungeons helped Stella calm down until dread started to settle into the pit of her stomach. Professor Snape was going to be rather cross with her for behavior. She hoped the boys would be alright. She was too lost in thought to even realize that a spell had been flung at her back, locking her in place mid-step. She looked around with just her eyes in confusion before two older students in Ravenclaw robes moved to in front of her, both looking rather pleased with themselves.
"Well, what do we have here?" one of them asked.
"Looks like a little garden snake to me," the other answered.
"Mum always kills the garden snakes in our yard," the first one nodded. "Cuts the heads clean off."
"Hmm. Wonder what the equivalent here would be…"
"I've got it!" the second one nodded, waving his wand and whispering a spell.
Stella fell backwards, feeling blood spurt from her nose and letting out a groan of pain from the impact of the spells that had been thrown at her while she'd been unable to move. The two laughed before wondering off. The spell that held her still lifted and Stella stood slowly, a few tears escaping her eyes. She pulled herself up using the wall. It took her the next ten minutes to get to Professor Snape's office, breathing heavily as her ribs ached. She knocked on his door, hearing him tell her to enter. She tried the doorknob but slipped, falling to the floor and letting out a shriek of pain. The door flung open, Snape staring down at her with wide eyes. He gasped, kneeling down beside her.
"What happened?" he demanded.
"Hurts," Stella whimpered, hands wrapped around her middle.
Snape began waving his wand over her before he began whispering healing spells under his breath, a patronus being shot off in the process. A woman in healer robes appeared a few moments later, looking rather panicked as she kneeled beside Snape, helping him with the healing spells.
"Episkey," she muttered and Stella hissed as her nose snapped back into place.
The blood disappeared and Stella was able to breathe again as her ribs were healed and her head stopped throbbing. Stella let out a long breath, sitting up slowly with the help of her head of house.
"What happened?" he asked again.
"Professor McGonagall sent me to you. On the way here, two older Ravenclaws caught me," Stella explained.
"What did they look like?" Snape asked.
"Fifth years, I think? One was blonde and the other was a brunette with a lot of freckles," Stella told him.
"Can you stand?"
"I think so," Stella nodded, standing slowly with the help of Professor Snape.
"I shall alert the headmaster of the attack," the woman stated, bustling away.
"Inside my office. Come," Snape told her, leading her inside.
Stella sat in the same chair she'd been in the night before, feeling almost back to normal now. Snape rummaged through a cabinet for a moment before pulling out a potion and going back to her side. He passed her the potion and she stared at it in confusion before looking up to Snape. He raised his brow, as if darling her to question his actions. Stella took the potion, grimacing at the taste before passing him the empty vial.
"Healing potion," he explained. "It'll speed the process along. You had a broken rib trying to go through a lung."
"Explains why I couldn't breathe very well," she sighed.
"Why were you sent to me?" Snape asked, sitting behind his desk.
"Here," Stella sighed, passing him the note before she began speaking again. "McGonagall was being unfair about points and Blaise, Theodore, and Draco pointed it out. She took points from all four of us. When I pointed out that I hadn't said anything, she gave me detention and, when I continued pointing out how unfair she was being, I ended up racking up a months' worth."
Snape let out a sigh.
"You will learn that the other professors show a bit of prejudice towards the Slytherin students."
"Oh, I figured that out in Herbology," Stella stated. "Professor Sprout showed favoritism, as well."
"Of course she did," Snape rubbed his eyes tiredly before looking to Stella. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," she shrugged. "I shouldn't have spoken back."
"I meant from the attack."
"Oh. Yeah. I should have been paying better attention."
"You shouldn't have to pay better attention," Snape told her. "You are a first year and they were older students. They shouldn't have attacked you."
"At least I know why you told us to travel in larger groups now," Stella sighed, relaxing in her seat. "Will I be scrubbing cauldrons for the next month?"
"What classes do you have tomorrow?"
"Charms and Defense."
"Go get your books," Snape waved towards the door.
Stella walked through the door, racing through the common room to grab her school books. She ran back towards the office, taking a moment to catch her breath and walk through the office door, trying to seem as if she hadn't just ran a marathon. Snape looked her over when she walked in and Stella swore she almost saw him smirk before she sat back down.
"The spell in charms is a levitation spell," Snape told her and Stella opened her book, accepting the parchment and quill that was passed to her.
Stella took notes and then practiced the spell for the next twenty minutes until she finally got it. Snape nodded his approval as Stella lowered the quill back to the desk.
"How much progress have you made in Transfiguration?" he asked.
"Oh, I turned the needle into a matchstick. Got five points for it while Granger got ten for making the smallest amount of progress. It's what caused the entire argument in class," Stella informed him.
"Show me," Snape stated, pulling a needle out of his desk.
Stella turned the needle into a matchstick easily now that she had performed the spell already. Snape nodded again.
"How many points did she take?" he asked.
"Forty in total," Stella shrugged.
"Twenty points to Slytherin for the levitation spell and twenty more for the transfiguration work. Ten for standing up for yourself."
Stella stared at Snape in shock before a smile fell onto her face.
"I believe that may be favoritism, sir," Stella told him.
"Detention, Black."
"Yes, sir. Tack it on to the months' worth."
Stella sat in the headmasters office, fuming once more. He had just asked her what she'd done to provoke an attack, as if she was obviously the one who started it. She could tell his mind was already made up but she told him exactly what had actually happened. He nodded sagely before letting out a sigh.
"Well, Mister Trowbridge and Mister Gilbert say that you provoked them. I guess it'll just have to be a 'he-said, she-said' situation," Dumbledore told her.
"What? 'He-said, she-said'? Even if I had provoked them, which I didn't, they threw spells at me. How is that alright?" Stella demanded, forcing herself not to cry.
"They are serving detention tonight for the spells," Dumbledore assured her. "You are dismissed."
Stella stalked out of the room, heading straight to her detention with Professor Snape. She knocked on his office, tossing herself into her chair once he'd told her to enter. She crossed her arms over her chest, anger clear on her face.
"What has happened now?" Snape sighed.
"I just got back from the headmasters office," she told him. "They're saying I provoked them, which I didn't. He doesn't plan to actually do anything. They got detention tonight but probably nothing else."
Snape just stared at her.
"Sorry, sir," Stella mumbled, sitting up and pulling out her Defense book. "I already wrote my defense essay."
"I'll look over it. I already made notes on your potions essay. You may look over it now and see the other changes you could have made," he told her and they exchanged essays.
Stella read through the changes, writing in her potions book as she went. Ginny was going to be the most well-prepared first year in existence once Stella gave her the potions book.