Happy Holidays everyone.
Don't own RWBY. Don't own Harry Potter.
"The next chapter is called the Potions Master," Weiss informed them.
"A chapter for that creepy Snape dude?" Nora asked.
"Well Ruby I guess we'll now see what kind of person he is," Yang said.
Whispers followed Harry the next morning with everyone pointing him out to their friends.
And already Pyrrha got a headache from how similar this was to her first day. Jaune placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
This did not help as Harry was already having a hard enough time trying to find his way around the school.
"Did they not hold tours for new students?" Ren asked. "They did it with us a week before Beacon started."
"They did?" Ruby and Jaune asked.
"You were not enrolled yet," Yang told her sister.
"What's your excuse Jaune?" Weiss asks. Jaune just rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
There were about a hundred and forty-two stairways in the castle of various styles. Some even were tricky ones that led to somewhere else or had a step you had to avoid. The doors were just as difficult. Some you couldn't get into unless you ask politely. Some you had to tickle in the right spots. Some were just fake doors that didn't actually open.
"Wow it's like you're asking the new students to be late," Blake groaned.
Landmarks were useless here as well as the people in their portraits would move around to visit their neighbors and Harry was convinced that the suits of armor could move around as well.
"Wouldn't surprise me," Nora said.
Nick was the only ghost who would help new Gryffindor's find their way, but Heaven forbid if you crossed paths with Peeves when you were running late. He would just throw junk at you and grab your nose. Filch was possibly worse because if he caught you late for class he would assume you would do no good and try to get you in trouble. Ron and Harry were caught in the worst spot as the door they were trying to go through wound up being the forbidden corridor.
Everyone flinched. "Was there not a do not enter sign on that door?" Ruby asks.
Thankfully Quirrell was passing by and was able to save Ron and Harry.
"That's a relief," Jaune said.
"Wonder what he was doing there? Shouldn't he have his own class?" Weiss asks.
"Probably on a break," Nora shrugged.
Filch also had a hench-cat named Mrs. Norris who would rush towards Filch if a student did the slightest thing wrong. He would show up before the student had a chance to escape. He was probably the only other person in the castle (outside the Weasley twins) who knew all the secret tunnels in the castle.
"Someone takes their job a little too seriously," Weiss grumbled. Kline was never this strict with her.
And then there were the actual classes. As it turns out there's more to magic than waving a wand and saying some funny words.
"I mean it is going to take some practice," Yang said.
"I wonder what other classes besides that and potions the student even needs to take," Weiss wondered.
"You have the book Weiss, why don't you read and find out," Blake suggested.
"Oh, yes, right," Weiss blushed and got back to reading.
Every Wednesday at Midnight they had to study Astronomy and learn about the planets and their movements.
"What does that have to do with magic?" Nora asked.
"People do say that the stars are where science and magic come together," Ren said. "So it might have something to do with that."
Three times a week they would take Herbology with Professor Sprout and learn about all the magical plants.
"Oh that sounds so cool," Ruby said. The garden her dad grew back home was beautiful and she loved playing in it as a child. Yang was also interested, wanting to know what a wizard's garden would be like.
Everyone agreed that the most boring class was History of Magic which was the only class to be taught by a ghost. Professor Binns was already on in his years when the staff room caught fire one day. And he just got up to teach, leaving his body behind him.
"Does he even know he's dead?" Nora couldn't help but wonder in amusement.
"I'm sure he found himself accidentally walking through a wall at some point," Pyrrha said.
"Still that sounds pretty cool. Why would the subject be so boring?" Weiss asks.
"Because it's history," Yang answered.
Charms was teached by Professor Flitwick who was rather small in size and had to stack a pile of books so he could see over his desk. When he called out Harry's name he gave a small squeak and toppled out of sight.
Pyrrha rolled her eyes but everyone else gave a laugh. "Hey I wonder if he taught Harry's parents too?" Ruby asked.
"That would be hilarious. He probably looked up and saw a younger James all over again," Jaune said. At this Pyrrha joined in on the giggling. That would be funny.
Harry was correct in his assumption of Professor McGonagall. She gave a firm speech in their first class about how complex this type of magic is and anyone goofing off will leave her class and never come back.
"You don't think she really means that?" Ruby asks.
"I'm sure she offers a few chances to redeem themselves," Blake assured.
She then gave a demonstration by turning her desk into a pig which got the students really excited but they had a long way to go before they could do that and spent the rest of the lesson taking notes before trying to turn a match into a needle. Granger was the only one who made any progress.
"Well good for her," Blake scoffed with a roll of her eyes.
"Hey! She should be proud of her accomplishments," Weiss defended.
"True, but she does tend to come off as a bit of a show off," Jaune said.
Defense Against the Dark Arts turned out to be a joke. The classroom smelt of garlic as protection from a vampire who he thinks might come back for him. He also mentioned that the turban he now wears was a gift from an African prince in return for getting rid of a zombie, but then changed the subject when asked how he got rid of it.
"So he's a liar to boot," Weiss scoffs with a roll of her eyes.
"Let's just hope he at least teaches the children something," Pyrrha said.
Harry was happy to see that he wasn't behind in his class like he originally thought. Others like him came from Muggle families and with how difficult the curriculum is, not even people like Ron got a head start.
"I mean what did you think, Pureblood or Half-blood wizards would tutor their kids ahead of time?" Ruby asked.
Friday was a special day for Ron and Harry as this was the first time they made it to the Great Hall without getting lost.
"Alright!" Jaune cheered.
"There's something to celebrate," Yang said.
"And it's the start of the weekend so you know the day is going to be great," Nora said.
Harry inquires about their schedule and Ron informs him that they're having double potions with the Slytherins.
"Or maybe not," Nora deflated.
"Yeesh! A double period with Malfoy and with that Snape teacher!" Yang groaned. "I am not going to like this."
"Don't be so quick to judge Yang," Ruby said. "I'm sure Snape is a good person."
He also stated that Snape favored the Slytherins as he's the head of their house.
"Head of House?" Nora asks.
"I think it means a teacher who is responsible for the students in said house," Ren explained.
"Wonder who the other three are?" Blake asks.
Harry would have liked it if McGonagall favored them as she was head of Gryffindor. Not that that stopped her from giving her students a lot of homework yesterday.
"Okay so we got McGonagall for Gryffindor and Snape for Slytherin. Do you think we'll learn about the last two?" Weiss asks, turning the page. On que there was an envelope laying on top of it.
Since the other two houses don't get as much focus I see no harm in telling you now. Sprout is the head of Hufflepuff (and I think that gets mentioned all of once) and Flitwick is the head of Ravenclaw (had to look up online for that one).
"Well that answers that question," Yang said.
The mail started arriving via dozens of owls flying into the room and circling the tables until they found their owners. A sight Harry adjusted to quickly enough.
"That is such a strange sight," Nora giggled.
Hedwig came over every now and again to visit Harry and help herself to some of his toast.
"Awww that's sweet," Pyrrha cooed.
"Yang, can you help me convince dad that we should get a pet owl?" Ruby asked.
Yang shook her head. "I don't think they would be trained like Hedwig is. And are you intending on replacing Zwei?"
Ruby gasped in mock offence. "I would never! But there's nothing wrong with Zwei having a friend."
This time however she actually has a note for him from Hagrid, inviting Harry over to tea after class since they get out early on Fridays.
"Awesome!" Nora cheered. "Early school day and a visit to Hagrid's. Can't see this day going wrong."
Harry sent off his response before heading off to Potions class which wound up being his worst class yet.
"Yep. Knew it. This Snape is a jerk," Yang said.
"You don't know that Yang. Maybe there was an accident or something," Ruby countered.
Harry was under the impression that Snape didn't like Harry but it turns out he was wrong.
"See," Ruby said.
It wasn't simple dislike. Snape straight up hated Harry.
Yang just crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. Her point was proven.
Like with Flitwick, Snape paused at Harry's name when taking roll calls and called Harry their "new celebrity".
Surprisingly, Weiss was the one to shout first. "You're a teacher! You're supposed to be more professional than calling out a famous student."
After roll call, Snape started to explain what his class entitles. As a wand isn't required in this class, it might not seem like magic at first. But Potions is just as important and just as powerful. Snape intends to teach them how to brew things like fame, glory, and even stop death. So long as they aren't a bunch of big "Dunderheads" like other students he has to teach.
Anger that has left the students after Harry left the Dursleys returned tenfold with that comment.
"Why is this guy even teaching?" Blake asks.
"Why did Dumbledore even hire him?" Jaune asks.
"I'm sorry Yang. You were right. This guy is a total bully," Ruby said.
Snape then calls on Harry, asking him what happens when you add asphodel to wormwood. Harry had no idea what he was talking about. Granger however, raised her hand.
"It's the first day. You haven't taught them anything yet," Jaune said.
Snape mocked Harry claiming that fame wasn't everything before asking where one can find a bezoar.
Both Weiss and Pyrrha curled their hands into fists.
Granger kept her hand in the air while Harry once again admitted he didn't know the answer. Malfoy and his goons were snickering in the background. Snape scoffed claiming that Harry didn't seem to bother to open a book before term started.
"Look bub, aside from Granger apparently, no one is able to memorize a whole textbook!" Blake shouted.
"And like Jaune said, it's the first day!" Nora added.
"Not to mention the fact that this is their first year," Ruby said. "If they were older students I'd probably get it but everyone here is completely new to this.
Harry got annoyed as he had read some of his textbooks but it's not like he's expected to remember everything. Snape continued his quizzing by asking Harry what the difference is between monkshood and wolfsbane? Granger stood up. Her hand shaking slightly.
"Granger, give it up. He's not going to call on you," Yang said.
"Yeah, Snape's doing this to single Harry out for whatever reason," Jaune said.
Harry once again said he doesn't now but apparently Granger does. So why not have Snape ask her?
Some of the Beacon students snorted at that. "Perfect Harry!" Ruby cheered.
"Yeah, way to put that teacher in his place," Yang said.
"He is a teacher though," Pyrrha reminded him. "Harry might have just gotten himself into some trouble." The students tensed at that.
Snape snaps at Granger to put her hand down before answering the questions. Asphodel and wormwood make a powerful sleeping potion known as the Draught of the Living Dead. A bezoar is from the stomach of a goat and can counter most poison. And monkshood and wolfsbane are the same thing which also has the name aconite. He then asks the class why they aren't copying this down.
"Because you didn't tell them too," Nora said, like it's the most obvious answer in the world.
"Who's bright idea was it to give a plant three different names? That's just confusing," Ruby said.
The students then did as instructed and Snape took a point off of Gryffindor for Harry's cheek.
"That's surprisingly tame given what we just saw of him," Pyrrha said.
"Right," Weiss agrees. "You'd think he'd taken more or had given Harry detention."
Things went worse from there. As everyone paired off to make a potion to cure boils, Snape would go around the classroom criticizing everyone's potions save for Malfoy who he praised.
"And showing favoritism to a specific student," Blake noted. "Can this guy get any worse?"
"Blake, you might have just jinxed it," Yang said.
Neville on the other hand had completely melted Seamus's cauldron, causing the potion to spill all over Neville and onto the floor which started burning holes in people's shoes. Neville himself was covered in painful boils.
"Oh no!" Ruby cried out.
"I hope he's going to be okay," Jaune said.
"How did that even happen?" Ren wondered.
Snape shouted at Neville calling him an idiot, figuring that he added the porcupine quills before taking the potion off the fire before ordering Seamus to take Neville to the hospital wing.
Everyone was too stunned to even be mad. Ruby looked on the verge of tears.
Snape then rounded on Harry wanting to know why he didn't say anything and thought Neville messing up his potion would make Harry look good. Because of that Snape took another point from Gryffindor.
Ignoring the smoke from her sister's hair Ruby growled "Okay one: Harry is supposed to be focusing on his own potion, not his classmates. Two: How does Neville messing up his potion make Harry look good?"
Harry tried to argue but Ron kicked him under their table warning Harry not to push it in case Snape gets any worse.
"How can anyone be worse than this?" Nora asks.
Harry left the classroom in low spirits an hour later. How could he have lost two points for his house in the first week? Why does Snape even hate Harry so much?
Nora laughed at that but it was strained. "It's just two points. Some of the older students probably lost more on the first day."
"That is a good question though. What does Snape have against Harry?" Blake wondered.
Ron says not to worry about it as Snape takes points off of Fred and George all the time.
"No offense to Ron's brothers, but Snape probably has a good reason for that," Pyrrha said.
"He probably deserved it," Nora countered.
Ron asked if he could go with Harry to see Hagrid and so the two made their way to the cabin at the edge of the forest. When they got there, they were not only greeted by Hagrid but also by his boarhound named Fang. Who was as sweet as Hagrid was. Hagrid's house was very small, with a small stove in one corner and a massive bed in the other.
"I mean considering he eats at the castle he doesn't need much else does he?" Ruby asked.
"What about using the bathroom?" Jaune asked.
"Probably an outhouse nearby," Nora waved off.
Harry introduces Hagrid to Ron and Hagrid playfully remarks about how often he has to chase Fred and George out of the forest. Hagrid offered them what he called rock cakes but they weren't really editable, though Harry and Ron pretended otherwise.
"Well that is nice of them," Pyrrha said.
"Yeah, but Hagrid clearly needs to work on his cooking skills," Yang noted.
They talked with Hagrid who happily agreed with how annoying Filch is and how much Hagrid wants to introduce Mrs. Norris to Fang.
"Why doesn't he?" Nora asked.
"He probably keeps Fang in his cabin since he wouldn't really need him at the school," Ren answered.
Harry then told Hagrid about their lesson with Snape. But like Ron, Hagrid just brushed the whole thing off saying Snape doesn't like any of his students.
"Again, why is he teaching?" Weiss asks.
Harry argues that Snape really seems to hate him but Hagrid simply asks why Snape would. Though Hagrid did not quite meet Harry's eyes when he said that. He quickly changed the topic to ask Ron about Charlie.
That got the Beacon student's attention. "Does Hagrid know something about that?" Blake wondered.
"Then why not tell Harry about it?" Yang asked.
While Harry wondered whether or not Hagrid changed the subject on purpose Harry spotted an article on the Daily Prophet. It spoke of the break-in at Gringotts that happened at the end of July. Nothing was taken however as the vault had already been emptied by that point. But the goblins refused to tell the reporter what was in it.
"Hey didn't Ron mention that break-in earlier?" Ren asked.
"Yeah, and it happened the same day Harry and Hagrid were there," Jaune figured.
"It had already been emptied earlier," Ruby repeated to herself before she gasped. "Do you think whoever it was, tried to break into vault 713?" she asked the others.
Everyone gasped. "That must be it! Dumbledore knew someone was going to try to seal the philosopher's stone so he sent Hagrid to beat them to it," Weiss said.
"Looks like Hagrid made it just in time," Blake sighed in relief.
"But what exactly is this philosopher's stone anyway?" Ren wondered. "Why would someone want it?"
"Only one way to find out," Weiss said finishing the chapter.
Harry recalled that Ron mentioned the break-in back on the train but left out the date. When he mentioned the break-in to Hagrid, Harry saw that the gamekeeper definitely didn't meet his eyes that time.
"Why keep Harry out of the loop?" Ruby wondered.
"He probably doesn't want Harry involved in this and risks hurting himself," Yang said.
"She's right Ruby," Weiss agreed. "Harry is still just a child. He shouldn't be throwing himself into dangerous situations yet."
As Harry and Ron walked back to the castle Harry had questions running through his mind. Did Hagrid collect the package in time?
"Yes," Pyrrha answers.
Where was the package now?
"Dumbledore might have hidden it somewhere in the school," Yang figured. "Hagrid did say Hogwarts was even safer than Gringotts." Her eyes then widened. "The third floor corridor!"
"What does that have to do with anything?" Blake asked.
"Dumbledore said that area was out of bounds. That must be where the stone is held!" Yang said.
"But Dumbledore said that anyone who enters will die a painful death," Ruby said. "Can that stone actually kill someone?"
"Maybe Dumbledore placed traps around the stone to keep it from harm," Ren suggested.
And did Hagrid know something about Snape that he wasn't telling Harry?
"Probably, but I think we've got bigger things to worry about right now," Blake said.
"Still would like to know what his deal is," Nora muttered.
"Well, I suppose we'll find out tomorrow. That's the end of the chapter," Weiss said, closing the book and handing it back to Blake.
Ruby gave a yawn as her eyes started to droop. It had been a long day. "Right, see you guys in the morning." Team JNPR bided team RWBY goodnight and went back into their room.