Hogwarts: My New Home (HP FanFic)

First Day of Lessons

Disclaimer: I don't own any places, characters, spells, or creatures. Except for Maddi, Mrs. Allen, and the people at the sorting which I may or may not actually use in my story.

Chapter 11: First Day of Lessons

I was awakened by someone bouncing on my bed. "Wake up, Maddi! Today's our first day of lessons!" Ginny shouted in my ear. Grumbling, I got up and pulled on my robes which now had a Gryffindor crest on them. I fixed my tie and brushed my hair and teeth. As soon as I was finished, Ginny dragged me down the stairs, out the portrait hole, and down to the Great Hall. Neville was already sitting and eating a piece of toast. I sat next to him while Ginny sat across from us. I had all the same classes with Ginny.

"I'll meet you guys here for lunch after our 1st class." I told Neville since Ginny went off by some of the other Gryffindor first years. I left to go to my first class since Ginny was still talking with the other girls. I dragged my feet, but not enough to make me late for Potions. I was one of the first Gryffindors in the room. I sat in the back and pulled out my supplies. Ginny and the girls that she was talking with earlier walked into the room and came in the back by me. Ginny sat next to me and a girl, Emily, along with another girl, Mikayla, sat in front of us. All of the chattering stopped as soon as the big, black-robed, and greasy haired, man entered the room.

"Silence," he called, but there was no need to. He pulled out a scroll of parchment and took roll call. After he had finished, he looked up at the class. His eyes were cold and empty that made me think of dark tunnels. "My name is Professor Snape and you will address me as such."

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began. He spoke in barley more than a whisper, but we caught every word. He had the gift of keeping the class silent without effort. "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 human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses...I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death-if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Everyone was silent after the little speech. Ginny and I exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. Most of the Slytherins were on the edge of their seats looking desperate as if ready to prove that they weren't dunderheads.

Snape paired us up. I was with Emily. We were told to make a simple potion to cure boils. Emily got the supplies and we set to work on the instructions that were put on the board by magic. Snape was sweeping around the room in his long black cloak, watching us weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs. He criticized everyone and then came over to Emily and me who were sweating from the heat. He looked at our potion which we had finished and it was the perfect shade of blue. He simply sneered at me and walked to the front of the room. "Put a sample of the potion in a flask and put your name on it. Leave when you are done." Emily put our potion in a flask while I put away the extra ingredients and supplies.

"See you at lunch," I whispered to Ginny before I left with Emily. We went to the Great Hall and helped ourselves to lots of food.

"Snape scares me. I thought he was going to bite our head off because you made the potion perfect so he had nothing to say about it." Emily laughed.

"I did not. And I couldn't have done it without you." I laughed back.

"Whatever," she responded and continued to eat. Neville came and sat down by us and piled his plate. A sweaty Ginny followed in afterwards.