Odessa {S.B}

CHAPTER VII

Odessa walked into the greenhouse to see a very nervous-looking Snape standing well back from a large red flower, which was snapping at him menacingly. Professor Sprout tasked them with removing the fangs from Fanged Geraniums. Apparently Professor Slughorn had requested them for the fifth years' Potions lessons, and it just so happened to fit in with the Herbology curriculum.

It was about halfway through the lesson, when Odessa had just been nipped on the finger by her geranium, when she decided to break the silence between her and Snape.

"Are you going to help?" She asked Snape.

"No. Herbology is pointless. It's where simple people excel." He shot her a pointed look, obviously insinuating that she was one of the simple people he spoke of.

If you asked Odessa what she considered the worst thing about Severus Snape to be, it would be the fact that he was seemingly the only person in the entire world who didn't hold her in high-esteem. She wasn't used to it, and she didn't like it.

Odessa scoffed and turned back to the plant, which was now gnashing it's teeth in the direction of another Fanged Geranium belonging to Pandora and Amycus Carrow. Odessa wasn't sure who had it worse; her, Xeno or Pandora. Snape may have been unhelpful and rude, but at least he didn't speak unless spoken to. Amycus and Alecto Carrow, on the other hand, liked to voice their opinions at any given opportunity. They were violent and bloodthirsty; their favourite pastime being bullying muggleborn first and second years, the only thing stopping them from going too far being the threat of expulsion. The twins were also rather unkind to Pandora and Xeno, labelling them blood traitors and feeling bitter that Professor Sprout had paired Amycus with Dora and Alecto with Xeno.

Pandora looked at Odessa and gave her a pleading look. Odessa looked across the table at Xeno, who was doing the same. In fact, Professor Sprout didn't appear to have done a very good job at pairing anyone up that year as no one looked happy with their partner. Excluding, maybe, Jeremiah Selwyn and Elena, who actually seemed to be enjoying each other's company and had been hitting it off all term.

When the lesson was over, all the Slytherins and Ravenclaws made their way to the Great Hall for lunch. Odessa mournfully parted ways with her friends and sat down next to Remus at the Gryffindor table. James and Peter were sitting opposite but Sirius wasn't there.

"Hey." Said Remus, smiling kindly. "Binns made Sirius stay behind for a few minutes because he was late."

Odessa nodded. She wasn't the best conversationalist and without Sirius to bridge the gap between his friends, there was a prolonged awkward silence between the four, only disrupted by the quiet sounds of chewing.

"So, what were you guys talking about?"

"We-" Peter started to respond but James quickly covered Peter's mouth with his hand.

"We can't say." James said apologetically. "You might tell Pads."

"Don't be stupid, Prongs." Said Remus. "We're planning Sirius' birthday party, but it's a surprise so you can't tell him."

James shot Remus a dirty look.

"It's difficult to find time to plan, since Sirius is always with us." Peter explained.

"Ah, so that's why you told him to annoy me. He's like a leech."

"It was for the greater good," said James nonchalantly.