The Boy Who Couldn't See: Year 1

The Potions Master

On Friday, Harry and Ron manage to get to the Great Hall without getting lost.

"What have we got today?" Harry asks Ron as he puts sugar into his porridge. Harry, now living here in the castle for almost a week, has gotten pretty good at making his own plates during meals. Sometimes he needs to ask what something is before he picks it up but he mainly sticks to porridge, eggs, bacon, and kipper for breakfast, steak and kidney pie for lunch, steak or chicken with potatoes for dinner, and treacle tart for dessert. He's learned where everything is and is able to get to it without trouble by now.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins," Ron says. "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favors them — we'll be able to see if it's true."

Harry makes a face and Ron laughs.

There's a lot of rustling and fluttering overhead, meaning the mail has arrived. Hedwig hasn't brought Harry anything yet, though she sometimes comes in to nibble his ear and steal some toast before going back to sleep in the owlery with the other owls. Today, however, Harry hears her land in front of him.

"She's got a letter," Ron tells him.

Harry hums, "Can you read it for me?"

He picks up some bacon and holds it out. Hedwig takes it with a happy hoot, eating it quickly before flying up to nibble his ear.

" Dear Harry, I know you get Friday afternoons off so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig. Hagrid, " Ron reads. "I can send it back, if you want."

Harry nods, "Sure. Thanks."

Ron tells him that he wrote Yes, please, see you later on the back of the note and Harry approves. They send it off with Hedwig.

Harry is glad to have that to look forward to because from what he hears so far, Professor Snape is horrible.

Ron and Harry sit together, Harry assuming he won't need special help to read instructions and make potions. It's like cooking, he assumes, so he'll gladly sit next to Ron. Professor Snape starts the class out by taking a roll and pauses when he reaches Harry's name.

"Ah, yes ," he says softly. "Harry Potter. Our new... celebrity. "

Harry frowns. He hears Draco Malfoy and the two silent boys laugh quietly.

Professor Snape finishes calling names and then starts speaking to them about Potions.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," his voice is barely a whisper but it's deafening in the silent classroom. "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."

Harry thinks it's quite rude of him to say such a thing. Maybe his students are dunderheads because he isn't a good teacher. Harry smirks at the thought but that quickly goes away with Professor Snape suddenly says, "Potter! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Harry blinks. Powdered root of what to an infusion of what? He read all of his school books but, unlike Hermione, he didn't commit any of the information to his memory.

"I don't know, sir," Harry says.

Professor Snape tsks, "Fame clearly isn't everything."

Harry frowns again.