Love and Potions - Severus Snape x OC

Prologue

"That's right, line up right here!" McGonagall spoke to the incoming first-years. Rowan smiled at them and wished that she had come here originally. Hogwarts was already much more exciting than Ilvermorny, but she did have to admit she missed her father. She watched as they were sorted into their respective houses when one girl caught her eye. She had long, black hair and had freckles all around her face. Rowan didn't know why she noticed this girl, but she could tell the girl seemed terrified. Blaise tapped her on the shoulder, tearing her attention away from the scared first-year. "Yes, Zabini?" Rowan replied, keeping her eyes on the shivering girl who seemed to be next in line. "You've got a fan," He chuckled and nodded toward the professor's table. Rowan followed his eyes and was shocked to find the dark-haired professor staring at her once more. "Who is he?" Rowan asked as she looked at Millicent, hoping she would answer instead. "That is Professor Snape, and you do not want to mess with him. He is our head of house, but he's also really mean. Don't test him," Millicent answered and Rowan nodded and returned her eyes to the sorting. She could still feel his eyes on her.

"Juniper Montgomery!" McGonagall read and the young girl Rowan had noticed earlier jumped and began to walk up the stairs. The hat was placed on her head and she looked as if she would burst into tears. "Ah, this one is easy. Slytherin!" The girl burst into tears as she rushed down to the table and sat far away from everyone else. "What's her problem?" Blaise said, scoffing at her reaction. Rowan, however, did not reply. Instead, she stood up and walked down and sat down beside the girl. "Hey, are you okay?" Rowan asked and Juniper's watery eyes shot up. "No, I am not okay! I'm sorted into Slytherin, do you know what that means?" She squealed, more tears threatening to leave her eyes at any moment. Rowan sighed and shook her head. "Not really, I'm a transfer. I don't know much about anything here," Rowan smiled half-heartedly. "Well, it means we're bad! All these Slytherins care about are your success and your blood status. I was hoping to be a Ravenclaw," Juniper explained and Rowan nodded, taking in this new information.

"We aren't all bad," Rowan said with a smile as she pointed over to Millicent and Blaise. Blaise just stared while Millicent waved kindly. "I just met them. That's Millicent Bulstrode and Blaise Zabini, and I'm Rowan Knight. They seem alright as far as I can tell. Why don't you come over and sit with us?" Rowan offered and the sniffling girl nodded in response. When Rowan looked back at the professor's table, she saw Dumbledore smiling brightly at her and she could swear that she even saw Snape smirk a little.

"Welcome to Slytherin!" Millicent said as a greeting to Juniper. Juniper just nodded in response and sat in between Blaise and Rowan. "She was just worried about trivial things. Blood status and all," Rowan explained and Millicent almost broke out in laughter. "It's alright whatever status you are, at least with us. I'm a half-blood myself," Millicent explained and Blaise nodded in agreement. "I'm pureblood but all that means is that my parents are pretentious," Blaise scoffed and returned to watch the remaining children be sorted into their houses. "What about you Rowan?" Juniper asked, her tears beginning to dry. "I'm a half-blood, but I already know my mom is going to be angry that I'm in Slytherin," Rowan sighed as she thought back to what her mother had said.

                    Don't bother coming home if you're a Slytherin. You should be in Ravenclaw, as I was!

"Don't worry about her," Juniper began with newfound confidence. "I'm a half-blood too, and my dad was a Slytherin. I was just hoping I wouldn't be like him," Juniper sighed. After a quick word about the forbidden forest and something about the third floor, the headmaster encouraged them to feast. With her new friends, Rowan laughed all the way through the feast. Though, she could feel his eyes on her the whole time.

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

After the feast, they all retired to their dorms. Rowan was pleased to know that the Slytherin dorms were down in the dungeons, someplace dark and cold. She was also pleased that she shared a room with Millicent and Juniper. The girls all quickly unpacked, Rowan by magic and the others by hand. "You're pretty good at that. Where do you go to school before?" Juniper asked as she slid various pairs of robes into a drawer. "I went to Ilvermorny in America. It's where my dad is from," Rowan explained as the last of her clothes slid into the drawer beside her bed. "I've heard they use statues to sort you guys out. How was that?" Millicent asked as she flopped down on the bed closest to the door. "Fairly quick, it definitely took less time than that hat!" Rowan laughed but Millicent's eyes widened. "How long did yours take?" Juniper asked when Millicent didn't respond. "A few minutes, five or so. It had trouble," Rowan answered as she sat down on the furthest bed.

"You mean to tell me you're a hatstall?" Millicent finally asked when she picked her jaw up off the floor. "What's a hatstall?" Rowan asked innocently as she practiced levitating a small necklace above her nightstand. "WHAT'S A- Rowan Knight, hatstalls are extremely rare. It's when they confuse the sorting hat!" Millicent exclaimed, jumping on top of Rowan's bed. Juniper followed and soon they were all sitting on Rowan's small twin bed.

"Here is the real question, Rowan. You're the oldest, have you decided what you would like to be when you leave Hogwarts?" Millicent inquired, leaning her head against Rowan's shoulder. "Well, back at Ilvermorny I wanted to be a potions professor-" Rowan was cut off by a small gasp from Millicent. "Good luck, Snape will never leave." She said with a small laugh.

"Perhaps I won't either," Rowan smiled mischievously. "Oh no, Rowan what did I say! Don't mess with the dungeon bat!" Millicent exclaimed, referring to Professor Snape. "Dungeon bat?" Juniper asked, but she was swiftly ignored. Rowan was cooking up a plan to stay at Hogwarts, even if that meant she would have to run that mysteriously handsome professor out.