Elise scanned over her timetable at breakfast, absentmindedly feeding a piece of toast to her little plump, white rat.
"Ow, Frodo!" She snatched her finger away from her pet, as he'd gotten a little excited and bitten her. Willow scowled at him from beside Elise, shaking her head.
"I don't know why you like that little nasty thing," she complained. Willow had an owl as her designated Hogwarts companion, and didn't feel fond of rodents. Often, she teased Elise about feeding Frodo to her owl as a snack.
Elise frowned and picked up the fat creature, snuggling him close to her face and giggling when he gave her tiny licks. "Aw, how could you say that! Look how cuuuute!"
"Ick. Anyway, what do you have first?"
"Potions," Elise sighed. "I don't suppose I'll somehow become better at that this year."
Willow laughed. "I have it first, too. We should get going so Slughorn doesn't deduct Hufflepuff points."
Elise nodded and left her rat to scavenge her leftover breakfast, throwing her bag over her shoulder and walking with Willow to her first class.
The Potions classroom was as gloomy as usual, and they took their seats next to each other. To their dismay, Slughorn insisted that the two Houses of this class - Slytherin and Hufflepuff - do a little more 'mingling' this year. So, he sat Evan Rosier and Snape at their table, right across from them.
"Hi," Elise said softly, a warm smile on her face.
"Don't talk to me, Hufflepuff," grunted Rosier.
She frowned and looked down, but perked up a little when she heard a tiny, almost inaudible 'hello' from Snape. Elise glanced back up to look at him, but he avoided her gaze.
Willow nudged her and gave her a little smirk, and Elise rolled her eyes, whispering, "I was just being nice!"
Slughorn instructed them to brew a minor healing potion. The successful ones would be sent down to Madame Pomfrey to be used in the hospital wing. Willow and Elise went to work together, but were stopped by the Professor and told to "Branch out a little! Work with the Slytherin across from you!"
Willow scowled and scooted over next to Rosier, who groaned dramatically. Elise plopped down next to Snape, giving him a smile.
"Listen, I'm god awful at Potions," she admitted quietly to him. "So if you wanna just tell me what to do and I'll --"
"Don't bother," he interrupted, his voice low and straight. "I'll do the work." He began collecting ingredients and cutting, crushing, and putting them into the cauldron, not even looking at her.
She sighed. "I'd feel bad if I let you do everything," she ushered. "Come on, let me help."
Snape rolled his eyes and gave her some dittany leaves. "Cut those up, then."
Elise smiled triumphantly and very carefully began to do as he said. Once she finished, he instructed her to go grab a ladle from across the room. Which she did, but on her way back, she tripped a little on her robes and stumbled, but, fortunately, didn't quite fall. Flushing, she straightened herself up and sat down, handing him the ladle.
Snape glanced up at her at the corner of his eye, the corner of his lips twitching ever so slightly. She noticed and felt her face becoming more red. Good job, Elise, now he thinks you're even more incompetent, she thought.
After a minute, she noticed he had been scribbling directly in his textbook, seeming to take notes and even crossing some things out.
"Are you allowed to do that?" Elise asked, watching him with a raised eyebrow. He simply shrugged, continuing.
She simply watched him for the rest of class. He changed multiple things inside his textbook instructions for the potion, confusing her greatly. But when Slughorn came around to evaluate the potions, he beamed at theirs.
"Absolutely perfect, Mr. Snape and Miss Lupin!" He clapped his hands a few times, grinning widely. "Ten points to both Slytherin and Hufflepuff!"
Elise gaped. How did he make a perfect potion when he didn't even follow the textbook? She thought, absolutely bewildered.
"You know, you're..." She muttered to him, not seeming to find the right words. "Actually really smart..."
Snape scoffed and shut his textbook, cleaning up and gathering his things for the end of class. "Didn't think a freak like me could know things?" He almost whispered.
Elise shook her head and furrowed her brows. "Hey! I've never once called you a freak!"
"You sure do enjoy the company of those who do," he retorted, giving her a hard look.
She went to say something, but the bell rang and he walked briskly out of the room. Willow came up to walk beside her as they left.
"What was that all about?" She inquired, tilting her head at Elise curiously.
"I dunno," Elise sighed. "I just feel so bad for him... Everyone treats him so horribly and he's so smart."
"Ooh, El thinks Snapey is smart!" Willow teased, giggling hysterically. Elise rolled her eyes, smiling a little.
Suddenly a rough arm was thrown around her shoulders and she jumped, but looked to see it was only Sirius.
"Did I hear that right?" Sirius asked, looking down at her with wide eyes. "Our little Bandit thinks Snivellus is smart?"
Elise groaned at the nickname her brother's friends had given her, ever since they found out her Patronus was a raccoon... And to be honest, sometimes her eyeliner could look a little raccoon-ish.
"Yes, actually," she defended. "And stop calling him Snivellus, that's so mean!" She pushed him away playfully, but he grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder, laughing. Elise struggled and wiggled in his grasp, but she knew it was no use.
"What's her next class, Will?" He asked, and Willow told him it was Divination, so he took off with Elise over his shoulder still, towards the class.
"All aboard the Padfoot Express!" He yelled, carrying her through the corridors and earning them some funny looks from other students. Elise's face hurt from laughing by the time he - quite literally - dropped her off at her class.
Sirius ruffled her hair then departed, and she entered the classroom, taking a seat next to Evelyn.
"Still think you two would be a cute couple," Evelyn said with a grin and a wink.
Elise scowled. "Oh god, no, he's like a brother to me." She shook her head.