I Was Younger Then

Moments With Snape: Who Are You

Hogwarts was so massive that it filled Penny with such excitement to search it's every crevice. It was so unlike the Dursley's where Penny could find no place to be alone to do her writing or reading. If her aunt or uncle ever saw her sitting down they immediately demanded she do some chores for them. And if Penny were in Harry's presence, he distracted her to no end.

But Hogwarts offered a whole new kind of life for Penny, one where she finally felt like she was able to commit her time to the things that interested her most. And after her first week at this school of witchcraft and wizardry, the thing that she was thoroughly absorbed in was Potions.

Their Potions Master, Severus Snape had made quite the impression in their first double potions lesson with the Slytherins. Being easily distracted, Penny had almost been late and crept into the back of the class, finding a seat next to a nervous Gryffindor boy, named Neville Longbottom. Harry was already seated toward the front of the classroom with his new found friend, Ronald Weasley, and beside him was the girl most called bossy, but Penny found to be extremely clever, Hermione Granger.

Her first glimpse of the surly Potions Master intrigued Penny, who had only ever had grizzly old and extremely dull teachers in school. Severus Snape however, was tall, wearing long black robes, the stiffness of which matched the shoulder length black hair that fell like curtains around his sharp, angular features. But it was his eyes that caught Penny's attention. They had the air, much like Professor McGonagall's, of clearly being unwilling to tolerate any disorder within his dim, dungeon classroom. But beyond the expression of utmost cynicism, Penny saw a quick analytical gaze that gave her the impression the man was extremely intelligent.

When he began talking in his low, almost bored tone, as though he already knew that all of those present would offer him nothing other than a headache, Penny found herself immediately challenged into competitiveness, and ensnared by his every word. Severus Snape was shaping up to be a mystery that Penny was determined to solve.

However, she found herself a little put off when his eyes settled on her twin, Harry and proceeded to harass him with such contempt, Penny felt they must have known each other in a past life. He even went so far as to take several points from Gryffindor and left her twin seething. It was a truly peculiar interaction that annoyed Penny. For the rest of the lesson, she remained unnoticed and preoccupied with the Wiggenweld Potion they were learning the method of. For the weekend they were to write one piece of parchment on the correct technique in preparation of their first attempt the coming week.

By Monday, Penny had read everything she could on the potion and fell down several rabbit holes on best brewing practices she found in the dozens of books located in the library. Her first weekend at Hogwarts was spent buried beneath a pile of these books, while everyone else enjoyed the last lingering days of warmth before the rain and cold showed up.

One tentative step at a time, her paper clutched in her hands, Penny made for the dungeons while her peers enjoyed their freetime now that classes had ended for the day. Penny had debated with herself whether finding Professor Snape outside of class hours was the right decision or not and decided it was the best option seeing as he swept out of the dungeon before Penny could catch him the previous week. She figured even if he did not want to answer her question and sent her away, he would at least know to expect her on Friday afternoon. In reality, Penny was morbidly curious about her Potions Master, and annoyingly frustrated he did not know she existed.

For several days, she'd watched him at meal times, the way he sneered at the students as he passed and looked thoroughly bored by the pleasantries forced upon him when the other Professors dared sit beside him. Whether her question was a stupid first year question or not, Severus Snape would know from this day forward who Penny Potter was.