Half-Blood Twins and the Philosopher's Stone

Chapter 4

2nd September 1991

9:04

Dan's POV

There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different
on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you
asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was also very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot. The people in the portraits kept going to visit
each other, and Justin swore the coats of armor could walk. So I felt excused when Justin, Megan Jones (a  first year Hufflepuff who was a laugh) and I barely made it into Transfiguration just as Professor McGonagall stood up.

"Mr.Potter, Mr. Finch-Fletchley and Miss Jones. How nice of you to make it for my class." she said sarcastically as I winced. Seemed Professor McGonagall did not share the feeling.
"I suppose getting lost is not a valid excuse," I said as she gave me a stern look. I took the hint and shut up, slinking down beside Hannah and Susan.
"Why are you late?" Susan whispered as Professor McGonagall began roll call.
"Peeves was asking for tips on Muggle pranks for the Slytherin Common Room. Had to make sure he wouldn't try it on us." I whispered back.

Once Professor McGonagall finished roll call, she began a short lecture.
"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."
Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. We were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized we wouldn't be doing that anytime soon. After a lot of notes and lectures, we finally got to work turning a matchstick.........into a needle. By the end of the class, everyone had some change with Ernie and I showing the most similarity to a needle. After the bell rung, I raised my hand to ask Professor McGonagall.
"Yes, Mr. Potter?" she said as she noticed the hand.
"Is it alright if we take the matchsticks with us to practice in the common room?" I asked as she smiled.
"Make sure you have an experienced older student on hand in case of accidents," she said as we began to pack up.
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14:00

After lunch, all the Hufflepuff firt years made our way to the dungeons where the Ravenclaws where waiting for us. We quickly settled down as I took a seat beside Susan since her aunt taught her quite a bit about Potions. As soon as we settled down, Professor Snape entered from the door near the front of the class. "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of
potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but we caught every word -- like Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "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."
While others stared in awe at the little speech, I focused on the expression on his face. As he began to talk, there was a look of contentment on his face, followed by a scowl as if he remembered where he was. Suddenly, he turned his head towards me with a look of absolute hatred on his face.

"Potter!" he said suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
I sighed in relief as I answered immediately,
"As well as some other stuff to stabilise the potion, the Draught of Living Death. It is a powerful sleeping potion."
"How do you know that? it is above O.W.L level." Snape sneered. "Did you have help from your meddling brothers?"
"I needed it as a kid," I responded softly.
"I didn't hear you. 10 points for mumbling!" Snape said as I glared at him.
"I said I needed the potion!" I said forcefully as Snape was about to retort before realization shone in his eyes as he stepped back.
"Follow the instructions on the board." Snape said as he went to the seat at the front.
The instructions were for a simple Cure to Boils and as we worked, Professor Snape walked around, sneering at the potions and correcting us when wrong (while taking points, of course). Throughout the class, he kept taking digs at my father, calling him an arrogant idiot who strutted around the school like he owned it, fooling around with his friends and disturbing the peace of the school. With Susan on my side, the two of us managed to produce a potion that was as close to the colour on the board that anyone got. Of course when Professor Snape saw it, he simply called it "not an absolute waste as I expected." Overall, Potions was a class that I was not looking forward to next time.