Another Granger (Harry Potter Fanfiction)

Chapter 6- Potions Sass

The Gryffindor prefect led Melissa, Harry and Ron to their dormitory.
"Caput Draconis" Percy Weasley said, and the portrait of a fat lady swung open, admitting the first years.
"That's so cool, but how am I going to remember the password?" Melissa asked Harry and Ron.
"We'll help if you forget." Ron assured her.
"If we don't forget too!" Harry smirked and the trio started laughing, gaining a few stares from their fellow first years. Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and Melissa hastily said goodnight to Harry and Ron before hurrying after her sister. When they reached the top, they found a first year room for girls. Melissa was with her sister unfortunately, but maybe she could make friends with the other girls, Parvati, Lavender and Imogen. Parvati had straight dark hair and coffee coloured skin. She seemed to be already friends with Lavender who had curly blonde hair and pale skin. The other girl, Imogen, seemed quite nervous. She had ginger hair in two plaits and freckled skin. Melissa gave her a small smile and she flashed one back. Melissa found her trunk next to one of the beds and went to sit on it. Hermione was at one side of her and Imogen at the other.
"Well Melissa, quite surprising that you're here. I thought you'd be in Hufflepuff." Hermione said.
"Maybe the hat was wrong." Melissa shrugged.
"The hat's never wrong. There must be a good reason you're here. I'm Imogen Tonks. My Mum's pureblood and my Dad's muggleborn. I have an older sister too but she's graduated. They thought I'd be in Hufflepuff or Slytherin because you usually end up where your parents do but here I am." Imogen told Melissa as she listened carefully.
"So, both your parents are magical?" Melissa asked.
"Yes. Pureblood we're called but it doesn't matter." Imogen confirmed.
"Well I'm Melissa Granger, Muggleborn." she said, shaking Imogen's hand.
"You don't always end up in the same house as your siblings either. My twin, Padma, went to Ravenclaw." Parvati spoke up.
"That must be great! Well, if you didn't get on it would be." Melissa said before turning to look at Hermione who luckily was asleep.
"Shame, she's missing all the fun." Lavender said.
"Not really. I've never felt so free before." Melissa started and told them how she felt controlled by her sister and always felt second best. It felt good to tell someone all she had been concealing for so long.
"That sounds terrible. No wonder she seemed so miffed about you being in Gryffindor!" Parvati exclaimed.
"Well maybe it's her who doesn't belong. Just know that if you ever need to talk to someone other than Harry and Ron, you know, girl advice, you have us three." Lavender assured her.
"Thank you! So, umm, could you tell me more about living with wizards please?" Melissa asked them.
"Sure!" Imogen agreed and they talked into the night until, like Hermione, they became so tired that they fell asleep.

The following day was the start of their first week of lessons. Melissa woke up and dressed in her and headed down to the common room with Imogen, Lavender and Parvati. Hermione had already gone to breakfast. She met Harry and Ron in the common room and bid farewell to the girls before heading down to the great hall with the boys.
"There, look!"
"Where?"
"Next to the pretty girl with dark hair"
"Wearing the glasses?"
"Did you see his scar?"
"Is it really him?"
These whispers followed Harry, Ron and Melissa as they walked through school. Melissa hadn't realised just how famous Harry was. Wherever the three of them went, people would always be trying to get a good look at Harry. This was sometimes a problem as the distractions made Melissa look away and occasionally she stepped on a vanishing step or walked into a door that you had to tickle to gain entrance. There were 142 staircases around Hogwarts, all of which liked to move around. Even worse than all of these was Peeves the poltergeist. Wherever he was, he was always trying to wreck havoc. Another problem the three faced was Mr Filch, the caretaker. They had got on the wrong side of him when found trying to force their way through a door which happened to be the entrance to the third floor corridor that was forbidden. Despite all these problems, Melissa loved Hogwarts. The best part was the lessons. There was a lot more to magic than just waving your wand and saying a few funny words Melissa soon found out. In class, she usually sat with Imogen or Harry. Every Wednesday at midnight, they had to study the skies through telescopes, something Melissa never would have imagined to be magic! Three times a week, they had Herbology, a lesson Melissa particularly enjoyed, where they spent time in the greenhouses studying magical plants. Melissa's least favourite lesson was history of magic. She hated history at her primary school and she found it boring at wizarding school too. Mainly because their ghost techer Professor Binns droned on for hours on end. The lessons requiring wands were Melissa's favourite so far. Charms was taught by Professor Flitwick, a tiny wizard who had impressed them all by making Neville's toad fly around the room. Then was the subject Melissa was best at so far; Transfiguration. McGonagall was a brilliant teacher and Melissa had managed to make her matchstick pointy by the end of the lesson. Professor McGonagall praised her but Melissa was very disappointed when she realised Hermione had made her's silver and pointy. Defence against the dark arts turned out to be a bore unfortunately for many. Professor Quirell was a bit of a joke in Melissa's opinion, plus that turban of his freaked her out. Melissa and Harry were both very relieved that they weren't behind everyone else just because of their muggle upbringing. Finally, Friday arrived. Harry had received a note from Hagrid inviting him to lunch, as they got the afternoon off on Fridays.
"Can we come with you Harry?" Melissa asked.
"Sure! I don't see why not!" Harry nodded, scribbling his reply quickly and after Melissa had finished petting Hedwig, he sent his answer back to Hagrid.
After breakfast, Harry, Melissa and Ron made their way to the only lesson they had not yet had; potions. Snape started the class with a register and when he reached Harry's name, he paused and said,
"Ah yes, Harry Potter. Our new- celebrity." Draco malfoy, one of the boys who had been insulting Melissa, sniggered quietly. Melissa glared in his direction.
After taking the register, Snape said,
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making. As there is little foolish wand waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you to really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with it's shimmering fumes." Snape's words made Melissa want to laugh but she held her tongue as he continued, "I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." Melissa looked at Hermione on the edge of her seat as though desperate to prove she wasn't a dunderhead. Melissa rolled her eyes.
"Potter!" Snape said suddenly, "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Harry looked completely blank but Melissa seemed to remember reading something like that in a draught of living death.
"I don't know sir." Harry said.
"Tut, tut, fame clearly isn't everything. Let's try again Potter. Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar." Snape asked. Melissa knew the answer to this too as did Hermione who's hand was stretched in the air. Snape ignored it.
"I don't know sir." Harry said. Melissa felt angry that her friend was being picked on for no good reason. It wasn't his fault he couldn't remember! She bet half the people in the room didn't know these.
"Seems a bit unfair to ask Harry all the questions. Pick on somebody else!" Melissa accidently blurted out before covering her mouth with her hands. Ron was grinning at her and Harry looked grateful. Hermione however was looking at her sister with pure hatred. Snape turned to Melissa but he didn't seem angry, he seemed more - surprised.
"Well then Miss Granger. Perhaps you could tell me what the difference is between monkshood and wolfsbane?" he asked. Melissa, luckily, knew the answer.
"They're the same plant. Also called aconite." she announced confidently.
"Well done Miss Granger, you have just saved Gryffindor 10 points. Now you are going to be making a cure for boils today. Get into pairs, instructions are on the board." Melissa went to work with Daphne as she had no-one else to work with and Melissa found that potion making came easily to her. Daphne read the instructions and chopped the ingredients whilst Melissa sorted out the potion until it was almost perfect.
"Well done again Miss Granger and Miss Greengrass. Five points to each of you." Snape said after inspecting there potion. Daphne and Melissa high fived but there were some at the back of the class who hadn't quite reached their standard. Neville had melted Seamus' cauldron and his face was covered in boils. Seamus took Neville to the hospital wing and Harry got a point deducted for Gryffindor.
"That is so not fair!" Melissa mumbled.
"I'm not even in your house and I agree." Daphne nodded. The bell rang and Melissa caught up with Harry and Ron.
"Ready to go to Hagrid's then?" she asked.
"After that lesson, definitely." Harry agreed. Melissa gave him a sympathetic smile and followed him and Ron across the grounds towards a wooden hut.