A Serpent Among the Eagles

Chapter Seven - The Potions Master

  Potions was, in a way, the class Lily was dreading most. Sure, she'd be good enough, just like she was at everything else. But she knew that her father showed favoritism toward Slytherins. They had Potions class with the Hufflepuff, but... as ludicrous as it sounded, she wondered if he would show favoritism toward her. She was his daughter, but was, after all, a Ravenclaw. She was angry at herself for hoping... but she felt too often that he didn't love her, and if her favored her, just a tiny bit... wouldn't that mean that he loved her, at least a little? Wouldn't it?

  On the other hand, she still hated the attention she was getting for being his daughter, perhaps if he treated her like a normal student...

  Lily overheard someone talking in a corridor after their last class on Wednesday. She began to turn away when she realized they were talking about her.

  "Just because she's a teacher's daughter..."

  "Bet Snape helps her out with her stuff, that's why she's so good."

  "It's sick, they all favor her."

  Light pink patches appeared on Lily's cheeks. So they didn't like her either. She ran until she found an unused classroom. She quickly ducked in there and began to cry silently.

  She cried because nobody cared about her, because she had no friends. She cried because she wanted to be accepted and loved.She didn't even hear the door open.

  "Lily?"

  She sniffed.

  "Lily! What are you doing here? Why are you crying?"

  She looked up. "Harry...?"

  Those green eyes moved up and down as he nodded. "Yeah. What's wrong?"

  "How'd you know where I was...? I was silent, I thought...."

  "You were, but I... I felt a - a pull towards this room... almost as if my body were telling me to come comfort you..."

  She nodded.

  "What's wrong?" he repeated

  She sniffed again and poured out her feelings, how none of the other students were accepting her for who she was merely because she was Snape's daughter, how she was afraid that her father didn't love her either, how the teachers were continually awarded he points while she only wanted to be left alone, how the thing she wanted most was to be accepted...

  "You must not have had Potions yet."

  He shook his head. "No, why?"

  "Because you're being so nice to me. I saw the look Father gave you at the feast. I don't see how you could be so kind if you'd had a run-in with him."

  "Come off it, Lils. I don't care how your dad treats me, my opinion of him won't affect my opinion of you."

  "Thanks, Harry, but please.... Wait until you've had Potions class before saying that... I don't want you to say that and change your mind."

  "Okay..."

  She nodded. "We should go.... It wouldn't be good for us to be caught here together... alone..."

  "Yeah. It's nearly time for dinner. Want to go together?"

  "Sure..."

      ************************************************************************************************* 

  Finally, her last class on Thursday. Double Potions with the Hufflepuffs. She sat near the front for once, and waited. Her father took roll call, only waiting long for the student to call "Here!" before moving on to the next.

  He put down the paper when finished. He looked around the room and began to speak.

  "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 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."

  Lily found his speech oddly poetic. She listened closely as he questioned the Hufflepuffs. None of them were able to answer his questions.

  "Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming?" He then turned to her.

  "Lily, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

  "A sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death."

  "Very good. Where would you look if I told you to find a bezoar and what is it?"

  She didn't know if he was trying to embarass her or the Hufflepuffs. "I would look in the stomach of a goat. It is a stone that will save you from most poisons."

  "And what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

  "They are the same plant, which also is called by the name of aconite."

  "Very good. Ten points to Ravenclaw."

  There were gasps of surprise all around. It was well known that Snape never awarded points to anyone outside of Slytherin.

  Soon they had been paired up to make a simple potion to cure boils. Lily noted how much her father looked like a bat hit with an Engorgement Charm on it as he swept around criticizing everyone except her.

  As horrible as she felt about that, her mood was greatly improved when other Ravenclaws congratulating her on getting points from Snape at dinner. She smiled to herself as she bit into her potatoes. Perhaps things were going to turn out okay, after all.