Little Phoenix (Harry Potter Fanfiction)

7. The Potions Master

Nic woke up to find Hannah Abbot and Susan Bones, the only other two Hufflepuff girls in first year, already up and about. "Morning," she yawned, getting out of bed. Once they had all dressed, they all headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. The castle was vast, but as they had all the same classes, Nic stayed with the group she had begun to form around herself: Tyriq and Tyrone, the girls she roomed with, and a few others.

What with the instant popularity brought on by the last names 'Hufflepuff' and 'Potter' the twins and Nicki were instantly the most popular people in their year from Hufflepuff. As the week past, Nic found to her extreme pleasure that the classes came easily to her. The spells and memorization came so easily to her that she even managed to impress Professor McGonagall and earn Hufflepuff some of its first points.

Thursday, they all had their first potions class with Ravenclaw. When they had all settled into the room, Snape stormed in, remarking coldly, "Settle down." Then he began to call roll. When he got to 'Nicole Potter' he paused, glanced up, and for a moment his cold, unchanging expression softened as he made eye contact with Nic. But the next moment it was gone, making Nicki think she had imagined it. "Now, let's start. Hufflepuff, what would i get if I added powdered root of a shoulder to an infusion of wormwood?"

"Uh, I don't know, sir," Tyriq replied, noting the eyes fixe don him and not his brother.

"Very well," Snape replied stiffly. "Anyone know?" Bitting nervously on her lip, Nic raised her hand. "Potter?"

"I believe they make the powerful sleeping potion the Draught of Living Death," she replied, recalling what she had read in her book over the summer.

"Ten points to Hufflepuff," Snape sneered. As the class droned on, Nicki began to get the idea that Snape rather liked her more than the other students. He awarded several points to Hufflepuff throughout the class period with more generous its than he was known for. When they began to make their first potion, he harshly ridiculed everyone's until he came to hers. Instead of lecturing her, he added in a small ingredient and showed her the proper way to mix it before heading off again, the potion now to exact color it was meant to be.

As they left the class, Tyriq remarked, "I never knew Snape could be...well not a jerk."

"Yeah...that was odd," Hannah agreed. "I heard he only favors Slytherin."

"Why are you all looking at me like I know why?" Nicki replied, feeling slightly unnerved herself. In their other classes, they learned many of the basics, many of the classes coming as very dull.
.......................................
"Hey, Nicki," Ced called, sitting next to her in the common room as she made her way through a book.

"What's up?" Nic asked, looking up.

"I heard Snape stopped just favoring Slytherin," Ced replied, letting out a small laugh. "How'd you pull that off?"

"No idea," she laughed, setting aside her book. "Honestly, potions is kind of easy to be honest."

"You must just be a natural," he supposed. "What about the res today your classes? They going well?"

"Yup," she replied. "Well apart from History. I've never been good at memorization."

"No one likes that class," Ced admitted. "Although...I think I still have my notes from first year if you want them. You won't have to try and pay attention that way."

"That would be amazing," Nic replied before glancing at the time. "Crap, I have to go. I'm supposed to meet Harry. I'll see you later?"

"Sounds great," he replied as she got up. Nicki met up with Harry in the courtyard where they sat down and began to talk.

"How're classes going?" Nic asked.

"Pretty good," he replied. "I mean, I hate Snape."

"What? Why?" Nicki retorted in shock. "I love him."

"He hates me!"

"I'm sure he doesn't," Nicki countered. "Maybe he just needs time to warm up to you or something."

"Yeah whatever," he sighed, shaking his head. "You make any friends yet?"

"Yeah," Nic replied. "So there's the twin you met, Tyriq and Tyrone, and then Susan and Hannah. Oh and then this forth year I met named Cedric. You?"

"Just Ron really," he replied. "That Hermione girl is so annoying."

"Funny, she said the same thing about you and Ron," Nicki laughed. They spent the next few hours laughing and talking together until it began to get dark. "We have to go in," Nicki sighed. "I do wish we weren't in different houses."

"Hey at least we'll get to spend some time together," Harry replied with a small smile.