Black Plague

Chapter 5

After our feast, Dumbles spoke something about staying away from the third floor, but I tuned him out. I didn't care. I wasn't planning on exploring anyway. I would no doubt sit in bed and studies most of the time. It would be quiet and hopefully people would leave me alone there. At least less people had access to me there. The perfects lead us to our dorm rooms after some speech about coming to them for problems. I glanced at them. Making sure I would recognize them. The blond one was tall and confident. I didn't catch his name. But he seemed incredibly popular. I would definitely not be talking to him. I learned quickly over the years, popular people were often jerks. I kept my head down and remainder in the back of the crowd. People towering in front of me. I followed silently behind everyone. I found my room with Terry Boots, Michael Corner, and Anthony Goldstein.
The bedrooms were lavish. The beds had four tall posts with curtains that closed. I smiled, perfect. I would get plenty of privacy. The three boys tried to talk to me and ask questions, but I just looked at them. Silently. Shrugging on occasion. When they got sick of interrogating me, I opened my chest, and pulled my clothes off. I slept in my underwear, it was cheaper, and gave me more freedom of movement. I sighed happily as my body sunk into the silk sheets. My body tingled with this divine sensation. I fluffed the pillows and began to read my potions book again. It wasn't the school book. I'd already read that through a couple times, but it probably required actually doing  it to learn any more. This was a book on theory. Helping me understand why some ingredients interacted the way they did. Why did newt eyes interact with fairy wings the way they did. Etc. It was kind of interesting. I guess.

I noticed it was getting late so I turned my wand light off, and crawled into bed.
The next morning I was up bright and early. Nervous about my first official day. I grab some clothes and ran to the showers. After a quick wash, I got dressed and put make up on my angry red scar. Once it was almost completely hidden, I grabbed a bag with my school books and head to breakfast.
I sat quietly towards the middle. Again making sure to not draw attention to myself. I kept my head down, and quietly ate some oatmeal with dried fruit on top. I drizzled some honey over top for sweetness. Then I slowly ate. It was great.
Slowly people began wandering into the dinner hall sitting at their tables. The room went from a couple people quiet chattering when I had arrived, to a low rumble. Thankfully nobody spoke to me. I feel like I made a good decision choosing this house. I'd seen lots of people from the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables glaring and spouting poison at each other. There had even been a couple curses shot at each other. Yes, they were the loudest and in your face. Of that I had no doubt. Being in their groups would have been pure torture. Thank God I had plenty of time to read all the school material and I knew I wanted nothing to do with either of them. They were both so loud and obnoxious. They both had an air of superiority. It was like two rivaling teams. Two schools that hated each other. Both thinking themselves better than the other. I noticed the Ravenclaw's and  hufflepuff's both watching the drama and rolling their eyes. Wanting nothing to with the unrest. We all steered clear of the drama. Yes, choosing Ravenclaw was the best decision I could have made. Hopefully the school would forget me soon and move on to their own stupid drama and lives.

The head of house lay his hand on my shoulder and I jumped. Was his name Flitwit? I don't know. I'm sure I will learn it. I looked cautiously up at him. He smiled and handed me my schedule. I looked it over. I had most of my classes with Hufflepuff. My brows furrowed. Why would the school put Slytherin and Griffindor together all the time. It was like they wanted to drama to escalate. Clearly they needed less time together, not more. It definitely wouldn't make for a conducive learning environment.
My first class was potions. My lip twitched a small smile. I thought this class could be very interesting.
I picked a spot in a darker back corner and pulled out my paper and pen. I could have used my quill, but it was almost impossible to read when I did. I needed to continue to practice with them.
I jumped as the teacher swept in. His presence demanded respect and awe. He had a scowl and I made a note to myself to never cross him.  His cape waved behind him as he almost appeared to float to the front.
He turned and looked at us. His deep voice resonating through the room. Not loud but demanding of respect.
"There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making. However, for those select few who possess, the predisposition... I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death." I wrote every word down. Enthralled by his enrapturing speech.
Then Professor Snape caught my eye.
"Aw, our local celebrity Harry Potter. Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
I hunched over to hide as everyone looked back at me. My face turning a bright shade of red. Fuck! His sneer told me how much he hated me. He had been having an affair with my mom as far as I could tell. According to my aunt. But for some reason he loathed me. That much was clear.
Professor snape seemed highly amused by my silence. He smirked almost in triumph. "You don't know? Well, let's try again. Where, Mr. Potter, would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?" I choked out the answer. Not wanting any more humiliation. "The stomach of a goat." My voice trembled. I felt my stomach lurch, and I worried I would lose all the food I had eated early. He looked rather irritated  that I answered it right. And hit me with a third one. "What's the difference between Monkshood and Wolfbane?" He all but snarled. My face was still bright red but I sighed in relief, I had just been reading this on the way to school yesterday. Finding it very strange. Why call something more than one thing.
"Nothing sir" I spoke just barely loud enough to be heard.
He scowled me and barked. "Pay more attention!" then went back to teaching. It took a few moments to get my heart to begin beating again. I swear it had stopped beating in my chest as he interigated me. Everything Petunia said was true. He was very strange and a miserable human being. I would work extra hard to avoid him. Thank the Gods he wasn't my father. Can you imagine? He had no business around hundreds of kids, much less raising one. Once I calmed back down and I finally began listening again and jotting down what he had to say in my notebook. I decided to use a regular lined notebook for notes. It was easier to organize. And the assignments I would write with quill and parchment. Hopefully I had a few more weeks before I needed to use those. Needing the extra time to get my penmanship legible.
"I want a foot long essay on the first chapter of your book." Everyone in class groaned and I sighed. So much for extra time. I better learn quickly. "Mr Potter stay behind."
I wanted to crawl into a hole. Great. Just fucking great.
I slowly walked forward, staring my feet.
"Don't get snippy with me in class again. You're arrogant just like your father" he snarled. I curled in on myself. Wrapping my arms tight around myself. "Yes sir. But James Potter isn't my Sire." I mumbled. He stopped and looked at me. I only said anything because he clearly hated me for what ever that man did. Maybe marrying my mother. Who fucking knows. He almost looked excited, so I jumped in with "you aren't either. It seems my mother had a number of lovers." I was embarrassed and wanted to hide in a quiet corner. He looked pissed I would bad mouth my own mother. But I didn't know a thing about her, other then what books said, and the fact that she was an immoral woman. You look just like your father. You even have the glasses. I sighed. "The glasses are from a head injury. I fell down the stairs once." Well was pushed. And more than once. But whatever. He wasn't about to get my whole life story. Nobody would. But especially not him. He looked closely at me and gasped. "You're a Black!" I nodded cautiously. But kept looking down.
That seemed to just anger him more. Just fucking great. "That piece of shit nearly killed me as a kid. He's exactly where he should be. Azkaban." I nodded again. Once learning my parentage I found news articles about him being a mass murder. Yep, my mom knew how to pick lovers. This guy was an absolute delight. Note the sarcasm. My father was a murderer. And my mom's husband probably wasn't any better. And who knew how many others she ran around with. These were the only ones I knew of, but no doubt there were more.
He began laughing a deep thunderous laugh. Shivers ran down my body at the bitter amusement. "Lily fucked James best friend and ended up pregnant." He seemed very amused by the treachery. As much as he hated my Sire. He thought the betrayal to my mothers husband quite amusing.
He scoffed and I glanced at him. "If you're a Black how did you end up a Ravenclaw. They aren't known for intellect." I figured I might as well tell him this. He was supposed to be my head of house after all. "I begged the hat to put me there. It wanted me to be a Slytherin. And we all know the world would have crumbled if the great Harry Potter was a snake." I spoke with a quiet mocking voice.
He laughed. "yes. That's quite true. As much as I hate to admit, that was probably wise." He almost said kindly. Which threw me off. "Almost all Black's are Slytherin. Well, here's a pass. Get out of here." He barked at me. I jumped and grabbed the pass quickly and hurried to my next class.
I wasn't sure how to assess that conversation. He definitely didn't like me. But he seemed to ease once he knew James wasn't my father. Even though he clearly hated Sirius as well. From my understanding he was the cause of my mother's death. And he was a mass murderer. Not a great man to father you. I'd seen the pictures of his. He looked absolutely crazy. I sighed softly and found a back seat for Transfiguration.