Sirius Black's daughter - Athena Black (Book 1)

Four

Athena wasn't having a good time. She was getting nasty glares from everyone. She often lost her way to classes, she got laughed at. People often compared her with her father.

The only good thing that happened to her was being with the twins. They sneak into the kitchens, they pranked Filch, a few Slytherins and went around the secret passages.

They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and name the planet's and stars. Three times a week, they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study herbology.

Professor Flitwick, the charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on top of a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their first lesson he took out his register, and when he reached Athena's name he glares at her and toppled out of sight.

Professor Mcgonagall was again different. Athena had been quite right to think she wasn't a teacher to cross. Strict and clever, she gave them a talk to the moment they had sat down in her first class.

By the end of the lesson, only Athena and Hermione had made a difference in their match; professor Mcgonagall gave them a rare smile which Athena never expected. 

"Hey!" Athena said when she spotted Ron and Harry.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron. "Snape's Head of Slytherin house. They say he always favoured them."

"Wish Mcgonagall favoured us" Athena said.

"She gave us a huge pile of homework yesterday." Groaned Harry.

Just then, posts arrived. Athena awaited for her owl, Peri. A pearl white snow owl with huge sapphire eyes. She landed in front of Athena and nibbled her fingers affectionately. Athena noticed the letter she dropped. Athena tore it open.

Dear Athena,

        Hope you are doing well. Is everything okay there? Did you make any friends? Are you fitting in well? I know you will be having a hard time sweetheart. I am sorry I didn't write for the past few days. It was so much work at the ministry. I heard you got sorted into Gryffindor! I am proud of you honey. Take care. Don't forget to write back.

With lots of love,
Your Mamma.

Athena smiled at the letter.

"Hey, Hagrid has invited us for a tea today afternoon. Athena do you want to come?" Harry asked.

"Sure. I don't see why not." Athena replied.

She looked forward to this cause they had double potions. One thing Athena knew for sure was that the potions master didn't like her. He kept on giving her and Harry loathing looks from the staff table which Athena never cared about. But Athena was wrong, Snape didn't dislike Athena, or Harry - he hated them.

Snape, just like Flitwick, started with the register and paused at Athena's name and gave her a scowl. Athena just smiled at him completely ignoring his scowl. Then he paused at Harry's name.

"Ah, yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new - celebrity."

Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black, cold and empty which made Athena think of black holes.

"There will be no foolish wand wavings and silly incantations in this class," he started. He spoke barely more than a whisper, but Athena heard him clearly. He had gift of keeping the class silent without effort like professor Mcgonagall. "many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you to really understand the beauty of the simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes. I can teach you to bottle fame and brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

More silence followed the speech. Harry and Ron exchanged looks. Hermione and Athena were on the edge of their seats, desperate to prove that they weren't dunderheads. Athena still starred at Snape. She smirked at the thought of pranking Snape. She snapped out of it when she suddenly heard his voice.

"Potter! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Snape asked Harry.

Athena smirked to herself. She knew the answer to this as she had gone through all of her books about a hundred times. But Athena didn't raise her hand, she just sat looking at Snape because Harry just said he didn't know the answer. His lips curled into a sneer.

"Clearly, fame isn't everything Potter." Said Snape in a voice no louder than a whisper." Let's try again. Potter, where would you go if I asked you to search for a bezoar."

"I don't know sir." Harry replied.

"What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" Asked Snape.

"I don't know sir." Harry replied again.

Snape wasn't pleased. He then turned his attention to Athena.

"Ahh.. miss Black. The same questions goes for you." Said Snape with a small smirk playing on his face.

"Well..." Athena began "asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it's called the draught of living death. And a bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat, it can save you from most poisons. And monkshood and wolfsbane are the same plant." Athena said. She smirked looking at the scowl that was painted on Snape's face.

He turned his back on her. She grinned from ear to ear knowing that Snape can't throw any insults on her.

They started their class. Half way through, Neville somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron. And soon enough the whole class was standing on their stools because Seamus's potion was all over the floor. Neville was crumbled on the floor as boils sprang on his skin.

"You idiot boy!" Snape snarled as he cleaned the spilled potion with a wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron of fire."

Neville whimpered as boils popped on his nose.

"Take him up to the hospital wing." Snape spat at Seamus.

He then rounded on Athena and Harry, who were working beside Neville. Athena didn't understand as she did everything correctly and was close to finishing her potion.

"You two - Potter and Black - Why didn't anyone of you warn Longbottom?" Snape snarled.

"Oh yes professor, I warned him. He can be forgetful at times, especially when he is nervous." Athena replied, knowing clearly well that Snape will take points of Gryffindor if answered or not.

"Two points of Gryffindor for helping." Said Snape.

Athena just looked at Snape.

As the climbed up the stairs, her mind was lost and her spirits were low. Why does he hate me so much? She wondered. Of course she knew the answer. It was because of her father.

At five to three, they left the castle and made their way across the grounds towards Hagrids hut.