The secret of Bellatrix Black and Severus Snape

Chapter 8: Potions

I started walking towards the Dungeons as that is where my next lesson is. walking down the stairs someone ran up behind me shouting my name. "Avalon wait up." Turning around i nearly collided with him then realising he is someone in my house 'Slytherin'.

"Hey, have we met." I asked slightly confused to how he knows my name but i don't quite know him. "Well not exactly but we have the same lessons together and we are in the Slytherin." he said the last part with a smug look on his face. I cocked my eyebrow up at his smug face and instantly replied "I gathered that we are in the same house due to the fact that we are wearing the same colour tie and I saw you sat at my table this morning at breakfast.

The boy looked slightly taken aback but recovered and held out his hand "I'm Draco Malfoy, I was wondering if you would like to be my friend?" He asked calmly. A smile graced my lips "I would love to be your friend Draco, can we sit together in class please?" I hesitantly asked.
Once walking through the door to Potions, Draco and I sat down together just before the before the classroom door flew open hitting the wall and Professor Snape stalked in intimidatingly when he arrived at the front of the class, he turned and looked straight at me for a moment and then refocused on the other students. "There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many if you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is Potion-Making. However for those select few..." at this he stared over at me and Draco ..."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." Following his gazed I noticed him looking at a black-haired boy with glasses. "Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable that you feel confident enough to not pay attention."
After the bushy haired girl gave him a nudge he looked up and Professor Snape spoke again with a sneer on his face and something in his voice that I couldn't place. "Mr Potter, our new celebrity. Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of Asphodel to an infusion of Wormwood?"
At this Harry Potter doesn't answer so the professor continues "you don't know? Well, let's try again. Where Mr Potter, where would you look if I asked you to find me a Bezoar?"

I was shocked to hear Harry reply, but as soon as he said "I don't know Sir" it didn't surprise me at all.
But Snape just continued to ask another question "And what is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?"

At this I put my hand up, I don't know why but I couldn't pull it down. Soon enough the Professort finished his questioning to Harry and looked over at me and noticed my hand in the air.

"Yes Miss Avalon, what would you like to share" He asked quite respectfully and I wasn't the only one who noticed this, Draco looked at me his eyes bulging out his head. I don't know what came over me but I just opened my mouth and words came flying out.
"Asphodel and Wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death, a Bezoar is found in the stomach of a goat and will save you from most poisons. And finally Monkshood and Wolfsbane are the same plant which also goes by the name of Aconite, Sir." I clasped a hand over my mouth shocked at my answer, where on earth had that come from, this is first time I've heard of these ingredients and I still have read the Potions book.
Professor Snape must have caught on due to my reaction "Miss Avalon that is correct and stay after class I want a word, in the meantime everyone copy down pages 5 to 26 and then for homework 2 rolls of parchment on the importance of correct measurements and timing when brewing a Potion."

After reading and copying down the information from the numerous pages I started writing down on a piece of parchment of the importance of measurements and timing when brewing Potions and what would happen if not treated so carefully. Half way through the lesson I threw my hand up in the air waiting to be noticed by Professor Snape. That's when I felt a presence behind me.

"What seems to be the problem Miss Avalon?" Snape growled out.
Cautiously I lifted my head so  I was looking into his eyes, they were soft and warm compared to his cold exterior. "I've finished the tasks sir, I was wondering if you can scan through them and pick out my faults, so they can be corrected."

I couldn't help the smile breaking out on my face, but when his eyebrows raised, I felt I had done something wrong and started to cower out of my decision.
"Gladly, Miss Avalon leave your work with me and I'll mark it, continue reading your Potions book to page 39. As we will need this information for our brewing of a Potion next lesson." He said this so calmly as if not having a care in the world. "MR MALFOY" He barked. "Why are you not writing down your work?"

"Sir, why should I write my work, when my quill will do it for me?" He asked rhetorically.
Professor Snape was fuming when he heard Draco's cheek. "You. Are. Suppose. To. Write. It. Down. Yourselves. So. The. Information. Will. Stay. In. Your. Brain. Cells. If. You. Dunderheads. Have. Any." He spoke out to the whole class making sure he pronounced every single word.

The tension in the room from that moment to the end of class was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Just as I was packing up my bag and about to walk out the room when a voice called to me "Miss Avalon, you need to stay behind so we can have a chat." Snape said so enthusiastically.