His Green Eyes:: Book 1 (Harry Potter love story)

Chp8: Pathetic Potions

We had classes just the next day.

They were not as bad as I imagined them to be. I mean.. we were learning magic! We had subjects like: Herbology, Charms, Defence against Dark Arts, History of magic (most boooring!), Transfiguration, Astronomy and Potions. We had attended all our classes save... potions. I had heard a lot of stuff about the teacher who taught the subject-Professor Snape.

Today we had double potions with the Slytherins. There, we would see whether the things we heard about him were true or not. We were sitting on the great table having breakfast when Hedwig, Harry's owl came zooming to him with a letter. This was odd, as he never really used to recieve any.

He and Ron sat just next to me so I could hear everything they were saying. Harry tore it open and read aloud, "Dear Harry, I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup oftea with me around three? I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig.

-Hagrid."

Harry borrowed Ron's quill, scribbled "Yes, please, see you later" on the back of the note, and sent Hedwig off again. I asked Harry, "Hey Harry, can I visit Hagrid with you and Ron?"

Harry looked at me, smiled and said, "Yeah sure Catherine, why not."

"Oh thanks. And please call me Cathy." I said.

"Oh..okay Cathy." He smiled. I looked back at Hermoine who was sitting opposite to me. Her spoon was suspended in midair and her eyes were wide.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing." She said, giving me a cold expression. I understood why she was so suprised. I only alowed Hermoine to call me Cathy. Not even my parents. But here, I had told Harry to call me so. But that was my choice. Hermoine did not need to be angry..

After breakfast, we made our way for our portions class. Potions lessons took place down in one ofthe dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around thewalls. Snape started the class by taking the roll call, and he paused at Harry's name.

"Ah, Yes, " he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new -- celebrity." Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potionmaking, " he began. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many ofyou will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will reallyunderstand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power ofliquids 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 usuallyhave to teach. " More silence followed this little speech.

I saw Harry and Ron, who were seated on my right exchange looks while Hermoine on my left sat up more straight and was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root ofasphodel to an infusion of wormwood? Powdered root of what to aninfusion of what?"

I knew the answer. But Harry looked like he did not have the slightest of idea about it. Hermoine's hand immidiately shot up into the air.

"I don't know, sir, " said Harry. Snape's lips curled into a sneer. "Tut, tut -- fame clearly isn't everything." He ignored Hermione's hand.

"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat, but Harry was quite. Again, I knew the answer. Hermoine used to read all this aloud to me in the holidays. Harry looked at me helplessly. I wish I could tell him the answer, but with Snape's cold eyes fixed at Harry, I could not.

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?" Snape was still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling.

"I don't know, " said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?"A few people laughed but I was the loudest of them, and I immidiately regretted this.

Snape looked directly at me and said, "Something funny, miss Granger? Perhaps, you can tell me, the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"Umm..." I said trying to remember what Hermoine used to read, "Monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant." I said, knowing I had suprised him by knowing the answer. I had looked of triumph on my face. Harry caught my eye and gave me a thumbs up when Snape wasn't looking.

"For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, as Ms. Granger told us... but she missed the detail that they also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?" There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter. And one more point for will be taken because of Ms. Granger's behavior. I will not tolerate such behavior in my class."

I felt myself turning red. It was not even a week and I had lost Gryffindor a point. Things didn't improve for the us as the Potions lesson continued. As for Harry, he seemed to be having a bad day as he was blamed falsely for not telling Neville to add the quills in his potion, due to which he had grown boils all over himeself and had to be taken to the hospital wing.