||Rain's Storm||The Sorcerer's Stone||Year 1||

Chapter Three: Potions

Rain sat quietly, listening intently as Professor McGonagall talked about Transfiguration. She had been in the same state in every class since the first one that morning. She had thought she would loath the school, and more so her lessons, but she had become transfixed by them. She had drank in every word spoken by her teachers, much like Hermione who she had taken to sitting by. Ron and Harry had mostly seemed spaced out, like they couldn't understand a word that was being said.

As the students filed out to go to their next class, McGonagall shouted at them to remember to do their homework. Rain rolled her eyes as she hurried after Hermione, Ron, and Harry; surely she didn't need to remind them so many times? However, the thought quickly left her mind as they descended into the dungeon for Potions. Excitement coursed through Rain; this would be her first time getting a good look at her Head of House.

Ron, Harry, and Hermione sat together near the front. Deciding being closer would be better then sitting in the back by herself, she took the seat beside Hermione; Harry sat on Hermione's other side. She pulled out her potions book, and remained quiet while the rest of the class talked excitedly. She watch in silent amusement.

Suddenly the door few open, and in walked the man himself. "There will be no foolish wand waving," he growled as he stormed to the front of the class, "or silly incantations in this class." Reaching his destination, he turned to face them. "As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciation the suttle science and the excate art that is potion making. However, for those select few, " Rain caught his gaze shift to Draco, "who posses the predisposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and snare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death." He paused, and Rain instantly took the chance to study him.

He was a tall, mediam built size man. His greasy black hair came to roughly his shoulders, and appeared oddly messy. His face had the appearance of a man who had seen much troubled, and he seemed much older than she believed him to be. His all black clothing amused her for some reason. He had a mystery about him she wanted to solve.

"Then again," he continued, "maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possion of abilities so formidable you're comfortable enough, " his voice became louder and rougher, "not to pay attention."

Rain slightly glanced at her side. Hermione had nudged Harry who seemed to have been writing; he still had a quill in his hand. He and Hermione both turned their attention back to Professor Snape, who now seemed annoyed. Rain kept an eye on them all.

Professor Snape moved so he stood before Harry. "Mr. Potter," he said, now speaking as he had before, "our new celebrity. Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Hermione's hand shot up eagerly. Harry looked dumbfounded. He and Hermione exchanged a glance before he looked back at the professor, and gave a small shake of his head.

"You don't know?" Snape taunted him. "Well, let's try again. Where, Mr. Potter, would you look if I asked you to find a bezoar?"

Once again, Hermione's hand shot up but was ignored. They glanced at each other again before Harry muttered, "I don't know sir."

"And what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Harry glanced only briefly at Hermione. "I don't know sir," he repeated. 

"Pity. Clearly, fame isn't everything, isn't it, Mr. Potter?" Snape spoke each word slowly, tauntingly. Seeming satisfied with his bullying, he went on with his lesson. Rain enjoyed his lesson far more than she had any other. She tasted a bitter pill of displeasure as the time came to change classes.

"I don't see why you're so glum Harry," Rain noted as they walked. Harry had his head down, refusing to look at anyone. He hadn't even respond to Ron.

"Glum? He made a fool of me in front of the entire class Rain!" Harry exclaimed.

Rain shrugged. "So? Being made a fool of is nothing. At least he didn't box you between the ears or worse."

Hermione stared at her. "Box your ears in? You make it sound like it's a normal thing to go around hitting people!"

Rain glared at her. "Where I'm from, it is." A sudden though occurred to her. "You don't know where I'm from, do you?" The three of them shook their heads.

"I'm from the Dark Woods Orphanage."

Rain closed her eyes tightly as Ron and Hermione grasped. Harry stared between the three of them. "The Dark Woods?" he questioned.

"The Dark Woods is the village in the wizarding world were nearly all former Death Eaters and their families live! Death Eaters where You-Know-Who's men, and all of the children who live at the orphanage there are the children of Death Eaters whose parents are in Azkaban or dead," Hermione explained in one breath. Harry stared at Rain in horror.

"I don't know who my parents are okay? I've been at the orphanage since I was barely a year old. I was found during one of the raids of one of the Death Eater's former homes. No one knows for sure who I was, or why I was there. I can't even be sure my parents were Death Eaters. For all I know, my parents were victims." Rain knew she was begging them to understand. Slowly, Harry nodded. She smiled faintly in gratitude. At least he seemed to understand.

"But if they didn't know who you were when they found you, how did they know your name?" Ron asked. Rain smirked; at least this was an easy answer.

She pulled the thin, silver chain which hung around her neck, revealing for the first time the charm necklace she wore at all times. "This was on me when they found me. I've never taken it off." On the chain, a bright red stone was encircled by a silver snake, its head resting on top where the chain connected with the charm. On the snake, in tiny writing, was LilyRain. "It had my first name on it, but no last name."

The three of them stared at it, awe and horror in their eyes. "That's a snake, isn't it?" Hermione whispered. Rain frowned, but nodded.

Thinking quickly, she told them, "I can't control who my parents were, but I decide who I am."

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Note: The necklace is very similar to the image I included with the video. However instead of gold, it is silver, and the snake is curled around the entire stone and not just on top.