The Girl Unknown *A Harry Potter Story*

Meeting the Golden Trio

Keep in mind that this is a flashback to first year. That's why this chapter is going to be in italics. BTW, that's what her hair looks like above

It was the first Potions class of the year. Of course, it has to be in one of the coldest parts of the entire castle. The dungeon. I wasn't that bothered, though. Not even by the pickled animals floating in the jars around us. Snape started by taking the register, as every other professor has thus far. He struggled with my name for a moment before I helped him. "It's  Tighearnach, sir. Though, because of the difficulty of pronouncing my last name, I'm often referred to as Tiger, if that helps." I stated. He nodded before moving on down the roster. He paused again at another name. "Ah, yes." he said softly, remembering that the student was in this class. "Harry Potter. Our new - celebrity." he said before he finished calling the names of the rest of the class. 

I looked at Professor Snape, taking in his full appearance. He had a cold facial expression, but his onyx black eyes told an entirely different story. His eyes told a story of a man who had his heart broken a long time ago by a woman who was a friend of his. Even before then, his life was full of misery. A father who didn't care for him, a deceased mother... Just like me. Though, in my case, my father was my adoptive father. My biological parents are dead, as far as I know.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making." he started, barely speaking above a whisper. I started taking notes almost immediately, wanting to remember this. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses..." Professor Snape trailed off. 

I got lost in thought for a moment, relishing in the very idea. Potion-making is how I relax at the end of the day. They're usually healing potions, but potions none the less. I just end up being careful that there is no trace of the potion ever having been made after I bottled it. Normally. 

"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 usually have to teach." Professor Snape finished his thought. I very lightly chuckled. Hermione, a girl I had met on the train, and I were already on the edge of our seats. I was already itching to start making the potion. 

"Potter!" Professor Snape called suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Professor Snape asked him. I raised my hand, as did Hermione. It creates a sleeping potion so powerful it's known as the Draught of Living Death. "I don't know, sir." Harry replied, causing Snape to sneer. "Tut, tut. Fame clearly isn't everything." he said, ignoring the two of us. 

"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" Snape asked. Hermione and I raised our hands as high as we could without leaving our seats. It's found in a goat's stomach and it usually saves people from most poisons. "I don't know, sir." Harry repeated, feeling more and more confused. "Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?" Snape asked. 

Why is he being such an arse? He was still ignoring us. "What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" Professor Snape tried again. Hermione and I stood up, our hands toward the ceiling. They're the same plant, also known as aconite. "I don't know. I think Hermione and Violet do, though. Why don't you try one of them?" Harry replied, causing a few of us to laugh. "Sit down." Snape snapped at us. She sat calmly. I sat slowly, feeling ashamed. 

I probably shouldn't feel ashamed of myself, since I know so much when it comes to potions, but the fact that Professor Snape snapped at me when I was just trying to answer his question... It hurt. 

"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, which also goes by the name of aconite." Professor Snape explained for the clueless. I shrunk even further. "Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?" he exclaimed after noticing nobody was writing it down besides me. Everyone else was rummaging for quills and parchment. "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor house for your cheek, Potter." Professor Snape said. 

After that, things got a lot more difficult. We were paired up to mix a potion to cure boils. Simple enough. I've made this one a couple of times. I pulled my hair back with what muggles call a 'ponytail elastic' into a bun so that my long hair wouldn't get into it. I was surprised that he paired the class by their house. Gryffindors with Gryffindors and Slytherins with Slytherins. Wouldn't he want the classes to find friends in other houses? Oh well. A girl with very bushy brown hair, pale skin, and brown eyes walks over to me. "Hey Hermione." I said. We'd already become good friends when we met in the dormitory. "Hey Violet." she replied as she set her stuff, as well as the ingredients. I put them in the order that we needed them: six snake fangs (already crushed) on the far left, dried nettles, four horned slugs, and two porcupine quills on the right.

As we were all working on our potions, Professor Snape walked around as we weighed the dried nettles and crushed snake fangs, if we hadn't already. He criticized just about everyone except a boy whose name I believe is Draco Malfoy. It was obvious the professor liked him. When he came to ours, he basically said that we needed to ensure that the snake fangs were crushed entirely. 

He was telling us how perfectly Malfoy stewed his horned slugs when I noticed a cloud of acid green smoke and a loud hissing noise filled the classroom. I immediately stood on my stool, telling everyone else to do the same, knowing what the effect would do and exactly what caused it. Neville, who was working with Seamus, had managed to melt his cauldron into a twisted blob, their potion seeping across the floor. It had an acidic quality that burned holes into the shoes of those who didn't listen to me. As a result of this, the entire class was on their stools in seconds. 

Poor Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as bright red boils showed up all over his arms and legs. I winced, remembering having made the same mistake when I first made the potion with my mom supervising before she died.

"Idiot boy!" Professor Snape snarled, waving his wand to clean up the mess. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?" he asked. Neville continued to whimper as the boils spread to his nose. He then turned to Seamus, snapping at him to take him to the hospital wing. 

He then turned to start on Harry and Ron, who were at the table beside Seamus and Neville. "You - Potter - why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor." Professor Snape assumed. Harry opened his mouth to argue, stopping me from doing it, but Ron stopped him. "Professor, Harry was just focusing on his own potion. He didn't even notice that Neville had added the quills before taking it off the fire. To be quite honest, the only reason I know for a fact that was the mistake is because I've made this potion before. You can't expect perfection from everyone, professor. That's just not how this world works." I said, standing up for both boys. "Detention, Miss Tighearnach." he said coldly. That wasn't right. 

After class, Harry and Ron walked over to me as I was packing up my stuff. "Thanks for that." Ron said. "I just don't think it was right for him to have given you two a hard time just because you happened to be right next to them. I kept an eye on you two for the reason that I wanted to make sure that you two did well. I knew right from the moment that he read your name that he was going to give you a hard time, Harry. I just don't get why he was a complete arse to you when he doesn't even know you yet." I stated. I then realized that I didn't introduce myself. "I'm Violet, by the way. Violet Tighearnach. Most people just call me Violet or Tiger." I said gently. "I'm Harry Potter. This is Ron Weasley." Harry said. "Nice to meet you both." I said, giving a small smile.