Starlight |Neville Longbottom|

~Chapter Two~

A/N: Don't come for me, these are Starla's opinions about Snape. I know that's a touchy subject.

I have been trying to think a lot more about my actions recently, and It has kind of worked. But I still feel really guilty about upsetting Neville so I am trying to turn over a new leaf.

It wasn't Neville's fault that I got upset, honestly. I was mainly upset that people were noticing that I was out of place, which I am. I would've gotten upset no matter who it was. But Neville had good intentions. He just wanted to get to know me and I of course had to be mean like normal.    

I tried to push those thoughts to the back of my mind while the school day was going on. I know it may be a somewhat unpopular opinion throughout the student body, but I actually liked going to the classes. It was a chance for me to stop being Starla Collins and actually focus on rules and theories and even Snape.

My goal of the day was to try to talk to Neville. No matter how hard it was.

All I had to do was start my day like I always did.. in the Great Hall earring breakfast.

After breakfast, my first class of the day was Charms. I have always loved charms because I was kind of good at it. For me it was just an easy start to the day. The good thing was that I got to just sit back, take notes, and take it easy. 

After charms though, I got my opportunity to talk to Neville in potions. It was no secret that Professor Snape terrified Neville. I knew it after the first potions lesson of the year.

When Stephen and I walked into the classroom I quickly noticed "DRAUGHT OF PEACE" written in big white letters on Professor Snape's chalkboard. I knew today was going to be a wonderful (I say sarcastically) day. Every single potion making day snape is the worst!

I took a deep breath as I sat in the back of the classroom listening to Snape's ramblings of discouragement before I went to gather my needed ingredients.

I organized all of my ingredients neatly beside me and took a spare piece of parchment I had in my bag so I could copy down the instructions that were written on Snape's board. It just works better for me that way. Finally, I began on my potion. It was proving to be much more difficult than the name let off.

I started by adding powdered moonstone until my potion turned green. Mine never got fully green. I ended up only getting it to turn a light green color.

Then I stirred the potion for what seemed like forever until the potion that was a light green turned a baby blue. I was already so over potions at this point.

Now I was adding more moonstone...yet again, until the color was lilac-ish. To be a thousand percent honest, I gave up at this point. I was in potions... not paint mixing class. So I ended up only doing the absolute bare-minimum.

Once my potion had produced a strong odor of sulfur, I knew I did something wrong but I honestly didn't care. Snape could fight me.

Just as I went to put up my left over ingredients, I saw Professor Snape walking towards my desk. He stood in front of my cauldron and simply said, "Ugh, wrong." Then he walked back closer to the front of the room.  However instead of going back to his desk he stopped a few rows up at Neville's desk.

"Mr. Longbottom, would you please care to explain to me why your potion is producing green sparks?" Snape asked with his same condescending tone that made me hate him more and more every time he spoke. Hy ears perked up at this point. Yes I am nosy, and yes I am trying to get back to Neville's good graces, sue me okay.

"Sorry sir," Neville replied.

"Why must you be so horrible at potions. It's like you'll never be any good. I assume you will be taking potions all throughout Hogwarts," Snape said, clearly trying to make a dig at him. I saw Neville's face fall and I knew it was my chance to whittle myself into the conversation.

"Why would you say that professor?" I spoke up, "You are a teacher and it is your job to nurture us on potion making. You are not supposed to put us down all the time."

"Ms. Collins, stay out of this," Snape snapped as he turned his head around, which caused his greasy hair to hit him across the face. 

"No, I'm honestly sick of you making fun of us students," I replied standing up from my seat. Most of the students in the room were staring at me at this point including my brother who gave his famous "Oh goodness, here she goes again" face.

"That's it! Fifty points from Gryffindor," Snape looked directly at my eyes.

"Oh really, what for? Speaking the truth?" I countered.

"Would you like detention as well?" He asked me with his face scrunching up in anger.

"Would you like me to bring this up with Professor McGonnagal? Or better yet, Dumbledore?" I practically yelled with all of my emotions I didn't know I had bubbling to the top.

"If I were you, I would stop speaking right now," He warned.

"Well, I believe I am just going to leave. Sorry Neville, seems like I am not much help," I spat and then stormed out of the room. I even left my bag, assuming Stephen would just bring it to me after class was over.

I returned to classes after potions. But before then, I just sat in the common room and tried to meditate. However, just like while making my potion, I gave up.

After classes, I worked on all of my homework..yes all of it, even potions. I even drew it out longer than necessary so maybe Neville would notice and come talk to me.

I realized my plan worked when I saw him sit across from me in the same spot he sat during our last conversation, "Do you need help with any of that?" He asked me.

"No, I actually was just hoping you would come over here and talk to me so I took longer on purpose," I admitted while the tops of my ears turned pink. It sounded silly when I said it outloud.

"Oh," he said. We both didn't say anything for a while until he said, "What you did in potions was really cool."

"Snape shouldn't have talked to you like that," I shrugged.

"Listen Starla, I know you weren't that angry at Snape because of what happened today."

I got even more quiet and my eyes focused on my quill that was sitting to the right of my parchment.

"I am here if you'd like to talk about what is going on," Neville spoke softly.

"Why are you so nice to me?"