Snake in the Grass

The next morning after our timetables have been given out, I take a look at the day. It was as follows: first up, Potions with Professor Slughorn, Herbology with Professor Sprout, Charms with Professor Flitwick, and Defence against the Dark Arts with Professor Edmunds. My day looked busy yet fun. I looked around and started to question who I already knew here at Hogwarts. My train of thought ended when I saw a familiar face in the crowd.
"Hey Lily!" I say.
"Oh, hi Ava," she replies, "What is your first class?"
"Potions." I say. Although I am looking forward to it, I have no idea of what to expect.
"Oh, that's one of my favourite subjects!" she exclaims with excitement in her voice.
"What's one of your favourite subjects?" a voice behind me asks. I turn around and feel the hairs on my arm stand up when I see Severus.
"Potions Sev, duh!" Lily says, playfully punching his arm. I examine him from top to bottom and when my gaze meet his, I get lost in the depth of his eyes.
"What ya looking at Ava?" Lily asks, oblivious to the blush spreading across my face as Sev keeps eye contact.
"Um..." Was all I could manage, as a small smile graces Sevs face, causing me to look away, embarrassed slightly.
I look back and see that the smile on Sevs face is gone. I wonder what he was thinking when he was looking into my eyes, maybe he was just as lost in my eyes a I was in his. A laugh erupts from Lily's mouth as she takes in my bemused expression.
"Well, I gotta go to class now, see you both later!" I spin and run out of the great hall and down to the dungeons for my first class.

Once seated I take a look around the classroom. It was dark and gloomy but had a very homey atmosphere to it. "Good morning everyone!" a voice exclaimed from the doorway. We all turn to the back of the classroom and standing in the doorway is a slightly rotund, balding man I assume to be Professor Slughorn. A chuckle erupts from his belly as he totters to the front of the classroom. "Today you will be brewing a cure for boils. It may be simple but for others it will be a challenge. The instructions are on the board. Please proceed." and with that, he waved his wand and the instructions appeared. It was simple. Mother had made me do an assortment of potions when I was younger because I had shown an interest in her old school books and if I remember correctly, this potion was one I had mastered within minutes.

Within the hour I had finished the potion to perfection. Slughorn was bouncing around the classroom inspecting everyone's potions. Upon reaching me, he took one look and exclaimed, "Perfection! Miss Lewis. Can I speak to you after class?" I nod in agreement. He totters off mumbling about my potion. The rest of the class goes by smoothly and about 15 minutes later the class is dismissed and I walk up to Slughorns desk.
"Miss Lewis, where did you learn how to make potions like that?" he asks, awe in his voice.
"I took an interest when I was about 7 and my mother helped me with it all. Just before I came here I mastered making Wolfsbane." I said.
"Remarkable. I wonder, seeing as you very well do not need this class, would you be interested in assisting me in other, more advanced classes? I am also assuming that this is also the case with your other classes?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Indeed it is professor. I turned to the books when I was younger, and my mother had a lot of time on her hands so she taught me everything. She got Ollivander to make me a wand when I turned 7. So I've had a lot of experience." I tell him, proud of my accomplishment at such a young age.

"Well, I'll go talk to Professor Dumbledore and see what we can arrange. Now you best be off to your next class." He says, shooing me out of the room.

Running to greenhouse 1 for Herbology I run into someone in the corridors. I fell to the ground and was attacked by my heavy herbology book.
"Look where you're going next time," I say angrily, turning to see who I ran into. It was Sev.
"Sorry," I mumble, reaching for my bag. He also reached for my bag and our hands brush against each other. It feels as if an electric current is running up my arm. I jerk my hand back and blush furiously.
“Here,” he says picking my bag up and handing it to me.
“Thanks.” I say After I get up I brush the dust off my robe and take my bag from him. Accidentally our hands brush again and my eyes dart to his face. His eyes widen and then he makes eye contact with me. I grab my bag and break eye contact, feeling my face becoming warmer and warmer.
“I’d better go.” I say, but when I try to move, it feels like my feet have been glued to the ground.
“Yeah, same.” He says, but he doesn’t move either.
“I’m sorry.” I say to him.
“About?” he asks.
“That day on the train.” I sigh. Just thinking about the incident gave me sick feeling.
“Don’t be. I was a jerk, and I appreciate it. No one has stuck up for me like that before, and especially a first year.” His voice laced with awe.
“Well, I cannot stand it when someone gets bullied because they’re different.” I say shyly as I brush a streak of hair behind my ear.
He smiles. “Where are you heading anyway?” He asks.
“Herbology.” I say reluctantly, not wanting this moment to be over.
“I’ll walk you.” He replies, and together we head off to greenhouse 1.