I calmly walk into the dark Potions classroom and sigh. Malfoy's presence luckily does not grace me as I walk in. I quickly take my seat towards the front of the classroom. The usual butterflies in my stomach do not appear to which I can only guess is because I know Snape isn't going to be here breathing down my neck. I then hear the door quietly creak open as someone walks in.

"Um…hi," a first-year girl in Hufflepuff says hesitantly to me a few seconds later.

"Hello," I reply politely.

"Um…do you mind if I sit here?"

After I shake my head, she quickly slides into the seat next to mine. I can tell she's nervous, which I definitely can sympathize. While Professor Vector is definitely not in the slightest a professor to fear, the fact that she's teaching Potions is. I am used to Snape teaching Potions. In a way, it is a little less nerve-racking that way because he always fixes our mistakes before we kill everyone.

"I'm Ellie," the first-year girl says. "I'm kind of glad Snape's not teaching us, aren't you? I just think he's awful mean."

"You should see him after he finds out you failed Astronomy," I drawl. I then watch her eyes widen as it dawns on her who I am.

"Oh, oh my, oh my goodness, you're Harry Potter, aren't you?"

"Yeah," I reply quietly. "It's nice to meet you, Ellie."

"So it's true then, you know, that you live with Snape? The other girls were telling me about it this year, but I didn't believe them. I mean, why would anyone allow him near any of us? Oh, I'm so sorry, Harry. You know, I'm sure a dozen or so Wizarding families would take you in if you asked so you didn't have to live with him."

"It's not as bad as it sounds, Ellie. He might act like a git to everyone, but I think deep down he's just like the rest of us," I reply. Of course, I already knew that everyone else knew that I live with Snape now, but to hear this first-year actually feel sorry for me is a bit absurd. I get enough pity from the Gryffindor Tower. I do not need it from a first-year. "So, what classes are you retaking?"

"Well, this one obviously," she says with a lopsided grin. "And then there's Transfiguration, Herbology, and Defense. I must say that I can't wait for Defense. I hear that Professor Sinistra is going to duel Snape. Can you believe it? Maybe she'll hex him so bad he has to be in the Hospital Wing for a week. Wouldn't that be amazing?"

"Well, don't get your hopes up, Ellie. Snape's pretty good at dueling."

"Well, sure, it's because he's one of them you know." She then points to her left forearm.

"You don't know that, Ellie."

"Oh, come on, Harry. It's Snape. Everyone knows he fancies the Dark Arts."

"Yeah, just like everyone knows I'm the heir to Slytherin," I drawl before turning back to look at the front of the classroom. Professor Vector is now up there tapping her foot.

"Are you really? Oh, that is so cool, Harry," exclaims Ellie next to me.

"Good morning, class. Today we are going to brew Shrinking Solution. Now it is a difficult potion, so you are all going to have to pay extremely close attention to what you are doing. We don't want to have any accidents." The class of about thirteen different students except for me quietly laughs. "No, really, class, we don't want any accidents." The laughter stops and we all stare at her. "All right, get to it." She then walks back to Snape's desk and watches us from it. It is almost as if she is hiding.

I soon pay little attention and start to follow the familiar scrawl on the board. Snape must have written it up there the previous night when he still thought he'd be teaching down here. I must say that not having him breathing down my neck is certainly making this more relaxing.

"Um…hey, I can't read number 5. Could you read it back to me?" asks a girl next to me.

"Sure, 'Chop evenly daisy roots before adding," I reply reading the chalkboard. I then add more leech juice to my own potion, only to have it start to hiss horribly and fizzle. My eyes widen as I realize my mistake. Neville made this same mistake once and Snape nearly killed him for it. "Um…Professor Vector," I say trying to get her attention. She only stares at me before waving her wand at it, which is the entirely wrong thing to do. In the back of my mind, I can hear Snape shouting 'WHAT IS THE NUMBER ONE POTION'S RULE.' "Never to use magic while brewing," I whisper just before my caldron explodes. The bright array of various types of red immediately douses me as the liquid seeps into my clothing. I can feel the cool dungeon floor underneath me as I lay on it. The explosion must have knocked me down. Well, it certainly seems the same as when Neville did the same thing.

It takes me a few moments, but numbly I become aware of Professor Vector somewhere near me. One would think that would calm me, but it doesn't. After all, she did break the most known rule in Potions. Even Neville knows that one.

"It's going to be all right, Potter," Professor Vector says quietly.

I nod. Honestly, what else would I say? Yeah, thanks for trying to kill me, Professor. The 'It's going to be all right' really helps. It makes me feel safer. I try to shake my head only to feel more pain.

"Let's get you to Madam Pomfrey. She can fix you up in no time. The rest of you, leave your cauldrons behind and return to your common rooms."

Hazily, I notice the dim light from the torches as we walk down the dungeon corridors towards the Hospital Wing. I'll admit that I'm just barely holding back my whimpers as my face stings horribly. However, I know that there is nothing Vector can do for me. Well, she perhaps could just leave me the hell alone. Honestly, who breaks the Number One Rule in Potions?

"Oh, dear Merlin, what happened to you?" Madam Pomfrey shrieks.

It is strange that I hear her now because I swear I was just in the dungeons a moment ago. I then feel someone push me down onto a cot. I guess I somehow have managed to reach the Hospital Wing.

"Well, I'll take it from here, Professor. Harry's in good hands now."

I moan quietly, but I doubt either witch hears me. Good hands are the least of my problems. I can feel Madam Pomfrey quickly washing the potion off my face with a wet washcloth. I must admit it feels rather nice. Her expert hands wiping the potion away makes me want to smile. Why? Because I am nowhere near Professor Vector.

"Well, how do you feel, Mr. Potter?"

"Good, thank you," I reply opening my eyes again.

"Yes, well, you're going to need Severus to give you more salve tonight. I've applied as much as I can, but I'm afraid you're going to look a bit like a lobster for awhile until those burns heal properly."

"Yes, ma'am," I reply gloomily.

"Well, go to your next class. The bell is about to ring." I do just that and head to History of Magic.