Snape drew in a slow breath as he stood at the front of the classroom with his arms folded across his chest. He looked extremely relaxed as he waited for his class to walk into the room. Today would be the first day when he didn't have to be an arse to everyone. Unfortunately, he wasn't sure if he could actually be less harsh. After all, he couldn't just let his students rule the coop, not that he ever would. When the door slowly opened with a dark-haired young man's head peeking around it, Snape drew in another calming breath.

"Hello, Mr. Longbottom." When the young man squeaked in fear, Snape said nothing. However, it was rather difficult not to sneer at the idiot Gryffindor for that wretched noise coming from his mouth. While he understood the young man's trepidation considering their past, he did wish Longbottom at least attempted to be a Gryffindor. After all, both of his parents were extremely brave individuals. One would think they had somehow imprinted that bravery onto their son before LeStrange took them away from the poor Gryffindor. They obviously had not managed to do so, if one noticed the way the young man whimpered softly before he headed towards his usual seat. If there was one good thing Snape could say about the young man, it was that he was at least consistent in his seating arrangement.

For the next two minutes, the classroom atmosphere was very tense as it was just Snape and poor Neville alone with no witnesses. They made sure they weren't looking at one another, though. In fact, both attempted to look rather busy. Snape was staring at the back wall, namely at his jar of rat spleens. Neville was staring down at the clean page of his notebook. When the door opened, both nearly leapt with joy as Gryffindors and Slytherins filtered into the classroom.

When every student in the small fifth-year class was sitting at their usual places, Snape relaxed his pose even further. He was trying to make his classroom environment less frightening, but he was pretty sure he was too late for that, a good fourteen years too late. He took in his students' faces and sighed. They looked terrified to death.

"First off, I would like to begin with an apology for my behavior these past years. For some of you, I know I've been downright harsh with you." Snape's dark eyes briefly flickered to Neville. "For others, I've allowed you to get away with murder practically." He glanced ever so slightly towards a few of his Slytherins. "As of this moment, there shall be no more rewards granted towards students who do not deserve it. In the past, I know that I've granted points to students for such things as breathing. All this ends today, though." The fear in his students' eyes deepened. "Before all of you idiots go screaming to the Headmaster that I've gone insane, I think you should all know something."

Snape then released a slow breath. This next part was either going to go well for him or not. He wouldn't admit it to anyone if under Cruciatus, but he actually rehearsed his next words in the mirror that morning. After all, he needed to hear how it sounded like the anal-retentive person he was.

"Some of you are extremely talented when it regards brewing." Snape ignored most of the smiles. "But most of you are not." He bit back his chuckle when the majority of students' smiles dropped instantly. "Now, while I may be a bit strict at times, you should all understand the seriousness of what you are doing in this classroom. I cannot be like Professor Dumbledore offering you lemon drops while in the midst of brewing, nor can I be like Professor Binns and lecture you all to death. There comes a fine line of how I must teach all of you. This is a dangerous subject. We have all seen numerous times the disastrous results if one throws in the wrong ingredient into his or her cauldron. Concentration is vital, but so is discipline. One little error could cost you a best friend or a classmate."

Some of the students looked positively horrified now. However, it was the truth. If just one of the little dunderheads threw in the wrong ingredient, the classroom could go up like a Roman candle. While the Founders, namely Slytherin, had worked in fail-safes into the classroom, Snape knew it would fail when tested against Neville "I live to melt every cauldron" Longbottom.

"That's one of the reasons I'm increasingly harsh when there is a mistake. It is my duty as a professor to make sure all of you return to your parents or guardians relatively unharmed at the end of the term." He then slowly breathed in. "However, it is also my duty to make sure that you feel safe in my classroom. Unfortunately, these past few years I have failed to do so. Many of you have had to suffer in response to my vitriol that I've spewed towards you. So for that, I apologize." The words tasted bitter as he spoke, making him grimace slightly. "Perhaps we can begin anew, though, with this term."

His Slytherins stared dumbfounded at him, which was understandable. However, his apology was by no means that he'd follow suit with the majority of the staff and treat them like outcasts. Having faced the same prejudices when he was a student, he knew precisely how they were treated. His loyalty still remained with his snakes, and it would forever remain with them.

The Gryffindors, however, also stared at him with dazed looks on their faces. They looked rather ridiculous with their mouths hanging open. Then again, he had just apologized for his treatment of them and had been relatively calm throughout the entire thing. Harry was the only student who didn't look so foolish, but that was probably due to their summer. When Granger slightly raised her hand, Snape bit his cheek and inclined his head towards her. Only Granger would be the one Gryffindor who would be brave enough to ask a question.

"Sir, did something happen to you this summer?"

A part of him wanted to respond to that foolish question with 'What didn't happen,' but his Slytherin side won of course. Snape stared at the concerned girl for a few moments before shaking his head slowly. He knew his refusal to speak only made her suspicious so he reluctantly responded.

"Miss Granger, this is neither the place nor the time for such a discussion." His voice was calm and semi-soothing. He didn't sound at all annoyed with her question, which was surprising considering he was. He actually sounded a bit like, Merlin forbid, Flitwick minus the squeakiness. "However, as I spoke earlier, I am not ill, mentally or otherwise." Snape did his best to ignore the inquisitive look in her eyes. "Now, seeing as how this is your O.W.L. year, it perhaps would be prudent if we began discussing theories. Do you concur, Miss Granger?"

Snape nearly rewarded points to her when she wisely smiled and glanced down at her opened book looking rather embarrassed. He knew that Granger was well aware of how asinine her question was in front of a room of Death Eaters' children. Far be it from him to point out her idiocy right then when he was trying to make the students more comfortable, not less.

Glancing towards Harry, he instantly noticed the young man's poorly hidden grin. Ever since he learned he was going to be the big brother to two siblings rather than one, Harry had worn a large goofy grin that took over his entire face. It was rather ridiculous to see, but Snape was glad that Harry was at least smiling so openly. After all, Harry had Lily's smile, which he thanked his lucky stars. Though, the Hufflepuff behavior the horrid Gryffindor exhibited the day they informed him was nearly worth Snape grounding him.

"While you will be instructed by Professor Slughorn in your practical, either he or I will be grading your potions. So there will be no sloughing off this year. I also expect all of you to show him the respect he deserves. I've already instructed him to assign detentions with Filch if anyone even thinks about ruining another's potion. Let me reiterate it in case there was confusion. There will be no throwing ingredients into cauldrons either to steal or to make a classmate look foolish. Neither Professor Slughorn nor I are truly that idiotic not to realize that there was sabotage. Is that understood?"

Snape's usual malice and sneer weren't anywhere near him as he spoke. He could definitely see the result of this action and it made him relax even more. It was mostly because the majority of his students nodded slowly without the look of impending doom on their faces. He was actually reaching them without the need of screaming or making them cry. Maybe this starting anew was a good thing.

"Then let's begin."

Snape's eyes flickered to his godson. Draco only bowed his head ever so slightly in response to the unspoken request. After all, everyone knew Draco was the alpha male for the Slytherin fifth-years. If anyone could make sure the Slytherins didn't do anything stupid this year, it would be Draco.

"For the past few years now, researchers have studied the results of harvesting Tentacular leaves at night as opposed to the daytime in regards to its effectiveness in brewing. Mister Longbottom, why might you suppose that would be?" He forced his face to remain positively relaxed when the Gryffindor squeaked in surprise. The question was solely rooted in Herbology, so he knew the young Gryffindor had to know of the theory at least.

"Because…um…Tentacular leaves are more…um…docile at night, sir," Neville replied softly.

"Correct." Snape then swallowed back the bitter taste. "Ten points to Gryffindor." Acting as if that was nothing out of the ordinary, he continued his lecture rewarding both houses when warranted.