Changes and Secrets

Chapter 14

Harry was delighted to have a lesson with Hagrid on his first day. The class was introduced to hippogriffs, including Buckbeak. Harry got to ride on Buckbeak and everything was going well until Draco ruined it by ignoring Hagrid's instruction to not insult a hippogriff. The consequence was Buckbeak attacking Draco and causing him to have an injured arm. Draco milked his injury for more than it was worth.

Snape sighed as his third year Slytherins and Gryffindor entered his dungeon. He already had to deal with one Potter, but now he had to deal with one more in his class just as he was getting over the shock of Potter still being alive. And there was yet another in his first year class. He hadn't looked at the two new Potters as he had missed the feast on an errand. But at least having Potter's cousin's daughter wouldn't be as bad as having Potter's own son in his class. She was also a Slytherin, and not a Gryffindor. He would have preferred it if it was a trade in, but yet Potter's brat of a son would still be in his class as well.

After his usual introduction speech, he asked the class "Who can tell me the ingredients in a Shrinking Solution?"

Granger and another girl raised their hands. He had never seen the other girl but yet she felt familiar. He supposed she was the new Potter girl. Out of blatant curiosity of a Potter raising their hand in a potions class, he decided to let her take the question.

"You. You're the new Potter girl aren't you?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Yes sir. Abigail Potter".

"You know the answer to my question?"

"Yes sir. Roots of Applewood, Shrivelfig and Hattonide", she said as he notice Hermione put her hand down in disappointment.

Snape was stunned. "Well, at least one of you knows. Ten points to Slytherin", he said, doing his best to control the shakiness in his voice.

"Thank you sir."

Snape felt a jolt in his stomach and he eyed Abigail Potter while explaining The Shrinking Potion. She eyed him with same interest as someone dear to him had once did in Potion's class. Even her palm was placed on her chin the same Lily's used to. Potter's son on the other hand usually looked bored with his back lounged in his seat just like his father used to during Potions.

He walked around the class as they brewed the Shrinking Solution and passed criticisms to most of the cauldrons. Draco Malfoy had an injured arm so he made Ron cut up his ingredients and deducted points from Gryffindor while making Ron switch with Draco when Draco complained Ron wasn't doing it right.

However, Abigail Potter was doing an excellent job on her potion and watching her work reminded him of his old dear friend. Even her smile when she talked with her friends was all Lily. But how? She was Potter's niece. She had no blood connection with Lily. Why was she reminding him more of Lily than her actual son did?

_____________________________

Sirius never imagined having to step inside 12, Grimmauld Place but here he was, entering the house he grew up in with both his bestfriends. They had tried researching about horcruxes in the Potter library after James had filled him and Remus in on his conversation with Dumbledore but there simply were no books pertaining to Dark Arts there. But Sirius knew there were plenty of books on the Dark Arts in the Black library. Deciding that Harry's well-being was more important than some resolve to never step into 12, Grimmauld Place, the three Marauders made up their mind to check the Black library.

As he expected, he heard his mother's portrait yell things like "Filthy blood traitors and filthy half-breeds entering my home. My own flesh and blood, a filthy blood traitor". Sirius yelled at her to shut up but she continued her screaming rant about their presence.