The Next Generation

-Rave? – Vera asked through the link feeling his bland confusion and panic. She hadn’t felt it again; He felt panic building and fought it off.

-Overslept. I’ll be down in a minute. – He said softly and closed the link, not harshly though. He stood rather shakily looking around again and moving to get dressed and with a feeling of foreboding descended the stairs.

Chapter 4:

Itzal watched the little Snape boy look around the great hall before spotting himself and Sterling and walking over. The boy had the traces of a mark all around him; the older boy looked at his brother who was staring despondently at his food.

“Silver,” he whispered using his pet name for the younger boy, “What did you do?” he asked clearly interpreting his brother’s mood. The boy looked up sharply,

“It was sort of an accident.” He murmured looking abashed, “He just tastes so good.” He finished in an embarrassed whisper. Itzal looked at the other boy and licked his lips unconsciously.

“That he does. We’ll talk later.” He replied equally as soft and greeted the twins with a smile. Rave sat across from the strange brothers making a mental note to ask Ione what manor of creatures ran in their family. They ate and waited impatiently for their schedules. Despite the lack of division between the first years they couldn’t all have classes together it would be a nightmare for the teachers, so they would be divided most likely by house but know one would know that yet. Itzal and Sterling were having a heated discussion about potions class while Ione threw in a comment here and there. Vera was chatting animatedly with a third year Ravenclaw about the new class, history of muggles, there had always been the optional muggle studies class but this class was more focused on where muggle history coincided with or was created by magical history.

“Is this seat taken?” asked a musical voice from behind him, Rave looked up startled. Looking at the girl who had spoken with confusion he shook his head. She smiled the smile light up her whole face and set blue eyes sparkling. She moved with an inhuman grace to slide onto the bench beside him, the opposite side to Vera. He mentally shook himself and glanced at her badge, a seventh year Gryffindor that was interesting.

“My names Lavanya Shine, call me Lav only the teachers use my whole name.” She said introducing herself politely. Rave felt like a dolt next to her fumbling to introduce himself politely too. She smiled although it was a bit of a sad smile,

“Don’t worry the clumsiness and awkwardness isn’t your fault.” She said sensing his distress at sounding like a complete moron. “I’m full blooded Siren; I have that effect on every guy.” She continued sounding a bit forlorn, then looked up and eyed Itzal.

“Well almost every guy.” She murmured. The sixth year boy hadn’t even stuttered in his conversation with Sterling and Ione, neither had Sterling for that matter.

“Full blooded Siren?” Vera asked turning away from the Ravenclaw who had ceased talking to start at Lav. “Aren’t pure blood Sirens nearly impossible to come across?” she continued looking at the new girl suspiciously.

“Yup. But with Headmaster Snape’s new rules and systems enacted to protect those of creature blood who also have the ability to become wizards, or witches, my parents decided to bridge the gap with the wizarding world again. On a trail basis at the moment.” She replied with a grin. Vera looked around at all the students who were staring at the older girl,

“How is that working if they start drooling the minute you enter a room?” she asked. Lav giggled, the truth of that statement was obvious in some cases.

“They don’t usually; I have a fair amount of control over the lure I put out. I singing before I came down, that makes it impossible for me to control the lure for a while, it’ll wear off.” She replied as some people did start to shake their heads and tease their friends who hadn’t recovered yet. Luckily Rave was rescued from the same treatment via his sister and Ione when the teachers announced that they would be receiving their class schedules, which they did, on the table in front of them once the plates vanished. Rave, Vera, Ione and Sterling immediately compared schedules. All four of them were in the same classes. Today they had double potions first, and then care of magical creatures, herbology and ending with History of Magic. They all hurried back to the dorms, none of them had wanted to carry around all their books and only need some of them.

A little while later they were descending into the dungeons, Naji had opted to keep the potions room down there because if they managed to blow something up then the solid walls would probably remain intact. The fact that he was the head of Slytherin had nothing to do with it. He did however abandon his predecessor’s attitude, a fact that Severus had been most disappointed to hear. Naji was a friendly, helpful yet strict and demanding professor.

“Welcome to first year potions!” he greeted once they were all settled. Naji also took safety seriously too, not that Severus hadn’t, he was simply confident in his skills where Naji liked to be prepared for anything. As such their professor wore a dragon hide apron over his clothes nearly constantly and tended to forego robes should they get snagged on anything or stained. Hermione had threatened one year that if he ruined another set of good robes in the potion lab he would sleep outside for a month. So he’d begun wearing cheaper muggle clothes.

“In this class you will learn the delicate art of potion brewing, which is as much and art as a science.” He continued, “The slightest difference from the way you cut your ingredients to what metal your cauldron is made out of will affect the outcome of your potion. Now as first years we won’t be getting into potions so delicate that we need custom made cauldrons, you’ll only get that far if you qualify for an apprenticeship in your sixth year, but the cutting, order and amounts are key in your own potions.” He said pausing to let the information sink in. All the first years stared at him in silent attention, although some already knew these facts, those coming from wizarding families would already have some knowledge of potion craft, but the recitation couldn’t hurt.

“Now if you would all stand up,” he said waiting a minute for them to do so and banished the desks, and other equipment moving one cauldron and table to the center so they could gather around. Potions were the only class, so far, that all the first years shared. Naji or Professor Tearcatcher as they were supposed to refer to him, stood at the desk with the same ingredient spread out in front of him, a root of some kind. He waved the wand again splitting the one cauldron into four smaller ones.

“Now I told you that the manor of cutting maters but its hard to picture why so I’ll give you an example. This potion is a simple very mild pepper up potion so you can have taste a decent amount without ill affects.” He said cutting one root in even pieces; the next diced very fine, the third he ground with a mortar and pestle, and the last he crushed with a silver hammer. Distributing each manor of root into the cauldrons and stirring each the same way he waited until they turned a pleasant blue color.

“Don’t be shy taste at least two of the potions.” He urged. Rave and Vera stepping up first, Rave sampled the first two. The one that contained the chopped root was sweet, and the one that contained the diced root was very bitter. He was moderately surprised, even with a basic knowledge he hadn’t expected such a minute thing to change something so large. Vera tasted the one with ground root and found it sticky and vaguely sweet; the last one was thick like molasses and tasted very similar. Other students surged foreword and marveled at the changes cutting of one root could cause. Prof. Tearcatcher urged them back to their seats, which he had returned, and provided them each with a basic potion and three ingredients, mugwart roots, lemon juice, and wolfberries.

“Experiment with what I’ve given you, I promise that the worst you can do is creating a totally solid mass, nothing in these potions will combust if arranged wrong. The best you could do is creating the actual potion, a mild burn cream. If you combine the ingredients correctly it should get thick and turn a yellow colour.” He explained and left them to it. Answering questions and watching their potions. It was as much a test of skill as it was a fun introduction, if the students had read up in their books right in the first chapter there was a list of common ingredients and how they were most often prepared. As well as a list of what ingredients never go together, like mugwart and wolfberries. Rave and Sterling had paired themselves together; sometimes having someone who could share your every thought was anti-progressive so the twins split up. The boys tried various preparations of mugwart and lemon juice, not that they could change the lemon juice at all, and Vera and Ione tried wolfberries and lemon juice. The end of the class approached and no one had got the potion right yet, though everyone had caught the completion bug and tried every combination they could think of.

“Minced mugwart?” Sterling asked glaring at the potion. Rave shook his head,

“We tried that.” He murmured eyes falling on the lemon juice, and the glass jar it was in, surely that didn’t make a difference did it? He lifted the jar and poured it into the brass bowl that had been sitting idly with no purpose until now.

“Give me the cut mugwart.” Rave instructed cut was the most common use of the root. He added the root and then the juice stirring it as he watched the potion thicken and turn an ugly yellow.

“Excellent, Raveal and Sterling ten points each, tell the class what needed to be done.” Prof. Tearcatcher said with a proud smile.

“The lemon juice needed to be in a brass container, we didn’t even think that the container mattered.” Rave replied with a smile. He’d earned the first points for the first years; they had their own point meter rather than added to the houses. Vera shared his joy and added her own pride for him. Prof. Tearcatcher nodded,

“Exactly, the point for this lesson was that every variable matters. Homework is a short essay on what variables must always be considered during brewing.” He said dismissing them all. They all chatted about how different potions were than they thought it was going to be, especially those with siblings old enough to remember lessons with one Severus Snape. They progressed out on the grounds towards the new building that served as a menagerie most of the time but the some of the creatures were also brought out to teach with. Only half the first years went to care of magical creatures next the other half had defense against the dark arts. Rave, Vera, and Ione were a little nervous about what this class had in store for them after the horror stories from their respective parents and siblings in the twin’s case with Draco. Hagrid still taught but Harry had assured them that there was someone pulling in his reigns as well. The half giant stood waiting in front of the menagerie doors with the beautiful form of Lavanya standing beside him. Rave looked at the older girl in confusion when he remembered the new apprenticeship program for six and seventh years, that was how Harry made it so his old friend could keep his job but make appropriate lessons.

“Welcom’ to firs’ year Care ‘o magical creatures.” He greeted them with a cheery smile, “This here is Lav, ‘Prentice Lavanya to you lot. She’s gonna be showing you ‘round the men’g’rie today.” He said nodding to her and ambling off, presumable to plan lessons for the older students who could deal with the more ‘interesting’ creatures.

“Well let’s get started.” Lav said with a smile. They spent the rest of class in the building, which was much larger inside than it looked outside. It held over 100 magical creatures with their original habitats re-created perfectly down to the smells. Rave stared wide eyes with the rest of the students at the small dragons that had their own huge pen, that the students weren’t ever let into, and the other impressive creatures. After their tour of the menagerie they rushed back to the greenhouses for Herbology, Professor Sprout still taught it, and an introduction on how to keep safe and which houses to stay away from. Next they entered the history of magic classroom. Professor Binns had been sent on, or just away no one was really sure, regardless there was a new young professor in his place. Itzal was his assistant. The class was rather pleasant as the new Professor used his magic to project the images and make them move, giving his descriptions of wars and landscapes far more life. Once the class ended Itzal joined them on their way to dinner.

“How’d you like your first day little Snapes?” he asked with teasing smile. Rave beamed up at him and replied cheerily,

“It was amazing.” Despite his earlier conviction that something was going to happen today he now felt confident that nothing could ruin this day.

AN: There much faster than last chapter, btw! Lav as a Siren does not count as one of my original creatures because I obviously did not create sirens. So hah. Now I’m sure those who are reading are wondering what the hell Itzal and Sterling are well you’ll find out. Eventually. –Evil cackle- Once again there was something I wanted to say but I can’t remember so await the next chapter!