AN: JUST TO CLEAR THINGS UP. Bella is in fact two years older than Draco and Harry which is why she is a fifth year prefect in POA. I have also made Daphne in that year as well instead of being the same age at Draco and Harry as she is supposed to be in the books.

Chapter Two

I woke with plenty of time before breakfast. I quickly learnt in first year to get in the shower before Daphne as she took a ridiculous amount of time in there every morning. I showered, had a wash and got ready to go before going and waking Daphne.

"Five more minutes" Daphne mumbled.

"No. Up now or you'll be late." I told her.

She just rolled over, pulling her covers up over her head and falling back to sleep. I huffed. I guess I was going to have to do this the hard way. I got out my wand and pointed it at Daphne. "Aquamenti". A blast of water came out of my wand soaking everything that was on Daphne's bed with ice cold water. Daphne jumped up with a scream.

I quickly rushed out of the room with her yelling out to me, "You're so dead Bella"

I laughed to myself as I headed up the stairs to the common room. I was surprised to see I wasn't the first one up. In previous years I had been. Sat upon one of the common room chairs was a first year girl, dressed and ready to go, but looking like she was about to fall back to sleep. Her head dropped onto the table.

"I wouldn't fall asleep in here if I were you" I told her.

She jumped up startled.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you" I said. "I'm Bella"

She gave a small nervous smile. "No, it's okay. Um, thanks for the tip. And my names Melody Walters."

"You're welcome. If you don't mind me asking, why are you down here so early? Normally first years are the last ones to come down on the first day back" I asked her.

"The rest of the girls, um, they don't really, um, like me. After all I am only a half-blood. They're all Purebloods." she replied dejectedly, her head hung low.

I smiled slightly before sitting down next to her. "Sometime I think Slytherin falls behind the times. Just because you are a half blood doesn't mean you are any less worthy of being in Slytherin. For all they know you may be the most cunning and sly out of the entire Slytherin House. Don't worry about them. Find some friends elsewhere that don't care what blood you have. Just don't lose yourself in trying to be someone you are not."

"It doesn't help me fit in here though does it?" she replied, looking up at me.

"Maybe not, but just between you and me, you shouldn't worry about being a half blood Slytherin, after all - and don't repeat this to anyone else - the only living descendent of Salazar Slytherin is a half blood. But if your truly worried about it, they'll get over it eventually."

"Thanks, um, Bella" She said with a smile.

"You're welcome. Come on why don't you join me for breakfast?" I asked her.

Her smile brightened and she nodded. I returned her smile and held out my hand for her to take. She gladly took it and I pulled her up and out of the common room. I was half expecting her to let go of my hand soon after we left the common room but she didn't. She held on to it with a tight grip. Almost like she was afraid I would just disappear.

I lead her into the Great Hall and to where I normally sat on the Slytherin table, about half way down. I sat down and she sat down next to me, finally releasing her grip on my hand. I saw that Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall were already sat up on the teachers table. They were both smiling towards me and Melody. I smiled back and then turned to Melody as food started appearing in front of us.

"Why don't you tell me a bit about yourself Melody?" I asked her.

"What do you want to know?" she asked back hesitantly, while picking up a piece of toast from the table.

"Whatever you feel comfortable sharing. What about your family? What are they like?" I asked her.

"Oh well, there's my mom. She's a muggleborn. She was in Hufflepuff when she came here. She's one the nicest people you'd ever meet. She works at St Mungo's now as a nurse there. She's really good at healing so she said it was only natural for her to go and work there. Plus my grandmother was a muggle nurse and my grandfather a muggle doctor." She said, glancing up at me from her toast every now and again. Probably checking to see that she wasn't boring me and I was in actual fact listening. I nodded to her encouragingly when she did which made her smile and continue. "Then there's Dad. He's a pureblood. He was in Ravenclaw. He's super super smart. Mom calls him her own personal encyclopaedia. He works for the ministry in the department of Magical Co-operation. Finally, there's Nancy, my big sister. She's here somewhere. She was sorted into Hufflepuff like Mom. She's, well, she's the golden child of the family. She's really smart like Dad and really nice like Mom. And here I am with Dad's short temper and Mom's terrible co-ordination."

"Trust me, there is no such thing as a Golden child. I just so happen to know that a certain Nancy Walters may be nice and good at the theoretical subjects but absolutely terrible at anything practical including Potions. No-one is good at everything, you've just got to find what you are good at." I told her.

"Will you, um, tell me something about you?" Melody asked me nervously.

"Sure. Well I half live with my Dad, Remus Lupin. This year's DADA professor. He is really good at defence and he helped fight during the wizarding war. He is also really nice. Anybody would have thought he would do well in Hufflepuff and as much as I wish I could deny it, his brains would make a good Ravenclaw. Unfortunately he was a Gryffindor and shared Gryffindor's knack for trouble making."I told her with a smile, letting her know I wasn't serious about it being a bad thing that he was in Gryffindor. "I never really knew my Mom. She died when I was three but she was also a Gryffindor. She was two years younger than Dad but they had the same friend circle."

"I'm sorry about your Mom" She said.

"Don't worry about it. I have my Dad." I told her with a smile.

"Melody!" Both Melody and I looked over our shoulders. Coming towards us was Nancy Walters. She approached us and gave Melody a hug.

"Hey Nancy. Have you met my new friend, this is Bella." Melody said introducing me to Nancy, even though I was well acquainted with Nancy already.

"Oh yes, I know Bella. We're good friends. Did you have a good summer Bella?" Nancy asked.

"Oh yeah, it was good. Glad to be back though" I told her.

"I hear you went over to Cedric's for a week." she commented with a smirk and a wink in my direction.

My face burned with a blush and she laughed.

"I'll see you in class later Bella. See you later Melody, don't go getting into any trouble." Nancy said to us. She gave Melody one last hug before heading off to her own table.

Melody wriggled up her nose. "She puts on too much perfume."

I snorted. "That's the understatement of the century."

We both laughed.

"Whats so funny?" Our laughter was ruined by the distant sounding voice of Draco Malfoy.

I smiled as I turned to face him. "Nothing of your concern Draco."

His lip twitched slightly upwards as he sat down next to me, on the opposite side of Melody. "Who's she?" he asked glancing at Melody.

"Draco, this is Melody Walters. First year. And my new friend" I told him. I added on the friend bit to make sure he knew she was off limits for the First year pranking that he and his lot seemed to have started last year. I then turned to Melody and introduced her to Draco. "Melody, this is Draco Malfoy. He's in his third year."

"Hello." She said nervously.

"Hey. Welcome to Slytherin" Draco replied with a small smile, recognising that as my new friend, Melody would be around quite a bit, at least for now.

Melody sent a small smile back.

Daphne was the next to join us. She sat opposite me. She and Melody immediately hit it off talking about the newest wizarding fashion trends. Daphne had been looking for someone to talk fashion with ever since she realised I just wasn't interested in it.

When at three quarters of the house were down for breakfast Uncle Sev started handing out the schedules. I was one of the first to receive mine. I was right to go straight to bed last night. Double Potions and then double DADA straight after it, both with Gryffindor. I then had Charms with the Hufflepuffs and Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws this afternoon, with a two hour session of Advance Potions with Uncle Sev this evening.

I had none of my optional subjects today. They seemed to be spread out over the week. My optional subjects were Ancient Runes and Magical Creatures. I wanted to have Magical Creatures today. I wanted to see Hagrid teaching, but I guess it will have to wait for now.

About ten minutes before lessons started I stood and motioned for Daphne to do the same. After all we had to walk back down to the dungeons.

"I'll see you later Melody. I hope you have a good first day. And you too Draco. Please don't cause any trouble." I said.

"I will" Melody said as Draco replied "I won't"

I smiled at both of them before walking off. Daphne and I met at the end of the table before walking out.

"Why are we leaving so early?" Daphne moaned.

"We were about - " a voice spoke up before I could answer.

"to ask the same thing" another voice spoke up.

I rolled my eyes and turned to face the twins.

"Double potions with Professor Snape, he already detest you two, and Melody he thinks you're the most incompetent Slytherin in Potion making. You three could do with making a good impression for the first lesson of term. Arriving early shows your organised, can keep track of time and ready and willing to learn" I told them.

"Ravenclaw" both Fred and George coughed into their fists.

I shot them both a glare and marched forwards slightly faster. "Well sorry for caring if you two actually pass your OWLS. Professor Snape is the person who will mark your Potions OWL. You should be more careful about what impression you make on him." I told them. "He'll be well aware of what you'll get in your OWL by the time we finish this lesson based on how well you pay attention and how well you focus on your work. He understands some people struggle but what he won't put up with is people failing because they aren't bothered"

"Indeed not" said a voice from behind all of us. We all turned to see Uncle Sev stood behind us. I briefly wondered how long he had been walking behind us.

"Professor Snape" Daphne and I said in respect, with a nod of our heads.

"Miss Lupin, Miss Greengrass" Uncle Sev nodded back before looking over to Fred and George, "Weasley's."

When the twins didn't reply he raised an eyebrow. Nodded to me and Daphne before storming off down the corridor.

I frowned after him before turning and hitting both Fred and George in the stomachs. "There you go, ruining your chances already."

I began walking again in the directed Uncle Sev had left, which was also the direction of the potions classroom. Daphne kept pace with me while Fred and George had to run to catch up with us.

"Ah come on Bell-Bell..." Started Fred with his childish nickname for me.

"We're sorry, we're just..." continued George.

"Never going to get along with that old bat" they finished together.

I gave them a small glare for the name before sighing and giving them a slight smile, "You never know you might become potions geniuses over night and become his best buddies"

George and Fred both yelled their protests but Daphne and I escaped into the potions classroom before they could reply properly. Daphne and I sat in the middle of the classroom, on the table that bordered the Slytherin side of the room. Daphne was the one who always sat closer into the Slytherin's. Fred and George sat on the table next to us that bordered the Gryffindor side of the room.

The four of us were the first people in so we took our seats, took out our stuff and got ready for the lesson, well at least Daphne and I did. Fred and George joked around with one another for a bit before joining a lad named Lee Jordon in their joking when he finally entered the classroom with minutes to spare.

"Attention class. Congratulations on barely surviving the last four years of potions, though for many of you it was a very death defying act." Uncle Sev started, pointedly starring at the Weasley twins on the last few words. "However this year it shall not be so easy. At the end of this year, or perhaps sooner for those with actual brains, you will be sitting the Potions O.W.L. The results of this O.W.L will affect your future career and lives. Every single thing that I will teach in this classroom over the next year will be relevant in the O.W.L so pay attention or expect a 'Troll' on your final results."

Uncle Sev did a sweeping glance over the class before waving his wand on the board making instructions appear. However the name of the potion was missing. I scanned through the ingredients and instructions and smiled. I was sure I knew what potion we were making. It was simple.

"On the board is the ingredients list and the instructions for the potion you will be making today. Can anybody tell me which potion we are making?" Uncle Sev asked.

I was the only person to raise their hand.

"Miss Lupin" Uncle Sev nodded his head towards me.

"The pepper-up potion Professor." I answered.

"And prey tell what does a pepper-up potion do... Mr Weasley?" Uncle Sev asked, suddenly picking out one of the twins as they had already began whispering between themselves.

"Yes sir?" both of them replied.

"Fred Weasley. What does a pepper-up potion so?" Uncle Sev quizzed him.

I smiled because I was sure Fred would know the answer to this. After all I told him the answer last year when Percy made Ginny take some during the outbreak of colds.

"It cures a common cold. However it has the side effect of steam coming out your ears for hours after you drink it." Fred replied.

I think Uncle Sev was surprised when Fred was able to answer the question and then add some extra information as well. He frowned as his obvious attempt to catch Fred out unaware had failed. He turned away and waved his wand towards the board again. The name of the potion appeared on the board.

"You have your instructions. Begin." Uncle Sev said before stalking to behind his desk.

Daphne and I set straight to work in collecting the ingredients and brewing our potions. As it approached and hour later, my potion was almost done. I had five more minutes of letting it simmer before I would have to take off the heat to add the rest of the ingredients before stirring anti-clockwise several times. Daphne was at the same stage as me and even though she had been doing almost exactly the same as me, the slight difference in her potions technique had caused her potion to look slightly off, though it was an improvement to the disasters of the last four years.

Fred and George however seemed to be causing trouble with not only their own cauldrens but Lee Jordon's as well. I watched as Fred was about to turn up the heat on his cauldren. I quickly glanced over at Uncle Sev to see is he would notice but he was inspecting another cauldren. I turned back. Fred had turned up the heat and his potion was beginning to boil dangerously. I quickly grabbed two Twirling Turnips and a frogs eye before rushing over to him. I pushed Fred out oft he way and his manly squeak of protest caught the attention of everybody else in the class including Uncle Sev but I put that to the back of my mind as I crushed the two Twirling Turnips over the cauldren, allowing every bit of it to fall in. I then threw in the frogs eye before stirring once clockwise and then three times anti-clockwise. With the potion no longer in a dangerous state I reached down and turned down the heat to simmer as it should be at this stage before turning to glare at Fred, picking up his potions book.

"You absolute idiot" I said whacking him in the arm with the potions book. "You could have seriously harmed yourself and others if that potion had exploded"

"Woah, calm down Bella." Fred said.

"Miss Lupin is indeed correct Mr Weasley. If it were not for Miss Lupin here you would be far past a trip up to the hospital ward, it would be St Mungo's for you. Ten points from each of you, because I am sure both of you are equally responsible for this."Professor Snape said to Fred and George before turning to me, "Ten points to Slytherin for brilliant potions work."

"Thank you sir" I replied.

He nodded and walked off to inspect another cauldren. I however turned back to the twins with a small glare on my face.

"Just follow the instructions boys." I told them before walking off to my own cauldren.

I had completed my potion, bottled and labelled the potion and then cleaned up my area and cauldren within the next ten minutes, ten minutes to spare until the end of the lesson. I looked over to the twins again. They're potions were looking good. This was always what annoyed me about them. They were decent at potions, they just couldn't be bothered to behave during the lessons to get the good grades that they should or learn the techniques that could improve their potion making.

Fred glanced over to me. I frowned at him while he gave an apologetic look. His look was practically begging me to forgive him. I smiled slightly and nodded. He was forgiven, for now. His face brightened into one of the brightest smiles I've ever seen.

Snape dismissed us as soon as the lesson was over, uncharacteristically letting us leave without homework.

AN: NEXT CHAPTER FINISHED. SHOULD GET THE NEXT CHAPTER UP SOON. I'M ON EASTER HOLIDAY AND IN THE UNI ACCOMODATION PRACTICALLY ON MY OWN SO I'LL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO WRITE.

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