Blog Home
View All Posts
Potions Class
** Disclaimer: This is a drabble I wrote not too long ago, and thought I would bring it over here. **
Danielle was having a hard time at school lately. This mostly stemmed from her brother and the fact that her father was disappointed in her for not sharing the family's views and for not being a Slytherin like the rest of her family. At Hogwarts, people have what is called a "Boggart". It is a type of shapeshifter that has no form on its own, but when it encounters a person, it can transform into a person's worst fear. Her worst fear was her father. On this particular day, like usual, she had Potions class with Professor Severus Snape who obviously didn't like her and thought she was a disappointment just like her father, Lucius did. At every turn, she felt as if she was letting at least someone down, no matter how hard she tried her best in school, with the exception of Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. They were the only ones as far as teachers go that never made her feel like a disappointment.
As Potions class started, like any other day, she got out her Potions book and had a black cauldron in front of her, and after some instruction from Professor Snape, got the ingredients for a potion they would be learning. Snape, of course, acted as if she would mess it up. She read the book carefully and did each instruction to the letter in the book for the potion. It also did not help that her professor kept looking over her shoulder the entire time hoping to catch in the act of messing up the potion. It got to the point that she stopped what she was doing for a few seconds, looked behind her and saw her professor sneering at her. This made her say what was on her mind.
"Professor, I would appreciate it if you would stop mocking me and let me do the potion you want us to do. I am tired of feeling like a dissapointment. You hovering over my shoulder DOES NOT help! But since you have decided to hover so much over my shoulder just hoping that I would mess up, you can forget about me finishing the potion."
She paused before saying more. Danielle knew that her professor was going to send her out of the class and to the headmaster for this, so before he could, she spoke up on her behalf.
"Also, I will be taking my things and speak to the Headmaster himself. Thought I would save you the energy, and another thing, if you want to be a good teacher, stop making your students feel like failures!"
Danielle got her things and headed out of the class room to go to Dumbledore's office. She did not know if she was going to be in trouble but she felt good for standing up for herself. Normally, she'd just sit there and take whatever her Potions professor dished out at her, same as some of the other teachers, and normally she'd allow them to treat her so horribly especially her father and brother. Once she got to Dumbledore's office, she asked to speak with him.
"I am sorry for disturbing you, Headmaster. I couldn't take Professor Snape's sneering and mockery any longer. I normally don't like to cause trouble, but I felt it was time I stood up for myself. I get a lot crap from my father and brother already, I certainly did not need it from my professor too. I understand if you're disappointed in me, Headmaster."
"On the contrary, my dear. You've displayed bravery in standing up for yourself. I will have a talk with Snape, what I want you to do now, is go see Professor McGonagall. She will be teaching you for the rest of the day, my dear on Transfigurations. I know it's a hard class, but seeing as you have displayed some characteristics of a Gryffindor, I feel you will do just fine in that class. I will also be rewarding Gryffindor 50 points for your bravery."
"Thank you, Headmaster. I will be on my way to the Transfigurations class then."
To say that Danielle had self confidence issues was an understatement. Yes she stood up for herself against Professor Snape, but she was far from having the self confidence she wanted. As she headed to the Transfigurations class, she pondered what had happened in the Potions room earlier. Why was Snape always over her shoulder? Why was he always hoping she would mess up? Did he think she wasn't as good as her brother at potions, or did Snape just like picking on her in general? Why did her Potions professor hate her so much?? She did not have an answer to these questions.
Danielle was having a hard time at school lately. This mostly stemmed from her brother and the fact that her father was disappointed in her for not sharing the family's views and for not being a Slytherin like the rest of her family. At Hogwarts, people have what is called a "Boggart". It is a type of shapeshifter that has no form on its own, but when it encounters a person, it can transform into a person's worst fear. Her worst fear was her father. On this particular day, like usual, she had Potions class with Professor Severus Snape who obviously didn't like her and thought she was a disappointment just like her father, Lucius did. At every turn, she felt as if she was letting at least someone down, no matter how hard she tried her best in school, with the exception of Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. They were the only ones as far as teachers go that never made her feel like a disappointment.
As Potions class started, like any other day, she got out her Potions book and had a black cauldron in front of her, and after some instruction from Professor Snape, got the ingredients for a potion they would be learning. Snape, of course, acted as if she would mess it up. She read the book carefully and did each instruction to the letter in the book for the potion. It also did not help that her professor kept looking over her shoulder the entire time hoping to catch in the act of messing up the potion. It got to the point that she stopped what she was doing for a few seconds, looked behind her and saw her professor sneering at her. This made her say what was on her mind.
"Professor, I would appreciate it if you would stop mocking me and let me do the potion you want us to do. I am tired of feeling like a dissapointment. You hovering over my shoulder DOES NOT help! But since you have decided to hover so much over my shoulder just hoping that I would mess up, you can forget about me finishing the potion."
She paused before saying more. Danielle knew that her professor was going to send her out of the class and to the headmaster for this, so before he could, she spoke up on her behalf.
"Also, I will be taking my things and speak to the Headmaster himself. Thought I would save you the energy, and another thing, if you want to be a good teacher, stop making your students feel like failures!"
Danielle got her things and headed out of the class room to go to Dumbledore's office. She did not know if she was going to be in trouble but she felt good for standing up for herself. Normally, she'd just sit there and take whatever her Potions professor dished out at her, same as some of the other teachers, and normally she'd allow them to treat her so horribly especially her father and brother. Once she got to Dumbledore's office, she asked to speak with him.
"I am sorry for disturbing you, Headmaster. I couldn't take Professor Snape's sneering and mockery any longer. I normally don't like to cause trouble, but I felt it was time I stood up for myself. I get a lot crap from my father and brother already, I certainly did not need it from my professor too. I understand if you're disappointed in me, Headmaster."
"On the contrary, my dear. You've displayed bravery in standing up for yourself. I will have a talk with Snape, what I want you to do now, is go see Professor McGonagall. She will be teaching you for the rest of the day, my dear on Transfigurations. I know it's a hard class, but seeing as you have displayed some characteristics of a Gryffindor, I feel you will do just fine in that class. I will also be rewarding Gryffindor 50 points for your bravery."
"Thank you, Headmaster. I will be on my way to the Transfigurations class then."
To say that Danielle had self confidence issues was an understatement. Yes she stood up for herself against Professor Snape, but she was far from having the self confidence she wanted. As she headed to the Transfigurations class, she pondered what had happened in the Potions room earlier. Why was Snape always over her shoulder? Why was he always hoping she would mess up? Did he think she wasn't as good as her brother at potions, or did Snape just like picking on her in general? Why did her Potions professor hate her so much?? She did not have an answer to these questions.
1 | Jun 23rd 2021 21:37