Everyone looked to the left as the door opened to reveal Snape.

He went directly toward the desk at the front of the room. Bella- being front and center- had a good view of what was on his desk. As a result she could guess what they would be doing today, and was quite exited.

Potions were the only kind of magic she had any confidence in.

Sure she knew a lot about different kinds of magic- including defense against the dark arts- but magic has never come easy to her. While children her age could do some small semblance of magic at will, it took Bella a lot of effort to complete a simple spell. She has only performed 'lumos' a handful of times to read at night, for example, but found it extremely difficult. While for someone like Hermione it seemed to be second nature.

Potions was the only form of magic she didn't have to use a spell for- and even if she did Sev would ensure she knew how.

"There is to be no foolish wand waving or unnecessary incantations in this class."

Bella focused on Severus. She could see why students would find him intimidating or even scary. Dressed in his usual black, he looked very ominous in the dank, cold, dark potions classroom. He held no smile, or light air about him, but rather an intense, almost displeased presence as he looked at the class. His eyes skimmed over every face- as if committing them to memory before continuing.

"I don't think many of you will understand or appreciate the delicate art that is potion making. But for those of you posses the wherewithal to excel in my class, you will learn how to enchant the mind, brew fame and even cure death."

He looked around at the class stopping to look upon one of the boys, at the end of her row, that piqued Bella's interest yesterday- he looked like trouble. With his slicked back, blonde hair and mischievous blue eyes she knew she wanted to avoid him.

Severus' eyes continued down the table only to stop at Harry- who was writing everything Sev had just said down on a piece of parchment.

Bella knew that look and automatically slammed her hand down on Harry's quill, not taking her eyes off Snape. Harry wiped his head around to look at her, questions peaking behind his eyes.

As the sound of her hand slapping against the table reverberated around the room, Severus spoke again, still looking at Harry.

"However, some of you may not even posses the wherewithal to pay attention."

Harry turned his head to look Snape, realizing why Bella had stopped him from writing.

Bella slowly removed her hand from Harry's quill and folded her hand in her lap. She didn't like where this was going.

"Mr. Potter."

A chill went down her spine and she furrowed her brows. Bella had never heard Severus speak in such a tone- even when he was mad.

Was this just him as a teacher? No. It seemed to be something more. But he couldn't hate Harry. He had no reason to! At least not yet anyway. Not that she knew of.

"Our new celebrity."

Harry looked just as confused as she did. So he didn't seem to understand Sev's tone either.

Severus started with his usual questions- where to find ingredients, the difference between similar products and the result of different combinations- but instead of directing them at the class as per usual he only directed them at Harry.

Now of course Bella knew the answers to these questions. Not only had she read up on these things but she also lived with a potions master; who made sure she knew everything she would need for class.

But Bella knew that Harry, having grown up in the muggle world, wouldn't know the answers. Most first years weren't expected to know the answers- even ones that grew up in the wizarding world!

That was when Bella started to get mad.

As the questioning was going on and Harry was clearly at a loss, Hermione was not.

She started raising her hand, eagerly, wanting to answer the questions. Snape paid her no mind and Bella knew why. If there was anything Severus hated- it was a know-it-all.

When Hermione's hand went to raise for a third time Bella yanked on the corner of her sleeve, effectively keeping her hand down.

Hermione and Bella made eye contact and Bella slightly shook her head to Hermione. Hermione gave Bella a confused look but dropped her hand, not raising it again. Bella placed her hand back on her lap.

"I don't know, Sir."

"Well it would seem fame isn't all it's cracked up to be. Is it Mr. Potter?"

Bella looked between Harry and Snape concerned for Harry. She had heard how tough Sev could be but never thought it would be this bad.

Luckily, it seemed to end there- for now anyway- as Snape turned and went behind his desk to explain that the day's assignment was to make a Wiggenweld potion. A potion that had the power to awaken someone from a magically-induced sleep.

It is one of the more advanced potions for first years and would take the rest of the class to complete. Everyone was allowed to use their textbook and take what they needed from the pantry. It was to be strictly individual work.

As everyone else opened up their textbooks to see what they would need, Bella make her way to the pantry. She had this potion memorized.

She made her way back to her desk and settle into a comfortable tempo, mixing her ingredients. Measuring her salamander blood, adding lion fish spines and making sure the heat of the cauldron was under control.

Snape walked through the class observing each student at work before returning to his desk and taking a seat. He was engrossed in paperwork when a tiny shadow came upon his desk.

He looked up to see Bella with a small vile, filled with Wiggenweld potion in her hands. Bella looked at him with a serene face. He looked at her.

"I'm all done Professor."

He motioned for her to put it on the corner of his desk. She did so and returned to her seat.

Snape didn't even have to look at her potion, to grade it. He knew it would be perfect. She had completed her potion in fifteen minutes, with no trouble, just as he expected. All of the other students were struggling, witch was expected.

Another ten minutes went by when the know-it-all Gryffindor came up to hand in her potion.

By the time class was over only a handful of the student had completed their potions. The others had to hand in what they had.

Snape watched as they left, some murmuring about him, his methods or his class in general. He locked eyes with Bella before she went out the door and was unsettled by look she gave him.

Never had he seen her angry or upset with him and it was and odd thing to see.

He knew she would want to talk to him later. And he wasn't sure how to account for his actions.