How the Other Half Lives

"Sit down! All of you!"

The first year Ravenclaw and Gryffindor students started and looked up at the sound of their potions professor's voice as he strode into the classroom.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Find a cauldron and sit down, it shouldn't be this hard!"

With the second exclamation, the students began to move, all trying to get the seats in the back row of the classroom, as far from the teacher as they could be. Jacklynn Fitzpatrick was not as lucky as some of her classmates. As the Sebastian twins sat down together in the third row, she looked and realized there was only one seat left. It was in the very center of the front row.

"Sit down, young lady," Professor Snape snarled as Jacklynn held her book bag close to her and slipped into the empty chair. The blonde Gryffindor next to her smiled as Snape began his yearly opening lecture.

"I'm Rachel," she whispered. Jacklynn smiled back at her, and glanced warily at the professor.

"I'm Jacklynn."

"Nice to meet you," Rachel whispered back. As both girls began to pull their notebooks, quills, and inkwells out of their bags, they noticed the room had grown silent. Professor Snape was standing directly in front of their table looking as menacing as ever.

"Miss Dumbledore," he hissed. "Were you somehow under the impression that the rules do not apply to you?"

"No, sir."

He raised an eyebrow. "Then maybe," he leaned down closer to her. Jacklynn shrank away. "You already know all there is to know about potions and don't feel the need to pay attention?"

"Well, I might, sir."

"Insouciant," he growled, then smiled at her bewildered expression. "What, don't know what it means? Pity."

"Maybe you could define it for us, sir," Rachel smiled angelically at him.

He glared back at her as he made his way back up to his desk. "No, I don't think I shall. If you care to find out the definition, you can make use of a dictionary. I trust you know what one of those is?" Rachel nodded. "Good. And five points will be taken from each of your houses," he nodded at the two girls. "There will be no talking while I am talking in this class."

Jacklynn looked absolutely horrified, but Rachel continued to grin as Snape began his lesson. Soon, he had finished his lecture and the students were preparing their first potion of the year.

Professor Snape was prowling the room, making scathing comments about each potion as the students struggled to mix the ingredients properly. Jacklynn and Rachel had piled all of the necessary ingredients on the table and were sorting out what would be needed when.

"Don't worry about losing points, Jacklynn," Rachel said while cutting lizard tails to the appropriate proportions. "It happens all the time. You'd hardly be a Hogwarts student if you hadn't lost points at one time or another. And anyways, it was only five points."

"I know," Jacklynn muttered. "But it doesn't seem to be the best way to get off to a good start in this place. We never had anything like losing points at my primary school."

Rachel looked surprised, "Are you Muggle born, then?"

"Yes. Why? What did I say?"

"Oh, it's nothing. Just, we don't exactly have wizarding primary schools. Our parents generally just teach us at home. Some families employ private tutors." Rachel dumped her lizard tails into their cauldron, glanced at the directions they were following, and began to crush a pile of beetles.

"Is there some reason Miss Dumbledore is doing all of the work here?" Professor Snape loomed over the two girls again. "Despite her claim of being potions expert, you are not allowed to let her do everything, Miss... Fitzpatrick, is it?"

"Professor, she wasn't," Rachel interrupted. "I was just starting things off."

"And when was Miss Fitzpatrick going to begin her part?" he glanced between the two girls.

Jacklynn finally spoke up, "I'll chop up the leaves." She reached for the ingredient and her knife to begin chopping.

"Good," Professor Snape growled. "And while you are chopping, why don't you do the earthworms, as well?"

Jacklynn glanced nervously at him, "I can't, sir."

"Oh no? And why is that?"

Jacklynn shrunk back in her seat as he glared down on her. Finally, Lillah Rothschild spoke up from the seat behind her, "She's vegan, sir."

Snape seemed amused by this. His lips curled in an evil smile as he continued to glare down at the frightened first year. "Is that so? And do you suppose that that is an excuse for not doing your work in this class?"

Jacklynn squeaked as she tried to respond, but no words would come from her mouth.

"Well, it isn't. You will chop up that worm, you will brew this potion, and at the end of class you will be the one to test it!"

The class looked collectively horrified for Jacklynn as Rachel stood up on her chair in an effort to get to eye level with Professor Snape.

"Now that's just not fair!"

"Sit down, you silly girl," he hissed at her, but she remained standing. He turned back to Jacklynn, "Are you afraid to hurt the pretty little animals, Miss Fitzpatrick? It's a worm! It's already dead!"

"I can't, sir," Jacklynn whispered.

"If you won't, you will have a detention," Snape threatened. Jacklynn looked horrified at this prospect. Snape smiled at her horror, "Take your pick, Miss Fitzpatrick. Do as you are told or take a detention."

Finally, Jacklynn lifted her head to look straight back up at him. "Detention, sir." She spoke softly but with a tone of finality in her voice.

Snape's eyes widened in anger as he continued to glare at the girl. Finally, he turned, his robes swirling behind him, and made his way back to his desk. "Miss Fitzpatrick, you will wait outside until the end of the lesson, at which point you will return and we will sort out the details of your detention."

Jacklynn didn't move for a moment. Snape looked back at her with more anger than before.

"Go. Now! Take your things."

Quickly, Jacklynn stood up, grabbed her notebook, quill, and ink and made her way to the door, stuffing her supplies back in her book bag as she went. As she slipped out the door, she could still hear Professor Snape's voice, saying, "Now that that distraction is gone, I expect all of you to do your work properly."

Once the door had shut behind her, Jacklynn dropped her book bag to the floor and sank slowly down beside it until she was sitting cross-legged on the floor to the right of the door. The dungeon hallway was otherwise empty.

After sitting in the hallway for what felt like an eternity, Jacklynn glanced down at her watch and saw that there were still almost ten minutes left in the class. Suddenly, a voice from down the hall distracted her.

"What are you doing in the hallway?"

Jacklynn looked up to see Quincy Franklin standing a few feet away and looking particularly menacing. She reached out and pulled her book bag closer to her, but didn't respond.

"I'm talking to you, kid. What are you doing out here?" Quincy was now standing directly next to her.

"I'm..." Jacklynn scrambled to her feet, but was still a good deal shorter than the seventh year boy. "I'm waiting for class to be over."

"Isn't that something better done from inside the classroom?"

"Professor Snape sent me out."

Quincy glared at her for a further moment, but then a cruel smile came over his face, "Good of him. Can't do enough to show the mudblood filth they aren't welcome here." With that, he strode off down the hall and disappeared around a corner.

Once he was out of sight, Jacklynn huddled back against the wall, her book bag clutched to her chest, as she forced herself not to cry. Before long, she could hear voices approaching the doorway and, soon, the door opened and her classmates began to exit the room.

Lillah and Lavena Aldam, their third roommate, came out together at the back of the pack.

"Don't worry, Jack," Lillah said. "We'll wait for you."

"He's asked Rachel Dumbledore to stay after as well," Lavena added.

Nodding quickly, Jacklynn pushed the door open and stepped back into the room. Professor Snape was seated at his desk. Rachel was standing directly in front of it; the two were discussing something privately.

As soon as Jacklynn entered, Professor Snape ended their discussion and Rachel grabbed her things and left the room. "Hurry up, then," Snape called and Jacklynn walked quickly to his desk.

"Well, now, Miss Fitzpatrick," Snape sneered down at her. "Whatever shall we do with you?"

Jacklynn didn't respond, not knowing what to say. At her silence, Snape continued.

"Obviously, this disobedience cannot be allowed to continue. You will report to Mr. Filch tomorrow night at 9:30 PM for detention. I will allow him to determine a suitable punishment. I'm sure he'll think of something appropriate. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good," he nodded at her. "And until you are willing to do what is required of you in this course, do not return to this classroom."

"Yes, sir," Jacklynn whispered.

Snape went back to the work he was doing at his desk, but looked back up a moment later when he realized she hadn't left. "Well, is there anything else?" She quickly shook her head no. "Get on, then. I have more important things to do than deal with disrespectful students."

Not needing to be told twice, Jacklynn hurried back out of the room. Lillah and Lavena were waiting, as promised, in the hallway. Rachel Dumbledore was standing with them.

"What did he say?" Lillah asked.

"Detention, tomorrow, with Mr. Filch," Jacklynn moaned. "And I'm not to return to class until I will do whatever he says."

"So basically never," Lavena sympathized. Jacklynn nodded.

"Well, that's outrageous!" Rachel said. "I'll take this up with Grandpa Albus for you."

"The headmaster is her great great grandfather," Lillah added.

Jacklynn smiled, "Thanks."

"And in the meantime, we'll all help you with potions, so you won't be behind when you get to come back," Lillah added.

"That'd be great."

"What are friends for?" Lillah threw her arm around Jacklynn's shoulders.

"Yeah," Rachel said. "All bragging aside, my dad is a professional potions maker and researcher, so I really do know a good bit about the stuff."

Lavena opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the rumbling of her stomach. "You know what, guys, how about we go to dinner?" she suggested.

"Sounds good by me," Rachel replied and the four girls set off for the Great Hall.

To be continued...