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@@ -190,7 +190,119 @@ sending angry scowls down the table. Harry, Hermione, and Neville spent the
 meal talking and doing some last-minute review for potions class, blithely
 ignoring the angry redhead.
 
+Harry knew he needed the review. Last week, in their first potions class,
+Professor Snape had singled him out for not knowing anything about potions.
+Obviously wizarding students were expected to have picked this up before
+school began. Hermione had known the answers, because she studied ahead.
+Neville said he didn't recall ever being specifically taught about potions by
+his rather distant Gran, and even so, he had known the answer to at least one
+of the questions and if pressed would "maybe" have remembered where to find a
+bezoar.
 
+And now, Harry was a known rule-breaker, and had only narrowly avoided being
+expelled somehow. He wouldn't get any second chances. He had to study, and
+show that he deserved to stay at Hogwarts. Neville, too, was highly motivated;
+he knew he was magically weak, and potions was one of very few careers open to
+someone like him.
+
+So Hermione took them along for a crash-course two hour review of first term
+potions. In a whirlwind of review she went over the various stirring motions,
+ingredient preparation, and exactly what had gone wrong with the previous
+week's exercise. As she said, it was "barely enough, and you'll forget it soon
+because we've gone too quickly, but at least you have a chance of getting some
+useful practice during today's lesson, and tonight we'll go over it again and
+revise all your notes and start working ahead like you really ought to."
+
+Both Harry and Neville were amazed at how much she could say in a single
+breath.
+
+"Thanks, Hermione. You're a better friend than I deserve." If Harry hadn't
+been deprived of love as a child, he might have hugged her.
+
+"Yeah, thanks!"
+
+"You're welcome Harry, Neville. Now, let's hurry to class. You don't want to
+be late! That wouldn't leave the right impression at all!"
+
+<hr/>
+
+"OK, well, that wasn't great. But what went wrong, and how will you fix it for
+next time?"
+
+The three of them were sitting in the library after class. Neville's eyes were
+puffy, and he was staring unfocused straight ahead, like he was about to cry.
+Harry kept hitting his head on the table, muttering "stupid, stupid, stupid"
+to himself with each whack.
+
+"Enough of that, you two! Yes, you screwed up, but you didn't lose any points,
+and it was better than last week. Now pay attention, or you won't get any
+better!"
+
+Harry raised his head, and Neville turned to focus on Hermione. "You're
+right," Neville said after a moment, "it was better than last week. I didn't
+melt my cauldron; just ruined my potion."
+
+"So, what went wrong?"
+
+"Every time that Professor Snape walks past, he gives me this *look*, and I
+panic and screw up. I accidentally added salamander tails instead of eye of
+newt, and it almost exploded!"
+
+"That's right, Neville. But why *didn't* it explode?"
+
+"Well, uh, I saw that it was starting to heat up on its own, so I grabbed the
+pine needles and threw them in to neutralize it. But that just turned it into
+a solid chunk and I got a Troll for the day!"
+
+"Neville, don't you see? You were in a tense situation, and you reacted
+exactly the right way! You stopped an explosion, and saved yourself from a
+trip to the hospital, because you didn't panic! I mean, sure, your potion was
+ruined, but you did the right thing! You just need to have a little more
+confidence in your abilities, and Professor Snape won't be able to knock you
+off-guard anymore!"
+
+"I... huh, yeah, I guess I did do okay. But how are we going to make me able
+to work with the professor stalking around like that?"
+
+"We'll work together on it. I'm sure there's some books around here somewhere
+on how to improve your confidence or shut out distractions or something. If
+not, we can order some; I know my parents have something like that. What about
+you, Harry, what went wrong with your potion today?"
+
+"Everything! The color was wrong and it was too thick and I can't do anything
+right because I'm just a stupid freak!"
+
+"Harry, stop! You are not stupid, and you aren't a freak! Harry, what grade
+did you get?"
+
+"Snape said it was barely acceptable."
+
+"Professor Snape, Harry, and acceptable means you made the potion! That's a
+passing grade! Now, we'll have to work to improve on that, but you did well,
+considering."
+
+"Really, Hermione?"
+
+"Really, Harry. Now, let's start going over your work, so both of you will do
+even better next time. Neville, why don't you go ask Madam Pince if there are
+any books on improving your focus and ignoring distractions. Harry, I want to
+start by going step-by-step through today's potion so we can see what went
+wrong. OK?"
+
+<hr/>
+
+> The present time is Friday, after class. The following Thursday is
+> Hermione's birthday. The day after that, Harry gets the broomstick at
+> breakfast, with the note:
+>   DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE
+>   It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody
+>   knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will
+>   meet you tonight on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock for your first
+>   training session.
+>   Professor M. McGonagall
+> See chapter 10 for dialogue: Malfoy confronts Harry over broomstick,
+> Flitwick intercedes, Oliver trains Harry and starts him practicing with the
+> team three times per week.
 
 > There's this idea I have: Harry has no idea about anything in the Wizarding
 > world, yeah? So, first year, beginning of the year, he's in broom flying