[3] Potions

Chapter 3

I wake up early, grab my uniform and the marauders map, and head up to the Gryffindor tower. After dodging Filch at least twice, I climb up the staircase and stumble over to the fat lady, “Fortuna Major” I groggily say still half asleep, despite already having walked through the castle. I walk up to the girl’s dormitories and step into the room Hermione shares with Lavender and Parvati. I look to Hermione’s side of the room to see that she is already awake and packing her bag for the day, she attempts to stuff what looks like five thick books into her bag, when I see something dangling on the end of a long golden chain around her neck. I gasp, suddenly awake, startling Hermione who hadn’t noticed me coming into the room “Is that a time-turner!” I ask in awe “No” she replies, her face turning a deep shade of red, stuffing the chain back down her shirt, “Oh, come off it Mines” I beg “Fine… it is a time-turner, butyoucanttellanyone!” she says very quickly “those are illegal aren’t they, how did you manage to get one?” “McGonagall had to ask the Ministry if I could use it to take all the classes, saying that I was a model student” Hermione explains. I giggle “Only you Hermione would use something as wicked as a time turner for school,” I say laughing, causing her to turn away huffing, trying to fit even more books into her bag, “I’m sorry… here” I offer, taking her bag and casting an undetectable extension charm, “I’m also using your shower” I yell back at her, causing Lavender and Parvati to groan. ••• I’m sitting on the Gryffindor table with the twins and Lee when Snape comes up behind me, “Miss Taylor, please follow me,” he says in his usual monotone voice. I stand up and follow him down to the dungeons. In his office there were jars filled with things floating around in murky water, of which I don’t even want to think about. “Miss Taylor, as you are aware, you were in my third year's potions class last year, so you are expecting to go up to fourth level potions” I obediently nod, “instead you will be pushed up into fifth-year potions, which will be with the Gryffindors. To accommodate this to your schedule you will also be doing Astronomy with them” I stare at him dumbfounded, I open my mouth then close it not sure what to say. “I would like to congratulate you on this Miss Taylor and award you with 15 points to Slytherin,” Snape says with a tight smile. All I can do is nod weakly “Now quickly hurry back up to Breakfast,” he says “Thank you, sir” I finally manage to squeak before I begin to walk back up to the hall. Snape had never particularly liked me, but he had always been impressed by my potion’s abilities, in the halls he would sneer at me and take points away for things like my shoelace being untied, but in class, he would congratulate me on making a good potion. Reaching the Hall, I rush back to my spot in between the twins, “What hell did he want?” Fred asks me “He said that I have-” I start but am interrupted by all the first year whispering and pointing at the Slytherin table.  I turn and look to see Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy and Draco coming into the hall, their skin a deep shade of purple, a look of anger plastered across their faces. “They look like the bubble-gum girl from that muggle movie you showed us in the holidays” George whispers into my ear I nod mesmerised by the purple boys and girls running around in distress. “Adding the semi-permanent sticking charm to the skin dye potion was a great idea Madi,” Fred says clutching his stomach on the floor, tears in his eyes from laughing so hard. I nod grinning. ••• “What’s your first class Mads, we can walk you” George offers “Oh, no it’s fine” I insist “We’re going to follow you anyway; we have potions first and we really don’t want to go to that” Lee complains “Well that’s not going to happen,” I say smiling “And how do you plan on stopping us,” Fred asks me grinning, thinking I am trying to play a game. I shrug my shoulders and keep walking with them. “I still can’t believe that we’ve got to do our OWLs this year” George starts complaining, causing me to stop dead in my tracks. Oh, shit I didn’t realise I would be taking bloody OWLs this year. Fred turns back, noticing that I have stopped, “Madi?” I look back up at him and hand my timetable to the three of them, “Surprise,” I say smiling slightly “Bloody Hell!” Fred says “No wonder you’re Mum’s favourite,” George says grinning, making me roll my eyes “I might have been Mum’s favourite if I didn’t get detention’s so often” I reply, as Lee starts chanting “We have Taylor in our class”. I roll my eyes, “I also have Astronomy with you” I add “Dibs her as my partner in potions!” Fred yells, ignoring my last comment, I snort and grab Georges wrist running down to dungeons, leaving Fred and Lee staring after us. I hear Lee complain about how fast I was, then hear a clatter of footsteps when Fred starts chasing after us, “Hurry up and you can be my partner” I hiss at George; He grins at me and speeds up. ••• Fred and Lee walk into the classroom as me and George start to set up our cauldron. Fred comes over and clutches his heart dramatically “Madi, I feel so betrayed” I giggle looking up at him, before closing my mouth “Ow” Fred yelps as Snape hits him on the back of the head with a large book “Please be seated Mr Weasley,” Snape says before heading up to the front of the classroom. As you are all aware, OWLs will be taking place this year, Next year I won’t be accepting anyone who doesn’t get at an *Outstanding*.” George looks over at me with wide eyes. As this will be many of your last years doing potions, I expect nothing but your best. Now today you will be brewing yourself a potion of you and your partners choice, please go grab yourself your ingredients” He says. Me and George eventually decide on a Wit-Sharpening Potion. I head up to the cupboard at the front of the class and grab a jar of armadillo bile. George begins to read out the directions from his book Slowly mix in Ginger Root until lime green. Mix Armadillo Bile until blue. Mix Ground Scarab Beetles until red. Remix Armadillo Bile until red liquid is yellow. (Not dark green) Remix Ginger Roots until the brew is lime green. Slowly pout in then mix more Armadillo Bile until the potion is purple. ••• George fills up a flask with some of our potions then stares at the purple mixture “Bloody hell… I’m going to pass potions this year” he says making me laugh. I turn to look into Fred and Lee’s Cauldron which was a murky brown colour “What is this supposed to be Mr Weasley and Mr Jordan,” Snape asks cruelly “Draught of Living Death” Lee mutters. With a flick of his wand, the boy’s potion is gone “looks like two of us won’t be returning next year” he announces to the class, making some of the Slytherins snicker. He then turns to our cauldron and I hold my breath “Here is a perfect example of a wit-sharpening potion. Despite Miss Taylor being two years younger than all of you, she and Mr Weasley have managed to brew a better potion than I daresay all of you” I smile at this then begin to clear up our station “You’re better at potions than you give yourself credit for,” I say to George, making him look up at me with raised eyebrows, “It’s true, you helped more than I thought you would”   “Wow thanks for having so much faith in me” He laughs I turn away shaking my head ••• I wave goodbye to the three boys as I head away from them going to the Transfiguration room, I push open the door to see everyone being oddly quiet. I slide into the seat next to Draco and listen in interest as McGonagall explains about animagi, I stare at her with wide eyes as she transforms herself into a tabby cat, with markings around its eyes that looked like spectacles. “Really what has gotten into you all today?” Professor McGonagall asks, turning back into herself with a faint pop, “Not that it matters, but that is the first time my transformation’s not gotten an applause from the class” Everyone starts to look at Harry, but no one replies until Hermione nervously puts her hand up, “Please, Professor, we’ve just had our first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves, and-” “Ah, of course,” McGonagall says suddenly frowning, “There is no need to say any more Miss Granger. Tell me which one of you will be dying this year?” I start giggling, quickly turning it into a cough when everyone else just stares at her in silence. Finally, Harry says “me, I’m going to die” I watch Professor McGonagall as she takes in several deep breathes before saying “I see” as she fixes her beady eyes on Harry “Then you should know that Sybill Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she has arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favourite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleges-” Professor McGonagall stops and I notice that her nostrils had gone white. She starts again more calmly, “Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney…” She stops again, “You look in excellent health to me Potter, so you will excuse me if I don’t let you off homework today. I assure you if you do die you need not hand it in.” I laugh and feel Draco shaking beside me, I look at him and whisper “you can laugh, your reputation won’t get torn down”, He turns and gives me a big grin “Never gonna happen, Taylor”