[Book 2]
❝ 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐤𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭.❞
Serena's fourth year at Hogwarts begins, but with no less drama than the previous year. Although Sirius Black was acquitted of all charges, not...
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• Serena Black •
"We are such stuff as dreams are made of, and our little life is rounded with a sleep."
Unfortunately, the second day of school did not start as pleasantly as the first, because Serena's timetable already included a double Potions lesson with Snape in the early morning. Not very motivated, she sat down next to Hermione, who already had a roll of parchment and her quill ready.
Serena already suspected that Snape would probably still not necessarily be fond of her. Not after she had insulted him, kicked him and deprived him of the Order of Merlin. In any case, his everlasting hatred was mutual. With his black cloak billowing, the Potions teacher finally stepped into the room and, without any greeting, strode to the front of the class and wrote the word Polyjuice Potion on the blackboard. That he had apparently got off on the wrong foot would probably be a mighty understatement.
"Black!" he blubbered, fixing Serena with his black little eyes. Wow, that was quicker than expected. "What's the Polyjuice Potion for?"
The corners of Serena's mouth twitched, feeling the satisfaction growing inside her. He probably had no idea that she knew the answer very well. After all, in second year she had helped Hermione prepare it. She could see in the corner of her eye how some of the Slytherins had turned to her in a curious way and probably already saw the Gryffindor points tumbling before their inner eyes.
"It allows a temporary external change to a chosen person," she replied smugly. Tensely, the Gryffindors looked back at Snape and all seemed to have held their breath. Apparently, most of them hadn't expected her to be able to answer the question. She was a little offended at that, but then again she had never been a shining light in Potions.
"For how long?", Snape inquired, but his voice had taken on a sour undertone. Still, he certainly wouldn't give up before he could deduct at least a single point and humiliate her in front of the class. However, Serena was not about to give him that satisfaction. "For about an hour."
Snape's black eyes bored into her brown ones, but she did not avert her gaze. "What colour does the Polyjuice Potion take when brewed properly?"
"It's dark," she answered without flinching. The hint of an evil grin, more like a snarl, formed on her teacher's pale face. But Serena continued unaffected. "At least until the last ingredient is added, then it takes on an individual colouring that varies from person to person."
The corners of Snape's mouth froze, but he did not avert his gaze either. "And what is the final ingredient?"
"A piece of the person you want to turn into," she replied, jutting her chin up a little triumphantly. Who knew the basilisk had come with benefits after all. Threateningly, Snape approached her with his cloak billowing. Still his black eyes bored into hers as the ghastly smile on his thin lips grew again. "Fifty points off for Gryffindor."
