Fighting Fate // Mattheo Riddle ♣️

Chapter Eighteen - Breathe

Word Count: 2,487. 

Warnings: None. 

Things had calmed down shortly after the First Task. Students had returned to their usual selves and classes has resumed as normal. The calm period between the First and Second Task had officially begun when I found myself sat in Advanced Potions, Snape blabbering on about some aging potion.

"Now, when adding the crushed beetle shells into the mixture, you need to be careful not to..."

Snape's words trailed off in my mind. I turned my attention away from the teacher, watching the empty chair beside me. Kenneth hadn't shown up to the class, leaving me to deal with Snivellus alone.

"Ms. Black, are you paying attention?" Snape shot.

The entire class looked to me. "Of course Professor. How could I not listen to your breathtakingly beautiful voice?"

The teacher sighed, ignoring my comment and turning back to the blackboard. "This Potion must be mixed in the right order for it to turn out as it should..."

Sighing, I took up my quill and began to write. 'It must be mixed in the right order...'

ᵜᵜᵜᵜᵜ

When Snape signalled the end of class, the students quickly filed out of the room, making for their beds. The class had run quite late, and everyone was exhausted. Myself included, but I had things to do before I could rest.

I hadn't left the classroom, taking up a cauldron from the shelf and placing it down on my desk. I made my way towards the ingredient's cabinet.

"Ms. Black, this class has ended," Snape told me from his desk, his eyes not moving from his work.

"I am aware Snivellus."

Picking up the Wolfsbane plant, I placed it onto a chopping board. Taking the small cauldron, I brought it over to the sink.

"Then what are you doing?" he asked, finally looking up at me as I half-filled the cauldron with water.

"My uncle may not be in Hogwarts anymore, but he is still in need of his Wolfsbane Potion."

And I didn't trust my father to make it for him. Lupin had mentioned that Sirius had screwed up the last potion, making it too potent. Moony had said that he was what he imagined the definition of high on drugs was, but that wasn't something I could tell the Potion's Professor.

"Very well but be quick about it."

I placed the cauldron back onto my desk. "Don't worry, I'll be excruciatingly slow."

Taking a knife, I began to strip the plant, measuring it carefully before placing it in the cold water. Then I turned on the heat.

"I must apologize to you Ms. Black," Snape spoke up suddenly. His eyes were still on the contents of his desk.

"What for Snivels?"

"My behaviour near the end of last year."

"When you were a complete and utter asshole? Yes, that is something to apologize for."

Steam began to rise off the surface of the cauldron, and I added in the rest of the Wolfsbane, stirring it gently.

"It was unfair of me to reveal your uncle's secret and I apologize."

"Apology accepted."

The door of the classroom burst open, the distinct sound of wood hitting against the tile wafting through the air. "Did you hear?" Moody asked, seemingly ignoring my presence.