Riddle - The untold secret

Chapter 2 (English)

"Good morning.", Theodore greeted me in a good mood and I scowled at him.
This good mood in the early morning was horrible.
Laughing, he ruffled my hair and sat down next to me at the table.
"Bad night's sleep?", he asked and I leaned my head against his shoulder. More than bad... and that was only because I had spent half the night trying to learn.
However, nothing at all had stuck.
"How good are you at potions?", I asked.
"Pretty good, I guess. Why?", he asked curiously.
"I need tutoring.", I said, poking listlessly at my food with my fork.
"Why don't you ask your brother? He's better at potions than I am.", he said and I looked at him.
"Maybe he is, but his teaching methods don't have any effect on me.", I said seriously and Theodore returned my gaze and sighed in surrender.
"How could I say no when you look at me like that."
I grinned widely and started eating. Now that I was rid of that worry, my
hunger returned.
"Come to the classroom in the evening. That's where we'll study.", he said after a short time and stood up again.
My eyes fell on his plate.
"Hey, you haven't eaten anything!", I called after him and he turned to me.
"No time! I'll make up for it later!", he shouted back and I shook my head in
amusement.

That evening, as agreed, I went to the classroom. Theodore was not here yet
so I sat down on one of the desks and bobbed my legs back and forth in the air.
I hated waiting. I was just too impatient.
After five minutes, the door opened and I grinned. When I saw who came in,the corners of my mouth automatically pulled down.
"What are YOU doing here?", I asked annoyed and Blaise smiled at me charmingly and came towards me.
"Since Draco interrupted us yesterday, I thought I should make another
Try. So, what's the deal? You, me, and the ball?"
I rolled my eyes.
There was no way I was going there with him.
"Keep on dreaming."
He looked at me questioningly.
"That means no.", I explained, smiling smugly at him.
"Oh come on, N/N, don't be so coy."
I reached for my book and tossed it in his direction. At the last second he
dodged it and looked at me in shock.
"Are you crazy?"
"Listen clearly, you rare stupid shrunken head. First of all, no means NO and secondly..."
"Am I the only one who can call her 'N/N'.", Theodore interrupted me as he
walked in.
Blaise screwed up his face and then rushed out of the room rather quickly.
Theodore came over to me and set aside a small package he was carrying.
Then he propped his arms on the table beside me and grinned.
"Rare stupid shrunken head?", he asked amused and I laughed.
"I couldn't think of anything better to say in this moment.", I said with a
shrug.
Theodore just looked at me in silence for a while.
I swallowed hard.
Theodore was really attractive.
For a moment, I lost myself in his gray eyes. They reminded me of a cold,
foggy rainy day.
I let my gaze wander further.
Theodore wore a white shirt, which was slightly unbuttoned at the top and the sleeves were loosely pulled up.
Was it just getting warmer in here, or was I just imagining it?
"I'm not into Pansy. You're into Nott."
Abruptly, I came back to my senses and looked up into his face.
"Stared enough?", he asked with a smirk and I laughed softly.
"For now."
Theodore moved away from me again and opened the small package he had brought with him.
Curious, I stood up and examined the items.
"Are those... Eyes?", I asked in shock.
"Pufferfish eyes.", he corrected me and I looked at them.
Disgusting...
"We will brew the Deflating Draught Potion together today. Professor Snape gave me all the ingredients and the exact quantities.", he explained and placed a cauldron on the table.
"What?"
I didn't even know the theory.
In practice, I would probably burn down the entire castle.
"Don't panic. I'm right here to give you instructions.", he said calmly and I nodded.
I still didn't think it was a good idea....
After Theodore had prepared everything, he picked up my book and flipped through the pages.
"By the way, there are things on the table that don't belong in the potion.",
he said casually and I laughed nervously.
I should have guessed that.
"Ready?", he asked when he found the right page and I nodded uncertainly.
"First, put the mountain water in the cauldron with the liquid silver.", he
said and I looked at the different vials. The one with thesilver liquid immediately caught my eye and I wanted to reach for it, but stopped when I saw another vial with almost identical contents.
Was this a test?
Was there liquid silver in both of them?
Helplessly, I looked to Theodore and he sighed.
"I have a better idea.", he said, putting the book aside and standing behind
me.
He put his hands over mine and guided them purposefully to the second vial I was looking at.
"This one is the liquid silver."
"Then what's the other one that looks the same?", I asked confused.
"Platinum. Easy to confuse, but platinum is lighter in substance than
Silver.", he explained and I nodded. Next, he reached out with my hand for the mountain water, which looked to me like normal water.
"Mountain water has the property of making blood flow faster in the body. With this potion, it is especially effective because it helps to relieve the swelling faster.", he said.
He took a little of the water and let it drip on my wrist.
It was cold and felt incredibly refreshing.
"Helps tired legs, too.", he added.
Theodore put the mountain water and the liquid silver into the cauldron.
Immediately the silver formed a circle in the center of the cauldron.
Why was this so?
"Silver, unlike platinum, is magnetic.", he said as if he had read my thoughts.
"So with platinum, it wouldn't form a circle?", I asked and he nodded with a
grin.
"Absolutely right."
Theodore walked me through the steps even further, and through the practical application, I found it much easier to remember everything. Seeing it directly was different than just reading about it.
"Now it just needs to simmer for 20 minutes.", he said after we had added the Pufferfish eyes and I breathed a sigh of relief.
I hadn't set the school on fire.
I deserved a medal for that.
"You were great.", Theodore praised me and sat down on a chair.
I could clearly see that the fumes made him feel way too warm.
I quickly picked up my book and waved it at him for air.
"YOU were great. I couldn't have done anything without your help.", I said and he closed his eyes, smiling slightly.
"You can do more than you think."
I just grinned and said nothing.
That's why Theodore was my best friend.When I started to doubt myself, or didn't believe in myself, Theodore was always there to take over this part without hesitation.
"N/N?"
"Huh?"
"Do you want to go to the ball with me?", he asked softly, looking at me.
I blinked, perplexed.
Although I had joked with Draco that Theodore might ask me... I honestly didn't expect him to actually do it.
Slowly, he straightened up.
"If you don't have a dress..."
"No, no, I... I have a... Dress.", I interrupted him excitedly.
I was suddenly all nervous.
No one had ever asked me out on a date before.
Wait a minute.
Was this even a date? Maybe he just wanted to go as friends.
Why was I even thinking about this?
"N/N?"
"Huh? Yeah, I...", I took one deep breath and exhaled. I had to get myself together!
"I'd love to go to the ball with you.", I said and Theodore smiled sheepishly.

"Why are you grinning like that?", Draco asked the next day and I sighed
dreamily.
Last night I had already completely imagined how the ball would be like and I could hardly wait.
"I was invited to the ball.", I said gleefully and he raised his Eyebrows up.
"So? By who?"
"By Theo.", I said and Draco groaned in annoyance. It was obvious that this
was going against his grain once again.
Couldn't care less, though.
I was more than happy and not even he could spoil my mood.
"Can't you go with anyone else?", he asked and I looked at him.
"With whom, please?", I asked and he let his gaze wander through the large
Hall and didn't seem to find anyone who suited him.
Yeah, so much for that.
"Do you have anyone yet?", I asked.
"Pansy asked me.", he confessed.
"Hah.", I just said.
I really hoped he didn't....
"I said yes."
"You know she's totally obsessed with you, right?", I teased him and he sighed.
"Who else should I go with?", he asked, sounding kind of frustrated. Maybe he really didn't want to go with Pansy.
"Who would you WANT to go with?", I asked him a counter question and he looked at me.
There it was again... this look, which I just could not interpret.
"Hey, guuuuuys!", Blaise shouted with a grin, slapping his hand on Draco's
Shoulder.
"What do you want, Blaise?", Draco asked annoyed and I noticed his Jaw
tightened slightly.
If Blaise wasn't careful, Draco was going to eventually kill him, I was sure of it.
Not that I minded.
"We're having a secret party in the common room today. A few people from Ravenclaw, Durmstrang and cute girls from Beauxbaton are coming too.", he winked.
I laughed dryly.
How secret was this party if he invited half of the school?
"You guys are coming too, right? And don't say no now." he said.
"Fine with me.", Draco said and I nodded hesitantly.
"I'll come if Theo's there, too.", I said and Blaise clapped his hands.
"Perfect. I'll see you tonight then. Bring a good party spirit with you.", he said and walked down the hall. Presumably to invite some other people.
"I'll come if Theo's there, too.", Draco mimicked me and I punched against his arm.
"Oh shut up."

After class, I looked for Theodore to ask him about tonight.
Maybe he didn't wanted to go there.
He was not really to be impressed for senseless drunkenness.
My way led me to the library, where Theodore often sat and studied. It wasn't long before I spotted him further back at his regular spot.
Casually, he sat leaning back on the chair, intently studying the open page of the book in his hand.
I stopped for a moment.
Was he... wearing glasses?
Intrigued, I sat down next to him and stared.
I didn't even know he needed glasses.
Theodore looked at me and quickly took the glasses off his nose and put them on the table.
"N/N... what are you doing here?", he asked startled and I grinned.
"There's a party tonight in the common room. Are you going?"
"Are you going?", he asked.
"Only if you're going.", I said and he shook his head in amusement.
"And if I don't want to go?", he asked then and I took the book out of his
hand.
Potions, what else.
"Then I don't want to either. It's no fun there without you anyway."
"Then we'll go.", he said, stroking my head and taking the book back from me again.
"Are you sure?", I asked and he nodded.
"Great.", I said and stood up.
"It suits you, by the way.", I said and he looked at me questioningly.
"The glasses."