I'm fine, leave me alone!

chapter 8 - the book of potions

- Story originally written 20th January 2020, fully edited 18th March 2023 and further editing starting 30th December 2023.
- This chapter was originally republished 30th June 2023. Renamed 12th May 2024.

Warnings:
> 0
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Harry grabbed the jar of bile and poured some into the cauldron, suddenly the liquid turned a dark shade of purple, more bile flowed in now making it turn a mucky shade of yellow. The two boys looked at each other before Harry shrugged his shoulders, "I guess we should try the rest of the instructions."

They added more ginger root now making the potion turn a dark sluggish green. Anxiously, Draco picked up the spoon and placed it in the cauldron. Although their recipe had followed the 'correct' colour pattern, every other students' potion turned green on the last step shortly before blowing up in their faces. Both boys were scared of having the same outcome happen to them.

He slowly started to stir the potion clockwise, both taking a step back expecting it to follow suit with the other failed batches in the room. However after the clinking sound of the batch being stirred, no other noises followed, no explosions, nothing, just the sight of steam appearing above the cauldron.

Hesitantly they moved closer to their desk, both scared the batch may have just been delayed and would soon blow up in their faces, nevertheless they peered inside seeing a dark purple liquid, little bubbles scattered over the surface of the liquid.

Harry glanced towards the clock placed at the front of the classroom it had only been fifteen minutes since the start of lesson and on their first attempt they had succeeded, however, every other attempt in the room had failed and students' were now starting their third batch. The raven-haired boy assumed that everyone had attempted the recipe too quickly and just threw in all the ingredients without taking a closer look at the instructions.

Draco walked to the front of the classroom where Snape sat at his desk writing with his quill, after a few seconds of conversation the pair made their way to the table where Harry was standing. "You guys successfully completed a batch of W.S?" The teacher stirred the potion before taking a tasting spoon and tasting some. "This potion is correctly made, it would be apparent that one or both of you found the flaw I had placed in the instructions?"

All while Snape was speaking explosions went off around the room, no one was else had found the flaw apparently. "You placed that there?"

"Yes, this is a very unchallenging recipe, first years could make this with very few issues. I decided to add a slight challenge for the fourth years, it also brings my attention to who listens in my lessons."

"Harry was the one who realised the flaw, Sir."

Harry looked at the older boy like he had three heads, he didn't want any extra attention from any teachers, but especially not Snape. Extra attention from Snape towards Harry usually featured a hum and muttering a point reward for his houses.

"How did you realise the flaw?"

"I done some reading over summer, I read a certain book, the book of potions by Zygmunt Budge I'm sure his name was, it mentioned that armadillo bile doesn't turn potions purple it turns them yellow. Writing purple instead of yellow would make students add too little of the bile because the more bile added turns it to yellow and the smaller amount you add turns it purple, resulting in the proportions of the potion itself being all wrong."

Snape nodded approvingly, "Well done, have you finished the book?" Harry shook his head, "I was just under half way through before my family.. accidentally damaged it." The teacher moved from his position next to the young boy's desk and over to his bookshelf, he returned with a book in hand passing it to Harry before he spoke again, "Finish it, with no rush, and bring it back once you've completed it." The boy smiled slightly, taking it from his hands and looking at it, "Thank you, Sir."

"I feel I've made the right choice pairing you two together, ten points to slytherin." As he made his way to the front of the class, Harry placed the book into his bag.

"After.." he stopped speaking briefly and looked towards the clock, "twenty-four minutes of class time only one pair have successfully managed to complete a batch of the potion." groans sounded around the room along with a few students mumbling unhappily, they seemed to be unconvinced that anyone could complete this seemingly impossible potion.

Snape ended up removing the flaw he had placed in the text books and explained that this will be done throughout the rest of the school year, the first pair to complete the potion in these lessons will get five house points to each students' house.

The class was then dismissed, students packed up their things and made their way out of the classroom, cleaning up of the equipment wasn't needed as Snape could simply mutter a spell and it would be done.

Harry and Draco left the classroom one after another and walked down the halls, "You aren't as bad at potions as I thought you were."

The shorter boy stifled a laugh, "Draco Malfoy, is," he paused for dramatic effect, "is that a compliment?" Harry jokingly placed the back of his hand on his forehead, checking for any sicknesses that would be causing him to act this way. Draco smiled slightly, pushing his hand away and producing a sarcastic laugh, "Make sure you appreciate it, it's not happening again."

A loud screeching noise echoed through the halls capturing the students attention, an announcement was played throughout the castle, "This is a message to all fourth year students, classes for the rest of today have been cancelled due to the house resorting taking place, if you have not been resorted make your way to the hall. All students who have been resorted if you have now been placed into a different house, make sure your personal items have been moved from your original dormitories to your new dormitories by dinner time."

Students walked off in different directions, some to the hall, some to lessons and others to dorms.

"Want help moving your stuff?"

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1028 words - chapter 8: the book of potions