Inferno | Draco Malfoy

036 | Harlow, Crowther, Malfoy

Snape hastily walks down the Great Hall flicking our timetables at us. Theo, not paying attention, doesn't manage to catch his sheet and it ends up wrapping around his face.

This year, we have Herbology with the Hufflepuffs instead of the Gryffindors. I'm most intrigued by double Defence Against the Dark Arts today with Professor Umbridge. I wonder what her character is and how well she will teach. I'm not delighted with Moody's leave. Sure he was crazy but, he was a good teacher; he showed us real and practical magic.

At once, owls of every kind of colour come delivering letters and packages. A bit soggy though since it has been raining all morning.

Gwen drops a beautiful and sealed letter from my parents whilst flapping towards Malfoy's damn intimidating and fierce eagle owl. They meet and make their chirps, Gwen flaps excitedly around Malfoy's owl and all I can do is curl my lip, ignoring the urge to take her into my arms and tell her never to approach it again.

Speaking of Malfoy, he's annoyed by the fact there isn't anything written about Dumbledore and especially Potter today. He's just the type of person who'd want to take the mickey out of anyone possible. I'm frankly the biggest victim to him.

If I was to become a professor, I would take the children's feelings into account. Unlike the ones here who are clearly in the wrong state of minds. I would like to meet the teacher who gave me History of Magic on a Monday morning and invite them for tea. That way, they could tell me what is bothering them and why they decided to take it out on a bunch of innocent students.

Professor Binns is a lovely ghost, I'm certain about that, but his classes are a whole new story. His voice is making me want to sleep and I can't let that happen if I want to pass my exams. He better start dancing or do something entertaining otherwise, I'm going to leave and self-study.

I force my eyes to stay open, jotting down notes and listening to Binns.

After that awful hour and a half, we have Potions. Honestly, I suspect Snape of making the timetables this year. He hates every single one of us. He's currently threatening us to pass his class, reminding us that we have our tests next June and we should all have some wits to manage a good grade. Camden has been taking Snape's advanced Potions class since last year and he always lets me read his notebooks so I can have a head start. How I love the advantages of having a smart older sibling.

With full concentration, I listen to Professor Snape as he explains the Draught of Peace as it comes up in the exams. He flicks his wand, making the ingredients scatter onto the desks and the instructions to appear on the blackboard. He swiftly commands us to begin.

Potioneers are never appreciated enough, I'm already feeling the arm cramp and it's been an hour. Light silver air starts to rise from my potion. Snape passes by me, approvingly telling the class that their potions should be emitting the same mist. He calls out Potter's name and every single Slytherin looks up from their work. Of course Malfoy is already laughing his bloody arse off.

Potter's cauldron is letting the room fill with dark grey steam. Clearly he forgot an essential ingredient, hellebore. Snape asks the boy to read the instructions and as Potter does, he realises his mistake.

"Do you not have glasses on Potter?" Malfoy mocks from across the room.

"That is enough, Evanesce." Snape clears Potter's mess using the transfiguration spell. Meanwhile, everyone else fills a flagon with their potions, labelling it with their name and putting it to the Professor's desk so that it can be tested.

"Your homework is on the properties of moonstones and its uses in potion-making." Snape dismisses. "Twelve inches of parchment, anything less than that and you will receive an automatic 'Poor', all handed in on Thursday."