Nude Ink

Third Picture: The Blunder

Divination with Trelawney was always a complete bore for me. I could never follow the poor woman's explanations, since she was speaking in such complicated metaphors, that after a while I just decided to give up. Most students saw her as a lunatic, I couldn't say the same- I had no problem with the teacher per se, only her jumbled-up speech was slightly confusing and annoying, that's all. However, her latest prediction to me released a curious unease inside my chest, and since then, I felt prompted to pay a little extra attention to what she was saying. Maybe I can get a bit more information on what she meant behind those words.

'You will commit a mistake, one that is horribly meager, but shall change your whole future nonetheless. If you make the correct choices, that is.' were the words of the slightly looloo lady, and in that moment I just shrugged it off and smiled to her, pretending I was interested. Now, however, things have changed. I got mildly desperate for more details, so I kind of harassed Sybill around a bit for answers, but she dismissed me every time, saying, that was a unique moment of clairvoyance, and she couldn't repeat or continue it, even if she wanted to. The only advice she could give me was to follow my heart in all circumstances, and have courage to speak my mind where I fear words could get me in trouble. Great. I see things so much clearer now, Sybill, thank you.

Somehow, deep down I was worried her prediction was connected to something I liked, that one day I might do an irreversible slip-up and lose a precious thing or someone that brought me happiness. Still, I forced a strong belief on myself every day, that things will turn out just fine, there is no threat looming over my head- I'm just imagining things, and I will continue my regular gray days at Hogwarts in peace, until the day of graduation. Oh, how wrong I was. Nothing could prepare me for what came about two months after Trelawney's prediction.

I'm currently walking down the dungeon hallway, it's a rainy Friday again, (somehow the weather gets worse each day in this period) heading straight to my last class for the week- NEWT potions. Just a few minutes late, which is not a great problem now, considering today is a practical lesson, so Snape will most probably not bite my head off if I enter the classroom a bit tardy. The door creaks as I shimmy my way to the last desk, sending an apologetic look towards Snape, who just narrows his eyes in slight annoyance, but leaves my stealthy form unbothered. My classmates all stand before a cauldron, with their ingredients prepared on their desk.

"Today we are brewing the Essence of Insanity, a potion that induces mental instability, as you all know by now. For obvious reasons we shall not test this brew out once it's finished, but the dead giveaway of a correctly brewed potion will be a vibrant grass green color. Which means, if I see a cauldron with any other hue in it today, that is considered an immediate failure. However, being NEWT students, I hope I shall see no inadequacy from your part." Snape explained placidly, then the order to begin came.

I take my place at the workstation, and start brewing my potion. Since this one is considered fairly easy, because it consists only of two ingredients, I'm pretty sure I can't mess this up. Furthermore, I read in an old book about how I could boost a potion's potential and color with some crushed up moonstone, so maybe this way I can get back a few sympathy points with the bat. As the frog brain is getting sautéed above the fire, I make my way to the large cabinet holding common ingredients. The professor notices my move, and as I take out the big jar with large pieces of shiny blue moonstone, he floats over to my smaller form. Snape was a tall man, taller than me by a head, (this was another thing I adored about him) so as he reaches me at the cabinet, I'm being towered by his shadowy silhouette.

"May I know what are you searching for in there? The ingredients are laid out on your desk, they are hard to miss." he says a bit sarcastically, and I kind of understand his tone, seeing that I'm on a knife's edge with him at the moment. This is exactly what I'm trying to change.