YOKAI: Ghosts & Demons of Japan
Yokai is a catchall Japanese word for ghosts, demons, monsters, shapeshifters, tricksters, and other kinds of supernatural beings and mysterious phenomena. Yokai interact with the human world and spark common notions...
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When breakfast was over, Hadleigh took Draco's hand and followed her mate to the Potions classroom, she was speaking with Blaise about her trip around the world with her papa. She was quite happy to speak of the different cultures, as they stepped inside, Draco was kind enough to pull out Hadleigh's chair, the girl kissing his cheek in thanks. They all stayed silent as the Gryffindor's walked into the room, blabbing to one another, it was quite obnoxious if she were being honest with herself. The lion's were to rowdy, their roars were too loud for her ears.
Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder there than up in the main castle and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls. Hadleigh's mokomoko wrapped around her keeping her warm Draco instantly wrapped his arm around her, enjoying the warmth as well. Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call. Snape finished calling the names and looked them up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word – like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death – if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
More silence followed this little speech. The Granger girl was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead. Weasley didn't pay any attention, focusing on the walls around him.
"Weasley!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Weasley looked stumped, Granger's hand had shot into the air. "I don't know, sir," said Weasley.
Snape's lips curled into a sneer. "Tut, tut." He ignored Hermione's hand. "Let's try again. Weasley, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"
Granger stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat, but Weasley didn't have the faintest idea what a bezoar was. The red-haired boy tried not to look at Draco, Blaise, Hadleigh, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were shaking with laughter.
"I don't know, sir."
"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Weasley?"
Weasley forced himself to keep looking straight into those cold eyes. Did Snape expect him to remember everything in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi?
Snape was still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand.
"What is the difference, Weasley, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling.
"I don't know," said Weasley quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?"
People laughed at the boy's response, Snape however, was not pleased. "Taisho, maybe you can answer."
Hadleigh smiled, her eyes alight with humor. "For your information, Weasley, asphodel, and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of the Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite." And as she finished she rested her chin on her right hand, giving off an innocent aura. But she was anything but innocent.
With the room silent at her display, she couldn't help but wonder what they would all do if she exposed herself, flash her fangs in their direction, slice their necks with her pretty nails, she wasn't sure... well no they would all panic and be fearful of her. Snape shook his head subtly before turning to the rest of the students.
"Well? Why aren't you all copying this down?" There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Weasley."
Hadleigh leaned back from her resting spot and started to write everything down, twirling her quill every once and a while. She was bored. But...
Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued.
Snape had put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Draco and Hadleigh, whom he seemed to like. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Draco and Hadleigh had stewed their horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon.
Neville Longbottom had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.
"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"
Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.
"Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Weasley, who had been working next to Neville.
"You – Weasley – why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."
Hadleigh watched Neville leave, the poor boy, she knew what had happened to his parents, after all he was her god-brother, and her papa wanted her to know everything about everyone. Maybe, just maybe she should hold her hand out to this boy, see how he reacts to her helping hand.
