The Next Generation: The Mysterious Past of Izabella Diggory

Chapter Nine: How Gemi had a Terrible Start to Potions

Gemi

True to Ellie's word, they did rush to Potions, though not as fast as Ellie hoped. It was a very hard journey. Gemi tripped on her cloak (her mother had ordered it a few sizes too big so that it would fit her for longer) earning her knee a nasty bruise.

Then there were the moving staircases. Why do moving staircases even exist? Gemi thought as they waited again for a staircase to move to their exit from the third floor. They aren't helpful at all. Just build a few extra staircases.

As soon as the staircase clicked into place, the three friends hurried on to it and began to climb down, Ellie in front, Gemi in the middle, and Izzy in the back. As they were hurrying down the marble steps, Gemi heard a cry behind her and immediately turned around. Izzy's foot was sinking through the step!

"I just stepped and it turned into quicksand!" Izzy exclaimed, her foot sinking quickly.

"It's not real quicksand," Ellie explained. "I read about it. Now, Gemi, you pull her from this side and I'll pull her from the other. Hurry!"

They hauled Izzy up and the step turned back into marble. Gemi counted quickly. Avoid the sixteenth step, she noted.

"What are you doing, Gemi?" Ellie said impatiently. "We've got to—AAAAH!"

Ellie was interrupted from lecturing them on the importance of earliness because the staircase started moving to its next destination. All three girls screamed and clung to the bannister. The staircase took its time getting to the next floor and Ellie sighed. Gemi was still clinging to the bannister for dear life but then it finally stopped, thankfully on the first floor, where the potions classroom was. They arrived three minutes early and quickly took their seats at a table together, as the rest of the class was doing.

"Hello class," a middle-aged woman walked into the room. She had brown hair in a short bob, short pants that showed half of her calves, and a short sleeved shirt. Everything about her was short. She was the same height as Gemi, though probably 30 years older. "My name is Margaret Adams, but please call me Professor Adams. I've been teaching at Hogwarts for ten years so far, after Horace Slughorn retired. Today we are going to be making the Hiccoughing Solution, one of the easiest potions to make. The information is on the board and also in your books on page 7. I could go over the theory of potions, but I figured we'd do something fun for the first day."

A few people cheered in the back and Professor Adams grinned before continuing.

"Don't get too excited," she said. "I do have a seating chart, as I have to control all of you. It would be much harder if you all talked to your friends the whole lesson, fair?"

There were a few groans but mostly murmurs of agreement. Gemi already liked Professor Adams. "Alright. I've tried to pair you with people in your house. Thomas with Lucas, Agnes with Aubrey, Elliana with Izabella, Jessica with Bernham, Gemella with Logan..."

She went on, pointing out the tables. Gemi made her way across the room to Logan, with a pang of envy as she saw Ellie and Izzy sitting together and chatting happily. "Hello," Logan said. "I want a good grade so you better not mess anything up."

"That's a great first thing to say to your partner for the rest of the year," Gemi said sarcastically. "I'll get the ingredients. What do we need?" 

Logan opened his book and read out the ingredients, "Two porcupine quills, three sticks of peppermint, a handful of bat spleens, one cup of cowbane, one stewed mandrake, and fourteen tablespoons of wormwood."

Gemi grabbed the ingredients as quickly as she could, taking two trips. Her brain cringed when she touched things like the stewed mandrake and bat spleens. Why did potions have to have such gross ingredients? She would quite enjoy the subject if not.

As Logan and Gemi measured the ingredients carefully, they fell into easy conversation. Gemi learned that Logan was planning to try out for quidditch (whatever that was) in second year, was half-blood, and also had an older sister. Gemi told him about her sister and how she was introduced to Hogwarts. She told him that she didn't know how to play quidditch and Logan offered to give her some more lessons other than the ones the coach would give. Gemi happily agreed. She liked sports.

"What do we do now?" Gemi asked.

"Stir until potion turns blue, then heat until potion turns turquoise," Logan read aloud. Gemi grabbed the wooden spoon and stirred through the goopy texture. How would this turn blue? It was a mud brown and Gemi didn't have any food colouring. She normally only used it at Christmas when she baked cookies with her mother.

But to Gemi's surprise, the potion got watery and soon turned a shimmery blue. "Wow," Gemi breathed. Logan took the cauldron and moved it to the heater. A few minutes later, the water was a shiny turquoise that reminded Gemi of a mermaid.

"Great job," Professor Adams remarked. "Try some. If it is correct, nothing will happen. If not, I don't know what will happen, but nothing Madam Tinsley can't fix."

"I'll go," Gemi volunteered as she saw Logan's uncertain face. The whole class turned to watch as Gemi took a gulp of the mixture. She was met by a burning bitter taste and doubled over as it burned her throat. Then it was gone in an instant. She smiled at Professor Adams and hiccupped. Then she hiccuped again. The class began to giggle.

Gemi covered her mouth in embarrassment as uncontrollable hiccups flooded out of her mouth. Professor Adams sniffed their potion. "How many tablespoons of wormwood did you use?"

"Fourteen," Logan replied. "Like the book said."

Professor Adams opened Logan's book and turned to page seven. "Tell me, Mr. Tonks, how many tablespoons does it ask for?"

Logan peered at the book and groaned. "Four."

"Fourteen does seem like an absurd amount, does it not?" Professor Adams smiled. "Go take Miss Thompson to the hospital wing. Now class, this is a perfect example of why you should always double check the reading. Everyone check..."

Logan and Gemi walked outside the potions classroom as laughter flooded the hall.

"Lo–" Gemi hiccuped. " —gan!" she scolded.