With You? Always.

Baby, Let The Games Begin.

Andromeda sat in the potions classroom with her books and parchment paper spread out on her table, waiting to meet her final student that she would be tutoring for the year. She had spent the past week getting to know each of her students while setting up a study plan catering to their needs. Her eyes were locked on the clock in front of her while her fingers mindlessly tapped against the wooden surface of the table, noting that this particular student was late for their first session. She finally glanced at her planner to verify that she had the correct day and time.

The name of the student that was written down was Albus Dumbledore.

Andromeda cocked her head to the side. That name seemed somewhat familiar. Didn't Ominis name him as one of his troublemakers that he always had to reprimand during patrols?

The echo of footsteps racing through the corridor brought her attention to the door, where she found a first-year panting in the doorway with his jumper untucked and tie loosened from his neck.

"Albus?"

The first year gave her a nod, his brown hair disheveled and sticking out all over the place. Did he even own a comb? He carefully walked over to her potions station, still catching his breath.

"I'm sorry, Miss...?"

"Black. But, you may call me Andromeda."

Albus began to stutter after she said her last name. "Bl-Bl-Black?!?"

Andromeda couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Yes. The headmaster is my uncle, but my familial relationships are not important at the moment. I want to know why you're late."

"Oh." Albus awkwardly placed his books on the table and plopped down on the stool next to Andromeda. "Some of my friends started a gobstone tournament, and I may have forgotten the time until about five minutes ago."

"I'll let this go since this is my first time meeting you, but if you continue being late for these sessions, I do have to report to Professor Sharp."

"Yes, ma'am."

Andromeda opened her notebook and scribbled Albus' name in the top corner of the page. "Now. Can you tell what exactly you are struggling with in potions?"

Albus gave her a small shrug. "Professor Sharp just told me I would benefit from meeting with you after failing my first potions exam."

"Alright. Do you have any thoughts on why you failed? Are you unsure how to study in this class, or was there a certain potion that you found challenging to make?"

"I wasn't aware I needed to know the properties of every single ingredient." Albus crossed his arms against his chest and let out a huff of air. "There's so many! It's nearly impossible to memorize them all! And why does it matter!?! I'm not going to be a potions master."

Andromeda set her quill down after writing a few notes for herself and reached for a jar filled with dark blue petals. She set the jar in front of Albus and asked, "Can you tell me what this ingredient is?"

"Erm. Moondew?"

"Correct. And what is it used for?"

"Um." Albus scratched the back of his head. "To...make dew when the moon is out?"

Andromeda held back a snort and shook her head. "Nice try, but no." She opened the jar and picked out some of the petals. "Give me your hand."

Albus looked at her with his brows furrowed in confusion, but after he opened his hand, Andromeda placed the petals in the center of his palm. "Now, give it a taste."

"Pardon?"

"I want you to taste one of the petals."

"Are you bloody mad?!?" Albus scrunched his nose while staring at the petals in disbelief. "What if they're poisoned?!?"