𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐮𝐬 𝐒𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐱 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴 𝚂𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚈

Chapter 16 - the Love Potion

The Winter holidays passed by quickly. Year 6, semester 2 was here.

Students was already back at Hogwarts, but not all that eager to study.

Adeline had not left, she spent all of Christmas studying, perfecting her non-verbal spell use. She learned to do more complicated spells, spells that wizards three times older than her could not master.

Her parents, or really, Malia's parents, had not contacted the girl, sending no gift or even a letter on Christmas day.

Adeline's birthday had passed, she turned age 20, still remaining stuck inside a girl that everyone thought was only 16.

Though she began to look less and less like a teenager.

Other changes began to occur. Adeline noticed herself looking slightly older than the other students. Malia's face was maturing, looking older when compared to the other students in her year. It was slightly noticeable and it worried the girl, as it was yet another reason for Adeline to assume that this change—the change of their lives and bodies—was permanent.

It seemed like Adeline's own soul was changing Malia's looks, forcing her new body to adapt and mature.

Meanwhile, Drack, back at school, immediately returned to fixing the Vanishing cabinet, hidden in the Room of Requirement. Adeline had not seen the boy since the moment he stepped foot inside Hogwarts, locking himself away in the ROR.

Adeline knew that this would be the semester when Voldemort's Death Eaters would attack the school. It would be a turning point for Severus Snape—the man she secretly admired even though he loved another. He would raise his wand and kill Albus Dumbledore, taking on the role as an evil villain in the story, becoming the unseen hero behind the scenes.

.................

Adeline stood besides Blaise in Herbology, the boy chatting her ear off. The air in the greenhouse was thick with the earthy scent of soil and the faint aroma of herbs as Professor Sprout stood before the class, holding up a curious-looking plant. The Bouncing Bulb's main stem was a disproportionate purple bulb, with a cluster of leaves sprouting from the top. It twitched occasionally, almost as if it were alive.

"The Bouncing Bulb," Professor Sprout began, her voice clear and animated, "is a rather energetic plant, as its name suggests. Young Bouncing Bulbs, like the ones you see here, are small enough to handle, but do be careful—mature ones can grow to the size of doorways and pack quite a punch! Today, we'll be working with the younger bulbs, learning how to manage and care for them."

Adeline, paired together with Blaise, eyed the small, purple bulb in front of them with a mix of curiosity and caution. The bulb seemed to pulse slightly, as if it were aware of their presence.

"Looks harmless enough," Blaise remarked, reaching for his dragon-hide gloves, "but I'm sure it'll be more trouble than it seems."

Adeline chuckled, slipping on her own gloves. "That's usually the case with magical plants. They have a way of surprising you."

They began their task, carefully lifting the Bouncing Bulb from its pot and placing it into a larger one filled with fresh soil. The bulb gave a little jump, causing some of the dirt to spill over the edges.

"See?" Blaise said with a grin. "It's already trying to escape!"

Adeline smiled, holding the bulb steady as Blaise packed more soil around it. They worked well together, the boy's steady hands complementing Adeline's meticulous attention to detail. As the Slytherin pair eagerly completed the task, they chatted about various topics, from the upcoming Quidditch match between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff to the latest gossip circulating the school.