The Arcanity of Draco Malfoy: A Harry Potter Fan-Fiction

Year One: Chapter Five: The Plan

"Oh, and with Gryffindor too!" Lorelei exclaimed. "How, exciting." Draco scoffed."Can't wait to see what an idiot that Potter really is. See what fame did that ruddy of head of his." Crabbe, Goyle, and Draco continued a rant about Harry all the way to Potions class. When they entered the class, there were only a few other students there, who all looked somewhat frightened. Draco and Lorelei sat in the front left, Crabbe and Goyle at the desk to their right.

The classroom shelves were full of peculiar glass jars, all full of animals, or at least, parts of animals. The classroom steadily filled with more students, and eventually, Professor Snape entered. He then called role, and suddenly stopped. "Ah, yes," Snape began, "Harry Potter. Our new - celebrity." Draco and Lorelei couldn't help but laugh, and had to bury their faces in their sleeves to stop. "Stupid Potter -" Draco began, but Lorelei cut him off, "Shut it!" We'll lose points!" Draco then went silent, and they both turned their heads to Snape.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," Snape began. Draco and Lorelei smiled with excitement, and Lorelei bounced upon the stool which she was sitting. They were both incredibly excited for the class, as during the summer they had begun brewing potions. Draco had already mastered the Cure for Boils, and Lorelei had practiced the Sleeping Draught and Swelling Solution. "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 it's 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." Snape concluded, and suddenly turned his head to Harry.

"Potter! What would I get if I added powered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Crabbe, Goyle, Draco and Lorelei shook with laughter. The humiliation of Harry was a very pleasant surprise for all of them. "I don't know sir," Harry said, looking frightened. The look on his face caused Lorelei to laugh uncontrollably, and her whole face turned red. Snape smiled, "Tut, tut - fame clearly isn't everything. Let’s try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" The messy haired girl from the train raised her hand. "Stupid Mudblood," Draco muttered, laying his head upon the desk. Harry said again, "I don't know, sir." Snape snapped, "Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter? What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"Harry didn’t respond, instead, the messy haired girl stood up, and stretched her hand as far as she could. Draco rolled his eyes. Potter then replied, “I don’t know. I think Hermione does, though, why don’t you try her?”

Some people laughed, but Snape’s expression turned them silent. “Sit down,” he snapped, “For you Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of 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. Well? Why aren’t you all copying that down?” Draco and Lorelei quickly rummaged for quills and parchment, and scribbled down notes. Crabbe and Goyle weren’t taking any notes; they were too busy beating their wands on the desks.

“Get into pairs,” Snape began, “and brew the Cure for Boils. You have an hour. Begin.” Lorelei ran to the cupboard, and grabbed horned slugs, porcupine quills, and snake fangs. When she returned to the desk, Draco had already put the cauldron and the desk, taken out brass scales, and a mortar and pestle. Lorelei threw six snake fangs into the mortar, and began to crush them. “You’re doing it all wrong!” Draco said, shoving her aside. “You can’t grind it like this,” Draco said, pounding the pestle into the mortar. “I wasn’t even doing it like that, Draco! Just let me do it!”Lorelei whined, pushing Draco away. Lorelei finished grinding the snake fangs, and threw them into the cauldron. Snape walked by, looked into the cauldron, gave a blank look, and walked away. 

Lorelei cast a flame under the cauldron, counted to ten, and took out the fire. Draco took out his wand, and waved it around above the cauldron.  Crabbe and Goyle were still trying to grind the snake fangs, and were not doing a very good job of it. Draco rolled his eyes, and peeked inside the cauldron, looking pleased. Meanwhile, Lorelei was prodding the slug’s eyes with her wand, watching their eyes shrink back. Draco began prodding them as well, but then seemed to grow bored, and threw them into the cauldron. Snape swished by, and stopped. He peered into the cauldron, and said, “Ah, yes. Everyone, look how Mr. Malfoy here has stewed his horned slugs. Excellent,” Their cauldron began to issue a green smoke, and a shrill hissing sound. Draco tossed in porcupine quills, stirred it five times clockwise, and waved his wand. Snape then walked away, and then rushed to the boy whom had lost his toad before the Sorting.

His cauldron had melted into a blob, and potion spilled out of it. As it reached some students’ shoes, the shoes began smoke and perforate. Everyone climbed and stood onto their stools, as the boy nearest the cauldron issued boils across his arms, and howled in pain. “Idiot boy!” Snape growled, “I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?” Boils then appeared on the boy’s face; Snape turned to his partner and told him, “Take him up to the hospital wing.” Draco snickered. Snape then faced Harry, who was sitting adjacent to the mess. “You – Potter – 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.”

Draco and Lorelei smiled at each other, and smirked and Crabbe and Goyle. “At this rate,” Draco began, “We’ll win the House Cup for sure.” Snape then assigned them homework, telling them to read the first three chapters of Magical Drafts and Potions and the first five chapters of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi. They left class, and then headed to Charms.  The classroom was long and narrow, and the desks were on the left and right, and were quite tall. They climbed up a few stairs, and sat all the way to the left, closest to the teacher’s desk.

“Remember,” Flitwick began, “Swish and flick!” “Wingardium Leviosa!” rang throughout the classroom. Draco’s feather rose immediately, while Crabbe and Goyle’s remained on the desk, unmoving. Lorelei’s gave a slight twitch, but moved no more. Draco smiled, and said, “Not very good, are you?” Lorelei turned to him, and narrowed her eyes. “I’m only practicing. Bet you five sickles I can do it correctly now,” Lorelei sneered. “What would I do with five Sickles? Make it a Galleon, and it’s a deal.” Draco said, holding his hand out. “Deal,” Lorelei said, shaking his hand.

Lorelei took a deep breath, swished her wand, exhaled, and bellowed, “Wingardium Leviosa!” The feather rose, and hovered. Professor Flitwick then happened to walk by, and bellowed, “Oh, excellent job, Miss Alderdice! Look here, everyone!” Everyone’s head turned to look at the feather, as Lorelei made it loop above Draco’s head, mocking him. The feather floated down, and landed back gracefully onto the desk. “Well,” Lorelei said, “where’s my Galleon?” Draco grimaced, rummaged in his pocket, and threw a Galleon upon the desk.

They returned to the Common Room, and noticed that a group of first years were huddling by one of the walls. Crabbe and Goyle walked towards the group, and the first years backed away. Draco walked over to the wall, and his face lit up. “Look.” He said, pointing to the bulletin board.

First Year Flying Lessons

Wednesday – Ravenclaw/Hufflepuff 3:30

Thursday – Gryffindor/Slytherin 3:30

“Again?” Lorelei asked, look curiously at the board. “We’ll see how Potter will make a fool of himself again,” Draco said excitedly. “Well, we don’t have to wait for him to make a fool of himself,” Lorelei began, “So why don’t we make a fool of him?” “By doing what?” Draco asked, sneering. “I have a plan.” Lorelei said, smiling mischievously.