The Light

Chapter 48- The Potion's Lesson

                  

Chapter 48- The Potions Lesson

Slughorn's jovial face and voluminous moustache was not the first thing Hermione had hoped to see in the morning.

He stood at the front of the class, positively beaming as he announced there would be a new seating plan to help them all 'fulfil their potential.'

Hermione sat at her desk beside Peter, who had groaned and flopped his head on the table as soon as the lesson had started pretty much, and sighed. Slughorn was unpredictable and bumbling and the Head of Slytherin. She already knew this wasn't going to bode well for her, or any of them for that matter.

"Black! Mr Black," Slughorn announced, grinning. "You'll be sitting next to Mulciber this year. Over here, now. Do hurry, Black, we don't have all day."

Sirius trailed past her, looking as disgusted as it was possible for someone to look. He said, "I think you'll find we do, professor. The rest of the year, in fact."

She shook her head at his cheek, but Slughorn didn't comment, simply fixed him with a frown.

"Now, McKinnon and Avery." Hermione felt her stomach clench a little, as Marlene quirked her eyebrows, evidently pleased, and stalked over to where Avery had sat down. He didn't give her a second look and she deflated slightly, not used to being ignored by members of the opposite sex. "Good, good. Just like that."

This commenced for another ten minutes as Slughorn positioned the students around the class. Peter was sat next to Remus, after all, which he had all but collapsed out of relief about. There were only four of them left now.

"Potter, you sit here. That's right, and Miss Evans. Thank you, dear. Two very skilled brewers sat together," Slughorn beamed, clapping his chubby hands.

Lily was blushing and even James seemed a bit nervous, but he tried to play it off. He said, "Runs in the family, sir. Just like you say every lesson: 'Fleamont was a potions genius, and it's a shame he wasted it on hair products.' Now you see, I don't think that's such a shame, I think it's pure brilliance. Have you seen my hair in a morning, sir? It's an atrocity. A real disgrace to all hairkind. But good old Granddad Fleamont reverted that and look at me now, I'm glorious."

From the other side of the classroom, Sirius scoffed. He had his arm flung across the back of his chair, and was looking effortlessly cool. He said, "I'm surprised you can see yourself in a morning with that very same head stuck up your own arse."

James looked at him, shrugging, and said, "It's a gift."

Uncertain how to react about this, Slughorn moved on. He didn't even have to look at his list, he swung around and beamed at her. Hermione, uncomfortable about everything her professor did, more or less, wanted to grimace. There was only one person left and her heart dropped to the very bottom of her stomach.

"And last, but certainly not least," he winked. She wanted to gag. "Miss Granger and Snape."

They were both hesitant, unwilling to sit next to the other. But, despite this, they obliged.

"Now, I expect great things from you two!" Slughorn said happily. Hermione stared at his face. He really did look like a walrus. "Now that that's sorted, we can move on to what I can see you're all excited for!"

If the slouched positions of the class were anything to go by, they all begged to differ.

"Today," he announced, unfazed, walking to the front of the classroom. "We'll be making the Draught of Living Death, a potion of exceeding difficulty with the ability to cause the drinker to fall into a deep, death-like slumber. You'll have to work together with your new partner!"