Andromeda Year 1 (A Harry Potter Fanfiction) COMPLETE

Combustive Reaction

 "Now what?" Tobias asks as Andromeda makes another note in the margins of her book.

Andromeda hands him the bowl and scale. "We need to put," she looks up at the directions, "four measures of that mixture into the pot. Then fill the pot half full of bog water. 'Add the water slowly, as it has a combustive reaction to the mixture.'"
"And four," Tobias finishes counting out the measure and gently taps the measured powder into the pot. "Want me to go get the bog water?"
"Yeah, but fill your cauldron halfway first and we'll be more careful pouring it into mine," Andromeda says.
"Okay," Tobias says, giving her a confused look but doing what she says.
Andromeda reads the next couple steps, 'when the potion turns red, stir three times clockwise and add two Porcupine quills. Stir eleven times counterclockwise and add three spiked slugs. Wait until the potion turns cream and then drop in the dried soporific sponge to halt the reaction.'
"Oof," Tobias grunts, setting the cauldron of bog water next to hers. "We're supposed to add this slowly?" he asks.
"Yeah, could you get two porcupine quills?" she asks distractedly, cleaning the mortar of the mixed powder.
"Sure," Tobias says. Andromeda carefully crouches on top of her stool so she can see above the cauldrons. She scoops out a bowlful of the bog water using the mortar and eyes the mixture in her cauldron warily. "Oh that's clever," Tobias says. "Be careful not to fall, though."
"Yeah, thanks," she mutters distractedly. Taking a deep breath, she slowly drips some of the bog water onto the powder. It immediately sparks and lets off a giant puff of smoke. Andromeda flinches in surprise and almost falls off the stool, but Tobias wraps an arm around her waist, catching her as the stool topples over beneath her. The other students are staring at the rising smoke. Some are laughing and others simply stare, terrified.
"Are you alright?" Tobias demands as he sets her back down on the ground. Andromeda doesn't answer him; she's looking at the cauldron thoughtfully.
"Maybe if I drip it onto the side, it'll react less," she says, more to herself than to anyone.
"You're soaked," Tobias says, noticing his robe is damp as well.
"Oh, yes. I seemed to have spilled the bog water. At least it didn't land in the pot. That would have been bad."
"Yes. Much better to be covered in smelly bog water the rest of the day," Tobias grumbles. Andromeda rights her stool, climbs back on top, and slowly drips bog water onto the side of her cauldron. The reaction is much less than before and it lessens the more water is put in.
"What's the next step?" she asks the still grumbling Tobias as he shakes out his robes.
"When the potion turns red, stir three times clockwise and add two porcupine quills."
"Thank you," Andromeda says, picking up the stirring rod. She waits a couple more seconds as the potion continues to shift color before sticking it in at the top of the pot and stirring precisely five times clockwise. She leaves the rod in as she holds her hand out. Tobias hands her the porcupine quills. "We need three spiked slugs next," she says to Tobias as she drops the quills in. He goes and gets them as she stirs the pot eleven times counterclockwise. "Go ahead," she says. He drops the three slugs into the pot. When they make contact with the water, they begin to hiss and shrivel.
"Gross," Tobias mutters. Andromeda chuckles and pokes at them with the stirring rod. The first explosion happens at a table at the far end of the room. Andromeda doesn't seem to notice.
"What color is it supposed to turn?" Andromeda asks.
"Umm, cream." He looks up at the board, following Andromeda's example by ignoring a second explosion. "Uh, er, what color is cream?"
Andromeda sets the stirring rod down and points to her face. "A little lighter than my skin. And less pink."
"Oh, okay," Tobias says awkwardly, ducking his head and staring at the table. A third, but lesser explosion happens at the cauldron in front of them. Andromeda blocks the top of their cauldron with her Potions book as water splatters over them.
"Aren't gay guys supposed to be good with things like colors?" Andromeda asks quietly as she puts her book back down, staring into the potion as it slowly lightens from a red to a pink.
"Excuse me?" Tobias squeaks. He looks around the room as if trying to see if anyone else heard her.
"As if they don't already know," she says, amused, but she lowers her voice a little.
"How did you?" he asks miserably.
"Were you trying to hide it?"Andromeda asks. "Because you were pretty obvious with that older Slytherin boy at the welcoming feast."
"How'd you know that?" he asks, eyes wide.
"He's one of my roommates older brothers. Cameron, right?"
"Yeah," Tobias says sadly.
"Do you think that's a good cream?" Andromeda asks, pointing to the potion.
"No, that's more peach than cream," Tobias says. Andromeda grins at him and he blushes.
"You were trying too hard," she tells him. "Everyone knows what color cream is."
Tobias' face remains red as he runs to get the last ingredient on the table. "That's a good cream color," he says quietly, handing her the sponge.
"I think so, too," Andromeda agrees. She carefully lets the dried sponge slide into the liquid. She jumps back as a cloud the same color as the potion puffs out from the top of the liquid. Professor Snape walks over to their table and looks into their cauldron. He takes a small vial out of his pocket and dips it into the potion to look at it in the light.
"Acceptable," he says. "Take this up to the Hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey will put it to use. After that, you are free to go." He turns to leave.
"Thank you, Professor," Andromeda says. Professor Snape looks back and his mouth turns up into what looks like a sneer, but Andromeda takes it as a smile. She smiles back. He turns around and goes back to sit at his desk.