The Marauders Rise (II)

Potions

September 2, 1973

In the Potions room, several seventh-year students begin to enter. The class seems smaller than average, moreover because it is a N.E.W.T.-level class. NARCISSA and LUCIUS enter and sit at a table where ROSIER and WILKES are already seated.

ROSIER: Morning, party queen. How's your head?

NARCISSA: Shut it, Rosier. (She sets down her bag and removes a small goblet from her Potions kit).

WILKES: That was pretty fun last night. Were you guys there when Slughorn showed up?

LUCIUS: (sarcastically) No, we thought it would be wise to not be there when the teachers showed up.

WILKES: Man, was he pissed. I'm looking forward to seeing how well-rested he's looking today-

As if on cue, HORACE bursts through the doorway, looking rather flustered and busy. He quickly makes his way to the front of the class and prepares for the lecture.

NARCISSA: (smiling) What a unique man. (She holds her wand over the goblet and waves it several times until a clear liquid begins to brew inside. She drinks most of it quickly, and then Vanishes the rest).

LUCIUS: And what exactly are you doing?

NARCISSA: Hangover recipe. Mafalda showed it to me.

HORACE: All right, quiet, everyone! I apologize for being late, but some of my own decided to hold social festivities until the God-awful hours of the night- (he eyes the back table, where NARCISSA, LUCIUS, ROSIER, and WILKES avoid his line of sight)- but nevertheless, welcome to N.E.W.T.-level Potions. This is your second and last year in this course, and the majority of this year will be dedicated to preparing you for the final exams in the summer term. But for today, I decided we'd have a little refresher from last year. A Shrinking Solution will be due at the end of class- (several students groan)- oh, come now, it's not so difficult. You learned this one last year, so it shouldn't prove to be terribly strenuous for most of you. Now then, off to work! Individually, please! Instructions can be found on page 179.

The four Slytherins open their books and Potions kits. HORACE begins to walk through the classroom, observing the students work.

ROSIER: So, Cissy, dear, that we've got some time to talk, what's the deal with this Dark Arts class that your sister mentioned?

NARCISSA: (whispering) Quiet! (She looks around the room, then quickly points her wand at the edge of the table) Muffliato!

LUCIUS: What did that do?

NARCISSA: It's a slight deafening charm. Severus invented it. Now, we're hoping on having our first meeting next week, on the eighth at midnight.

WILKES: Where's it gonna be held?

LUCIUS: Seventh floor, across from Barnabas the Barmy. We'll show you.

NARCISSA: It's an abandoned room. We won't be found there.

WILKES: So- this is really happening?

ROSIER: You bet it's happening.

WILKES: I just mean that it's a bit- dangerous, doing this stuff inside the Castle, right under Dumbledore's nose. Don't you think?

ROSIER: I think it's excellent. It's high time we prepared for when we finally get out of this joke of a school.

NARCISSA: But we keep it secret, you understand? Don't go telling anyone that wasn't in the shop when we met.

ROSIER: So it's just gonna be us, Amycus, Alecto, Mafalda-

NARCISSA: And Snape. Severus Snape. He's in third year.

WILKES: You really wanna trust a third-year with this stuff?

NARCISSA: Not normally, but this one's different. Severus is wicked smart, he's really advanced for his age. He can be trusted.

ROSIER: And your sister's gonna be leading these meetings?

NARCISSA: Yeah.

WILKES: How is she gonna get in the Castle?

NARCISSA: (simply) We have a way.

HORACE: (from the front) Stay on task, please, ladies and gentlemen! I want to try and get a head-start on Polyjuice Potions before we leave!

NARCISSA: We'll talk later, okay?

ROSIER and WILKES nod, while NARCISSA removes the Muffliato Charm and the four resume their work.