"You stood up for a Slytherin girl against that poisonous snake Parkinson? I'm proud of you.", Laurel said the next morning at breakfast. I nipped at my coffee. Daisy had been so kind to bring me one again, and since she saw how tired I was, she made it extra strong.
"I didn't even know what I was doing, but thanks", I said and took another sip. Merlin, was it bitter.
After breakfast, we had potions. Since I had been allowed to choose which subjects I wanted to take, I decided I would take everything but muggle studies and divination - Arithmetic was a form of divination anyway, so there was no need to have both of them and I had lived in the muggle world the past sixteen years.
"Good morning, class", Professor Slughorn said. A tall platinum blonde boy with the Slytherin emblem on his tie stood next to him. "I've got Mr. Malfoy with me, he will help you with your potions if I am occupied. He was my best potions student - or almost, because Potter really excelled that year, but he chose defense against the dark arts.." Malfoy stiffened and Slughorn looked uncomfortable. "Anyhow, today we will brew this potion here - does anybody know what it's called?"
He pointed at a silver-blue potion that seemed to glow from the inside. I couldn't identify it. Truthfully, I had scummed over the topics of the sixth year - I had been to focused on learning the topics of the past five years.
Cecily raised her hand. "Quarter-moon potion, Sir." Professor Slughorn smiled widely. "Very good, Miss...?" "Wentworth, Sir." "Oho! Aren't you the sister of Jade Wentworth? I believe she took you to the Slug - clubs Christmas party. Quite a talented young witch in my house.. well, ten points to Hufflepuff! Do you know what it does, Miss Wentworth?"
"It is highly toxic, but when used in the right way, it can cure the most dangerous illnesses. The last ingredient needs to be added when it is Quarter-moon, which is why it's called like this. Some people also call it yin and yang potion because of it's equally toxic and healing abilities that balance each other out."
Slughorns grin spread wider. "Exactly, exactly - another ten points to Hufflepuff! Very well, so today we will brew this potion - it doesn't take a lot of time, but it is very complex and therefore requires a lot of concentration. Some of you will have to do the potion again. Also, we will meet right after dinner in this room to finish the potion and add the last ingredient. Just like Miss Wentworth said, this potion has healing powers, and the St. Mungo is always happy to receive some of it. Of course I will only give away the ones that are flawless and I hope there will be as many as possible. Open page twelve in your book, you will find the potion there. You may start!"
We rushed to the table with the ingredients, took everything we needed and started brewing. While Cecily calmly added one ingredient after the other, Laurels Cauldron was a mess after merely ten minutes.
"Why is this not working?", she muttered and stared at her potion that had all colours of the rainbow. "You added the wand-wood extract too early, probably after the fourth stir, not the fifth.", I said, after inspecting her potion. The book had said that the colour could change drastically if one added the ingredients too early or too late, even if it was just a matter of one stir.
"Oh... well, I guess, I'll have to do it again." She removed the potion with a flick of her wand. "You can perform nonverbal spells?", I asked, while adding the silver crushed fairy tree roots into my cauldron after stirring three times in the direction of the clock and seven times against it. "I want to become a fashion designer", Laurel said. "Things are done way easier when you don't have to say every detail you want to add out loud, which is why I learned how to use nonverbal spells. It's pretty cool once you can do it.. I'll teach you some time." She smiled and I smiled back.
A girl next to me - I didn't know her name but she was from Hufflepuff as well - was even more troubled about her potion that's Laurel was. I was done with the potion (minus the last ingredient) and she panicked even more when she saw the midnight blue potion in my cauldron - the silver glow would appear as soon as we added the last ingredient.
"Can I help you?", I asked, but before she could answer, Draco Malfoy made her potion vanish. "It couldn't be saved anymore. Try again. Professor Slughorn said that most will need multiple attempts anyways", he said, his voice surprisingly encouraging. The girl nodded and went to pick up the ingredients so she could start the potion once more.
"What are you looking at?", Malfoy sneered at Cecily, who had been watching the scenario. "You've changed." She simply said. "Maybe there's still hope for you and your family."
Malfoy wanted to answer something but a student required his help. Obviously, he tried to get on Slughorns good side, so he turned around and left. I decided I'd ask Cecily about it later.
Slughorn took his turns around the room and eventually passed our table. "I see that you have as much talent as your sister, Miss Wentworth", he said to Cecily, who was checking if her potion had the right shade of blue. Slughorn didn't say anything to Laurel and walked over to me. He smiled in a wide, bright manner. "Amazing, Amazing, Miss ?"
"Eletherya, Sir."
"Aha, the demigod girl, I didn't expect anything else. Greet your mother from me, will you?" He smiled once more and returned to the front of the classroom."Time's up everybody!" He raised his wand and sealed every cauldron with a glass like substance. "We're done for now.. see you in the evening! Miss Eletherya and Miss Wentworth may stay here." The class left while Laurel, Cecily and I stayed behind. The professor didn't say anything against Laurels presence in the room, but he didn't seem to be all that pleased about it. She gave him a challenging look when he frowned at her.
"Miss Wentworth and Miss Eletherya, I'd like to invite you to the first Slug -club meeting here in Hogwarts. You will be able to meet different people who will push your careers in the future.. I have quite a lot of contacts in and out of the ministry." He seemed uncomfortable as he handed us our invitations - there wasn't one for Laurel. "You can bring your friend as well", he said and forced a smile. Laurel grinned.
"Also, Miss Eletherya, I'd like you to take private lesson with Mr. Malfoy. Even though you are obviously incredibly talented in potions, it would be good to learn about the past school years practically. I believe you will have to do this in Transfiguration, Defense against the Dark Arts and Charms as well. The professors will certainly speak with you about it."
Malfoy said he'd sent me an owl with the first appointment and the three of us left running to history of magic. Professor Binns - a ghost that didn't realize it was dead - didn't even notice us being five minutes late.
He talked endlessly about the troll war in the seventeenth century as well as the wizarding worlds involvement in it. All of this would have been interesting if only he wouldn't have such a ... monotone way of teaching. I started turning and clicking my pen which made Cecily furious. "Whatever evil it is that you're clicking and turning so happily, get it out of my face!", she hissed after bearing it for almost half an hour. I grinned and started practicing anatomy sketches.
"Open page 450 in your books, please.", Professor Binns slowly said. "Read the text and make notes - this will be part of the exam. Oh, I can still remember my exam ; the fear of every student when the teacher gave out the paper ..."
I tried reading the text - I was reading it, really - but after going through two pages, I had no idea what had happened in the troll war. Sighing, I turned back to the beginning to reread the text - but focusing on it was hard. However, I did succeed at going through one page, making notes and actually understanding what was written there. Luckily, the bell ringed, but Professor Binns, suddenly energetic, managed to shout our homework over the noise.
YOU ARE READING
A witch's heart [Draco Malfoy x oc]
Fanfiction1998: Niela Eletherya, a fifteen year old from New York, is a little different from her classmates at school. She is the daughter of Hecate, the powerful Greek goddess of magic - something she only finds out after a bunch of monsters attack her sch...