Slytherin's Touch

Chapter 5: Trouble In Potions

After finishing their meal, the group stood up and began to walk to their first class, Potions. On their way to their classroom, Harley couldn't help but ask. "Can I sit beside you in Potions, Draco?" She asked as she didn't feel like sitting beside any Gryffindor after what happened after breakfast.

Draco takes a quick glance at Pansy, who was the one he usually sat beside, and waited for her agreement before answering. "Sure, Harley"

Daphne takes a quick glance at him before leaning closer to Pansy. "Harley? I thought her name was Harleyn?"

Pansy pursed her lips, leaning over to Draco to ask. "Since when did she become Harley to you?"

"Since last night"

This made the Slytherins stop in their tracks, what happened last night? "What the bloody hell happened last night?!" Daphne splutter out.

Blaise pursed his lips, "Did something happen last night, Draco?" Was she attacked? He asked, leaving him to understand the real meaning to the question. It was rare for those things to happen but not unheard of.

Draco cranes his head to face him and shaking his head. "No, nothing happened" Mouthing the words later to him.

Blaise nods, signing the other Slytherins to stop their questions, leaving the rest of their walk to the classroom, silent. As they entered the classroom, The Slytherin immediately went to their desks with Draco leading Harley to the front row where he usually sat.

Minutes passed and the rest of the students entered, with the Gryffindors glaring at Harley after seeing her beside a Slytherin. Noticing her discomfort, Draco leans closer to her and whispers to her to ignore their stares.

Before any comment was made, Professor Snape enters the room with his trench coat blowing behind him. He stops in front of the students and scans them, he's eyes landing on Harley, who sat beside his godson.

"I will be assigning you a pair and you will not complain on who your partner is for this day's activity"

"Mr. Longbottom with Mr. Finnegan, Mr. Weasley with Ms. Granger, Mr. Crabbe with Ms. Parkinson, Mr. Goyle with Ms. Bulstrode, Mr. Zabini with Ms. Greengrass, Mr. Malfoy with Ms. Potter"

"The rest of you partner yourselves up, I do not care who your partner is, we will begin in two minutes!" He snapped before beginning to write the instructions on the board, never minding the students who rushed to find a partner.

Exactly two minutes later, Professor Snape turns to the students "Who can tell me what a Wit-Sharpening Potion is?"

Immediately, multiple hands shot up most were notably from the Slytherin side of the room and only one was from the Gryffindors. Professor Snape clicked his tongue, his disappointment was evident on his face. But it was clear to the Slytherins it wasn't because of the two Slytherins that didn't raise their hands as Professor Snape's gaze was directed at the Gryffindors.

"Weasley!" He snapped, making the student jump from his seat. "What is a Wit-Sharpening Potion?"

Ron swallowed, "I don't know, sir" He mumbles out before sitting down.

"Longbottom! What is a Wit-Sharpening Potion?"

Neville slowly got up from his seat, almost shaking from the heavy glare he was receiving. "I don't know, sir" He finally stuttered out before quickly sitting down.

"20 points from Gryffindor! Do none of you Dunderheads know what a Wit-Sharpening Potion is?!" Professor Snape thunders out, watching in satisfaction as the hands of the last two Slytherins raised up. "Besides for the Slytherins, do none of you Gryffindors know what a Wit-Sharpening Potion in?!"

Slowly, Harley raises her hand.

Professor Snape's gaze darts to her, "Yes, Ms. Potter, care to enlighten you're housemates what that potion is?"

Harley gets up from her seat "The Wit-Sharpening Potion is a potion that allows the drinker to think clearer, in other words this potion sharpens the wit of the drinker"

Professor Snape nods in agreement. "Finally another Gryffindor student knows how to read the name of the potion, five points to Gryffindor"

Harley's eyes widened, she got points? From Snape? "Thank you, Professor"

The Professor returns his attention to the other students. "You have 2 hours to complete this potion, do it now, Merlin knows some of you are in desperate need of it" He murmurs the last part to himself, though that didn't stop the some students from hearing it.

"And be weary of adding ingredients, you can cause explosions if you add too much of an ingredient" Professor Snape warned as the students began their work, he sat down on the chair of his desk and began to do his own work. Unbeknownst to him that one of his students was already planning something.

Time passed and students were were busied with their potions, Hermione looks around her to make sure that no one was looking before slipping an extra ingredient to Harley's cauldron. Knowing well that everyone would be too busy to notice it.

Then as Harley moves to stir the potion, their cauldron explodes sending shards of broken pottery across the room. For a moment, Harley only heard silence before hearing a loud ringing as the classroom was thrown into chaos.

She looks around the room hearing nothing but the loud ringing before looking down and seeing her arms beginning to bleed from the cuts she received. She hears a faint sound of someone calling her name. "Draco"

Harley breaths out before everything went blank.

Meanwhile as the cauldron exploded, Draco immediately crotched down, covering his ears with his sleeves. He was lucky enough to be at the exact opposite of were the cauldron was placed that no shards were blown to him.

He slowly stands up and turns to look for Harley and he pales the moment he spots her. "Harley" He whispers out but it was loud enough for her to hear.

Harley turns his way before fainting. "Harley!"

Draco rushes to her, bare managing to grab her as she fell to the ground. "Professor!" He calls, cradling her in his arms.

Professor Snape cursed, "Take her to the Hospital Wing now! The rest of you stay were you are, one of you dunderheads did this and no one's getting out until I find out who!" He barks out as the other students continued to panic.

Not that any of that mattered to Draco. He immediately picks her up, being mindful of her injuries before dashing out of the room with Harley laying unconscious in his arms.

~~~~~~

First Published - April 19, 2019
Edited - August 5, 2022