The Epilogue : Part I - The Shadow Army

CHAPTER EIGHT

The Missing One

The potion class was the class James liked the most. He indeed loved the heady, subtle and powerful smell of the curls of smoke emanating from a cauldron in which a properly brewed potion simmered. He was then delighted to find it again and, when he entered the dungeon, joyfully took his usual table with Andrew, Rebecca and Cassiopeia.

The dungeon was already full with fifth years Gryffindor and Slytherin students, sitting at each end of the classroom.

Professor Anglesey ended up emerging out from the back of the room. It was a very thin, small and old man with a yellowish parchment-looking skin. He worn an impressive ear trumpet he adjusted with his magic wand and, when he finished, stared at the class and looked unhappy.

"Oh, no no and no," he said with an annoyingly childish voice. "Two Slytherin and Gryffindor by table, off you go."

Many students had to switch places and, after about ten minutes, Anglesey's wishes were fulfilled, but many students found themselves disappointed by the potion master's decision: James, who hasn't moved, was now sharing his table with another Gryffindor called Georgiana Hamilton and the two of them face two Slytherin students called Ian Fawley and Mordred Sayre who, most obviously, didn't look delighted to be there either; at the table next to him, Cassiopeia and Rebecca were sitting with Candice Caldwell and Edwina Flint and, at the other side of the classroom, Andrew found himself sharing a table with Grace Thomas and two silly looking Slytherin girls whom he didn't know the names.

"Isn't it better that way?" asked Anglesey with an enthusiasm that wasn't shared by the students. "Well, as you may all know already, you will, at the end of this year, pass your Ordinary Wizarding Level's examinations... which is, I suppose, usually called O.W.L's these days. Anyway, you must know these examinations are very important and will shape your entire future; and except for some particularly gifted students — he looked and smiled at James — I expect a hard regular work from you.

Now the traditional fifth year examination information given, we can now start the lesson... a Skele–Gro potion perhaps? That's why you are going to brew! Instructions page 46."

Anglesey went back to his desk and the students opened their books.

Without having opened the book, both James and Cassiopeia stood up and went to get the ingredients they needed, and quickly began their preparation.

"Hey, do you need help?" Cassiopeia proposed to the girl next to her who was anxiously stirring her greenish potion.

After few minutes of examination, she stirred twice in a way and three times in the other way, cut the Chinese Chomping Cabbage and putted them into her cauldron and the potion, without being perfectly white like Cassiopeia's, took a slightly light grey colour. The other Slytherin student of the table, whom potion looked like lava, stared at Cassiopeia's perfect potion with anger.

"Thank you... where did you learn that?"

"Let's say I had time to practice," answered she evasive.

"I guess we haven't been properly introduced yet" she said. "Edwina Flint,'

"Cassiopeia Malfoy,"

"I know, but... How is it possible that we haven't met before? Scorpius never talked to us about you?"

"Let's say I've been grounded for quite a long time... and dear brother never really liked me," Cassiopeia confessed with a polite smile.

Edwina and Cassiopeia, who finished their potions far before everyone else, began to sympathise around their cauldron. James, who also finished his potion early, began to talk with Georgiana, under Cassiopeia's concerned eyes.