{Half A Hero} Hufflepuff!Reader

Chapter 4: Friends, Romans, Countrymen

The Muggles Studies classroom bustled in excitement. Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs chattered about while the Professor distributed parts for a simple electrical circuit.

All you could think about was how you'd be doing the same thing in a technology class in the muggle world. So right now, you felt 'whelmed', as Damian's Slytherin third year brother (Tim Drake) would say. Serves you right for trying to simplify your academic life.

You, Raven and a few other muggleborns completed the circuit quickly. The pure bloods had looked so lost, the Professor allowed the students to help one another. Starfire stared at the batteries in her grasp, seemingly on the brink of crying when the bell signaled the end of the period.

You let Starfire cling to your arm, trying to recover from her multiple shocks from her incomplete circuit.

"How can you get shocked by a batteries voltage? It's so small,  yet you have burns."

"I have no idea of what you are saying." Starfire said meekly.

 Tears hugged her bottom lashes. You and Raven sighed and decided to distract her. Raven explained what Snape had planned for the lesson.

He always explained his topic for the next lesson, preparing everyone. Which you all do. Jason asked in the last lesson if he did that for the Gryffindors and Slytherins. Snape calmly admitted that he doesn't get his hopes up with his fifth years of that class. 

"What the heck?" Roy, a Gryffindor, said in the dungeons.

The whole fifth year Slytherins and Gryffindors sat in the potions class, while the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs clogged up the hallway.

"Sit." He commanded.

Everyone spilled in obediently, since there where extra seats in the enlarged room. The Serpent house kept mainly to themselves, and you knew there would be one less space if it stayed that way.

Therefore, you had to break enemy lines to allow a sweet student to not be bullied in the lesson. You saw an empty space between Blaise and Draco, Pansy at another table looking like she was about to-

"Mind if I slytherin?" You grinned at them.

People giggled around you. You took their silence as acceptance, dropping your weight into your seat. Through a reflection in the measuring beacons, you saw Pansy glaring at you. Good.

You took out your parchment and refillable fountain pen. There were some things you weren't going to inconvenience yourself with, like ink and quills. The Professors had been fine with it, seeing as it was pretty old school enough.

Charming Snape explained that Professor Umbridge wanted to do a combined lesson for your year. Being as selfless as he is, he gave up his double lesson for her. You all knew that he wanted a free lesson.

You scribbled doodles in between taking notes, cartoony Snape with speech bubbles on what not to do.  Blaise peeked over, nearly causing a disturbance had he not stifled his laughter. Your hair blocked your expression from him, shielding your embarrassment. Draco glanced over at you boredly, frowning when you pulled a face. 

With the notes taken down, each table had to make one potion. A team exercise. The tables held five students, Crabbe and Goyle would be mighty helpful to your Potions grade.

Jason and Roy bickered three minutes in, Starfire tried to keep the peace. Raven and Cyborg, a loud Gryffindor with a mechanic inclination (and body enhancements), continued to make the serum.

You looked back to your table, Crabbe intentionally cutting his Parsnip root wrong, hoping you's take over. Goyle attempted to stir the foul green sludge that he managed so far, Blaise cut his thumb. Draco told them off, quickly correcting as they continued. You sighed, the potion was looking absolutely ghastly.

At least it wasn't like Harry Potter's table. Garfield, a green Gryffindor, and Speedy, another orange haired Gyffindor, added random things; despite Hermoine's yelling. A gloop monster, akin to the 'Jumpstart: First Grade' video game creature (when you mix things incorrectly in the kitchen game), oozed out. It grumbled incoherently, throwing spoons and beakers around the room.

You knew Snape saw you record it on your pocket Cannon Camera, a gift from your father, but he did nothing. Probably perplexed that a muggle invention is working on the magical school grounds. You shot him an appreciative smile, as the gloop monster returned to the cauldron for a nap. 

Your table's cauldron cracked.

"What in the hellish fire did you idiots do?" You asked.

The potion sizzled dangerously, your 'team mates' backed away. You sounded like the monster, grumbling under your breath. You crushed a lemon and threw it in, pips and all. The potion bubbled violently, turning purple.

"Slizard!"

"sLizArD.!" You mocked back in an equally high pitch whine. "I know what I'm doing, you good for nothing Prince. So dainty and delicate that he can't even guide his friends correctly."

You pulled out a strand of his platinum hair quickly, while he was distracted by formulating a good comeback. You added the hair. It instantly simmered into the required colour and texture.

"What'd you do that for?"

"I needed Unicorn hair." 

The whole class, besides Slytherin, howled with laughter. They followed each table through it's ordeal, so it wasn't surprising that they followed yours. Snape ordered everyone to fill a vial and leave their notes on the desks. You froze, noticing Blaise give you a knowing look.

He wasn't afraid of you. That was becoming clearer with each terrible encounter.

Starfire tugged on your sleeve, your friends making their way to the mess hall. She asked if you were alright. She went through the lengths of testing your tempertute, the back of her fingers on your forehead. Her hand felt cold to you. Impossible. She was birthed from fire, she was always warm to others, never to herself. Maybe you were sick. 

Then you remembered. 

"Snape is gonna killllll meeeee... My notes. He's going to read them."

"I'm sure it is not that bad."

"I drew a tiny disco him next to my Method heading."

"Oh."

You gasped heavily, she practically nailed your coffin with that gentle and soft 'oh'.