Oh, Ophelia | Tom Riddle

Potions

"Ugh, I hate potions." Said Primrose as Ophelia dragged her down to the dungeons, "there are no windows, and I am a flower, I need the sun."

"Come off it, Rose, Slughorn loves you." Said Ophelia as they drew nearer to the dreaded class.

"That's just cause my uncle discovered salamander slimes healing potential. And because you are my partner." Said Primrose.

They sat in their seats in the middle of the classroom. "I just pay attention." Said Ophelia, "And I have a spell for catching spelling errors on my essays."

"You've been holding out on me." Said Primrose,

"I'll teach it to you after class." She muttered as Slughorn began the lesson.

"Hello everyone, today I will be making a new seating plan." Began the old man, and Ophelia and Primrose looked at each other like they had its been told the other was being sent to war, "I am sorry, ladies, but you will have to learn to live without each other." Said Slughorn looking directly at them, the class snickered and the small NEWT class watched as each of their faces turned pink, "To promote house unity, I will try to mix up the houses." The class groaned.

"For the love of Helga," muttered Primrose, scanning the number of Slytherins in the class who made a habit of picking on Hufflepuffs.

Ophelia spotted her cousin and smiled, holding up a pair of crossed fingers as Slughorn made his way down the list.

"Tom Riddle and,"

Ophelia held her breath.

"Olivia Thomas."

She let out a sigh of relief as she watched disapproval flicker over Toms features.

"Primrose Halpert and Fabian Weasley."

Primrose blew her a kiss which Ophelia pretended to catch as she left to go sit next to the red headed Gryffindor.

"Dottie Carrow, and"

Ophelia bit her lip and sat on the edge of her seat in hopeful anticipation.

"Victoria Meadows." Said Slughorn, Ophelia leant back in her seat.

"Richard McKenna and Ophelia Marigold." The Gryffindor walked over to her and sat where Primrose had sat.

"Ophelia." He addresses.

"Rich." She replied.

"Ricky." He corrected.

"No, I thought you knew my names Ophelia." She said, and he rolled his eyes at her. "What's up Ricky?"

"I'm bloody great full that you are my partner not Riddle." He said, Ophelia did spend some time in the Gryffindor common room with her brother to support him after he won big games. And Ricky was a chaser.

"I'm flattered." Said Ophelia, Ricky rolled his eyes and frowned as though pained by memories, "wow you really hated being his partner."

"He's brilliant but takes credit for everything." Said Ricky.

"Get the ingredients I'll set up the cauldron." Said Ophelia as she read the name of the potion Slughorn had written on the wall.

"Is this what it feels like to be treated as an equal in potions class?" Asked Ricky, holding a hand to his chest, "It's so warm, comforting almost."

"Just go." Said Ophelia, taking out the cauldron and beginning to heat it.

Her father, though a muggleborn, was very passionate about potions. She used to watch everything he did. She found the steam of different colours so beautiful that she would sneak in when he went to sleep. She knew about potions and how to do it but she had no natural instinct for it.

They worked silently, neither really having a natural edge in the course. They knew they had to concentrate.

Once they finished, they bottled their potion, wrote their names and returned to their seats to gather their belongings as the bell rang.

"You're a fabulous partner." Muttered Ricky as she sling her bag over her shoulder.

"Still not over the fact that I took your suggestion to add peppermint?" Asked Ophelia.

"Well, with Riddle its all stares and glares." Said Ricky.

"Ophelia!" Called Primrose as she hugged her from behind. "I missed you. Hi, I'm Primrose." She shook Ricky's hand from behind Ophelia.

Ophelia laughed, taking Primroses arms off of her.

"We've met." Said Ricky as she looked at him.

"Fuck, Ricky, I didn't see it was you." Said Primrose.

"It's fine, you were otherwise occupied." Said Ricky lightly as the three of them walked towards the door, they were stopped by Slughorns rather large body.

"Miss Marigold, Miss Halbert, I was wondering if the two of you would like to come to my dinner next Thursday night." Asked Slughorn.

"I'll be there, professor." Said Ophelia, "How about you miss Halbert?"

"I'd be happy to attend, Miss Marigold." Said Primrose.

"Splendid, I will see you both next class. Feel free to bring dates. good to see you Mackenzie." Said Slughorn before walking away.

They walked out of the classroom and Ricky looked like a kicked puppy.

"He makes me feel so special." He said,

"You can come with me if you want. I know Rose will probably want to go with Alastor." Said Ophelia.

"Well, in fact I do want to he with him." Said Primrose, "he's so tall."

"Can't leave you alone all night, Ophelia. So as a favour to you as a friend I would be happy to go." Said Ricky, and Ophelia hit him in the stomach.

"Happy to hear it, you better not look ugly." She warned, "Slughorn expects excellence in the dress."

"Yes, remember when Thomas wore a tan suit? Like a pack of wolves and a little lamb." Said Primrose,

"Well you didn't have to insult him, Rosie." Said Ophelia.

"Of course I did, did you see what he was wearing? Besides I used your insults that you were too chicken to say." Said Primrose.

"I am no chicken, I am a badger nature's most ferocious predator." Said Ophelia and Ricky laughed. "Seriously have you ever seen a video of one? Terrifying."

"Who lets you keep watching the nature channel?" Asked Primrose.

Ophelia glared, it was one of the few channels she got on cable and she found almost everything that came on the muggle television fascinating.