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CHAPTER FIVE

Class schedules were handed out at breakfast the next morning, and the Heads of House were speaking with their sixth year students and making sure they could continue with the N.E.W.T. classes they wished to. Arabella was cleared to take every class Hermione was with the exception of Ancient Runes, meaning she had a free period right away. She, Seamus, and Dean went back up to the common room until it was time for Defense Against the Dark Arts.

While Arabella didn't have very many classes with Seamus and Dean, she did have all of them with Hermione and the majority of them with Draco.

It felt very good going into Potions knowing that Snape would not be teaching. To make it even better, Pansy wasn't there.

Upon entering the familiar dungeon classroom, there was an overwhelming scent of green apples. Arabella quite liked it.

"Do you smell that?" Arabella asked Draco as the two of them sat down at a table together.

"Smell what?" he asked.

"Apples."

"Are they baked in a pie?"

"No."

"Then we're not smelling the same thing."

"Draco, we're less than two feet apart, how can we be smelling completely different things?"

"Perhaps one of us is wrong."

"That would be you, Malfoy."

"We'll see about that, Weasley."

Class started a few minutes later, and Professor Slughorn had them all leave their seats and stand around a table with a few cauldrons on it, all containing a different potion. Just a few minutes in, class was interrupted by the door to the classroom opening. Everyone turned to look at Harry and Ron, who had just arrived.

"I thought they weren't taking this class," Arabella whispered to Hermione.

"I thought so, too," Hermione whispered back.

"Ah," said Slughorn. "Harry, my boy, I was beginning to worry. We've brought someone with us, I see."

"Ron Weasley, sir," Ron introduced himself. "But I'm dead awful at Potions, a menace, actually, so..."

"That's true," Arabella muttered as Ron tried to leave but Harry stopped him.

"Nonsense. We'll sort you out," Slughorn said. "Any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine. Get your books out."

"Uh, sorry, sir," Harry said, "I haven't actually got my book yet, and nor has Ron."

"Not to worry. Get what you want from the cupboard." Slughorn turned back to the class. "Now, as I was saying, I prepared some concoctions this morning. Any ideas what these might be?"

As usual, Hermione and Arabella were the only ones that raised their hands. Slughorn looked at Arabella.

"Yes, Miss...?"

"Weasley," Arabella told him.

"Ah, another Weasley. Are you any relation...?" he pointed with his thumb over his shoulder at Ron, who was still rummaging in the cupboard with Harry.