The Enigma

III

Not Edited

I walk into potions with a scowl on my face. I fall into my chair un-gracefully and wait for class to start, ignoring the look Riddle was giving me.
"Good morning students, today we'll be making Draught of Living Death!" Slughorn exclaims in his cheery tone.

"I feel like living death." I mutter, still scowling.
"Does anyone know what the potion does?" He asks.

Once again no one answers so I do.
"The fraught of living death is a very powerful sleeping potion which puts its consumer into a dead like coma. The only way out of it is by using the Wiggenweld potion." I inform, using less details thank last time.
"Right, now go brew it up." He turns back to his desk.

I roll my eyes and gather the supplies silently.
As the water boils I crush the wormwood and add it into the potion.
I allow it to concentrate then add a spoonful of asphodel root.
I then stir it three times counter-clockwise, before crushing the sopophorous beans with the side of the silver knife, watching in amusement as the others cut it up.

I stir it twice clockwise and reduce the heat. I crush the valerian roots and slide it into the cauldron, and let it simmer.
"What's wrong with you?" Riddle asks. I ignore him and begin stirring counter-clockwise, adding a clockwise stir every seven times. I continue this process until the potion is clear.

I earn us both ten points and Slughorn dismisses us. As soon as he does I'm out the door and heading for the seventh floor.

I ignore the burning feeling of Riddles lackeys who were watching me from a distance, thinking I hadn't noticed them. I turn a corner and step into a portrait, sighing as I request a cup of black coffee from a house elf.

I get one a second later and walk out, thanking him.
I sip the coffee peacefully as I walk back to the first floor, heading outside for the Magical Creatures class.
I ignore the footsteps behind me, knowing who it was.

I pressure behind my eyes and realize he's trying to use legilimency on me. I let him in, thinking to myself.

I'm too fucking tired for today's bullshit of fucking snakes.
Oh fuck, I almost fell.

With that, I push him out of my head abruptly, leaning against a tree while waiting for our professor.
I close my eyes, relaxing against the tree, slowly sipping the coffee.
"You're ignoring me again. How much sleep did you get last night?" Riddle asks.

Not e-fucking-nough.
I think to myself, though not letting him in.
I continue to sip the coffee, feeling it slowly give me more energy.

The mug is taken from my hands and I sigh, opening my eyes to glare at Riddle.
"Give my cup back." I whisper shout.
"Black coffee? I'll give it back when you answer my question, how much sleep did you get last night?" He raises an eyebrow.
"Not enough." I groan, pushing myself off the tree as our professor approaches.

"Riddle, did you not get enough sleep for you to have to drink coffee during my class?" She asks, glaring at him.
"Sorry ma'am it was a long night of homework." He smiles charmingly. I could see through it, his whole facade is fake.

"Don't let it happen again." She sneers, snapping her fingers and the mug disappears.
"Right, follow me kids I've got quite the surprise for you today." She leads us into a clearing down a hill where a Hippogriff waited for us.

She whistles and it looks over to us.
"Right, who wants to go first?" She asks.
"Ah, Ms. Morano! Thank you for volunteering."

I whip around, glaring at my classmates who took a step back.
Janeth pushes me forwards, making me stumble and glare again.