Twist of Fate

Chapter 6

Three days after the Imperius session, Malfoy flicked Harry a note during History of Magic as Binns droned on about the Treatise to End the Goblin Rebellions of 1354.

Potions. Saturday? After supper?

He looked over at Malfoy and nodded and continued doodling on his parchment. It was impossible to focus on Binns. The tournament was only ten days away now. He'd actually forgotten that Malfoy had promised to help him with Potions. He wondered what it would be like being alone with Malfoy without Cedric there to run interference. At least it would keep his mind off of trying to imagine what the first task was going to be.

OOOOoOOooO

Harry waited into everyone had gone down for supper and the common room was empty. He slipped behind the tapestry and held up his wand, "Aperiens". Nothing happened. Harry cursed, he had been afraid he wouldn't be able to get it open from this side. He tried one more time, nothing. There must be another way to open the door. Looking at the stones he saw that they were carved with figures, including four carved snitches. With a shrug he tapped on each of the snitches, and again issued the password "Aperiens." The wall pushed back and Harry laughed with excitement stepping through he quickly made his way through the corridor and down the stairs.

He came to the doorway at the end of the tunnel and again said "Aperiens" and the door swung open. The tunnel must be designed to make it easy to allow someone out who is inside, but you have to know the trick to open it from the outside.

Malfoy turned with a start when he saw Harry coming through the archway into the locker room. "Figured it out did you, Potter?"

"Yes, no thanks to you." Harry followed Malfoy through to the office. "So, how are you going to make me a Potions master?"

Malfoy snorted, "I think it will take every minute to just make you competent, Potter. We are starting with basic stirring," with that he slapped three potions rods down on the table.

"Which of these rods would you use for the preparation of a restorative potion?"

Harry shrugged and pointed to one.

"Wrong. Myrtlewood, Beech, Ebony. Potter. Positive, Neutral, Negative. This is basic potions procedures. You always just grab whichever one is nearest to you. Any potions that contain elderberry you use the ebony stirring rod. The myrtlewood will react with the poison in elderberry and strengthen it."

Harry narrowed his eyes at Malfoy, " Snape never mentioned that you had to use a certain rod for..."

"He did first year, hell, first week. How could you possibly have gotten to fourth year and not known this?"

Harry shrugged, "I never..."

"Open your potions book, any page. What do you see there." Malfoy pointed at the page.

"ER"

"Ebony Rod. You just need to read the words."

Harry ran frustrated fingers through his hair, "Those aren't words, they are letters. How are you..."

"You should have learned this first year. In an advanced Potions textbook they aren't going to spell it out for you like a nursery school primer. Now, let's see if you can manage step number two in the directions, but I'm not going to hold my breath."

For the next half hour they worked side by side, Harry following Malfoy's directions as they prepared the ingredients that they were to use for the restorative potion. They were used to having to work with each other in Potions. Snape loved to pair them up. Harry never understood why; just assumed the potions master had a sadistic side.