𝑈𝑛𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 ☾ 𝐷𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑜 𝑀𝑎𝑙𝑓𝑜𝑦

A New Professor (V.2) ☾ 6-03

"History of Magic is upstairs, ladies, not down." McGonagall's voice echoed through the large corridor as students filed past for their first class. I had Potions, and I managed to spy Harry and Ron laughing to themselves as they stood on a ledge overlooking the hallway. I tapped on Harry's leg and he looked down and grinned.

"You two planning on going to class at all this year?" I asked cheekily, and Ron rolled his eyes.

"Not likely." He replied, shooting me a grin. I shook my head, and tensed as I heard McGonagall's voice behind me.

"Potter," She called, and Ron's face fell.

"Oh this can't be good." Harry mumbled as he stepped down. I followed him, shoving through students to the middle of the hall.

"Enjoying ourselves, are we?" She asked snidely, earning a small smirk from me as Harry looked at his feet.

"I had a free period this morning, professor." Harry replied.

"So I noticed. I would think you would want to fill it with Potions. Is that not where you are supposed to be, Miss Whitethorn?" I froze at the mention of my name, and fell silent under her intense gaze. I gave a small nod in reply. "Or is it no longer your ambition, Mr. Potter, to become an Auror?"

"It was, but I was told I had to get an 'Outstanding' in my O-W-L."

"So you did, when Professor Snape was teaching Potions. However, Professor Slughorn is more than happy to accept NEWTs students with 'Exceeds Expectations'." She shot back, completely taking down Harry's point. I pressed my lips together to hide my amusement as Harry ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

"Brilliant. Um, well we'll head there straight away." He replied, nodding to me. I nodded back, refusing to meet McGonagall's hard stare.

"Oh, good, good." She replied, satisfied. Just as we were about to step away, she called again. "Potter, Whitethorn, take Weasley with you. He looks far too happy over there." She let loose a small smile and I grinned as I grabbed Harry's sleeve. We grabbed Ron and he groaned as we rounded the corner.

"I don't wanna take Potions." He whined. "This is Quidditch trials coming up. I need to practice." I nodded in understanding, but Harry only shrugged. We arrived at the Potions classroom, and I cringed as the door creaked loudly. We stepped in, and Slughorn halted his lecture to turn toward the three of us.

"Ah! Harry, my boy, I was beginning to worry. You too, Miss Whitethorn. We've brought someone with us, I see."

"Ron Weasley, sir." Ron answered. "But I'm dead awful at Potions, a menace, actually, so I'm probably just gonna-"

"Nonsense, we'll sort you out. Any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine. Get your books out." Slughorn interrupted. I snickered as Ron silently groaned again. Harry nudged him toward the rest of the class. I pulled out my book and went to stand next to Hermione, who looked annoyed at the interruption in the lesson. Harry and Ron turned to go get textbooks from the cabinet, as they hadn't got theirs yet. I rolled my eyes as they fought over one, and Harry looked dejected as they both came back, Ron with a shiny new book, and Harry with an old, used one.

"Now as I was saying, I prepared some concoctions this morning. Any ideas what these might be?" Slughorn asked the class, lifting a lid off of a cauldron, and motioning to a small oddly-shaped phial placed into a stand. Hermione and I both lifted our hands.

"Yes, both of you, take a few each." Slughorn called, motioning to the cauldrons.

"That one there is Veritaserum, a truth-telling serum." I answered first, shuddering at the memory of last-years debacle with the potion.