Chapter eighteen: Potions Class...es?A Chapter by AbbieSophora I
walk down the steps into the cold, dark dungeon. I can hear voices and
footsteps all around me, but pay no attention to them. I brush past many
bodies, determined to get to my destination-Potions Class. I stalk into the
cold room, and take my usual seat-that one empty seat in the back of the room,
where nobody dares to sit, except for me that is. I
take out my mini cauldron that I had shrunken down since the day that I had to
leave for Hogwarts, in other words, yesterday. It seemed as if yesterday had
taken forever, but things seemed to be moving faster all of a sudden… and that wasn't necessarily a bad thing…. I then cast engorgio on it, making the
darkened, almost black copper cauldron its normal size. I
plopped my bag on the floor next to me, and put my potions book on the table
next to the cauldron. Just as I had finished everything, everyone had starting
getting seated. As every single year had been, nobody sat next to me. Just the
way I like it. Just as the last person sat down, Snape stormed into the room,
scaring just everyone. Everyone but me that is. He stalked straight over to his
little podium, and knitted his fingers together, placing them upon its surface.
“Students” he addressed us “It seems that you are all still going
to be stuck in my care for yet another year, seeing as you have survived the
course last year.” He smirked and a few of the students cringed, I just smirked
as well ” Let me remind you that this is a N.E.W.T. level class, so I do not
tolerate anything less than... perfection....”
He said this looking directly at me, which began to freak me out,
a bit, but then turned his focus elsewhere when he spotted Molly, who was
sitting in the second desk back. She was painting her nails, with what I think
to be pink nail polish, and not paying attention at all to what he was saying.
From the look on his face, she was going to get it good. “Miss Lamonre! If you will please pay attention in my classroom instead
of painting your nails turquoise it would be much appreciated. I do believe
that you will be able to paint them later. With me, in detention, 7 o’clock
tonight!” he said coolly. She gaped at him, not believing she was getting
detention for such a trivial thing. Especially since she was a Slytherin.
“B-but professor... I -” she was cut off by his piercing glare.
“I expect absolute attention in my classroom, is that understood?”
he hissed. She nodded, and he looked toward everyone else as they nodded as
well. His glare settled on me, then softened. Anyone say weird?
“Good. Now we have forty-five minutes left for class. Today I have
planed that you were to create a Calming Draught. If you are in this class,
this should be a simple potion otherwise you should not be in this class.
Understood?” A chorus of “yes sir’s” could be heard throughout the room and
Professor Snape nodded in approval. He flicked
his wand toward the board and it put up the instructions for the class. They read
simply: ·
Brew the Calming Draught ·
Put in a flask and bring to
my desk when done ·
Do this quietly ·
You should be leaving class
when you finish, the potion should, though it might not for some of you, take
that long, so leave ·
If you find for some reason
that you are done early, keep yourself busy
“Take out your ‘A
Serious Study in Potions’ book, and begin. Ingredients are on the cupboard,
same as always” And with that we started. I opened my book to page twenty
three: The Calming Draught. I skimmed the page, just a quick read over, though I
already knew the potion by heart. I had made it many times and improved on it
so that instead of taking forty minutes, it would take thirty. And because most
of those minuets are in stirring and crushing, it will be faster for me. I work
fast and smoothly. I walked over to
the cupboard before anyone else; they were all still reading the requirements. I
grabbed: one ounce of Pomegranate Juice, seven Angelica Stems, nine ounces of Water,
three Belladonna Leaves, half an ounce of Mistletoe, two Passion Buds, and
three whole butterfly wings. I hurried back to my table, the only round one in
the room, away from all others. Putting the ingredients
on the table, I flicked the heater under my cauldron on to a low flame, and
poured in the pomegranate juice. It began to steam quickly, and I put in the
Angelica Stems. I stirred for three minutes, and then added the water slowly,
while stirring clockwise. Once all the water was in, I turned the heat on high,
bringing the mixture to a boil. I quickly skipped
around the table and went to go crush some ingredients. I very accurately
crushed the Belladonna and Mistletoe. Separately. Then I put them in a bowl and
crushed them some more, together this time. I stirred clockwise seventeen times
while I added the two crushed ingredients. Once I did that, it turned a sparkling
purple. I took the passionflower
buds, and sprinkled it over the top of the potion. I let it stew for seven and
a half minutes, not stirring and just listened to the simmering of the
cauldron. Once I was sure that the buds had sunk into the liquid, I dropped in
the three butterfly wings. As soon as I did,
it turned a beautiful light sky blue. It was mildly Viscous, as it should be,
like thick maple syrup. It also stopped glittering, which was great. If it had
any trace of glittering or shimmering, the potion was ruined. But luckily, it didn't.
With eighteen
minutes before class ended, I grabbed a flask, and a ladle. I poured some of
the concoction into the flask carefully, and then grabbed a second, larger
flask. I poured some into there too. I
put the larger one in my little bag, and took my sample up to Severus. “Done already?” He asked,
and looked up at me from his desk. I could see he was going over some papers,
grading them. He sighed, and then continued as he took the flask, “I hadn't expected you to finish for a few more minutes. Ah well. Go and take your seat
Miss Scarr, and make busy of yourself.” I nodded, and my eyes flicked over to a
desk that was next to his. It was smaller, and wasn't there before. I sent him a
questioning look, and he merely glanced at me. It was a look that said “You’ll
see”. I walked back and
sat down. I picked up a book and started reading…. ~S.S.S.S.S~ Severus I
gave the instructions, put them on the board, and then sat at my desk. I
started grading papers, but at the same time, I was watching Sophora. Watching her
make a potion, is like… I do not even know if there are words to describe it.
She’s graceful, and makes the art of potions making look like it should: beautiful. I
watch as she dances around the table, putting things into the cauldron, stirring,
and crushing. She does it all so accurately. It looks as if she was a dancer,
and potions was her stage. She controlled everything with the grace of a swan. Before
I knew it, she was finished at my desk; I was looking at my papers luckily, so
she did not see me watching her almost admiringly. She held out the potion to
me, and I glanced up at her. “Done
already?” I sighed. She was getting faster at making potions every time. Making
them perfect and efficient, and making it look easy as well. “I hadn't expected
you to finish for a few more minutes. Ah well. Go and take your seat Miss Scarr,
and make busy of yourself.” I
noticed that she looked over to the desk that was right next to mine. I
inwardly smirked. She looked at me questioningly, and I just looked at her, all
the while thinking ‘You’ll see soon enough’. She looked confused, and walked
off to go and read. It was nearing the end of class when I was getting more and
more flasks. Soon, class was at its end. But I was still missing three potions…. I
can see exactly who they are, the ones that didn't give me the potions. Molly, Harly,
and Jaclyn. Two Gryffindors and one of my Slytherins. Molly is a Slytherins who
absolutely should not be in this class. Ironically enough, they all sit near
each other. I walk over, and can see that Harly and Jaclyn both are concentrating,
and Molly…ooh… she was going to get it. She was relaxing, her feet kicked up on
my classroom desk, looking at her nails. I growl as Jaclyn hands me her potion.
She finished in time. “Miss.
Lamonre” I growl angrily. Both girls turn their head to me, but Holly goes back
to gathering her stuff seeing as I am addressing her sister. “What?”
She looks up at me. “Get.
Your. Feet. Off. My. Desk. Now.” I say through clenched teeth. She just goes
back to looking at her nails, not doing as I said. Harly hands me his potion as
well, and I am ready to burst. “Get
out of my class room now! You are officially kicked out of potions class, and
are to have detention with Filch every night for two weeks, am I understood?” “W-what?”
she squeaks, now paying attention “Out.
Of. Class. Don’t. Come. Back” I say trying to keep my cool. She glares at me angrily, some tears welling in her eyes. I do not feel bad though. You don’t f**k
with Severus Snape. “All of you, out of class, you are dismissed.” Miss
Lamonre scoped up her bag and fled class. Everyone else just walked out of
class normally. I heard some people talking about my being too harsh, whereas
others say she deserved it. Son the class all left…. Sophora however, didn't. She
walked up to me confused. “Professor…
I have two potions blocks today… four different classes…. But three have
asterisks… why?” she asks and looks up at me. “Asterisked
classes mean you are teaching Sophora.” Her eyes go as wide as the full moon “You
and I have a class to tack in three minutes. Go to your new desk” I smirk as
she goes ‘oh…’ “And get ready.” “What
class?” she asks, not bothering asking how or why or any stupid questions like
that. My anger is slowly decreasing as she talks, and the issue is no longer in
my face. “Third
Years. Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors. For this class that is.” “What
are we going over?” “Shrinking
solution.” “What
about me?” “I’ll
explain why you are here and such, tell them that you are my assistant. Then you
will work on grading papers with me and walk around checking mistakes and offering
help.” “Got
it.” She looked straight into my eyes “Thank you.” “You’re
welcome.”I said looking back, then turning away as soon as I heard children. “They’re
coming. Be ready. Now.” I stood up and folded my arms over my chest as I walked
toward the door. Sophora came up behind me, and stood in an identical pose. I
smirked and looked at her out of the corner of my eye to see that she was doing
the same. This was going to be a fun class…. © 2012 AbbieAuthor's Note
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6 Reviews Added on December 30, 2012 Last Updated on December 30, 2012 AuthorAbbieMAAbouthey guys! I'm Abbie :) about me: I'm fourteen I love to read I love to write I like anime I'm in the eight grade, soon to be ninth I want to be a teacher when i grow up I also want to pub.. more..Writing
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