((This story takes place during Harry Potter's third year of Hogwarts, the characters around at the time reflect as such. The Dark Lord has not returned to his body yet, so everything is normal around Hogwarts for the most part except for the fact that Sirius Black is on the loose, obviously.))
The Great Hall was magnificent as always, especially seeing it for the first time since the end of last year. It is rather sad to think that I will never have this experience again, walking in to Hogwarts to begin a new year, this time is my last, and I treasure it. As I file in with the rest of the students I take a seat at the Ravenclaw table between my best friends, Devin and Stephan.
Perhaps I am getting ahead of myself. I am Zhaomi Kar, seventeen, and as you have (hopefully) figured out, this is my last year at Hogwarts. I've always been rather average for a Ravenclaw, but I do fairly well. My teachers all seem to like me, since I have a level head and know how to stay out of trouble. I'm proud to say that I'm one of the best Transfiguration students in my class, and I consider Professor Mcgonnagal to be a personal friend, something that very few students can say. She conducts herself professionally in my class of course, doesn't show favoritism, but I spend some of my off periods assisting her with some of her other classes. She may seem cold, but I know her softer side. She is personally teaching me to become an Animagus, registered, of course. I met Devin and Stephan in my first year, and the three of us became fast friends. They are very... Well... They are boys, and you can take from that what you will, but they are the best friends I could ask for. But enough about the past, let's get back to the present, shall we?
"Ready to be finished with our education once and for all?"
"Huh?" I jumped as Stephan spoke, having drifted off into my own mind staring at the enchanted ceiling. "Oh, I suppose so." I shrugged, "I rather like it here, but it will be nice to get away from all the exams and such."
"Shhhh! They're starting the sorting." Devin prodded me, and I fell silent. I don't know why, but sorting was always very important to Devin, and he hated nothing more than to be unable to hear the hat as it called out the houses the first years would be joining. It was a bit dull to me by this point, listening to all the names and houses for the seventh time, but seeing the young students' eyes light up when they were sent to their house was always nice.
After all was said and done we finally were able to eat to our heart's content and then go off to the dormatories to sleep before our classes the next day. I did so eagerly, not even bothering to unpack my bags before snuggling up into my warm bed. I am an early riser, so I know that I can get up with enough time to unpack in the morning before Charms.
"One day and we're already back in the rut." Devin laughed as we headed into the Great Hall for lunch, "Honestly, I feel like my feet are taking me where I need to go of their own accord."
"Muggles call that 'autopilot', mate." Stephan joked. He had been raised by his muggle mother until he got the letter when he was eleven, and he never knew who his father was, so he lived with her during the holidays. "And I know what you mean. Let's eat and then... Aw, Potions is next, isn't it?" He groaned.
"It's not that bad." I shook my head, "Besides, it's the last class of the day. If you hate it so much why didn't you drop it?"
"That's what I did, and I couldn't be happier." Devin smiled, "Too late now, Stephan, you're stuck with it. Should have taken my advice."
"Shut it, Devin." Stephan grumbled as he ate, "May as well get it over with. Come on, Zhaomi, we'll be late if we stay too long."
"Elixir to Induce Euphoria," Professor Snape spoke as he emerged from the shadows at the front of the classroom. "Is what you are to brew today." His gaze passed over each of the students in the class, of which there were very few. Several of us began to take out our copies of Advanced Potion Making when he spoke again. "You are not to use your books."
"Professor?" I should have known better than to speak up, I usually did, but he had never had us make a potion this complex from memory before, not by a long shot. I was obviously not the only one taken off guard by this, everyone else looked stunned as well, but unfortunately for me I had opened my mouth.
"Was I unclear, miss Kar?" His icy tone was usually tolerable, but when it was directed right at me like that my heart seemed to threaten to stop. As painful this was, it was nothing compared to the intensity of his gaze. He had never looked me right in the eyes before, perhaps because I had never raised his ire in the past, but fear was all that I felt as he looked straight through me.
"N-no, Professor, I'm sorry." I hurriedly released my hold on my book and it dropped back into my school bag with a soft thud. I tried to tear my gaze from his but I was too frightened to move.
"Pathetic." A light smirk crossed his face, one that we were all familiar with. We all knew he was sadistic and seemed to gain great pleasure from the fear he could instill in his students. "Begin." His cape billowed behind him for a moment as he turned away from us and went to sit in his seat behind his work table.
"You alright, Zhao?" Stephan asked in a hushed tone. I barely heard him. "Hey, come on." He put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed lightly.
"I... Yes, I'm fine..." My hands were shaking, they probably had been for a while, but I had only just become aware of it. As soon as Professor Snape had looked away I felt able to breathe again, but I was staring down at my bag intently now, not wanting to take the risk of meeting his gaze again.
"You sure?" I nodded in response. "Well we had best get started then, the Elixir to Induce Euphoria will take most of the class to make."
"Yeah..." I took a few deep breaths and quickly set up my cauldron, starting to make the elixir as well as I could from memory. My shaky hands made it difficult at first, but as the class wore on I was able to concentrate properly and my hands calmed down enough that I did fairly well for not being allowed access to the instructions. We had made this particular brew many times in the past year, so with a bit of thought I could recall nearly all the details.
"Stop your work." Professor Snape rose from his seat as the class neared its end and I carefully set down my wand and the rod in my cauldron stopped stirring. I stared at it intently as he went around the classroom and evaluated each of our attempts. It seemed to take an eternity for him to reach me. I was last, though I wasn't sure if it was intentional or not. I didn't dare look up at him as he approached my table.
"What," I jumped at his voice, "Is this?"
I had no choice but to answer.
"Elixir to Induce Euphoria, Professor." I was surprised that my voice was so steady.
"That is correct, miss Kar."
What? I correct? He hadn't said that to anyone else when they answered his question. He had told the others each and every mistake they had made in detail. What was he playing at?
"In fact, your elixir is flawless. Why is that, miss Kar?"
"Sir?"
"I thought I was clear when I instructed you not to use your book."
Oh this would go well. I hadn't used it, of course, but there was no way that he would believe me. I would have preferred that the elixir be a failure than have to deal with this.
"I didn't-"
"Detention, Kar."
"But Professor!" Next in my series of mistakes, I looked up. As soon as I did so I knew I wouldn't be able to say anything else if I wanted to.
"Professor Snape, she didn't use her book." Stephan apparently does not know how to learn from someone elses' mistakes.
"Ten points from Ravenclaw. Would you like to join miss Kar in detention, mister Talson?"
At least he had the sense to stop before making things worse.
"Class dismissed. Miss Kar, you will report to my office in two hours." He turned and went through the door to his office without another word.
"Let's go, Zhao." Stephan put his hand on my back between my shoulder blades, "Let's go find Devin for a while before you have to come back."
"You shouldn't have said anything, Stephan." I stood up and went with him up the stairs and out of the dungeons. I can't even remember our conversation as we went, hell, I don't even remember getting back up to the common room.
"Anyway, it was completely unfair." Stephan had explained the whole thing to Devin and I was only half listening, but he pretty much told it how it was. "What a git." He growled, "You've never had detention before, have you Zhao?"
"No..." I was still having a hard time absorbing what had happened. "How much time do I have left?" One might think that I was going to my death, the way I said it, but that was of course ridiculous. My record was no longer perfect, but at least detention couldn't be that bad, could it? Students got in trouble all the time, especially with Snape.
"You should probably go soon, it's nearly nine. If you're late he'll probably make you come back again tomorrow night." Devin scowled, "Don't worry about it, Zhao, you'll be fine. We'll see you in the morning, alright?"
"Yeah, I guess you're right. I'll see you around."