Exploding Cauldron
Potions class started off the same as ever. Snape set them to making a particularly complex potion and, before anyone had even managed to gather their first ingredients, Neville had already knocked over his cauldron. As always, this elicited laughter from the Slytherins and cold criticism from Snape.
"Are you even capable of moving an inch without causing a catastrophe?" Neville, shame-faced, rushed to pick up his cauldron, only to drop it again out of nerves.
"Pathetic Longbottom, absolutely pathetic." Class proceeded on as expected. Only Hermione seemed to be able to produce the desired results. Of course Snape, who was drifting around the room checking on their progress, took no notice of this. Instead, he heaped praise on the Slytherins, while also insulting the Gryffindors.
"You call that a Calming Draught, Potter?" hissed Snape as he passed by the table where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were working.
"Yes," said Harry, stirring his potion defiantly.
"I doubt that would have enough potency to placate a fly," snapped Snape coldly. Harry could feel his temper beginning to rise, but he held it back. While it was true that his potion wasn't the same teal color as Hermione's, it was at least blue instead of bright red like Crabbles's or expelling thick black smoke like Goyle's. Snape drifted away to Neville's table. At Snape's approach, Neville accidently knocked his scales into his cauldron.
"Can't you keep your hands steady for longer than five seconds, Longbottom?" demanded Snape. The Slytherins all broke into laughter. Neville tried to stammer a reply, but all that came out of his mouth was indistinct babbling.
"Continue on like this and you'll have to replace your cauldron," said Snape, staring down at the dent and scratched bowl of pewter that Neville was using. "That will make six times this year. And we haven't even reached Christmas. I would be surprised if Potage's hasn't named you their most valued customer by this point." The Slytherins laughed even louder at this. Once Snape had moved away, Seamus and Dean both leaned forward to whisper encouragements to Neville.
"Git," muttered Ron.
"Ron!" chided Hermione.
"Well, he is," said Harry.
"Yes, but now is not the time. He'll hear you. Besides, he's in the Order."
"Doesn't stop him from being a git," said Ron. Harry nodded.
"Just get back to work," hissed Hermione, rolling her eyes.
The class proceeded on without much more incident. Harry and Ron's potions were coming along well and Hermione's was, of course, perfect. Neville had at least four more accidents but, considering he normally averaged eight at class, that wasn't too bad. It wasn't until the period was nearly over that a new disaster struck. Harry, who was filling a vial with his potion to present to Snape, saw a flurry of movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning, he saw Hermione pointing her wand at Neville's cauldron.
"Protego," she cried. Everyone turned to her in confusion.
"Miss Granger what are you—" began Snape, but the answer to his question came a second later. There was an enormous roar of sound as Neville's cauldron exploded in a flaming flash, sending large chucks of pewter flying. Fortunately, Hermione's shield spell was able to contain the blast; leaving Dean, Seamus, and Neville startled but completely unhurt.
"There was a crack," explained Hermione. "And Neville's potion was leaking out."
"Obviously," snapped Snape. He rounded on Neville, who shrank back in terror. "You are the most miserable wizard I have ever taught. Not only did your constant clumsiness manage to do enough damage to crack you cauldron, but your inability to properly appraise your own possessions almost destroyed my classroom! How you ever managed to gain entry into this school, let alone how you've managed to remain here for five years, is a mystery beyond the understanding of wizards. Were it within my power, I would have sent you packing before you'd even stepped of the Hogwarts Express your first year here!" The Slytherins were all roaring with laughter at his point, but the Gryffindors had had enough. Harry, Ron, Dean, Seamus, Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati all jumped to Neville's defense; each one of them yelling a variety of insults and admonitions at Snape.
"Silence!" roared Snape, his face livid. All sound stopped at once. "Forty points from Gryffindor and a week's worth of detention for Longbottom. And if any of you utter so much as another word, I'll take another fifty points and put you all in detention for a month." Snape swept away back towards his desk, leaving the Gryffindors fuming as much as the smoking remains of Neville's cauldron.