Disclaimer: NOT MINE
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It seemed to Harry that every potions lesson was a disaster. This time it was Malfoy who covered the class in the disgusting brown liquid that had spewed forth from his failed Disassociation Potion. Hermione glared in his direction as she used her fingers to comb the sticky mess from her shortened hair. It had been cut over the summer. Ron groaned under his breath, muttering unflattering phrases about their new teacher. Harry stared into his own potion glumly. Paired with Neville for the lesson, they had actually managed to create the perfect potion. To tell the truth, Neville had been doing well in potions since Professor Snape had disappeared. He had confided in Harry that he no longer felt as though a Dementor crowded over him. Harry had agreed.
It would have been perfect if …
If only their substitute teacher weren't Professor Bile. Only Professor Bile could allow the chaos that now raged in the classroom to occur. Her idea of teaching was to give them the ingredients, show them a page and leave them to their own experimentations. Left unsupervised the first couple of times; the Slytherins pranked the Gryffindors and vice-versa. Now, after almost three months of pranks and mishaps, both houses were getting fed up with the tricks and had called a temporary truce. It still didn't stop accidents such as Malfoy's from happening and the students, both Gryffindor and Slytherin, were about to call it quits.
"I can't take this anymore!" Hermione wailed as she stood by the sink, furiously scrubbing at the grubby cauldron in front of her. Harry stood next to her, holding Neville's cauldron firmly under the freezing water as his partner scrubbed it clean. Ron had finished with his and was helping Lavender. Malfoy stood next in line, waiting with barely suppressed impatience for Hermione to finish. The strain from keeping the truce was beginning to show on his delicate features. Harry absently wondered if he knew that his hair was covered in filthy brown muck.
"Don't worry, Hermione." Lavender cooed, "I'm sure Professor Bile won't be here much longer. I heard that Professor Dumbledore is close to finding Snape." Neville shuddered, muttering under his breath as he started to rinse his cauldron off. Harry glanced at Malfoy, who was staring at the wall.
"They'll never find him." He declared blankly, and the classroom hushed, intent on what he had to say. If Malfoy noticed, he didn't let it disturb him. "Never. I know. When Voldemort wants something hidden, it stays hidden." Nervous glances were being thrown around the room. The stories about Voldemort's hatred of Snape were – now - legendary. Everyone in the school knew of Snape's betrayal and his sudden disappearance. Malfoy had told everyone about that hatred. Harry shivered to remember that night. Hermione glanced at him, trying to continue washing at the same time. Ron's back was turned from Harry, but he could still see it stiffen in shock. The other Gryffindors remained silent. They, too, remembered the night their Potions Master disappeared. The night Malfoy was rescued, found by Harry in a corner of Myrtle's bathroom.
They didn't care to remind Malfoy, his temper shorter than ever nowadays.
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A/N: Hey, enjoy!
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