Interlude: The Potions Master

The dungeon classroom had a cold draft when they entered, and they saw some of the Hufflepuffs bundled up in their robes. They took their usual seats in the front and got out their materials. Within five minutes the rest of the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs had arrived, and Ira joined them at the front table, a triumphant look on his face.

"She said yes!" he exclaimed as he sat down next to Chayne. Then he breathed, "Finally."

"Wonderful," Simone mumbled. "And now what?"

"What? I, Ira Thurlow, have Brianna Cruise as my girlfriend. Life is great!"

Nevin pulled Simone's hair, receiving a cold, angry glare. "You don't understand, my little French croissant. Brianna is, like, the most popular fifth year."

"And she is so cute!" Ira added pointedly.

Simone raised a questioning eyebrow. "Brianna? What is so special about her? So she has red hair, give me a break. She snores!"

"She snores?" Ira repeated with surprise.

"Don't mind Simone," Chayne told him. "She does not understand these things." He mouthed tomboy to Ira, and the black haired boy chuckled. Simone gave her twin a suspicious look, but could not answer.

Snape stalked into the classroom in his usual manner, but there seemed to be a new spring in his step. He turned and glared at the class.

"Put away your wands," he barked. "You are in a real magic class. Parker, how long does it take to brew a polyjuice potion?"

The rotund Hufflepuff spurted at the question, his eyes wide with fright.

"Did you not read the assignment again, Mr. Parker? Ten points from Hufflepuff." It seemed whatever had put Snape in a good mood did not alieviate his foul temper.

"Does anyone know?" he sneered at the class. His black eyes fell on Nevin, and Simone heard her friend moan under his breath.

"Mr. Reed."

"Ah, two weeks?" Nevin optimistically guessed. Snape's eyes narrowed even more, and his mouth screwed up into a tight, angry line. Nevin quickly changed his answer. "Three?"

"Ten points from Ravenclaw," Snape snapped. "Honestly, you all are a bunch of brain dead, wand waving charmers who wouldn't recognize real magic if it slapped you in the face! The answer is a month."

The potions master spun around, finger pointing accusingly at Simone. "Ms. Fischer, what is the last ingredient that is necessary for a polyjuice potion to be affective?"

"A hair from the individual you wish to transform into," she answered without hesitation. Snape's lip curled up in a slight snarl, and he gave a tight, restrained nod.

"Five points to Ravenclaw for the correct answer. Now, start taking notes. Polyjuice potion is one of the more complex potions..."

The class lasted an hour and a half with Snape dictating notes to the students the entire time. When Snape dismissed them, Nevin was rubbing his sore left wrist.

"Why is potions such a painful class?" he moaned pathetically.

"Buck up," Simone scolded. "If you had read the lesson a head of time, you wouldn't have had to write so much and you wouldn't have lost us ten points."

"Sorry, Miss Priss," the London wizard said sarcastically. "I will try my hardest not to let it happen again."

"Lay off, Simone," her twin scolded her. "You did win five of those points back, and you know Nevin will charm Professor Sprout into awarding him twenty or so points tomorrow."

"I think the Herbology teacher has a secret crush on me," Nevin commented. He raised one eyebrow and gave a perfect example of one of Lockhart's 'charming' expressions.

"How many love potions did it take?" Ira asked with a mischievous smirk. "Ten or eleven?"

"You know I never—" Nevin glanced around at the empty classroom and picked up his books. In a lower voice he continued, "Only three, but I had a fourth ready just in case."

"You are such a fibber, Nevin Reed."

"Well, if you would accept my proposal, Simone Fischer, I would have no reason to chase other women," the dark haired boy teased. Simone swung her potions book at Nevin, but he ducked just in time, laughing.

"I don't mean to interrupt, love birds..." Chayne almost received a light whack from his sister's book on the back of his head but he grabbed it just in time. "...but dinner is in an hour."

Ira scratched behind his ear impatiently. "And I would like to drop my books off at the common room before ten o'clock."

"Alright! Let's go!"