THE SQUID

Albus and Scorpius looked at the cauldron in front of them with excitement. It was the first time since the beginning of their 5th year that they were on the right track to finish the preparation of a potion successfully. They seemed to be in a sheer of luck and everything was going according to plan.

"Alright, then-" Scorpius said slowly, reading carefully the book he was holding. "Add a bezoar."

Albus picked up the bezoar from the table like it was something fragile and added it excitedly to the fuming cauldron.

"Next?"

"Stir fifteen times, counter clockwise. It should turn purple and then-" Scorpius snapped shut the book in his hand. "it should be done."

Very carefully, Albus started stirring the potion, biting his lip. The giant spoon made a slow circle around through the spiralling white, pinkish liquid. One. Just fourteen more. You can do this. If only he could pull this off, his Potions grade would be safe at last… no extra homework for a change…

Two. Three. Each circle was slow and deliberate as Albus fought against the thickness of the liquid. Tears of sweat were accumulating in his forehead.

"Don't look so nervous, you're making me nervous," Scorpius muttered impatiently.

Albus rolled his eyes. It was impossible to stop being anxious – he was too obsessed with getting a good grade for once in his life.

He also knew that the reason why Scorpius didn't have better grades at Potions was because they were class partners and Albus dragged his grade down. Scorpius, on the other hand, prevented his best friend from flunking. Their contrasting skills balanced into an average A – Acceptable, generally joined by extra homework for the week. If this went well and they scored the highest grade, it would be Albus's way of paying Scorpius back for all the effort he had spent helping him so far.

Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. It was a boring process and soon after, Scorpius folded his arms and looked over his shoulder. He didn't move for a while, his attention fixed on something behind him and, with a quick glance, Albus looked at the pair of girls by the window who Scorpius had been watching closely. Rose was monopolizing the brewing of the potion and her partner was only watching darkly as Rose made all their work.

Albus smiled evilly.

"Why don't you pay attention to the potion and stop looking at my cousin," he said mockingly. Scorpius's head turned so fast that his neck snapped.

"Ow!" Scorpius lifted a hand and massaged his neck and Albus laughed loudly. "It's not funny!"

Ten.

"I just can't understand how you'd fall for someone like her. She's so…"

"Brilliant? Intelligent? Athletic?"

"-Idiot." Albus grinned widely. "By the way, you're blushing."

Scorpius lowered his gaze nervously and Albus felt even more amused with his friend. He really didn't understand how someone could fall for Rose, of all people.

"The potion is supposed to be turning purple. Is it?" Scorpius leaned on the cauldron in a desperate attempt to change the subject.

Indeed, the potion was turning less and less pink by the minute, transforming into a beautiful shade of violet gradually, and the two boys exchanged a happy look.

"Good. Now don't make a mess of it," Scorpius said with a wide grin.

"Have I ever given you a reason not to trust me?"

Scorpius raised an eyebrow.

"Oh- You mean, like last class? When your hand slipped and our love potion crashed on the floor and that giant spider drank it?"

Albus chuckled.

"It wasn't that big."

Scorpius's face darkened and he pulled his sleeve up. Five bad looking red marks were spread through his skin.

"I didn't sleep for three days with that thing following me around, and this is what happened when the effect wore off."

"Please. It was a casual mistake."

"Casual mistake?" Scorpius repeated incredulously. "What about that time when you sent off Sophia Abbot flying? We were supposed to be making a healing potion and you made her grow bloody wings."

"Another casualty," Albus replied with a shrug and a smile. He looked at the potion – only two more times to go and then they were done… "Wow, just look at this, it's really turning purple!"

"Oh, right!" Scorpius said in a fake, cheerful tone. "Just like the tone of Rose's skin when you made her drink your potion three weeks ago! Which is why, shall I remind you," Scorpius added darkly, pointing his thumb over his shoulder, "she always sits away from us now."

Just another one and we're done!

"Well, isn't it better now that she isn't here to - ow!"

The worst thing happened and he didn't see it coming – someone bumped into his right arm, making him stir the potion in the wrong direction. He froze for a second.

"What the-" Albus turned back to see who had hit him and, not to his surprise, he saw Polly Chapman looking over her shoulder, drawing away and wearing a poisonous smile, her cape floating behind her. Albus so shocked that he had to wait a moment before asking hoarsely, "Why would you do that?!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Chapman replied cheerfully, drawing away quickly. "It was only an accident. Whoops."

Albus could only stare blankly for a second.

"I swear, I'm going to murder that Squid!" He muttered under his breath.

His hand flew to his pocket to retrieve his wand, but by the time he was ready to counterattack, Chapman – deliberately, of course – had managed to get quickly close to the teacher and he couldn't fight her back without being caught.

"Albus…"

"Do you think I can get her from here?"

"Hm, Albus…?"

"Just a little bat bogey hex, Scorpius."

"Albus!"

He was about to ask what was wrong but the words died in his mouth as soon as he turned around.

"I think we have bigger problems right now," Scorpius said urgently, backing away quickly from the cauldron.

And it was more than clear what was wrong – the beautiful purple colour of the Anti-Paralysis potion had suddenly turned into a horrendous bright green tone, and the cauldron was now bubbling uncontrollably and flushing a horrid, dense grey cloud of smoke that smelled like nasty rotten eggs. It didn't take long until it spread through the entire classroom and they all became blinded. Everyone started screaming and coughing and Albus just stood there, paralysed, as he tried to process what was happening.

But suddenly, as quickly as it had started, the cloud of smoke disappeared. Albus blinked and the first thing he saw was Scorpius, whose eyes were fixed at a spot in the distance. He looked terribly pale, like he was about to die.

It didn't take Albus long to figure out why. Turning around, the teacher was looking at them with a murderous expression, panting irregularly with his wand raised in the air. He lowered his arms and squinted his eyes.

"Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter!" He sputtered wildly. "Extra homework this week. And twenty points from Slytherin!"

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Thank you for all your comments on Chapter 1! English isn't my native language and I know I have a lot to improve, so if there are any mistakes/suggestions for this chapter, please don't hesitate on telling me!

Also, I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I did writing it!