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The Problem With Potions
Dad,
My lessons are going really well. I love Herbology. Professor Longbottom's brilliant. He's easily my favourite teacher. He says you were at school together, but I suppose you can't have known him that well because he's head of Gryffindor house, so he must have been in Gryffindor. He's a great teacher, anyway. I'm enjoying Charms too, though the teacher's not quite as good. Transfiguration is quite interesting, but it's really hard. I sit next to Al, so I guess we don't pay attention quite as much as we should. Oh and about Al, it doesn't really matter that we're in different houses. Maybe it would if either of us was competitive, but we're not. Neither of us cares who wins the house cup, and both of us hate Quidditch. I have friends in Hufflepuff too, obviously, but Al's different. He's my best friend, not just someone I hang out with. Anyway, gotta go – I've still not done my Potions homework and it's due in tomorrow.
Love, Scorpius
Mum and Dad,
Yeah I'm sorry about the whole Hogwarts Express thing, but it was very funny. You should have seen Professor Dabinett's face when we came soaring down into the grounds. It was a shame about the crash.
If you see Uncle George, tell him I need to talk to him about something.
James
Mum and Dad,
My classes are great. Well, except Potions. But I just write notes to Scorp in that so it's not too boring. I've been hanging around with Scorp a lot. He's the only person who doesn't treat me like some sort of hero because of who my parents are. Well, him and Rose. But Rose has a whole bunch of friends in Gryffindor and a couple in Ravenclaw, so I don't see her that much. Except in the evening, when she helps me with my homework.
Love, Al
Hey, Al.
Yeah?
Do you understand a word Professor Zabini's saying?
Nope.
How do you always get such good marks in your Potions Homework?
My cousin Rose does it for me.
Oh. Do you think she'd do mine?
We always do our homework in the Gryffindor common room, and you're not allowed in our common room.
We could meet in the library or something. Please, Al. My potions marks are horrendous.
Maybe, I'll ask her and see what she says. We should probably stop passing notes in class, though. If Rose sees us she'll say it's our own fault we do badly in Potions, and then she'll never agree.
Oh. Okay.
Why do you care, anyway?
I thought you said we should stop?
Yeah . . . but why do you care about your Potions marks? I thought you hated Potions?
I do, but Dad keeps asking about my grades and he was really good at Potions when he was at school. I don't think he'd understand how confusing I find it.
Fair enough. I'll ash her tonight and let you know tomorrow in Charms.
Okay. Thanks, Al.
No problem, Scorp.
So did you ask her?
Yep.
What did she say?
She said she's happy to "help us by explaining everything more clearly". In other words, she'll tell us what to write and we'll pretend we're actually learning something from it.
Great! So should we meet in the library after dinner?
Yeah. Actually, you should come and eat at our table and then we can go up together.
I would, but the other Gryffindors look at me kinda weirdly when I do that.
Who cares? It's not against the rules to sit at other tables.
Yeah, but it's not exactly normal either, is it?
So what? It doesn't matter what the others think, Scorp.
It does to me.
It shouldn't.
But it does. So just leave it, okay.
Well if you care more about what everyone else thinks than sitting with me, then fine!
Okay. Fine.
Maybe we shouldn't sit next to each other in class either, if that's how you feel.
Maybe we shouldn't.
Right, I'll sit somewhere else tomorrow then.
Fine.
Fine.
Scorp,
I'm sorry to send you this owl at such a ridiculous time at night, but I couldn't sleep. I'm sorry I was such an idiot earlier. If you don't want to sit at the Gryffindor table then I really don't mind. I don't think you should let the others' opinions affect how you behave, but it was a stupid thing to fight about. We can still sit together in class, can't we? I'd get really bored, especially in Potions and Transfiguration, if we didn't. I hope I didn't wake you up or anything.
Al
Al,
It's okay, I couldn't sleep either, and the window was open so the owl got in without waking anyone else up by tapping on the glass. I'm sorry I'm too much of a coward to sit at your table. I just get so sick of everyone whispering and staring at me every time I do. Most Gryffindors hate me, and without ever actually talking to me. It's kind of frustrating. Of course we can still sit together in class. I agree, Potions would be unbearable otherwise, and Transfiguration would be pretty boring. I just wish you were in my History of Magic class. The way Professor Binns drones on and on and on . . . sometimes I consider just throwing myself out of the window.
Scorpius
Scorp,
Yeah, I hate History of Magic. And Rose is no use. She actually sits there and takes notes. I don't know how she does it, but apparently her mum, my Auntie Hermione, was really good at taking notes in that class too. Maybe it runs in the family. Anyway, Rose says you met her in the library anyway, even though I wasn't there. Did you get your homework done?
Al
Al,
Yeah I got it all done. I think I might actually get a decent mark this time, and I even wrote a lot of it myself. Rose just explains things so much better than Professor Zabini. I think I actually understand it more now. Anyway, goodnight, Al.
Yeah, goodnight.
This is boring.
I know. I mean, who actually needs to know how to turn a mouse into a snuffbox?
Not me. Have you managed it yet?
I did once. Rose was explaining the theory of it for that essay Professor Clearwater wanted us to write, and then she showed me how to do it. It still had a tail, though, and I haven't managed it since.
Maybe I'll ask Rose to show me. Do you really think she's good at teaching?
Yes! Everything is so much easier once she's explained it.
She's tried explaining stuff to me before and I never find it any simpler.
Yeah but you never sit still for longer than five seconds for her to explain it to you.
Yes I do! I sit still all the time!
Really?
Yeah!
Really?
Yeah I do! Like when I'm . . . okay I don't. But still! That's not my fault! I've just got a naturally short attention span.
Yeah.
Oh, Professor Clearwater's walking our way! Pretend you're just asking me a question.
Phew. She's talking to Rose now.
Yeah, but why did she have to make me demonstrate that stupid spell in front of everyone? She knows I'm rubbish at Transfiguration!
Because she's sadistic and likes watching children suffer.
Maybe I should tell everyone that she went out with Uncle Percy.
She went out with your Uncle Percy?‼!
Yep.
Hahahahahahaha.
Uncle George told me. And he had a picture of her in his room and wrote letters to her all summer and Mum walked in on them kissing once.
Hahahahahahahahahahaha.
I know! So are we going to the library with Rose this evening again?
Yeah I suppose we should. I'm way behind on my homework.
Oh no! Here comes Professor Clearwater again! Hide the notes!
