Competitive

Doxy eggs x5 used: 4/5

Staghorn x6 used: 6/6

Wormwood essence x2 (drops) used: 0/2

Lionfish spines x3 used: 2/3

Moonstones x2 used: 1/2

Roots of Valerian plant x10 used: 5/10

Syrup of Hellebore x1(vial) used: 0/1

Octopus powder x1(teaspoon ) used: 0/1

Already used most of them, Harry mentally scratched things off of the ingredients list implanted in his memory as he sat their eating dinner. Being on the side of the table as he was he could clearly see the Slytherin table and, in turn, Malfoy gloating to his fellow House mates. Harry narrowed his green eyes at him before turning back to his dinner of lasagne.

Today was Italian day and the tables were plastered with many different Italian pasta delicacies, each one looking more delicious than the last as many students licked their lips before trying to get a small bit of each dish. Harry smiled as he put a forkful of the mouth watering combination of cheese, tomato and pasta into his awaiting mouth, Italian Thursday was always his favourite eating day every week. In the corner of his eye he saw Hermione nod in approval at seeing him eat more than normal.

XXXX

The Golden Trio had hurriedly made their way back to the dark and dank dungeons, dust and filth were churned up by their feet as they hastily made it to the potions classrooms gloomy and foreboding oak door. Putting his roughened up hand against the door Harry noted that it felt damp and soft signalling that it was actually rotting away after all these years. In fact, as Harry scrunched up his nose, the whole dungeon smelt damp.

Not needing permission because it was a double period Harry hooked his hand around the cold, steel, looped handle to force the door open. The door itself protested the action with a loud creak as the Golden Trio entered in pure silence with anticipation in their hearts for the next half.

Closing the door behind them Harry immediately locked eyes with a scowling Snape, who had paused in the scratching of his marking to make eye contact with the despised Potter. Feeling the fury in him boil over Harry managed to prevent the rising of retaliation that threatened to slip from his throat. Forcing himself to ignore the burning daggers penetrating holes into his back he turned his gaze to Malfoy's group that had recently filed in with the hopes of a distraction. His breathing was shallow and his jaw was tight with the building up frustration. He needed to release it before controlling his magic.

Malfoy seemed to feel the unexpected stare and instantly lifted his silvery eyes to meet Harry's. At seeing it was Harry he gave an evil smirk before completely ignoring him and returning back to his explanations that he was quietly discussing with his team. Deep down, Harry couldn't help but feel that this task had now become some sort of race, a race for which of the two remaining groups would complete it successfully first. Malfoy had caught up to them quite quickly despite Harry's group's considerably early start.

The very much needed break had refreshed Harry and he no longer felt magically exhausted from the previous hour, the full stomach of food giving him more energy to store for the next hour. The potion had been allowed to cool down to room temperature and set for the dinner hour, however Harry now had to heat it back up to only 100 as the instructions stated and keep it there on the constant temperature for one more hour. One more agonising hour with no breaks.

Quickly making her way to their caldron Hermione peered in with delicately furrowed eyebrows to see that the potion had turned grey from setting. In fact, it almost looked like silver unicorn blood. Ron came over and just shrugged his shoulders when her brown eyes turned to look into his blue ones, in Ron's eyes if Hermione didn't know then no one else would. Harry seemed to have come to same conclusion as he ran his hand over his black hair with an anxious sigh-this was it.

"To the remainder of you...disgraceful...majority, who could not achieve even half successful results, do not expect me to take your failure lightly. You will begin your potion theory section of the subject with pages 280 to 300. My expectation is that the whole twenty pages be memorised...faultlessly, in the impending hour...word...for...word." Snape snarled in his velvety low tone at the rest of the trembling class that were all sat in the darkest part of lab in rows at ingredient stained desks, each of his words seemed to be spat out with venom and each pause was more threatening than the last. "Considering your previous hour was a merciless waste of time and rare ingredients, do...not...try...my remaining patience."

With their Outstanding Levels potions textbooks closed in front of them Snape sneered and swished his black wand in a quick flourish. All the pupils, including the Slytherin's, jumped as every single book was suddenly forced open at once. There was a giant chorus of thuds as the front covers hit the table surface. Then the rapid whooshing of pages filled the room. Every black covered book stopped abruptly in unison on the beginning theory page. Every one of them had grown increasingly pale; this was a sign that Snape was annoyed at their waste of an hour because he didn't want them wasting more time finding the correct page. Fearing more of his wrath they instantly put their heads down. Snape seemed satisfied for he turned back to his marking without another word.

"Alright, the instructions state that the octopus powder must be administered to the potion last for it's the final step. So we will leave the lid on for now," Hermione stated in a nervous tone as she screwed the lid back on the jar containing grey coloured powder before dusting her hands off, her hair was already beginning to bush up again with stress. "I will snap the last lionfish spine, Ron. Harry you better start heating it up."

Ron just gaped at her bossiness when she turned her school robed back to him and rolled his eyes at the female, obviously irritated but knowing better than to disobey. Ron decided to get more fire wood logs from their place in the corner; cobwebs covered the slightly damp wood in its place stacked up against the stone wall. Ron made a face of slight disgust as he grabbed two small logs and blew on them, the action made dust fly into the air and Ron had to withhold the need to cough as it tickled his throat. On turning around he almost collided with Pansy Parkinson from Malfoy's group who just glared at the red head before deliberately pushing past him and bumping into his shoulder to also retrieve some wooden logs.

At seeing Ron approaching Harry quickly grabbed his wand and with a flick of his wand the blackened charcoal beneath their caldron instantly vanished. Harry just gestured with a single hand to the sooty spot and Ron nodded his thanks before placing the new wood down.

"Incendio!" Harry muttered under his breath and once again the searing hot spark that shot out of the glowing red tip of his wand set the logs ablaze instantly.

Strangely, the crackling of the embers was quite comforting to his tense nerves. The illuminating orange light reflected off of his determined green eyes, green eyes hiding away his annoyance as he felt the unmistakable glare of Severus Snape unrelentingly piercing his back. Harry just closed his eyes with a sigh since he knew that he needed to get a hold of himself before needing to keep a calm and constant stream of magic going. Distractions and emotions would make them fail.

Dipping his wand in occasionally over the next ten minutes Ron kept track of the rising temperature, watching the grey smoky letters that now read 95 in the cold and stuffy potions lab. He nodded to Harry in warning for the very close upcoming of 100 and Harry just answered with a forced smile, it seemed that Harry was nervous as his eyes wouldn't focus on one thing in particular and kept randomly shifting his gaze.

Ron just felt a sympathising tug on his soul as in the corner of his eye he spotted Snape glaring at Harry from his desk. The sympathy for Harry took a U-turn to anger for Snape, there was no reason for the professor to glare at Harry. Why? Ron thought as his fists clenched in fury at his sides, why does that bloody git just glare at him all the time? Harry isn't even doing anything wrong!

Harry was looking up at Ron from his sitting position near the now steaming caldron, eyes filled with confusion as he noticed that Ron's knuckles had turned white and that Ron's jaw had tightened. Harry firmly poked his stomach and Ron just blinked as if snapped from an unwelcoming trance. He smiled sincerely to Harry before dipping his wand tip back in, not noticing that Hermione had paused in her work at the table of ingredients to watch him with concern.

At seeing the number 100 suddenly rise up in smoke Harry quickly pointed his wand at the flickering flames as his heart skipped a beat and, just like before, the familiar sensation of magic filled the air as the heat halted in its rising. Harry could feel it again, that feeling that he could only compare to a flowing river inside of him as he channelled his magic to the embers. It was quite a relaxing process really, but after a while it was strenuous. Harry managed to block out Snape's glare. Breathing through his nose he found it helped him to concentrate. He closed his eyes and blocked out the loud scratching of quills from behind. He felt...strange.

Hermione came over with a snapped Lionfish spine and froze in her tracks at seeing Harry's eyes were closed. Turning her attention to Ron questionably he only shrugged and dipped his wand back in, it seemed that even with Harry's eyes closed he still had control over his magic stream since the temperature remained unchanged. Not willing to pull Harry out of his own mind Hermione just carefully wove around Ron to put the two poisonous halves in.

The silvery potion bubbled wildly! Bubbles popped! Droplets flew! A loud bang! Grey steam suddenly turned blue! Peering into the potion Hermione noted how it had once again turned a violet colour. Satisfied with the change she smiled warmly at noticing Harry's breathing had evened out, he was unconsciously relaxing as he blocked everything out.

Her head abruptly shot up as she heard the exact same bang filling her ears a second time. Glaring at the smug expression on Malfoy's face his team had done the same step. Anger boiled deep inside her as she realised with furious brown eyes that he was challenging them. Challenging them to a race of who would finish first. She wouldn't fall for it...she wouldn't! Taking a deep and shaky breath a part of her competitive mind was cheering her on. She could easily match Malfoy! Easily surpass him!

No, Hermione mentally scolded herself, racing on such a dangerous potion will be disastrous...but it would make him inferior. No! You already know you are better than him...but rubbing it in his face would make it more enjoyable-NO!

The genius hurried back to the table where Ron was and shook her head to force the thoughts aside, bushed up hair swaying frantically with the action and Ron cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at the female.

"Ron, add one vial of the syrup of Hellebore," Hermione ordered softly as she grabbed the blue glass bottle containing the syrup of Hellebore and held it up close to her face. After swishing the yellow liquid contents around a few times she handed it to the other. "One whole vial, nothing more and nothing less."

Uncorking the blue bottle with a pop Ron began to seethe as he caught Pansy Parkinson uncorking their bottle of the syrup too. With the indigo bottle in one hand and an empty vial in the other he began to carefully pour the watery syrup in. It trickled gently into the slightly scuffed vial and when it was full Ron removed the bottle from the vial's mouth with a careful lift of his wrist.

Turning to their caldron releasing now violet steam he poured the contents into the mix, the golden liquid beautifully reflected the dim light of the room as it fell. As soon as it connected with the surface of the potion it began to spark. Ron gasped and took a hasty step back! Hermione swung around in alarm! Electrifying sparks bounced dangerously off the floor! The violet potion had streaks of gold spreading across it! There was a sudden smell of burning! Then a loud bang! Puffs of topaz smoke!

All the failing students paused in their writing. All turned their curious gazes to them. Snape also stopped writing, raven quill hovering in the air, raising a black eyebrow in question. Malfoy's group attempted to ignore it to carry on, but they were too transfixed to look away.

Hermione and Ron both sharply turned to Harry who still had his eyes closed, he had been like that for about twelve minutes now. He was breathing incredibly calmly and the fact that the potion was practically exploding directly in front of him didn't even seem to faze him.

Hermione was torn; she didn't know what to do. If Harry's state was causing him to lose his control on his magic and therefore the potion she had to snap him out of it, if the state was actually an easier method for him to control his magic and therefore nothing was wrong then snapping him back to reality could cause his magic control to fully collapse. Making him aware again could either be extremely helpful or extremely stupid!

Snape just snorted at their behaviour before turning back to his marking, not without managing to slip in a glance at Harry in the process as his onyx eyes hardened at the unaware Potter. Deciding to ignore his ridiculous behaviour Snape just scowled before continuing his scrawling marking.

As abruptly as it began sparking it ceased. The pure silence was broken with failing Slytherin's snickering. Snape whipped his head up to face them with a snarl. The failing Slytherin's instantly started reading again. Malfoy's group also put in their syrup of Hellebore, with identical sparking results.

Stepping ever closer to the yellow steam Ron examined the potions colour and discovered it was now bright orange, this potion was just going all the colours of the rainbow so far.

Hermione snorted with one quick glare at Malfoy before she ran to the table. Malfoy spotted the movement and smirked triumphantly. Hurriedly Hermione got a pestle and ground the remaining Moonstone. Malfoy also did exactly the same with quick and effortless movements. The scratching and crunching echoed throughout the stone lab. The pearly like powder created glittered and glowed in their wooden bowls. Hermione frowned with a racing heart as she rushed to the caldron and all but threw it in. Malfoy did it at exactly the same time.

Both caldrons suddenly released a cloud of sparkling blue smoke that was incredibly cold to the touch. Both potions had turned milky white. Hermione glimpsed Malfoy's eyes. Silver met brown. Smirk met frown. Hermione hadn't noticed that Harry had snapped out of his trance and was watching with interest. Ron was also secretly amused as Hermione's brushed past him with bushed up hair. Ron and Harry met eye contact in unison and couldn't hold back a grin.

"Er...Hermione?" Ron asked unsurely, large grin plastered across his face.

"Not now Ron! I will put the first drop of Wormwood essence in while you cut the remaining five Valerain roots!" Hermione snapped with a tint of red to her cheeks as she snatched the transparent bottle of Wormwood essence from the table in a flash.

A pipette was in the bottle in seconds. The clear liquid was forced up into it. One other Slytherin in Malfoy's team did the same move. Darting her eyes furiously to Malfoy the white blonde was cutting the roots himself. It was the smug grin on his face that set her mind off! Screw her reasoning mind she was going to win this!

Snape found that he was secretly entertained, the Granger's state made her oblivious to his watchful black eyes. He raised an inquisitive black eyebrow at the young woman's unusually competitive behaviour and decided that he would continue his marking at a later date. With Granger unable to see anything else but what she was furiously doing he decided that this rare occurrence would be worth the time to watch and rested his pale chin on the tops of his hands. Whenever Harry glanced at him Snape would just sneer in distain in return, effectively hiding the fact that he was actually watching the genius girl when Harry's green eyes snapped away.

Now leaning over their caldron Hermione held the pipette calmly above the milky mix, slender fingers carefully holding the pipette and gradually adding pressure. The drop had to be perfect otherwise it wouldn't work. Feeling sweat develop on her brow the clear drop began to form at the bottom. It slowly got bigger, reflecting the room. When it was large enough it suddenly fell! She instantly released the pressure with a gasp! One single drop fell and plopped into the water! Another bang! A puff of black smoke! Waving the dark cloud away with a cough Hermione noted that the concoction had turned black.

Malfoy sniggered as Pansy accomplished the same feat and he came over to his caldron with five Valerian roots crushed in a bowl. Hermione, seeing this, felt enraged and her face turned redder. Snapping her head to Ron it seemed he had finished and she checked it with a simple glance before snatching the bowl from him. Ron gaped at her as, like the Moonstone powder, she just threw it in.

A crackling like fireworks filled the lab! The potion released a sickening slurp! Bubbling wildly it released brown smoke! Bubbles burst! Fumes rose! The mixture had transformed into an oak colour! Nodding more sharply than needed at the satisfactory change Hermione turned to glare at Draco. The young man just smirked as he had done exactly the same step. This was, indeed, a race.

Harry was trying to withhold a snigger, knowing that this was an extremely dangerous potion made the back of his mind scream in warning. He watched with mirth filled green eyes as Hermione grabbed the pipette still containing Wormwood essence from the table to apply the final drop needed. It was as if Harry had completely forgotten that they were in Snape's potions class as all the tension and nervousness had left him. Meeting Ron's shocked face made him release a soft and unintended chuckle; it was as if they had all forgotten where they truly were.

It was then that all hell suddenly broke loose. Pansy Parkinson, in her hurry, bashed against the table. Everything just seemed to move in slow motion. A pained gasp was released. The table shook harshly! The open jar of octopus powder rocked dangerously! The jar slowly sliding to the edge!

"PANSY!" Malfoy yelled as pansy completely fell over and hit the floor. His robed arm slowly thrust out to grab the jar. The jar began to slide over the edge! His fingers outstretched hopefully! He felt the cold surface brush against his pale fingers! It brushed his tips! Fell out of reach!

Seeing what was about to happen Snape's eyes widened and he stood up briskly with wand in hand, everything was still moving in painful slow motion. The fact that it was the octopus powder made this even more serious. His black robes flew around him as he silently rushed forward; his movements looking slow as he lifted his wand.

Malfoy went cold as he felt himself lose his balance from missing. Watched with shocked eyes as he fell towards the potion! The open jar slowly descended towards the brew! It began to spin and grey powder slowly flew! Both jar and powder sparkled menacingly! Thousands of grains came loose! Powder fell into the brown steam! About to make contact! Malfoy not far behind!

Snape knew it was too late to save the ingredient and therefore the potion so Draco was his top priority. The brew would explode with the early ingredient and Malfoy's face wouldn't just be unrecognisable...he would be dead!