CHAPTER 2: START
Returning from the potions labs in the dungeons of Hogwarts, the young pure-blood heiress strode up the moving staircases towards the seventh floor. Pacing back and forth across from a ridiculous looking tapestry, a door appeared in front of the small Slytherin girl. Opening the door, laughter could be heard inside of the Room of Requirement.
Closing the door behind her, Dorrea gestured for Kyle to sit down at the café-like table which they usually sat at. "Right, now before we start," she sat down in her usual chair, "I need to go over some information first." Pulling out a vial of rainbow-colored potion and setting it on the table, she heard Zack Black wake up from the plush armchair in the corner of the room.
As Kyle sat down, Dorrea continued. "First," she held up a finger, "the potion should act as an overall stabilizer for the chemical reactions that come along with emotions. Meaning, I should not show any physical changes at all." A yawn came from the corner of the room, interrupting her. "Ahem," she held up a second finger, "secondly, to test this, I require some sort of questions to test my reactions." Shuffling through her folders and papers, Dorrea searched for her prewritten questions.
Punching Zack in the shoulder as he rose from his armchair, Heather snickered. "How much we betting this blows up in her face?"
Yawning and stretching his arms over his head, he shrugged. "She's smart, it won't blow up. Although, it would be funny." He gave a smile grin.
"Yeah, like," the Hufflepuff girl laughed hysterically, "like, like, if it singed her eyebrows off!" Clutching her stomach and using Zack to hold herself up, Heather continued laughing. Getting herself under control she turn towards Dorrea, "So," she wiped a few tears from laughing so hard away from her eyes, "what is this supposed to do exactly? I need to know if I gotta take cover."
With an annoyed sigh, Dorrea replied in a bored voice. "It will simply restrain any outward physical reactions. The worst it will do is make my heart stop." Rolling her eyes and waving the danger off dismissively while shuffling through her papers.
"Uh…" Heather turned to Zack to back her up, "maybe we shouldn't let her do this. I could lose my Prefect position for having a first year die on me." Crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow at the Gryffindor boy; once again proving her 'I-can't-believe-she-is-a-Hufflepuff' nickname.
Crossing his own arms he responded, "I still can't understand why she is doing all this." Zack turned to face Dorrea. "Jude, why exactly are you doing this?"
Ignoring Zack's inquiry, she didn't look up from her papers. "I'm not going to die, I've spent over a week researching this." She grumbled impatiently.
"A week, huh?" Heather scoffed.
"Over a week." Dorrea stuck her nose up in the air with a haughty tone.
"Well I guess that makes you an expert." The Hufflepuff rolled her eyes sarcastically.
"Indeed, it does." Handing Kyle the paper with a list of question, Dorrea dismissed the others in favor of moving her experiment along. "I'll leave the method of testing my emotional responses up to you." Kyle nodded as Dorrea continued to lecture. "Be sure to write down the reactions and times, as well as anything else you find important." The little snake stood from her chair. "Ah, I am also leaving it up to you to keep me in the room as well."
"Zack…" Heather whispered to the Gryffindor, "I still think this is a bad idea. We shouldn't let them do this."
"People need to learn the hard way sometimes."
"If something goes wrong you're taking them to the hospital wing, I was never here."
"Don't worry Heather," Zack chuckled, "I can treat her if something goes wrong."
Taking a deep breath, Heather sighed. "You'd better…" She shuddered, thinking of dead first years.
"She can be my first patient- I mean…" He coughed awkwardly.
Picking up the rainbow potion filled vial, Dorrea turned to the others in the room. Zack and Heather gave a disapprove and worried look, Kyle, still in his girl form, looked ready with a pen and paper in hand, and Hannah… was asleep on the couch. Hesitating, Dorrea looked them all in the eye. "Please," pinching the bridge of her nose, "Don't do anything foolish."
Raising their eyebrows the three gave a look as to say, "You are the one asking that? Really?"
"Right," casting a quick Tempus time spell, "it is around 2:50pm, and the effects should only last around an hour." Dorrea gestured for Kyle to write that down as she uncorked the potion.
"Start time," he scribbled, "two fifty in the afternoon…"
Nodding to herself, she downed the potion in one gulp. In the corner of her eye, she saw Heather pull Zack behind the couch in anticipation for an explosion. Suddenly, she felt a wave of dizziness wash over her as she fell back into her chair feeling faint.
"Oh great," Zack peeked over the back of the couch, "she is dead already."
A/N: Oh, don't look so freaked out. Of course she isn't dead. Next up, the real fun starts!
