Author's Note: Hello dear readers! Annie's back. You'll soon learn that I'm writing the chapters from Klara's POV, Sam is writing from Kierra's POV, and Becca is writing from Korra's POV. It'll switch every couple of chapters, but we tell you whose POV it is, so you shouldn't be getting confused now. Review for more 3
Klara's POV
I woke up the next morning, even more excited than I had been the previous day. Today was officially the first day of classes; and I could not be more elated to begin my studies. I know that may make me sound like somewhat of a swot- truth is, I'd probably be a Ravenclaw if my mind wasn't so manically twisted. I pride myself in my intelligence. I always have. Ever since my sisters and I were young, I had been the one to pick up a book and have a good read. I've learned a lot through reading, broadened my horizons. It gives me an edge that most individuals lack. I take the time and bother to learn about a given topic before it is discussed in class. This year was no different.
Honestly, I was probably most looking forward to my first class of the day, potions with no other than the potions master himself: Professor Severus Snape. I had always been intrigued by the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses; in essence, the art that is potions, something most of today's young wizards simply do not comprehend.
Once my sisters, Amenda, and I had readied ourselves for the day to come, we quickly scampered off to first class, Amenda and myself not wanting to be late; and my sisters just following suit.
Potions lessons took place in one of the dungeons, very near to the Slytherin commons; so it wasn't a far walk from our sleeping chambers to Snape's classroom.
I took my usual seat right up front next to Amenda. As the top potions experts in the Slytherin fourth years, we held the high honour of sitting up front- yes, I know I sound like a bloody swot. Amenda's easily just as much of one as I am. We share the thirst for knowledge, especially in the art of potions. That eagerness is what has always made us stand out to Professor Snape during lessons.
"Good morning class." Professor strode up to the front of the classroom, speaking in his usual monotone voice. "Welcome to fourth year potions. I expect we will have another exciting term full of brews and draughts and elixirs." He said. "We shall be able to finish out the term with you all passing brilliantly if you listen carefully and take notes when I speak. You never know when you will be tested." He continued. "I can make this class as painless as possible as long as you behave and do not explode the cauldrons." He added, directing the last half of that sentence towards me and Amenda.
"Explode cauldrons?" I asked, pretending to be shocked. "Whatever are you talking about, Professor?" I questioned, leaning forward on the desk with that wave of sultry that always hung over my being.
Ignoring my playful comment, he proceeded with his lecture. "To begin, let us review the basics. What do you get when you cross-"
My mind started to drift in and out of what he was saying. I briefly caught glimpses of students raising their hands and attempting to correctly answer the review. I knew all the answers already. And Professor Snape knew that was a fact. That is probably why he did nothing to stop me from falling into a deep reverie as memories of first year potions flooded my mind...
It was about a week into the school year. I remember waking up that morning and readying myself with Korra. Kierra was in one of her little moods that day. She didn't feel like coming to class; and there was no power in the universe that could make her change her mind. When it was time for potions, Korra and I entered the room, heads held high as usual and took our seats next to one another. I normally worked in a pair with Korra while Kierra worked in a pair with a red head named Amenda.
I didn't like Amenda from the beginning. She was always trying to be better than me in potions, my subject. I don't like being challenged, academically or physically; and challenge me is what Amenda did. Kierra had decided she would spare me the pain and pair up with Amenda so I could help Korra, who lacked serious skills when it came to potions. She has improved over the years; but she began as a hopeless first year.
But that fateful day a week into the school was when everything changed. With Kierra absent, Professor Snape had decided Amenda and I were to work together for the night's homework assignment.
"I would like each pair to brew up a simple cure for boils. That should be easy enough for your first exercise." He said.
My hand shot up. "But Professor," I began. "Cure for boils? That's a child's potion." I said, leaning forward on the desk like I so often do. I don't really know why, but I tend to get my way when I do that. "Don't you agree, Professor Snape?" I batted my eyelashes, hoping he would have a change of heart.
Amenda suddenly did something I had yet encountered. Words came out of her mouth; and I wasn't plagued with thoughts of the Cruciatus Curse. "I agree with Klara, Professor." She said. "A simple cure for boils is for children. And besides, we brewed that on the first day. Don't you think we should try something simple, but a tad more complex?" She too batted her eyelashes in hope of a changing heart.
Professor Snape gave what we had said a long thought. Finally, he spoke. "Since you two have shown great promise and seem to be the most knowledgeable of my pupils this year, I will let you try a different brew." He said, and our eyes lit up. "How does a basic Forgetfulness Potion sound?"
I looked over at Amenda who raised an eyebrow my way. "Sounds brill to me." She said.
"I suppose I could settle." I agreed, leaning back in my chair.
"Excellent." Professor Snape replied as he went back to addressing the entire class. "You will work in your pairs on your own time this evening and come prepared with your cure for boils- or your forgetfulness potion- tomorrow in class. I will see if you pass or fail then."
The class continued with the usual lecture and notes; and I was growing more and more irritated with Amenda Perri. Every question, her hand shot up, trying to be faster and higher than mine. By the end of class, Professor Snape had quit calling on the two of us to give another student the chance to answer. Unfortunately for him, all the other students were clueless and still could not tell the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane.
Later that evening, Amenda and I agreed to meet up in one of the spare classrooms to begin our potion. I opened my potions book to the proper page and read off the first half of the brewing instructions:
1. Add 2 drops of Lethe River Water to your cauldron
2. Gently heat for 20 seconds
3. Add 2 Valerian Sprigs to your cauldron
4. Stir 3 times, clockwise
5. Wave your wand
6. Leave to brew and return in 95 minutes
Amenda went to gather the ingredients we would be needing while I set up the cauldron and the rest of our table.
"First we add the Lethe River Water." Amenda said, reaching for the bottle.
"I know." I replied. "I've brewed this before." I snapped, snatching the bottle from her hands. "Let a real witch show you how it's done." I smiled as I added the two drops to the cauldron and turned the heater on for the time indicated.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Amenda asked, placing her hands on her hips. "I'm just as much of a witch as you are." She said. "If anything, I'm the one with the greater intellect, Miss Carrow." She sneered, using the last name my sisters and I took to protect our true identity. If only she knew who I really was, she would never cross paths with me again.
"Prove it." I said as I turned the heater off. "Tell me what's next, WITHOUT looking in the book."
"Simple. Valerian Sprigs." She smiled. "Two of them to be precise." She glared as she stuck her nose up and added the sprigs to the cauldron. "Then we stir it three times clockwise. Do you think you can handle that without breaking a nail, princess?"
"Princess," I smiled. "I like that. It shows how you are to respect me." I grinned as I stirred the potion in just the right manor. "Everyone knows the power a princess carries."
"Yes. But everyone also knows just how arrogant you truly are." Amenda commented.
"You think that's supposed to upset me?" I asked. "Nice try; but I think you best learn better comebacks before you try duelling me." I started to lift my wand for the next step when Amenda snatched it from my hand.
"Oh love," She began, placing my wand back on the table and raising hers. "You're lucky to be paired up with me." She said. "Let me handle this next step. It's for big girls." She grinned as she waved her wand over the potion with a smirk. "Now we wait."
"I know." I scuffed. "I get to spend the next ninety five minutes with someone of your kind." I said, referring to the fact that Amenda didn't know who her father was and could possibly be and most likely was a mudblood.
Everyone knew the story. There was not bother hiding it. Amenda's mother never told her who was her father, leading most to the conclusion that her mum was embarrassed because she slept with a muggle. Filthy slut.
"Someone of MY kind?" Amenda placed her hands on her hips. "Excuse me?" She asked, fury beginning to fill her oddly coloured eyes.
I was getting to her. This all but made my day. "Yes. You know, a mudblood." I taunted. "It must be difficult not knowing who your father is, knowing deep down that your mother was a whore who probably slept with half the muggles in Paris."
"I'm from Versailles." She growled at me.
"Oops, sorry love." I fake apologised. "My bad."
"And my mother was not a whore!" She screamed, slamming her hands down on the table.
"Then who's your father?" I asked, turning to face her, my right side facing the bubbling cauldron.
Amenda turned to face me. "Shut up!" She screamed. "Just shut up!"
"What? So you were a love child? Is that it now?" I asked. "Or was your mum a common prostitute? She probably doesn't tell you who your dad is because she's slept with some many muggles, she can't even begin taking a bloody guess."
"At least I have a mum!" Amenda said. "At least mine didn't run off, leaving me to go live with some family friends. Where's your mummy now, Klara? Azkaban? A brothel? Dead? Don't you wish you knew where she-"
With that said, the cauldron exploded, sending boiling potion and pewter shrapnel in every direction.
Honestly, I'm not really sure what happened in those first few seconds after the blast; but I knew my head was reeling, I was both dizzy and nauseous, and for some reason, I couldn't see anything out of my right eye.
Once the smoke cleared, I could somewhat make out Amenda, leaning against the leg of a nearby table, her left arm covered in bouts of blood; and there was blood gushing from her nose and chin. She looked awful.
Slowly, she turned her head to look at me. "What... happened?" She asked with some trouble.
I tried to push myself into a sitting position, using the bookcase behind me for support. I was able to get myself halfway between lying and sitting before the entire room started to spin so badly I thought I would be sick. "I... I'm not really sure." I managed to say, but my words came out choked and hoarse.
"I-I think we should go to the hospital wing." Amenda suggested, one of the few things she's said that haven't irked me terribly.
"Yes." I agreed. "That sounds like the best solution."
Amenda slowly made her way to a standing position; and clutching her left arm to her side, she walked over to me. "You look really pale." She said. "And your head is bleeding really badly."
"Really?" I asked, as she helped me stand. As I stood, there was a searing pain in my upper right abdomen. I pressed gently on my side and could feel what I later learned were two shards of pewter shrapnel that had lodged themselves right under my ribcage.
Amenda placed her good arm around me so I could walk. Her support was the only way I could stand upright. My head was spinning, and black circles kept coming in and out of my vision. For some reason, I still couldn't get clear sight out of my right eye; but as I later learned, things could have been a lot worse.
The two of us started limping and stumbling out of the empty and now horribly messy classroom and tried to make our way up to the hospital wing. I barely made it six steps down the corridor before my entire world went dark and I collapsed to the cold, dungeon floor. I can't even begin to say what happened over the next few days.