Chapter 9: another day
Merlin grinned. His first flying lesson had been almost a complete disaster.
"Why are you grinning?" Albus said disgruntled. They had had to learn along with the Slytherins and Malfoy had been quick to remind him that his father had been the youngest seeker in nearly a century.
"Or maybe it will be the a-famed Merlin this year? Potter not as good as he made up to be."
"Shut up Malfoy," Grace had been quick to respond as Albus looked like he would like to punch Malfoy.
"I'm useless," he moaned now as they made their way back to Gryffindor tower to collect their books. "I'm not even good at quidditch."
"You can learn," Merlin grinned. "You were better than Grace and I."
"Yeah I suppose so," he began to perk up slightly.
"Why are you so happy anyway?" Grace asked Merlin.
"I'm bad at flying," he replied simply.
"So."
"So, I'm not the genius who can do everything," Merlin said bitterly. He had not meant to show how much it annoyed him being brilliant.
"Don't you like being brilliant?" Grace asked incredulously.
"Yeah I'd swap any time," Albus put in.
"No I don't mind being brilliant. It's just I'm always the odd one out ..." he sighed and gave up looking at Albus and Grace's blank expressions.
They arrived at the entrance hall just in time to see James coming down the marble staircase followed by a group of his friends.
"Go James! You can do it!" One of them called as he made his way towards the goblet in the centre of the hall. But before he could reach it a line of students came through the open doors.
The students of Durmstrang looked spectacular in this deep red robes as they made their way towards the goblet of fire on it's stand.
Then one by one they reached up and placed their name into the blue flames.
The last one was a girl, she had short massively curly hair that spiralled out in all directions.
Then it was James's turn. He looked small compared to the students who had just passed.
There was a small smattering of applause as he placed his name in the goblet. Merlin did not join in. He did not understand why everyone was so eager to put their name forward.
Suddenly the applause stopped. Quite abruptly everyone fell silent as a boy with dark skin and dreadlocks came down the stairs. He had the air of someone who knew the eye of every girl was on him as he motioned for James to get out his way and was enjoying all the attention.
James came to stand next to Albus and muttered:
"Stupid git."
"Why what's he done?" Grace asked innocently.
"Have you seen him," James glared. "I hope he gets what Diggery got."
"Really?" Grace looked shocked.
"Why what happened to Diggery?" Merlin asked turning his gaze from the 7th year as he placed his name into the goblet.
"He was killed in the tournament," James said matter of factly.
"How?" Merlin asked feeling his stomach twist.
"He got killed in the last task. No one really knows who it happened," James said trying to make it sound spooky and mysterious.
"Everyone knows he was killed by you-know-who," Grace said sternly.
"Who says?" James replied sounding as though he knew so much more.
"It says in Voldemort and his downfall by Stanley Shunpike."
"You seriously want to believe a death eater."
"Stan wasn't a death eater James," Albus put in. "Dad says he was under the imperius curse."
"Why should dad know?" James said.
Albus looked horrified.
"But your dad's Harry Potte,r" Grace said unable to keep the ore out of her voice.
"So little first year," James smiled. "Why does that make what he says right,"
"James!" Albus sounded horrified.
James just grinned wickedly down at Albus and ran off to follow his friends.
"We should go too," Grace said. "We don't want to be late for Potions,"
"No definitely not," Albus agreed fertilely.
"Your late Potter," Professor Spill glared as they pushed open the dungeon door. "And you to Coleman and Blain, why are you late?"
"We had herbology."
Spill almost smiled. It was a pretty lame excuse Merlin had to agree.
"Sit down. Today we will be concocting a potion to heal boils."
They sat down in their places and took out their potions ingredients.
"The receipt in on page one hundred and seven in your books."
Grace immediately turned to the page and began preparing ingredients.
Merlin followed her example and began to read the instructions.
Add a teaspoon of powdered beetle eye to a cauldron of boiling water.
Leave to simmer for 10 seconds, then add a two teaspoons of spider juice. (hint: slicing spider will release juice).
While boiling steer counter-clockwise until mixture turned deep red.
Leave for ten minutes.
The instructions continued.
Merlin glanced over at Albus who was poking around under his cauldron trying to get a flame.
Orange breathy coloured Merlin's eyes and a flame crackled loudly as the water began to bubble.
"How do you do that?" Albus demanded.
Merlin shrugged. He had no idea.
"Merlin do you have a knife?" Grace asked leaning over to them.
"Yeah," Merlin handed it to her.
He grabbed the vile of beetle eyes. And poured some onto his palm.
"Here you can borrow my Pestle and mortar if you like I doubt I'll be needing them in a hurry," Albus said still trying to light his cauldron.
Merlin didn't answer. "Pluve" he muttered staring at the beetles.
Immediately his hand was covered in a fine powder which he then shook into the cauldron.
Albus still hadn't succeeded in lighting his cauldron.
"Want some help?" Merlin asked.
"Yeah," Albus grinned as a flame sprung up.
"Where are the spiders?" Merlin asked.
"Oh Merlin wants the spiders do you think we should let him have them Goyle?" Malfoy stood grinning at the end of the bench holding the dead spiders.
"Give them hear Malfoy," Albus said heatedly.
"leave it," Merlin muttered as with a jerk of his hand he cause the vial containing the spiders to spin out of Malfoy's hand and land neatly on the desk.
"Neat," Albus admired.
Merlin poured some of the spiders into the desk before turning back to the instruction to check what he had to do.
Add a two teaspoons of spider juice. (hint: slicing spider will release juice).
He stared at the instruction. was is trying to make you get it wrong? wasn't it obvious that swishing the spiders would release for more juice.
he glanced at Grace who was busy cutting her spiders. evidently not.
"What are you doing Merlin?" Grace demanded looking over. "It says cut the spiders."
Merlin shrugged as he squished the next spider, juice oozed out. Quickly he added it to his cauldren and began to stir, slowly it began to turn watery red. How could be speed it up? He continued to stir anticlockwise, then just to see what would happen he did it clockwise.
Immediately the potion began to darken. Now all he had to see was how often he should sure clockwise.
A few minutes latter Albus was cursing, he had succeeded in cutting himself while slicing the spiders.
Blood dripped steadily from his hand. He tried to lift it.
Plop! A drop of blood fell into the cauldron.
"Stop!" Grace cried. If you add blood to beetle eyes and water it ..." she broke off as the potion began to froth madly.
Merlin pulled Albus out of the way. And grabbed his hand.
"Sana" he muttered as his eyes flared orange.
"Ow!" Albus cried as the cut healed.
"What going on," professor Spill demanded. Looking at the frothing cauldron. "what ..." he was broken off as the cauldron exploded.
"Stabat!" Merlin cried as a column of potion rose from the cauldron.
With a cry Albus ducked as the potion was about to fall.
But it didn't fall. Something inadvisable seemed to be stopping the liquid from coming down.
With a wave of professor Spills wand the column of potion promptly vanished.
Albus stood back up.
"How did you do that?" Spill demanded of Merlin.
Merlin shrugged.
Everyone stared at him.
Why did he have to be so good at magic?
Professor Spills eyes were boring into him.
Merlin's mind went blank.
"Now back to work everyone," Spill said clapping his hands together. "Make sure you know what you did wrong Mr Potter."
"What did I do?" Albus asked as the rest of the class settled down to work.
"You added human blood do beetle eye. Didn't you know it would explode?" Grace said stiring her potion.
"Well that was obvious wasn't it," Albus said sarcastically. "I should have known."
Merlin grinned.
"Well I suppose I'll help you then," Albus said looking at Merlin. "no point starting again now,"
Merlin nodded. "what do we do after stirring it anti-clockwise?"
"While boiling store counter-clockwise until mixture turned deep red.
Leave for ten minutes.
Add 1 ½ oz sun dried pine cones and stir thoroughly."
Merlin searched in his potion set sun dried pine cones while Abus got the scales ready.
"One and a half ounces wasn't it?" Albus asked as he was handed the pine cones.
"Yep" Merlin agreed. "than 3 oz finely grated parmesan."
"Grace got the gratter?" Albus called at this news and added the sun dried pine cones to the potion.
But Grace had no time to answer.
"A flask of your potion at the front please, then tidy up," Spill called to the class and a few minutes later they were making there way back up the stairs to lunch.
As they sat down Nearly Headless Nick floated over to them.
"The triwizard champions will be chosen tomorrow, I hope they are from Gryffindor. They weren't last time," Nick said sitting himself between Merlin and Albus.
"I thought my dad was in it last time?" Albus asked looking at Nick.
"Yes he was, he was lucky to come out of it alive, Diggory didn't," Nick replied sounding sorrowful.
Merlin swallowed, he did not like to think that whoever was chosen might die.
"Well they've got all sorts of security this year," Nick said before floating off as Albus grabbed some potatoes.
"I don't think he likes you eating while he's trying to talk," Grace said disapprovingly. "We might have been able to find out more about the tournament."
"Not that there's anything you don't already know about it Grace," Albus retorted thickly still with a mouthful of potato.
"Actually for your information Abus I couldn't find anything more about the triwizard tournament because all the book were being borrowed."
"How dreadful," Albus said sarcastically.
"Stop arguing will you," Merlin interrupted before Grace could reply. He was already bored of their bickering.
