Chapter 8

"Ah, Miss Potter. Would you please explain to me why you were late?" the annoying Slughorn asked me.

"Um...I...got delayed," I 'tried' to explain.

"Just sit down, then. And 5 points from Gryffindor," he commanded me. I looked around the room. There were only two open seats. One right behind Sirius, and one on the other side of the room. By Andromeda.

I picked the one on the other side of the room. Now I would have a chance to get her to explain herself. So I walked over and sat down, ignoring the glance from Lily.

"Hey." I said, trying to be cheerful. I was rewarded only with a harsh glare. But for the first time, behind those cold, black eyes, I thought I saw something else. A pleading...a begging. So while Slughorn started the class I murmured, not even glancing at Andromeda as she took notes on the Draught of Living Death we were supposed to be making. "We need to talk." She made no sigh to indicate she had heard, so I just started cutting up my ingredients. But as soon as Slughorn stopped talking and told us to start boiling, she slid the notes to me. I scanned over them. Right there under Valerian Roots and Sopophorous Bean, Andromeda had written in the same, perfect handwriting: Quidditch Pitch. 11:45. I nonchalantly slide the note back to her nodding, and then poured in the roots. It took me a second to realize that black smock was coming out of our cauldrom instead of a blueish steam.

"Wha-" BOOM!

Our potion exploded, but luckily it only hit two students, Snape and Lucius, who had been working ahead of us.

After a second if stunned silence, James started laughing hysterically, followed by me, and then even Sirius! But then-

"You IDIOT!" Lucius shouted at me, not keeping his pure blood calm as his normally perfect hair dripped black.

"S-sorry?" I tried to say between laughs, but it was all too funny. Even Andromeda had cracked a grin behind that steel wall. Snape just stood there looking at his black hands in horror.

"You stupid, insolent BLOOD TRAITOR!" Malfoy continued to rant.

"Hey, look on the good side," I said, continuing to grin, "Now Snape here is forced to wash his hair for the first time!" Then I dissolved into another round of giggles. I noticed even Remus was trying to hide his chuckles by now.

"Children, children, no need to fight. I'm sure this was totally unintentional. Mr. Snape, Mr. Malfoy. Up to the Hospital Wing with you to make sure nothing is wrong. The rest of you, bring me a vial of your potions, then you may proceed to dinner." Slughorn interceded.

Yes I started packing my backpack, eager to get to dinner to satisfy my empty stomach, but Slughorn added- "Miss Potter, please stay and talk with me for a second."

I grimaced at Lily, who had been waiting for me, then walked over to our teacher.

"Yes, Professor?" I asked, falsely cheerful.

Unfortunately, the observant potion's master saw right through my act. "No need for that, Miss Potter. I only need to talk to you about one thing. I've noticed your potions grades have not been very good this year. And they weren't the best at your former school either," He said. HE had a point. I somehow managed to blow up many of my potions, never knowing why they did so. "As I was saying, Miss Potter, I have found you a tutor. Would after supper on Tuesdays be a good time for you? This classroom is open then."

"Alright," I sighed. "If I have to."

"You do. So off to dinner with you, Miss Potter. Remember: Tuesdays after dinner.

"Okay." I replied, then I hurried to dinner, only thinking of what information I might get from Andromeda later on. What would she say? Or, my over imaginative brain wondered, Would there be a group of Slytherins ready to attack?

But I threw caution to the wind, and snuck out of my room at 11:40. I looked into the Quidditch Pitch when I got there.

"Izzy! Over here!" I heard Andromeda whisper by the stands. So I walked towards her voice, and out of the wide, open space I had been walking in.

"Andromeda, what-" I started, but I was interrupted by her throwing her arms around me.

"I'm so, so sorry! I didn't mean any of it!" she explained, watching for my reactions. "It's just, the other Slytherins don't know I'm not like them, that I don't care about blood or anything like that. And I don't know what they'd do if they found out. But I know for sure they wouldn't be okay with it." She ended, and I could see the fear in her eyes, like a small animal caught in the hypnotic gaze of a snake. "Will you please forgive me?"

"Of course I will!" I said, hugging her, but then I pulled back. "Wait, what if you are trying to spy on us? How will I know if you're telling the truth or not?"

"I swear by Merlin that I am not a spy for the Slytherins, or anyone else for that matter," Andromeda swore, raising her right hand, and a faint blue glow appeared around it.

The Swear of Merlin is one of the most powerful swears. If one breaks it, they lie sick and unable to get out of bed for a year, a dark, stormy blue cloud hanging over them the whole time. But it didn't kill them like the Unbreakable Vow, so I'd say it's much better.

"Okay then!" I said joyfully, embracing my "long" lost friend. "But do we have to ignore you during classes?"

"Fro now at least," Andromeda said sadly.

"But if you came clean as a nice person, you could just sleep in my doorm. Dumbledore would definitely let you if we explained your situation!"

"Well, maybe-"

"Wait! Shhh!" I said. I had heard footsteps. I looked around the edge of the stands. Someone was walking over here, broom in hand.