It took me a while to write this chapter, I had to go and look back at HBP and the website to find the right potions. Just hope that it all comes together nicely, cuz I tried to make this chapter as long as possible. Defense against the Dark Arts will have a small part, but that will continue in the next chapter.
I don't own Harry Potter.
Enjoy!
Next day, breakfast in the Great Hall:
Harry was excited to start the first day; frankly because he was happy he had Potions first thing this morning and then DADA. He was eager to see what his aunt had cooked up for lessons, since she and Severus gave him tutoring lessons in potions. He was going to take it with Hermione, Neville, Draco, Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, to his dismay Ron, who had given up a free period to likely try and win Harry over, and Blaise. The class was a mix of top rated fifth years who Severus recommended to advance, and sixth years who of course were required to take the class for their future careers.
"Morning Harry, you look like you had a good night's sleep." Hermione sat next to him at the table during breakfast.
"I did, I don't know why I'm just eager to start the day." She smiled.
"You're actually looking forward to Potions this morning?"
"I suppose so, I know it'll probably be tough but I don't care." he really didn't, it was just good to be back at Hogwarts again. He looked over to the teacher's table and spotted his aunt and uncle talking while trying to feed a slightly sleepy Brianna.
"Morning Harry, Mione." They looked up to see Ron taking a seat across from them. "Sorry about last night, wasn't feelin good."
'Yeah right.' "You didn't touch most of your dinner, hungry now?"
"Oh yes." Ron grabbed some toast and started chowing down on whatever he could grab, absolutely no table manners.
"See that, I just lost my appetite." Hermione pushed her plate away. Harry had already eaten his breakfast but classes would begin soon, in about five minutes. Ron stuffed his face and drank down his glass, Harry spotted Ginny coming their way but she only ate a thing of toast and something in a bowl.
"Hi Harry." She smiled and batted her eyelashes at him.
"Ginny." She tried to sit next to him but then the bell rang for classes to start. Harry grabbed his bag and followed his friends out of the hall heading straight for the dungeons. They stopped at what used to be Severus' old lab, but Millie took over and no doubt she girlified the place just a bit.
Everyone lined up just outside the door, books pulled out and everything as if they were expecting Mr. Snape to come out and scold them for not being prepared. The door opened and his dear Aunt Millie stepped out dressed in a long purple outfit with her hair draped over her shoulders.
"Good morning everyone, glad to see most of you are on time. Now when you go in you'll find your names at certain desks for today's lesson, I've chosen partners for you. Go on in." everyone did so, Harry saw the stations were arranged like in a muggle classroom, but disregarded it and found his name in the middle next to Draco's.
"Looks like we're partners Potter." Draco took his spot next to him. Harry saw Hermione had a spot with Pansy and Ron had his spot with Crabbe, which he would know if he was there already.
"Guess so." Millie walked to the front of the classroom and looked over everyone.
"Hmm, it seems we're missing someone. Where is Mr. Weasley?" in the nick of time Ron ran through the door.
"Sorry I'm late professor got tied up."
"Judging from the spots on your chin I'd say you got more than tied up Mr. Weasley. Five points from Gryffindor for tardiness and another five for fibbing now take your seat." Ron groaned and took his seat without another word. "You may all address me as Madame Snape, so as not to confuse me with my husband."
"Mama!" Harry heard Brianna calling her mother and spotted her on the other side of the classroom with a barrier around a large corner. She had her toys out and was seated on her thick blanket, and a house elf was playing with her.
"Prof-Madame Snape shouldn't your daughter be somewhere else?" Cho Chang spoke up from the front.
"She's perfectly safe in that barrier Ms…?"
"Chang ma'am."
"Right, my daughter cannot get out of that barrier and she's preoccupied with her toys right now. I couldn't find a sitter so I brought her with me. She won't be affected by the fumes."
"Less likely." Ron grumbled.
"Silence Mr. Weasley."
'You go aunt.' Harry inwardly smirked.
"Now for today's lesson I have placed a single slip of paper in your cauldrons. On that slip of paper is the potion you are going to make with your partner; this is merely a test of your skills in this class so I hope to get good results. I don't expect perfection, but I can hope you don't ruin your potions in the first few minutes. When you are finished I will come around and inspect your work and depending on your performance I will decide if you will receive homework tonight. Everything you need is in the room on the shelves; you have an hour and thirty minutes. You may begin."
"Let's see…oh this one's tricky." Draco pulled out the paper and showed it to Harry.
Draught of Peace
"Isn't that one like making the opposite of 'Draught of Living Death'?"
"Sort of, but it's less complicated. Here you start the cauldron I'll get the ingredients." Harry opened his book to the right page and looked over the directions.
To brew the Draught of Peace, follow these steps:
Add powdered moonstone until the potion turns green.
Stir until the potion turns blue.
Add powdered moonstone until the potion turns purple.
Allow to simmer until the potion turns pink.
Add syrup of hellebore until the potion turns turquoise.
Allow to simmer until the potion turns purple.
Shake powdered porcupine quills vigorously until they are ready and then add until the potion turns red.
Stir until the potion turns orange.
Add more porcupine quills until the potion turns turquoise.
Allow to simmer till the potion turns purple.
Add powdered unicorn horn until the potion turns pink.
Stir until the potion turns red.
Allow to simmer until the potion turns purple.
Add more powdered moonstone until the potion turns grey.
Allow the potion to simmer until it turns orange.
Add more powdered porcupine quills until the potion turns white.
It didn't seem too complicated, but it had to be easier than Ron's because he was rubbing his forehead frantically after looking at the slip. Harry started to heat up the cauldron while Draco kept coming back and forth with the ingredients needed. He could see Hermione was doing alright with Pansy, they seemed to be doing fine. Neville had paired up with Dean and their potion was…well it was coming along.
"Mr. Weasley kindly assist your partner or you will receive homework immediately." Ron was acting like he didn't have to do anything, he usually partnered with Hermione and made her do all the work. Millie was smart with this, Crabbe might not be brilliant in potions but he could manage somewhat.
"Got everything, here you get the moonstone powder I'll set up the quills." Harry nodded and started to go along with the potion. So far it went well, proper stirring and colors were doing alright, then again Malfoy was good at potions better than Harry.
"It's turning red." Harry stirred more until the potion's color changed and took out the stir rod.
"Now let it simmer." They waited a few minutes while Harry looked over the instructions to make sure they didn't mess up so far. "This is actually kind of fun."
"You're right, we're doing good."
"Boys, what're you talking about?" Millie walked over to their table.
"Nothing Madame, just the potion." She looked into the cauldron.
"Hmm, seems to be in order. Best hurry though, only twenty minutes left."
'Yes ma'am." She walked around checking the other tables, while some did good others didn't. Ron's potion was blowing out black smoke, and sludgy. Neville and Blaise, well their potion was bubbling but not by much, Hermione and Pansy's potion seemed fine, so everyone was doing basically fine.
"You've been studying your notes haven't you?" Draco whispered to him.
"Yeah, but I'm probably not as good as you. You prepared the ingredients."
"You helped, that counts. Besides we're going to get a good grade, and I'd hate to see what homework she gives out if we didn't." they both laughed.
"Da da bee mo…" Harry heard Brianna talking to the house elf. She was so cute but at least she wasn't distracting anyone.
"Time's up! Please step away from your stations." Everyone stepped back while Millie went around checking their cauldrons. "Hmm, nice work Ms. Granger Ms. Parkinson." She moved to Neville and Blaise's station. "Oh, not bad boys but use less doxy dust next time." She walked to Cho's station. "Oh dear, I'm afraid your potion is ruined Ms. Chang, Ms. Patil, did you stir it properly?"
"I don't think so Madame, I must've added the wrong ingredient." Cho spoke up.
"And I think I stirred it the wrong way." Parvarti.
"Well perhaps you can try again next time; however I want a full roll of parchment on the potion's qualities, advantages, disadvantages, and side effects from each of you by the end of the week."
"Yes ma'am." They nodded. Millie moved over to Harry and Draco's station.
"Very nice boys, was there any trouble?"
"No ma'am, it was actually very easy." Draco answered her.
"Alright, next Ms. Brown and Ms. Vane." She moved to their station. "Oh my…you added in too many quills and frogs spawn."
"We're sorry Madame."
"I want a roll from you both as well by the end of the week, on this potion." They nodded at her, and then she went to the last station that was Ron and Crabbe's. "What the…this is dreadful work, what did you do?" she looked at them with a glare.
"Forgive me ma'am, I tried to do as the instructions said but my 'partner' was no help." Crabbe pointed at Ron.
"That's a lie! I did help!"
"Did you Mr. Weasley, I remember seeing Mr. Crabbe doing more work than you and you were constantly groaning. Five points from Gryffindor for laziness, and I expect a roll from you as well on this potion. Mr. Crabbe since you tried more you don't have to do the homework assignment. Everyone please clean up your stations but the leave the cauldrons alone, I'll take care of those. When you're finished you may leave."
'Serves you right Ron.' did Ron really expect to pass making Crabbe do all the work? He really was an idiot. After he and Draco finished cleaning their station Harry grabbed his books and walked out of the classroom with Draco and Hermione waving goodbye to Brianna.
"What potion did you get?" Hermione put her book inside her bag and leaned against the wall.
"We had the Draught of Peace, you?"
"Pansy and I made Amortentia, fairly easy." A love potion, typical Millie giving that to Hermione.
"You split the work?"
"Yeah, wasn't too bad. Pansy's actually good at potions." Pansy came up to them.
"Did I just hear you compliment me?" Hermione nodded. "Thanks."
"Well most Slytherins are good at Potions from Snape's class."
"So is Draco, we had some fun." Draco laughed.
"What's next? DADA?"
"Yes but it's in thirty minutes we have a little time for a break." Harry leaned against the wall, only to see Ron coming their way.
"Can't believe she gave me that homework it's not fair!"
"Well you should've helped Crabbe do the work, might've done a better job."
"That bloke couldn't make a potion to save his life. Think you can ask her to take the homework off Harry?"
"Uh no, I can't help you there."
"But c'mon mate she's being unfair."
"No she's a teacher, she warned everyone and you didn't listen. You gotta pay the price."
"Like you would've passed if you didn't have Malfoy as a partner."
"FYI Ron I was tutored over the summer, so I could've done fine even if I didn't have Draco."
"He's right Ron you're being too dramatic." Hermione rolled her eyes.
"You're taking his side!"
"Because she's smart Weasley, got any more complaints?"
"Stay out of this ferret!" Ron growled.
"You're so immature Ron, c'mon let's head to DADA can't keep Professor Snape waiting."
"Still have twenty-eight minutes Mione." Harry sighed.
"Never hurts to be early." They moved down the hall leaving Ron alone when Crabbe and Goyle came behind them. Unfortunately they were halted by a familiar female redhead coming their way.
"Harry!" Ginny about flung herself at Harry but he moved away in time. "Why'd you move?" she whined.
"Not in the mood, what's up Ginny?"
"I was just heading to Potions, how was it?"
"Fine, Ron got homework for making a sludgy potion, none of us did." He pointed between the four of them.
"Hm, well Ron could manage. Harry I was wondering if you would go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?"
"No, have plans."
"Then can I join you?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Cuz I said so now would you get out of the way please?" Ginny made a pouty face but moved aside. Harry rolled his eyes as they walked away, was she that desperate? He could only imagine what Molly was up to right now.
Like it?
Next chapter will have DADA, with a small clip at the Burrow on Molly's thoughts about Millie and Severus.
R&R
Later!