What is the Number One Potion Rule?
Mikaela Dorian drew in a deep breath as she sat in the Slytherin Common Room. She glanced around for one last time. It wouldn't be long now before she carried out her orders that came directly from the Dark Lord himself. She smirked to herself. None of the others had a clue that he had chosen her. Out of all others, he chose her, a fourth-year golden blond pureblood Slytherin. She would make a name of herself today.
Rising to her feet as a princess would, Mikaela slowly made her way towards the door. She walked past a couple of the fifth years that sat playing Wizards Chess. She caught Draco's eye and flashed a soft smirk at him. He thought he was so great sitting there on the couch. He didn't know. He didn't bare the Mark of her Master. He was nothing compared to her.
"Hey, Mikaela," another fourth-year girl with honey-colored hair said as she walked past her.
"Jezlyn," Mikaela quietly replied before nodding towards the young girl.
"Hey, wait, are you going to the Potions classroom?"
"I had thought about it. Professor Slughorn wished me to help him brew today. Why?" Mikaela coolly responded. She inwardly groaned. While she found Jezlyn Sinistra to be interesting, the girl did have a nasty habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
"Oh, well, can you wait, Mikaela? I have to talk to him about something."
"Slughorn is not going to be in there today, Sinistra."
"But you just said—"
"I know what I said," Mikaela snapped. At the sight of the girl's green eyes narrowing, she sighed. "Trust me, Jezlyn. You don't want to be anywhere near there today."
"I think I do, Mikaela," Jezlyn quickly replied. "You know, if you didn't want to walk with me, you could have just told me. You didn't have to be such a witch." She then shook her head furiously and stormed out of the Common Room towards the Potions classroom, which was just down the hall. Mikaela quickly ran after her.
"Jezlyn," Mikaela hissed before she grabbed the girl's arm and whirled her around. She slammed the surprised fourth-year up against the cold wall. "Go back to the Common Room."
"What the hell is the matter with you, Mikaela?" Jezlyn yelled back. "I just want to talk to Slughorn about a grade I got."
"If you know what is good for you, you will do as I say."
"Or you'll do what, Mikaela? You'll hex me," Jezlyn snapped. "Try it. I dare you."
"Silly little girl, you have no idea. Fine," Mikaela hissed before she released Jezlyn. "Stay out of my way, though." She then briskly walked towards the Potions classroom. If the stupid little girl wanted to get herself killed, it was no skin of her back. She had a job to do. She walked in and immediately grinned to herself. It wouldn't be long now.
***
"Oh, Professor Slughorn, you are here," Jezlyn cheerily stated when she noticed him at the front.
"Yes, dear, what is it?" Professor Slughorn responded as he glanced up from the essays.
"Well, I wanted to talk to you about my recent potion. You said that it was abysmal."
"Did I, dear? Oh my, that doesn't sound like something I would say."
"I know. That's why I was wondering about it."
"Hmm…well, I trust you can brew it again. Am I correct, Miss Sinistra?"
"Oh, yes, sir, most definitely."
"Then by all means, my girl, brew another batch and I'll take a look."
"Thank you, Professor." Jezlyn then walked over to an empty table and started a fire under her cauldron. Every now and then, she glanced towards Mikaela. She didn't really understand what was wrong with the girl. She hadn't done anything wrong. She then sighed. It wouldn't do her any good to dwell on that. She needed to concentrate. Otherwise, the potion could go seriously wrong.
Jezlyn first started by chopping up the billywigs and dicing them. She then grabbed the silver liquid next to her and poured it into the caldron. Almost immediately, the liquid hissed, but settled down seconds later. She then threw in the billywigs. More hissing emanated from the caldron before smoke slowly rose up out of it. She narrowed her eyes on the violent scene in her caldron. She then glanced back at her notes. She was doing everything right.
"Horace," a silky voice spoke from the doorway. "Need I ask?"
Jezlyn slowly turned around and smiled towards her Head of House. However, when she caught his glare directed at her, she quickly turned back around. Maybe he didn't really like people smiling at him. After all, he did seem to frown all the time. Of course, Aurora always said it was because he had to be serious all the time since he was the potions master. She then sighed, grabbed lacewing flies from the container, and noticed that she had a bit of a predicament to solve.
Hmm, it says five. I don't have five, though, Jezlyn thought to herself. She then glanced up towards Professor Slughorn. She could ask him for three more, but he was already being too kind already. She couldn't just ask him for more lacewing flies. She sighed and dumped in the two measly ingredients. Almost immediately, she gulped. The cauldron was shaking violently now and smoking horribly. She closed her eyes and shook her head. Her potion was beyond all help now.
"Having trouble, Miss Sinistra?" the silky voice drawled behind her.
"No. It's all right."
"Before or after you blow up Hogwarts?"
"Well, preferably after, sir," Jezlyn mocked. Her mouth then dropped before she turned around.
"Indeed," Snape replied with a soft smirk. "Well, then by all means, carry on with your idiocy. Merlin knows I could use a vacation." Snape then walked towards Slughorn.
"I thought you just got back from one," Jezlyn blurted out. He whirled back around and stared at her. There was no anger in his face, but that didn't mean there wasn't some buried under the surface. "I mean…uh…I'm sorry, sir." He only scoffed at her before continuing. Beautiful, Jezzie, you just had to say that, didn't you? You stupid girl, she scolded herself. Now, let's see. I don't have enough lacewings, but…ooh…I wonder. Jezlyn grabbed her wand. "Birds and bees have it, now I want it," she said before flicking her wand at her caldron. Her spell, unfortunately, backfired disastrously. Her caldron, along with Mikaela's, exploded in a brilliant blue ball of flames that started to expand quite rapidly.
"You idiot girl!" yelled Snape as he stormed towards Jezlyn who was currently lying flat on her back on the dungeon floor with his palm out. The ball of flames quickly vanished. "What is my number one rule?" he bellowed.
"Not to use our magic while brewing," Jezlyn quietly replied.
"And what did you do?"
"I used magic," Jezlyn answered. She then glanced up. "I thought it'd work, though, sir."
"Yes, well, you've managed to destroy not only your own caldron but also Miss Dorian's. Congratulations, Miss Sinistra, you nearly killed all of Hogwarts with that ridiculous stunt of yours. Even your sister never accomplished that feat."
"Well, I didn't have enough billywigs, sir."
"So you thought you could what? Conjure some up?" sneered Snape. "Ha, at your current level of magic, Miss Sinistra, I'm lucky you can even successfully cast a Levitation Charm."
"You don't have to be so mean, sir."
"I don't? Do you have any idea what would have happened if I had not contained that explosion? This entire castle would have come crashing down on our heads. Tell me. Is that what you want?" Snape then glanced around the room before he sighed softly. It was only minimum damage, but the girl had nearly given him heart failure. If her sister found out…he shivered at the thought. He then glanced towards Mikaela. His eyes narrowed on the fourth-year who seemed visibly shaken. "Wonderful," he grumbled before he walked over there. He held out a hand towards her, but she didn't move. "Miss Dorian, it isn't customary of me to hold my hand out, so just take it." The fourth-year still didn't move. He sighed before bending down to reach out to touch her. However, that got an immediate reaction.
"NO! Don't…don't touch me, you filthy traitor," Mikaela hissed before she drew her wand. The girl's blue eyes then glanced towards Jezlyn. "You…you ruined it! You ruined it all! He gave me a mission, and because of you, Sinistra, I failed."
"The Dark Lord gave you a mission?" Snape drawled before standing up. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at Mikaela. "He must be desperate to use you. Tell me. What did he promise you, Miss Dorian? He promised me that he'd welcome me back into his Circle with open arms. What was his promise?"
"Lies, it's all lies that come from your filthy mouth." Mikaela kept her wand pointed at them with calculating eyes. She then smirked. "You think you're so great, don't you? I know what you are. You're a filthy half-blood," she snarled.
"Bravo, Miss Dorian, you know my blood purity," Snape drawled as he leaned against the table. "Tell me. Are you a killer, Miss Dorian? Because from what I see right now, I'd say no. I see a small pathetic little girl who got herself in too deep. I see an arrogant child who thinks that because she has her wand and bears the Mark, she's safe. Tell me, Miss Dorian. Is that a fairly good observation?"
"The Dark Lord—"
"Is a coward," Snape interrupted. "He is not only a coward, Miss Dorian, but also a murderer. Tell me. Have you ever seen him fight his own battles? I know I haven't."
"Lies, untruths, you don't know him like I do."
"I was in Voldemort's Inner Circle for nineteen years, Miss Dorian. I think I know him a bit more than you do. Now, if you truly wish to kill me, then go ahead. I assure you, though, that it won't be as easy as you think."
"I am a pureblood! I descend from—" but a swift punch to her jaw cut off Mikaela's words.
"Shut up, Mikaela," Jezlyn snarled before she plucked the wand out of the witch's hands. "How could you sell yourself out like that? And to that monster nonetheless?" she yelled. "I thought I knew you. I see I was wrong." She then got to her feet and handed the wand to Snape wordlessly.
"Well put, Miss Sinistra," Snape said with a soft smirk before he glanced towards Mikaela. "Horace, contact the Aurors. I believe they have an ex-student to fetch." He then flicked his hand towards the blue-eyed girl before chains slowly grew out of the wall and surrounded her. "You will thank me in the end, Miss Dorian." He drew in a deep breath and glanced down at Jezlyn. He couldn't help but softly chuckle. It was the same speech Aurora had given him when she found out he had been a Death Eater. Must run in the family, he mused quietly.