The hustle and bustle of the Hogwarts Express really did drown out the fact there was a war going on. Luna continued to advertise the Quibbler and sell them to anyone wanting the magazine and the first years ran about the train excited and discussing their favorite houses. Scarlett envied them for the experience of having the sorting hat on their head, but she also feared for them. As she thought of many times in the shop, the war would most definitely affect them, and not in a good way. But at least for these spare moments it was going to be a normal school year, well almost normal. Though she was almost done with school she would rather be at the shop with George and Fred. She missed her love and best friend so much and being without their pranks on the train was so sad. She wished they were here to joke and play with her but even if they had not ditched school, they would've graduated and still would be gone. However now her focus was on her twin brother and her fellow Phoeonoxises, Eavan and Astoria, to keep them safe from anyone, including a certain student according to her brother.
"So what was Draco doing with that weird-looking cabinet? And who were all those people?" Harry discussed with the teens: Scarlett, Eavan, Ron, Hermione, and Astoria.
"Don't you see it was a ceremony, an initiation." Harry ended.
"Stop it, Harry; I know where you're going." Hermione interrupted
"It's happened. He's one of them."
"One of what?" Astoria asked
Hermione turned her head to the young Slytherin, "Harry is under the impression Draco Malfoy is now a Death Eater."
"You're barking!" Astoria laughed.
"What would You-Know-Who do with someone like Malfoy?" Ron asked clearly as amused as Astoria.
"Well, then what's he doing in Borgin and Burkes? Browsing for furniture?" Scarlett asked.
"It's a creepy shop-" Astoria started
"He's a creepy bloke." Ron ended with Astoria nodding with an expression that said "see I told you!"
"Look, his father is a Death Eater. It only makes sense. Hermione saw it with her own eyes." Harry interjected.
"I told you, I don't know what I saw."
"But whatever it is, Harry's queries seem to be supporting the fact that Draco has transformed himself into a Death Eater. The possibility is there but for now there isn't enough evidence to decide whether or not Draco is or is not a Death Eater." Eavan explained trying to tone down the argument.
After a confused silence Harry got up from his seat grabbing something from the shelf of the compartment.
"What're you doing, Harry?" Scarlett inquired
"I need some air." He opened the door of the compartment.
"I'm coming with you." Scarlett said
"No, stay here, I just need some time alone." Scarlett looked at the object in his hand and discovered it to be the invisibility cloak. She nodded knowing what he was doing and slowly sat down.
"He'll be back." She said to her friends.
HPSRHPSR
Astoria knew she was running late as her friends had left about a minute ago. She was silently cursing herself for misplacing her make-up and books as they had scattered all over the compartment floor and making impossible to even tip toe in the small space. Astoria placed the last book in her pack and slung it over her shoulder. As she stepped of her train car, she twisted her ankle and dropped her blush as it rolled of in spite of her. She groaned picking her body off the ground chasing after the compact. When it finally fell she crouched down to the ground and grabbed for it, but a pale hand had got it first. Puzzled, Astoria lifted her face to stare into Draco Malfoy's grey eyes. Her eyebrows instantly furrowed and her face frowned at him as he reflected the same expression like a mirror.
"Greengrass." He sneered
"Malfoy." Astoria said coldly. Draco practically shoved the compact into Astoria's hands, "Here, maybe if you weren't so clumsy I wouldn't have to pick this off this filthy station."
"And if you weren't so proud maybe I would have expressed my thanks to you, but then who would to a Malfoy." Astoria flipped her hair and turned her heel and strutted off swaying her hips side to side just to mock him.
HPSRHPSR
Yesterday was not as cheerful as Scarlett had imagined. Being greeted back home was like going to a funeral where someone tried to cheer everyone up when he was failing miserably. Harry had disappeared and was eventually found which was like déjà vu for Scarlett of her second year of school when she was in her quarters with George. Just the thought of George got her all hot and sweaty; she could feel her palms getting moist thinking of his ginger hair reflecting of his lovely smile. She decided to write to him every week as he was a very busy business man now and didn't need her rambling too much to him. Today she was going to Potions with Eavan who was the only Ravenclaw in the classroom during this period.
"So for our first Potions project will you pair up with me?" Scarlett asked her friend.
"Sure I will I'd like to be with someone I know." As they entered the Potions classroom they were greeted by their new Potions teacher, Horace Slughorn.
"Well by all means come in children! I'm Professor Slughorn," He extended a hand to Eavan.
"I am Eavan McManamy, it is a pleasure to be introduce to you, sir." She curtsied. Horace held out his hand to Scarlett with a knowing eye.
"Miss Potter, I believe?" Scarlett nodded at Professor Slughorn, "Well you look as lovely as your mother, and I dare say you could be her twin in a way, hehe."
"Thank you, sir, but I could never match my mother in anything you tell me, she was a beautiful person inside and out. I could never match her."
"Ah let me decide that, come on in join your stale friend over there and we can start class as soon as everyone else shows up."
As more and more people showed up, Scarlett felt very happy in her new Potions classroom. It was a lot cheerful and more social. Eavan even met up with Seamus who chatted the whole time until it was time for class to begin. After Slughorn had started class, Ron and Harry joined in grabbing a book from the back shelf. Scarlett stood next to her brother and filled him in on what was going on.
"I've prepared some concoctions this morning, does anyone have any ideas what these might be?" Slughorn asked. Both Eavan and Hermione's hands shot up but Hermione was faster.
"Yes, Miss…?"
"Granger, sir," Hermione walked up to each individual pot and examined them, "that one there is Veritaserum. It's the truth telling serum. And that would be Polyjuice Potion. It's terribly tricky to make. And this is Amortentia, the most powerful love potion in the world. It's rumored to smell differently to each person according to what attracts them." Hermione kept inhaling the potion to prove her evidence, "For example, I smell freshly mown grass, and new parchment, and spearmint toothpaste." She shook her head in order to clear her thoughts.
"Interesting, let's have Miss Potter examine it to see if it smells different." Slughorn gestured towards the pot as Scarlett moved forward. Scarlett gave it a good whiff and explained it right away.
"I smell packaging of prank items, freshly baked cookies and cakes, spicy cologne, and lilies." Scarlett was inching closer and closer to the pot in a trance by each smell.
"Now, Amortentia doesn't create actual love. That would be impossible," By now most off the girls in the room were slowly walking towards the pot that Scarlett was already infusing herself in. "But it does cause a powerful infatuation or obsession. And for that reason, it is probably the most dangerous potion in this room." Slughorn placed a lid on top of the pot shaking Scarlett from her spell and made her feel a bit dizzy.
"Sir? You haven't told us what's in that one." Eavan said pointing to a small vial
"Oh yes. What you see before you ladies and gentlemen is a curious little potion known as Felix Felicis. But it is more commonly referred to as-"
"Liquid luck." Hermione interrupted
"Yes, Miss Granger. Liquid Luck. Desperately tricky to make, disastrous should you get it wrong. One sip and you will find that all of your endeavors succeed. At least until the affects wear off. So this is what I offer each of you tiny vial of liquid luck to the student who, in the hour that remains, manages to brew an acceptable Draught of the Living Death the recipes for which can be found on page ten on your books. I should point out, however, only once did a student manage to brew a potion of sufficient quality to claim this prize. Nevertheless, good luck to you all. Let the brewing commence!"
HPSRHPSR
"I still can't believe you're using a book with notes in it to pass Potions, Harry." Scarlett said with a nagging tone. She was outraged that she didn't even come close to getting the Potion right and yet her brother had the greatest luck as to find a book with loads of notes in it and make it absolutely perfect. It was so unfair!
"You're just jealous." Harry smirked at his sister.
"Jealous of you? Pfft I could pass a Potions test without a book and yet you need someone's notes to help you."
"Yep you're jealous." Harry tapped his sister's nose. Scarlett swatted it playfully when she noticed a dark figure in the corner of her eye.
"Snape!" She said cheerfully. She gave him a smile but to her surprise he just looked at her and walked away. She turned her head and watched him leave with his cloak flowing around him.
"That was weird. He always nods when I smile."
"Maybe he's still upset over what happened earlier this year." Harry replied.
"Maybe." But even if that were so he would still nod. Something was wrong with Snape, she could smell it."
Oh yeah long chapter! BTW Astoria will get a lot of spotlight during this so be ready for that! READ AND REVIEW!
