Author's note: Disclaimer. Hey long chapter of student craziness. Don't judge me on my how long its been. Hope you guys are still sticking with me. R&R and make my day

Chapter 13

Aries and Scorpius darted into the classroom in the nick of time. Professor Slughorn was rose and began his lecture shooting a look at the pair who were gazing around the class searching for Gemini. Finally spotting her they quickly sat down in the open lab to her right.

"Why are you two so late?" Geminin hissed under her breath towards her brother.

"Hey, we have to come here from Charms and those stupid stairs make everything so much more complicated," Aries hissed back. Gemini rolled her eyes and focused on Professor Slughorn again.

"Now class we are going to be working on many potions in this class, but one cannot make potions without understanding the ingredients that go into them. For example, would you use flux berries or mistletoe berries to brew a Polyjuice potion?" As he finished his question in true Granger style Gemini's hand was in the air before the last syllable had left his lips.

"Miss- "Slughorn quickly glanced at his class list, "Granger? Would your mother happen to be The Hermione Granger?" His words held an edge of excitement and Gemini regretted her overzealous approach to answering the question. With a deep sigh she nodded and hoped that would be the end of everything. But as usually she wasn't that lucky.

"Yes, I knew your mother quite well that's for sure. She was a member of the Slug club. Surely she told you about it. There were very many talented students who I have taken under my wing and of course they have all gone on to do incredible things your mother being no exception. Now we aren't here to relive my glory days so please Miss Granger answer the question," Slughorn finished gesturing towards her with a certain gleam in his eye that Gemini did not like.

"You could use either berry it all just depends on the amount. In fact, you could even use both if you got the configuration right. Most people tend to use only mistletoe berries because they cost less however those potions tend last for shorter periods of time.," She stated emphatically because where she may not want to be seen as a chess piece for Slughorn's collection she wasn't going to dumb down what she knew.

"Yes, that's the most perfect answer I have heard in many years. 20 points to Slytherin now I want everyone to go and grab either Fluxberries or Mistletoe berries to prep for my third-year students. Pay close attention to the instructions in your texts," Slughorn was practically jumping for joy at having Gemini Granger in his class. That girl was going to do great things.

"Alright Scorpius which do you think we should do?" Gemini asked making a show of turning her back on her brother and focusing on her friend.

"I think we should do flux berries because they take longer to prepare and so most of the class isn't going to do them. I normally would take the easier route, but I think I lucked out with you as my partner," Scorpius grinned at her and slightly over her shoulder at her brother and Albus who were scowling.

"Aw come on Gem. Could you just help us out a little? I forgot my textbook. I know for a fact you've memorized you ingredient prep so can I just use your book if you won't help us?" Aries pleaded pretending to be put out. He knew that if he seemed pathetic his sister would take pity on him and first lend him her book and when he 'struggled' she would come over and practically do everything for him. He was after all her brother.

"Aries you are hopeless, did you know that? Fine take my book but don't expect any more help from me on your ingredients. I don't care if you mess it up its your own fault for not being prepared." Gemini exclaimed handing him her potion book and heading over to the ingredient cabinets. There were a lot of people fighting over the mistletoe berries and Gemini bypassed the bickering students to grab the flux berries scoffing at how lazy students could be.

Professor Slughorn notified the class that he had to go and get some papers from his earlier class to grade and reminded everyone to stay busy before sweeping out of the classroom. As Gemini was heading back to her table she heard two Slytherin girls talking.

"Uggh can you believe how Professor Slughorn fawned over her? Its disgusting. I still can't believe that a mixed blood got into our house and now to top it all off she's a swooty little know it all." Scoffed one of Slytherin girls in her class with long black hair and a face that seemed to be perpetually stuck to look like she had eaten a lemon.

"Well she did get us points. So that's good at least. Especially since Zabini went off and lost us some before classes even started." Defended another Slytherin girl with short brown curls and glasses.

"And that's another thing! what is with Malfoy and Zabini fawning over her? It's not like she's anything special. I've known those two since we were old enough to hold play dates yet neither one of them has ever fawned over me like they do her. She had to have done something," The sour faced girl whined.

"Maybe they became friends on the train Marie you don't know, and she is in our house so maybe rather than tearing her down we find a way to work with her and make sure that our house wins the house cup this year." The other girl shot back. Gemini felt a small smile curl her lips at the girl with glasses defense of her.

"Just who's side are you on Elise? What do you want to go fawn over her too? Huh? Want her to introduce you to her mud-blood mother and maybe set you up with her equally disgraceful brother?" Marie snapped getting into Elise's face. She was starting to lose her temper at her friend, well Elise was more of a lacky but still. There were principles in this society and if Elise wanted to be a little blood-traitor she was going to get a real quick lesson in how she would get treated.

"Hey, leave her alone you prissy little brat," Gemini snapped sliding over to them and shoving Marie away from Elise. Elise let out a little squeal of distraught fear and moved towards Marie.

"Excuse me?! Just who the heck do you think you are? Do you have any idea who I am," Marie exclaimed in disbelief.

"I'm Gemini Granger the girl who knocked out a 3rd year and the girl who will kick your butt if you make one more derogatory comment about my family. That's who I am. As for who you are I frankly could care less but I can assume you are a member of some high society family. Which of course explains your abhorrent behavior." Marie gaped like a fish as she tried to think of a comeback and after a moment Gemini continued, "That means poor or hateful in case the word abhorrent tripped you up. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go work on my potions assignment with my friend Scorpius and when your mind catches up with you feel free to give me whatever simplistic come back your tiny brain can manage. Oh and Elise, if you want you can come join me and Scorpius on the assignment, unless you want to keep getting treated like dirt on the bottom of her shoe that is." With those words she stalked back to her seat with the flux berries.

The rest of the activity in the class had stopped during the altercation and every student was looking either at Marie who was still struggling to process everything that happened or at Elise who seemed equally gob smacked or at Gemini as she and Scorpius started preparing their berries.

"Class does this look like a carnival side show? No? Then I expect you all to stop gaping and get back to work," Slughorn's loud voice startled all the class back into furious motion as the students attempted to make up for lost time.

Elise was torn between continuing to work with Marie, whom she had known and been close with since they were 6 years old or working with Gemini and Scorpius. Marie had always seen Elise as someone to boss around and honestly Elise had started to see herself as more of a servant for her then a friend but being friends with Gemini was like begging to be a social pariah. She worried her bottom lip as she tried to decide. Marie pulled herself together and decided she was going to put Gemini in her place. She grabbed both mistletoe berries and flux berries with devious intent.

"Let's go Elise these berries aren't going to prepare themselves." Marie snapped as she grabbed her hand dragging her back to their table. Elise just glumly started to assist her with the berries.

"Marie why are we doing both? We won't have time to properly prepare either one in the amount of time if we have to split it." Elise pointed out.

"Don't worry Elise we're mainly focusing on the mistletoe berries and I have a very special use for the flux berries." Marie's face relaxed into a mischievous smirk.

Meanwhile Albus and Aries were ahead of most of the class as they had mainly tuned out Gemini's little face off and Gemini's book had a ridiculous amount of notes on better ways to prepare the berries and Aries grinned. This is why, in every class Gemini was better at than him, he always 'forgot' or 'lost' his book for that class. Gemini had an identic memory, so it never tripped her up much.

He glanced over at his sister and notice she was looking at Elise with a glint of hurt lingering in her brown eyes. He understood why she was hurt because she had tried to make a new friend in her house by standing up to Marie and Elise had basically spat on that offer.

"Hey Gem, it's her loss, okay? You're an amazing person and she would've been beyond lucky to have you as a friend," Aries states grabbing her attention. Gemini just lets out a little sigh and nods.

"Yea Mimi I can personally say that I greatly appreciate that you're my friend." Scorpius chimed in as he went to cut the berries in half.

"Thanks for saying that Scorpius. Wait what are earth are you doing?!" Gemini exclaimed pulling the knife out of his hand.

"Um, following the instructions?" Scorpius said questioningly.

"No those instructions are wrong we want to keep the berries whole and then use the powdered shrivel figs to cause them to dry out like raisins. It preserves more of the berries natural potency." Gemini states shaking her head.

"Yea but the text says that we have to halve them first." Scorpius literally pointed to the passage in his book.

"I know what the book says but the book is wrong trust me. I spent the latter half of 3 years figuring out the best ways to preserve ingredients for potions. It drove my mother batty, but I loved figuring out what other processes there were and possibly what better way there were to help increase the potency of potions and their desired effects." Gemini shoots back with a pleading look.

"Alright but if we loose points on this assignment its on your head not mine," Scorpius pointed out with a shrug as he followed her directions.

Aries listened to his sister and realized that he should do the same thing so and Albus disregard Gemini's notes on mistletoe berries and decide to watch how her and Scorpius prepare their ingredients because they were both using berries the same properties should apply.

As the class was ending Gemini went to deliver her berries to Professor Slughorn and got bumped by Marie causing her container to fall. Luckily she had placed the lid on it to make sure none of the berries fell out. Marie glared at her but bent down to pick up her container because Slughorn was watching. She more or less chucked the container at Gemini be for stalking off. Gemini rolled her eyes and dropped her container on Slughorn's desk behind her and Scorpius's names. Aries and Albus both walked up to drop off their berries and they were grinning ear to ear because they were feeling so smug.

"Alright class now I have some almost finished Polyjuice potions that just need the berries added so I am going to use some berries from each group to make sure they are properly prepared." Slughorn waved his wand and cauldrons appeared in front of each group.

Aries was fidgeting in his seat because he couldn't wait for Slughorn to see how he and Albus had prepped their ingredient and how well it worked. If Gemini was to be believed they were going to get amazing marks. Heck they may even get more points for Gryffindor.

"Alright let's start with Mr. Potter and Mr. Granger," Slughorn grabbed the boys' container. "Well this is interesting. Did you boys happen to grab the wrong berries?"

"Of course not Professor we grabbed the mistletoe berries and took some extra steps to give it more potency." Aries stated from his seat his hazel eyes gleaming.

"Oh no, Aries what did you two smegheads do?" Gemini muttered under her breath hoping her brother had followed her instructions in the book and not what she and Scorpius had done. Doing her version of preparing Flux berries with Mistletoe berries tended to make a very volatile concoction that could very well explode whatever potion it was added too. She slapped her hands over her eyes as Slughorn began to drop berries in.

Aries and Albus crept closer to the front of the class to get their praise after they stunned Slughorn. As Slughorn added berries the cauldron began to shake violently. Gemini let out a little squeal of fear and ducked under her desk pulling Scorpius off his seat with her. Aries saw how the potion was becoming more unstable and his eyes went wide he looked over at Albus and the two nodded simultaneously. Right as the potion was about to explode Aries and Albus both cried out, "Protego!" Albus's shield quickly spreads in front of the class and Aries's wrapped around their professor. Albus's shield wasn't as strong as Aries so it only withstood a portion of the potion's explosion and a decent amount of the boiling potion hit both students who were closest to the front of the class. Unfortunately, that was Aries and Albus. Both boys doubled over in pain and Aries shield dropped but it had managed to keep all the potion off their professor.

"YOU IDIOTS! I swear the minute Miss Pomphrey heals you smegheads I am going to kill you!" Gemini exclaimed as she crawled out from under her desk and ran to her brothers side. "Scorpius help me bring them down to the hospital wing."

"Just one moment Miss Granger I have some burn cream in here that should help sustain them till they arrive at the hospital wing. I must commend both of you on your Protego charms you saved most of the class and myself from dealing with your dangerous blunder. However you also put all your classmates in danger so you will both have a 5 page essay on why certain ingredients are prepared the way they are and the dangerous effects that happen when people try and change them without the proper knowledge," Slughorn swished over with the burn cream and with a wave of his wand applied it to the wounded boys. Scorpius came over to Albus's side and lifted him up by placing Albus's arm around his neck and taking most of the other boy's weight. Gemini was trying to figure out how to lift her brother because he was bigger than her. Scorpius notice her dilemma and glanced at the rest of the class who were all quite shaken up.

"Are you, what was that word you just called these two dolts? Smogbrains?" Scorpius asked looking at Gemini.

"Oh, no its smegheads Scor its from one of our favorite TV shows," Gemini supplied

"Thanks. As I was saying are you smegheads really going to just sit around and watch her try and figure out how to get her brother up? Someone help her already geez for half of you he's in your house and for the other half well just sit a gawk I suppose," Scorpius snarls as he tries to figure out how to help Gemini himself. His words finally spur some of the other Gryffindors into action and two of them helped Aries up and another two went over to Scorpius to take Albus from him. Scorpius waves them off and Gemini goes over to Albus's other side and helps him balance the weight.

"Well due to this unfortunateness I am canceling the rest of class please head back to your common rooms or head off to lunch before your afternoon classes." Professor Slughorn stated. "I will grade your ingredient preparation myself in more regulated conditions."

After dropping the two smegheads off at the infirmary Gemini and Scorpius get pushed into a wall by the two Gryffindor's that brought Aries down and their two friends that had tried to carry Albus.

"Now listen here you snakes; I don't know how you managed to feck up their ingredient preparation, but you should watch your back. No one messes with Gryffindors and gets away with it." One of the boy's growled jabbing his finger into Scorpius's chest.

"You really think I would injure my own brother and his best friend? Are you really that daft?" Gemini shot back shoving the boy who made the comment.

"Back off snake or I'll make sure James Potter takes you down for hurting his brother," The same boy snapped back. Gemini just tossed her hair over her shoulder and laughed.

"Good luck with that boys or maybe you forgot I grew up with James. The mere idea of what my mother, not to mention his parents, would do to him if he harmed a single hair on my head would make him cower in a corner like a little kid in a thunderstorm." With those words she linked arms with Scorpius and headed off to the grand hall.

"Gem I have to say that you are by far the most interesting girl I have ever met in my life and I am very glad I'm on your side," Scorpius chuckled. This was going to be a fun year and he was actually very happy that he made Slytherin.

Author's note: Did you guys enjoy? R&R