Chapter 6: The antidote
The next morning, Harry meandered down to the Gryffindor common room, to find it full of smoke and stars.
"Thought we would spread around a little end of holidays cheer," Guffawed George as Fred was rolling with laughter on the floor. Harry couldn't help but crack a smile. Ron came wandering down out the dormitory, ruffling his hair and yawning.
"Mornin'," he yawned, scratching his stomach.
"Lookin' a bit like dad, aren't we?" asked Fred, still on the floor, but sitting up.
"Oh shut up tweedle Dee and tweedle dumb," Ron muttered, heading towards the portrait.
George then ran up to catch his brother. He had something in his hand, which oddly enough looked like a slip of parchment with a piece of spello-tape.
"Sorry Ron. Did we ever tell you that you are our favorite brother?" Fred asked, with a sharp face on, mimicking his brother. It was all too obvious they were up to something.
"Gee, thanks guys," Ron said, a smile on his face. He had fallen for it. George then clapped his back rather hard.
"See ya at breakfast," Fred and George said, winking at Harry and running up to their room.
"They really have changed," Ron said, looking impressed. "They aren't doing so much bad stuff this year."
"I wouldn't count on that Ron. After all, we just got here yesterday. They have 10 months to humiliate people." Harry looked at Ron's back, which had a sign that said Transfigure me. Harry ripped the piece of parchment of his back and showed it to him.
"Damn it, the stupid prats," he yelled, kicking the piece of armor that was laughing heartily at him.
"It's their last year here. I think they are trying to go out with a bang," Harry said, as they entered the packed great hall.
Ron and Harry sat down across from Karista and Hermione, who looked like they had been up all night.
"Late night? Where ya been, in Hogsmeade or something?" Ron said, grabbing a piece of toast.
Hermione managed a sharp look, imitating Professor McGonagall. Professor Snape was at the staff table, and much to Snape's dismay…
"LUPIN!" Harry said, grabbing Ron's arm rather hard and pointing up at the tired and withered professor.
Ron dropped his toast, as Hermione, Ron and Harry sat waving furiously at him.
"Who is professor Lupin?" asked Karista, looking up at the professor quizzically.
"Oh, he was here in our 3rd year. He was a friend of my parents and of…" Harry stopped. He wasn't sure whether or not he should tell her about Sirius.
"…of who?" Karista asked, staring Harry down.
"Sorry, I just got a little carried away. He knew my parents when they were at Hogwarts."
"Oh," Karista said with a weak smile.
Soon the morning owl post came flocking in. Karista stared up at it amazed, soon chuckling as a little owl came fluttering down in front of her. Immediately she took the letter from it, murmured "Thank you Petrey" and fed it some bread. She then slit the note open.
Hello Karista!
I hope the train ride was good? I am sorry we left you there so early; your father wanted to leave. Anyways, what house are you in? I hope it was Gryffindor, your mother would be so proud! We are all proud of you dear, even if your father doesn't show it. I will be sending you a care package to you soon to share with your friends. Also, you forgot your broom and guitar here; we'll be sending those too.
Write back soon!
Auntie and Uncle
Karista smiled at the letter, then tucked it into her pocket. She again started on her porridge when she noticed another owl sitting in front of Harry. Harry was reading a letter with a particularly smug smile on his face.
"Who's it from?" she asked, immediately realizing that it was a personal question.
Harry looked up from the letter, a look of apprehensiveness on his face.
"Sorry, that's a rather personal question," Karista stammered, another weak smile on her face.
"It's alright. I'll, er, tell you later, when there aren't as many people around."
"Okay."
Soon enough, Professor McGonagall came around with their schedules.
"Flannigan, if you should need help catching up-."
"No, it won't be necessary, I think I can manage on my own," she mumbled.
"Oh, alright," she said, looking slightly impressed.
She glanced down at her schedule, then at Hermione's.
"They are practically the same, except I have divination instead of Arithmancy," Karista said surprisingly.
"Of course," Hermione said, then realizing why Karista had said that. "All the same years in the houses have classes together, and a double class is where you have the class with another house."
"Oh," Karista said, understanding perfectly. "They gave us weird schedules, much like muggle schools do."
Hermione nodded her understanding.
"Oh man! Double potions with the Slytherins first," Ron said, nearly slamming his fist into the bowl of porridge.
"Darn. Looks like you get to meet Snape sooner than expected," Harry said sarcastically, glaring up at the real Snape.
"He probably isn't that bad," Karista said, meeting shocked stares from half the Gryffindors. "Well, I haven't met him yet, therefore, I am not going to hate him immediately."
"You hated Malfoy immediately," Hermione clucked.
"Well that one is obvious, including because he was disturbing me while I was eating my Chocolate frogs, which is a big mistake," Karista said laughing.
"Well, let's make a bet and see how long it takes her to say that she loathes Snape," Ron said. "I bet one piece of toast."
***
"He's late," Harry muttered, pulling his robes closer to his body as they waited in the dungeons.
A cold mist was forming around the 5th year Gryffindors, as they were the first ones there. Off in the distance, they could unmistakably make out Malfoy, along with his now girlfriend Pansy, followed closely by Crabbe and Goyle. They were all laughing at the freezing Gryffindors, when Malfoy froze. His eyes softened at the sight of Karista, even if she wasn't looking at him. She was too busy trying to keep the blood flow from stopping.
"Hello Karista," Draco said, lazy enough to sound backwards. "Fancy seeing you here."
Karista looked up at Malfoy in puzzlement. "Why wouldn't I be here?"
Malfoy, suddenly realizing how stupid his question was, muttered an apology, then went back to taunting Harry and Ron, who were standing clenched fist by the door.
"So Weasel, has your father been fired yet?" he sneered, Crabbe and Goyle laughing stupidly behind him. The rest of the Slytherins were smiling mischievously.
"Has YOUR father been caught yet?" Ron shot at Malfoy, who's face suddenly turned to pure venom.
"I'd watch what you say around me Weasel, you forget-," Malfoy started coldly, yet stopped at the piercing look Karista had been giving him.
"Go on Malfoy. I want to hear this," Karista said, a playful smile on her face. Malfoy froze, then stopped talking all together. Harry had looked into Karista's face and could have sworn he had seen that look in her eyes somewhere else; not in a dream, but only a few months before. Soon a swish of cloak behind them signaled that Snape was closing in.
"Not fighting, I suppose?" Snape said, letting the words slide off his tongue. "5 points from Gryffindor, don't let it happen again. Now, inside!"
They all walked into the dungeons, dragging their cauldrons and backpacks behind them. Karista sat down beside Hermione, while Ron and Harry sat across from them. They swiveled in their chairs to look up at the black board, which had the name of their first lesson.
Sleeping potions and their antidotes
"Now class, today we will be making sleeping potions and antidotes. You will be making the sleeping potion today. As this one is fairly quick to make, I will be testing you today as well. I will randomly select only one of you to do the antidote, which is extremely perplex, as this particular potion has only one. You may begin by opening you books to page 43 to find the ingredients. Flannigan," Snape said, slowly raising his hand towards Karista. "You will make the antidote on page 59."
Everyone looked around at Karista. To their surprise, she had another smile on her face.
"Yes sir," She said mishieviously, picking up her book and opening it to the page.
They all got to work, as Snape wandered around the class, commenting all the Slytherins and dissing the Gryffindors. When he came by Karista's cauldron, he paused, looking into her cauldron intently.
"Correct color at this stage," he said. Snape then put his finger in the goop. "Right temperature. I must say Flannigan, I am mildly impressed by your potion making skills. 5 points to Gryffindor."
All the Gryffindors and a few Slytherins turned to see if it was true. Snape had actually given Gryffindor points. At the end of the class, Snape ladled a bit of Lavender's sleeping potion into a goblet, making her shake nervously.
"Now, if Ms. Brown made the potion correctly, Neville should fall asleep instantly and pleasantly," Snape said, an odd glint in his eyes. He then pulled Neville out of the half circle and sat him on the floor near a pillow. "Now, drink up."
Neville had gone an ugly shade of green, and drank. Immediately, he had fallen backwards onto the pillow, snoring wildly.
"Ms. Brown, you didn't add enough rat spleen. 5 points from Gryffindor," Snape said, placing the goblet on his desk. "Now, let's see how close Ms. Flannigan came to making the antidote. Let's remember that not even 7th years and many grown wizards can do it."
Snape walked over to Karista's cauldron and ladled a murky brown solution into another goblet. He then walked back to Neville. Much to Harry's surprise, Karista had an odd gleam in her eyes, much like the one she had worn while looking at Malfoy in the corridor outside. She was also smiling. Snape tipped Neville's mouth back once he had stopped snoring and poured the solution down his throat. A second passed and Neville had woken up, a smile on his face.
"Wow, that was really cool," Neville said, looking oddly cheerful.
A gasp arose from the other classmates, as Snape looked up at Karista confused.
"How did you do this?" Snape asked, looking wide eyed up at Karista.
She stopped, mainly looking like she was thinking. "I don't know. I found it relatively easy."
Hermione stood looking at her, mouth open and wide eyed. Hermione remembered trying to make it last year and it had backfired spectacularly. Snape just gaped up at her.
"What?" Karista asked, puzzled at the looks she was receiving. "What did I do?"
"Everything," Snape replied, aghast. "I even have trouble sometimes-," he stopped.
The bell rang to change classes, and everyone came to life again as a silent whisper broke out. Snape helped Neville up from the floor, and couldn't help but look at the antidote.
"20 points to Gryffindor. Excellent work, Ms. Flannigan," Snape said exasperatedly.
All the Gryffindors couldn't help but smile and clap Karista hard on the back.
"wow! 25 points for Gryffindor in potions, all in one day! I think that is the first time that ever happened!" Seamus yelled, making other Gryffindors in the halls stare stunned and clap.
Hermione, rather silent yet cheerful congratulated Karista.
"He said it was really difficult, but he doesn't know that at the NYWI, we learned how to do that in our 3rd year," she said, shaking with laughter.
The next morning, Harry meandered down to the Gryffindor common room, to find it full of smoke and stars.
"Thought we would spread around a little end of holidays cheer," Guffawed George as Fred was rolling with laughter on the floor. Harry couldn't help but crack a smile. Ron came wandering down out the dormitory, ruffling his hair and yawning.
"Mornin'," he yawned, scratching his stomach.
"Lookin' a bit like dad, aren't we?" asked Fred, still on the floor, but sitting up.
"Oh shut up tweedle Dee and tweedle dumb," Ron muttered, heading towards the portrait.
George then ran up to catch his brother. He had something in his hand, which oddly enough looked like a slip of parchment with a piece of spello-tape.
"Sorry Ron. Did we ever tell you that you are our favorite brother?" Fred asked, with a sharp face on, mimicking his brother. It was all too obvious they were up to something.
"Gee, thanks guys," Ron said, a smile on his face. He had fallen for it. George then clapped his back rather hard.
"See ya at breakfast," Fred and George said, winking at Harry and running up to their room.
"They really have changed," Ron said, looking impressed. "They aren't doing so much bad stuff this year."
"I wouldn't count on that Ron. After all, we just got here yesterday. They have 10 months to humiliate people." Harry looked at Ron's back, which had a sign that said Transfigure me. Harry ripped the piece of parchment of his back and showed it to him.
"Damn it, the stupid prats," he yelled, kicking the piece of armor that was laughing heartily at him.
"It's their last year here. I think they are trying to go out with a bang," Harry said, as they entered the packed great hall.
Ron and Harry sat down across from Karista and Hermione, who looked like they had been up all night.
"Late night? Where ya been, in Hogsmeade or something?" Ron said, grabbing a piece of toast.
Hermione managed a sharp look, imitating Professor McGonagall. Professor Snape was at the staff table, and much to Snape's dismay…
"LUPIN!" Harry said, grabbing Ron's arm rather hard and pointing up at the tired and withered professor.
Ron dropped his toast, as Hermione, Ron and Harry sat waving furiously at him.
"Who is professor Lupin?" asked Karista, looking up at the professor quizzically.
"Oh, he was here in our 3rd year. He was a friend of my parents and of…" Harry stopped. He wasn't sure whether or not he should tell her about Sirius.
"…of who?" Karista asked, staring Harry down.
"Sorry, I just got a little carried away. He knew my parents when they were at Hogwarts."
"Oh," Karista said with a weak smile.
Soon the morning owl post came flocking in. Karista stared up at it amazed, soon chuckling as a little owl came fluttering down in front of her. Immediately she took the letter from it, murmured "Thank you Petrey" and fed it some bread. She then slit the note open.
Hello Karista!
I hope the train ride was good? I am sorry we left you there so early; your father wanted to leave. Anyways, what house are you in? I hope it was Gryffindor, your mother would be so proud! We are all proud of you dear, even if your father doesn't show it. I will be sending you a care package to you soon to share with your friends. Also, you forgot your broom and guitar here; we'll be sending those too.
Write back soon!
Auntie and Uncle
Karista smiled at the letter, then tucked it into her pocket. She again started on her porridge when she noticed another owl sitting in front of Harry. Harry was reading a letter with a particularly smug smile on his face.
"Who's it from?" she asked, immediately realizing that it was a personal question.
Harry looked up from the letter, a look of apprehensiveness on his face.
"Sorry, that's a rather personal question," Karista stammered, another weak smile on her face.
"It's alright. I'll, er, tell you later, when there aren't as many people around."
"Okay."
Soon enough, Professor McGonagall came around with their schedules.
"Flannigan, if you should need help catching up-."
"No, it won't be necessary, I think I can manage on my own," she mumbled.
"Oh, alright," she said, looking slightly impressed.
She glanced down at her schedule, then at Hermione's.
"They are practically the same, except I have divination instead of Arithmancy," Karista said surprisingly.
"Of course," Hermione said, then realizing why Karista had said that. "All the same years in the houses have classes together, and a double class is where you have the class with another house."
"Oh," Karista said, understanding perfectly. "They gave us weird schedules, much like muggle schools do."
Hermione nodded her understanding.
"Oh man! Double potions with the Slytherins first," Ron said, nearly slamming his fist into the bowl of porridge.
"Darn. Looks like you get to meet Snape sooner than expected," Harry said sarcastically, glaring up at the real Snape.
"He probably isn't that bad," Karista said, meeting shocked stares from half the Gryffindors. "Well, I haven't met him yet, therefore, I am not going to hate him immediately."
"You hated Malfoy immediately," Hermione clucked.
"Well that one is obvious, including because he was disturbing me while I was eating my Chocolate frogs, which is a big mistake," Karista said laughing.
"Well, let's make a bet and see how long it takes her to say that she loathes Snape," Ron said. "I bet one piece of toast."
***
"He's late," Harry muttered, pulling his robes closer to his body as they waited in the dungeons.
A cold mist was forming around the 5th year Gryffindors, as they were the first ones there. Off in the distance, they could unmistakably make out Malfoy, along with his now girlfriend Pansy, followed closely by Crabbe and Goyle. They were all laughing at the freezing Gryffindors, when Malfoy froze. His eyes softened at the sight of Karista, even if she wasn't looking at him. She was too busy trying to keep the blood flow from stopping.
"Hello Karista," Draco said, lazy enough to sound backwards. "Fancy seeing you here."
Karista looked up at Malfoy in puzzlement. "Why wouldn't I be here?"
Malfoy, suddenly realizing how stupid his question was, muttered an apology, then went back to taunting Harry and Ron, who were standing clenched fist by the door.
"So Weasel, has your father been fired yet?" he sneered, Crabbe and Goyle laughing stupidly behind him. The rest of the Slytherins were smiling mischievously.
"Has YOUR father been caught yet?" Ron shot at Malfoy, who's face suddenly turned to pure venom.
"I'd watch what you say around me Weasel, you forget-," Malfoy started coldly, yet stopped at the piercing look Karista had been giving him.
"Go on Malfoy. I want to hear this," Karista said, a playful smile on her face. Malfoy froze, then stopped talking all together. Harry had looked into Karista's face and could have sworn he had seen that look in her eyes somewhere else; not in a dream, but only a few months before. Soon a swish of cloak behind them signaled that Snape was closing in.
"Not fighting, I suppose?" Snape said, letting the words slide off his tongue. "5 points from Gryffindor, don't let it happen again. Now, inside!"
They all walked into the dungeons, dragging their cauldrons and backpacks behind them. Karista sat down beside Hermione, while Ron and Harry sat across from them. They swiveled in their chairs to look up at the black board, which had the name of their first lesson.
Sleeping potions and their antidotes
"Now class, today we will be making sleeping potions and antidotes. You will be making the sleeping potion today. As this one is fairly quick to make, I will be testing you today as well. I will randomly select only one of you to do the antidote, which is extremely perplex, as this particular potion has only one. You may begin by opening you books to page 43 to find the ingredients. Flannigan," Snape said, slowly raising his hand towards Karista. "You will make the antidote on page 59."
Everyone looked around at Karista. To their surprise, she had another smile on her face.
"Yes sir," She said mishieviously, picking up her book and opening it to the page.
They all got to work, as Snape wandered around the class, commenting all the Slytherins and dissing the Gryffindors. When he came by Karista's cauldron, he paused, looking into her cauldron intently.
"Correct color at this stage," he said. Snape then put his finger in the goop. "Right temperature. I must say Flannigan, I am mildly impressed by your potion making skills. 5 points to Gryffindor."
All the Gryffindors and a few Slytherins turned to see if it was true. Snape had actually given Gryffindor points. At the end of the class, Snape ladled a bit of Lavender's sleeping potion into a goblet, making her shake nervously.
"Now, if Ms. Brown made the potion correctly, Neville should fall asleep instantly and pleasantly," Snape said, an odd glint in his eyes. He then pulled Neville out of the half circle and sat him on the floor near a pillow. "Now, drink up."
Neville had gone an ugly shade of green, and drank. Immediately, he had fallen backwards onto the pillow, snoring wildly.
"Ms. Brown, you didn't add enough rat spleen. 5 points from Gryffindor," Snape said, placing the goblet on his desk. "Now, let's see how close Ms. Flannigan came to making the antidote. Let's remember that not even 7th years and many grown wizards can do it."
Snape walked over to Karista's cauldron and ladled a murky brown solution into another goblet. He then walked back to Neville. Much to Harry's surprise, Karista had an odd gleam in her eyes, much like the one she had worn while looking at Malfoy in the corridor outside. She was also smiling. Snape tipped Neville's mouth back once he had stopped snoring and poured the solution down his throat. A second passed and Neville had woken up, a smile on his face.
"Wow, that was really cool," Neville said, looking oddly cheerful.
A gasp arose from the other classmates, as Snape looked up at Karista confused.
"How did you do this?" Snape asked, looking wide eyed up at Karista.
She stopped, mainly looking like she was thinking. "I don't know. I found it relatively easy."
Hermione stood looking at her, mouth open and wide eyed. Hermione remembered trying to make it last year and it had backfired spectacularly. Snape just gaped up at her.
"What?" Karista asked, puzzled at the looks she was receiving. "What did I do?"
"Everything," Snape replied, aghast. "I even have trouble sometimes-," he stopped.
The bell rang to change classes, and everyone came to life again as a silent whisper broke out. Snape helped Neville up from the floor, and couldn't help but look at the antidote.
"20 points to Gryffindor. Excellent work, Ms. Flannigan," Snape said exasperatedly.
All the Gryffindors couldn't help but smile and clap Karista hard on the back.
"wow! 25 points for Gryffindor in potions, all in one day! I think that is the first time that ever happened!" Seamus yelled, making other Gryffindors in the halls stare stunned and clap.
Hermione, rather silent yet cheerful congratulated Karista.
"He said it was really difficult, but he doesn't know that at the NYWI, we learned how to do that in our 3rd year," she said, shaking with laughter.