Harry, Ron, and Sallie rushed to Potions. Sallie tried to ask the boys
about this class, but there
wasn't enough time. They ran head on into the room, nearly colliding with Professor Snape as he
entered the room. They reached their seats just as the bell rang. Sallie glanced over at Neville, who
was already cringing at his desk.
"Finally, you're all seventh years. Therefore, I'll be rid of you soon, but let's not try to do any
damage to one another in the meantime," Snape said, with a meaningful glance in Neville's direction.
Neville shrank even more and attempted to hide behind his cauldron. "As for the rest of you, we will
be creating a Purifying Solution. This can be used to reduce any liquid substance to its most basic
elements and is useful at sea to create potable water. However, it is very unstable. Can anyone explain
why?"
As usual, Hermione's hand shot up into the air, but to everyone's surprise, so did Sallie's. The
two of them were raising their hands so vigorously and were seated so closely, it was hard to tell them
apart. However, Snape picked Sallie out from the melee. "Well, well, Miss McFly. A country not
heard from. Why is the Purifying Solution so unstable?"
"Well, the solution is unstable because of the lacewings. They are so fragile that they can not
support the needs of the solution."
"If that's true, Miss McFly, then why use them at all? Couldn't we find a substitute?"
"It's been tried and has failed. The potion only works with the lacewings. Therefore, if you
are making the potion to last for more than a day, you must add Japanese beetle shells every 24 hours.
Otherwise, the potion will dry up and be unrecoverable."
"A sufficient explanation, however, we use crushed scorpion shell. It is stronger than beetle
shells. Everyone, pair up and begin crushing scorpion shells and dicing the hyssop roots. This potion
needs to brew for 20 minutes, so you must hurry."
A moment later, everyone was huddled around their cauldrons. Hermione and Sallie paired up
at Sallie's cauldron. Hermione grabbed Sallie's arm and whispered, "I've got some great news."
"What? Oh, Harry's found a new beater! Right?"
"Erm, no. While you, Harry, and Ron were outside talking about Quidditch, Neville and I went
to the library. He started talking about you helping him in the common room yesterday, and he
wouldn't stop talking. Everything he said was Sallie this, and Sallie that, and he said he really likes
you, but that you probably wouldn't like him." With that, Hermione sat down and started to dice
hyssop roots. Sallie, however, was in shock. *Neville? Wow. I've only been here this long and
already someone likes me? I'm so confused*. "Sallie! Sit down and start crushing the scorpion
shells, otherwise Professor Snape'll come here and get angry."
Sallie got to work, but kept stealing glances at Neville across the dungeon. She could barely
keep her mind on her own work. She nearly crushed one of the hyssop roots, and then almost spilled
the entire vial of distilled water. Hermione tried not to giggle, but Sallie's errors were quite laughable.
Finally, Hermione added the shredded lemon zest and brought the solution to a rolling boil. Everyone
else in the class was finished with their potions. There was a pleasantly clean scent in the air.
All the potions had finished brewing, and Snape walked around, examining each's color and
thickness. After his rounds, Snape returned to Neville's potion in order to demonstrate it to the rest of
the class. "If Mr. Longbottom's potion works as it is supposed to, then this vial I hold should separate
into two distinct sections of black ink and water. However, if it does not, as I suspect, then the vial
will turn a bright crimson. Shall we?" Draco looked on with glee, hoping to see Neville belittled
again. Hermione and Sallie sat with their fingers crossed behind their backs, hoping for the best.
Neville simply sat in his normal, cringing position, ready to flee at the first chance.
Snape added Neville's potion to the vial in his hand. The liquid in the vial started to separate,
but never finished. Snape harrumphed. "I'm glad to see you've at least learned something over the
past seven years. However, this potion is still incorrect. 10 points from Gryffindor." The bell finally
rang, and everyone dashed out for lunch. Sallie, Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Neville were a few steps
out of the room when Sallie gasped and ran back to Potions.
"Forgot my notebook," she called to the others over her shoulder. She ran back into the class and
grabbed her forgotten Potions notebook. When she stepped out of the room, someone was waiting for
her.
"So, little Miss American thinks she's as good as the other little Miss Wonderful," Draco said,
grabbing Sallie's arm and shoving her against the wall. He pushed his face up close to hers, so close
she could feel his breath every time he exhaled. "I've got some news for you: both of you are
just dirty stupid girls and are good for only one thing." At that, Draco reached out and tried to grab at
Sallie's chest. Sallie, who'd been well-trained by her 3 older brothers, shot out her fist and caught
Malfoy straight in the nose. She heard the satisfying crunch as his her knuckles collided with his face,
then ran back to her friends, standing aghast in the corridor. She had taken one step when she felt
another hand try to get a hold of her shoulder. She turned around, ready to attack, when she saw that it
was Professor Snape. Sallie started to babble, trying to explain what had happened.
"No need Miss McFly. I saw the entire incident, and understand your actions. However, the
next time, please kindly consult a teacher first, before you inflict bodily harm. Now go on, run along."
Sallie stood, amazed at what had happened. However, Ron's call woke her from her reverie.
"Sallie, come on. I'm hungry, let's go!" She ran towards everyone, and they started for the Great
Hall.
"Nice punch Sallie," Harry said in admiration. "He'll have some nice black eyes thanks to you.
Hey. I just had an idea. Do you think you could be our beater? You do a great job with your fists,
you think you could do that with a bat?"
"You really mean that? I'd love to be a beater! I've always wanted to. Every time I played at
home my brothers would make me be keeper. They'll flip out when they hear about this. Me, on a
Hogwarts team... on Harry Potter's team! Thanks. That just made my day."
wasn't enough time. They ran head on into the room, nearly colliding with Professor Snape as he
entered the room. They reached their seats just as the bell rang. Sallie glanced over at Neville, who
was already cringing at his desk.
"Finally, you're all seventh years. Therefore, I'll be rid of you soon, but let's not try to do any
damage to one another in the meantime," Snape said, with a meaningful glance in Neville's direction.
Neville shrank even more and attempted to hide behind his cauldron. "As for the rest of you, we will
be creating a Purifying Solution. This can be used to reduce any liquid substance to its most basic
elements and is useful at sea to create potable water. However, it is very unstable. Can anyone explain
why?"
As usual, Hermione's hand shot up into the air, but to everyone's surprise, so did Sallie's. The
two of them were raising their hands so vigorously and were seated so closely, it was hard to tell them
apart. However, Snape picked Sallie out from the melee. "Well, well, Miss McFly. A country not
heard from. Why is the Purifying Solution so unstable?"
"Well, the solution is unstable because of the lacewings. They are so fragile that they can not
support the needs of the solution."
"If that's true, Miss McFly, then why use them at all? Couldn't we find a substitute?"
"It's been tried and has failed. The potion only works with the lacewings. Therefore, if you
are making the potion to last for more than a day, you must add Japanese beetle shells every 24 hours.
Otherwise, the potion will dry up and be unrecoverable."
"A sufficient explanation, however, we use crushed scorpion shell. It is stronger than beetle
shells. Everyone, pair up and begin crushing scorpion shells and dicing the hyssop roots. This potion
needs to brew for 20 minutes, so you must hurry."
A moment later, everyone was huddled around their cauldrons. Hermione and Sallie paired up
at Sallie's cauldron. Hermione grabbed Sallie's arm and whispered, "I've got some great news."
"What? Oh, Harry's found a new beater! Right?"
"Erm, no. While you, Harry, and Ron were outside talking about Quidditch, Neville and I went
to the library. He started talking about you helping him in the common room yesterday, and he
wouldn't stop talking. Everything he said was Sallie this, and Sallie that, and he said he really likes
you, but that you probably wouldn't like him." With that, Hermione sat down and started to dice
hyssop roots. Sallie, however, was in shock. *Neville? Wow. I've only been here this long and
already someone likes me? I'm so confused*. "Sallie! Sit down and start crushing the scorpion
shells, otherwise Professor Snape'll come here and get angry."
Sallie got to work, but kept stealing glances at Neville across the dungeon. She could barely
keep her mind on her own work. She nearly crushed one of the hyssop roots, and then almost spilled
the entire vial of distilled water. Hermione tried not to giggle, but Sallie's errors were quite laughable.
Finally, Hermione added the shredded lemon zest and brought the solution to a rolling boil. Everyone
else in the class was finished with their potions. There was a pleasantly clean scent in the air.
All the potions had finished brewing, and Snape walked around, examining each's color and
thickness. After his rounds, Snape returned to Neville's potion in order to demonstrate it to the rest of
the class. "If Mr. Longbottom's potion works as it is supposed to, then this vial I hold should separate
into two distinct sections of black ink and water. However, if it does not, as I suspect, then the vial
will turn a bright crimson. Shall we?" Draco looked on with glee, hoping to see Neville belittled
again. Hermione and Sallie sat with their fingers crossed behind their backs, hoping for the best.
Neville simply sat in his normal, cringing position, ready to flee at the first chance.
Snape added Neville's potion to the vial in his hand. The liquid in the vial started to separate,
but never finished. Snape harrumphed. "I'm glad to see you've at least learned something over the
past seven years. However, this potion is still incorrect. 10 points from Gryffindor." The bell finally
rang, and everyone dashed out for lunch. Sallie, Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Neville were a few steps
out of the room when Sallie gasped and ran back to Potions.
"Forgot my notebook," she called to the others over her shoulder. She ran back into the class and
grabbed her forgotten Potions notebook. When she stepped out of the room, someone was waiting for
her.
"So, little Miss American thinks she's as good as the other little Miss Wonderful," Draco said,
grabbing Sallie's arm and shoving her against the wall. He pushed his face up close to hers, so close
she could feel his breath every time he exhaled. "I've got some news for you: both of you are
just dirty stupid girls and are good for only one thing." At that, Draco reached out and tried to grab at
Sallie's chest. Sallie, who'd been well-trained by her 3 older brothers, shot out her fist and caught
Malfoy straight in the nose. She heard the satisfying crunch as his her knuckles collided with his face,
then ran back to her friends, standing aghast in the corridor. She had taken one step when she felt
another hand try to get a hold of her shoulder. She turned around, ready to attack, when she saw that it
was Professor Snape. Sallie started to babble, trying to explain what had happened.
"No need Miss McFly. I saw the entire incident, and understand your actions. However, the
next time, please kindly consult a teacher first, before you inflict bodily harm. Now go on, run along."
Sallie stood, amazed at what had happened. However, Ron's call woke her from her reverie.
"Sallie, come on. I'm hungry, let's go!" She ran towards everyone, and they started for the Great
Hall.
"Nice punch Sallie," Harry said in admiration. "He'll have some nice black eyes thanks to you.
Hey. I just had an idea. Do you think you could be our beater? You do a great job with your fists,
you think you could do that with a bat?"
"You really mean that? I'd love to be a beater! I've always wanted to. Every time I played at
home my brothers would make me be keeper. They'll flip out when they hear about this. Me, on a
Hogwarts team... on Harry Potter's team! Thanks. That just made my day."