I apologize for the shortness of this chapter. :) My b, but I want to leave you guys with a nice, long one for the final chapter…which shall be my next upload to this fic, I believe. I've really gotten to like Katie, it hurts me to end this story, but I've discovered I also very much like Katie Bell…lol! If ya'll have any plot ideas feel free to send them along…in the meantime, enjoy….
Me
The magical blue fire flickered vibrantly in the dark clearing. Tom poked it with his wand, which emitted silver sparks---it was just the right temperature. He levitated the stone cauldron over the flames.
"You are quiet tonight, Tom," said Wygsyact. He sat near his protégé, wrapping himself up in the skin of the anaconda. "Tell me why."
Tom stared into the flames sullenly. "I'm thinking. Don't interrupt me when I'm thinking."
Wygsyact made sort of a 'tsk, tsk' sound. "You are never happy, Tom, always sad sad saddy sad sad. Morose. Gloomy. Depress---"
"Shut it."
"Or angry."
"I said, shut it."
"Tsk, tsk."
Tom felt as though his mind was a very complex place, one that took lots of searching through to find any answers. Now, as he stirred the simmering potion, he tried to determine just why his thoughts kept going back to Katie. It was like a shot of firewhiskey going through his system every time her picture arose in his mind. She loved him. He'd said he loved her. And the disturbing part was, he eventually realized, that he might have been telling the truth.
"Well, you've got your five, Tom," said Wygsyact in a lighthearted tone.
Pulled from his thoughts, Tom jerked. "What?"
"…that girl, eh?"
"What girl?"
Wygsyact stroked his snakeskin.
"Oh." Tom felt the heat in his veins again. "I gave her a memory charm. She'll be okay."
"She is going to create problems, Tom, especially if you lie to your teacher."
The two locked eyes for a moment. "Who said I was lying."
Wygsyact returned to petting his snakeskin. The silence resumed, complete save for the bubble of potion and bird calls and insect noises of the rainforest. Tom forced his mind away from Katie, instead he concentrated on finishing the whiteish potion. Little by little, he added the powder of a crumpled snorknack liver. Had to pay attention now. Too much would be just as bad as too little…he didn't like to think on what would happen if his hand should slip….
"Stop!" Wygsyact cried. He leaned over the cauldron and inhaled the vapors. "Ahhh…beautiful…"
Careful as to not spill a drop, Tom ladled the now bright-white liquid into a silver mug. He sniffed it himself---it did smell quite nice. Somewhat intoxicating, like perfume mixed with power and liquor. Sweet.
"Bottoms up!" said Wygsyact happily. "Last drink! Enjoy it, boy, there are no more lovely as the last before the Night…I'm thirsty, Tom…." Suddenly he shoved his head into the cauldron, licking the sides clean, with lots of loud slurping noises.
Tom hesitated, watching him. He made a silent prayer to whatever sort of God there might be (these thoughts didn't exactly bother him, because as we know, he had no intention of dying) that he not end up as crazy as the mad, crouching little man before him. Then he drained the mug.
The first drink had been harsh. It scorched his tongue and made him want to spit it out immediately, but he swallowed it all. The second was a little less painful, a little more enjoyable, as was the third and the fourth. After each drink he came to look forward to the inexplicable feeling of force that started in his stomach and flowed through him with his blood, growing daily, building upon itself. Now it was his final drink, cool and refreshing as a glass of cold pure water on a hot, dry day. The chill of strength sped through him.
Wygsyact sighed and emerged from the cauldron. "No more lovely as the last…."
"Tomorrow is the Night," Tom said. With this new feeling of power grew his confidence and determination.
"Good thing, too," said Wygsyact. "They are starting to complain. I told you two was enough, but nooooo, spoiled widdle Tommykins wanted FIVE…."
"You do realize that if I didn't need you, I'd kill you."
"You do realize that the only reason I provoke you is because you need me, Tom."
That night ended like many and most of their meetings. Neither could wait for their temporary partnership to be over, seeing as how they could barely stand one another. After a reaffirmation of how much one disliked the other, Tom dropped the mug and stood up, dusting off his robes.
"Tomorrow at sunset," he said, by way of a farewell. Wygsyact did not reply.
Tom Apparated home. There was a memo waiting for him from Katie, suggesting they do something tomorrow.
There was no firewhiskey in his veins.
He scrawled a reply, "can't tomorrow talk to you after work," and sent the memo back to her. She would get it when she woke up, and if she didn't, well, that wasn't his problem.