Chapter 2- The Prodigy of Potions
Draco hummed quietly to himself, as he watched Professor Snape criticize Neville Longbottom for the third time, and he grinned with contentment. Potter, who had been assigned as his partner, as usual, snorted with rage.
It was double Potions today, with the Gryffindors, but Draco had looked forward to seeing Lilith in the class. He wondered if the potions that were taught in Durmstrang were as advanced as their Dark Arts.
Professor Snape had chosen the Dreamer's Draught for them to make in for this particular lesson. Draco looked up at the blackboard, where it was written: The Dreamer's Draught- a powerful potion capable of sending one into a deep slumber followed by a dream of he or she's most greatest desires.
Draco raised an eyebrow with interest. What was Lilith's greatest desire? He looked at her, sitting directly to his right, calmly adding octopus powder into her bubbling cauldron. Draco blinked with confusion and looked up at the board. There were over twenty instructions for the procedure of making the potion, and he scanned each one. Finally, he found what he had been looking for; he read the last instruction: Slowly add the octopus powder into the concoction, stirring it clockwise at the same time. The colour should turn a bright pink, thus indicating the potion has been made successfully.
And sure enough, when Draco glanced at Lilith's cauldron, her potion was a bright pink, with numerous pink bubbles forming on its surface. She smiled with satisfaction.
Draco gasped with shock. He, and the rest of the class for that matter, had not even reached the sixth instruction. Slowly, Lilith raised her hand.
'What is it, Miss Lilith?' asked Professor Snape. The entire class turned to her.
'I finished my potion, sir,' she said quietly. Draco noted her voice sounded silvery and mysterious.
Professor Snape stared at her with narrow eyes. He strode towards her and peered into her cauldron, and his beady eyes widened with surprise.
'In- indeed,' he said, and cleared his throat loudly. 'It seems that Miss Lilith, our new student from Durmstrang, has managed to complete the potion well within the time limit. Twenty-seven minutes to be precise.'
A soft murmur arose from the Gryffindors. They were all staring at Granger, who was Lilith's partner and absolutely seething with anger. Lilith simply gazed at her with her hypnotizing blue eyes. Draco felt his spirits rise greatly. Finally, someone had defeated Granger in class.
'Fifty points to Slytherin,' announced Professor Snape, obviously impressed. Several of the Slytherins whooped and whistled at Lilith. Draco smirked at Potter.
'However-' continued Professor Snape, and the class instantly quieted, 'I am informed that potions such as these are basic in the school of Durmstrang. So I would like to see Miss Lilith brew a highly advanced potion.'
He raised his wand and pointed at the blank blackboard on the opposite wall. Chalk words suddenly appeared on the board, which read Potion of Hatred.
Draco stared at the words in confusion. He had never heard of that potion. And neither did the rest of the class, so it seemed. Granger stared at the board with an expression of mixed smugness and pity. Lilith, however, remained indifferent.
'Alright, Professor Snape,' she whispered, emphasizing his name as though she had just tasted something horribly sour. He threw back his greasy head arrogantly, and pointed at the board again. More words began appearing under Potion of Hatred, listing instructions so complex that Draco was awed to think that Lilith was actually going to challenge Professor Snape's intellect.
The ingredients for the potion were simple and easily attainable, but the procedure on brewing it was as long as the procedures of twenty basic potions combined together.
'Begin now,' hissed Professor Snape.
For one complete hour, Lilith continued to slowly but confidently follow the instructions written upon the dusty blackboard, during which time everyone had completely neglected their assignment of the Dreamer's Draught to watch her work. For once, Professor Snape didn't notice, or didn't care, so Draco assumed.
Finally, much to everybody's surprise, Lilith lowered her eyes from the board and stared coolly into Professor Snape's own expressionless eyes, and said calmly, 'I'm done.'
'Silence!' barked Professor Snape, as a loud murmur erupted in the class. He whipped around, strode to his table and grabbed an empty phial standing on it. Once he stood in front of Lilith's cauldron, he dipped the phial into it, and slowly filled it with the dark brown concoction.
He glared at Lilith suspiciously, and he strode to the other side of the room, until he faced a very frightened-looking Goyle.
'If Miss Lilith has actually succeeded in making a perfect Potion of Hatred,' said Professor Snape icily, 'the drinker will feel an immense sense of hatred towards the person he cares most for.'
He leaned forward, so that his face was just inches away from Goyle's sweating one.
'Drink it, Mr. Goyle,' ordered Professor Snape, holding out the phial. 'Or you shall find yourself in a worse predicament. Drink it, there's nothing to be afraid of. I have the antidote lest something... uncontrollable happens.'
Draco stared at him in curiosity. What if the potion was perfect?
Everyone held their breath as Goyle nervously took the phial from Professor Snape's pale hands. Draco glanced back at Lilith, who, to his surprise, looked horrified. Goyle closed his eyes, and slowly brought the phial to his lips. Then, in one long second, he swallowed the potion.
Several tense minutes passed. Goyle didn't seem any different, except for the dazed look in his half-open eyes. Professor Snape peered at him in anticipation.
Suddenly, as though an explosion occurred, Goyle let out a terrific howl and stood up rapidly, the sudden movement flinging his chair behind. His expression turned angry, and he howled again. He turned to face Draco.
Draco stood up, obviously sensing what was coming. 'Sir, shouldn't you get the antidote?' he said in panic, as Goyle began marching towards him. Everyone else, too, got up in alarm. Lilith ran to Draco's side.
'Professor!' she cried, 'I didn't realize you would actually test the potion on someone! Sir, that's a powerful potion!'
'I know that, you stupid girl!' yelled Professor Snape.
'But sir, that potion could last forever if the antidote isn't taken within twenty-four hours!'
Draco stared at her in horror. 'Are you serious? You mean I could have Goyle trying to murder me for the rest of my threatened life?'
Lilith nodded, and screamed as Goyle threw aside a table in his way. Draco's heartbeat increased with every step Goyle took towards him.
'PROFESSOR!' the entire class cried. Professor Snape hurriedly retrieved a small tube containing a milky substance from the inner pocket of his cloak.
He ran forwards and grabbed Goyle's shoulders, and Goyle let out another howl of anger. Professor Snape took this opportunity to shove the milky contents into Goyle's mouth. Immediately, he went slack in Professor Snape's arms. The class gave an enormous sigh of relief.
'Another fifty points to Slytherin, for a perfect potion...' said Professor Snape between breaths. Draco could only stare at him. He was going to tell his father about this. A teacher attacking a student by means of another student...
'Are you alright?' asked Lilith in concern.
Draco faced her, and, though his heart was still beating in time with the rushing blood in his head, he couldn't help but smile in admiration. She smiled back, and blinked her blue eyes.
Granger suddenly appeared at Lilith's side. 'What exactly are the kind of things they teach you at Durmstrang?' she demanded.
'Potions more complicated and with more drastic results than this, and also they encourage us to create our own potions. Be warned, you may find something of mine in your drink one of these days... and besides, didn't your boyfriend Krum tell you anything?'
Granger gaped at Lilith, who calmly smiled back at her. Draco smirked, and instantly forgot his previous feelings of panic and terror.