"So, the first thing to do is to carry a single Mandrake leaf in your mouth for an entire month. You have to do it from one full moon to the next. A trick is to use a sticking charm on it, so you don't swallow or accidentally spit it out. You can't even take it out for eating." Professor Francis says. "I will be providing Mandrake leaves to you till one month before the end of the term. You have till them to learn. If you have any questions of concerns. Professor McGonagall and I are around to answer them."
We are dismissed at the end of class after she tells us more about Mandrake leaves and why this step is so important. The girls and I are splitting up. Boys have defence against the dark arts. Lily has charms and Abbie has defence against the dark arts with the boys. She will take them to the class. I make my way back to the dungeons to Alchemy. Also, taught by Professor Snape and Professor James.
"Been a while Since I've seen you, Jophiel." Professor James greets as I walk in.
I take a seat at my desk chuckling. He continues to greet Salem students as they come in. It's his tradition. Professor Snape did tell Draco he was looking forward to teaching Alchemy. Because it is only the best of the best in potions that get invited to the Alchemy class. So, no dunderheads in this class. But it also leads the class to be significantly smaller. Damon sits on one side of me and a Gryffindor by the name of Anika sits on the other.
"Hey Jophiel, how has your day been?" She asks.
"Good, how about you?" How's you wolfsbane going?" I ask.
"It's going well. My potion is turning out just right. Which is to be expected with any Alchemy student." She smiles as she says.
"So, are you all getting along well with the Hogwarts Gryffindors?" Damon jumps in and asks her. I know I am curious as well.
"They seem to not want us here. A few have been very kind, but some have been down right mean to us. Most of them are just ignoring us. They were also blaming us for not completing potions and getting homework due tomorrow. You would think they had never learned a day in their lives." She rants very upset. "How are the Slytherins?"
"They seem to be much better. We all buddied up, so we have a Hogwarts buddy. Apparently, they have a bullying problem here and Slytherins are generally the target. But other then that the Slytherin's seem eager to learn from us." I tell her.
"I'm glad at least some of the Hogwarts kids are embracing Salem." She says sadly.
"I hear it's just some of the Gryffindors." Damon says. "I hear that Hufflepuff was so excited to have more people and Ravenclaw is excited to learn from us and have study buddies."
"So, it's just the stubborn Gryff's. How unfortunate." Anika says defeated.
"Don't give up. I hear the Weasley twins always want to learn, maybe you can buddy up with them." I suggest to her.
"Jophiel, they are pranking legends here." Damon says.
"Anika loves to prank." I tell him.
"What?!" He says looking at her. "You do?"
"Yeah, my studies come first, but I do love to plank others. As long as it doesn't lead to Permanente harm." She says smiling dangerously at Damon.
"How did I not know this?" He asks.
"You never asked." She tells him shrugging.
"Welcome back to Alchemy. Although a lot of your other classes have been changed or uprooted. Alchemy will not be one of them." Professor James informs us. "You will be using this class to make your own potions. You will be creating three potions of your own allowing you to become a potions master. In this class you will finally learn about the elixirs that will extend your life. For the first potion you will have to create is a healing potion. You will be doing something similar in potions class. By making potions better. Here you will find an ailment and cure it. I expect this to be difficult. So, start thinking on what you want to cure now. Rather then waiting for the last minute. Your second potion will be one that helps Auras. I want future changing potions. Your last one will be one that helps the ordinary person. I expect thoughtful ideas." Professor James tells us. "I want you and your desk partners to discuss what you think you want to create. For bonus points you may make a fourth potion. You may begin discussing."
"What are you two thinking?" Damon asks.
"For the first one I'm thinking Dragon pox either reducing symptoms, curing or prevention." Anika says. "You, Jophiel?"
"I'm thinking curing the aftereffects of Crucio, sure it's a difficult think but I definitely think it will be useful and completely worth my time. Damon, how bout you?" I ask him.
"I want to cure Lou Gehrig's disease." He says.
"That's a good cause." I say. Anika nods agreeing with me.
"Second potion?" Anika asks.
"I'm thinking of making a potion that allows the drinker to pass through anti apparition wards." Damon and Anika look impressed.
"That sounds cool." Damon says. "I'm thinking a potion that you can throw down and it forms a cage to hold suspects."
"That's a good one." Anika tells him. "I'm thinking I want to do something where they put a drop of potion and a hair on a parchment, and it tells everything about a witch or wizard."
"That will be useful." I tell her.
"That's what I was hoping. I just have to figure out for it to work through Polyjuice." She says.
"Alright third potion." I say.
"I have no idea," Damon says.
"I got nothing," Anika adds throwing her hands up. "You?"
"I was thinking that a couple would split a potion and it will give them a level of compatibility," I tell them.
"Hmmm…" Damon says. "Could be interesting." He thinks.
"Got any idea if you are going to do the bonus potion?" Anika asks.
"I think I will do mine on restarting the heart after being hit by the killing curse. Someone administers it. the potion delivers a bolt of electricity to the heart to restart it." I say.
"I'm thinking something that allows you to look in a basilisks eye's and not get killed." Damon says.
"I never would have thought of something like that." I say to him. I'm surprised someone thought of that. I know they are more common near Drumstrang school.
"Professor James." I hear someone call. The entire class turns to look and it's Blaise.
"Yes." Professor James says.
"I was hoping to talk to you about todays potions class." He says looking around hesitantly.
"Well come on in. Come don't be frightened." James says.
Blaise walks in and heads closer to Professor James. They are standing close to Damon, Anika, and myself.
"I watched a Gryffindor sabotage three Salem Slytherin student's potions." He says.
"That is a heavy accusation." Professor James says.
"Never mind then." Blaise says. Turning around to walk away.
"I never said I wouldn't listen. I was just telling you that it is a heavy accusation. Which is the truth. Do you know who sabotaged the potions?" Professor James says slowly. I can tell he is upset that this kind of think happened in his classroom. He is also upset that Blaise thought he wouldn't believe him so quickly.
"It was Ronald Weasley the red head." Blaise tells him.
"I did see him over by three Slytherin potions." Anika adds in. Blaise and Professor quickly turn towards us.
"Did you see what he was doing?" Professor James asks. Blaise looks shocked that Anika a Gryffindor would says anything. I give him a smile of encouragement.
"No, his body was covering what he was doing. But it made no sense for him to be there. You had already vanished his potion and sent him on his way. After he walked away, I saw the Slytherin's freaking out, until you came over and vanished their potions." Anika tells them.
"Thank you, Anika, Blaise. He will be punished accordingly. He endangered students in my class. A student could have died had I not noticed and vanished the potion." Professor James says very upset. I do feel bad. I know he works hard to make his classroom as safe as he possibly can. He is also an amazing and understanding teacher. He goes above and beyond and accommodates anyone who needs accommodations. We get dismissed and I head with Blaise to the great hall.
"Thanks," I say to him as we are walking.
"Why are you thanking me?" He asks confused.
"Because it took a lot of courage to come forward and tell Professor James about what had happened." I tell him.
"It was for all of Slytherin not just those three." He says.
"Well, the Weasley twins will be reined in as well." I inform him.
"How?" He asks as we sit at our table.
"I believe Anika is joining their group. She will make sure their pranks don't permanently damage anyone," I explain.
"Who won't permanently damage anyone?" Draco asks sitting beside me. He kisses the side of my head and then dishes up my lunch.
"The Weasley twins and Anika. I do hope she helps them see that Slytherin's aren't evil." I tell him.
"She will. She's good people." Lily Says.
We see Professor James open the doors to the great hall with a loud bang. Everyone turns and looks at him. the Great Hall going quiet. He walks quickly towards Weasel, his robe bellowing behind him. Salem knows how big of a deal this is.
"Sev would be proud of him." Draco whispers in my ear. I quietly giggle.
"Mr. Ronald Weasley." Professor James says in a displeased tone.
"Yes, James." He says excitedly.
"It's Professor or Sir, Mr. Weasley." Professor corrects.
"Yes, Professor." Weasel says still excited. I don't think he has caught the hint that this is a bad thing. Even Granger and Potter are looking worried. I notice the twins going to interfere, but Anika grabs their wrists and shakes her head.
"You have bullied your way out of my class and into detention for the rest of the year. You have endangered your fellow students. You will be reporting to me after you last class of the day. You will be released for dinner but expected back right after. On weekends you will be with me from sunup to sundown. You do not bully students. You have also lost 10,000 points for Gryffindor." Professor James tells him.
The Hogwarts kids look shocked. Never seeing suck strict teaching. Usually, they think it's only Snape who teaches that way. They are learning with this that Salem is a lot stricter on students. It has to be. We learn a lot more dangerous and complicated spells and potions then they do here. The Gryffindors look angry at Professor James.
"Professor James, don't you think you are overstepping a little bit." Dumbledore says stepping down from the professors table and walks over. Weasel looks smug. Like he thinks Dumbledore will get him out of his punishment. That would never happen. That may work in Hogwarts classes but never a Salem class.
"I don't think so. He was in a Salem class. Hogwarts classes may allow for bullying, but Salem classes do not. You can change the punishment, but your Hogwarts students will not be welcome back in my class again. I imagine the other Salem teachers will feel that same way as me. Knowing that you do not want to take our classes seriously. Salem classes are more dangerous then Hogwarts classes seem to be. We put safeguards for our students. That way if they make mistakes, they will not get permanently damaged. We do not take bullying into our safeguards." Professor James says sternly.
Dumbledore's face goes pale. Almost like he just learned the gravity and how Salem teaches. Our headmaster would have informed him of the strict rules we have. He probably thought our headmaster was lying. Well, this is one way to find out.
"Of course, Professor James. Lets not get hasty. I do understand where you are coming from. But taking away that many points punish all of Gryffindor." Dumbledore argues. Our own headmaster decides to step in. He makes his way down to the discussion.
"Well, in Salem as we discussed before we give swift and harsh punishments to deter bullying in the future. We find that taking a large amount of points gets the other house members to make sure the bully doesn't do it again." Our headmaster says. "Salem doesn't stand for bullying of any sort. I am sorry to hear that Hogwarts does. I know our friends will be very unhappy to hear that." I chuckle knowing exactly what he is doing. He is very good at making things go in his favour.
"Of course, Hogwarts doesn't Headmaster. Carry on." Dumbledore says walking away. Weasel looks deflated. Gryffindor all glare at Weasel knowing that it's his fault not professor James's anymore.
"I shall see you after your last class, Mr. Ronald Weasley." Professor James says walking to the professors table with our headmaster. They both sit and start to eat. Slowly the students start to eat and talk again.
"That was insane! Your headmaster has to be Slytherin." Theo says in awe.
"No, fro what we know he was a Hufflepuff." Lily says.
"What?! Hufflepuff?!" Theo yells out shocked. It seems the hall ignores us too busy with the new gossip.
"Yeah, it just shows you that you can change from when you were 11." Abbie says sarcastically.
I laugh. "Houses don't matter much after you leave school. No one cares what house you were in because it doesn't tell what kind of person you are." I explain.
"That's true. It's all about the friends you make. If you stick to your house, you are handicapping yourself." Abbie adds.
"If the Weasley's didn't think my family was evil they would be in a better place then they are. The three oldest are doing well. Sure, we aren't friends, bur we also aren't enemies. Sirius Black stopped depending on the Weasleys to help him and came to use we got him a trial and he was found innocent of all charges. Later on, my dad said the reason the Weasley's didn't call a trial was because they believed him guilty/ they also wanted to keep using his house. because of his friendship with my mom, we got him out of the veil." Draco explains.
"That's true. It's all about who you know. I do hope Potter and Granger don't follow in Ronald Weasley's footsteps." Lily says. She understands how Granger would feel because Lily is also New Blood. She had to meet the bigger more influential families and she did so well that she got a betrothal contract.
"I don't think they will anymore. Look how they aren't even acknowledging him anymore." I point out. They all turn to look at them. Potter has put some space in between him and Weasley. Potter and Granger are now talking with Anika and a few other Salem Gryffindors/ I do hope they are learning lots about Salem and magic.
"Ahh, yes. When you do something very wrong you get ostracized." Lily says.
"Blaise you did well. Not just saving Slytherins." Abbie says.
"Thanks, Abb's. but I didn't really do much." Blaise says still brushing it off.
"The partners seem to be working well." Theo says.
"Yes, I agree." Draco says.
"I think that getting Potter and Granger into our fold might do them well. Teach Granger everything she needs to know as a witch. Maybe we will be able to set her a betrothal contract." I say thinking out loud.
"I think the Weasley twins might leave Slytherins alone for a little while." Draco says making an observation while watching the twins and Anika talk.
"Why do you think that?" Blaise asks confused.
"Because all their pranks will be geared towards their brother for losing all those points." Draco explains.
"Yeah, I can agree with that." Theo says.
"Salem will look the other way if its harmless." Abbie says.
"We should get to bending Lil's" I tell her. "We can walk you boys to Charms if you want."
"Thanks Jophiel, sure." Blaise says,
"Zuko has history of magic too. So, I will go with him." Abbie says. We all walk towards our classes. Charms isn't horribly out of the way. We get more time as we have to change for bending.
"How was the charms and healing split?" I ask Lily.
"It was different. But not a bad different." She says.
We drop the boys off the head to get changed into sweatpants and a sports bra for bending. We quickly head out to the yard of the castle and meet with the other benders in all the houses.
