Chapter 17
Things Start Getting Bad
The Monday after that in Potions, Slughorn had us doing Galaplott's Third Law.
"Now, Galaplott's Third Law, who can tell me…ah, Ms Granger can, of course!" Slughorn said, beaming at Watson (who was sitting with me at the Slytherin table, apparently, she was pissed with Harry, Ron and Ivy.)
"Galaplott's Third Law states that the antidote for a blended poison will be equal to more than the sum of the antidotes for each of the separate components." Hermione said in one breath.
"Excellent, ten points to Gryffindor." Slughorn said before turning to the blackboard. "Now, if we accept this law as true…"
And then Slughorn launched into a lecture, which I had instantly made Draco start taking notes for. Trust me, it was an advantage to have a video camera that you fixed at the Dursleys and having Watson Charm it to work at Hogwarts. I managed to make Draco look really stupid, Gryffindor coloured boxers as he belted out "Slytherins Do It Better" his cover to "Gangnam Style" called "Draco Malfoy Style." Those two things were tickets to critical Hermione/Hannah gossip time.
"You know you could have asked me to take notes for you. I would have copied them." Watson said, grinning.
"I know." I said, rolling my eyes "But making Draco do it is funner."
"Not a word. It's 'more fun.'" Watson corrected.
"Don't care, Watson." I said flatly.
"I do. Use proper grammar." Watson sighed, rolling her eyes.
"I don't give no Skinner bout no grammar." I said, smirking as Hermione gasped.
"So much bad grammar!" she said, scandalized. "And here I thought you were dating an aristocrat's son!"
"Oh, I am." I said. "He just can't change me."
"Shut up, Sherlock." Watson said, rolling her eyes.
"Make me, Watson." I sneered.
"And now, it is time to start work." Slughorn said, stepping away from the blackboard and letting me scribble the note quickly (double check in case Draco didn't do it for me.) "You will pick up a poison from my desk and create an antidote. You may start."
"I'll get the poisons." I said, standing up "You set up." I said to Watson.
"Sure thing, Han." Mione said, starting a fire under her cauldron as I went to pick up two poisons and walking back.
Hermione started to huff and stood straight "I can't get a fire going!" she sighed.
I huffed and handed her the vials of poison "Here, let me!" I said, taking a deep breath and feeling familiar heat flash through my palms as I let the kindling under our cauldrons on fire.
"Wow…" Watson said, gaping "I didn't think that you gained control of your element affinity."
I shrugged "I can still lose it sometimes, like when I'm really emotional." I explained.
"Oh." Hermione said, smiling "That's so cool! Let's get to work, now." she said.
I nodded as Hermione gave me the spell that was mentioned on the board and we started dividing our poisons into their basic components.
…
After the period, Watson was fuming. Our self respecting antidotes, each consisting of thirty eight ingredients including a chuck of our hair in each cauldron, was still half that of Harry's stupid bezoar stunt. He didn't even brew anything and he got ten points to Gryffindor!
I huffed in the Gryffindor common room "Brothers." I sighed.
"Amen." Hermione said, blowing some bushy brown hair out of her face. "How can you put up with him?"
"I don't know." I said, shaking my head and taking the hat Hermione gave me out of my bag, putting it on "But I really don't want to find out. Thanks for the hat, by the way." I added, grinning.
"You're welcome, it's hip but also makes you look like Sherlock Holmes." Watson said, grinning.
I smiled "Sherlock and Watson, partners in vigilante crime solving!" I said, taking out the magnifying glass that Ivy gave me and holding it up.
…
The next Saturday, Hermione and I went to the Great Hall for our first Apparation lesson.
The instructor from the Ministry was a slim, balding man who was standing at the head of the empty room where the High Table normally was. Now the Hall was just empty space.
"Good morning." the man said when we were all settled. "My name is Wilkie Twycross and I shall be your Ministry of Magic Apparition Instructor for the next twelve weeks. I hope to be able to prepare you for your Apparation tests in this time -"
"Malfoy, be quiet and pay attention!" McGonagall shouted.
Everyone turned to Draco, who was pink faced and stepping away from Crabbe, looking furious like him and Crabbe were having a whispered argument.
Twycross then started a lecture on the three "Ds" of Apparation. Destination. Determination and Deliberation. Then he conjured up some hoops and told us to try to Apparate into them.
I took a deep breath and spun on my heel, focusing on the inside of the hoop in front of me, but all I did was fall flat on my ass.
"Slick, Sherlock." Hermione said, giggling as she helped me up.
"Shut the Skinner up, Watson." I said, glaring at Hermione as we set back up.
My second attempt was worse than the first, I fell flat on my face and knocked over Justin Finch-Fletchley. My third attempt went ok, I didn't fall or knock anyone over, but poor Susan Bones left her leg where she began to Apparate and she was standing one legged in the hoop, she did something what Twycross called "Splinched."
Soon the lesson was over, and I was blushing furiously. I felt like I was never going to be normal coloured again, I would be pale pink forever.
"I am such a klutz!" I muttered "I feel so bad for Justin and Susan."
"Oh, you're naturally clumsy, Sherlock." Watson said, patting my back "It's just your Hannah-ness shining through."
"Hannah-ness, Granger?" Draco asked, pulling me to him "That was so funny I forgot to laugh!"
"Eat it, Malfoy." Hermione snapped before smiling at me "I'm going to go and head back to my common room. See you, Sherlock!" she said before leaving.
"Catch you, Watson!" I called back as Watson left. "Be brutal." I said when she was gone, looking to Draco "How bad was I?"
"Fine. You were a tad clumsy, but as Granger pointed out that was just your 'Hannah-ness' shining through."
"I'm such a klutz!" I hissed.
"Don't worry." Draco said, kissing me "I still love you, Spitfire."
I rolled my eyes "So reassuring." I said sarcastically.
Draco smirked "Isn't it, though?" he asked.
I sighed "Dracos."
Draco rolled his eyes "Hannahs."
…
Well, let's just say that I was improving on Apparation. I could finally spin without falling flat on my butt, and I managed to actually get into my hoop…only to fall into it. I was such a klutz!
I decided to sleep late one Saturday, and all I could dream about was of someone and Dumbledore:
"You are no assassin." Dumbledore muttered, leaning against a rampart without a wand. I saw another male's sillouette across from me, pointing his wand at the Headmaster.
"How d'you know what I am? I've done things that would shock you!" the male's voice said.
"Forgive me, Draco, but your attempts at killing me were so weak I doubt whether your heart's really been in it."
"He trusts me, I was chosen!" the male said, lowering his wand and showing Dumbledore a Dark Mark.
"Draco…" Dumbledore said, staring at the Mark "please, let us talk about your options."
"My options!" Draco's voice barked making me gasp as I finally recognized his voice. "I haven't got any options! I have to do this! He'll kill her if I don't! He'll make me watch as he tortures and kills her!"
"HANNAH!" Ivy's voice screamed, shaking me awake.
I jolted awake drenched in a cold sweat "What?" I asked.
"You need to get to the hospital wing right away. Ron's been poisoned."
I gasped. "Holy Skinner."
