Friday has come once again my friends. This chapter is longer then the rest of them, and like I said a few chapters back, they will get longer! I hope you enjoy...
-Rachel
Chapter Seven
Monday morning came too quickly for the students of Hogwarts, the Gryffindor's and Slytherin's in particular. They were expected in the dungeons for double potions with Professor Snape.
Cassi was sitting in the front row reading a book about accidental time travel that she picked up from the library the day before. She had just turned the page when she heard the stool beside her scrape across the stone floor, assuming it was her brother she didn't look up from her book, until she heard his voice. "You really messed up the order of things haven't you?" Draco said with a slight smirk.
"What do you mean?" Cassi asked. Draco just pointed to the other side of the potions classroom where she found Hermione, and Pansy sitting together and laughing. Cassi shrugged and turned her attention back towards Draco. "And you haven't?" Draco looked at her in confusion. Cassi rolled her eyes. "You aren't very subtle when you stare across the Great Hall, you know that right? Why don't you just talk to her? It's less creepy."
Draco looked surprised and a little scared. "Talk to who?" he asked.
"Hermione." Cassi whispered. "Everyone has noticed that your attention isn't all there at meals, even Ginny noticed. She thinks you are looking for someone."
Draco narrowed his eyes at her. "You don't know what you are talking about!" he sneered.
Cassi leaned closer and patted Draco's left cheek. "I know a lot more then you think I do. Remember that."
Draco didn't have enough time to answer because Professor Snape had chosen that precise moment to enter the classroom. "Silence." He demanded. "For the next few months all of you will be re-searching, and brewing complicated potions. When you decide which potion you wish to brew, inform me and I will decide you are able to brew said potion. But for today you will be brewing 'Draught of Peace'. It is an advanced potion so everyone here should be able to brew it. Partners are on the board, begin."
The sound of stools being scraped across stone could be heard throughout the classroom. "Looks like you are going to have no choice after all. Good luck!" That was the last thing Cassi said before Hermione Granger came and took her vacated seat.
"Malfoy." Hermione greeted.
Draco narrowed his eyes, opened his bag and grabbed his potions textbook. "Go get what we need and start chopping, I'll get the cauldron ready."
"Why don't you go and get the materials yourself, Malfoy. And I will start of the cauldron. I am not your slave!"
Draco slammed his book down on the table making Hermione jump. "Go get the stuff, Granger, now!" Hermione glared but remained in her seat. "For Merlin sakes Granger! Just go and get the bloody stuff!" Hermione rolled her eyes as she slowly rose from her stool and headed towards the already crowded storage room in the back of the classroom, mumbling to herself as she went.
"That isn't the way to handle things mate." Blaise said from behind Draco.
"Shut up, Zabini."
"I'm just telling you. Everyone else might not notice who exactly you stare at, but I do. Talk to her like you aren't a complete prat and you might get somewhere."
Draco turned around to face his best friend. "There is no point Blaise, father would kill me. She is a mud-blood to him, nothing more. So just leave it."
"You know, Lucius may surprise you. You and I both know his views have changed a bit, he may agree to it. Just talk to him about how you feel Draco."
Draco sneered. "Malfoy men do not talk about their feeling. Especially to each other."
"You don't know what he might say Draco, like I said, he may surprise you."
Draco snorted. "Father may not hate muggle-borns as much as he used to, but that doesn't mean that he would agree with his only son dating or possibly marrying one. Drop it Blaise."
"Whatever mate. You do know you may just die alone because of your stubbornness."
Draco narrowed his eyes at Blaise. "Have you ever thought that maybe the Gryffindor princess might not be interested in a Death Eaters son who doesn't really have anything going for him besides money, and good looks? She isn't some low life bint who only wants the name and the status. I can't give her more Blaise. So please just leave it."
Blaise shook his head in disappointment. "I never thought I would see the day when the great Draco Malfoy cut himself short. You have it bad." Draco ignored his friend and turned back towards his own work station.
"I thought you were supposed to be getting the cauldron ready Malfoy." Hermione said as she came and sat back down, her potions kit filled with what they needed.
"Shut up Granger! You are so bloody annoying." Draco snapped.
"Smooth." Blaise muttered.
Hermione glared. "Listen here Malfoy, you will not speak to me like that. I understand that I am a mud-blood to you but just pretend you have some humanity at least."
Draco's head snapped in her direction when she used the 'M' word. He glared. "When was the last time I called you that Granger?" he asked.
Hermione looked shocked. "Um… I don't really remember." She said, looking down at her hands in embarrassment.
"Exactly." Draco said as he packed up his wand, bag, and stormed out of the classroom without looking back.
"You offended him." Blaise said to Hermione.
Hermione turned around to look at Blaise. "What?" she asked.
"You offended him."
"How in Merlin's name did I offend him?"
Blaise shrugged. "I guess you just need to know him to understand."
Hermione crossed her arms. "Well maybe if he wasn't a self centered, insufferable prat, than more people would want to get to know him. Maybe if he was a little nicer too."
Blaise shrugged again and went back to working on his potion.
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"Silence!" Snape called to the busy classroom full of sixth years. "Bring me a vile of your potion, clean your station then you may leave. Mr. and Miss. Lancaster, stay behind when you are finished."
When Cassi was finished cleaning up her station she moved to sit beside her brother, who was still cleaning, and continued to read her 'accidental time travel' book she was reading at the start of class.
"You could help me you know." Scorpius inquired.
"I didn't make the mess, so I am not cleaning it up." Cassi said without looking up from her book.
Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Typical Slytherin." He muttered, Cassi shrugged. "What do you think Snape wants?"
Cassi shook her head. "I don't know, but I suspect it might have something to do with our potion problem."
"Do you think he has figured it out yet?" Scorpius asked when he was finished cleaning.
"No idea, maybe. I saw him a few times in the library this weekend."
"Have you found anything in that book you are reading?"
"No, it turns out that it's a wizarding fiction book. I think aunt Ginny might have it in her bookshelf, I haven't taken a really good look because they are mostly books about Quidditch."
Scorpius sighed. "Then why are you still reading it? It's a waste of time."
Cassi shrugged, "Its good."
"Are you two quite finished?" Professor Snape asked when the last remaining students left the classroom.
"Sorry sir." The twins said together.
"Good, I have been researching your potions. Dumbledore and I believe that instead of a 'De-Aging' we use an 'Aging' potion mixed with 'Felix Felicis'."
"That's simple enough. We can be home by supper time."
Snape shook his head. "It isn't that simple Mr. Malfoy. We cannot just simply make the potions to the stage of completion you two accomplished and just see if it works. That may kill you. And besides I do not have everything we need in my personal stores so they will need to be ordered."
"How do you know when the potion is ready for us to go home?" Scorpius asked.
"We have a spell that can determine the exact purpose and function of the potion, so no harm done to you."
"Is that all sir?" Cassi asked.
"Yes, you are dismissed. McGonagall already knows I asked you to stay behind."
"Thank you sir." Snape waved his hand in dismissal. Cassi and Scorpius left the room without another word.
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"What did Snape want?" Ron asked when Scorpius sat down between him and Harry.
Scorpius shrugged, "Nothing of importance. Mostly about potions."
"Greasy haired git!" Ron mumbled
Scorpius brushed off the conversation about Snape and changed the subject. "What are we supposed to be doing anyway?"
"For the first part of class we are supposed to be reading up on the 'Crinus Muto' spell. The advantages, the disadvantages, what could go wrong if done incorrectly. When we are finished we are to break off into our partners and McGonagall will demonstrate."
"Excuse me?" Scorpius asked in a panic. "The 'Crinus Muto' spell?"
"Yeah, 'The Hair Changing Charm'. We're to mimic our hair colour onto our partner." Harry answered.
"I know what the charm is, I have used it before. I just think it may be a bad idea."
Harry and Ron looked confused. "Why?" Ron asked.
Scorpius panicked a little. "No reason. We should get back to reading." He pulled his Transfiguration textbook out of his new bag and proceeded to do his re-search.
About half an hour into the independent reading, Professor McGonagall interrupted. "Attention, may I have your attention please? I will now demonstrate the spell, when I am finished please separate into your assigned partners.
"Now, the proper pronunciation is, CREE-nus MYOO-toh. The wand movements are simple when practiced, but may be difficult to master. Now, pay attention." McGonagall raised her wand, made two anti-clockwise loops and finished with a downward motion. "Everyone, please practice."
The class did as they were told and picked up their wands. "Very good. Wider loops Mr. Zabini, a sharper downward motion Miss. Patil." McGonagall sighed. "A little slower and with more grace Mr. Finnigan, very good. Split up into your partners."
"Good luck with Malfoy, mate." Ron said to Scorpius as he made his way toward Theodore Knott.
Scorpius took a calming breath and got up from his desk and made his way over to the Slytherin side of the classroom, passing Cassi as he went. "What do we do?" she asked.
"Go with it?" Scorpius responded with a question.
"Yes, that's a good plan! Says the person who is the spitting image of a young Draco Malfoy a.k.a our father!" Cassi angrily answered back.
"There isn't much else we can do, now is there. Go practice with your partner."
"Who just so happens to be our mother by the way!"
Scorpius shrugged and continued on his way to the very impatiently waiting Draco Malfoy. "Took you long enough!" he sneered.
"You weren't going anywhere."
Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "You can't speak to me like that!"
"Your hair colour is too dark for my completion. Besides, it looks like dirty dish water."
Scorpius laughed dryly. "I'm surprised you know what dirty dish water looks like. Any dish water for that matter."
"I have seen house elves at work you know."
"Yes well, good for you. Hold still." Scorpius didn't give Draco a chance to answer when he cast 'the hair changing charm'. "Crinus Muto." He muttered. Draco's hair turned from his signature platinum blond to a dark dirty blond, matching Scorpius' current hair colour. "Your turn, your highness!"
Malfoy sneered and raised his wand, pointing it at Scorpius' hair, and said. "Crinus Muto." Just like Malfoy before him, Scorpius' hair turned platinum blond, the exact colour his hair was before Professor Snape changed it. "WHAT IN THE BLOODY HELL?!" Malfoy yelled, causing Professor McGonagall to come check out the problem, and alerting the rest of the class.
"Mr. Lancaster, I said change hair colour, not the colour of your robes." McGonagall said to a very angry looking Malfoy.
"I didn't do this you daft old bat!" McGonagall blinked in surprise.
"Mr. Lancaster, there is no need for such language. Detention after classes, and ten points from Gryffindor for insulting a teacher."
Scorpius cleared his throat. "Excuse me Professor, but that is Malfoy you are speaking to."
McGonagall looked at Scorpius in confusion. "Pardon me?"
"We cast the correct spell Professor. That over there is Malfoy, and I am Scorpius."
"Someone fix this!" Malfoy bellowed.
"Hold your breath, Mr. Malfoy. I will reverse it. 'Finite'." Slowly Malfoy's hair grew lighter until it was back to its original shade. "Now for Mr. Lancaster. 'Finite'." She cast again, but nothing happened.
"Bloody hell! There are two Malfoys!" Seamus Finnigan yelled.
"Calm down, Mr. Finnigan. The spell may have just gotten stuck, it will fade back to normal soon. This class, is why you read your instructions carefully."
Malfoy narrowed his eyes. "Are you suggesting I cast the spell incorrectly, Professor?"
"There is no other explanation, Mr. Malfoy. Half marks for the practical portion of the class. Back to practicing, there is only a little time left until you are all dismissed."
The class grumbled as they listened and went back to their practice, upset that the distraction was no longer an excuse to not be learning. Blaise, Pansy, Theo, Daphne, Hermione, Harry, Ron and Cassi stayed behind to gawk.
"Wow, the resemblance is almost amazing. I wouldn't say you two are identical though, Draco has much harsher features." Blaise said as he leaned over to poke Scorpius' cheek. Scorpius glared and moved to stand beside his now brunette sister. "Ha! There you go! That glare made you two twins!"
"Shut up, Zabini!" Malfoy snapped.
"Touchy!"
"How did this happen?" Hermione asked.
"Obviously Malfoy mucked up the spell." Ron pointed out.
"I didn't 'muck' up anything Weasel! What I want to know is, who exactly are you two?"
Scorpius and Cassi cast a look at each other. "What exactly do you mean?" Cassi asked.
"You know bloody well what I mean! There aren't two of me, so obviously you're taking 'Polyjuice Potion', or something."
"There could be some logical muggle explanation, not that I can think of any right now. It may also be a magical one besides 'Polyjuice', again, I can't think of any though." Hermione mused.
"That narrows it down, doesn't it Granger?! Aren't you supposed to be smart? You can't even come up with a logical explanation."
Hermione crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't see you thinking of any! Maybe Scorpius and Cassi are related to the Malfoy's. Wouldn't that make sense?"
The group of Gryffindor's and Slytherin's looked towards the twins. "Are you related to Malfoy?" Harry asked.
Scorpius shrugged, "Not that we're aware of." He lied.
"There is the doppelgänger theory muggles have." Hermione suggested.
"I thought you couldn't think of anything." Malfoy mused.
"I didn't bring it up because I don't believe in the theory."
"What is the theory?" Daphne asked.
"Muggles believe that everyone has an opposite in the world. Someone who looks exactly like you, but with an opposite personality."
"What a stupid belief!" Malfoy pouted.
"Awe, look. He's pouting." Harry pointed out.
"Malfoy's don't pout." Scorpius and Draco said together.
"Freaky!" Blaise muttered to a shocked Pansy. "It looks like you better believe in this doppelgänger thing Granger, because you literally have it right in front of you."
Hermione walked up to Scorpius and looked into his eyes, examining him. His eyes brought her a sense of familiarity, the honey brown that was around the inside of his steel grey eyes reminded her of something, she just wasn't sure of what.
When she was finished examining Scorpius, she moved onto Malfoy. She grabbed the sides of his head and brought his face closer to hers. Draco's heart was pounding, he wasn't sure what Hermione was about to do.
Hermione glanced a little longer than she did with Scorpius. She was getting lost in the blue of his eyes. The blue that couldn't be seen unless you were as close as the two were now. When she let go of Malfoys face, she cleared her throat and said. "Around the pupal of Scorpius' eyes are a honey brown colour, whereas Draco's is an ice blue."
Blaise wagged his eyebrows towards Hermione. "Did you like the observation, Granger?" he asked so only she could hear, Hermione turned bright red in embarrassment.
"Alright Class," McGonagall interrupted. "Pack up! Practice the spell on your own time. I want it perfected before next Monday's class. You are dismissed."
Hermione grabbed her bag and ran from the room as fast as she could.
So? How was this one? Please review! I love seeing what you guys have to say... Until next week..
-Rachel