Chapter Three: Advanced Potion Accident
Words: 2426
Author Notes: My beta and me were trying to write baby-talk here. We tried as best as we could. But if you have difficulties to understand it, just let me know okay? This chapter is not late since someone threaten to slap me with a giant fish lol. And there's a review asking me when the story begins. I couldn't catch the meaning of that and since you review as a guest, I couldn't contact you through PM. So, if you read this! Please explain what did you mean with it. Enjoy the chapter lovelies!
The next morning, Harry, Hermione and Ron had breakfast at the Great Hall when Ginny decided to join them.
"Hi Harry! Did you sleep well last night? I'm worried about you." She helped herself to the breakfast on the Eighth Years table.
"Ginny, why are you here? Go to your own table. There's barely enough food for us, let alone for you!" Ron said around his mouthful of treacle tarts.
"Oh please Ron! You just want to have the food for yourself." The fiery young witch was about to leave when she noticed a certain young saviour not eating his food.
"Harry James Potter! You will eat your food, it isn't a toy to play with."
"Oh let him be, Ginevra." Ron moaned.
"You will not call me Ginevra, Ronald Bilius Weasley."
Ron winced, partially at the mention of his full name, partially because of the volume at which it was shrieked.
Ginny had just opened her mouth to begin a long lecture on Ron's many faults when McGonagall strode over and began to pass out the Eighth Years' timetable.
"Students!" She called, drawing all the Eighth Years and Ginny's attention.
"Here is your timetable. You will be attending the same classes together since we have only ten students who were willing to come back this year. You may go to your class now."
Ron scanned the timetable and groaned; the minor confrontation with his little sister completely forgotten.
"Ugh, guess what we have for the first period. Let me tell you, Advanced fucking Potion. Yay me! Remind me why I agreed to take this."
"Ron, you and Harry want to be Aurors. Advanced Potion is required." Hermione huffed.
Harry on the other hand, said nothing.
He could already tell it was going to be a long day. He had been thinking about Malfoy lately. The blonde had been suspiciously silent ever since the trial. Harry's testimonies were probably the deciding factors in the decision of which punishment was going to be doled out to who. Lucius was going to be locked up at Azkaban for all of eternity. Narcissa was under house arrest for ten years and Malfoy was under probation but for a year. He was allowed to attend Hogwarts, but his every movement was being watched by the Ministry. That's why there was an Auror patrolling the halls of Hogwarts; he was there to watch over Malfoy. The now quieter Slytherin was still his usual self but not whole-heartedly, even his sneer never quite reached his eyes.
"Harry? You're so quiet these days, are you okay?" Hermione fretted.
Harry snapped back to reality, it took him a few seconds to process Hermione's questions.
"What? Oh, yeah I'm fine." Harry waved off her concerned gaze. Instead, he tried to change the subject. "Umm I don't think I want to be an Auror anymore, 'Mione."
"What? Why?" Hermione and Ron exclaimed in unison.
"I thought you always wanted to be an Auror. Kingsley would probably put you in Head Auror position right after the Auror training." Ginny cried, utterly mystified by Harry's seemingly abrupt decision.
The group of Gryffindors waited with bated breath for Harry's respond but he was busy staring at the Great Hall's wall. After a few moments, he stood.
"We are going to be late." Harry said, making his way towards the door.
Hermione was not anywhere near satisfied with his answer, but she knew better than to point it out. She chose to let it go. She shot Ron and Ginny a meaningful look, indicating that they were to let it go as well. The golden trio walked in comfortable silence to potion class while Ginny joined her friends to their respective classroom.
"Today, we will make a potion that decrease someone's age. Anyone has any idea what's the potion is called?" Professor Slughorn's voice rang out.
As expected by most of the students, Hermione's hand raised immediately. "Please Professor, it is the De-Aging Potion."
"Well done Ms. Granger! Ten points to Gryffindor! Now, does anyone know how the potion works?"
This time Draco answered it without raising his hand. "The potion requires an active ingredient. The years the drinkers loses depends on the concentration of the potion."
"Yes! Yes! Correct, twenty points to Slytherin."
Hermione scowled and slumped in her seat.
"Now, get in pairs! Ahh, not you two!" Professor Slughorn said, pointing at Harry and Draco. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, as my top two students. I expect you two to work together and brew a concentrated version of the potion, You may start now." With that Professor Slughorn went around the class, handing each one of them the potion's recipe.
"Potter! Get to work. I'll not tolerate if my grade drops because of your lazy arse."
Harry groaned but got up anyway, he picked up the ingredient list and went to the student's inventory.
After Professor Slughorn said he would have to pair up with Potter, Draco turned around to see his partner. Potter was staring at him, unmoving. He was obviously on the verge of protesting but Draco was in no mood for a fight. Instead, he simply shouted at the dunce "Potter! Get to work. I'll not tolerate if my grade drops because of your lazy arse."
Surprisingly, Potter picked up the list and went for ingredient's hunt. Draco looked around and saw Weasel paired up with Granger. He sneered at the sight, never thought they would stop fighting long enough to be potion partners, let alone be a couple. He continued surveying, Corner with Boot, Longbottom with that Fletchley boy, and he could see Pansy pouted because she got paired with Abbot.
"I got all the ingredients. I'll start the preparation now." Potter mumbled as he sat next to Draco.
Draco kept glancing at Harry while he set up the cauldron. There was something off about the raven haired boy. After finishing the set up of their workplace, Draco began to read the instructions.
"Cut, don't crush." Draco instructed, he didn't need to look up to figure out that the other boy wasn't following the instructions.
"I know what I'm doing, Malfoy."
"Well, if you are so sure." Strange, Draco thought. He was being nice to Potter. He hadn't been rude to Potter the whole day.
"Potter! No! Salamander blood first, then the snake venom and only three drops of Flobberworm Mucus, not six you idiot!"
"Calm down, I just accidentally swapped the two ingredients. It's not a big deal! The Flobberworm Mucus measurement was close enough."
"It is IMPORTANT! You can't just accidentally swapped ingredients and the potion look thicker than it should be. We are doing potion for someone turns five not three!"
"You are over-reacting, Malfoy." Deep down, Harry was happy to see Malfoy being his usual self. He preferred this Malfoy than the quiet secretive Malfoy.
The rest of the class were staring, enjoying the little show put up by the infamous rivals.
"No. I am not. I'd really love to know how in hell you are in advanced potions, let alone at the top of the class if you can't follow a simple instruction!"
"Fine! You stir. I'll just sit quietly over here and watch you follow every bloody instructions like a perfect potion maker you are!" Harry said sarcastically.
Harry saw Draco muttered suspiciously like "Bloody Potter, can't even do a single job."
Harry was about to turn around but from the corner of his eye, he saw the tell tale flashing of a hex. Acting on instinct Harry immediately caught Malfoy's wrist and pulled him out form the line of fire, which just happened to be towards himself. Malfoy didn't fight the sudden displacement and just sat, stiff as a board against Harry's chest. Fortunately, the hex hit the cauldron instead of Malfoy. The cauldron turned a sickly shade of green and began to bubble and froth. Okay maybe not so fortunately. But the last things Harry knew was the feeling of being covered in potion slime and terrified look reflected at swirling grey orbs.
Hermione was horrified when she saw Ron pulled out his wand and send a stinging hex towards Malfoy. She jabbed Ron in the ribs with her elbow and he jumped. Luckily, his hex missed Malfoy but hit Harry's and Malfoy cauldron instead.
"What are you trying to do?"
"Did you see that bloody ferret always put the blame on Harry?"
"That doesn't mean you could hex him! He was right anyways!"
"What? Hermione, how could.."
They were interrupted by a girlish shriek; stopping them from the little argument. Hannah, who was the nearest to Harry and Draco's workplace saw them fall to the floor. Everyone turned around to see Harry and Draco drenched with the potion and unconscious. After a few moments, they both began to convulse and started shrinking.
"Students, keep calm. Someone please informed Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey. " Professor Slughorn tried to get hold of the situation but since everyone including himself, was panicking, it had no effect on the scared students. Neville; being the only one who was calm enough to know what to do, ran out of the room in search of before mentioned people. All of the students were in shock. No one moved. No one spoke, yet everyone knew what was going to happen next.
Hermione started walking towards the shrinking Harry and Draco while trying to get hold of the situations. She waved her wand towards them, murmured "Scourgify".
Draco opened his eyes and was confronted by two bright green orbs.
The owner of those bright green eyes was trembling, "Who you?" he cried.
"I'm Dwayco. Who aw you?" Draco responded, trying his best to sound grown up; like most of the people around him expected him to do when he was three years old.
"Hawy. Hawy scawyed. Too many people! Too many people looking." He whimpered, blinking away tears.
Draco immediately crawled from his over-sized robe and all just to wrap his arms around the smaller boy. "Shhh, s'okay. Dwayco here now. Staph cwying"
Sure enough though, every single person in the room was staring at them. They fact that they were all taller and older than them, didn't make it any better. Beside them stood a bushy-haired girl and currently speeding towards them was a tall scary red-head boy.
Harry shrunk back and started to sob. Draco glared daggers at the bushy haired one and the carrot head.
"Stay 'way from Hawy!"
Ron's face went an odd shade of puce and screamed back.
" You stay away from him Malfoy! Stupid git." He shoved Draco away in an attempt to get to Harry but he pushed a little bit too hard and the tiny boy fell flat on his face. Draco flipped over, his back on the cold hard stone floor and began to wail, far louder than Harry.
"Ronald Billius Weasley! What did you think you are doing? He's just a kid!" Hermione shrieked.
"But I didn't mean to push him that hard. I...H-He's just so small." Ron stuttered.
"Ron! You're not supposed to push children at all. How can we ever have a family if you can't even last five seconds with a child!"
Meanwhile, Harry's wails subsided to silent stream of tears. He crawled over to Draco and lay down next to him, trying to comfort the screaming blonde. But as soon as he saw blood all over Draco's face, Harry began to wail again. Fresh tears coated his face as he tugged Draco's arm.
"Dwayyco.. Dwayco no cry. Hawwy is scacwed. Dwayco's face blood. Make 'em stop shouting." He hiccupped between sobs, hoping in vain that the other blonde boy comfort him again.
Draco didn't stop crying and he didn't comfort Harry. Instead, two identical rays of red hit them gently on the back; rendering them unconscious.
"What is going on in here?" Professor Mcgonagall demanded.
Both Hermione and Ron stopped arguing once they realised the wailing had stopped and the headmistress was standing in front of them. Neville stood a few paces behind her, fidgeting his jumper's hem. Professor Slughorn looked like he was going to pass out any moment. Madam
"Harry and Draco's potion blew up." Hermione explained simply.
"Ms. Granger, Ms. Parkinson, please pick up the children currently slumbering on the floor and follow me to the Hospital Wings. I cannot risk any magical exposure towards them again. Madam Pomfrey is waiting for us at the Hospital Wings." McGonagall shot Ron a knowing look, "Mr. Weasley, I've known you eight years now. I know you probably did something cause this mess so you will follow me as well."
"Yes, professor." The three of them responded in unison. Hermione and Pansy picked up the boys, wrapping them with their school robes and hoisting them up onto their hips.
"Professor Slughorn! I'm sure you can collect yourself long enough and control your class for the time being, yes? , collect these student's bags and put them in their respective rooms. You may take the help from anyone you desire, if they do not do as you wish, they will have to answer to me!" Professor McGonagall barked. She gave the classroom a final check, and seeing mostly were back in order, she swept out of the room with three students and two sleeping toddlers in tow.
tbc~
A/N: Please review! Any suggestions or comments are welcome :) Thanks for the lovely reviews! Thanks for making Toddlers Disaster as your favourite. Thanks for the follow. xx
tbc~