"My favorite class," Aly sighed as they walked into the greenhouses.

"And why is that?" Kylie asked as they walked the tables, avoiding other students.

"Well, it's easy, and it's a perfect time to talk," replied Aly. "Professor Sprout never notices us."

"Well," Kylie said as they approached a table and put down their books, "This year might not be as easy. They're getting us prepared forN.E.W.T. level, you know."

"I can handle it," Aly scoffed. Kylie shrugged and put on her goggles. She looked around the room and her eyes narrowed suspiciously when she noticed a few students staring at Aly.

"Aly, you've got some unwanted attention," Kylie said, leaning down to her ear.

"I'm not surprised," Aly said grimly. "Mr. Boyle said I might get a bit of that."

"Were you really that...involved with Adam?" Kylie muttered.

"Well, we were best friends and everything..." Aly said slowly. "But now people seem to think I'm in some sort of league with him. Adam's not dangerous."

Kylie nodded, though she didn't believe her.

"You don't believe me, do you?" Aly asked absently, staring out the windows.

"Well...he's practically in a juvenile Azkaban center. If he were of age, he'd be in Azkaban right now! What makes you so sure he's not dangerous?"

"First off, he was being blackmailed by a death eater. Think, Kyles. You either do what he says, or get killed. Which would you pick?"

"Good point," Kylie sighed, defeated. She looked up as Professor Sprout walked into the greenhouses. "Just keep an eye out."

"Oh, I will," Aly said, shooting a glare at a Hufflepuff.

"So, Ms. Trevelyan," Professor McGonagall said, smiling down at her kindly. "Do you have any idea what career you are opting for?"

"Truly, Professor, I don't know," Aly said honestly. "I've never really thought of it up to this point."

Aly was sitting in Professor McGonagall's room, about twenty minutes before the next class started. Luckily for her, she got out of Professor Binn's room early. McGonagall had called her down because she needed to discuss career choices with Aly. Every sixth year is getting this treatment.

"Well, Professor Babbling says that you do have quite a knack at Ancient Runes," McGonagall said, sitting down next to her. "And you are one of my better students in Transfiguration."

Aly smiled weakly. "What career choices do I have if I excel in Transfiguration and Ancient Runes?"

"Well...one interesting division for you might be the Department of International Magical Cooperation," the professor suggested.

"And what exactly do I do in that field?" Aly asked, interested.

"Well, you work with many other wizards and witches from other countries. Of course, Transfiguration is a must for any wizard to have in working at the Ministry of Magic." She smiled. "But working with wizards and witches from foreign countries might be of some use. You'd be able to travel to other countries, and then maybe use your knowledge of Ancient Runes there."

Aly smiled. "That sounds fascinating, professor."

"Yes, I think that's a fine choice," McGonagall agreed.

Someone coughed behind them.

"Ah, Mr. Boyle," McGonagall said, turning around. "Thank you for coming."

Damien looked pretty distraught.

"Hey, Damien. Why so glum, chum?" Aly asked brightly as she stood up.

He merely grunted and walked to Aly's empty chair as Aly stared after him, perplexed.

"Well then," she muttered as she left the classroom.

She turned out of the corridor and decided to go to the library to possibly get a head-start on her Herbology homework before the next class started. As she walked down the hall, she heard footsteps coming toward her and studied Professor Slughorn as he approached her, hands laden with food.

Slughorn did notice her, though he met her eyes, only for a short second, and then looked away and walked faster than he was before. Aly looked over her shoulder and frowned at Slughorn.

Weird.

"Good morning, all. I am Professor Slughorn." Slughorn adjusted himself to stare at the class. "I have taught here before, and I am only back as a favor to my good friend Professor Dumbledore." They were sitting in the dungeons, all of Gryffindors and Slytherins waiting to hear what Slughorn has to say.

"Now, let's get to it!"

He waddled his way to the front of the class. He motioned to a table of cauldrons that were steaming and giving off colors.

"I have four cauldrons here, and each one contains a different potion. Can anyone identify them?"

Everyone looked expectantly at Hermione. She flushed a brilliant pink and raised her hand.

"Ms...er..."

"Granger," she finished. "They're Veritaserum, Polyjuice Potion, a Love potion..."

"And the last one?"

"Felix Felicis!" she finished excitedly. "One spoonful makes you lucky!"

"Wonderful! Thirty points to Gryffindor!"

Aly beamed at Hermione.

"Yes, indeed, Felix is quite a little character. One drop of the stuff at breakfast, and you're lucky the whole day."

Aly smirked as she watched Malfoy straighten to attention.

"Now," Slughorn said, smiling cheekily. He held up a bottle of golden liquid. "I'm going to give this to one lucky student. But there's a catch: Whoever can make the best Draught of the Living Death wins it." He looked up at the clock. "You have an hour."

Aly and Amanda raced to flip open their books and look through the books for the potion.

"Found it! Page ten!" Aly whispered excitedly.

Amanda and Aly looked down the list of ingredients and rushed to the front table to retrieve them. Once they arrived back at their table, they set to work.

"Ok," Aly said a few minutes later. "We've added asphodel, valerian roots, and the sopophorous beans."

"Why'd you crush the beans with the flat side of the dagger?" Amanda questioned.

Aly pointed to Harry's. "His is turning the exact shade that it's supposed to look like! So he must know what he's doing!" she hissed.

"But the book says-"

"Forget what the book says," Aly snapped. "Harry's got it right!"

Aly smiled sweetly and leaned to Harry.

"Hey, what are you doing?" she asked casually.

"Stirring," Harry answered absently. He was concentrated on the potion.

"Why aren't you doing what the book says?"

"My...um...my book says, er something else," Harry replied, shaking his head.

"What?"

"Stir the potion counterclockwise seven times and clockwise once," Harry muttered.

"Oh! Ok!"

Aly turned back to Amanda smugly and began stirring. Seven times counterclockwise...once clockwise...

Aly smiled with excitement when her potion resembled the color of lilac.

"Five minutes! Hurry up!" Slughorn announced.

"Almost done..." Aly muttered.

Her potion began to look clearer and clearer by the minute...She could feel the Felix Felicis in her hands...

"Aly, what're you doing? You don't stir it clockwise. You stir it like this."

Amanda reached over, grabbed Aly's spoon and started stirring it all over the place.

"Amanda, what're you doing!" Aly exclaimed. "Gimme that!"

"Time's up!"

Aly stared down in her potion with misery as it slowly darkened to a yellow-green color. She glared up at Amanda. "What d'you do that for!"

"Well, you were doing it wrong," Amanda shrugged.

"That was the way Harry was doing it!" Aly hissed as Slughorn came around to inspect their potions. "It made it easier, and you ruined it!"

Slughorn peered at their potions for a second, and then hastened to move to the next set of students.

Aly groaned, dropped her head onto her hands and stared at the blackboard miserably.

"Well, what have we here?!"

Aly looked up sharply at Slughorn, who was peering over Harry's cauldron in excitement.

"A perfect potion! Mr. Potter, Felix Felicis is yours!" Harry smiled, embarrassed, and looked around as the other students fixed him with daggers.