Monday morning, Kelria had Disguises first with Khyana, James and Lily. Their professor, Menin North, was a very strict teacher who reminded them all of Professor McGonagall.
"Today we are going to be making a potion to alter the colour of your hair," Professor North began. "The instructions," he waved his wand, "Are on the board." They appeared there. "You have the remainder of the class to make this. Please be sure to read all the instructions carefully before you make the potion, because at the end of the period, you will all be taking your potions. I have the antidote at the front, so the change will not be permanent, but it will be if you do not make the potion correctly."
There was a loud scraping noise as everyone pushed their chairs back and moved to their cauldrons.
"I like my hair just the way it is," Lily complained. "Is this potion going to be safe for the baby?"
Khyana and Kelria rolled their eyes.
"Relax, Lil, I'm sure it's fine," Khyana replied.
"I'd better ask," Lily said, and trotted up to the front to inquire of the professor whether her baby would be harmed if she took this potion.
"Reminds you a bit of Hogwarts, doesn't it?" Khyana grinned, watching Lily.
"Yeah," James agreed, laughing. "Lily always had a question for the teacher."
"And now it's Yana with all the questions," Kelria said teasingly, poking her friend in the side.
"Shut up, Kel," Khyana replied, throwing her stir stick at her.
"He said it'll be fine," Lily said breathlessly, returning to the group.
"Just like I told you, eh?" Khyana answered, her eyes twinkling. Lily rolled her eyes.
For the rest of the period, the students worked diligently on their potion, checking and double checking their work.
"I don't think I did this right," Khyana (who had never been much good at potions) said worriedly when the period was almost over.
Her potion, which was supposed to be a thin, transparent pastel blue liquid, was a blue, globby mess.
"I can't eat this," she said worriedly.
"Let me look," Lily (who had, of course, concocted the potion perfectly) said, and came over to look at her friend's potion. "Oh, it's not too bad! You just forgot to add the wormwood! Here, put this in and stir it counter clockwise six times."
Khyana followed Lily's instructions, frowning, and in moments her potion was the correct colour and thickness, though it was not quite transparent.
"I'm sure it'll be fine," Lily said encouragingly.
"Time's up!" Professor North called. "Everyone take a teaspoon--no more!--of their potion, and we'll see how it goes."
The women all looked expectantly at James, who sighed.
"Why do I always have to go first?"
Lily shrugged. "Cause you're outnumbered. Eat up, darling!"
James (in a not so rare moment of immaturity) stuck his tongue out at her, then downed his potion. His hair turned immediately blonde.
"Sorry, love, blonde's not really your colour," Lily said, turning up her nose.
"Thanks, Lil. Let's see yours, then."
Lily took her potion, and her hair turned immediately brown.
"Not much of a change," she said, fingering it.
"Not really," James agreed. "Kel's turn."
Kelria shrugged and took her potion, her hair turning immediately pink.
"Hm." She said, looking at it. "Interesting."
"I expected brown, like Lil's," Khyana said.
"Me too," Kelria admitted. "Oh well. Your turn, Yana."
Khyana looked about to refuse, still unsure that it was done correctly, but her friends forced her and she took her potion tentatively. Her hair turned a dark auburn.
"That looks nice, Yana," Kelria said. "I like it."
"So do I, but not permanently," Khyana replied. "Get me that antidote."
The four hurried up to the front to take the antidote. Kelria and Lily's hair immediately turned back to their natural red, and James' was back to black. Khyana's, however, didn't change. She paled.
"I knew it wasn't going to work!" she wailed.
"What seems to be the problem here?" Professor North asked, approaching the group.
"The antidote didn't work for Khyana," Lily said, biting her lip nervously.
"Then she didn't make the potion correctly," Professor North replied unsympathetically. "Miss Malfoy, I expect a 500 word essay on the correct composition of this potion on my desk first thing Wednesday morning, do you understand?"
"Yes, sir," Khyana said sadly.
As Professor North walked away, Kelria turned to Khyana, seething.
"That wasn't fair," she said. "It's not your fault you're no good at potions."
"Thanks, Kel, you're making the situation so much better," Khyana said acidly.
"Sorry."
The four friends left the classroom together, and Khyana and Kelria headed for Stealth and Stalking (aptly named, as they really did learn how to stalk prospective suspects) class, while Lily and James went the other way to Transfiguration.
"It's not even because I'm bad at potions," Khyana said softly.
"Oh no, Khyana…"
"Yeah."
Kelria shook her head.
"Merlin, Khyana, what happened to you?" Frank said when the two friends reached the classroom.
"I hate this!" Khyana wailed. She ran off in the direction of the bathroom.
"What'd I say?" Frank asked, watching her go.
Kelria rolled her eyes. "Well, let's think, Frank. 'Merlin, Khyana' isn't exactly the best reaction, I don't think."
"Oh. Yeah." Frank said.
"Yeah," Kelria said.
"Well, what did happen?" Frank demanded.
"I don't think she made the potion correctly," Kelria answered.
"Ah, I see," Frank replied.
"I don't think it looks that bad, it'll just take some getting used to is all."
"Oh no, it doesn't look bad, just different. I wonder how Sirius'll take it…"
At the end of the day, Khyana and Kelria were waiting outside the Ministry of Magic, where they had spent their afternoon, talking to each other, when two figures approached them.
"Hey, ladies."
"Remus, Sirius," Kelria replied, grinning at Khyana.
"Have you seen Yana?" Sirius asked.
Khyana stifled a laugh. Kelria grinned.
"Yeah, she's actually standing in front of you."
Sirius gaped at her, then looked at Khyana.
"Merlin, Yana! What the bloody hell happened?"
Khyana hid her hurt look, but Kelria saw it just the same.
"Thanks, Sirius."
Sirius seemed to sense that he'd hurt her feelings, and looked helplessly at Kelria, who shrugged. It was rare for Khyana to get hurt or insulted, so no one really knew how to take it or react.
"Well, I should probably get going," Khyana said finally. "I have a class tonight, I'm meeting Lezley for dinner. I'll catch you up later."
As she walked away, Sirius sighed. "What did she do, Kel?"
Kelria grinned. "We made potions to change hair colour in disguises this morning, and we had to take them…and hers didn't change back when she took the antidote."
"Why not?"
"I don't think she took her potion this morning."
"WHAT?!"
"She's out. She's going to stop by Leanne's on her way home tonight and get some more."
"Good. I don't want her to not have it. I should maybe go after her…"
Kelria rolled her eyes. "It's a muggle French course, Sirius. She'll be fine."
"Well yes, but she is an auror in training, and a member of the Order…anyone could hurt her. She's very vulnerable."
Kelria snorted. "Khyana Malfoy, vulnerable? I think you need to get your head checked, Sirius. Trust me, she's going to be fine."
Sirius did not look convinced, but nor did he look like he wanted an argument, so he kept his mouth shut.
"Well, I'm going to the Potters'. Anyone coming with?"
"I'll come," Kelria replied, and Remus nodded his agreement.
"I won't be at the party on Friday, so I might as well go now."
The three friends spun on the spot and apparated to the Potters' new house in Godric's Hollow.
"Nice," Kelria hissed, as they walked up to the front door.
"Yeah, it's pretty sweet," Sirius agreed, grinning. "Come on."
He opened the door and walked in.
"Shouldn't we knock?" Kelria asked, poking her head in the door but not going any further.
"They don't care," Sirius replied. "They told me so the last time I was here. Trust me. Come on," he added, as Kelria still looked hesitant.
She sighed and entered the house.
"Anyone home?" Sirius yelled.
James appeared from the living room, followed closely by Lily, who appeared from the direction of the kitchen.
"Hey, you lot, what are you doing here?"
"Just stopped by for a visit. You got any food?"
James rolled his eyes. "Haven't you got food at your own house, Padfoot?"
"It's unlikely," Sirius replied, proceeding past the happy couple and raiding their fridge.
Lily grinned and James rolled his eyes again.
"Well, I had hoped to save the house for Friday, but I guess you're here now and there's nothing I can really do about it. How about you come in and look around?" Lily suggested, and the other two accepted gladly.
A/N: Yes, Yana is in Auror School...all will be explained in time. Maybe not in this story...the next one...I don't know, I haven't decided yet. And this isn't a cliffhanger ending, so you can't get mad at me! Well, it's not a cliffhanger to you...if you knew what was coming next you'd think it was. So, what do people think of the title for the 7th book, eh? Sounds pretty intriguing! But yeah...if you don't know the title, I can tell you...but not right now. So I'll shut up. R&R!
PS Professor North is supposed to be reminiscent of Professor Snape...so yeah. Now I really will shut up, I have to go to work! Byee