Chapter 22: Potions master

I took my time getting to the tower so it was about 8:00 when I got there breakfast was at 8:30 and class started at 9:30.

"Where have you been? I woke up and you weren't there" Hermione screeched when I walked through the porthole.

"I went for a walk" I said in a Duh tone.

"I'm supposed to look after you, I looked like I idiot when you weren't there" she huffed crossing her arms over her shoulders.

"Just relax Mione its fine" I said patting her shoulder.

"Remember, mute" she said pretending to zip her lips.

I closed my lips tight and playfully glared at her. "Where are the others?" I asked quietly.

"They already went down for breakfast they still need their schedules, and so do we." She said then she grabbed my arm and yanked me out behind her.

"Look everyone mudbloods got a pet" Draco said as we walked by him. I turned and looked at him and I saw shame in his eyes and sorrow not really that hidden behind his fake bad boy image.

"Oh shut up Malfoy we didn't do anything to you" Hermione said turning around to face him.

I made Hermione let go of me and grabbed her shoulder to turn her around. "Let's go" I whispered.

"No he's been harassing me ever since we started here. I've had enough!" she said turning back around roughly.

"Mione no, he doesn't mean any of it" I said quietly enough for only her to hear me.

"What do you mean of course he does? He knows everything he says" she said turning to look at me. I was glad everyone wasn't watching this whole big scene going on right now. Just Draco, me and Hermione were fully in on what was going on right now, other kids were just walking right by, late for breakfast or wanting their schedule.

"Just come on I'll explain later…just give me sec" I said turning her and giving her a little push towards the great hall.

"What are you doing walking around with the mudblood?" he asked when I was in front of him.

"first of all her name is Hermione, second you better not call her that again or you'll really regret it…look Draco, I really like you, I cant explain it right now but I think I'm supposed to help you…come see me after class and maybe…I'll show you a little something…something your kind of magic cant do" I said hoping to bribe him.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Wand-less magic" I said then I turned and walked away without another word.

"Wait what's wand-less magic?" I asked running after me.

"You'll see" I replied not looking at him.

"you sitting with Potter and his…gang…then?" he asked sneering over to them as we walked into the Great Hall together, Harry and them were looking shocked and confused when I looked at them looking at me.

"Uncle Remus told me too" I nodded trying to casually use the word uncle.

"I'll talk to you later?" I said giving him a little wave as I walked away.

"What are you doing talking to Malfoy?" Harry almost yelled when I sat down beside him.

"I can talk to anyone I want thank you very much"

"But why Malfoy?" he whispered fiercely.

"I'm trying to help him okay…he is a good kid…he just needs some help" I said looking over to him as I pretended to eat.

"Malfoy…a good kid" Harry laughed.

"Maybe in a million years" Ron scoffed.

"No I ran into him this morning when I went for a walk…we started talking and…I don't think he wants to fallow his father's footsteps. I can help him Harry, I know an innocent when I see one" I said looking back at Harry with nothing but confidence and devotion in my eyes.

"Fine…whatever, do whatever you want" he scowled shoving some food into his mouth.

"Relax Harry geez it's not like I'm inviting him to be our new best friend its not like he's going to be here 24/7 now" I said really over exaggerating my words.

When I saw Remus come in I couldn't help but smile a little more and when he came over I felt like a nervous school girl.

"Well Piper how was your sleep?" he asked putting his hand on my shoulder and I swore I felt a spark in his touch.

I just looked at him wanting to say it was horrible without him there but it would probably raise suspicion so I just looked at him.

"She had a good sleep, we're just about done" Hermione answered looking around at the other eavesdropping students who were listening very closely to here me speak again.

"Come on Piper I'd like to have a word with you before class" he said his hand slowly rubbing my back a little further down.

I nodded feeling myself flush and hoping it wasn't that noticeable.

"Everyone, get back to your breakfast, nothing to see here" Remus said putting his arm around my shoulders.

I put my head down so nobody saw my smile or my red, red cheeks. And when I glanced over at Draco he was looking rather oddly at me and Remus.

Remus pushed me into a broom closet and quickly put a locking and silencing spell on it then pulled me roughly into a very hot kiss.

"God I missed you last night" I breathed as he started kissing my neck.

"Me too" he growled ripping the button on my pants, I squealed in surprise and when he looked at me smirking, I gasped. His eyes were a golden brownish now.

"Your eyes" I said holding his head in my hands looking into his eyes as I watched them slowly go back to his regular gray/blue while his pupils got bigger and smaller while it happened.

"They were brownish gold."

He turned from me shutting his eyes tight.

"Remus…it's okay, I know" I said knowing the cycle had already started. The moon was just starting to grow.

Sirius said the first night is always the worst and I guess that means the day also.

"I need to get to Severus." He said waving his wand roughly once and practically running out leaving me standing in the broom closet alone.

"Piper…what are you doing in a broom closet?" Draco asked after he walked past then came back to check if he saw it right.

"Um…Uncle wanted a word with my before class and I asked him what was in here" I said only able to come up with the worst lamest excuse I pulled down my shirt so he wouldn't see that there was no longer a button holding my pants up.

"Well come on already we're going to be late for class" he said hearing the other students all coming.

"What class do you have?" I asked running after him.

"Potions then transfigurations" he said as I fallowed him down to the dungeon.

"With Professor Slughorn" I said knowing none of the Slytherins are going to like potions that much now that Snape was only teaching the oldest and youngest students. Dumbledore had asked Slughorn to be potions teacher over the summer; he hadn't said anything to the rest of us about it. Snape didn't like that fact that half his classes were taken from him. I didn't think it was fair either I mean that's why I didn't become a teacher because there was no open spots for me, now Snape's only teaching a few classes a day.

"Old brood…what are you taking advanced potion making for anyways? I thought you just got here" he said looking back at me glaring slightly.

"I'm very good at potions already…my Grandmother taught me…our magic is a little more different then yours but still the same all in all" I said stopping at the door to class.

"We're late you know" he sneered stopping beside me.

"A little tardy never hurt anyone" I said then I opened the door and walked in with Draco not far behind me.

"Ah Ms. Halliwell, Mr. Draco nice of you to join us" Slughorn said without turning his back from us.

"You two will have to be partners seeing as how…everyone else is taken. Hurry along now please we have a class to do" he said turning and making hurry signals with his hand. I looked over to Malfoy and shrugged motioning with my head for him to come on.

Harry had a free period this morning and I just got there so I shouldn't have one, I would be in his transfigurations with McGonagall.

DADA wasn't until this afternoon.

"Can any of you tell me what these potions are?" he asked pointing to the 3 cauldrons on the table and the tiny little vile.

I put my hand up slowly but before Hermione. "Ms. Halliwell" he said and I stepped forward. I went over to the first cauldron and opened the lid.

"Truth potion…one drop of this and it will make the drinker spills his darkest secret" I said looking back to the other students hoping my voice held just enough shyness.

"Very good and that one?" he asked pointing to the next pot.

"…healing potion…it can cure anything…except death"

"Yes…one more" he said slowly hearing my hesitation with the last one.

"Love potion…the most deadly potion in this room…smells different to each person…" I sighed smelling Remus' cologne.

"Very good" he said pushing me back to line.

"Wait Professor…that one" a girl said looking at me challenging.

"Felix Felicis or liquid luck it makes the drinker lucky for a period of time, depending on how much is taken, during which time everything they attempt will be successful. It must be used sparingly, however, because if taken in excess it causes giddiness, recklessness and dangerous overconfidence. It is highly toxic in large quantities" I said without stepping out of line.

She was from Slytherin, Blake I think her name was she glared at me when she thought I wasn't looking when I was standing with Draco.

"Very good Ms. Halliwell, not many people know how to name the potion without tasting it, let alone not smelling it. And that was very good detail you were able to provide as well" Slughorn said smiling at me; I tried not to look disgusted because he looked like a creepy old man when he smiled like that.

"Yes Ms. Halliwell is right. This little thing here is better known as liquid luck, and it will go to the group that manages to make…draught of living dead" he said unscrewing the stand and holding the little vile in his two fingers.

"You will find the recipe in your text book, page 324" he said then he went to his desk and sat down.

Everyone hurried and got to work, everyone except me and Draco.

"Well…come on" I said when he wasn't showing any signs of moving anytime soon.

He nodded briefly and fallowed me over to the only table left.

Everyone else was having a hard time making the potion but it was pretty much your simple vanquishing potion for me.

Draco got all the ingredients out, wormwood, asphodel, valerian roots, sloth brain, and a single Sopophorous Bean.

I was careful not to talk too much while we did it but I couldn't help correct him when he did something wrong, he was trying to cut the sopophorous bean.

"You need to crush it…with the blade" I said when he looked at me confused.

"Here" I said taking the knife from him as I dodged Hermione's bean that flew out of her hands when she was trying to cut it.

"How did you know that?" he asked as he watched me empty the liquid from the bean into the small cauldron.

"Its logic" I shrugged.

"Want to stir it?" I asked letting him at least do that.

"Sure…"he said grabbing the spoon slowly.

"7 times counter-clockwise once clockwise" I said so he wouldn't mess it up.

"How do you know these things?" he asked as he stirred it carefully.

"My grandmother taught me everything she knew….and…I've read a lot about it, I like to cook" I shrugged again looking down.

"Oh wow look at this here students! Ms. Halliwell and Mr. Malfoy have done it!" Slughorn yelled from behind us. Draco and I moved over so he could look at it.

He dropped a little leaf in there and it disintegrated right when it hit the surface. "Perfect, one drop would kill us all" he said looking over to me. I don't think he got the fact that I wasn't a student, he was old, I was sure someone told him but he just didn't remember.

"Okay fair is fair! There you go you two…I'll give this to you to hold on to" he said handing me the bottle, Draco didn't whine around or anything that I got to hold it he just nodded to the teacher and looking at the silvery liquid I held in my hand now.

Everyone clapped lazily and not that happily and I pocketed the potion until lunch then we were off to the next class.

Okay now that was a VERY LONG chapter…I didn't know where to break it off into a other one so I kept it one big long one :P :D

XOXO