CHAPTER 2: IS THAT A CHALLENGE
It was the final class of the day for the Slytherin and Gryffindor fifth years; double potions with Snape.
"Oh, joy," Oliver stated sarcastically as he sat down beside Analese.
"Just focus on making the potion so he has nothing to complain about." The girl returned.
As Snape finished up his lecture about the pathetic essays he received from the Gryffindors in his class, Analese rolled her eyes at the grade on her parchment. Her point that the slimy git of a professor was biased had been proven.
To show her argument, Analese had spent an extra hour on this essay than usual. She had double checked her spelling and grammar, triple checked her facts, and added a good two feet extra to the three foot requirement Snape had instated.
A large 'A' was scratched on top of her parchment in red.
"Unbelievable," the redhead exclaimed.
"I know. This is an 'Outstanding' worthy essay." Oliver studied her paper over her shoulder.
"If this isn't being biased, then I'm the queen of Spain." Analese continued angrily.
"Miss Evans, could you tell me how to prepare the acromantula legs and when to add them to the potion?" the greasy potions master snapped.
"Well, sir, I would be happy to." The girl replied with a sickeningly sweet smile. "The legs of the acromantula, three to be exact, must be segmented into sixteen separate pieces with the blunt side of the blade." As she answered the question, her confidence didn't falter once, much to Snape's distaste. "You add the legs to the potion after the fluxweed roots have turned the liquid a light green, an aqua color, and it has simmered for fifteen minutes."
"Ten points from Gryffindor for that response. Miss Evans, you have detention tonight. Stay after class." The sorry excuse for a person who had the nerve to call himself a professor sneered.
After class, Analese apologized to Oliver for having to miss practice, promising to make it up this weekend.
"Just don't get into anymore trouble, Flame." He responded with a frown.
"No promises, Ol." The redhead sent him a smirk.
Three hours and eighty cauldrons later, Analese was finally let go to make her meeting with Ella only five minutes late.
The fifth year Gryffindor stormed into the library at 8:05, blazing with fury.
"Well, look who decided to show up." Ella greeted her 'sister' bitterly.
"I'm not in the mood for Slytherin attitude right now." Analese spat back.
Ella was hoping to drive her 'big sister' away with a prank. She had set up the bookshelf behind the Gryffindor to drop a large bowl of tomato sauce onto the fifth year's head and clothes.
"Are you having trouble in any class or anything?" Analese placed her reading book, Twilight, on the table beside her.
"Nope, I'm not having any trouble, because contrary to popular belief, I'm not an idiot." The third year triggered the practical joke with a slight flick of her concealed wand.
A tiny miscalculation that anyone could make caused the sauce to land on the open bag next to Analese's chair, staining its contents.
"Bloody Hell," Analese grumbled as she pulled out her own wand, "Scourgify."
A better planned aspect of her simple prank, Ella had placed a charm on the sauce to make the situation worsen if magicked.
As her completed homework gained the scent of gasoline, Analese's emerald eyes narrowed with anger and frustration. She was glaring at her 'little sister' when a clumsy first year knocked a lit candle onto the utterly flammable clump of tomato-y fabric.
A huge fire caught in the redhead's eyes, one that happened to be more fear inflicting than the real one consuming her hard work. Once the bag had been reduced to ashes, the fire extinguished itself before causing any damage to the library. The flame in the eyes of the furious Gryffindor remained alit.
"Do you realize how completely pathetic that prank was?" Analese exploded, ignoring Madame Pince. "First, the placement was unpredictable as I might have chosen to sit anywhere, even next to you. Second, gravity is a huge factor to take into account when dealing with this kind of practical joke. You're dealing with inertia, a principle that you can't depend on to be consistent every time. Third, why would you choose something as horribly dangerous as gasoline to have a part in this prank? It has multiple chances of resulting in injury, especially in an environment that uses open flames as electricity. Did you want to get sent to Azkaban?" the fifteen-year-old shouted at Ella.
"As if a goody two shoes like you could do any better." Ella spat back. "Only the Weasley twins could."
Analese almost laughed at the complete contradiction contained in those two statements.
"Is that a challenge?" the older girl questioned with the shadow of a knowing smirk.
"Yes, it is. I would love to see you pull a prank, 'Sis'." The dark haired girl replied bitterly.
"You've got yourself a prankster." The fifth year extended her hand.
"You have one week to pull it off." The thirteen-year-old responded as the girls shook hands.
