Chapter 4

The third years had potions again the next day. Deciding to mix up a bit in their group Mildred paired up with Harry, Hermione with Enid and Maud with Ron. The potion they had that day was an enlargement potion.

Ethel and Malfoy worked together as always and still hadn't forgotten about Mildred humiliating them with her little green slime spell. This was their chance to get back at her.

While Harry walked away from the bench to collect some more ingredients and Mildred turned away from their cauldron Ethel took this chance and dropped something in their cauldron and quickly walked back to her bench. When Mildred and Harry returned to their cauldron it started to bubble up and spill everywhere.

"Potter, Hubble what is the meaning of this?" Exclaimed Snape

"We don't know sir" said Mildred "It just started bubbling up and spilling everywhere"

"Perhaps it was something you put in your cauldron, Mildred Hubble" snarled Miss Hardbroom "It wouldn't be the first time you did something like this"

"Or yours, Potter" said Snape "Now both of you clean up this mess and perhaps detention with me tonight where you will both brew up an enlargement potion without making any mistakes or else you'll just keep serving detention with me until you get it right."

"Excellent idea, Professor Snape," said Miss Hardbroom "And perhaps, Mildred, it will teach you to work harder in your studies if you ever wish to gain your Witch's Higher Certificate and graduate from this establishment."

And with that Professor Snape and Miss Hardbroom left their bench

After class Mildred and Harry were walking to their next class whilst talking about what went wrong in their potion

"I don't understand what I could've done wrong" said Mildred "And I always know what I do wrong in potions. But this time I was sure to be careful with reading the instructions and adding in the ingredients"

"So did I" said Harry "I'm sure someone must have sabotaged our potion."

"And I wouldn't mind betting it was Ethel or Malfoy. Probably their way of getting back at us for what you did to them outside the great hall"

"I agree with you, Harry" said Mildred "And besides it doesn't matter what they did because we get chance in detention tonight to redeem ourselves. We'll work hard and brew up the perfect enlargement potion and neither Ethel nor Malfoy can do anything to ruin it tonight."

"You're right Millie" said Harry

Ethel and Malfoy had listened to Mildred and Harry's conversation and decided to get them into more trouble.

Later that night Mildred and Harry entered the potion classroom to serve their detention. They both expected Snape to be there but instead it was Miss Hardbroom.

"Professor Snape is busy at the moment so I will be supervising your detention" said Miss Hardbroom as if she had read their minds "I've left a copy of the enlargement potion instructions on the bench. The ingredients have been set out in front of you some you need and some you don't. You have thirty minutes and I will be back shortly"

And with that Miss Hardbroom materialized out of the classroom.

"Does she ever leave the place like a normal person" asked Harry

"Unfortunately not" said Mildred "Come on, Harry we have to get started"

Ethel and Malfoy snuck into the classroom unnoticed, having planned on getting Mildred and Harry into more trouble like they had planned.

Their plan was once again to drop something into their cauldron and ruin their potion but this time what they had planned on dropping into would do much more than cause it to bubble up and spill everywhere it would literally explode.

But before Ethel and Malfoy could sneak over while Mildred and Harry tuned away from their cauldron Miss Hardbroom appeared before them

"May I ask what it is you two are doing here?" she asked

Ethel and Malfoy jumped back in shock, revealing themselves to Mildred and Harry

"What are you two doing here?" asked Harry

"Just what I asked," said Miss Hardbroom "Ethel Hallow, Draco Malfoy both of you explain yourselves or else I shall have to assume the worst and what is that in your hands, Ethel."

Ethel and Malfoy bowed their heads down in shame while Miss Hardbroom handed her hand out, expecting Ethel to hand over what she had in her hands. When she did Miss Hardbroom inspected the odd piece of coral very curiously.

"May I ask where you got this Ethel and Draco and why you have it?" asked Miss Hardbroom and again Ethel and Malfoy bowed their heads in shame, not saying anything "If you do not tell me I shall have to assume the worst"

Not knowing what to say that would get them out of trouble both Ethel and Malfoy continued to remain quiet.

"I hope you both weren't intending to drop this into Mildred and Harry's cauldron, because that would cause their potion to explode." Said Miss Hardbroom "And I hope you two didn't take this from Professor Snape's supply closet because he's the only person I know around here that keeps this kind of stuff."

All of it was true and Ethel knew she couldn't hide the truth any longer.

"Well Mildred threw slime in my face and she was asking for it" exclaimed Ethel.

"Ethel, what are you doing?" Malfoy asked furiously, not wanting to get into trouble.

"You two are in serious trouble" said Miss Hardbroom "I want 500 lines from each of you saying 'I must not ruin my fellow classmate's potions' and in addition you will both be cleaning the halls tomorrow at 6 in the morning. I suggest you both go get some sleep so you can wake up bright and early to start cleaning. And Mildred, Harry you will both continue with your potion. I'm sure you'll both make no mistakes now that you don't have anyone around to ruin your potion."

Mildred and Harry smiled and Miss Hardbroom smiled back at them before materializing.

"If only we could get Professor Snape to smile like that" said Harry jokingly and Mildred laughed.

The next morning; Ethel and Malfoy were up at 6 in the morning to clean the halls.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," said Ethel while kneeling down scrubbing the floors with a rag with Malfoy doing the same right next to her.

"Well if you had kept your both shut we wouldn't be here," said Malfoy

"Oh shut up" snapped Ethel, "we would've gotten into trouble either way"

Malfoy rolled his eyes and continued to scrub the floors.