The next morning the two boys met with Coral in the Common Room before breakfast. Silver wasted no time telling Coral about the story with Rutan "Hm, I don't know. He would lie to sound important but that's a really big lie to tell" Coral said. Before Silver could push on, they started to realise that other people were getting closer trying to listen "It's rude to gossip!" Razor yelled at a minuscule mole first year. The mole was whispering to a friend, turned red when Razor pointed him out and quickly ran out of the portrait hole. Razor laughed "I love being a sixth year. And we're going to be getting free time this year. Whole periods when we can just sit up here and relax" "We're going to need that time for studying, Coral" "Yeah, but not today. Today's going to be a real doss, I reckon". Coral suddenly stopped and held out her hand "Hold it!". A fourth-year dog stopped holding a capsule in his hands "Ring bombs are not allowed. Hand it over" Coral said strictly. The dog frowned and reluctantly handed it to Coral before running after his friends. Razor took the bomb "Great. I've ran out of these". Coral snatched it back from him but before she could tell him off they heard a high pitched giggle. They looked and saw Undina passed them with Lyco.
The ceiling of the Great Hall was serenely blue and streaked with frail, wispy clouds, just like the squares of sky visible through the high mullioned windows. While they tucked into porridge and eggs and bacon, Silver and Razor told Coral about their embarrassing conversation with Big the previous evening "But he can't really think we'd continue Care of Magical Creatures! I mean, when has any of us expressed, you know, any enthusiasm?". Razor swallowed a mouthful of scrambled egg "That's just it isn't it. We were the ones who made the most effort in classes because we like Big. But he thinks we liked the subject. D'you reckon anyone's going to go on to S.H.A.R.D.S?". Neither Silver nor Coral answered, there was no need. They knew perfectly well that nobody in their year would want to continue Care of Magical Creatures. They avoided Big's eye and returned his cheery wave only half-heartedly when he left the staff table ten minutes later.
After breakfast the three lined up outside Echo's office with the rest of the sixth-year Shinobis to get their new schedules. Usually this would happen in the Great Hall, but for S.H.A.R.D.S students Echo had to confirm the requested classes. Coral was first up and she immediately cleared to continue with Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Herbology, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and Potions, and shot off to a first period Ancient Runes class without further ado. Antione took a little longer to sort out; he was anxious as Echo looked down his application and then consulted his G.E.M results "Herbology, fine. Professor Chrysan will be delighted to see you back with an 'Outstanding' G.E.M. And you qualify for Defence Against the Dark Arts with 'Exceeds Expectations.' But the problem is Transfiguration. I'm sorry, Antione, but an Acceptable' really isn't good enough to continue to S.H.A.R.D level. I just don't think you'd be able to cope with the coursework". Antione hung his head in shame. Echo peered at him curiously "Why do you want to continue with Transfiguration, anyway? I've never had the impression that you particularly enjoyed it". Antione answered so quietly that the only word Echo could make out was grandmother. That was apparently enough though as she snorted "It's high time your grandmother learned to be proud of the grandson she's got, rather than the one she thinks she ought to have. Particularly after what happened at the Ministry".
Antione turned very pink and blinked confusedly. Echo had never paid him a compliment before "I'm sorry, Antione, but I cannot let you into my S.H.A.R.D.S class. I see that you have an 'Exceeds Expectations' in Charms, however. Why not try for that?" "My grandmother thinks Charms is a soft option" "Take Charms and I shall drop Vander a line reminding her that just because she failed her Charms G.E.M, the subject is not necessarily worthless". With a smile Echo tapped the paper in front of her with her bident and Antione's schedule appeared. Next was Lyco who was curious if Thebes would be teaching Divination. Echo rolled her eyes, not hiding her dislike for the subject "He and Professor Pyjamas will be splitting classes. Pyjamas will be taking care of the sixth years". Silver then watched Lyco leaving with her timetable looking slightly crestfallen. Silver was next. Echo checked her notes "Silver…Let me see. Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Transfiguration, all fine. I must say, I was pleased with your Transfiguration mark, very pleased. Now, why haven't you applied to continue with Potions? I thought it was your ambition to become a Diamond Cutter?" "It was, but you told me I had to get an Outstanding, Professor" "And so you did when Professor Infinite was teaching the subject. Professor Ellidy, however, is perfectly happy to accept students with Exceeds Expectations. Do you wish to proceed with Potions?". Silver couldn't stop himself smiling "Great. But I didn't buy any books or ingredients" "I'm sure Professor Ellidy will be able to lend you some". Echo then looked behind Silver and the line "I will also be sending Mr Razor with you. He looks far too happy back there". Silver took his timetable "Thank you, Professor" "You're welcome. Also, twenty hopefuls have already put down their names for the Sky Chase team. I shall pass the list to you in due course and you can fix up trials at your leisure".
Silver waited for Razor to leave the class. Despite being forced to continue Potions as well he was still very pleased "We've got a free period now and a free period after break and after lunch. Excellent". They returned to the Common Room which was empty apart from a few seventh years including Lara-Su the only remaining member of the original team Silver joined in his first year. When she saw them, she smiled and approached "Thought you'd become Captain. You have to tell when the trials are" "Trials? You don't need trials. You've been on the team for years". She shook her head warningly "Oh, you don't want to be doing that. For all you know, there's someone much better than me out there. Good teams have been ruined before now because Captains just kept playing the old faces or letting in their friends". Razor's eyes suddenly widened and had a sudden interest in the ground.
An hour later they reluctantly left the sunlit common room for the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom four floors below. Coral was already queuing outside, carrying an armful of heavy books and looking put-upon "We got so much homework for Runes. A fifteen-inch essay, two translations, and I've got to read these by Wednesday!". Razor yawned "Shame" "You wait, I bet Infinite gives us loads". It wasn't long before Infinite opened the door and let them inside. Silver saw that Infinite had imposed his personality upon the room already; it was gloomier than usual, as curtains had been drawn over the windows, and was lit by candlelight. New pictures adorned the walls, many of them showing people who appeared to be in pain, sporting grisly injuries or strangely contorted body parts. Nobody spoke as they settled down, looking around at the shadowy, gruesome pictures. Just like his old Potions class Infinite effortlessly silenced the class when he spoke "You have had five teachers in this subject so far, I believe" "You believe? Like you haven't watched them all come and go, Infinite, hoping you'd be next" Silver thought. Infinite continued "Naturally, these teachers will all have had their own methods and priorities. Given this confusion I am surprised so many of you scraped a G.E.M in this subject. I shall be even more surprised if all of you manage to keep up with the S.H.A.R.D.S work, which will be much more advanced".
Infinite set off around the edge of the room, speaking now in a lower voice; the class craned their necks to keep him in view "The Dark Arts are many, varied, ever-changing, and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating, indestructible". Silver stared at Infinite. It was surely one thing to respect the Dark Arts as a dangerous enemy, another to speak of them, as Infinite was doing, with a loving caress in his voice "Your defences must therefore be as flexible and inventive as the arts you seek to undo. These picture give a fair representation of what happens to those who suffer, for instance, the Cruciatus Curse". He waved a hand toward a chipmunk who was clearly shrieking in agony "Feel the Prelate's Kiss". A gorilla lying huddled and blank-eyed, slumped against a wall "Or provoke the aggression of the EXE". A Hedgehog with black empty eyes with red pupils and blood trickling down them. Lyco raised her hand "Have EXEs been seen then?" "No but the Dark Lord has used them in the past which means you would be well-advised to assume he might use them again. Now…". He moved back to the front of the class "You are, I believe, complete novices in the use of nonverbal spells. What is the advantage of a nonverbal spell?". Coral's arm shot up at once. Infinite took his time looking at the rest of the class until he knew for sure he didn't have a choice "Very well. Miss Coral?" "Your adversary has no warning about what kind of magic you're about to perform, which gives you a split-second advantage" "An answer copied almost word for word from The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Six but correct in essentials. Yes, those who progress to using magic without shouting incantations gain an element of surprise in their spellcasting. Not all wizards can do this, of course; it is a question of concentration and mind power which some…Lack" his one visible eye glared at Silver for a moment.
He was clearly taking a shot at Silver's Occlumency skills "You will now divide into pairs. One partner will attempt to jinx the other without speaking. The other will attempt to repel the jinx in equal silence. Carry on" everyone did so. Despite all the training Silver put the students through last year none of them learned how to cast spells without speaking. A reasonable amount of cheating ensued; many people were merely whispering the incantation instead of saying it aloud. Typically, ten minutes into the lesson Coral managed to repel Antione's muttered Jelly Legs Jinx without a single note of music leaving her flute, a feat that would surely have earned her twenty points for Shinobi from any reasonable teacher, but which Infinite ignored. He swept between them as they practiced, looking just as much like an overgrown bat as ever, lingering to watch Silver and Razor struggling with the task. Razor, who was supposed to be jinxing Silver, was purple in the face, his lips tightly compressed to save himself from the temptation of muttering the incantation. Silver had his hand raised, waiting on tenterhooks to repel a jinx that seemed unlikely ever to come. Infinite then came over to inspect their performance "Pathetic, O'Hedge. Let me show you". Infinite raised his hand to Silver so quickly that Silver acted on instinct, all thought of non-verbal spells forgotten "Protego!". His Shield Charm was so strong Infinite was knocked off-balance and hit a desk. The whole class had looked around and now watched as Infinite righted himself "Do you remember me telling you we are practicing nonverbal spells, Hedgehog?". Silver wasn't afraid of Infinite's anger "Yes" "Yes, sir" "You don't have to call me sir, Professor". The words had escaped him before he knew what he was saying. Several people gasped, including Coral. Behind Infinite, however, Razor, Marcos, and Larry grinned appreciatively. Infinite glared at Silver "Detention, Saturday night, my office. I do not take cheek from anyone, Hedgehog, not even the Chosen One".
On their way to break after class Razor was patting him on the back "That was brilliant, Silver". Coral predictably disapproved "You really shouldn't have said it. What made you?" "He tried to jinx me in case you hadn't noticed. I had enough of that during those Occlumency lessons! Why doesn't he use another guinea pig for a change? What's Locke playing at, anyway, letting him teach Defence? Did you hear him talking about the Dark Arts? He loves them! All that unfixed, indestructible stuff" "Well…Actually…I thought he sounded like you". Silver stared at her in disbelief "Like me?" "Yes, when you were telling us what it's like to face Finitevus. You said it wasn't just memorizing a bunch of spells, you said it was just you and your brains and your guts. Well, wasn't that what Infinite was saying? That it really comes down to being brave and quick-thinking?". Silver was so disarmed that she had thought his words as well worth memorizing as The Standard Book of Spells that he did not argue "Um, excuse me, Mr Silver". Silver turned around and saw a little possum first year who looked very nervous "Uh, hello?" "I was told me to give you this". The boy handed him a piece of parchment and quickly ran away. Silver opened it worrying that it was another letter from Ellidy but instead it was from Locke.
Dear Silver,
I would like to start our private lessons this Saturday. Kindly come along to my office at 8 P.M. I hope you are enjoying your first day back at school.
Yours sincerely,
Locke the Echidna
P.S. I enjoy Sundae Supremes
"He enjoys Sundae Supremes?" Razor asked confused. Silver shrugged "It's probably the password to his office. Won't be able to do his detention!". He, Razor, and Coral spent the whole of break speculating on what Locke would teach Silver. Razor thought it most likely to be spectacular jinxes and hexes of the type the Nocturnus would not know. Coral said such things were illegal, and thought it much more likely that Locke wanted to teach Silver advanced Defensive magic. After break, she went off to Arithmancy while Silver and Razor returned to the common room, where they grudgingly started Infinite's homework. This turned out to be so complex that they still had not finished when Coral joined them for their after-lunch free period (though she considerably speeded up the process). They had only just finished when the bell rang for the afternoon's double Potions and they beat the familiar path down to the dungeon classroom that had, for so long, been Infinite's. When they arrived in the corridor they saw that there were only a dozen people progressing to S.H.A.R.D.S level. Rough and Tumble had evidently failed to achieve the required grade, but four Raiju had made it through, including Rutan. Four Gossamers were there, and one Yagyu, Void who happily greeted the trio and was as disappointed as Antione to learn the L.A was not going to continue. Before they could explain Ellidy entered the class and greeted them all. The dungeon was, most unusually, already full of vapours and odd smells. Silver, Razor and Coral sniffed interestedly as they passed large, bubbling cauldrons. The four Raiju took a table together, as did the four Gossamers. This left the trio to share a table with Void. They chose the one nearest a gold-coloured cauldron that was emitting one of the most seductive scents Silver had ever inhaled. Somehow it reminded him simultaneously of treacle tart, the smell of metal that specifically came from an Extreme Gear board, and something flowery he thought he might have smelled at the Deerwood. He found that he was breathing very slowly and deeply and that the potion's fumes seemed to be filling him up like drink.
A great contentment stole over him; he grinned across at Razor, who grinned back lazily. Ellidy took the register and then began the lesson "Now, scales out, everyone, and potion kits, and don't forget your copies of Advanced Potion-Making". Silver raised his hand surprising Ellidy "Yes, Silver?" "Uh, sir, I don't have my equipment yet and neither does Razor. We didn't think we'd be able to take the class at first" "Ah, yes, Professor Echo did mention that. Well, no worries. You can use ingredients from the store cupboard today, and I'm sure we can lend you some scales, and we've got a small stock of old books here, they'll do until you can order your own". Silver and Razor went to the cupboard indicated to get their stuff. Equipment and ingredients were easy as there were a lot of spares however there were only two Advanced Potion books left. One looked in good condition the other looked more than a decade old and it was partially torn. Silver and Razor glanced at each other for a split second before suddenly fighting over the good book. Unfortunately, Razor was bigger than Silver and with a smug grin took the book. Silver reluctantly took the torn one and they both returned to the table and Ellidy continued "Now, then I've prepared a few potions for you all. Each one representing a different focus for the year. Can anyone tell me what this one is?" he indicated to a cauldron of what looked like boiling water. Coral's well practiced hand went up "It's UT Serum. It forces the drinker to tell the truth correct" "Correct, we will be learning how to brew month long potions. Well done. And this one?". Silver recognised it as Metamorphia potion but Coral again answered before he could. Ellidy was very pleased "Very good. This will be used to study time frames for potion effectiveness. I assume you also know this one, my dear" "It is a love potion, sir. From the sheen it's at the highest possible strength" "Yes, is it. Well done. We won't be learning how to make this of course. This will be used to teach you how to recognise someone under the influence and how to cure it. Can you tell me how you recognised the potion?".
Coral was very enthusiastic, most teachers liked Coral but none usually invited her to keep talking "The smell, sir. It differs from person to person depending on what attracts them. For instance, I smell freshly mown grass, new parchment and…". Coral suddenly turned very red. Ellidy was very impressed "Can I ask your name?" "Coral the Betta?". Ellidy looked from Coral to Silver and a look of comprehension dawned on him "Ah, this must be the friend you spoke of, Silver. Well, you're quite right. Take twenty well earned points to Shinobi". Rutan looked very similar to the time Coral slapped him across the face. When Ellidy turned around Coral leaned over to Silver "You spoke about me". Silver shrugged "It came up. I just said you were the best in the year". Coral blushed and thanked him then Razor very quickly jumped in "I would have said it if he asked me". Coral blushed even harder and made a shushing gesture. Ignoring the three of them Void raised his hand "Sir, you haven't told us what's in that one" he pointed at a tiny glass vial containing a molten gold liquid. Ellidy approached the vial "Ah, yes, I almost forgot. This potion isn't actually part of the curriculum. It is known as E-77. I take it you can tell us what it does, Ms Coral" "It gives the drinker luck, sir" Coral said excitedly. The whole class seemed to sit up a little straighten. Rutan was at last giving Ellidy his full and undivided attention "Quite right, take another ten points for Shinobi. Yes, it's a funny little potion, E-77. Desperately tricky to make, and disastrous to get wrong. However, if brewed correctly, as this has been, you will find that all your endeavours tend to succeed at least until the effects wear off" "Why don't people drink it all the time, sir?" Dolph from the Gossamer table asked. Ellidy chuckled "Because if taken too often it can have terrible effects on the mental state causing giddiness and dangerous over confidence. I myself have only taken in twice in my life. Once when I was twenty-four, once when I was fifty-seven. Two tablespoonfuls taken with breakfast. Two perfect days".
He gazed dreamily into the distance. Whether he was playacting or not the effect was good. He finally came back down to Mobius "And that is the prize I will be offering to the winner of today's lesson". The class went silent which Ellidy allowed for a few seconds before continuing "Yes, enough for twelve hours. Now, I must give you warning that the potion is a banned substance in organized competitions, examinations, or elections. So, the winner is to use it on an ordinary day only and watch how that ordinary day becomes extraordinary. So, how are you to win my fabulous prize? Well, by turning to page ten of Advanced Potion Making. We have a little over an hour left to us, which should be time for you to make a decent attempt at the Draught of Living Death. I know it is more complex than anything you have attempted before, and I do not expect a perfect potion from anybody. The person who does best, however, will win the potion. Off you go!". There was a scraping as everyone drew their cauldrons toward them and some loud clunks as people began adding weights to their scales, but nobody spoke. The concentration within the room was almost tangible. Silver saw Rutan riffling feverishly through his copy of Advanced Potion-Making. It could not have been clearer that Rutan really wanted that lucky day. Silver bent swiftly over the tattered book Ellidy had lent him. To his annoyance he saw that the previous owner had scribbled all over the pages, so that the margins were as black as the printed portions. Bending low to decipher the ingredients (even here, the previous owner had made annotations and crossed things out) Silver hurried off toward the store cupboard to find what he needed. As he dashed back to his cauldron, he saw Rutan cutting up valerian roots as fast as he could. Everyone kept glancing around at what the rest of the class was doing; this was both an advantage and a disadvantage of Potions, that it was hard to keep your work private. Within ten minutes, the whole place was full of bluish steam. Coral, of course, seemed to have progressed furthest. Her potion already resembled the "Smooth, black currant-coloured liquid" mentioned as the ideal halfway stage. Having finished chopping his roots, Silver bent low over his book again.
It was really very irritating, having to try and decipher the directions under all the stupid scribbles of the previous owner, who for some reason had taken issue with the order to cut up the sopophorous bean and had written in the alternative instruction "Crush with flat side of silver dagger, releases juice better than cutting" "Sir, I think you knew my grandfather, Luger?". Silver looked up; Ellidy was just passing the Raiju table. Ellidy answered but didn't look at Rutan "Yes, I was sorry to hear he had died, although of course it wasn't unexpected, dragon pox at his age". And he walked away. Silver bent back over his cauldron, smirking. He could tell that Rutan had expected to be treated like Silver or Jeff; perhaps even hoped for some preferential treatment of the type he had learned to expect from Infinite. It looked as though Rutan would have to rely on nothing but talent to win the bottle of E-77. The sopophorous bean was proving very difficult to cut up. Silver turned to Coral "Can I borrow your silver knife?". She nodded impatiently, not taking her eyes off her potion, which was still deep purple, though according to the book ought to be turning a light shade of lilac by now. Silver crushed his bean with the flat side of the dagger. To his astonishment, it immediately exuded so much juice he was amazed the shrivelled bean could have held it all. Hastily scooping it all into the cauldron he saw, to his surprise, that the potion immediately turned exactly the shade of lilac described by the textbook. His annoyance with the previous owner vanished on the spot, Silver now squinted at the next line of instructions. According to the book, he had to stir counterclockwise until the potion turned clear as water. According to the addition the previous owner had made, however, he ought to add a clockwise stir after every seventh counterclockwise stir. Could the old owner be right twice? Silver stirred counterclockwise, held his breath, and stirred once clockwise. The effect was immediate. The potion turned palest pink "How are you doing that?" demanded Coral, who was red faced. Her potion was still resolutely purple. Silver smirked "Add a clockwise stir" "No, no, the book says counterclockwise!" she snapped.
Silver shrugged and continued what he was doing. Seven stirs counterclockwise, one clockwise, pause. Seven stirs counterclockwise, one stir clockwise. Across the table, Razor was cursing fluently under his breath; his potion looked like liquid liquorice. Silver glanced around. As far as he could see, no one else's potion had turned as pale as his. He felt elated, something that had certainly never happened before in this dungeon "And time's up! Stop stirring, please!" Ellidy said. He moved slowly among the tables, peering into cauldrons. He made no comment, but occasionally gave the potions a stir or a sniff. At last, he reached the table where Silver, Razor, Coral, and Void were sitting. He smiled ruefully at the tarlike substance in Ron's cauldron. He passed over Void's navy concoction. Coral's potion he gave an approving nod. Then he saw Silver's, and a look of incredulous delight spread over his face "The clear winner! Excellent, excellent, Silver! Good lord, it's clear you've inherited your mother's talent. She was a dab hand at Potions, she was! Here you are, then, here you are. One bottle of E-77, as promised, and use it well!". Silver took the bottle, feeling an odd combination of delight at the furious looks on the Raiju faces and guilt at the disappointed expression on Coral's. Razor looked simply dumbfounded "How did you do that?" he whispered to Silver as they left the dungeon. Silver shrugged "Got lucky, I suppose" because Rutan was within earshot. Once they were securely ensconced at the Shinobi table for dinner, however, he felt safe enough to tell them. Coral's face became stonier with every word he uttered "I s'pose you think I cheated?" he finished, aggravated by her expression. She narrowed her eyes "Well, it wasn't exactly your own work, was it?".
Razor dismissively waved the accusation "He only followed different instructions to ours. Could've been a catastrophe, couldn't it? But he took a risk and it paid off". He heaved a sigh "I could gotten that book but no, I had to go for the flashy one" "Hang on" said a voice close by Silver's left ear and he caught a sudden waft of that flowery smell he had picked up in Ellidy's dungeon. He looked around and saw that Blaze had joined them "Did I hear right? You've been taking orders from something someone wrote in a book, Silver?". She looked alarmed and angry. Silver knew what was on her mind at once "It's not like Sam's diary. It's just an old textbook someone's scribbled on. Look". He handed her the book. Blaze flicked through the whole book, reading the scribbles and notes as if suddenly expecting them to speak. Eventually she handed it back to Silver who felt like that ended the conversation. Coral shook her head "Blaze's got a point. We ought to check that there's nothing odd about it. I mean, all these funny instructions, who knows?". Silver hesiatetd giving the book to Coral who rolled her eyes and quickly snatched it out of his hands "Hey!". Coral took out her flute and played "Specialis Revelio!". Nothing whatsoever happened. The book simply lay there, looking old and dirty and dog-eared "Finished? Or d'you want to wait and see if it does a few backflips?" "It seems all right. I mean, it really does seem to be just a textbook" "Good. Then I'll have it back" Silver said, snatching it off the table, but it slipped from his hand and landed open on the floor. Nobody else was looking. Silver bent low to retrieve the book, and as he did so, he saw something scribbled along the bottom of the back cover in the same small, cramped handwriting as the instructions that had won him his bottle of E-77, now safely hidden inside a pair of socks in his trunk upstairs.
This Book is the Property of the Half-Blood Prince