Potion in Motion
On Monday, Lavender woke up with butterflies in her stomach. It was the day when something would happen, she could feel it. Today she would see Severus, first in Potions, then in his office in the evening. This dream … something just has to happen!, she thought, while she made up her light brown eyes in the bathroom mirror, which were shining amber again today. They always did when she was excited, and at least, her best friend would be able to read her emotional state from them. Lavender could hardly save herself from endorphin rushes—and that, although her head was still buzzing a little and her nose was running like a broken tap.
As she walked with Parvati and Hermione to the Great Hall, the sun shone brightly through the large windows of the staircase and Lavender's mood grew immeasurably. She infected pretty much everyone with it except Parvati, who stared glumly into her cereal and yawned continuously.
She must have a hangover, Lavender thought. Why does she always have to get so drunk lately? The lovesickness seems to be really getting to her. Or is there something else at play?
And once again, Lavender wished with every fibre that Parvati would confide in her, as she used to, over a good cup of coffee and a lot of chocolate frogs. Tell her that it was Harry Potter she was pining for …
For the first two lessons, they had Defence Against the Dark Arts with Professor Ashley. Lavender, as so often, hadn't finished her essay—no wonder with all the stress—but that wouldn't stop Ashley from giving her a Troll. But she so didn't care …
As they entered the room, she happened to walk next to Hermione, and both girls watched as Ron, once again, with much fidgeting and fussing, tried to settle down next to Mandy, who, as usual, sat alone when classes were held in a room with double desks.
One hand casually resting on the edge of the table, legs loosely crossed, he talked at the Ravenclaw, who finally made a hand gesture with a slightly annoyed expression that he should for heaven's sake finally sit down.
At that moment, Ron slipped off the table with his hand, knocked his chair over and flopped halfway onto Mandy, grabbing her left breast—accidentally, of course. The girl screamed and pushed Ron away with all her might, whereupon he found himself on the floor with a dark purple face.
Lavender and Hermione looked at each other with wide eyes and gasped in sync. Then they started giggling without restraint.
Ron scrambled to his feet, sat on the far edge of his chair and apologised to Mandy without looking at her. She stared at the table with a petrified expression.
"Well, I suppose, that didn't work out," Lavender remarked dryly, and Hermione was almost bursting with laughter. With her shoulders shaking and tears in her eyes, she sank into the seat next to Harry, while Lavender sat down with Parvati, who had unabashedly stretched out across the table, her head resting on her bag. She seemed to want to take advantage of the few moments to take a nap until class started, but Hermione and Lavender thwarted this by digging their fingers into her ribs and whispering excitedly at her from both sides.
Finally, Parvati straightened up with puffy eyes and grumbled, "For Merlin's sake, what are you bugging around all the time?"
But soon after, all three of them were giggling and couldn't quite contain themselves for the rest of the hour, also helped by the screeching sneezes Lavender let off every few minutes.
As Professor Ashley handed back last week's unannounced test, by levitating the test sheets onto his pupils' desks with a smug grin and no big words, Lavender and Parvati held their results up to each other—Parvati a Poor, Lavender a Dreadful—and started laughing out loud. Hermione, meanwhile, was so psyched by now that she just cackled along, having every reason to be happy anyway with her Outstanding.
This is how it should always be, Lavender thought wistfully after receiving the fourth scolding from their teacher, which only added to the general amusement. Unfortunately, this wish is quite unrealistic … with what I have planned for later!
After lunch, the girls went briefly to their room to get their things for Potions. "Parvati, what did you actually write in task three?" Lavender heard Hermione ask as she was on her way to the bathroom.
Why doesn't she ask me?, thought Lavender, who had already had a tough time with this task and was sure she had the correct result. But obviously no one thought she was capable of it …
Grinning defiantly, she stepped in front of the mirror, renewed her make-up and powdered her nose, which was already slightly red from blowing so often. This is at least as important, she thought. At least when it comes to Potions …
At the thought that she was about to see Severus, a whole horde of butterflies fluttered up in her stomach. But the sky they were flying towards was already not quite as blue as it had been this morning. Parvati will hate me if I go ahead with this. She will hate me so much.
Sighing, Lavender picked up the brush and combed her long hair until it shone. It wasn't actually greasy yet, but before she went to Severus tonight, she would definitely wash it again. I wonder if Parvati would dry it for me …?
"Lavender, are you finally pretty enough?" she heard Parvati call impatiently from outside. Lavender winced slightly, then put down her brush, bent forward and plucked a small skin flake from her stressed nose.
"Well, sure," she said quietly to her reflection. "I am pretty. And I know everything I need to know for this lesson!" She quickly checked her tights for non-existent ladders before finally leaving the bathroom, satisfied. Now nothing could go wrong.
"Off we go," she said and looked challengingly at Parvati, who returned her gaze from very knowing, velvet-black eyes. At this, it did not escape Lavender's notice that she had also restored herself already, which had probably happened en passant while discussing homework. Feeling slightly uneasy, she grabbed her robe and bag and left the dormitory behind Parvati and Hermione.
The heavy wooden door was still open, but Severus Snape was already sitting at his desk when the three girls entered the classroom in the dungeon. His expression was even more sombre than usual, and he did not look at any of them. Lavender, as usual, obidiently turned off to her side table in front of Draco's and Blaise's noses, while Parvati and Hermione sat down behind the Slytherin cows Pansy and Millicent.
After Snape had made sure that it was exactly one o'clock, he pointed his wand at the door, which fell into the lock with a loud crash. He didn't care that the two Hufflepuff girls were still missing—he would deduct house points from them, uncompromisingly.
"Good," Snape snarled in lieu of any greeting. "There is a lot for you to do today—Miss Brown, will you summarise for us, please?"
Lavender's heart leapt. She was well prepared and thought it was a good sign that he, of all people, was giving her the opportunity to prove it. "Yes, well," she began excitedly and was just taking a deep breath to continue when Snape rudely interrupted her, "What do we have a blackboard for?"
Blackboard? Lavender stared at her teacher in amazement. Since the fiasco back then, he had never asked her to the blackboard again, which she had thought was a silent agreement between the two of them.
"No need to be shy," he growled, making an impatient arm motion. "It certainly won't fall down this time!"
God, he's in a shitty mood today!, Lavender thought, and her heart sank. Besides, he knows exactly I can't write anything by magic …
She cast a brief, desperate glance at Parvati, who looked back with surprising indifference today. Now, at the latest, Lavender realised that Parvati had long known what she was up to. Lavender had provoked it herself—but still she suddenly had a rather sinking feeling in the stomach area. She met Draco's eyes, narrowed to mischievous slits. Is there actually anyone in this room who isn't delighted that I'm about to make a complete fool of myself?
With a lump in her throat and weak knees, Lavender stood up and strode to the blackboard, standing tall. Come on, this time you know exactly what you want to write, she said to herself. Confidently, she reached for the chalk, placed it on the large blank surface—
"Why don't you use your wand?" snarled Snape at her. "You really ought to master such simple magic tricks by now!"
What—is—that? Lavender was stunned. Just like my first accident—first he's sweet, and then he's twice as bad! Again she stretched, then stared boldly into her teacher's eyes. "But I can't control it, Professor Snape," she replied quietly but clearly. "And with your permission, sir, I would like to write the notes now—by hand!"
Everyone in the room understood her, Snape anyway. And now he replied even more quietly, "No. You won't, Miss Brown. If you want to keep attending this class, it's about time you learned how to behave like a witch!" His eyes glittered like cold pebbles. "Go on," he hissed. "Try it! Be brave for once!"
The class was dead silent; no one had expected such a reaction from their teacher. Lavender's stomach clenched, her entire back covered with goose bumps. I am brave, and you know it, Lavender thought as she sank her eyes into his for a moment. Then she slowly pulled her wand out of her robe and pointed it at the blackboard.
'Point one: Continue brewing the potion for chronic nausea', she thought, staring intently from her wand to the blackboard. But the stupid beast remained black and blank as before.
She looked back at Snape, who was sitting in his chair with his arms folded, still scrutinising her with those cold eyes. "I was going to write, 'Point one: Continue brewing the potion for chronic nausea'," Lavender explained in a clear voice and trembling knees, her wand continuing to face the blackboard frantically. "But I'm afraid I can't!"
Oh, those cheekbones!, she thought. Even though he had once again got it into his head to wear her down by any means possible—she still wondered what he was wearing under his robe today and how his shiny hair might feel under her fingers.
There was a sudden whispering in the class, a few giggles. Everyone should know that I've got it all figured out!, Lavender thought and continued defiantly: "'Point two: During the twenty-minute simmering phase, take a sample of the magic potion against viral tonsillitis and determine the quality' …"
Snape raised a hand, his eyes turned to the side in annoyance. "Write—it—on!"
Lavender fell silent, but did not take her eyes off him. Yeah, go ahead and play the teacher to me! I know you can be different … just wait until I come to the detention tonight!
The giggling grew louder. Some of the students, including Hermione and Parvati, gasped, and just then a loud creak sounded. Annoyed, Snape turned to the door—standing there rather meekly were Susan and Hannah, who would probably have preferred to vanish into thin air. "Oh, you're coming, too!" he snarled at the intimidated girls. "Miss Bones, Miss Abbott—ten points from Hufflepuff—for each of you!"
Lavender, however, had correctly interpreted the looks of her friends and several other classmates. Her breath caught when she finally looked at the blackboard. There, written large and clear in her round handwriting, were the following sentences:
"Oh, those cheekbones!"
"I wonder what he's wearing underneath …"
"I wonder what his hair feels like …"
"Everyone should know that I've got it all figured out!"
"Yeah, go ahead and play the teacher to me! I know you can be different … just wait until I come to the detention later!"
"Oh God! This can't be happening!" Reflexively, her arm shot forward with her wand and she hissed with all the fervour she could muster, "SCOUR—GI—FYYY!"
The spell worked—far too well. When Snape turned to her, Lavender had already managed to remove the bottom three sentences. She had literally cut them out of the blackboard and a rubbery stench filled the air.
And still on the blackboard were the fatal phrases: "Oh, those cheekbones!" and, "I wonder what he's wearing underneath …"
Now Snape had also caught sight of the remains of Lavender's handiwork, and for a moment, Lavender thought his eyes would fall out of his head. Then she could see his neck slowly reddening—a very dangerous sign, as she already knew. Snape was almost bursting with anger. "Miss Brown!" he hissed ominously, his black eyes flashing. "This is the height of impertinence! I have really never seen anything as impudent, incompetent as you! When will you finally realise that you have no place with me?"
Tears welled up in Lavender's eyes. It's so unfair, she thought to herself. I knew everything and I tried! What else does he want?
But she didn't dare say anything more. Nor did anyone in the class dare to show their amusement openly—almost all of them had wisely buried the lower half of their faces in their hands and were watching with wide eyes. This is so embarrassing, Lavender thought. A nightmare! Now everyone knows! Lavender Brown has a crush on the Potions master! And who knows what else they're thinking … Draco actually looked quite stunned; one of the few who wasn't laughing.
Now Snape turned to his notebook and scribbled something down emphatically. "Troll! Sit!" he barked at Lavender without looking at her again. She crept into her seat as he turned to the blackboard, fixed it and removed Lavender's confessions. "Is there anyone who feels able to successfully complete this amateurishly attempt?" he addressed the class afterwards.
Immediately, several arms rose in the air, among them that of—Parvati! Lavender gave her an incredulous look. No! I don't believe it now!
And of course, Snape picked her. "Miss Patil? I mean Parvati," he added when both twins had risen from their seats.
Hearing her first name come out of his mouth was the final straw for Lavender. Through a veil of tears, she watched as Parvati positioned herself in front of the blackboard with her head held high, conjuring up the desired notes with loose flicks of her slender wrist. An envy seized Lavender, so fervent that she herself was shocked by it. Is there actually anything this stupid cow isn't able to do?, she thought angrily. She does magic like it's the easiest thing in the world, she can handle school stuff with ease, she looks great and she plays the piano! That's unbelievable! And how he's looking at her!
Lavender still couldn't believe it. It was hidden from the rest of the class because Snape had his back to them, but Lavender could see from her side seat exactly how he stared at Parvati as she spoke. It was that look from the day before yesterday again. Tall, dark and somehow sad. As if he missed her! But that's nonsense! Isn't it …? Do they have a thing going on?
Parvati, too, looked at him as she explained her bullet points. And when she wasn't looking at her teacher or at the blackboard, she was casting oblique sideways glances at Lavender, who was continuously wiping away her tears and trying to ignore Draco's smirks. And there was a mixture in her eyes that Lavender didn't know from her. Superiority. Triumph. Gloating—
"So you see what has to be done," Snape announced a few minutes later, pointing to the blackboard, which was now covered with Parvati's sober writing slanted to the right. Parvati was already on her way to the lab with Hermione to fetch her various potions.
I have to pull myself together now!, Lavender thought dully as she blew her nose. Otherwise he'll be capable to throw me out! And I had thought I could feel reasonably safe by now. I've made such an effort …
She also rose to fetch her potions. On the way to the lab she met Hermione and Parvati. "Don't worry about it," Hermione said. "You actually knew, and how are you supposed to learn how to write with magic overnight? He was just trying to wear you down!"
Parvati said nothing but smiled maliciously. My God! Lavender's heart clenched, and she felt a lump in her throat as she went into the lab and took her bottles from the shelf. What did I do to her anyway? I didn't even say anything! Were the few glances enough? Or did she see more in the Hospital Wing than I thought? Did she see me lying on Severus's lap?
It could be so many things. Parvati had already reacted strangely three weeks ago when Lavender had her accident, was being coddled by Severus and was, on top of that, the heroine afterwards. She's simply begrudging me that! Why didn't she say so in the first place? Played the noble all this time and didn't keep it up. And she's sensitive. I think she already sensed that I sussed her out …
Lavender lit the fire under her cauldron and heated it to exactly forty-two degrees. Then she carefully poured in the brew for the potion against chronic nausea. Lavender noticed her hands shaking. She was still upset about the recent blackboard fiasco—it couldn't have been more embarrassing!—and her whole chest ached as often as she looked over at Parvati. And then there was still this detention waiting for her tonight … could she really confess her feelings to Severus? After that mishap earlier …?
She began to stir the viscous brew and her right arm began to protest slightly. Even with this simple movement. You'll be fine after two days, my ass, Lavender thought, and a bad feeling came over her. And the preparation of this potion is so dangerous … I really must be careful not to make a mistake!
"Well, Brown," she heard Draco's drawling voice from her right. "Now I'm beginning to realise why you didn't … come the other day!"
Lavender turned slowly to face him. Draco was standing by his cauldron, staring at her as if she had grown a horn on her forehead, which was in stark contrast to his casual tone. Blaise wasn't in his place at all—apparently he was still dawdling somewhere along the way, no fire burning under Draco's cauldron yet either. They could afford it. They would simply stay a little longer after the end of class and let Severus help them!
"What are you realising?" asked Lavender indignantly. Oh God, soon the whole school will know, she groaned inwardly. This can't be happening! And that stupid nose is already starting to tingle again …
"That you aspire to higher things," Draco chortled, but the smirk in his voice didn't reach his grey eyes, which sparkled wickedly. "Whether it's about that you just cheated your way into this class or that you adore Snape—"
"Atchoo!" Lavender made loudly.
"Ugh," Draco said, his pale face contorting in disgust.
Asshole!, Lavender thought. Most unladylike, she sniffed and demonstratively wiped her hands on her robe before hurriedly searching for a clean handkerchief.
At that moment, Blaise returned to his seat next to Draco, but that was no reason for him not to continue talking. Apparently a light just dawned on him: "Oh, now I know why you're here! It's because of Sev!" He started laughing dirtily and Blaise joined in with high-pitched giggles.
Lavender turned bright red. "What nonsense!" I definitely liked him better when he was sick!, she thought grudgingly. It was so nice and quiet last week! And hopefully he won't get the idea that we might already have something going on. Then I can really pack my things and go!
She turned back to her asphodel roots, which finally had to be cut. The squeezed juice was to be added to the broth at seventy degrees, and that was—soon! Strained, she began to chop, cursing the pungent smell of the roots that brought tears to her eyes again. Unfortunately, the Eye Protection Charm was not yet included in her meagre repertoire. Besides, her sniffling nose was already starting to drip again—Lavender hated that like the plague, and she couldn't find a single dry handkerchief in her robe pocket anymore.
"Look, who's crying, there, there!" sneered Draco in a harsh voice. "You know, maybe it's time you came to terms with the fact that you're on the losing side, Brown! One unjustified win in Quidditch and you're flying high!"
And you've got a smacked bottom by Daddy, Lavender thought gloatingly. But apparently you never get enough of picking on female Gryffindors!
She pocketed the handkerchief, blinked away the tears and eagerly continued chopping. In between, she checked the temperature of her cauldron—oh dear, sixty-five degrees already!—and stirred the brew, which had already become a lot more liquid. If only her hands weren't shaking so much!
"Oh, those cheekbones!" sang Draco.
"I wonder what he's got underneath," Blaise yowled, and the boys burst out laughing again.
"I wonder what his hair feels like," Draco squeaked, catching a punishing look from his godfather.
That's enough! Lavender looked up from her work. "Who said I meant him, anyway?" she asked challengingly, making a slight motion with her chin towards Snape. She just couldn't let it go. "Maybe I meant … you? Or both of you …?"
Draco opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Blaise, on the other hand, snorted and stroked Draco's slicked-back, neck-length hair.
With a smug grin, she turned to the second root, but spoiled her cool saying by violently cutting her finger immediately afterwards. Her knife flew off in a high arc and she hissed, "Ohh … shit!"
Quickly she put her finger in her mouth before it really started to bleed. She couldn't ruin her freshly chopped asphodel roots now! No way!
"Oh, Brown, you really are so useless!" Draco curled up in his chair with laughter, but his racketing at least got Snape's attention. Slowly, he stood up, supporting himself from the desk with both hands—with a sinking heart, Lavender wondered how a person could manage to look so annoyed at just such a simple process as standing up. Then he approached Lavender, staring demonstratively over her head, stopped directly in front of her and made an impatient sign with his hand.
Lavender didn't know how to react for a moment—but then she took her finger out of her mouth and carefully held out her hand to him. She was still trembling violently, just as everything about her was trembling by now. Blood flowed bright red from the cut and dripped to the floor.
But the next moment, warm fingers closed around her hand and held it tight. Warmth flooded through Lavender and the trembling stopped abruptly. Girl—that creep just gave you a Troll!, Lavender called herself to reason, but it didn't help. There it was again, that desire to throw herself into his arms and just let go.
Snape removed the blood from Lavender's fingers and looked at the cut. Finally, he tapped it with his wand and whispered a spell that stopped the bleeding. It all happened so quickly that Lavender could only stand breathlessly and stare at that image; his slender hand holding her smaller one like a bird's egg. The next moment, the cut had healed, Snape turned with a swishing robe and started a tour through the classroom as if nothing had happened.
Stunned, Lavender stood at her table, but a part of her registered with satisfaction that Parvati was staring over at her with ill-concealed envy; probably, she had been watching everything closely!
Draco and Blaise also needed a moment to get their mouths shut again. "Well, Brown?" Draco then began mockingly, "That's what you wished for, isn't it? That's where the little heart is thumping!"
"Pit-a-pat—pit-a-pat—pit-a-pat," Blaise sang, and they both started to giggle.
Lavender didn't react at all. First he kicks my ass—then he comes back and helps me, even though I didn't say anything. She just couldn't figure out her teacher. Would he have reacted so quickly with anyone? Does he like me now or not? And how he'll be like tonight?
"Are you actually gonna hurt yourself every day now so Sevie has to fix you up?" Draco kept on bugging her.
Lavender awoke from her numbness. "As if I asked Crabbe to smack the Bludger at my head!" she cried indignantly. "But I suppose, that was rather your idea, Malfoy!"
"Watch your mouth! Or you're in so much trouble!" hissed Draco, and Lavender suddenly felt transported back two weeks, when he had had that exact look on his face in the changing room, and had threatened her in that very tone. After he had kissed her so passionately … She even remembered how he had tasted, and with a jerk she turned to her cauldron.
Immediately afterwards, it flashed seethingly through her mind. Oh God! She checked the temperature—seventy-two degrees! Shit! It's about time!
Feverishly, she began to squeeze the finely chopped roots. Now she was getting really nervous. The juice should have been added at seventy degrees. Every degree above that increased the danger of explosion of the brew and increased the development of corrosive by-products and poisonous vapours in the later steps, Snape had emphasised that often enough in the last few hours.
Just what I needed, to have the cauldron blow up into my face, Lavender thought almost in panic. She could hardly control her trembling hands, which now had to press the squashed roots through a fine-meshed sieve to collect the juice in a separate bowl. Her arm was already making itself known again with a dull throbbing.
And next to her, those assholes who still hadn't started their work. Obviously, it was a lot more fun to keep Lavender from hers. That could have been it, she thought. Now Draco has his revenge … he's really able to break my neck. Then it was all for nothing …
As carefully as she could, she dribbled the juice of the asphodel roots into the broth. She needed both hands because they were shaking so much, so she couldn't check the temperature at the same time. It's too high anyway, she thought with a shrug. I'll just have to be twice as careful when I add the moonstone powder later. If I pour that in too quickly, it will really go bang …
Lavender had added the juice and stirred her brew until it reached the hundred degree mark. Now it had to simmer for twenty minutes until the powder would be added, so she turned on the automatic stirrer and went off to weigh out the required amount of moonstone granules. She returned to her table with it and set about pulverising it. And as she did so, she felt her arm again.
It doesn't work, she realised a few moments later, breathing heavily, and lowered the pestle with which she had tried to crush the small stones in the mortar. The slightest pressure made it ache from top to bottom. Lavender noticed how she began to sweat, something that rarely happened to her in the dungeon. In addition, the headache from this morning had returned due to the exertion. Really great!, Lavender thought. What's next—an acute vomiting attack perhaps?
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly. At least Draco finally shut up! Because the Slytherins had finally started to heat up their brew and no longer had time for stupid sayings.
Finally, she tried to break down the granules in her bowl with her left arm, but it was a lot more difficult than she thought. After a short time she was bathed in sweat, it ran down her back and burned under her armpits. Fine dust clouds rose from the bowl and made Lavender's nose tingle. Now don't sneeze!
Doggedly, she continued. The finer the powder, the higher the effectiveness of the potion. But the higher the danger of explosion, too …
Finally she had finished and had three minutes left to check the quality of the other potion with a quick test. I won't make it, she thought resignedly. I'd better rest a while.
She sank onto her chair, wiped the sweat from her forehead and furtively massaged her temples. As she did so, she briefly considered using the time to clean some of her handkerchiefs by magic and then blow-dry them. But she was not sure if that would go well. It was not for nothing that she always dried her hair the way Muggles did. And the idea of torching her handkerchiefs in front of Draco and Blaise's sneering looks was really unbearable.
So she merely let her gaze wander around the class. Hermione, Parvati and Harry were also checking their potions and making relatively satisfied faces. None of them looked at Lavender, not even Parvati, and once again her stomach tightened.
And then, the three minutes were up. Sighing, Lavender rose from her chair. Her whole body was shaking again, as if she had drunk ten cups of coffee, her arm stung, her wrist burned like fire. How do I now get the powder from the bowl into the cauldron in small portions, she asked herself fearfully. This is absolute precision work! And my hands are trembling as if I had Parkinson's! If only it weren't for this headache!
With her lips pressed together, she took a small spatula tip full of powder from the mortar that was at a safe distance on the table and guided the spatula to the cauldron. Unfortunately, when it arrived, there was no longer a grain of moonstone powder on it.
Shit! How do I do this now? Lavender was soaking wet with sweat, and she was glad she hadn't taken off her robe. Her blouse was surely already clinging to her like a second skin and would only tempt Draco to make stupid remarks.
Finally, for the moment when she took the powder with the spatula, Lavender held the small bowl with her left hand close under the edge of the cauldron to keep the distance to it as short as possible. She did not feel comfortable with the whole amount of powder so close to the cauldron, but otherwise she would never manage to get it in in portions.
That was how it worked. She added spatula tip after spatula tip of the powder to the simmering brew, leaving long periods in between so that the moonstone could react in the brew—stirring diligently in a clockwise direction. In between, her nose began to tingle again and she literally exploded in a whole series of violent sneezes, which she sent into one of her soggy handkerchiefs.
"Beautyfulness!" wished Draco in an amiable voice.
"Magical abilities," Blaise purred.
"Good in bed!" snorted Draco.
Both Slytherins began to laugh uproariously. Then followed a long list of every positive attribute imaginable; Draco and Blaise couldn't get enough of regaling Lavender, who kept sneezing, with terms like "popularity", "skilfulness" or "intelligence".
Lavender ignored them. Just as she tried to ignore the disconcerting fact that the actually transparent brew was gradually taking on a slightly greenish tinge.
I just have to be careful and it will be okay, she tried to encourage herself. However, she was careful. How long was it going to take to put five grams of moonstone powder into a litre of brew? A litre that was already too hot …, it whispered inside her.
In the meantime, Draco and Blaise had also started to make their moonstone powder; with powerful movements, they ground up the little stones in their bowls, almost driving Lavender up the walls with the scraping noises they produced—the girl was on the verge of going crazy.
Stay cool, she reminded herself. Also this hour will pass! Look forward to the hot shower afterwards!
Again she put a spatula tip into the brew, which had by now turned a frightening light green. Fine vapours rose from the surface, the colour and consistency of which Lavender did not like at all. What if the stuff exploded now? A hot shiver of fear ran over Lavender. Then I'll take the full brunt … Oh God, shouldn't I stop it? But how?
A choking sensation spread through her throat. Should I ask Severus? She glanced over at her teacher, who was leaning back in his chair, engrossed in the contents of a scroll of parchment. But then I don't need to come back at all …
As if paralysed, she stared into her ominously bubbling brew while she continued to stir mechanically. No, it certainly wasn't supposed to look like that!
"Look, Blaise … Brown's about to pee her pants," she heard Draco say, not exactly quietly, to his friend.
That was the moment when something inside Lavender collapsed. It just wasn't working anymore. Two Slytherins who rejoiced when she cut her finger. Another Slytherin who was unattainable to her. A friend who couldn't care less that Lavender was just on the verge of panic. And a solution that was about to blow up in her face if she didn't put the fire out under the cauldron immediately!
The first tear rolled down her cheek, more followed. I can't cope with this! Why did I do this? Why did I go to this course voluntarily? It's far too dangerous for people like me who can't concentrate!
Lavender waved her wand and turned off the fire under her cauldron. I give up! Crying, she stood in front of her place, helplessly wondering what to do with the ominous hissing gloop in her cauldron, which apparently hadn't yet realised that it had just had its juice cut off.
Snape looked up from his parchment. "Why are you putting the fire out, Miss Brown?" he asked suspiciously.
"Because …" she began, but then her eyes widened. The cauldron was suddenly twice as full as before with a sickeningly foaming, poison-green liquid that made suspicious cracking noises. She knew the brew was about to explode. She had turned off the fire too late.
"Watch out!" Lavender yelled to the class, then dived under her desk in a flash and buried her head between her knees.
There she crouched and waited for the inferno that was about to go off above her. She could only hope that the stuff would not splash uncontrollably through the whole class. That everyone in the room had taken her warning call seriously. And that everyone could get themselves—
BOOOMMM!