DOORWAYS || MARAUDERS ERA

ϟ29: CONFESSIONϟ

"The Shrinking Potion," Professor Snape said in his usual low voice, "causes creatures to shrink to their younger form."

Rhea immediately raised her hand. 

"Miss Arquette," he said, looking quite annoyed at the interruption.

"So the creature shrinks, and simultaneously becomes young?" she asked, confused. "I don't know, but isn't that kind of disturbing? So you're telling me that if I drink that potion, not only will I shrink to the size of an elf, but also I would become, say, five years old?"

Snape curled his lips in annoyance. "Yes, Miss Arquette, that is correct. Though I would not advise you to drink this potion—its effects can be disastrous if not brewed correctly. Besides, if you were to drink the potion you've brewed yourself, it might lead to poisoning, given that your potioneering skills are horrifyingly abysmal."

Rhea went pink in the face, but she was grateful that none of the other students laughed. She put her hand down and worked in silence.

Snape walked around the classroom, criticizing everyone's potions viciously. 

"Rhea." Anthony hissed under his breath. "Add only a dash of leech juice."

"How the hell am I supposed to measure a dash of a liquid?" Rhea hissed right back.

"A pinch leech juice." Anthony amended himself, looking wearily at the potions master.

"Five points from Ravenclaw." Snape drawled, and Rhea lost her patience.

"For clarifying a doubt, which, conveniently you refuse to do?" Rhea asked snarkily, and immediately slapped her hand over her mouth. She never talked like that to the professors—in fact, she hardly showed any attitude to anyone. It was something she learnt only when she got older.

"Sorry!" she yelped, and Anthony facepalmed. "Sorry, ignore me, Professor, I do not exist!"

But apparently she did exist for Snape, if only for him to take points once more. "Ten points from Ravenclaw for the disrespect, Miss Arquette."

Rhea was extremely moody. And as though determined to make Rhea's life hell, Snape took a flask full of her potion to test it on Padma's new pet, Ghastly, the lizard.

"Mr Longbottom's potion earlier, managed to shrink his useless toad to a tadpole," Snape droned. "Before you offer your congratulations to him, let me enlighten you about the fact that Miss Granger resorted to hissing the instructions to him. Miss Arquette, however..." his lip curled evilly. "May not be so lucky.

Snape took a flask full of Rhea's Shrinking Potion and dribbled its contents into Ghastly's mouth. For a heart-stopping moment it wriggled violently, and Rhea's eyes widened in horror. But soon, the lizard turned into a young hatchling, as though it had just come out of its egg.

The entire class cheered, and Rhea looked as though she would faint from the stress and worry. Padma grinned wildly at her and gave her a one-armed hug.

But the best prize for Rhea was the look of intense displeasure on Snape's face.

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