zoia, harry potter

eight

"Time's . . . UP!" called Slughorn genially. "Well, let's see how you've done! Blaise . . . what have you got for me?"

Slowly, Slughorn moved around the room, examining the various antidotes. Nobody had finished the task.

"And you both, Harry and Zoia," he said. "What have you got to show me?" Harry held out his hand, the bezoar sitting on his palm. Slughorn looked down at it for a full ten seconds. Harry wondered, for a moment, whether he was going to shout at him. Then he threw back his head and roared with laughter.

"You've got nerve!" he boomed, taking the bezoar and holding it up so that the class could see it. "Oh, you're like your mother. . . . Well, I can't fault you. . . . A bezoar would certainly act as an antidote to all these potions!"

Hermione, who was sweaty-faced and had soot on her nose, looked livid. Her half-finished antidote, comprising fifty-two in- gredients, including a chunk of her own hair, bubbled sluggishly behind Slughorn, who had eyes for nobody but Harry.

"And you thought of a bezoar all by yourself, did you, Harry?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"That's the spirit a real potion-maker needs!" said Slughorn happily, before Harry could reply. "Just like his mother, she had the same intuitive grasp of potion-making, it's undoubtedly from Lily he gets it. . . . And with the help of Zoia they are unstoppable! Amazing!"

The only person in the room looking angrier than Hermione was Malfoy, who, Harry was pleased to see, had spilled something that looked like cat-sick over himself.

"Time to pack up!" said Slughorn. "And an extra ten points to Gryffindor and Hufflepuff for sheer cheek!"

"You're welcome Zo," he said grinning as Slughorn left the two.

She just smiled and rolled her eyes at him.

As they left the classroom Harry suddenly called her again.

"Do you want to hang out with us on our next Hogsmeade trip?" he asked and Zoia could see Ron and Hermione waving their hands at her.

"I can't," she sent an apologetic look.

"Right, you're going on a date are you?"

"Sorry," she smiled apologetically at him.

"Don't worry about it, have fun," he forced a smile to her.

"Zoia, c'mon!" Monica called her and glared at Harry.

"I have to-"

"I know, I'll see you around Zo," he smiled at her.

"Stop talking to Harry Clayotter," Monica hissed to her once she got back to her.

"I'm not talking to him, he's talking to me," Zoia shrugged.

"Seriously, I don't know why you stayed friends with him," Monica rolled her eyes.

"Because he's always been my friend? Seriously Mon, it's not like we were together or anything," said Zoia.

"He was still a git to you, a massive one!" Monica exclaimed. "Anyway, Padma came out to her parents and we're dating now!"

"Are you serious?" Zoia widened her eyes.

"Yes," Monica said sheepishly.

"That's amazing! Congratulations Mon," Zoia hugged her best friend tightly. "This is amazing! We're all dating now! You, Ginny and me!"

"Let's do a triple date!" Monica suggested.

"Sure! I'm sure Tony wouldn't mind," said Zoia.