The Tree of Blacks (English version)

The Secret Ingredient

But Alya would not listen to reason.

"I will improve, I promise! I will study day and night to catch up. I'll work hard at the cost of spitting blood! But, I beg you professor, don't kick me out of Potions! My family would not forgive me such... failure," pleaded young Black, on the verge of despair.

Slughorn stared at her in silence for a few seconds, pitying her.

"Let's do this: after Easter break, I plan to offer the students in your class a test, to assess their level. You will have to prepare a potion from those studied during the year. Each student will have a different potion from the others, chosen arbitrarily on the spot. I will give you time to prepare properly and improve your performance until that day. If you are unable to perform the exercise assigned to you correctly during the test, I will be forced to exclude you permanently from the Potions course. And I will personally send an owl to your parents to inform them of the situation. This is the last chance I give you, Miss Black," proposed Slughorn, in a grave tone.

"I will treasure this opportunity, Professor. I will not disappoint you!" promised Alya confidently, relieved to have bought some more time to resolve the matter.

Slughorn nodded, giving the girl a look a little too understanding for her liking. It was evident that he didn't hold too much faith in Alya's possible successes.

"Then we are agreed, Miss Black. Now off you go, so you won't be late for your next class. Goodbye and good work." concluded Slughorn, thus ending the discussion.

Alya took her leave and thanked him again for the opportunity she had been given. She quickly left the Potions dungeon and hurried to the upper floors of the castle.

As she anxiously climbed the steps, the young Black was seized with anxiety; after a quick mental calculation of the weeks until the fateful test announced by the teacher, Alya realised that she had little more than a month to reach an adequate level for the test that awaited her.

If she wanted to have even the slightest hope of successfully passing the test, she had to get to work immediately and not waste any time.

***

16 March, 1977. Hogwarts, Forbidden Forest.

The following day, James and Alya had arranged to meet in the Forbidden Forest, after the curfew had been broken, as usual. However, Alya decided to enter the dense forest before the Gryffindor boy.

Alya slipped out of the castle before dinner, armed with a large bag, much heavier than usual and clinking with glass cruets.

Dusk hadn't yet set in and a timid light bathed the slender Slytherin figure opaquely as she sank stealthy steps into the great park of Hogwarts. In the distance, the waters of the Black Lake still sparkled brightly from the golden glare of the sun, which was dying slowly and placidly on the horizon.

Once past the edge of the forest, the landscape darkened instantly, as if an early night had fallen. The sun's rays barely filtered through the tangle of branches and leaves, which acted as an impenetrable roof in that part of the park, and the air itself suddenly became colder and sharper.

Frightened by the sudden change in temperature, Alya clutched herself in the cloak that wrapped her body broadly, while with determined strides she walked along a freshly traced path.

On the way, the girl did her best to pick up a few dry branches and a few patches of wood. She finally reached the small clearing near the cypress tree where she and James used to meet. It was the ideal place to put into practice what she had in mind. Alya knelt down on the damp turf and extracted from her bag several glass ampoules and vials, a miniature cauldron and her copy of Advanced Potions.