The Potions Mistress and the Sorcerer's Stone

Undilluted Bubotuber Pus

"Another perfect potion, Campbell. Twenty five points to Gryffindor." Snape said curtly, walking past my desk to ridicule Neville. Malfoy, who was sitting just in front of me, snickered.

"'Perfect Potion, Miss Campbell.', 'However do you make such amazing brews, miss Campbell?'" Malfoy Mimicked, in an incredibly high and irritable voice. I glared at him, reaching into my bag to grab a vial.

"Shut up, Malfoy."

"Make me, Unwanted." It was two weeks after my run to Hogsmeade, and as Snape (who did, surprisingly, not hold a grudge) continued to give more and more praise to me than anyone else; Malfoy's hurtful comments had spiraled into a sticky web of utter nastiness. I'd narrowly escaped him and his goons in the hallway the day before. He was about to hex me, but Hagrid walked in just in time to save my dignity.

"My name is Adriana, but clearly you're too stupid to remember!" I shot back, my teeth baring.

"Campbell just insulted me, Professor." Malfoy said as Snape walked by."

"What did she say?"

"She said that I was stupid." Snape tutted.

"Five points to Gryffindor." I smirked at Malfoy, whose face was priceless.

"My father will hear about this." he grumbled, and I laughed under my breath, filling both of my vials with the Anti-Acne potion we were brewing. I slipped the second vial into my bag with the rest of them, and swiftly got up to bring the other up to Snape's desk. As soon as I sat down again, everyone on the Slytherin side of the room was giggling under their breaths at me. I looked down; did I have something in my hair, or on my clothes?

What I didn't see was that my potion had turned black. By the time I did see it, it had exploded.

I landed on my back, screaming in pain and shock. I was covered head to toe with the tar like potion, which was very much retaining the heat from the blast. The only part of me not covered with the sticky substance was my face, which I had covered with my hands. All of Slytherin was laughing, Malfoy and his lackeys in particular. Snape was immediately at my side, and glaring at the class.

“Be quiet.” He said firmly, but they continued to fall to pieces. Even after several more tries, they were in hysterics.

“SHUT UP!” Snape roared, and finally, everyone was utterly silent. Tiptoeing around the still smoking brew, he helped me up. He took one look at me, and he nodded.

“Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter, please help Miss Campbell up to the hospital wing.” Malfoy scoffed.

“I would rather not, Professor.” Ron stood.

“I’ll go.”

“I am afraid not, Mr. Weasley. I instructed Malfoy and Potter to go.”

“Let Weasley go, I can’t be bothered.”

“Can you please stop arguing about this?” I pleaded, the burning in my leg steadily growing. “I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to stand.” Snape clenched his teeth, sneering.

“Fine. Potter, Weasley, take her upstairs, now.” They supported me as much as they could as I tried to put as little weight on my leg as possible.

“What happened, Aidy? You’ve never had a potion go wrong, let alone explode!” Harry exclaimed. I grimaced.

“It wasn’t me, and I’m sure Snape knows that. Ouch!” I exclaimed, the burning intensifying.

“Are you alright?”

“It hurts, but I’ll live. I think Malfoy slipped something into my cauldron while no one was looking. All the Slytherins were laughing at me before I even sat down.” Ron nodded.