The Ryan O'Shiel Chronicles: The Return of the Hallows

Chapter Seven: Brewing Up Suspicions

"Mum's pregnant" Ryan exclaimed quickly, he was still extremely shocked about the fact that his parents were having another child. As a child he had begged his parents to have a second child, especially as he spent the majority of his childhood in lonesome when he wasn't with his cousin. Teddy's news was also important however, Ryan knew that being invited to join the Gryffindor Quidditch team meant a significant deal to him, so he shook off his surprise for a moment and asked "Really? Congratulations! What position will you be playing?."

"Well I haven't been offered a full position" Teddy started before continuing. "Joshua Mills - he's the current team captain, he's leaving at the end of the year so he has offered me his spot for next year. He's a seeker, so I'll just be a reserve until the end of the year. Still it's an awesome opportunity - it just means that I won't have to attend tryouts next year." Teddy was beaming, it wasn't a first team position but even the thought of playing reserve would make most first years burst into hysterics.

"Awesome!" Andrew exclaimed. "When is your first training session?" Ryan could tell that Andrew may not have been into flying himself but he was a Quidditch lover anyway. It was nice to see his two best friends conversing over something other than each others study habits.

"Well, I'll be taken down to the pitch tonight to get my Quidditch robes measured up but I need to write to my Grandmother, I apparently need the consent of my guardian to be able to play." Teddy replied.

"Probably a liability thing, I can understand Hogwarts wanting parents understanding the risks that Quidditch would be" Ryan said slowly.

Teddy's eyes gleamed, a look that basically shouted "come on world! I'll take you on." He turned to the two other boys and said "alright, let's go we have Charms."

***

Charms had turned out not to be a total disaster today, there were the occasional bumps and scratches but nothing major. Ryan had finally managed to levitate his feather whilst Andrew struggled, a scowl stretched across his sooty face; Teddy probably not helping by levitating a rather large rock in front of him mockingly, something he had been doing for the last couple of lessons.

It was just before the bell rang however that Professor Flitwick motioned for them to cease the activity. "Alright class" he squeaked. "I think it's time that I prepare you for the second part of this charms practical work. Starting next week; all students will be expected to be past the levitation of a feather phase and be making strides on levitating a rock. Levitation becomes much harder when the mass is greater."

I heard Andrew groan in the distance and Ryan really didn't blame him, the first years had all been working on levitating the feather since the first lesson and the majority of the class had only figured it out in the last few lessons, Andrew however hadn't even managed to levitate his feather without causing a small fire to break his concentration. Teddy however had gone a step further and was managing to levitate the rocks already.

"Mr Laft, if you would be kind enough to see me after class, same with you Mr O'Shiel" Flitwick squeaked, his squeaky voice barely audible over the bell that signalled the end of class.

Andrew and Ryan groaned in unison, they both knew that Flitwick had been less than impressed with their work but Ryan had been hoping that his success in this lesson would be enough to deter Flitwick from dishing him out extra work.

"Boys, your work in my class over the last few weeks has been absolutely pathetic, I was expecting more from my first years especially as the majority of you did so well in the theory aspect of the class. However, due to your performances I would like you both to come here after dinner tomorrow night, I will personally assist you in the work because at the current rate you are performing at there is no possible chance that you will pass this year's charms curriculum. Now go, off to your next class please" Flitwick squeaked angrily. The two boys left the classroom, swamped by feelings of misery for letting their elderly charms professor down.

"Why the glum faces?" Teddy asked, he had been standing outside the classroom, slumped up against a wall waiting for them.

"Flitwick's annoyed with us, we've both got detention after dinner tomorrow night." Ryan stated, it wasn't a lie; Flitwick had been extremely annoyed with the two boys and Ryan had been able to tell just by listening to them. Ryan however didn't want to mention that Flitwick was forcing them into doing remedial work just to get them a passing mark.

"Jeez, Flitwick's an evil teacher isn't he" Teddy stated, "right after dinner?" he then asked.

"Yeah, sorry man. Guess I won't be able to help you with your Potions assignment after all." Ryan responded - Andrew shot him looks of approval and grattitude; Ryan knew that Teddy would never let Andrew live without enforcing the fact that he had needed a remedial lesson before Teddy.

"Speak of that horrible class, we have a double period of it now." Teddy groaned. "Potions would be so much better if I didn't have Keely Eastwood from Slytherin glaring me down every lesson."

"She probably glares you down because you covered her in boils during our first lesson" Andrew replied mockingly.

"Not my fault, we proved that Erin Fletcher from group three switched out my snake fangs for Manticore fangs" Teddy scolded, leading the boys on their journey to the dungeons.

***

They arrived five minutes late to class however it didn't matter as Slughorn was never on time for any of his lessons. The three boys dawdled outside the classroom looking over their textbooks, trying to figure out what potion Slughorn would have them be doing, it wasn't that long after that the door burst open; Slughorn's belly protruding from the doorway before the rest of him.

"Hurry up, get inside the classroom" Slughorn muttered, this was his usual greeting to his class of first years; they'd all gotten used to it by now but none of them liked his cold demeanor. Ryan sat down in his usual spot at the table with a giant floating two hanging over it.

"Alright First Years, today you will be making the babbling beverage. You will find the instructions on the board - I expect to see a completed version of the potion from all of you by the end of the lesson" he said, flicking his wand at the board causing a series of instructions to appear on it. Slughorn had changed heaps since the start of term and it made Ryan nervous, if Ryan could pinpoint the time that his behaviour had started to sour he would have easily stated the time that the murder in Godric's Hollow had occurred. Ryan read the instructions that were listed on the board, however that didn't stop the suspicions that were forming in his mind about his Potions professor.  

Hey Everyone! It's been awhile since i updated this story so let me apologise right now if the quality that was there is no longer you know... here? I honestly wasn't very with how I ended the chapter but writing this chapter was a lot harder then what I originally thought especially as I have been writing in first person over the last couple of weeks. Once again apologies for the massive hiatus and the not so fantastic quality. Trust me, it'll get better. I just need you all to grudge through it with me for now :) Don't forget to vote and comment!

Hex