𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 | √

⎡79⎦

"Broaden your minds! Look beyond the art of Crystal gazing and into the clearing of the Inner Eye. Only then can you see!"

I rested my head on my hand and stared at the ball with no interest.

"Now, what do we have here?" Trelawney asked Draco and I. "Hmmm?" she peered into the ball.

"We're not so sure Professor," I said with a shrug.

"We'll keep trying Ms. Rosewood and Mr. Malfoy. You don't know what you might find." With that, she walked away. I looked into the ball.

"There's no way this could actually wor—" I was cut off by the ball, beginning to shimmer. Draco noticed it too and leaned forwards. There was white mist swirling in the ball as we watched. Suddenly, there was an image of two adorable babies. One had striking blond hair, and the other one had more of a golden brown hair.

"The fuck?!" I whispered squinting my eyes to make sure I wasn't seeing anything wrong. I ended up just giving up with a shrug and fell back against the chair. Draco took a longer time peering into the ball and slowly made his way back into the chair, shaking his head. Pointless. Absolutely pointless.

Draco's P.O.V.

"There's no way this could actually wor—" Hazel started to say. Suddenly her eyes were diverted to the Crystal Ball that was beginning to shimmer. I leaned forwards to look closer. There was white mist swirling in the ball as we watched. All of a sudden, there was an image of two babies. One had striking blond hair, and the other one had golden brown hair.

"The fuck?!" I heard Hazel whisper. Wow. I never hear her curse.  She shrugged and fell back against the chair. But the longer I looked into the ball there was something I noticed. The first baby had hair as light as mine and my eyes, while the other one literally had Hazel's hazel eyes. No, it couldn't be, my head denied. I shook my head as I sat back up and leaned against the back of the chair again.

. . .
Hazel's P.O.V.

The next day I was told by Harry that Ron was poisoned. I was shocked. He had explained to me that a simple love potion from Romilda Vane snuck into chocolates made Ron go head over heels for her. After taking him to Slughorn, they gave him a drink of wine as a pick-me-up, but it went horribly wrong

Harry and I made our way to the Hospital Wing where Ron was lying asleep in bed. Ginny and Hermione were at his sides. We were soon joined by the professors including McGonagall, Slughorn, Dumbledore and Snape. They all looked at Ron astonished.

"Quick thinking on your part, Harry, using a bezoar," Dumbledore said to Harry. He addressed Slughorn. "You should be very proud of your student, Horace."

"Hm? Oh, yes. Very proud," he replied.

"I think we agree Potter's actions were heroic. The question is: Why were they necessary?" asked McGonagall.

"Why, indeed?" Dumbledore walked over to Slughorn who was holding the bottle in his arm.

"This appears to be a gift, Horace. You don't remember who gave you this bottle?" Slughorn shook his head. Dumbledore peered into the bottle. "By the way, it possesses remarkably subtle hints of licorice and cherry. When not polluted with poison."

Snape took the bottle and smelled it for himself.

"Actually, I had intended to give it as a gift, myself," said Slughorn.

"To whom, might I ask?" Dumbledore asked.

Slughorn looked shocked still. "To you, Headmaster."

"Where is he? Where's my Won-Won? Has he been asking for me?" A voice said as she came into the room. Lavender came barging into the room, pushing past Slughorn and Snape to see Ron. She noticed Hermione sitting next to him. "What's she doing here?"