International Love | Fred Weasley

Chapter 37

I feel like I have to throw up when my feet find solid ground again. I'm never getting used to this, I grumble, as I lean forward and place my hands on my knees. My uncle is rubbing my back and I close my eyes.

After a moment, the dizziness disappears and nausea lessens. I stand back up straight and open my eyes again. The hallway we're standing in is very dark. It smells musty and moldy which doesn't do much in helping my nausea to go away. I turn to look at my uncle with a frown. Where are we?

I swallow the bile rising up and say: "I'm sure you're not stirring before adding the Jobberknoll feathers. That makes four clockwise stirs at the end of the first part of the making of Veritaserum." 

"You need to stir five times, one time before adding the feathers and then after every feather," my uncle answers while he grabs his wand, "Lumos."

My uncle begins making his way through the hallway in the direction of the door at the end. I look up the stairs on our left, but the rest of the house is just as dark. I roll my eyes at my uncle's back and follow him closely.

There are several paintings hanging in the narrow hallway. Some of them are dark, their subject not present, and in front of others are hanging curtains.

"I'm learning for my N.E.W.T.s and have been brewing potions for you all year," I mutter, "I know the recipe for Veritaserum from the back of my head."

There is no answer. We continue walking through the dark hallway and when we're almost at the end, my uncle answers quietly: "I'm a certified and respected Potion Master. I, too, know the recipe from front to back and vice versa."

"Clearly not since you're wrong," I mutter, "What about a small bet. If I'm right, I get to choose what potion we discuss next class – within the curriculum, of course. If you're right-"

"If I'm right," my uncle turns his head to look at me over his shoulder, "You have to clean the cauldrons used by the first-year students. Without magic."

I frown at the thought but nod and shake my uncle's hand.

"I'm sure there is a potions book in this house with the recipe for Veritaserum."

We pass a very big portrait with big, thick, curtains in front of it. While I look at the portrait, I don't pay attention to the rest of the hallway. Why would someone cover up a- BANG!

I stumble over an umbrella stand. My uncle stops and looks at me with a little smile on his face. I groan when I lay on the ground. 'stop laughing, it's not funny."

Suddenly, the curtains of the portrait next to me open and a woman begins to scream: "Mudbloods, blood traitors, get out of my house! You are a shame for the Black Family! Out!"

With wide eyes, I look up to the portrait of a woman with yellow skin and a black hat.

"Go away! Filthy half-breeds! Mudbloods! Traitors! How dare you to-"

My uncle quickly closes the curtains so the woman can't continue to scream insults. I understand the use of the thick curtains as the woman's screams get muffled. I stand up and try to get the dust off my robe. Staring once more at the painting, I see why someone would cover up such a painting.

The smile on my uncle's face only grows and I glare at him. I brush past him and open the door at the end of the hallway.

"That's not funny. Who puts an umbrella stand in the middle of a bloody hallway?!" I mutter under my breath. My uncle answers: "It wasn't standing in the middle of the hallway. You didn't watch where you were going."

The kitchen we enter is enormous. There is a long wooden table in the middle of the room, large enough to fit a dozen people around it for a meal. At the far end, there is a large fireplace. There is nobody in the room and I sit down on the bench beside the table. Lifting the bottom of my pants, I check to see if my tumble left any injuries.