I Am Not Nothing

Chapter Twenty-Five

Like I've been saying since the day Potter finished that potion before me, I was going to figure out how Potter did it. I gave myself until Christmas. Well, it was almost time to go home for the holidays and I still haven't figured it out without using legilimency.

On December Twentieth, Professor Slughorn's Christmas Party was cut short for me. I had invited Draco to Slughorn's party, but he shut me down. He said he had to figure out how to fix the vanishing cabinet in the Room of Requirement. It was another task of his and he needed to fix it so the Death Eaters could enter Hogwarts undetected. I offered my help many time, but like my invite, he turned it down. So, instead of taking Draco to the Christmas Party, I had decided I would go alone. Zabini would be there by Slughorn's invitation and didn't invite anyone. Of course I couldn't ask Crabbe or Goyle because they would eat all the snacks at the party, not that snacks mattered to me though. My father told me he would be there to help supervise and I decided I would spend my time with him. So when the Party began, my green cloak turned into a beautiful, knee-length, emerald green dress with black lace flowers decorating the top and fading down the skirt. I left my hair down in it's natural tamed curls. I met my father in his office and we walked together to the party.

"Raven, my dear! I'm glad you could make it! Oh and you as well Professor!" Professor Slughorn exclaimed as soon as we walked into the very decorated room. 

"Professor?" I asked, watching as students walked around carrying trays with different foods, "Are there any fruits or something that isn't covered in chocolate?"

"Ah, I knew you were going to ask that. Come with me."

I left my father and followed Slughorn to a table that displayed fresh fruit and raw vegetables. Only a couple girls took food from this table, but as soon as they saw me, they quickly walked off. I ate a strawberry and turned to the professor.

"You know, sir, I find it funny how you favour Potter." I told him. 

"It is true, I have been known to favour some students. Potter is my favourite, but you are a close second." He told me. 

I sighed and shook my head, 

"I doubt that sir. The truth is, I can do so much more than what we're currently learning in class. I took an advanced potions class last year at Ilvermorny. In fourth year, for my Potion's practical exam, I concocted a Draught of Peace, even though I had never made it before and we learned it in fifth year. I only read the instructions for the first time the morning of the exam and I was finished first and made it perfectly, just ask my father." I explained, "my point is, if you want to see Potter's true gift of Potions, test us, but on an advanced potion without our books. Then you'll see who is the true master of the class."

"You think you could do it?" He asked me. 

"Give me a random potion right now and I can tell you the ingredients in it." I said. 

"Tell me the ingredients of the Forgetfulness potion." He told me. 

I thought about the Forgetfulness potion. It was an orange potion, meaning that there was a combination of two ingredients.

"Standard ingredient, mistletoe berries-"

Was is murkey or shimmery? Murkey, right? Yes, of course it was.

"Lethe water and-"

What tied it together? What in combination to all of those made the drinker forget? Think, this should be easy.

"And Valerian Sprigs." I finished. 

"That was too easy, what about Felix Felicis? We never went over what ingredients are actually in it, just what it is." He said.