The Exchange

1》Haley Jones

He could feel the headache already.

Professor Severus Snape shook his head knowing that in a few short moments, his most prized students, the seventh year Slytherins, were going to enter his classroom. The only problem was that his most detested students, the Gryffindors, were going to enter as well. Then there would be yelling, insulting, pranking, snickering, and even more yelling.

Yes. He could feel the headache already.

And at that moment, his favorite student by the name of Draco Malfoy stepped in with his two lackeys at his side. The blonde Slytherin greeted the professor and Snape nodded his greeting in return. As the trio took their seats, Pansy Parkinson stepped in, taking a seat behind Draco, the object of her affections, followed by Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, and Neville Longbottom.

In singles or in groups, the students began to pile in, the most famous trio of Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter, stepping in last.

"All right, class. Today, we will be making the Transpartium Potion in groups of two." Snape sneered. "I have already paired you off." Snape called off the pairs and after moments of groaning, the students reluctantly partnered off.

Harry sighed inwardly as he picked up his cauldron and sat down next to Neville. He greeted the boy and listened to Snape's instructions.

"When made correctly," the professor tossed a look at Longbottom who instantly paled. "The potion will transport its drinker just outside the room. Begin!"

Throughout the class, partners yelled at each other to get things cut properly and a number of insults were exchanged from Ron to Crabbe and vice versa.

Harry and Neville began cutting up the necessary ingredients, Neville having to stop several times to ask Harry what Snape had said.

'I really hope we get this right.' Harry thought to himself. 'Especially if I'm the one who has to drink it.'

The Boy Who Lived didn't notice the fact that Neville, who was currently daydreaming about Ginny Weasley, was stirring the potion clockwise instead of counter-clockwise as Snape had directed. He also didn't spot Neville adding Wolfsbane rather than Dragon's Breath. And he also didn't see that Neville had minced rather than diced the Wiggin's Leaf.

Just before class ended, Snape called the pairs up one by one, picking one of the two to test the potion they had just created. So far, all partners had made it out of the room without much damage except for the fact that Seamus, who was paired off with Goyle, had made it out of the room without any clothes. The final pair was Harry and Neville.

"Potter, drink." Snape ordered.

Harry scooped some of the potion into a vial and stared at the strange silvery mixture.

"Here goes." He murmured to himself before downing the potion in one quick gulp. He waited, but nothing happened. Again, Neville paled before looking up at the greasy professor who was currently sneering at the pair.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor for a failed potion." Snape glared.

"Professor, that's not fair!" Hermione tried to argue.

"And another ten for your little outburst Granger. Would you like to make it twenty?" Hermione sank back into her seat, keeping her mouth shut. Snape shook his head and with a wave of his hand dismissed the class.