CHAPTER FOUR
FELIX FELICIS
§ § §
When the Sorting Ceremony had finished, and everyone was settled into their seats, Dumbledore stood and walked up to the podium. Harry had walked in late with Luna, holding a bloody wrapped ice pack to his nose.
I glanced at Draco, who's chin was resting in his hand, his elbow propped up on the table. He was zoned out, staring straight ahead, deep in thought. I frowned, but didn't want to disturb him, and looked away.
"Very best of evenings to you all," Dumbledore began, and the hushed conversations died down. "First off, let me introduce the newest member of our staff, Horace Slughorn."
Polite applause sounded out for the Professor, Harry and I clapping the most since we'd actually had the chance to meet him already.
"Professor Slughorn is to resume his old post as potions master," Dumbledore said, and my heart dropped.
No... then that means... I trailed off, looking at Harry.
Snape. He replied, frowning.
"Meanwhile the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts will be taken by Professor Snape," Dumbledore confirmed. The rest of the Slytherins clapped loudly. I did not.
"Now as you know," Dumbledore continued. "Each and every one of you we searched upon your arrival here tonight, and you have the right to know why. Once, there was a young man, who, like you, sat in this very Hall. Walked this castle's corridors, stepped under its roof. He seemed to all the world a student, like any other. His name? Tom Riddle."
Shivers went down my spine. I shook my head to clear my thoughts, trying to ignore the image of the sixteen year old boy I had met in second year that was floating around my mind.
"Today, of course, he is known all over the world by another name. Which is why, as I stand looking out upon you all tonight, I'm reminded of a sobering fact. Every day, every hour, this very minute, perhaps, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle's walls. But in the end, that greatest weapon... is you. Just something to think about. Now, off to bed, pip pip!" Dumbledore finished.
"Cheerful," I sighed as I stood from my seat. I looked back to see Draco still sitting. "Draco?" I said loudly.
He looked up at me and then looked around, blinking a few times, seeming to have just realized the feast was over. He stood and we made our way to the common room together.
"What had you so deep in thought?" I asked as we walked.
"Nothing." He said quietly.
And with that, we turned in for the night.
As I made my way through the halls with Draco, Blaise, and Pansy, (Crabbe and Goyle were somewhere behind), I thought about how Potions would go. It was our first class, and I have always hated Potions. But that was because of Snape. Maybe it'd be different with Slughorn.
On another note, my favorite class, Defense Against the Dark Arts, would now be taught by one of the people I loathe the most in the world. Fun.
We walked through the bustling hallway, shoving confused first years out of the way. I then noticed Harry and Ron laughing and standing against the wall above everyone else. I raised my eyebrows.
"Free period!" Harry called over the crowd. I nodded and continued walking.
But didn't Harry want to be an Auror? He had to take Potions for that, I knew that much. I still wanted to be a Quidditch player, so I didn't have to take many classes. This year I dropped Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, and Herbology.
In fact, I was only taking three classes. Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Transfiguration. However, I was also assisting Madam Hooch and Eli with the first year's flying classes, and I was now the captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team.
As we entered the Potions room, I noticed the class was now much smaller than the previous years. Hermione was still there, as well as Lavender Brown and Katie Bell, a girl on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
"Ah, Giovanna! What a pleasure to see you again," Slughorn shook my hand as I walked into the room.
"Good to see you, too, Professor," I smiled a little before going over and standing between Draco and Hermione.
Slughorn had just begun to explain what we were doing when Harry and Ron burst into the room, looking thoroughly annoyed.
"Harry, my boy, I was beginning to wonder if I'd see you! And you brought someone with you, I see," Slughorn greeted them.
"Uh, Ron Weasley, sir," Ron nodded a little.
I noticed Lavender smile and sigh, staring at Ron. I scowled and looked at Hermione, who was glaring at Lavender.
"But I'm dead awful at Potions, a menace actually, so I'm probably just gonna-" Ron turned to walk out, but Harry stopped him.
"Nonsense, we'll sort you out. Any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine," Slughorn told them. "Get your books out."
"Sorry, sir, I haven't actually got my book yet, nor has Ron," Harry said.
"Not to worry, get what you want from the cabinets," Slughorn told them and turned back to the rest of us.
"You've got a bit of competition," I whispered to Hermione as Lavender watched Ron and Harry fight for the books in the cabinet.
"Shut up," Hermione hissed back, blushing slightly.
"Now, as I was saying. I prepared some concoctions this morning. Any ideas what these might be?" Slughorn asked us, gesturing to the cauldrons.
The class seemed surprised when not only Hermione, but I as well, raised my hand. Slughorn gestured to me. "Go ahead, Miss Potter."
I slowly walked over to the closest cauldron. "This one... this is Veriterserum, sir." I say, knowing too well what it was like. "It's a truth-telling potion. One drop of this and anyone could reveal their deepest, darkest, secrets. Quite difficult to make." I explained.
"Excellent! Ten points to Slytherin," Slughorn awarded. I grinned and made my way back between Draco and Hermione, high-fiving Pansy on the way.
"Okay, potions master," Draco muttered, smirking a little.
I flipped my hair over my shoulder as Draco nudged me slightly. I smiled as Hermione was called up to explain the other cauldron.
"This one's Amortentia. The most powerful love potion in the world. It's rumored to spell differently for each person according to what attracts them." She explained. "For example, I smell freshly mown grass, and new parchment, and spearmint toothpaste..." Hermione stepped back and I smirked over at Ron.
"What do you smell?" Draco glanced down at me.
I thought for a moment. "Hair gel... evergreen... ink..." I then looked at him. "Just you, really. What about you?" I grinned.
Draco frowned. "A quidditch pitch. Honestly mainly dirt and sweat. Can't wait to be your husband and spend every night in a dirty, sweaty quidditch pitch at all of your games." He sighed, feigning sorrow.
"Oh, shut up!" I giggled and pushed him slightly.
Slughorn has placed the lid of the potion onto the cauldron, and all the other girls in the room that had been walking towards the cauldron took a few steps back.
"Sir?" Katie Bell asked, "You haven't told us what's in that one." She pointed to a small vial filled with a golden liquid behind the cauldrons.
"Ah, yes," Slughorn grabbed the vial. "What you see before you, ladies and gentlemen, is a curious little potion known as Felix Felicis. It is more commonly referred to as-"
"Liquid Luck." Hermione said.
"Yes, Miss Granger. Liquid Luck. Desperately tricky to make, disastrous should you get it wrong. One sip and you'll find that all of your endeavors succeed." Slughorn explained, and I noticed Draco look up, interested in the small potion. "At least, until the effects wear off."
"So, this is what I offer each of you today," Slughorn continued, "One tiny vial of Liquid Luck to the student who, in the hour that remains, manages to brew an acceptable draft of Living Death. The rest of which will be found on page ten of your books. Good luck to you all, let the brewing commence!"
I left the Slytherins to go work at the table with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. It wasn't an easy task, making this potion. The beans we had to cut kept flying across the room. I luckily got mine to stay still long enough to cut what I needed and drop the juice into my cauldron.
"How did you do that?" Hermione asked.
"Patience and a steady hand," I shrugged.
"And how did you do it?" She asked Harry.
"Don't cut it, crush it with the blade." He said. I nodded a little, impressed with the innovative way.
"No, the instructions clearly say to cut," Hermione said. Harry shrugged.
It went on like this for the rest of class. Harry doing the opposite of what the book said, Hermione getting mad at him for it, and me following the instructions with ease. Ron was just, kind of there, really.
Towards the end of class, Slughorn went around dropping feathers in everyone's cauldrons to see how their potions worked. My feather only burned halfway, but Harry's was perfect.
"Merlin's beard, it is perfect!" Slughorn exclaimed. "So perfect I daresay on drop would kill us all!"
Harry smirked at Hermione, who was fuming.
And so, the rest of us had to stand and watch, arms crossed and frowning as my brother was handed the Felix Felicis.
"Here we are, then, as promised. One vial of Felix Felicis. Congratulations, use it well." Slughorn advised and began clapping for Harry. A few of us joined in.
"Stupid Potter," Draco muttered.
"Yeah," I said, rolling my eyes at a grinning Harry, "for once I agree."