Pink in the Night.

Chapter Twenty-Two.

"Double Potions this morning? Are you kidding me?" (Y/n) groaned. "Cho, I'm not going to be able to get through this week," she complained.

"It's a Friday," Padma mused. "Bad planning on their end. Should've just had us start on Monday."

"At least we've got Herbology and Defense Against the Dark Arts this afternoon..." Cho tried half-heartedly.

"Professor Sprout is the only one that's going to get me through today," (Y/n) said miserably. She looked down the table. "Cho, those first years are absolute menaces!"

"They're first years, (Y/n), how bad can they be?" Cho teased.

"How bad can they—?!" (Y/n) fumed

"Did you see the yoga sign up sheet on the message board?" Padma asked.

"Trelawney got permission?" (Y/n) gasped.

"It seems so," Padma mused.

"Are you guys going?" Cho asked.

"Duh."

"Oh, thank Merlin," Cho said. "Finally something that'll take up my free time and that you guys will also enjoy."

"...we have O.W.L.s this year," (Y/n) suddenly remembered.

"Shh. Don't kill my good vibes, (Y/n)."

"Before we begin today's lesson," drawled Snape, sweeping over to his desk and staring around at them all, "I think it appropriate to remind you that next June you will be sitting an important examination, during which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical potions. Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an 'Acceptable' in your O.W.L., or suffer my... displeasure.
"After this year, of course, many of you will cease studying with me. I take only the best into my N.E.W.T. Potions class, which means that some of us will certainly be saying goodbye.
"But we have another year to go before that happy moment of farewell, so whether you are intending to attempt N.E.W.T. or not, I advise all of you to concentrate your efforts upon maintaining the high-pass level I have come to expect from my O.W.L. students.
"Today we will be mixing a potion that often comes up at Ordinary Wizarding Level: the Draught of Peace, a potion to calm anxiety and soothe agitation. Be warned: If you are too heavy-handed with the ingredients you will put the drinker into a heavy and sometimes irreversible sleep, so you will need to pay close attention to what you are doing. The ingredients and method—" Snape flicked his wand "—are on the blackboard—" they appeared there "—you will find everything you need—" he flicked his wand again "—in the store cupboard—" the door of the said cupboard sprang open "—you have an hour and a half... Start."

(Y/n), an expert with Potions, began the rather difficult potion. She had no worries. She had perfected it during her fourth year when Hermione was stressed more than ever. Hermione unknowingly got Draughts of Peace from (Y/n) quite often last year.
(Y/n) added her powdered Moonstone until her potion turned green and turned it until it turned the right shade of blue. Again, she added more Moonstone and stirred the potion three times counter-clockwise, allowing it to turn purple and then sat back and let it simmer until it turned pink (seven total minutes). She added two drops of hellebore syrup, turning the potion turquoise and then she let it simmer again until it was purple.
As she waited, she aggressively shook her powdered porcupine quills and then measured the precise amount and poured it into the potion, turning it red. She had to stir the potion again until it was orange and then gave it time to simmer. More porcupine quills turned it turquoise, letting it simmer turned it purple, adding the powdered unicorn horn turned it pink, stirring it turned it red, and letting it simmer turned it purple. More Moonstone turned it grey, having it simmer turned it orange, and adding the last bit of porcupine quills turned it white. At last, she lowered the heat and stirred and let it simmer. (Y/n) added exactly seven drops of hellebore, turning it into its final stage: a turquoise colour.