Into the Lion's Den

Chapter 9

Soon Friday rolls round and Deimos follows Ron and Harry into the Great Hall for breakfast, sitting down he smiles as Sprig trots down from his hair to the table "What have we got today?"Harry asks, pouring some sugar onto his porridge. "Double Potions with the Slytherins." Deimos responds, watching Sprig as the bowtruckle wonders round his cup. "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favors them, we'll be able to see if it's true." Ron adds. "Wish McGonagall favored us." Harry remarks. Deimos shrugs but nods slightly as remembers the huge pile of homework they got given the day before by McGongall. As he does the mail arrives, Harry's owl Hedwig landing in front of the surprised boy. Taking the note he opens it before borrowing Ron's quill to respond to it "Who was it from?" Deimos asks. "Hagrid, he wanted to know if I wanted to have tea with him later in his hut." Harry responds. Deimos nods and carries on eating his breakfast as Harry sends his response to Hagrid off with Hedwig. Smiling slightly Deimos gently picks Sprig up and places him on his shoulder "I'm going to take him back up to the dorm, I'll meet you guys in potions." he tells his brother and Harry, standing up and heading towards the doors. As he does Fred and George join him "Hello baby brother." George starts. "Where you off to?" Fred finishes. "Dormitory, I need to put Sprig back." Deimos responds. "We shall accompany you." Fred tells him. "We need to grab our books that we forgot." George adds. Deimos nods and starts walking towards the Common room with his brothers, as they get there they find Lavender and Pavarti (Spelling??) leaving. As the girls walk past they look at Deimos and whisper to each other, the twins glare after them "Are they giving you problems?" Fred asks. "We can prank them if they are." George tells him. "I'm fine. I gotta get Sprig back to the others." Deimos responds heading up to his dorm, not knowing his hair had gone dark blue.

After putting Sprig in his room Deimos heads down to the dungeons for potions, meeting his brother and Harry outside the classroom before going in. Professor Snape takes roll call and pauses at Harry's name "Ah, Yes, Harry Potter. Our new... celebrity." he smirks. Draco, Crabbe and Goyle all sniffer as Snape finishes roll call, finishing Snape looks at the class "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making. As there is little foolish wand waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death... if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." he tells them. Harry and Ron exchange looks with each other eyebrows raised, Deimos shifts uneasy with the silence that has followed the speech "Potter! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Snape suddenly asks Harry. "I don't know, sir." Harry responds as Hermione's hand shoots into the air. Deimos bites his lip, knowing the answer but knowing Snape is just trying to humiliate Harry. "Tut, tut, fame clearly isn't everything. Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" Snape asks.

Hermione keeps her hand in the air, trying to reach higher "I don't know, sir." Harry repeats, Deimos once again keeping his hand down. "Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter? What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" Snape asks. "I don't know. I think Hermione does though, why don't you try her?" Harry suggests. A few people snigger while Deimos shakes his head. "Sit down." Snape tells Hermione making her put her hand down and look at the table. Snape looks at Deimos "Mr Malfoy-Weasley, do you know the answers?" he asks. "Um, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion, known as the Draught of Living Death because it's so strong. A, um, a bezoar is a stone from the stomach of a goat, it will save you from most poisons. And, um, monkshood and wolfsbane are the same plant, which is also known as aconite." Deimos explains. Snape nods "Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?" he asks everyone. There's a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment, people hurrying to write down what Deimos said "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter." Snape adds, looking at Harry. Deimos clenches his fist under the table, trying to keep his hair from changing colour in the middle of class.

As the class went on things didn't improve for the Gryffindors, Snape put them into groups to make s simple potion that cures boils. The Professor walked round the entire time watching and criticising everyone except Draco and Deimos. Somehow Neville managed to melt Seamus' cauldron into a twisted blob, their potion spilling everywhere and burning holes into people's shows. Everyone jumps onto their stools, except Neville who is on the floor in pain after the potion exploded on him "Idiot boy! I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?" Snape snarls, clearing up the potion with his wand. Neville whimpers as boils start to pop up all over his nose, adding to the ones that were already on his arms and legs "Take him up to the hospital wing. You, Potter, why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor." Snape tells Harry. Harry opens his mouth to respond but Deimos and Ron kick him "Don't push it, we've heard Snape can turn very nasty." Ron warns making Harry shut his mouth. Deimos sighs and finishes off his potion, putting some in a flask that he takes to Snape's desk "I'll have to check but looks like it's full marks. Five points to Gryffindor." Snape tells him. "Thank you Professor." Deimos says quietly putting his head down and walking back to the table, trying to ignore everyone's surprised looks.

An hour later the class finishes and they all head out the classroom, Deimos walks with Harry and Ron as they walk out of the dungeon. Harry looks down making Ron and Deimos look at him "Cheer up, Snape's always taking points off Fred and George. Can we come and meet Hagrid with you?" Ron asks. Harry nods making the brothers smile. Ron looks across at Deimos "You know why Snape is so nice to you?" he asks. Deimos shrugs "Don't know." he responds quietly. "How did you know all those answers?" Harry asks him. "I like reading, usually it's about creatures but I like potions." Deimos explains, making Harry nod in response.