His love for Potions I ✔

Chapter 12: Polyjuice Potion

The first week of brewing Polyjuice was one of the happiest in Harry's life. He read about advanced venoms and creepy concoctions in Moste Potente Potions, and decided to skip learning the Laxative Potion entirely. He couldn't actually imagine making most of the potions from the book, but the way they were put together was interesting, even if it involved sitting on an out of order toilet and peering at tiny spidery handwriting.

There was a bit of an awkward conversation with Hermione, though, when the time came to prepare the ingredients for the potion.

"Er, Harry, I know you really enjoy making potions, but... we only have enough for one try, and...."

"And?"

"Sometimes you get a little... distracted. When you work on your potions. It's understandable! But - is it alright if I make this one? You can make the next one!"

And she looked so nervous and frazzled that all Harry could do was hug her and assure her that it was fine, he didn't mind, he'd be happy to watch. It was really complicated, after all. (And he didn't even want to think about Snape's reaction if more potions ingredients went missing from the cupboard. Never again.)

Admittedly, being thought the Heir of Slytherin and showing off that he was a Parselmouth to the whole school during dueling club could have gone better, and he didn't know what that look Snape had given him had been about. And then there was the conversation with Neville. They were in their dormitory, and had a rare moment of privacy. Neville gave him nervous look, and said, "You've been breaking rules again."

"Um."

"With Ron and Hermione."

"...sorry, Neville. I just...."

"I'm not going to tell."

"You're not?"

"You did have a good reason last time."

"I have a good reason this time, too," Harry assured him quickly. "Ah - do you want to know-?"

"No, I don't think so. Professor Snape hates me enough already, and I'd break my grandmother's heart if I got expelled. I'd manage it, you know I would."

Harry considered the ways Neville managed to mess up basic spellwork and winced. It wasn't that Neville was bad at studying, as far as he could tell. Spells just went wrong somehow, around him. Especially when he was nervous.

"Sorry, Neville."

"Don't worry about it," Neville said, with a small smile. "Just - it's not Voldemort again, is it?"

Harry flinched.

"I...." Was it Voldemort again? Harry's blood chilled just thinking about it. "It's the Heir of Slytherin. Whoever that is."

Neville nodded, looking gloomy.

"Let me know if there's anything I can do to help?"

"I will. Thanks, Neville. And... sorry about last year."

#

He couldn't help thinking about Draco's comment about bullies, when Fred and George decided to have a good time by laughing about him being the Heir of Slytherin all over school. It was sort of funny, but at the same time, it really just... wasn't. It made him feel better, but the rest of the school kept flinching. It made him feel unpleasantly like Draco Malfoy, and that made him feel like, somehow, this was all Draco Malfoy's fault. Which made him feel a little better about Hermione's plan for spying.