The Renegades

Chapter 2 : Crocodile heart

The next day at breakfast, the entire Slytherin table was busy studying the timetables they had received that very morning. Just like Sebastian had predicted, he and Penelope shared most of their classes except for Care of Magical Creatures and Study of Ancient Runes. Sadly, after a thorough review of their respective timetables, Penelope found out she only had one class in common with Natty.

"Why aren't you sad that we only have two classes together?" Imelda asked while buttering her toast.

"Because we sleep in the same room. I think we see enough of each other already" Penelope replied with a playful nudge.

"We'll see each other even more if you try out," she laughed.

The first class of the day was Potions. After finishing their breakfast, she and her roommates made their way to class. They arrived early and Penelope sat down before a cauldron, saving an empty seat for Sebastian. She had seen him at breakfast, but he had gone back to his room to fetch something when they all left the Great Hall.

"Good morning Penelope!" Poppy greeted her as she entered the classroom.

"Hi Poppy," Penelope smiled, always happy to see her. "I didn't know you still took potions!"

"Of course, I love potions class! Is this seat taken?" she asked timidly as if she already knew the answer.

"I'm sorry Poppy but..."

"It's okay. I think we have care of magical creatures together tomorrow. We can sit together then!"

She walked off toward another table at the same time as Sebastian entered the classroom.

"Hi Sebastian, Penelope saved you a seat!" Poppy told him as she sat down next to another Hufflepuff student.

"How kind of her!" he said with a slight smirk.

Penelope smiled awkwardly as Sebastian sat down next to her. Sure, Poppy knew all about her feelings for Sebastian, but did she have to make it that obvious?

"Say... I have something that should be of interest to you."

"Already?" Penelope raised her eyebrows, amused.

"Let's meet in the Undercroft before Defense against the Dark Arts class."

Professor Sharp walked in and Penelope nodded, deciding to turn her focus on the lesson for now, though she was very curious as to what he had found. According to Professor Sharp, they were going to learn to brew a number of very complex potions this year, most of them being antidotes. Penelope patiently wrote down the instructions for the antidote they were going to make. Soon enough, it was time to start brewing.

"Looks easy enough," said Sebastian as he rolled up his sleeves.

"Oh, Mr Sallow, overconfidence can be as hazardous as a poorly brewed potion. It would be like thinking you can fly without a broomstick simply because you saw a bird doing it," Professor Sharp quipped after overhearing him.

Everyone laughed, including Penelope.

"Very funny..." groaned Sebastian.

"It was. Now listen. First we pour the poison, then we separate its ingredients and decant them into different phials. Then, according to Golpalott's Third Law, we shall look for antidotes to the ingredients themselves and find the added component", Penelope read out from her notes.

They started working on their potion in silence. Penelope would glance at him from time to time. She wondered what he had found out that was so important they couldn't talk about it at the moment, and she remembered how he smirked when Poppy told him she had saved him a seat. She liked the way his brows furrowed when he was focused. It gave him an air of sternness.