the weight of living ⁂ scorpius malfoy

four ⁂ potions

September 1, 2021 -
a choosing ceremony later

Scarlett walked down the hallway straight to her dorm- after the choosing ceremony -where she knew the 4 girls would room with her, or what Scarlett calls "ignoring-her-as-if-she-wasnt-in-the-room". But Scarlett didn't care. She didn't want to talk to them anyway. She'd be studying or writing to her parents in her bed on the end while they piled on one of theirs beds and gossiped about who knows what.

The rooms where simple, in a rectangle shape which Scarlett liked because the beds where lined up on the interior wall so all the girls weren't facing each other. The exterior wall was her favorite, because on the other side of the cool glass window was the lake where she could watch fish swim around. Scarlett wanted a mermaid to come up and wave to her one day, like one of her roommates, Ella, claimed in fourth year, but Scarlett knew they didn't come very close to the school.

Scarlett packed her things into the various storage compartments near her bed. She kept her clothes and robes in the trunk in front of her bed, because she let all the other girls have the extra wardrobe- she didn't have that much stuff. She packed her books from previous years in the drawers under her bed, and the current ones along with Daer's cage on her bed side table.

Soon enough, her four roommates, Ella, Fawn, Victoria, and Paisley filed into the room with giggles and unpacked their various trunks.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

September 8, 2021

The next week was pretty uneventful. Yet Olivia, Clary, and Scarlett always walked to Potions together with something to talk about.

"Why in Merlin's beard would you sign up for Care of Magical Creatures?" Olivia exclaimed.

"Hagrid looks scary, but he's really a softie!" Scarlett replied. She had signed up for things not every student would want to sign up for, because she liked them in a different way. Frog choir was fun, and even Clary was in it (her ancestor demanded they make a choir at school). Charms club, because Scarlett loved charms and thought it was hilarious how short and old their teacher was. She had heard some of the professors had been working there since Professor Longbottom went to school there.

But don't even get Scarlett started on Professor Longbottom. It's not that she hated him, she just hated how all the girls became infatuated over him like he was a super model. He wasn't bad looking, thats for sure, but it was just annoying.

"Mmhm. Well Professor Killian is the opposite." Clary stated about their potions teacher. He looked like a sweet old man but when you did something wrong or got on his bad side, you were screwed in his class. Scarlett wasn't very good at potions, so she considered herself as one of the screwed.

Olivia scoffed. "You're his favorite!"

"No." Clary rejected, extending the 'o', but she knew she was one of Professor Killian's favorites.

The trio came into the class and took their seats together. Some more kids filed in and the class started as the plump man came out and continued the lesson.

"Alright students, settle down." Professor Killian instructed and the chatter in the room died down to a silence. "As you all know, we have been studying different types of items that could be used in potions. And if you'd pay attention to the certain ingredients, or studied your potion books, or knew the curriculum, you would realize we are going to be brewing the Draught of Peace."

Scarlett mentally cursed herself. She had read the book a thousand times, how could she of not noticed the things they were studying were all the ingredients in Draught of Peace? She was sure she could defiantly brew this one.

The Professor continued. "It is a difficult potion to make, requiring that the brewer follow the directions carefully, because making a mistake can have drastic consequences. Adding too much of the ingredients, for instance, will put the drinker of the potion into a deep - and possibly irreversible - sleep."

He continued with the possible side effects as Scarlett turned her head to the other side of the room to see Lucas furrowing his eyebrows as he studied the potion. She couldn't help but stare, because his dark brown eyes moving slowly over the printed words made her heart slightly flutter.

Scarlett's attention jerked back to the Professor when an elbow was jammed into her side and a bowl of ingredients was placed between the three girls.

Clary and Olivia opened to the instructions and grabbed some powdered moonstone when Professor Killian told everyone to start.

Scarlett flipped the page of her book to the instructions.

1. Add powdered moonstone until the potion turns green.

She sighed and carefully trickled the cream colored powder into the cauldron, stopping when it finally turned green. Scarlett followed the instructions, slowly, but carefully. A few explosions played out. Dark gray steam came out of a Ravenclaw girl's cauldron, while green sparks erupted out of a Slytherin boy's.

10. Allow potion to simmer till it turns purple.

Scarlett waited, glancing at Clary and Olivia's potions which were a snow white.

"You guys are done?" Scarlett exclaimed. She looked over to Lucas, who's potion was a nice white too. How was he so perfect? Another eruption exploded from a Ravenclaw boy behind Scarlett, sending a fowl odor around the classroom.

"Scarlett!" Clary shouted in a whisper, trying not to get yelled at by Professor Killian.

Scarlett looked down to her potion, which was turning a dark red. "No no no no!"

Olivia helped her add some powered unicorn horn, but they both knew it was too late. The three ducked as red sparks exploded from Scarlett's golden cauldron.

Scarlett sighed in frustration. She had failed another potion.

"It's okay Scar, you can make it up after school. I have to stay after for Transfiguration and Clary has some extra homework to complete." Olivia reassured Scarlett and she nodded.

The professor came around each table, studying the potions. "Good work Miss Warbeck and Pince. Tsk Miss Crane, you'll have to stay after if you want to keep your grade up. Minus 5 points from Slytherin."

Scarlett sighed as Professor Killian moved to the next table, where Lucas stood proudly (and perfectly) behind his potion. "Congrats Mr. Romsey. Ah, Mr. Malfoy, I did not expect you would be the one to not complete your potion. You need to stay after if you want to keep your grade at the solid rate it is at. Minus 5 points from Slytherin."

Scorpius nodded, but rolled his eyes and sighed when the professor turned around to go to the table behind him.

The bell rung and all the students left the classroom except for Scarlett, Scorpius, and the other few students who made their brews explode or smell in some way.

"Well, the prefects of Slytherin and the smartest of the Ravenclaws." Professor Killian chuckled, looking around at the students who had to stay behind. "This year I am starting a new system of extra credit. You may be familiar of it because I used it a few time at the end of your fourth year. Since there is an even number, you can pair up and brew the potion together."

Scorpius cleared his throat after the two Ravenclaws paired up leaving the two to be partners. "Um, sir? Can I please work by myself?"

"No Mr. Malfoy. We are running low on ingredients and being in a pair might help get the job done faster." Professor Killian replied. Scarlett sighed in defeat as she packed her things up and moved over next to Scorpius. "I will be back in 30 minutes when you should be done with your potions."

Scorpius scoffed after Professor Killian left the room. "He doesn't even teach us."

"I wouldn't want to teach us to be honest." Scarlett mumbled, but Scorpius didn't hear.