The Game Continued (A Drarry fic)

Let's Play

Harry frowned unhappily as he walked into the potions room. He didn't know where to sit. Normally he partnered up with Ron and they shared a table, but today he didn't even want to look at Ron.

After some deliberation he chose to sit in a table near the back that always seemed to remain empty.

As he was five minutes early, not many people had shown up. There were a few slytherins gathered in the front of the room, but Harry chose to ignore them in favor of double checking his homework.

It was a good thing he doubled check it, because he noticed that he said to add the crushed mandrake roots before stirring the potion seven times clockwise. He was supposed to add the mandrakes after he stirred- right before the sliced moth wings. He scribbled quickly away on his paper, fixing his mistake. More people entered the room, but Harry payed no attention to them- he was too busy desperately trying to fix his homework before the start of class.

Before he knew it, the class was full and Professor Slughorn was clearing his throat to get the classes attention.
Harry hesitantly rolled up his parchment, knowing full well he hadn't corrected his mistake entirely.

'Oh well' he thought miserably, 'it's already been such a terrible week, this shouldn't surprise me.'

After having them all turn in the homework (Much to Harry's dismay) Slughorn normally wrote the page number to find the potion recipe on the board, but today he didn't.

"Class" he addressed everybody in that nasally voice of his,
"For the next month or so of potions classes I'll be having you do something a little different.  Something a little more complicated."

The class stared at him in a polite silence, waiting for him to explain further.

"In all of your potions classes so far at hogwarts you've made simple potions that can be brewed within the few hours of class, however you are all eighth years and the ministry thinks you deserve a little more of a challenge."

He grinned a toothy grin at the students and proclaimed happily,

"You will be paired up with another student in the class randomly to brew our next potion. In an effort to promote interhouse unity, each Gryffindor will be paired with a Slytherin. I've written down the names of the griffindors on pieces of paper, and put them in a hat."  He gestured to a large brown bowler hat on his desk.

"When called up, each Slytherin will draw a slip of paper and that is to be their partner for the potion. There will be no "trading" partners under any circumstances. After all, we're trying to promote patience and unity."

The class was still silent, but this time in a more shocked and dismayed silence. The horror was dawning on everyone's face as they realized the unfortunate situation they were about to be thrown into. Slytherins and Gryffindors alike both shot curious glances to the opposite side of the room. Both sides were dreading who they'd be partnered up with.

Apparently unbothered by the sudden uncomfortable change in the atmosphere, Slughorn plowed on.

"The potion you will be making, is nothing other than the extremely powerful and dangerous Veritaserum."

"But sir,"  came Hermione's worried voice  "that's such an advanced potion, and isn't it forbidden for professors to use on students?"

Slughorn laughed "you're very right Hermione, dear, the ministry has forbidden the use of it on students, so you will not be forced to drink the potion once it's complete. The ministry simply wished for me to teach you how to brew difficult potions. Now can anyone tell me how long Veritaserum must mature before it can be used?"