Gryffindor Princess

Incorrect Recipes

The next day, Rose got dressed into her robes and walked down to breakfast with Jessica, Emilia, and Aurelia.

"Head Girl now," Aurelia smirked. "You're not going to get boring on us, are you?"

"I'm not boring!" Rose laughed, shoving Aurelia. "I'm just... studious."

"Well," Jessica started. "You'd better be a really good Head Girl, because Scorpius isn't going to add any good to the job."

"He's not terrible," Rose attempted, but cut off at Emilia's raised eyebrows. "Fine, he's pretty bad, but he'd better do a good job at this at least."

"You'll live," assured a grinning Emilia.

"Yeah," Rose frowned. "I'm sure it'll be fine."

Rose took a seat at the table next to Lily. "So, how's the Prefect life treating you?"

"I may or may not have sneaked off into the Prefects bathroom last night, and it's so nice. We're going to throw a Potter-Weasley party there this weekend," Lily smirked.

"Lily!" Rose reprimanded. "We could get in so much trouble!"

"Maybe so," Lily said smugly. "But it won't stop me. Uncle Neville loves me. I'm not getting off so badly."

Rose laughed at her younger cousin. "Maybe so, but if Professor McGonagall wants to speak with your parents, I'm not letting Teddy change into your mom for you."

Lily jokingly threw a strawberry at Rose's, who plucked it out of the air with ease.

"Keeper skills!"

"Speaking of that, do you know when tryouts are? I haven't heard anything yet," Lily asked.

"I haven't either," replied Rose apologetically. "But I heard that this year's captain is McLaggen!"

"McLaggen?" Asked Lily in horror.

Rose nodded grimly. For ages, the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain had been one of the Weasleys or Potters. The last few years had been James, and before that had been Fred II -- though he and Roxanne both ran the team -- and ages before that had been Harry Potter himself.

"Ugh," Lily groaned. "I can't stand McLaggen! So full of himself... maybe he's grown up a little though. I mean, haven't paid him any attention for years... he could be perfectly nice now. Maybe even attractive."

"Any new love interests, Lils?" Smirked Rose. Lily always seemed to fancy a boy, and luckily, they usually liked her back.

"Well," Lily started. "I think Jay Robins is quite attractive. But I've also heard that he fancies Maila Cavelle. I like Alexander Nott, but you know, Al's friend and he's two years older than me. But seriously..."

"You know Al," Rose smiled. "But you know, Jay might be nice. He's closer to your age and you know, not Al's friend. Just wait around. He might ask you out. An opportunity might present itself."

"Yeah," Lily said dryly. "Older brothers are really protective. Especially having two. Well, really three, with Teddy."

"Your mom had six," Rose laughed. "And I can't imagine my dad being too excited about his sister and best mate being together.

"True, true," giggled Lily.

❖

"Welcome, class!" Professor Slughorn announced jovially. "I'm so glad to see all of you today."

"This year I decided to do something different," he said. "I decided to give you potions partners based on where I think you are in making potions. You will be making your own potions, but your partner can help you if you need anything. If you have a problem with the partner I give you, wait a few weeks and let me know. If I see something that really isn't working out, I will switch up the groups, but I doubt that you will have any problems."

"Will we have to have these partners for the rest of the year?" Asked Farrah, frowning a little.

"I'm just trying it out," replied Professor Slughorn. "But yes, I believe we will have these partners for the rest of the year. I'll announce the partners now. I don't need to keep you waiting."

Rose grimaced. She hoped she'd be with Albus or one of her friends. Most of the Gryffindors would be fine, though she didn't want to be with McLaggen.

"Albus Potter and Theodore Nott. Jessica Longbottom and Emilia Finnegan-Thomas. Aurelia Wood and Farrah Zabini. Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy..."

Professor Slughorn went on with the names, but Rose wasn't listening. Malfoy? Sure, he was good at potions, but now Rose would have to endure listening to him for an hour. She sighed.

"...and Aaron McLaggen and Maureen Larkin. Alright, that's it. Find a seat next to your partner and turn to page 10. We're brewing the draught of living death."

Scorpius got up from his seat next to Albus and set his stuff down next to Rose. They opened their books and set up their cauldrons in silence.

After heating up her cauldron and chopping up her valerian roots, Rose attempted to cut up a sopophorous bean. No matter how many times she tried to cut up the bean, it stayed exactly the same as before.

"You want to crush it with the side of your knife," a voice sounded in her ear. Scorpius Malfoy's gray eyes were trained on hers. "See?"

He crushed the bean with the side of his knife and juice immediately sprang from the bean. Rose nodded hastily and copied Scorpius's instructions. She glanced over to see him scribbling alternate directions in his book.

"This recipe was written wrong," he said, noticing she was staring. "I'm fixing it up... here, you can look it it."

Scorpius set his book between them. Sentences were scribbled out and rewritten by Malfoy himself. Rose had to admit, she liked his handwriting...

"Wait, I'm supposed to add a clockwise stir?" Rose asked, confused. "Then book says--"

"This recipe is wrong," Scorpius smirked. "I make a lot of potions with my dad, and I've brewed this before."

"Oh," Rose said as Scorpius stirred her potion until it was pale pink. "Thanks."

"No problem," he said as he continued to make his potion.

"Wow," Professor Slughorn said excitedly. "Rose, Scorpius, your potions look amazing. 10 points to both Gryffindor and Slytherin. Keep it up!"

Rose filled a vial with her potion  and vanished the rest of it. She handed the vial to Professor Slughorn and began to clean up her ingredients.

Why had Malfoy helped her with her potion when he could have been the only one who brewed the potion correctly. Why was Malfoy being so nice to her? Rose had no idea what had gotten into him, because he was usually rude and uncooperative, according to most girls. Despite that, most of the girls in Hogwarts fancied him. Rose didn't though. She only put up with him because he was Albus's friend.

BOOM!

Rose jumped and glanced behind her, where Emilia had managed to blow up her cauldron. Luckily, because her potion hadn't been brewed correctly, no one got hurt.

"Sorry," giggled Emilia as Professor Slughorn walked towards her table, exasperated.