The Time-Meddlers [Harmione]

10. Barty Crouch, Jr.

Throughout the next week, Harry and Hermione half-expected to see Horace Slughorn show up at breakfast, but surprisingly, he never did. They both had to admit that they enjoyed the first Potions lesson that Dumbledore, who was an alchemist and had worked with Nicolas Flamel, taught.

"Good morning, class," he said jovially, with a twinkle in his eyes. "It has been a long time since I actually got to teach. As headmaster, I find myself too busy with other responsibilities to actually do what I enjoy most - teaching. Today, we will be learning about the potion used to reduce pain when rubbed on your skin. Does anybody know what it's called?" It was no great surprise to the class when Hermione raised her hand. Harry smiled to himself over the fact of that one quality that did not change in his girlfriend over the years. "Yes, Miss Granger?"

"It must be the poena macero potion. The other possibility, the excrucio macero potion is stronger, but far too complex for anything less than a N.E.W.T. level class."

"That is correct, Miss Granger. Five points to Gryffindor." He then pointed his wand at the blackboard, which suddenly had the instructions listed. "Who can tell me the attributes of the first ingredient?"

The class went on like that, so for the first fifteen minutes, the class discussed the potion and its ingredients, so that they actually learned something about the potion they were brewing as opposed to just following instructions. Dumbledore did give points to the few Slytherins who were able to answer his questions. Draco Malfoy was not among those. He just sat there silently with a scowl on his face until it was time to start brewing. Harry was surprised that Neville had answered some of the questions about the ingredients.

Harry was cutting up his first ingredient when he heard Professor Dumbledore's jovial voice. "Mr. Malfoy, would you be so kind as to explain why you are emptying that bottle of completed poena macero into your cauldron?"

Harry grinned as Draco paled. "I, er, made it earlier today."

In a friendly tone, Dumbledore said while walking up to Malfoy, "Then the package I saw you receive this morning from Antonio's Apothecary has absolutely nothing to do with it? And the fact that the bottle in your hand has their logo clearly printed on it is just a coincidence?"

"Er, I just had the bottle from a long time ago and..."

"I see." Dumbledore took the container from him. "Since you are an expert brewer of this potion, I'd like to observe your process first hand. Perhaps I will learn a new trick or two." The whole class chuckled at the way the headmaster sounded completely sincere, yet made it obvious to everyone that he knew Draco was planning on cheating. Harry went back to chopping ingredients and managed a nearly perfect light blue potion, whereas Draco's ended up looking like tar.

"I always suspected that Malfoy had cheated his way through Potions class, and now we have the proof," said Harry as he and his girlfriend walked out of class with Neville.

"Always?" the Longbottom heir asked. "We've only been here a bit more than a month."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other for a moment before Harry said, "That's what I meant. For this whole month, I've thought he was always cheating. I don't think he ever does his own work - not just in Potions. That's why it was so easy to beat him in that duel. He's all talk."

"Yeah," agreed Neville. "I doubt he's much smarter than those goons he hangs out with. What are their names?"

"Crabbe and Goyle," answered Hermione. "By the way, I noticed that your potion looked better than Harry's today." The Boy-Who-Lived glared at her for a second.

Neville blushed as he answered, "Potions is actually pretty easy if you understand the ingredients. It's just that before, with Snape breathing down my neck..."