The Adventures of a Girl Who Should Not Exist (Doctor Who/ Harry Potter Crossover)

Chapter Eighteen: Potioneering with Serpents

Chapter Eighteen: Potioneering with Serpents

By the time lunch rolled around, I felt utterly deflated, like a balloon whose air had been slowly sapped away, leaving a withered husk.

I nibbled a grilled cheese sandwich, dismissing attempts at conversation with a grunt and the back of my head.

Herbology was no better- I knew the material, but it just didn't work.

I couldn't charm a feather for my life- or turn a pin into a match, or cast a shield spell. Even the magical plants seemed scared of me.

History of Magic was dead boring, as everyone said it was. No one could resist the soporific power of Binns' voice. Even the flies dropped dead of boredom.

Dejectedly, I entered the Potions classroom. Imogene had been with me all day, quietly surprising the professors with her skills as I had been loudly and boisterously letting them down.

But new life crept into me as I surveyed the classroom. Now this was more my thing.

My eyes flicked across the board- precise, measured directions! Right up my alley!

I took a seat near the front of the room, by a less wicked-looking Slytherin.

"I'm Holly," she said quietly in a hard accent. "No need to introduce yourself, I already know you're Amelia. I heard you back in Charms, when you couldn't even levitate a feather. And all after that when you failed similarly." she said before I could open my mouth.

Interesting. So this was how it was going to be.

"Hello, Holly," I said slyly. "I'm sorry you don't like Potions as much as your other classes."

She looked at me confusedly.

"You're not holding yourself as haughtily as you do in the other classes- you're much more stiff. You're anxious to leave- your eyes keep darting around and you're fiddling with your watch and bag. You're making it obvious."

Her face hardened, and I sensed a tongue-in-cheek reply coming when Professor Slughorn rang a bell to start the class.

"Welcome to Potions. Now, this is not like your other classes- there is no artistic license to be taken here. Not at first. Potions can be very dangerous when prepared incorrectly. Later, you will be able to improve upon them..." he trailed off. "Cure for Venomous Tentacula bites. Follow the instructions on the board carefully. Everything you need is already on the table. Chop chop!"

I launched into the steps.

5 cups water- simmer on medium flame.

I poured in the water and managed to coax a flame from the coals. Holly, beside me, had measured incorrectly already and hadn't noticed.

While I was already halfway done, extracting the essence of Dewglow Pod with the flat of my knife, I decided to mention it.

"Holly! You put in an eighth of a cup too little of water at the beginning!"

She cursed, wiping her hair out of her face with her wrist so as not to get the juice on her fingers in her precious locks.

A smile curled on my lips. This was more fun than the other classes, for sure.

After twelve measured stirs, my potion fit the description exactly- it was a light yellow, transparent, and the consistency of thick cream. A medicinal smell of menthol and artificial cherries wafted up off of it.

"Professor," I called, raising my hand.

"Class is almost over, Miss Amelia. Please wait a moment."

I took the "moment" to peer over at Holly.

With a stressed look, she was incorrectly chopping up the small scoop of coconut flesh. Her potion was thick and gloppy, with a greenish hue and an interesting smell of burning paper and freshly mowed grass.

Slughorn sounded the end of class. As he passed by our table, he gave me an encouraging look. "Amelia has done some excellent work here. Keep it up."

After surveying all the cauldrons, he emptied them all with a flick of his wand and dismissed the class.

Imogene smiled at me in her dainty fashion.

Eleanor loudly sauntered up.

"So, Potions, huh?"