Oliver Evans is The Prodigy of the Heart (Book One)

Chapter Six: Student Selected

Having to spend a week in the hospital wing really set me back. Trent and Mallory came by every day to drop off different assignments that I was falling behind on, and even brought Namira down to keep me company. I had more than enough time to focus on studying, since the only thing that ever really happened was Madam Pomfrey coming over to check on my pain levels. Finally, I was given the okay to leave the hospital wing, and go back to classes. My first stop was the potions classroom.

I quietly made my way into the room, noticing that no one was there. I looked around, trying to remember which shelf the book professor Snape had dropped landed under. After checking two others, I got down on my knees and checked the last. The book that had fallen a few weeks earlier was still lying there facing down, opened to a random page in the middle. I reached out and grabbed the book. It was a copy of Advanced Potion Making. Curiously, I dusted off the cover and opened up the book. Facing back at me were different writings, scribbles and formulas hand written of different potions. I looked up, making sure no one had entered since I had and continued to read on. Each potion's instructions had been written over in one way or another. Some had changes of measurements, others were completely blacked out and re-written in the margin of the page.

"What is this?" I said under my breath. I turned page after page, each getting more detailed than the last. "Wait a minute..." I pulled out a piece of parchment from my pocket, it was from the last potions exam I took; Snape had made comments in the margin about my answers. The page that I had opened to had what seemed to be a spell written at the bottom. "Vulnera Sanentur." I whispered "To heal deep wounds..." I set the book down on the floor and unfolded the parchment, laying it next to the open page. Looking at the writing in the book, I compared it to that which was on my exam. My eyes widened: the handwriting matched.

I shook my head in disbelief, closing the book and standing up. I walked over to Snape's desk, and carefully slid the book in between two others in a tall stack. I stuffed the parchment back into my robes and left the potions room. Trent, who had just exited the Slytherin common room waved me down.

"Hey, Oliver! How are you feeling?" he asked, flashing me a smile

"Oh," I said surprised "I'm still really sore. But I'm glad that I'm out of there. I was going stir crazy not able to go anywhere." I took out a stack of papers "I finished Michael's assignments for the past week. Hope he isn't too mad about me delivering them a little late."

"Nah, he's fine. He's actually kind of happy you took such a fall. Says it's better payment than you doing his work for him,"

"...Wonderful." I groaned "Where are you off to now?"

"Didn't you hear? Fifth year and up have to meet in the great hall. Dumbledore is holding a meeting about the Winter Ball."

"Ah, right. I forgot that was coming up."

We walked to the great hall and saw that the long dining tables had been removed, leaving rows of wooden chairs. Over half of the chairs were full; the scattered empty seat between two occupied seats remained. We finally found two chairs together towards the very back of the aisles. Trent and I sat down, waiting for Dumbledore to appear and address us.

It didn't take long; Dumbledore entered the hall and the chatter faded to silence. His silver beard wisped as he took the stroll to the front of the great hall. Once at the podium, he pushed his glasses back into place and beamed down at us.

"Ah, it is so nice to see all of your faces." he said "It is that time of year when we must begin to prepare for the upcoming Winter Ball. With this being said, I expect all of you to be on your best behaviour during the event, and that you will all represent your houses and your school well." he placed a scroll in front of him on the podium "Every year, the head of house for each house selects a student in which they deem fit to represent the entire school. We then, as a faculty select the two most qualified, disciplined and capable students. These two students will perform the selected dance in front of the four schools accompanying the ball."