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

Chapter Fifteen: The Purple Velvet Bag

"What do you think it is?" Trent asked me as I showed him the purple bag. It was about the size of a teacup, made out of dark purple velvet. The pull strings were woven with golden twine that shimmered against the candles next to my bedside. I held it under the light to get a better look.

"He told me to keep it in my trunk for five days. Why do you suppose that amount of time?"

"Maybe it needs to stay still and not be shaken?" Trent considered

"Then why would he have me take it? It's very odd, he has plenty of space to put something this size."

"Yeah, and why would he ask you specifically to hold it? That's pretty strange. Most he's ever asked me to do is to stop being a bumbling dunderhead."

I laughed, "Well, I have been spending a lot of time with him."

"Yeah...yeah you have been now that I think about it. Now that's a little odd."

"What do you mean?" I said anxiously

"Like, you're right. You've been spending a LOT of time with him. That's just kind of out of place for you...and him."

"I think you're overthinking things again." I opened my trunk, setting the bag inside. I put a sweater on top to conceal it. "We've just been studying. He did have to show me those defensive moves."

"But since when does Snape want to help us do anything? When does he ever even want to be anywhere near a student; let alone be in a confined space with them for hours on end." I rolled my eyes to the ceiling, standing up and shutting my trunk. I ran my hands through my hair, "What do you suppose is in the bottle?"

Trent thought for a second, "The one in the bag? I'm not sure. It didn't sound like herbs, so maybe it's a potion of some type."

"I hope he's going to tell me when I give it to him next week. Otherwise I'm going to drive myself crazy trying to figure out what it is."

"Let's just take a look right quick. One second out of the trunk isn't going to hurt it." Trent stood up and started towards my trunk "We aren't going to sit here for five days not knowing what's hanging out at the foot of our beds, Oliver."

"Okay, good point. But we have to be really quick."

We both got down to the floor and opened my trunk again. I pushed the sweater off to the side and carefully picked up the bag. Slowly, I pulled apart the rope holding it shut. A black glass stopper was sitting atop a dark coloured bottle. I placed the stopper on the floor next to me, peering inside the top of the bottle. I saw a colourless liquid filled about half way up the bottle.

"What is it?" I asked, sniffing the top of the bottle, "It doesn't smell like anything."

"Maybe it's water. Try some of it and see."

"Trent, I think that's probably the worst idea you've ever had."

"Ever had this year." he replied jokingly "But seriously, what is that stuff?"

"I dunno," I said putting the stopper back into the bottle, "I don't really want to go messing with it. Who knows what it is or what it could do."

"Or...we could take a little bit out and bring it to Mallory. I'm sure she could tell us what it is."

"How on earth would Mallory know what this is?" I asked

"Easy. She passed her potions OWLs with an E. That means she knows a hell of a lot more than you or I do."

"Hang on, that isn't fair. I haven't even had my potions test day yet. You can't say she's better at potions than I am.

"We'll see who's better at the end of next week. For now, let's get some of this stuff to Mallory and see if she has any idea. Otherwise, we just won't know."