Glory |A. Potter|

Four

The potion bubbling in the cauldron was a sound Jane had missed during the weeks she had been away from Hogwarts and now, as she stirred the potion that had taken a rich purple colour as instructed, she couldn't help but smile. Her partner beside her, Rose Weasley, the Gryffindor prefect, was watching the cauldron with the same interest she was. Their potion was the best in the class and both of them could tell, but still, they didn't brag and didn't say a word, only were pleased with exchanging looks and nods. Finally, a few minutes later, the professor got around to check the cauldrons as the class came to an end.

Rose and Jane weren't in the least surprised when their potion came out to be one of the two best potions in the class—the other being Scorpius's potion—and they weren't even moved when they were awarded five points to Gryffindor and Slytherin respectively. As the class came to an end, they nodded at each other in an effort to greet one another before Jane turned to the only person in the class she tolerated speaking to, Scorpius. He was by her side a short while later and with a smile, he headed to the door. She followed after him.

The moment they had left, he turned to face her. "How was it? Working with Rose?"

"She thinks the way I do," she replied simply as she looked up, "which is something the professor evidently doesn't do. It doesn't make any sense, making the students pair up with someone that isn't in their own house. It would have been a lot more enjoyable if I could just choose to be with you."

"Your complaints to the professor, Jane," he smirked, "my own partner is nice. His name's Henry-"

"I know, he's Ramona's ex."

"So you don't like him?"

"So I'm reserved and suspicious about anything he does."

Scorpius smiled as they took the route to the Slytherin common room. "Typical. Did you end up talking with Ramona, then?"

Jane shook her head at once. "I tried during breakfast and lunch. She didn't really listen to me."

Scorpius's expression fell. "That doesn't sound like her."

"She seemed interested at first and then I told her I'm not sure and she just turned the other way and started talking with Philip."

"Ouch."

"Yeah," she sighed as they turned down a corridor, both of them nodding as they passed a seventh-year Slytherin on their way. "I just have no reason to cut off Annabeth and Charlotte, you know. They've done nothing."

"So far."

Jane seemed reluctant to agree but after a while, she conceded, her chin dropping as she focused on the ground. She didn't reply, she only pursed her lips as more time passed, and Scorpius slowly looked away, allowing her to have some space as he led the way to the Slytherin common room. They reached the wall made of stone where the common room was hidden, and he spoke up.

"Merlin."

A door opened from deep inside the stone and they got inside, the Slytherin common room almost having the same light as the corridor outside—which was hardly much—and in the light of the few green lanterns hanging from the ceiling from chains, both Scorpius and Jane seemed as if they weren't part of this world. They got down the few steps to the common room before Jane spoke up.

"It's just that-"

She stopped talking abruptly, her pace got slower, and Scorpius looked back, worried at her sudden silence. Her eyes were wide and she was looking at something behind him, her mouth hanging ajar before she glanced up at him, seemed to realise the position she was in before she forced herself to close her mouth and clear her throat. "I'm sorry, I just got surprised. Since when does Albus smoke?"