Narcissa Malfoy [HARRY POTTER AFTERLIFE FANFICTION]

Chapter 18

Step 7: Cut salamander and extract its blood.

Step 8: Add three drops of salamander blood to your cauldron.

Step 9: Stir 6 times counterclockwise.

Issa wiped the beads of warm sweat that gathered at her forehead as she read what the instructions said. She cut the salamander in half, bright red blood sprayed on her fingers and nails. She made a sickened noise and added three drops of it's blood into her cauldron. They sizzled as they touched the now mucus green and bubbly surface. "Narcissa." Reagan sighed as she moved Issa aside. "That's not how you cut a salamander, see, it's squirming, so if you cut it while it's moving or else the blood is going to spray everywhere. Oh, and by the way, you better go wash that blood off, it stains." Issa checked her hands, now paranoid.

"Um yeah- now what do I do? Quickly so that I can wash my hands." Issa told Reagan urgently. Reagan sighed again and explained.

"Just make a tiny cut at the side of the salamander so it stops squirming and it goes unconscious. And then cut it. Did you already crush the Griffin claw?" Reagan asked. Issa felt the skin of her fingers where the blood had stained, it had started to sting, or maybe it was just her imagination. She hoped.

"Uh, no." Issa said, keeping her hands at her sides like claws, just so she didn't touch anything else with her about-to-burn-off hands.

"Okay good, because I already have mine crushed and I don't need all of the powder. The book says 3 measures of Griffin powder, but it is really 2 and a half."

"Ah, good noticing of you." Issa forced a smile, what she was really worrying about were her hands. She wished Reagan would just hurry up.

"Thanks, you know, sometimes these textbooks can be a little clumsy and mess up our potions." Reagan blushed slightly. "Small things like measures can make a difference between a perfect potion and a failed one."

"I see..." 

"Well, Narcissa? What are you waiting for? You're behind everyone! There is only ten minuites left!" Reagan dropped a leather pouch with the Griffin claw powder on her bloody hands. 

"I need to go wash off." Issa said, darting to the bathroom after the without the Professor's permission.

 * * *

As Issa exited the bathroom she rubbed her hands. They had got stained, and now she had white freckles on her fingers and the back of her hands. She headed toward the Hospital Wing, maybe Madam Promfey had some cure for stains. She raced through the halls and when she reached the door Heather walked out of the classroom and gave a startled jumped. Issa's heart leaped. Heather was holding something in her hands.

"Heather!" She exclaimed, rather shocked. "What are you doing here at the Wing? You don't look sick."

"Er-." Heather said, in a disgusted way. She scrunched up her face. "What happened to your hands?"

"Salamander blood." Issa said. "Is that a rat you are holding?" 

"It's Timmirat...well, I think. I'm still not sure if he's a male." Heather lifted Timmirat up to Issa's face.  It was a black rat with blue eyes. Issa had never seen a rat with blue eyes. "He was feeling a little down these couple of days..." Heather continued. "So I brought him to Madam Promfey." She patted Timmirat, it was a pretty calm rat. 

"Heather...where did you find that rat, exactly?"  Issa asked, she had never seen it before.

"Near the Kitchens, it was running and it's eyes looked wild, like if it were being chased. Poor thing. So I took him." Heather moved her bangs aside. They had grown so long they went over her eyes.