Potter | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 76

The next morning, Lily had to drag Jenna out of her bed, worried that she would miss her first day of classes.

When they got to the Great Hall, as the other three girls were busy eating breakfast, Jenna put her arms on the table and placed her head on top of it, trying to take a last-minute nap.

She had just started to drift to sleep that she was startled awake by Professor McGonagall's voice, calling her.

"Potter!" she snapped and Jenna's head shot up, alarmed.

     McGonagall shook her head at the girl in disapproval, handing her a piece of paper. "This is your schedule, Potter. I was very pleased with your O.W.L results. You can proceed to all of your chosen classes."

Jenna opened her mouth to reply to her, but before she could process what was going on around her, McGonagall had already gone toward Marlene.

Marlene looked very grumpy as McGonagall spent the longest time with her, discussing the classes which she could attend.

For their first class, they had Transfigurations. But seeing as Marlene couldn't attend that class, she gladly returned back to the dormitories to sleep.

By second period, they all went down to the dungeons for their first Potions lesson of the year.

The number of the students there was less than ever as they all took their seats around the tables.

   All the four Gryffindor girls had managed to get into the Potions O.W.L class and so sat together.

Around the table to their right, there sat James, Sirius, and Remus. Peter, who was missing, apparently hadn't received a high enough mark.

Professor Slughorn soon entered the class and their voices muffled away as he said, "Settle down, settle down."

With that, everyone started taking out their books and placed their cauldrons before them.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen," Slughorn started, walking toward his own table, where he had laid a few full cauldrons, "I have readied a few potions for you today. Now can anyone tell me what this one is?" He pointed at a curious looking potion, which was colorless.

Not surprisingly, Lily's hand was first to shot up. But everyone's eyes fell upon James, who had shockingly raised his hand too.

Taken aback at this new turn of events, Slughorn turned on him with a curious smile. "Yes, Mr. Potter?"

Lily frowned at that, glaring at James who answered sternly, "That's Veritaserum, sir. Or also known as the Truth Potion. It causes the drinker to answer whatever you ask them truthfully and uncontrollably."

"Yes, yes, that is correct indeed. Thank you Mr. Potter." Slughorn nodded his head, walking to the next cauldron which had a muddy and disgusting color to its liquid. "Now who can tell me about this one?"

James raised his hand once more, but Lily's shot higher into the air this time, sitting at the edge of her seat impatiently.

Having found her enthusiasm rather amusing, Slughorn chuckled and nodded at her. "Miss Evans?"

"That's the Polyjuice Potion," Lily answered confidently. "It helps you to change your appearance into someone else's for a limited time."

"Correct!" Slughorn exclaimed. "And can you tell me what are the ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion, Miss Evans? For a few extra points?"

Lily nodded with a proud smile, saying, "It's rather a tricky potion to make, which contains fluxweed, knotgrass, Ashwinder eggs, lacewing flies, leeches, and shredded Boomslang skin."

"Actually," James started, all heads turning to face him with excitement, "it doesn't have Ashwinder eggs in it, but it has powdered Bicorn horn."

"No," Lily protested, all eyes now on her as she glared at him. "I'm pretty sure it's Ashwinder eggs."

"I beg you to differ, Miss Evans," said James, smiling at her charmingly. "The book specifically says that it contains powdered Bicorn horn. In page 32, to be precise."

After a short pause, there was loud noises of moving all around the room as everyone reached out for their books to check page 32.

Even Lily was turning over the pages with an irritated frown on her face. The only people who hadn't touched their books and had full confidence in James, were Sirius and Remus.

"Yes, it says powdered Bicorn horn here," said a Ravenclaw boy, holding up his book and pointing at the words.

"Oho!" Slughorn clapped his hands together in glee, turning on Lily. "It looks like you've finally met your match, Miss Evans. Take ten well-earned points for Gryffindor, Mr. Potter. The same for you, Miss Evans."

Sirius high-fived James as Lily slammed her book shut and placed her elbow on the table grumpily, resting her chin on it.

Throughout the lesson, Lily didn't talk anymore, which was a matter of concern to Alice. Yet Jenna and Marlene both found the situation highly amusing.

"I don't know what he's playing at," said Lily moodily as they were making their way out of the classroom, after receiving loads of homework. "Why is he suddenly trying to look all smart?"

"He's not trying to look like anything, Lil. He is smart," said Marlene with a smirk, causing Lily to shot a glare at her.

"He's been acting rather odd lately, to be honest," Alice mused.

"Yeah." Jenna nodded thoughtfully. "Now come to think of it, he hasn't asked you out since last year, has he?"

"Maybe he's over you now," Marlene suggested with an evil grin. "Maybe he's found someone else."

Lily came to a sudden halt, glaring at Marlene before turning on her heels furiously and leaving them without another word.

      "Where are you going!?" Jenna called after her.

       "Library!" Lily answered shortly, but didn't wait to see if any of them wanted to join her as she turned to the next corridor and disappeared out of sight.

"What got into her?" Marlene frowned, looking puzzled. "Is she jealous?"

Alice sighed happily. "And about time too."