Irresistible - f.weasley

10: ☆ potions ☆

I woke up the next day in the same dorm I had been sleeping in for the last two years. Again, it was just Hermione, Parvarti, Lavender, and I. I was tempted to ask Lavender if she had actually sent Ron all those letters over the summer but refrained from embarrassing her.

I made a mental note to ask Hermione to practice my Seer abilities later tonight. I had spent all summer finding small ways to easier access it, and I was afraid if I stopped exercising it, I'd lose the connection between my frontal brain and subconscious.

I went down to breakfast with an extra skip in my step, feeling the energetic aura run through the castle since everyone was excited to be back at school. A lot of things were different which made my return feel weird; it was weird not to wake up with the twins sitting at the breakfast table beside me, and it was weird to have McGonagall hand me my timetable instead of my dad, but I inspected it anyways.

"Potions first class," I groaned out. I was thankful that Professor Snape wasn't the one teaching me so early in the morning, but it still wasn't the class you wanted to start your day off with.

"Me too," Hermione said and compared our parchments. Besides my continuation with Divination and her class of Ancient Runes we had the same exact schedule.

"Look Harry! We both have the same free period!" Ron said excitedly.

"Neither of you are taking potions?" I asked surprised.

"No we didn't receive O's on our OWL's," Harry said a bit sadly. I felt bad knowing that potions was a requirement for becoming an Auror and Harry was not unavailable to apply for the job position.

"We should probably go early," Hermione said and went to stand up. I looked at the Gryffindor table and spotted Anastasia sitting on her own and eating some oatmeal.

I truly had no idea what happened to the spunky girl I met in fourth year, to the now isolated girl who was sitting in front of me. I stood up with Hermione and was determined to make Anastasia return to her old self.

"Hey Anastasia what class do you have first?" I walked over to her.

"Uhm," she looked at her timetable, "potions."

"Great! Come over with me and Hermione," I gave a soft smile and pulled her up from the table. She hesitantly came over with me, and I saw her and Hermione make uneasy glances at each other.

"Good morning Anastasia. How was your summer?" Hermione asked politely but she sounded too forced.

"It was fine," she answered as we walked, "dad had some ministry matters to attend to in Paris, so we stayed in a cottage up there." The rest of the walk included awkward conversation about Anastasia's Paris trip, until we finally walked in the classroom.

"Good morning everybody. My name is Professor Slughorn and I will be your potions teacher this year," he gave a clap and a smile, "since it's only the first day of class I'll be introducing you to a variety of potions we'll create this year." All of us stood against the wall while Slughorn waved his wand and procured four different cauldrons from the inside of is cabinet.

"Attention to detail in the preparation of a potion is the prerequisite of all plans—Harry, my boy, I've been beginning to worry!" Slughorn said distracted from his lecture by the entrance of Harry and Ron, "you brought someone with us, I see. " Both of the boys went to the back cupboard to find an extra book and join the class.

"Now as I was saying, I prepared some concoctions this morning. Any ideas what these might be?" Hermione was the first to to raise her hand, and I was glad she did because I had no idea what the silver liquid was supposed to be, "yes, Miss...?"