Aurora | Harry Potter

chapter thirty-seven

I follow Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville to a table, all the cauldrons and equipment are set up and waiting. I stand in the middle of Harry and Neville, flick through the book to page ten and start reading the recipe for a Draught of Living Death.  

The first instruction is 'cut up one Sopophorus bean', but when I look around the room and see beans flying everything, I think of a different approach and crush the bean instead, which releases a lot more juice. I see Harry has done the same. 

"How did you both do that?" Hermione asks, struggling with her bean. "Crush it instead of cutting it," I reply as I finish squeezing out the bean's juice. Hermione obviously wants to strictly stick to the instructions, so I continue looking at the recipe. 

All around, students are continuously struggling with their potions. Crabbe's stirrer has melted, Seamus' mixture explodes in his face and Hermione's hair is getting frizzier by the moment. I add in the Infusion of Wormwood, then Powdered Root of Asphodel and continue stirring it, twice clockwise and then seven times anti-clockwise. 

Harry looks over at my mixture and I look at his in return. His is more thinner and more like a liquid than mine, but for a first attempt, I don't think I've done that bad. 

Slugworth starts walking around the class testing the mixtures, every student failing to successfully create the Draught. When he comes to mine and drops a tiny leaf inside, it catches on fire instead of disintegrating. "You've done very well though, Miss Diggory," Slugworth says in an impressed tone, "now you, Harry."

A leaf is dropped into Harry's and it successfully disintegrates, making Harry smile and Slugworth exclaim in surprise. "Merlin's beard! It is perfect! So perfect I dare say one drop would kill us all!" He marvels, exaggerating slightly as the potion is only a powerful sleeping potion. 

The class then collects at the front of the room to watch Harry be rewarded with the Liquid Luck. "One vial of Felix Felicis," Slughorn says, handing it over to Harry, "Congratulations, use it well," he adds before applauding Harry, the rest of the class  - apart from the Slytherins - joining in hesitantly, Hermione clearly not impressed that she wasn't successful.

-

A few days have passed and it's now time for try-outs for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Harry and Ginny are leading the try-outs, whereas me and Hermione have come to watch in support of Ron, who is trying out for the role of Keeper.

"Shut it!" Ginny yells, instantly quieting the noisy bunch of Gryffindors, squabbling over broomsticks and who gets which vest. "Remember! Just because you made the team last year does not guarantee you a spot this year, is that clear?" Harry exclaims, getting blank stares in return. He starts talking to Ginny aside, presumably about the drills they'll be doing, and Ron looks up to me and Hermione, waving at us both.

We wave back at him and I give him two thumbs up before Cormac McLaggen approaches Ron, distracting him from us. "I hope it goes well for him," Hermione says, rubbing her hands together in attempt to warm them up, "he really wants a place on the team because almost all the Weasley siblings have played before."

I nod my head, remembering when Ron showed my photos of each Weasley playing Quidditch. "Ginny is a Chaser and a substitute Seeker, Charlie was a Seeker and obviously, Fred and George Weasley were Beaters."

The drills start and both Ron and Cormac fly in front of the opposite field posts, cheers and shouts coming from the stands supporting Ron. "Come on, Weasley!" I shout aloud as Hermione just sits and watches, trying to avoid eye contact with Cormac, who keeps staring at her.

The Quaffle is flown around the field and when thrown at Cormac, he manages to block them all consistently. After a few moments, they switch to start firing at Ron, who is clearly nervous yet also successfully blocks multiple goal attempts. But then he blocks one and nearly falls off his broom, which makes Hermione's breath hitch and I see Lavender practically jump in terror. 

The Quaffle comes flying again at Cormac, but I hear Hermione whisper, "Confundus," into her hand and Cormac's broom sharply moves to the left, the ball flying through the hoop. Hermione smiles bashfully as the drills continue, Ron's confidence slowly starting to grow. 

Back at the Common Room, Ron is practically glowing about his performance in the try-outs, which makes me smile and I pat his shoulder supportively, happy that he's satisfied. I'm sitting on the arm of the sofa that Ron's sat upon, both Hermione and Harry on the floor.

"Have you ever heard of this spell? Sectumsempra?" Harry asks, showing me and Hermione his Potions book which has various ink scrawls and notes across the pages. I shake my head, as does Hermione. "If you had a shred of self-respect, you'd hand that book in," Hermione says, her eyes flitting across the Daily Prophet. 

"I don't see why he should, he's top of the class now, Mione. Slughorn seems to think you're a genuis," I respond and I lean down to ruffle Harry's hair, making him smirk and push me back again. Hermione glares at me slightly - Ron trying to cover up his laugh - before turning to Harry. 

"I'd like to know whose that book was. Let's have a look, shall we?" she states as she folds up her newspaper and leans towards Harry, who quickly stands up and hides the book behind his back. "No," Harry retorts. I send a brief look to Ron, who raises his eyebrows and stifles a chuckle. 

"Why not?" Hermione asks, followed by Harry saying that, "the binding is fragile." I can't help but burst into laughter and it distracts Harry long enough for Ginny to grab the book, opening it to the first page.

"Who's the Half-Blood Prince?" She asks, confusing everyone. "That's what it says, right here: This book is property of the Half-Blood Prince." I chuckle again and pat Harry's shoulder as I get off the sofa. 

"Where are you going?" He asks, making the rest of the group turn to look at me. "To bed. We wanted to go on that walk tomorrow, right?" I respond, smiling at everyone before making my way towards the girls dorm.