Sick Little Games.

Well that lesson was eventful. The image of Sophie’s pained face was still burned into my eyes. I knew the mention of Cedric’s name was going to bring up bad memories. I could see straight through her and I know she was faking that smile. She had been faking ever since him. I walked in silence towards Potions. Hermione was still disappointed with me and was giving me the cold shoulder. Shame starting creeping into my heart. She was right it was irresponsible and reckless: if I had been caught. I couldn’t even picture Professor McGonagall’s face.

“Hey Phoenix!” A familiar voice shouted next to me. Ow. My fucking head.

“Ass.” I muttered looking up and only to see the annoying identical twins.

“Now now Nixxie, don‘t be like that.” Fred laughed loudly. Too loudly. Like I want to punch you, kind of loud. I stuck my tongue out and lightly hit him.

“Who’s been corrupting our little goodie-goodie girl then?” George asked.

“No one.” I said not wanting to get Sophie into trouble. I knew how they would react, to me going to a Slytherin party. However Hermione had other ideas.

“Sophie.” She muttered.

They’re faces contorted into a grimace. Just as she walked past. It all happened so suddenly: the twins looked at each other and nodded. Fred chucked something at Sophie. I realised in horror it was an ink bomb. Which resulted in her covered head to toe in disgusting black ink.

“Who do you think you are? You filthy blood-traitors.” She screeched whilst pulling out her wand.
“Two people who did you a massive favour.” George said smiling widely, which only angered her more.

“Yeah it greatly improves your face value.” Fred agreed. Harsh but funny.

“How dare you?” Sophie yelled, raising her wand.

“No Sophie.” I said standing between them. I would not let a fight happen between my best friends.

“And you, don’t even get me started on you.” She spat. “You are friends with these people and worse Mud-bloods!”

It’s all part of her act. She’s just pretending. It’s all an act. I kept trying to convince myself. But no matter how hard I tried, there was constant doubt; and I started believing her harsh words.

“And you’re just a cruel, evil harlot.” I hissed back.

Just keeping up the act. Although it did give me some satisfaction, watching her irritating smirk vanish. Couldn’t any Slytherin actually smile? I turned on my heel and walked back towards Harry, Ron and Hermione, with Fred and George following behind me. I turned to the twins, who both had a smug expression plastered on the faces.

“So taking a leaf out of Peeves’ book?” I asked referring to the poltergeist’s trick, he usually plays on unsuspecting first-years.

“Well we wanted to start the year with something classic.” George smiled.

I chuckled and waved them goodbye. It would’ve been actually quite funny, if only it had been someone else. Anyone else.

“You are so tactless!” I heard Hermione round on Ron, but I tuned out.

I was tired of their arguing. I was too busy analysing mine and Soph’s argument. I guess this year we had to step up the act. Make it more convincing; so people will never suspect it is me, who is the ‘Mystery Girl’. Sophie would never invite someone she hated. The trouble is, I wasn’t trying. Those spiteful words just rolled off the tongue and it scared me, how easily I could be horrid to my best friend, when last night we were so close. We headed down the familiar route, towards our Potions class. And waited outside the room until Snape ushered us in. Me, Harry, Ron and Hermione sat at our usual table, at the back. Harry sat between the other two, who were still issuing exasperating noises. I was on Hermione’s left.

“Settle down.” Snape ordered unnecessarily because the other students were already silent. No one dared to ignore what he said. Not even Draco.

“Before we begin today’s lesson,” Snape said as he swept behind his desk, studying us with his cold black eyes, “I think it appropriate to remind you that next June you will be sitting an important examination, during which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical potions. Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are,” his eyes flicked over towards me, lets just say potions isn’t my best subject, but then again I don’t think it is anyone’s, well with the exception of Hermione, “I expect you to scrape an ‘Acceptable’ in your OWL, or suffer my…displeasure.” This time Snape’s glare landed on Neville, who looked as though he was about to faint. I groaned internally: I completely forgot about our OWLs, I was not looking forward to this year. Especially after our DADA class. FML.

“After this year of course, many of you will cease studying with me,” Snape continued. “I take only the very best into my NEWT Potions class, which means that some of us will certainly be saying goodbye.” Finally his eyes rested on his least favourite student of all. Harry. And Harry naturally returned his glare. They had a mutual hate relationship from the first ever Potions class we had. But thank fuck we can give up this wretched class, after this year. No more Snape!

“But we have another year to go before that happy moment of farewell,” he said coolly, bringing me back down to earth with a bump, “so whether or not you are intending to attempt NEWT, I advise all of you to concentrate your efforts upon maintaining the high pass level I have come to expect from my OWL students.” He drawled as he gave us an ultimatum: make him look like a good teacher or else.

“Today we will be mixing a potion that often comes up at Ordinary Wizarding Level: the Draught of Peace,” I groaned loudly which earned me a glare from Snape, “a potion to calm anxiety and soothe agitation. Be warned: if you are too heavy-handed with the ingredients you will put the drinker into a heavy and sometimes irreversible sleep, so you will need to pay close attention to what you are doing.” I would love to put him into an irreversible sleep. Next to me Hermione perked up and began concentrating harder, if that was possible. “The ingredients and method-” which suddenly appeared “-are on the blackboard, you will find everything you need in the store cupboard, you have an hour and a half…start.”

Just as we all had predicted, he had set one of the hardest and difficult potion to brew. I pulled my hair up into a bun and rolled my sleeves up. Bring it on. I went over to the store cupboard and was just about to collect a moonstone, which need to be reduced to powder, when a pale hand snatched it from me. I looked up to see platinum blonde hair and an arrogant smirk. Draco Malfoy. However it appeared as if he didn’t recognise me.

“I had that first.” I stated trying to snatch it back, but he just moved it out of my reach.

“Too bad.” He said turning away but I grabbed his arm. He spun round glaring daggers at me. “Get your filthy hands off of me.” Draco demanded wrenching his arm from my grasp.

“You have no right to touch people of our status.” Sophie chimed in also glaring at me. Great, why did she have to get involved? There was no evidence of the black ink from earlier. Shame.

“Why because my blood isn’t pure? Well it is! Probably even purer than yours!” I snapped, giving up on getting the moonstone back.

Obviously my confidence was growing and I was actually standing up for myself. I bent down looking once again in the store cupboard. God she pisses me off. Maybe she likes Draco, a bit more then she lets on. Gotcha: I spotted another moonstone. I walked back to my desk; started crushing and slicing my ingredients into an appropriate form. All the ingredients had to be added accurately. I was struggling with the quantities and it looked revolting. I was stirring it anti-clockwise, until I realised I had to reduce the heat from the flames and let it simmer.

“A light silver vapour should now be rising from your potion.” Snape called, when we only had ten minutes to go.

I looked down at the silvery, lilac substance in my cauldron, thankfully it wasn’t the same disgusting brown, from earlier. It wasn’t perfect but at least it was better than Ron’s, which was spitting emerald sparks. Of course Hermione’s outshone everyone’s, she was indeed a very skilled witch. Even Professor Snape, who tries to belittle everyone, couldn’t criticise her potion. However when he reached Harry, he stopped and smirked.

“Potter, what is this supposed to be?” Snape asked, his smirk only widening. All the Slytherins turned their attention to them expectantly. So pathetic: they acted as if this made their day, how sad.

“The Draught of Peace.” Harry simply replied.

“Tell me Potter, can you read?” He asked patronisingly. Draco laughed and in response me, Ron and Hermione all glared back.

“Yes I can.” Harry replied and it was clearly taking all his effort not to punch Snape in the face. I’m not sure I could’ve relented: sometimes my temper gets the better of me.

“Read the third line of the instruction for me, Potter.”

Harry stared at the blackboard and began reciting the method.

“Add powdered moonstone,-” I looked directly at Malfoy and he smirked at me, I shot him the finger luckily Snape was too busy taunting Harry to notice. “-stir three times counter-clockwise, allow to simmer for seven minutes then add two drops of syrup of hellebore.” I watched as realisation dawned on Harry. I really hated Snape for humiliating him, especially in front of the Slytherins.

“Did you do everything on the third line, Potter?”

“No.” He said quietly.

“I beg your pardon?” He was being cruel.

“No.” Harry said louder this time. “I forgot the hellebore.”

“I know you did, Potter, which means that this mess is utterly worthless. Evanesco.”

The contents of Harry’s cauldron disappeared and he was left there looking very annoyed and embarrassed. I felt so sorry for him.

“Those of you who have managed to read the instructions, fill one flagon with a sample of your potion, label it clearly with your name and bring it up to my desk for testing,” Snape demanded. “Homework: twelve inches of parchment on the properties of moonstone and its uses in potion-making, to be handed in on Thursday.” Fred and George were right this year was going to be difficult and if it hadn’t been for Hermione, I would’ve order a load of Skiving Snackboxes. I filled a flagon with my potion and scribbled Phoenix Channing on some spare parchment, which I fastened to the flagon. I watched as Harry slumped down on to his seat and I felt a sudden surge of sympathy for him. I walked over and wrapped my arms around him.

“Thanks,” he whispered.

“Anytime,” I whispered back. I pulled away and walked up to Snape’s desk, waiting with everyone else. Malfoy and Sophie lined up behind me, they were sniggering at something which amused them. I sighed.

This was going to be a long day.