Alabasandria's resolve around Umbridge lasted about a week. Apparently she hadn't gotten a perfect score during her previous inspection, so she was kindly receiving another, and this time they were only being blessed with Umbridge's presence.
"Today we will be working on one of the strongest healing potions there is - The Elixir of Love. It's not one that can be found in an apothecary, nor would they use it in St. Mungos. Does anyone know why? No? C'mon, it's in the name - that's because it requires love, " she said in a grimace. "It functions only when consumed by someone whom the crafter loves. Invented by a mother back in 1437, when her child was dying of disease. She threw together a potion with what she had in her garden and prayed over the cauldron that her child would be healed. And that worked." She rolled her eyes. "So after you're done with the salamander teeth and the sparrow feathers, you'll stir counter-clockwise at exactly 120 stirs-per-minute while thinking about someone you love. If you've succeeded, the potion will turn white. None of yours will turn white today, which is fine. This is more of a lesson in control."
The children got started, dicing up their ingredients and prepping their stations. The potion required a clear and focused mind, which the children were struggling with as all of them were giggling and embarrassed thinking about who they loved. As she helped the two idiots in Slytherin whom she was seriously debating murdering for their stupidity, she overheard a whispered conversation.
"Oi! Weasley, who are you going to think about? Who's caught the eye of the weasel?"
"Can it, Malfoy! What about you, Crabbe and Goyle?" Ron made an obnoxious kissing noise.
"Hey!" She snapped and they both turned to her, embarrassed at being caught. "Shut up." Louder she said. "It does not have to be about romantic love, you can think about your families or your pets or whomever. There's no need to work yourselves into a tizzy. Calm down."
"That will make it even more difficult for you, won't it then, Potter? Can't think about your mummy or daddy." Malfoy snickered. Despite his low tone, everyone heard him and the whole class turned to witness the drama.
"Are you trying to bully me for being an orphan? Again?" Harry asked in a monotone voice. Malfoy only ever had the one joke, and he said it at least once a week. It was more annoying than offensive, but it did not remove the sudden urge to feed the boy his teeth. Malfoy was all bark and no bite, and Harry knew all it would take was one tiny, little curse to shut him up. He shuddered at the thought. In joy, that is, not horror. It was such a shame they were in a classroom full of witnesses. Although a part of Harry did not care, it would be very funny to see everyone's horrified faces as he separated Malfoy's teeth from his face. He would scream a lot. Would his screaming be different with the loss of teeth? Is that how speaking worked? Perhaps he ought to ask Hermione about that. About the speech part, not the part where he kept wandering into daydreams about torturing children. He didn't think Hermione would like that.
There he was being weird and violent again, he groaned. It was a bit unnerving, but probably not a big deal. Malfoy was annoying after all, and would totally deserve a slow and painful death.
Malfoy, who was still whispering rude things, was interrupted again by Alabasandria's unhappy shout.
"Boy, I do believe you are looking at Harry's mum right now. And if you don't shut up and get back to work, you will become an orphan and everyone here will make fun of you and we'll see how you like it."
Malfoy's face went pale and he ducked his head to avoid her gaze. "Sorry ma'am."
"For the record," Harry said very loudly, his dark thoughts instantly disappearing at the sight of Malfoy near tears. "I will be thinking about you, mama. You're the best." There was a chorus of snickering.
"Back to work!" She ordered.
She saw Umbridge scribble onto her clipboard but ignored it as she noticed Longbottom, who was stirring his cauldron way too fast.
"Slow down, it won't be able to absorb the emotion like that," she cautioned him. She pried the boy's iron grip off of his ladle. "What's wrong?" The boy was clearly high-strung, hunched over his cauldron and stirring like his life depended on it.
"S-sorry, professor. I just really want this to work," he whispered.
"You need to thread the line between strong emotion and control over your brewing. This is a very difficult potion, kid. I don't expect anyone will master it until their sixth year at the earliest."
The boy nodded and wiped some stray tears that had gathered in his eyes.
"What's wrong?" she repeated, a tinge of displeasure came through her tone and made the shy boy flinch.
"Sorry - it's just. Well… did you see the news about Bellatrix Lestrange? She - my parents - I - I thought hearing about it would help, but it didn't." Words gushed from his mouth, words that had been bottled up until he opened the floodgates. "I just keep thinking about how they don't understand that she's dead, and - and -"
She patted the crying boy on his head and turned off his fire before he lost another cauldron.
.....
Join my p@treon and read ahead by more than 60+ chapters.
Link : [email protected]/InfinityWeaver
Free members can read the next two chapters for free on my p@treon