I sigh as I glance down at my empty Potions exam that is on my desk. It is just my luck. I came back on the exact same day that Professor Vector has decided to give my class an exam. I take a big deep breath and try to calm myself. I can do this. I've done it many times before. My quill dips into my inkwell as I take another deep breath. I can do this.
Question 1: What is the antidote used for Swelling Solution?
I think back to all my lessons with Snape and Professor Vector. I know that something happened one of my years with Snape. Snape needed the antidote for someone, but I can't recall who it was. I then tap my quill as I try to recall the antidote. It's a draught of some kind. I then smile as the thought hits me. I have a link with Snape. I try to concentrate on trying to send him a message. The only thing I get back is a sudden intense pain, though. Great, I'm on my own. I ask for help, and of course he—
Quit whining, Potter, and finish your exam, the silky voice speaks unexpectedly in my head.
It scares me since I haven't expected him to be listening in. I cannot help it as I suddenly scream and fall out of my chair. Professor Vector and the rest of the class instantly glance at me. I smile apologetically at her before picking myself up off the ground and returning to my seat.
Thanks, Snape, now they all think I'm nutters, I growl in my head. I don't receive a reply this time, which I thank Merlin. Okay, you can do this, Harry. It's a draught. Snape taught it to us…um…my…third…no…that's not right…my second year then. Okay, so think back to my second year. I'm in class. Snape's at the top of the class. Malfoy's being a git near me. Something happens. One of his goons or something gets the Swelling Solution spilt on him. Snape walks over to…to his desk and he gets a…a bottle of…bottle of…Deflating Draught! Yeah, that's what it was. It was Deflating Draught.
Okay, onto question 2. What ingredients does a person need to make Polyjuice Potion? Well, that's easy. I quickly write the seven ingredients on the line. I sigh as I read the next question. It takes me a few moments to recall the potion, but it doesn't take long. Maybe I have been learning something this summer. I write the answer and move to the fourth question. Dang, it's one of those questions, I think to myself.
Question four deals with an application problem where I'm supposed to come up with a scenario where I would use Veritaserum. Unfortunately, I can't really think of anyone I would want to interrogate. Well, maybe Snape, but—well, maybe I will use him, I think with a smirk. After all, he's not ever going to see this exam anyway so what difference does it make if I use it on him? I sigh as I start to write my lines.
About twenty minutes later, I sigh contently. At the very least, Professor Vector should get a laugh out of my response. I did answer the question. I just answered it in a smartass way. If Snape ever reads that response, though, I'm dead. In fact, I'm surprised the man wasn't snarling at me in my head now. Then again, he did say that he would only respond in emergencies and that most of the time my thoughts would be my own. I sigh heavily. I know I should be upset about Snape being in my head all the time, but in a way, it's somewhat…nice. I mean, sure, I have Hermione and Ron all the time with me, but it's nice knowing that I will always have someone with me. When I used to live with the Dursleys, they did their very best to make me feel isolated and the outcast…like I'd always be alone.
Okay, enough of those depressing thoughts. Onto the next question…hmm, question number 5, Wit-Sharpening Potion…wait…we learned about that like four months ago. Um…it was…um…a potion that makes a person like smarter or something. Okay…so…ingredients…ingredients used…what are the ingredients we used to brew it? Come on, Harry. Think. It wasn't like it was all that long ago, I think.
Okay, so there are beetles…nasty looking beetles…um…maybe it was sacred beetles. No. That doesn't sound right. Maybe it was scarab beetles…yeah…that's right. Okay…and we…used the…bowl…bowl to…oh, yeah…we ground them up. I quickly write my answer on the line. Then there were ginger roots, which we cut up. I remember that because I stupidly cut myself with the knife while cutting my roots. And then there was like a liquid from an odd-looking animal. Hmm…it starts with an 'a' so possibly an aardvark. No, that's not right. Okay, um…let's see here. Aardvark, no, Anteater, no, Aardwolf, no, okay, think, Harry. This animal has a hard shell. It's a…a…ar…arm…Armadillo. It's an Armadillo! Okay, so what's the liquid…um…it's…oh, duh…its bile. The last ingredient is Armadillo bile. I am such an idiot. I quickly write my answer on the lines and sigh as I reread my answers on my exam just to make sure I do well.
Question 1: What is the antidote used for Swelling Solution?
Answer: _Deflating Draught_
Question 2: What ingredients does a person need to make Polyjuice Potion?
Answer: _Lacewing flies stewed for 21 days, leeches, powdered bicorn horn, knotgrass, fluxweed picked on a full moon, shredded boomslang skin, and something from whom you want to become_
Question 3: What potion requires dried nettles, crushed snake fangs, stewed horned slugs, porcupine quills?
Answer: _Boil Cure Potion_
Question 4: Describe an instance of how one could use Veritaserum.
Answer:If I were going to use Veritaserum ever on someone, I'd use it on Professor Snape. I'd probably be rather nice about it and make sure no other students heard his answers, so I'd likely interrogate him in his quarters. I'd make sure the rooms were dark so he couldn't identify my voice because I really don't want him to kill me afterwards. One of the questions I'd ask him would be how he gets his hair so greasy. I mean, sure, I do live with the man, so I know that he takes showers. However, is that greasiness genetic or is it because he brews potions constantly? If it is because of the potions, then the headmaster should probably include hazard pay for any damage that occurs to Snape's hair.
I'd probably then ask Snape if he ever gave thought to marry Professor Sinistra. I mean, sure I unfortunately brought this thing up with the Weasleys, but he never said if he would. I don't really know why I care all that much about his love life. Well, I guess I do. Snape protects me and is my guardian. Over this past term, he's also been rather…I don't know how to describe it other than saying nice. I haven't really had much experience with adults giving a damn about me, but Snape and the rest of the teachers here seem to do care. Snape, however, is probably the one who gives the most, but that's probably again because he protects me. I'd probably ask this question too because I like Professor Sinistra. She's rather nice and kind of reminds me of what I think my mum was like. She's just a tad bit more of a Slytherin version of Mum.
My last question I'd ask is what Snape really thinks about me. Of course, I should know the answer since the man did agree to being my guardian, but it doesn't hurt to hear it again. I mean, sure, we've gone through a lot together and he's always been there for me. However, lately, I'm starting to think that I'm breaking down those icy barriers of his and soon we'll have a happy Hufflepuff Snape walking these halls. Who knows? Maybe he might even give points to Gryffindor.
Question 5: What ingredients does a person need to make Wit-Sharpening Potion?
Answer: _Ground scarab beetle, cut up ginger roots, and armadillo bile _
I then stand up and slowly walk to the front of the classroom. I hand in my exam and smile briefly at Professor Vector. She only nods, dismissing me to my next class. Overall, I'm rather satisfied that I did well on that test. I am almost to the door when I hear Ellie ask Professor Vector something. I glance around as the question echoes around in my head. I have to have heard that wrong.
"Professor, will you be finished grading the exams tomorrow?" Ellie asks.
"I'm actually not going to be grading it. I've asked Professor Snape to grade the exam since I have some catching up to do with my own class for the start of the next term. They might possibly be graded, but I'm not sure, Miss Lazarus," Professor Vector responds.
"No…wait…Snape's grading it?" I ask horrified as I walk back towards the two witches. Professor Vector gives me a strange look, but nods. "Oh, I am so dead," I say groaning.
"I thought you believed you did well on it, Harry."
"I think I did, but, well, read my answer for question four." She sighs, but does as I ask. A few moments later, she glances up at me with a pained expression. "Yeah, that's what I thought. He's going to murder me," I say gloomily.
"In your defense, it is a rather witty and honest answer, Mr. Potter," Professor Vector replies with that same pained sympathetic look on her face. "I'm sorry, Harry. Perhaps I can speak with Severus?" I shake my head fiercely, though. I then sigh and walk out of the room without a word.
The End.