The potions classroom felt colder than usual.
The tension and awkwardness between the Slytherins and the Hufflepuffs could be felt in the air.
Lucian had the worst of it all because Henry Macmillan didn’t speak to him the whole class.
To the credit of everyone involved, their conflict was limited between them only.
No one went around spreading any rumors mainly because the detentions had done an excellent lesson of driving the point home.
As the class ended Snape started going to each desk and examining their potions.
Since it would take some time to reach their desk Cedric and Arthur started to check their steps.
“We crushed a Bezoar into a very fine powder using the pestle and the mortar.” Arthur said recalling the steps.
“Check.” Cedric replied looking at his notes to make sure they were the correct steps.
“We then added some of the crushed Bezoar to your cauldron and a half its amount of standard ingredient. What is standard ingredient anyway?”
“Standard ingredient in a mix of common herbs that are pre dried and ground up. Check.”
“Thanks. We then heated the cauldron to a medium temperature for five seconds, waved our wands over it and left it to brew for 40 minutes because it was pewter cauldron.”
“Check.”
“And finally, we added a pinch of powdered Unicorn Horns, stirred two times clockwise then added two Mistletoe Berries and stirred two times anti-clockwise…”
“Wave your wand to complete the potion.” Cedric completed the recipe for him.
The ‘Antidote to common poisons’ they were making was one of the most easiest recipes to follow, which might be by design.
It was common sense for the antidote to be useful and easy to prepare.
According to Snape, a potion master could see fit to add a variety of things to this very recipe in order to make it more effective.
When it was finally their turn Snape hummed in agreement and quickly went to see the others.
…
Arthur was among the last to leave the class.
Given that he had obviously followed all the steps to perfection he didn’t think he had any reason to be stopped.
But Severus Snape was clearly not a man to follow expectations.
“Mr. Smith, please take back your assignment and redo them with eligible handwriting.” he said handing Arthur back his assignment.
For a moment Arthur thought the man was joking.
He stared, stunned, at his face for any signs of humor.
He found none.
The only thing looking back at him was the utmost serious face of a man who was comfortable saying crazy sentences like ‘Redo your homework.’
As much as Arthur wanted to argue, and it was so so much, he didn’t.
He wasn’t confident of getting the upper hand, so he just took the parchment handed to him and slumped out of the classroom.
…
Arthur walked out of the potion class into a tense situation.
His friends were currently in a staring match with a Slytherin student. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
They were all silently staring and each maintaining a safe distance.
They boy, Charles Graham, a blue eyed black haired child started speaking, “Now that you’re all gathered here, you think we could go someplace to talk?”
“Like where?” Arthur asked
“The great hall is empty right now.” Charles suggested.
“Alright, we’ll go to the trophy room.” Arthur said erring on the side of caution.
…
The trophy room was a room used to display awards, trophies, cups, plates, shields, statues, and medals kept in crystal glass displays.
The room also contained a list of Head Boys and Head Girls.
Prominently displayed were Hogwarts Awards for Services to the School.
A special feature of the room being that it was always left unlocked, even past the students’ curfew.
Being on the third floor the location was far away from both the Hufflepuff and Slytherin common room, making it the perfect place for the meeting.
“Listen guys we’re going to have to control the situation going on. It’s not good for either of us.” Charles said starting to talk first.
“Sure, as soon as Pucey apologizes to my friend.” Anna said sarcastically, “What was it he said? Do you know Flora?”
“I’m not comfortable saying it.” Flora replied quickly.
“Good. No one should be.” Anna responded with perfect timing.
“I’m not saying that what he did was good.” Charles negotiated, “I’m just asking for restraint on both our sides. If we escalate things, it could get ugly. Trust me when I say you don’t want to be on the receiving end of some of the more vicious curses.”
“Is that a threat?” Cedric asked putting his hand near his wand.
“Take it however you want. I’m just the messenger.” Charles said while shrugging.
“Whose?” Lucian asked
“The senior students. That’s as comfortable as I am talking about them.” Charles
“Seniors.
You tattled?” Arthur interjected, “I thought we had an understanding.”
“We did.” Charles calmly nodded, “It’s just the perfect saw us. You try crawling into the common room practically blind and see if anyone notices.”
“We’re not apologizing for that.” Anna said, “You guys deserved it.”
Seeing that the conversation was not moving forward Arthur decided to take the wheel.
He himself was getting tired of always having to look around the corner.
He didn’t want his future be spent in paranoia.
“What did you have in mind?” he asked the boy.
“Proper resolution.
Since Pucey initiated the conflict he’s going to have to resolve it.” Charles said, “Standard duel, wands only, limited spell usage to whatever’s taught in class.
Warrington will second him.
Two seniors present, one of us and one of yours, just in case something goes wrong.”
“Do we get a choice?” Cedric asked, “If we don’t want to do it?”
“Then certain people will remember you guys.” Charles said loosing his calm tone and getting more serious, “Certain people who hold sway in the real world. People you don’t want remembering you.” You are reading on novelping.com, the official source.
Arthur was baffled looking at the eleven year old child trying to be threatening, not that he didn’t feel threatened.
He wondered what the environment was inside their house that they would behave like this.
No child should…He squashed the pity forming in his chest.
These were not the words of a child.
This was prejudice speaking.
This was people who had power and were arrogant because of it, saying words to a child thinking there would be no consequences.
“When?” Arthur asked getting angrier by the minute.
He did not like when anyone threatened him.
THIS was a step further, threatening people he cared about.
“Around Christmas.” Charles said, his tone getting more calm, “We’ll see what the situation is then.”
“We’ll need to discuss this.” Cedric said
“Take your time.” Charles replied as he made his way towards the door.
“Hey Charles?” Arthur asked the boy as he was leaving, “Why are you doing this?
He turned to look at the group, “In Slytherin there are only two options, stand in line or stand out. You do not want to stand out around a bunch of kids who think they’re meant for greatness.”
“What about Adrian Pucey? Didn’t he stand out by saying those things?”
Sighing Charles said, “He’s a pureblood, a member of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. He already has a future decided for him.”
“These people with messages. They Sacred too?” Arthur asked emphasizing the word.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Then tell these wannabe Big Shots who like threatening children, to watch their backs. Tell them we remember them too. Tell all of them that they’re threatening a HUFFLEPUFF. Tell them WE HAVE FRIENDS EVERYWHERE.”
…
“Who exactly threatened you?” Tonks asked looking pissed from her spot on the couch.
By the way the common room had gone silent Arthur could figure out that everyone else was listening too.
“I don’t know.” Cedric said, “Charles didn’t give us names.”
“If you had to guess?” Tonks presented the question to the entire group.
“If I had to guess.” Arthur replied, “People who think that they didn’t actually loose in the previous war. They got away and think that there will be no more consequences for their actions.”
There was a deafening silence in the common room after the sentence.
Tonks, bless her heart, broke the tension.
Summarizing their previous conversation she said, “So you and Cedric are going to duel them?”
“They said they didn’t want to escalate. I don’t want to either.” Arthur said letting the heavy topic settle.
“Of course they don’t. They’re always bragging about how they’ve been won the house cup for five years straight. Those hundred points must have really hurt.” Tonks said grinning.
“Why are you grinning?” Cedric asked.
“Well, I just found out very good leverage on their entire house.” She started laughing out loud as she finished, “Oooooh! This is going to be so much fun.”
The House full of Loyal people would make sure of that.
Both the threat implied and the fun.