"Get up, sleepyhead! You're going to be late!"
I jolted awake. Eyes open, I blinked. The girl with the curly brown hair was staring down at me, smiling like sunshine. Her brown eyes… honey-colored in the dim light. She was almost painfully bright.
"What time is it?" I groaned, burying my face in my pillow.
"Half an hour till class," she said, too cheerfully for this hour of the morning.
I sat up and smoothed down my hair. "I'm Evangeline, but everyone calls me Eva," I introduced, extending a hand.
She took it, shaking it with an enthusiasm that felt… a little much. "I'm Carmen Rankin."
I stood up and stretched, arms over my head. "Thanks for waking me."
"No problem," she replied, her smile unwavering.
Across the room, Daphne Greengrass was meticulously applying eyeshadow, oblivious to our little exchange. Honestly, the girl looked like she was preparing for war, not potions class.
"What's your name?" I asked her, trying not to sound annoyed.
She glanced up from her mirror, eyes narrowed. "Daphne Greengrass."
"That's a pretty name," I complimented, mostly to be polite. She didn’t even acknowledge it, just went back to smearing on eyeshadow. Seriously? Not even a ‘thank you’?
"Come on, you have to get dressed," Carmen nudged me. "Or you'll be late."
I snapped back to reality. "Right." I flung open my trunk, rummaging through robes until I found a fresh set.
"What class first?" Carmen asked.
"Potions, I think," I replied, trying to remember Professor Slughorn's instructions.
"Great! Daphne and I have that too. Apparently we have a new potions teacher."
"Oh," I said. "Snape left?"
"No," Daphne said, not bothering to look up. "Snape transferred to Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"I hope he gives us as many house points as Snape did," Carmen breathed, sounding wistful.
* * *
We didn’t have to walk far. The Potions classroom was in the dungeons, naturally. Inside, I sat at a table with Carmen. Daphne, Pansy, and Millicent Bulstrode were huddled at another, whispering to each other. Draco and Blaise sauntered over and joined us.
"Do you know who this Slughorn is?" Blaise asked Draco, leaning back against the bench.
"No idea," he replied, sounding bored already. "He'd better be good, or I'll tell my father."
A short, balding man emerged, beaming. He clasped his hands together. "Everyone please take your scales, potion kits, and your copies of Advanced Potion-Making."
I pulled my book out and opened it. A dozen potions I’d never heard of stared back at me.
"Now, I’ve prepared some potions for you to examine. These are things you’ll need to know how to make after completing your N.E.W.T.s." He gestured to a cauldron bubbling with a clear liquid. "Can anyone tell me what this is called?"
My brain blanked. The name was on the tip of my tongue, but it wouldn’t come.
Draco raised his hand, of course. Professor Slughorn called on him. "It's Veritaserum. A truth potion."
"Excellent, excellent," he said, turning to another cauldron. This one held a bubbling, muddy concoction. "And what is this?"
I racked my brain, searching for the answer. I raised my hand, hesitantly.
"Yes?"
"It’s Polyjuice Potion," I answered, remembering a lesson from Beauxbatons. "You use it to transform into someone else."
Draco glared at me, as if I’d stolen his answer. I ignored him. I knew this one.
"Yes, very good!" Professor Slughorn exclaimed. "Now, what is this one?"
I peered into the cauldron and immediately recognized it. It was a potion we used to make all the time at Beauxbatons.
"Amortentia!" I blurted out, before I could stop myself. "It’s the most powerful love potion."
Professor Slughorn didn’t seem to mind my outburst. "That’s correct. May I ask how you recognize it?"
"The steam spirals," I explained, "and it has a pearl sheen. And it smells different to everyone."
"Excellent, Miss…?"
"Evangeline Hastings," I stated, feeling a little smug.
"Take twenty points for Slytherin, Miss Hastings. You did excellent work," Professor Slughorn said, his eyes twinkling. "Are you related to Richard Hastings?"
I nodded. "He’s my father."
"Yes, I remember him. He was excellent at potions as well."
I smiled proudly.
Draco raised his hand. "But sir, what about the question I answered?"
Slughorn looked at him, bewildered. "Which question?" He seemed to have already forgotten.
"The one about Veritaserum! I answered it, not her." He pointed at me accusingly. I rolled my eyes.
"Oh, yes," Professor Slughorn said. "Five points for Slytherin, Mr…"
"Malfoy," Draco said smugly.
Professor Slughorn moved to another cauldron. It was full of gold liquid that was bubbling. "This is called Felix Felicis."
"Liquid luck," Draco muttered, his eyes gleaming.
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy. It’s liquid luck. Five points for Slytherin," he said. "Felix Felicis is a very difficult potion to make. It also has many side effects if you take too much."
"Have you ever taken it?" Carmen asked eagerly.
"Yes, twice," said Professor Slughorn. "When I was twenty-four and fifty-seven. In fact, this is the prize for this lesson. One bottle of Felix Felicis. Now, turn to page ten of your books. You will have an hour to make a vial of the Draught of Living Death. Start!"
I flipped open my book eagerly. A bottle of Felix Felicis? One lucky day. Oh, the possibilities…
I started to make the potion, carefully measuring ingredients. It was a difficult potion, but making a potion wasn’t much different from cooking, and I was a very good cook.
"Draco, can you pass me the powdered root of asphodel?" I asked.
He sneered at me. "No."
"No?" I asked in surprise.
"I want that Felix Felicis," he said, his voice flat.
"Well," I said, "you forgot to add Infusion of Wormwood."
He flushed. "Shut up, Hastings."
I giggled and reached over him to grab the powdered root of asphodel. Draco was desperately trying to add the Infusion of Wormwood without ruining his potion.
I had a hard time getting my Sopophorous bean juice out of the bean, but in the end, I managed to make a decent Draught of Living Death.
"Times up!" Slughorn said.
Slughorn walked around and inspected the potions. When he got to our table, he gave Carmen’s a small nod. Blaise got a confused look. He gave Draco’s another small nod. When he got to mine, he grinned. "This one is clearly the best, congratulations, Miss Hastings."
I grinned widely as Professor Slughorn handed me the small vial of Felix Felicis. I tucked it into my robes, feeling a thrill of excitement.
I noticed Draco was frowning at me.
"What's your problem?" I asked him.
"Nothing," he said stiffly.
"Mad that I’m better at potions than you?" I asked.
He sneered at me. "You got lucky, Hastings, that was all."
"Lucky?" I laughed. "I didn’t get lucky. I’m just good at potions. Just admit it, Malfoy."
He scoffed. "I’m not admitting something that’s not true."
"Oh, will you two shut up?" said Blaise. "Stop bickering like an old married couple."
I glared at him. "We’re not bickering!"
Blaise rolled his eyes. "Come on, Draco, let’s go harass the first years."
Draco gave me one last look before leaving the classroom with Blaise. I was really starting to dislike him. He was infuriating.