Metanoia • Harry Potter • Book I

Chapter Nine

"Nine, ten, eleven," Theo counted, fiddling with the galleons under the table.

The Potions classroom was full of multicoloured mist as the students attempted to brew a Strengthening Solution without choking on the fumes. However, since Keziah and Theo had finished, they were recounting the galleons gained from their Muggle tuckshop.

Since its first session, the business became a complete hit. Every week, Ms Walsh sent a package containing books and sweets and stationery and before the next one came, almost everything would sell out. It was brilliant. Despite the frosty welcome, it was incredible to see the Slytherin students use and appreciate Muggle culture.

"I thought you were mad when this started, you know," Theo whispered as Snape swept by, hurriedly hiding the pouch under his sleeves. "But considering how much people will pay..."

"So Muggles aren't that bad?" Keziah asked hopefully.

"I didn't say that," Theo rolled his eyes. "Just because I made peace with Granger doesn't mean I'm going to change my mind. All I'm saying is this business of yours isn't the flop I thought it would be."

Keziah smiled. There was no point arguing with Theo because it would just result in them both blowing up, which wouldn't help anybody.

They had to stop speaking again as Snape loomed over them, glaring nastily as he observed their cauldrons.

"Nott, Potter, I'm assuming you're done?" he asked.

"Yes, Professor," Theo said quickly. "We finished a few minutes ago."

Snape didn't say anything as he reviewed the bubbling potions. Without a word, he swept away, muttering something about Slytherin getting a few more points. The friends grinned at each other.

"You'd think he'd be pleased," Theo said. "Malfoy gets twice as much praise for half the effort. What about us?"

"You forgot that I'm a Potter and Snape wouldn't be caught dead praising me," Keziah winked, her attention drawn to the next table.

Blaise and Daphne were sitting together, as they'd been since the beginning of term. It had been a bit of a shock since the girls usually sat together. However, on the first Potions lesson, Daphne bagged a seat next to Blaise on the whim of helping him, leaving Theo and Keziah to disconcertedly take the table next to them. At that moment, Blaise and Daphne had their heads bent together and they were laughing over something.

"What are they laughing at?" Keziah asked, a spike of jealously shooting through her.

Theo didn't look bothered by the sight of them. He shrugged and started counting the coins again, letting the gold slip through his fingers. But Keziah couldn't look away. Somewhere deep in her brain, a little voice was whispering that her reaction wasn't quite normal, but it was buried under television static.

She only looked away when Daphne raised her head, cheeks burning at the chance her friends caught her staring.

The feeling stuck around for the rest of the lesson and Keziah nearly sighed with relief when Harry came up to her at the end of the lesson, trying to ask her something. Waving for her friends to go ahead, she turned towards him.

"What do you need?"

"Well..." he rubbed the back of his neck like he did whenever he knew she would refuse.

Smirking, Keziah turned to Ron and Hermione.

"What's up?"

"D'you want to come to Nick's Deathday party?" asked Ron bluntly. "It's on Halloween."