HP & the Draught of Hearts (Pr. - Chap 3)

Here is my attempt at writing a fan fic for HP. I'll post a chapter once every week or more if I get the time.

The Story takes place in Harry's 6th year.

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Harry Potter and the Draught of Hearts

Story By: MysticaMagic

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Harry Potter.

Prologue

Ah, love, let us be true
To one another! for the world, which seems
To lie before us like a land of dreams,
So various, so beautiful, so new,
Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light,
Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;
And we are here as on a darkling plain
Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,
Where ignorant armies clash by night.

- Matthew Arnold, "DoverBeach"

Moonlight spilled over the Cliffs, making their rugged, weather-beaten surfaces shimmer with the unusual clarity of white marble. Dover Beach was deserted at this hour; there was no sound except for the crashing of black water against white rock. In the midst of the darkness, green embers began to glow.

"Inflammaro!" hissed a raspy voice. The embers erupted into bright flames, casting green light upon eleven faces hidden in the dark. "Get going, Nott – its your turn to keep watch," the voice instructed. A skinny man, who rather looked like a rabbit, silently got up with a grimace. "I don't see you getting your robes wet, Malfoy," he sneered. The man with the raspy voice, Lucius Malfoy, calmly gazed at Nott, his pale eyes as cold as steel.

Nott was habituated at grumbling; he had done the same when Lucius had initially encouraged him to join the Death Eaters. At the moment, he slid a black mask over his face and pulled on his hood. As Nott left the clearing, Malfoy gazed across the remaining members of the silent group. "Now we must wait. Hasty action can destroy all of our careful planning. The Dark Lord will no longer show mercy to he who is foolish."

His voice broke off as he suppressed a slight shudder. Some of the others were not as controlled. The chubby rat-like man to his left was pale with fear. Wormtail never had any guts in the first place, but he did have his uses. "Till when do we wait?" asked another voice – McNary's. "Tomorrow night."

Slowly, yet surely, the cloaked figures began to fall asleep. No one noticed a shadow detach itself from the campsite and glide towards the beach. The boy was sixteen years old, his face thin and pale. Absently his hand went to trace his left arm, where the dark mark had been burnt into his skin.

He did not remember if he had felt any pain. By now he was numb to most injuries except for the Crucio curse. There is no good or evil. Only power. Power was something the boy desperately desired. The moon glowed like a pearl in the satin sky. It was a night for lovers. A night for fools.

Your comments and criticisms are always welcome. Please read and review!

good one mystica..... keep it up

claps 2 u 👏 👏

dang...that is sooooooooooooo awsome and well written!👏

update soon!

that was gr8 !

keep it up!👏

gr8 work.....keep it up........👏👏👏

cool... great work misha... this sumhow reminds me of cardcaptors... dunno why though...

hey actually sugarbun it is written by mystica not misha.... 😆

Thanks to my readers! I am posting Chapter 1 early as I wont be very active next week due to Midterms - the bane of my existence

Hopefully Chapter 2 will be up by the week after next!

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Harry Potter and the Draught of Hearts

Chapter 1

Round about the cauldron go;

In the poison'd entrails throw.—

Toad, that under cold stone,
Days and nights has thirty-one;
Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i' the charmed pot!
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

- William Shakespeare, Macbeth

Six months ago…

"I expect the utmost excellence from students in my Advanced Potions class," Professor Snape said, his sallow face set into a perpetual sneer. "But, since some are still clearly not up to the mark, they shall have to work harder – is that not so Mr. Potter?" The Slytherins snickered predictably. "Yes, sir," Harry replied curtly. After five years of Snape's taunts, he was almost immune to them. Almost.

"How you managed an 'A' in your Potions OWL is beyond me, Potter," Snape continued. "It makes me wonder about your integrity as a student," his voice trailed off suggestively. Harry felt his face growing red with rage. "Are you accusing me of cheating, sir?" he demanded. "Watch your mouth, you insolent boy!" Snape's eyes were narrowed and his hooked nose looked more hawk-like than usual.

"Poor ickle Potty is in twouble," Pansy Parkinson said in a stage-whisper. Harry gritted his teeth as he felt Ron kick him under the table. Hermione was muttering him instructions out of the corner of her mouth to apologize to Snape. As the entire class watched with bated breath, Snape straightened up and folded his arms across his narrow chest. "Perhaps a detention ought to help," he said smoothly. "And since Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger seem so intent on talking to you at this moment, they can accompany you as well."

Ron's ears were growing scarlet, a clear sign that he was working himself into a fine temper. Hermione looked appalled at the idea of getting a detention on the very first day. "Oh, and one more thing before I forget," Snape said, turning suddenly, his black robes swirling in one sleek movement. "Twenty points from Gryffindor. Each." Harry opened his mouth to say something even more insolent when Ron kicked him again. "Shut up," he whispered. "Don't push it."

Harry pursed his lips and opened his textbook to the page indicated on the blackboard. As he looked up, he saw Draco Malfoy giving him a malevolent smile. Crabbe and Goyle also looked murderous. They could not forget that Harry's confession had sent their fathers to Azkaban. Snape looked at them tolerantly and said, "Come now, let's get to work." Harry and Ron looked at him mutinously, but did not say anything.

"Today you will be introduced to a very basic NEWT potion – The Draught of Hearts. This requires utmost concentration so listen carefully to what I say as you take notes…" Harry scribbled down what Snape was saying without really paying any attention to the words. When the class ended, he quickly shoved his books into his knapsack and stalked out, Ron and Hermione in tow.

"Detention on the very first day!" Hermione said angrily. "I thought Snape would be better considering that he's – " she stopped abruptly as if realizing what she was about to say. "In the Order?" Ron prodded quietly. "Yes," Hermione whispered back, looking furtively around to see if anyone had heard her. But, the corridor was half empty, the nearest pack of students – Third years – nearly ten feet away.

"Doesn't matter, does it?" asked Harry sardonically. "Oh well, at least the Draught of Hearts sounds interesting. Too bad we only make it in seventh year," said Hermione. Ron snorted. "What's more interesting is the fact that you manage to listen to Snape even after he acts like such a git!" he pointed out. Hermione looked a bit annoyed. "That is so typical of you, Ron. Harry, did you listen to what Snape was saying?" Harry shook his head, his mind on another matter altogether.

"No, what I find interesting is that Snape let in people with an 'A' in their Potions OWL into his class!" he said. "Oh, didn't you know?" asked Ron, looking surprised. "Know what?" asked Harry and Hermione in unison. Ron looked around to make sure that the Third years were still out of listening distance. "Malfoy got an 'A' in Potions!" he said with relish.

"What?" asked Hermione, looking surprised. "But, his marks have never been that bad in Potions. He's Snape's best student."

"After you," Ron pointed out, still grinning. "Anyway, this time his Dad couldn't buy him the OWL…being in Azkaban and all…and since Snape had to be uniform in his judgment, he had to take others who had 'A' as well. That's what Dumbledore said to Dad."

"So that's why Crabbe and Goyle are in Potions as well," Harry said, suddenly realizing the oddity. "I highly doubt it that they got 'A's …both are too thick," Hermione muttered absently. As they walked up the staircase towards the Great Hall, Harry collided with another student who was exiting the Hall and nearly knocked her off her feet. As he reached out to grab her by the arm, he realized that it was Luna Lovegood, who was wearing a hat made out of an old copy of The Quibbler and her usual glassy-eyed expression.

"Hello there, Harry, Hermione, Ronald," she said dreamily. Then she promptly walked out of the Hall as if nothing had happened. "There's Ginny saving seats for us," Hermione said, completely unperturbed by Luna's odd behaviour. Ron and Hermione took the seats across the table, leaving Harry to sit next to Ginny. "How was your first day?" she asked them. "A complete disaster. Its only halfway through the day and we already have three essays to do," Ron complained. "If you start tonight, it shouldn't be a problem," Hermione pointed out reasonably.

"T'night? You crazy 'ermy-nee?" he exclaimed through a mouthful of roast potato. "If not, then you can help me knit some more jumpers for SPEW. I'm planning to give them to the house-elves as Christmas Presents." She said looking positively radiant. Ron swallowed hastily. "Now you've gone absolutely mental," he said. "Ron, it's only because of people like you that House-elves never get any rights," Hermione began, her face flushed.

As they argued about house-elves, Harry tuned them out and concentrated on eating his roast chicken. "They argue like an old married couple, don't they?" asked Ginny with a grin. Harry grinned back as he looked at Ron and Hermione. They were so busy debating about house-elves that they had forgotten about everyone else in the hall. "Are you trying out for Chaser this season?" asked Harry, remembering what Ginny had told him last year about changing Quidditch positions.

That evening, after Advanced Transfiguration, Harry and Ron gloomily trooped down to the dungeons for a second time. Hermione had suddenly "remembered something" and had rushed off in the direction of the dormitories. "Snape won't be too happy if you're late," Ron had called out. Now he was shaking his head furiously. "I wish we could turn Snape into a dung beetle," he muttered.

"Too bad human transfiguration is so difficult," Harry said. "Y'know Harry, maybe Moody could coach you and give you some pointers," Ron said thoughtfully. "Pointers on what, Mr. Weasley?" a sly, sickeningly familiar voice asked from behind him. Ron and Harry froze as they turned around to face Professor Snape.

"GINNY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING DOWN HERE?" Ron bellowed. Ginny Weasley grinned cheekily. "Mind your tongue, Weasley," she continued in Snape's voice. "You can talk like Snape." Harry stated the obvious, looking bewildered. Ginny pointed her wand at her throat and whispered, "Terminus Voix". Ron was still looking at her suspiciously when Ginny laughed. "It was a voice modification charm," she explained with a cheeky smile.

Harry couldn't help smiling back at her. After a moment or two, Ron's mouth twitched and he also burst into laughter. "What are you doing here anyway?" He asked again, this time curious. "Detention," she said, breezily passing the both of them and settling down at a desk in the empty Potions Classroom.

"Oh hurry up, the both of you," spoke another voice - Hermione's – from behind them which made them jump. "Where were you off to?" asked Ron. "The Owlery," replied Hermione, sitting down next to Ginny. "I had almost forgotten to send Viktor his birthday card." Harry felt Ron stiffen as he sat down next to him. "It's Vicky's birthday and you didn't send him a present?" he asked in a falsetto.

"Oh, I already sent in an order for that last week – one of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes' prank-boxes," she said, absently, scanning the table of contents of Advanced Potions. If Ron got any redder, he would resemble a tomato, Harry realized. Ron slammed his patched satchel on the desk, making it shudder.

"Watch that temper of yours Weasley or you will have to replace that desk out of your own money." Ron was about to snap at Ginny, but he realized that this was the real thing. While they were arguing, Professor Snape had glided into the classroom and was looking at all of them shrewdly. "Now, I assume you will be wondering what you'll have to do today for detention." He bared his teeth in a malevolent grin and slammed the door to the classroom shut.

Satisfied by the lack of smiles and the slight fear he saw in each student's eyes, Snape leaned over his desk and started speaking very softly, yet making sure they could hear every word. "You are going to do whatever I say and ask no questions whatsoever. The four of you are required to come to the dungeons on Monday evenings for this whole month as a part of your detention."

He waved his wand as he spoke, conjuring a large black cauldron in the middle of the room. "You will concoct the Draught of Hearts under my supervision," he continued. "But, Professor, we're not supposed to make that potion until next year," Hermione blurted out. Snape's eyes narrowed. "Miss Granger, I wonder if you try to be an insufferable know-it-all or if you were born that way?"

Ginny, Harry and Ron glared at him, but kept quiet. Snape on a warpath was something they were not in the mood for at the moment. "However, in spite of your gigantic ego, you and Miss Weasley appear to be the only two who can make an acceptable potion out of this group of imbeciles. You will follow every one of my instructions very carefully, Potter and Weasley, or you will suffer the consequences."

The next sentence was spoken with utmost relish. "Any miscalculation or misstep in preparing this potion can lead to instant death." Ron's complexion turned a shade of pasty white. Harry could feel the blood rushing from his face as well. "Open your books to page four hundred and twelve and get the first set of ingredients from the student cupboard. This potion is prepared in four stages; a gap of one week is required between each stage…You can put your hand down Miss Granger; I will not entertain any questions."

Comments and criticisms are equally appreciated!

gr8 work mystica.. keep it up

could someone post links to fan fiction where draco is shown in apositive light maybe turning over to harrys side to defeat voldemort.