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“ oh here is another one! They write..AITA ”
Marie says as she stops turning the pages, having found the topic she was looking for, at the same time Pansy dropped to the chair next to her.
“ why GOOD MORNING to you, too. Marie. How LOVELY to hear from you, MARIE, did get good sleep? Perhaps have any good dreams?”
Pansy said, unnecessarily sassy to the brunette sitting beside, resting her chin on her hand, one eyebrow raised, expecting acknowledgement.
“ AITA for throwing out my nephew’s love potion? “ Marie read the title of the story in her hand, completely ignoring the Slytherin girl sitting next to her in the process.
Pansy let out an exaggerated huff.
“Fine. Ignore me…like always.”
“Oh! hello you two.” Cassie greeted her two friends and sat on Marie’s other side.
“Oh hello. Good morning, Cass” the Ravenclaw responded with a smile, though not taking her eyes off the magazine in hand.
“Wha-why her and not me?” Pansy crossed her arms. “ I have needs too…” she grumbled.
“Good morning, Pansy.” Cassie said for the sake of her overly dramatic friend.
Pansy smiled. “Thank you, my dear, How was your morning?”
Marie interrupted for the sake of her sanity. “Let me start over, AITA?”
Pansy groaned. “ as of this moment, yes, yes, you are”
Marie didn’t bother answering, instead read the article in her hand.
“I,a witch in her forties, have a nephew who is fifteen. He’s very bright, but quite the troublemaker. He actively experiments in potions, often dappling with different ingredients to change up rudimentary potions. Although some of his exploits are quite ingenious, his latest experiment was rather disturbing. Judging by the myriad ingredients missing from my cupboard, he planted to craft a love potion. But strangely, one unrelated ingredient is also missing…Gurdyroot.”
“Oh,no.” Cassie says dreadfully.
Pansy raised an eyebrow. “What is wrong with that? Isn’t Gurdyroot part of the antidote?”
Cassie answers the question. “No, extract of Gurdyroot is. But a whole Gurdyroot? That would turn it into a hate potion. Or more specifically, a violent one.”
“ seems they know it as well.” Marie’s eyes search the incoming sentence. “ they continue. For context, Gurdyroot that used as it is and not its extract, can dramatically change a potion. Normally I would not interfere with his experiments, but I heard him intent on giving this potion to a friend of his, Im familiar with this friend-a powerful witch. And believe the effects on her would be disastrous.”
Pansy smirked. “Well it sounds like you.”
“Meanie.” Cassie pouted.
“ so while he was at class, I snuck into his potion making station and threw the concoction down the drain. To be clear I was only worried another student would suffer from this potion. Otherwise I would never have interfered.” The Ravenclaw was halfway through reading when one of the Slytherins on either side of her jumped in.
“Well, that is interesting.You know, I have a thought.” Then Pansy was interrupted, rudely, might she add, by Cassie.
“Oh what a surprise: Pansy has something to say! How novel.”
“Hmm.Don’t play cute with me, princess.”
Cassie simply giggled, Pansy continued.
“Anyway…is it just me,or does this anonymous writer sound like professor Vector?”
“ then that means…Calix?” Cassie concludes the obvious.
Marie rolls her eyes at the mention of the Gryffindor, familiar with his rather..explosive outcome of trying new things.
“Well, it sure sounds like Calix.” Marie finishes reading what’s left of the story.
“Although he did not find out who threw out his potion. I did over hear him yelling and crying about his “greatest work” being robbed. Perhaps I went about this the wrong way? In the moment, I thought I had to act fast. So please enlighten me: was there another way? AITA?”
Pansy hummed thoughtfully. “No I do not think so.”
Cassie nodded along. “she had a point, it could have gone south.”
“Now that I think about it. If your magic went crazy,” Marie started, referring to Cassie. “ none of us would be alive.”
Cassie’s response was a dismissive hand wave. “Oh you exaggerate. I’m sure it wouldn’t be that bad.”
Marie’s sarcastic tone made Cassie sheepishly look away. “Oh really? Did you forget second year, when you tried to improve the sleeping draught and made half the common room sleep after you sneezed in the potion?” Marie’s eyebrow quirked, trying not to laugh.
“They were fine.” Cassie defended, looking away in embarrassment.
Marie rolled her eyes. “Yeah, after going to the medical wing three times that week. And let’s not forget the flying cauldrons incident.”
“Okay, yeah, fair point”
“There you are! I finally found you.” Calix’s cheerful voice came from behind Cassie and scared the crap out of her.
Though he didn’t at all seem fazed by her surprise and instead didn’t waste any time on telling the group why he was excited.
“Look! Look what I have. It’s my latest brew. Want to give it a taste?” He shoved the potion in her face.
She looked at the brew, horrified. “ oh Godric’s balls…no.”
“Oh come on! Please…I put a ton of effort into it. I even started from scratch!” Calix did his best to convince her but she seemed even more resistant than before.
“Nope! Nope, no, no, Im out.” Cassie said, cause she will absolutely not be drinking that potion after the article she just saw.
“Are we gonna have a problem, vector? Walk away ” Pansy warned.
“ yeah, sod off, vector” Marie added.
“W-wow! Coming off a bit strong this morning, aren’t we? What’s gotten into you three? ” vector was quite offended at the not so unusual treatment.
“ I’m gonna count to five. You best be gone by the time I’m through.” Marie already had her wand in hand.
“Do not bother counting. I’ll take care of the trash.” Before Pansy was even finished speaking, spells were already flying out of her wand.
“Jeez, Merlin! Uh bye.” Calix sprinted towards the exit.
Cassie cackled as she watched the Gryffindor run for his life. “Well, would you look at that? He’s a fast one.”
“ if that anonymous writer was actually professor vector, I think she spared you.” Pansy said lightly, amused.
Marie laughed. “Definitely NTA.”
“ more like my saviour.” Cassie mused, head tilted to the side.
“Oh can I read the next one, please?” Pansy wondered, magazine already in hand looking for a new section.
Marie nodded. “ sure, Pansy. Go ahead.”
“Now you’re talking to me?” She exclaimed.
“Oh you are SUCH a peace of work, I swear…”