Chapter 3: Brewing Trouble

By the end of Potions, my nerves were shot. Despite Malfoy’s interference, my Draught of Peace simmered into a soft, silvery blue clear, calm, and exactly right. Snape stalked past our desks, billowing robes trailing behind him like a storm cloud. He paused at my cauldron, dark eyes narrowing.“Hm,” he muttered. “Adequate.” Adequate. From Snape, that was practically a standing ovation. Malfoy’s potion, on the other hand, had turned a suspicious shade of swamp green and was emitting a faint hissing noise. I caught his glare as Snape deducted five points from Slytherin. The smirk he’d been wearing earlier was gone, replaced by something sharper. Dangerous. As the bell rang, Neville let out a breath like he’d been holding it all class. “You were brilliant,” he said quietly as we packed up. “I would’ve panicked if Malfoy touched my ingredients.” “I wanted to hex him,” I admitted. “But I figured that might land me in detention on my second day.” “Smart choice,” Hermione said as she joined us. “Snape would’ve loved that.” We filed out into the dungeon corridor, the air growing warmer with each step upward. I thought I was in the clear-until a hand grabbed my wrist and yanked me back.“Going somewhere?” Draco Malfoy again. Of course. Harry and Ron stopped immediately, Ron already reaching for his wand “Let her go,” Harry said, his voice calm but firm. Malfoy ignored him, grey eyes fixed on mine. “You embarrassed me in there.” “You embarrassed yourself,” I shot back. “Let go.” For a moment, his grip tightened. Then-slowly he released me, stepping closer instead. “This isn’t over, Melody,” he said softly. “You think Gryffindor will protect you? They won’t always be there.” “Good,” I replied, lifting my chin. “I don’t need them to fight my battles.” Something unreadable flickered across his face surprise, maybe. Or interest. He scoffed, turned on his heel, and disappeared down the corridor with his cronies. Ron stared after him. “Blimey. You’ve got nerves of steel.” Hermione slipped her arm through mine. “You handled that incredibly well.” I nodded, but inside, my heart was still racing not just with anger, but with something else I didn’t want to name. The rest of the day passed in a blur of classes and whispered curiosity. People stared. Some smiled. Some avoided me entirely. By dinner, I was exhausted, but as I sat beneath the enchanted ceiling now painted with rolling storm clouds I felt it again. That hum. That sense of inevitability. Malfoy was right about one thing: this wasn’t over. Hogwarts had welcomed me with open arms but it had also thrown down a challenge. And I fully intended to rise to it.