The Nine

Chapter 5: Severely Snapped and the Hilarious Laughing Potion

A draught of cold air rushed through the Gryffindor Tower. The sun poured through the window in the girls' dormitory. Nakuru woke the high-pitched screech of her black and silver barn owl. She looked at the clock on her bedside table. It was seven forty-five. "Oh shut up Arwen," she mumbled sleepily. "It's only a quarter to eight..." With this, she pulled the covers over her head.

Gwen walked over to Nakuru's bed with and cackled evilly. "Heh, heh, heh... Oh no you don't Nak," she said quietly. "It's wakeup time!" With one quick tug, Gwen had pulled the blankets completely off Nakuru. "Wake up you lazy git!"

Nakuru sat up sleepily. "Git?" She rubbed her eyes and surveyed their new uniforms, which Gwen was now modelling. "And are those our uniforms?" she asked impatiently.

Salinas burst into the room. "Yes b'y, thems yer new getup." She smiled as she plunked herself down on her bed, opposite Nakuru's. "Get up yeh lazy arse!"

Nakuru got out of bed sleepily, and changed into her new outfit. She gawked over the Gryffindor crest on her new cloak, and tightened her gold and scarlet tie. She looked down at her skirt and knee socks, then to Salinas, who was happily wearing casual, black pants. Salinas grinned. "Made 'em meself."

Nakuru tugged at her skirt. "Are you allowed to wear pants?" she asked hopefully.

Salinas sighed. "Well, technically, you're not supposed to...but I do because I can." She laughed and pulled out her wand. "What kind of pants?" she asked with a wicked grin on her face.

Gwen laughed. "Ah! She looks evil!"

The three laughed. Nakuru thought for a moment. "Dress pants, I guess." With this, Salinas pointed her wand at Nakuru's ugly skirt, and transfigured them into a pair of casual dress-pants.

Salinas looked perplexedly at the pants. "I dunno how I'se managed to make casual dress-pants, but they looks fine teh me."

Nakuru smiled and walked over to her small desk, stationed beside her bed. It was more of a bedside table to her, only with a chair. She picked up her books, and her supplies. She smiled and rubbed her stomach. "I don't know about you two, but I'm famished."

The three girls hopped down the steps to the Gryffindor Common Room. Ron and Harry were already sitting patiently by the fire with Hermione and Crookshanks. Crookshanks purred excitedly as Nakuru petted him on her way by. She sat down beside Ron on the extra large couch. Gwen started floating mid-air, to Ron's amazement, and Harry just kept poring over his notes. Gwen looked over at Harry and smiled. "Watcha doing Harry?" she asked curiously.

He smiled. "We have to make our potions and test them today in Potions Class," he said as he continued to look over the ingredients listed in his book.

Ron began laughing at Harry. "Oh Harry, you'll do fine," he said with a grin on his face. "Besides, Snape hates you anyway."

Harry glared at Ron evilly from behind his book. "He doesn't hate me... He just dislikes me very much."

Salinas giggled. "Just like you don't hate him, right Harry?"

Gwen conjured herself, Salinas, Hermione, and Nakuru each a slice of toast. She floated above the others, and giggled as Ron and Harry shot each other evil glares. Ron felt offended by the fact that he wasn't given a piece of toast. "How come Harry and I don't get one? That's insulting!"

Nakuru laughed as she conjured Ron and Harry each a slice as well. "Happy?" she said with a giddy smirk on her face. Ron nodded as he chowed down on his burnt toast, and shut up.

Salinas glanced at the clock. "It's goin' on eight forty five. We've been hanging around up in here for an hour!"

Nakuru looked perplexedly at Salinas. "Holy shit... Time passes really fast around here, eh?" She grabbed her books, and followed Salinas, Hermione, Ron, and Harry toward Potions Class, with Gwen trailing behind with her toast.

The bell rang, and the six Gryffindors burst into the Potions Classroom gasping for air. It was a relief to find that Snape hadn't arrived yet, so the six rushed to their seats and pulled out their books. Nakuru and Gwen sat beside Hermione, Salinas and Aubrey, as the Gryffindors and Slytherins were placed together for the majority of their classes. Ron and Harry sat a few seats ahead, with Seamus, Dean, and Neville. In the front row, Nakuru eyed a strange boy with disgusting blond hair, and, beside him, what looked to be his minions. The boy, she noticed, glared at Harry and Ron, then looked back to the front as their Professor stormed into the classroom.

Snape stood silently for a moment at the front of the class, and looked menacingly at Gwen and Nakuru. "Welcome," he said sinisterly. Snape paused for a moment. "Both of you...what was your school's name again? I missed your initiation, but I assume you were placed in Gryffindor." His gaze fixed on Nakuru.

"Meridian Academy," she replied. "It's in Ca--"

"I don't need to know where it is, Ms. Summers," he interrupted abruptly. "If I wanted a documentary, I would have asked." He sat at his desk and scowled at Nakuru, then turned to the rest of the class. "I have decided that instead of you testing your own potions, I will have our two new students test them for us. At the end of the class," he continued, "I will select two potions, and each will test one. Consider it my own little initiation for the two of you." With this, Snape sat back at his desk, and began taking notes.

Harry sighed with relief. "Thank god for that," he said as he flipped through his notes. He smiled as he looked over at Gwen and Nakuru. "I really feel sorry for you two, though. If Snape chooses someone like Neville or Seamus..." Harry looked at the desk beside him and Ron. Neville was confused and was already mixing the wrong ingredients. He looked back at the two girls. Gwen gulped, and Nakuru looked nervous.

Nakuru flinched as an explosion burst from Seamus' cauldron. "Please let it be one of Hermione or Salinas' potions... Please..." She crossed her fingers and turned to Gwen, who was chanting a protection spell.

Salinas laughed and continued making her potion. "What are you making, Salinas?" asked Gwen quietly, as to not irritate Snape.

Salinas grinned. "You'll see," she said mischievously, and turned back to her cauldron. She added a pinch of blessing seeds to an infusion of powdered moose horn, followed by a pinch of belladonna.

Nakuru looked confusedly at Salinas. "Belladonna? What are you using that for?" she asked worriedly.

Salinas sighed. "It's to induce a trance-like state. Now quit asking questions, and get back to worrying." With his, Salinas went back to mixing and measuring ingredients.

Hermione was brewing something in her cauldron, which smelled to Ron like burnt marshmallows. "What are you making, 'Mione?" he asked and licked his lips.

Hermione glared at him. "Never mind Ron," she said and went back to measuring her ingredients. She added thistle weed to her bubbling concoction, and stirred it gently, as to not spill the mixture. It fizzed as she tossed in a pinch of orris root powder, and she quickly cast a simmering spell with her wand to keep the bubbling to a minimum.

Nakuru and Gwen twiddled their thumbs for the better part of the class. They were so nervous; they'd gone through two packs of gum in twenty minutes. About halfway through class, Snape said that they'd all have approximately twenty more minutes to complete their potions. Harry was grinning mischievously, as was Salinas. Hermione was careful in everything she did, and Ron would toss the odd ingredient in his own cauldron every now and then, as if he had no clue as to what he was doing.

Gwen nudged Ron nervously. "What are you makin' Ron?" she asked sheepishly.

He smiled as he turned to face her. "Sleeping potion," he whispered, and went back to his potion, adding mugwort to his cauldron.

Gwen smiled. If Ron can make something like a sleeping potion, then I reckon we're safe, she thought to herself as she turned back in her seat.

Twenty minutes passed, and Snape stood at the front of the class. "All right," he said icily, "you should all be done by now." He nodded at Nakuru and Gwen, signalling them to come to the front of the class. Gwen itched her ear, as she usually did when she was nervous. Nakuru shuffled her feet as she looked around the room. She didn't know many of the people in the class, and she hoped that none would be as cruel as to make a nasal hair growth potion.

Snape turned and walked over to Salinas. "Your potion," he said as he held out his hand. Snape knew that Salinas was the best in the class, and was confident that she'd come up with something brilliant. Salinas handed him the glass vial, and grinned at Nakuru. Snape then turned and walked over to the blond-haired boy in the front-row desk. "Your potion, Malfoy," he demanded as the boy dropped the vial in Snape's waiting hand. The boy grinned.

Snape turned back toward Nakuru and Gwen. He handed Nakuru the vial, which Salinas had handed him, and Gwen the other. "Go on, Ms. Tomoe," he said as Gwen opened the vial and took the potion.

In an instant, Gwen was overtaken by electric pulses, which were being emitted from her skin. The pulses looked very much like wiry veins of electricity. Gwen closed her eyes, anticipating pain. She opened her eyes and smiled. "I feel like a lightning ball," she said with a giggle. "It tingles- but I can't...move..."

Snape glanced over at Malfoy with a strange look upon his face. "Draco, what potion is this? Please explain it to the class," he said sternly.

Malfoy stood and faced the rest of the class. "It's a paralysis potion," he explained proudly. "It renders the taker paralysed, and seems to encase their body in wiry veins of electric pulses." He grinned as he looked back at Snape and Gwen.

"And what is the counter-curse, Malfoy?" Snape asked abruptly.

Malfoy pulled out his wand, and pointed it at Gwen. "Paralysis Finitée," he said as the sparks of electricity faded, and Gwen itched her ear.

Snape nodded, signalling Gwen and Draco to return to their seats. "Well done. Five points to Slytherin for concocting a potion as difficult as Paralysis." Snape turned to Nakuru. "You next, Summers," he said icily as she removed the cork. With a quick gulp, Nakuru downed the potion. At first, nothing seemed to happen, and the class looked toward Salinas. She grinned maliciously as Nakuru's face began to contort. In a matter of seconds, Nakuru was doubled-over on the floor laughing.

The class began to laugh along with Nakuru, until Snape demanded they stop immediately. He glared over at Salinas. "And the counter-curse, Salinas?" he demanded as he avoided being hit by Nakuru's flailing limbs.

Salinas stood up, and walked over to Professor Snape. She looked him in the eye, and spoke so no one else could hear. "She will stop laughing when either the potion wears off..."

Snape looked down at Nakuru, who was still laughing wildly. "Or?"

Salinas grinned. "Someone else has to take the potion. But seeing as class is almost over, none of us students will have time, Professor."

Snape shook his head. "You're lucky you're your grandfather's granddaughter," he said as he downed the remainder or the potion. Instantaneously, Snape was on the floor laughing. Nakuru stood up and stepped back, towards Salinas.

"What did you do?" she asked bewilderedly. The class gawked at their teacher.

Salinas smiled and winked. "I thinks I'll tell yeh in Divination," she said as the bell rang.

The class emptied, and Snape was left alone, laughing hysterically on the floor. "Salinas...Summers...back...now...here...stop...potion...what's...counter-curse..." were the words that could be understood between the gasps and sudden spouts of laughter.

Salinas shrugged. "It has to wear off," she said as the two followed Hermione, Gwen, Ron, and Harry out of the classroom.

Harry and Ron high-fived each other, and then patted Salinas on the back. "How'd you manage that, Salinas?" asked Harry, still laughing.

Salinas looked at Nakuru. "There's no counter-curse for the potion, other than someone else taking it," she explained. "The potion is called Irrational Exuberance, and there can only be one irrationally exuberant person within a given area at a time."

Ron looked confusedly at Hermione. "I never knew there was such a potion," Hermione interrupted.

Gwen itched her ear. "It exists...we read about it in Professor Ludwig 's class, eh Nak?"

Nakuru nodded, as they made their way toward the Divination Tower. Salinas explained how there were many variations of the spell. "It can be cast as a spell or potion, either way, it works like a charm. There's surely a counter-curse for the spell, o'course, but none to the knowledge of any witch or wizard in these parts."

As they turned into the next corridor, they noticed Mr. Filch heading in the direction of the dungeons. And he seemed to be...smiling. As he passed them, they over heard his mutters. "Kids and their potions... Poor Severus," he laughed as he disappeared from sight.

"I'll see you all at lunch, alright?" said Hermione as she rounded the next corner, and headed toward her Herbology class. The rest of the group came to the Divination Tower and climbed the ladder. As they entered, they crowded around a table near the back of the room, as to not get the full brunt of the smell of the incense burning on Professor Trelawney's desk. Nakuru sat down on a comfy padded chair, whilst the others sat on the padded, yet stiff chairs. To Nakuru and Gwen's surprise, Gryffindor was paired with Ravenclaw. At the table opposite theirs, sat Chris, with a few other Ravenclaws. Nakuru waved with a giddy smile on her face. Gwen smacked down Nakuru's hand as Professor Trelawney entered the room. She smiled at the newcomers, and sat down behind her desk.

"Welcome to Divination," she said with a warm smile. She turned to Chris. She smiled as she walked toward him, and leaned forward. "Don't worry about the cup, Christian," she said. Chris looked confusedly at Nakuru. She shrugged, just as Professor Trelawney turned towards her and Gwen. She looked at Nakuru and sighed. "Don't take them lightly. They're trying to help you," she said, as she turned to face the rest of the class.

Nakuru began to stare into space, bearing a pensive look upon her face. Gwen nudged her as Professor Trelawney began the lesson. They began with the history of precognition and what may trigger it. "Precognition," started Professor Trelawney, "or the ability to see the future, can come in many forms." Nakuru buried her nose in her book, as Trelawney looked her way. "Most often, precognition occurs in dreams or visions."

The class spent most of the class learning about self-induced hypnosis and how it can help trigger visions and precognition in dreams. At one point in the class, Ron had actually drifted to sleep, and Harry had to quickly wake him up before getting into trouble.

As they finished their notes, the bell rang and the class slowly emptied. Nakuru and the others hung back long enough to wait for each other, before heading out with the rest of the class. They clambered down the ladder, and began to make their way toward the Great Hall. "Glad that's over," exclaimed Ron as he stretched, hitting Salinas square in the face with his elbow. Chris laughed, and then promptly asked if Salinas was all right, hoping to avoid being beaten for laughing.

"Yes b'y, I'm alright," Salinas replied stupidly, while clenching her fist at Ron. She looked over at Harry and Gwen, who were talking away. "So, do yeh's think that Snape's laughin' fit's done by now?"

Nakuru grinned as they passed by his classroom. "Nope," she said as they overheard the silent giggles coming from behind Snape's desk. The six quickened their pace, and made their way to the Great Hall.

***

Chapter 6: The Painful Vision

Hermione was gladly awaiting them at the Gryffindor Table. Beside her sat Ginny, Ron's younger sister. Hermione was explaining how to make a Polyjuice Potion, while eating her Caesar salad. Chris waved to them as he joined his friends at the Ravenclaw Table. Harry sat down between Ron and Salinas, Hermione between Ron and Ginny, Nakuru beside Salinas, and Gwen beside Nakuru. Across from them at the Hufflepuff table sat Cora and Eve, a friend of Salinas'. Kiera could be seen beside Chris with the rest of the Ravenclaws. Gwen and Nakuru nodded, and each conjured up a large poutine. Salinas' jaw dropped. "Now why in the lard tundren din' I think o' that!"

They finished their meal, and Harry looked down at his watch. "It's almost one o'clock, we should be heading out to see Hagrid for Care of Magical Creatures," he said as he gathered his books.

Nakuru smiled. "What kind of creatures?" she asked anxiously.

Ron sighed. "Not quite what you'd expect, believe me." He picked up his books, and nudged Hermione, who promptly gathered her things as well. Gwen floated beside them, books in her lap, and they headed out of the Hall towards Hagrid's hut. Ginny was left with Collin Creevy, who proceeded to ask her for personal information about Harry.

As they neared Hagrid's hut, the bell rang. They made their way quickly to the hut, and sat at the benches Hagrid had set for the students. There was a loud crashing noise from inside the hut, and Hagrid rushed inside. Salinas grinned. "Le'me guess," she started. "Overgrown cockroaches today, Hagrid?" she asked wittily as Hagrid wiped some excess goo from his hands.

He grinned wryly. "Not teh'day, Salinas." He stood authoritatively at the front of the set of benches as the last of the students assembled themselves. To their surprise, Hufflepuff had been paired with Gryffindor. Hagrid smiled warmly. "Now I know we got some new students in class teh'day, so 'Mione, why dontcha fill 'em in?"

"Well," she started, "we've been learning about how to care for larger creatures such as hippogriffs and other such magical creatures. We've spent a few classes learning the basics about taming wild creatures, and learning how to charm them if they get out of control with simple spells such as Momentum Paralysis and Serphiné Tatchtus."

Nakuru grinned. "Is that all?" she asked as she turned to Gwen.

Hagrid looked confusedly at Nakuru. "All? What d'yeh mean 'all'?"

Gwen cleared her throat, and produced from her pocket, a scroll. In the top left corner was a picture of Professor Julius De Visce: Beast master, 2nd degree, Care of Magical Creatures, Meridian Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Below the list of credentials was a directory of spells, used in the field of magical creatures.

Hagrid's jaw almost dropped. Gwen rolled up the scroll, and returned it to her infinite pocket, grinning at the others. "Professor Visce had us memorize every last spell, incantation, and potion on that list."

Cora sighed and raised her hand. "Excuse me Professor Hagrid, but Ms. Tomoe meant nothing by it," she said as she scowled at Gwen. "She was simply trying to state that the spells which you've taught the class thus far, aren't going to be a challenge for us, despite our late entry to the course."

Hagrid smiled. "Don't matter. And the name's 'agrid," he said with a chuckle. "None o' that Profess'r stuff."

With things settled, the class began. Hagrid had brought in, to their amazement, three abstract looking creatures. Salinas' face contorted as she tried to name the species. "They're...s...s... Oh, I knows the name, b'y!"

"They're Screebats," interrupted Ron. Everyone turned to him in shock. "Wha-?"

Harry's look was of pure confusion. "How do you know what these are?"

Ron smiled. "I read in one of Percy's old school books about them. Nasty little buggers if they're not trained properly. Which, I'm assuming, these aren't?"

Hagrid grinned. "Well see, that's where you come in... Yer gonna calm 'em and we're gonna bring them back to the wild." He smiled broadly. "Dumbledore has arranged a fieldtrip."

The class burst into an uproar. Salinas walked over to Hagrid, amidst the excitement. "Hagrid, where'll we be goin'...exac'ly?"

Hagrid smirked. "Welp," he started, "if yer as smart as I know y'are, Salinas, then I'm willing to bed that you already know where these li'l screes are headed. Thur' country of origin..."

Salinas turned to Harry and the others with a look of sheer excitement on her face. "We're going to Newfoundland!"

Later in the evening, after Herbology, the group had decided to meet in the library. All new acquaintances were welcome. And indeed, there was quite a turnout. From Gryffindor, there were Harry, Ron, Hermione, Salinas, Nakuru, and Gwen; from Hufflepuff, there were Cora and Eve; from Ravenclaw, there were Kiera, Cho, and Jeimu; and from Slytherin, there was Aubrey- a close friend of Salinas', and a not-so Slytherin type.

Salinas turned to Harry, "Thank god the Slytherin lot didn' come." Harry nodded and turned back to the rest of them, now all surrounding the large library table.

Nakuru turned to Cora. "Well, no introductions, Core?"

Cora smiled. "Well, you know Eve, right?" she asked, pointing to the short red-haired girl to her left.

Nakuru nodded. "Yeah, Sal's friend, eh?"

Eve grinned. "Oui. Et toi...you're Nak. Yess'm, that's right."

Chris and Kiera looked over at Nakuru and Gwen. "Well," Chris started, "these are Cho and Jeimu Chang. Salinas knows Jei though, right?"

Sal grinned. "How can I not? She be the most awkward mix of a person I know," she stated, chuckling.

Hermione and Gwen began talking about the upcoming midterms, whilst Cho and Eve began talking about Quidditch.

Cora turned to Nakuru. "And you? Well, who do you know?"

Nakuru and Gwen sighed. "You all know them though. Harry, Ron, 'Mione, Sal, and ourselves."

Salinas turned to Aubrey. "Thank god the other Slytherin drones didn' decide the drop by..."

"Yeah, Malfoy's gotten really horny over the past few months," joked Aubrey.

"P.E.S., man... Pre-ejaculation syndrome," Nakuru added with a smirk.

"Puppies...puppies!" Cora exclaimed, trying not to listen to the disturbing banter of her friends.

The meeting went on till later that evening, seeing as they all got on very well. Surprisingly, they got along better than Nakuru had thought.

The Gryffindors returned to their tower. It was getting late, and the six decided to turn in for the night. Hermione, Salinas, Nakuru, and Gwen all headed to the girls' dorms, while the boys went to theirs. As they parted and went their separate ways, Nakuru caught a glimpse of...could it be? Had Harry given Salinas a goodnight kiss?

The four girls entered their room and hopped into their four-posters. Nakuru turned to Salinas. "I saw that," she said with a smirk on her face.

Salinas turned a bright shade of red. "Saw what?"

"I saw it too!" Gwen piped up. "Harry kissed Sal!"

Hermione gasped, and turned to Salinas. "Really? Did he?"

Salinas turned over in her bed. "Maybe. It doesn't concern you's anyway. So leave me alone b'y!"

With this, the four went to bed, not another word spoken.

The night rolled on, and it was getting close to midnight, when an inexplicable pain shot through Nakuru's mind like something ringing in her ear at an unusually high pitch. She held her hands to her head and shrieked as the pain shot through her body. Like a bad dream, images flashed through her mind. Her friends...dying all around her. Darkness and an evil laughter, those shrill noises that made Nakuru want to scream loudly. Suddenly, a hand grasped her arm and shook her violently.

"Nak! Nak wake up!" Gwen stood worriedly over Nakuru's bed, trying to wake her up.

Sweat covered Nakuru's terrified, pale face. Her hands shook uncontrollably as she sat up in her four-poster, breathing heavily. "Dead...all of them..." She rocked lightly, still nearly gasping for air, and sweat running down the sides of her face.

"Nak, you were screaming! What happened?" Gwen asked frantically.

In matter of seconds, McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey had entered the dorm room and were standing by Nakuru's bed. Across the room, Salinas and Hermione exchanged concerned looks. Madame Pomfrey took Nakuru's temperature, and then nodded to McGonagall. "We should bring her to the Hospital Wing. Something isn't quite right."

McGonagall nodded. "Do you know what happened? Was it a seizure?"

Madame Pomfrey shook her head as she helped Nakuru to her feet. "We'll find out soon enough." Quietly, the two led Nakuru to the Hospital Wing, leaving the other girls behind.

"What happened, Gwen?" Salinas asked confusedly.

Gwen shook her head, as if she hadn't heard Salinas. "It can't be happening again..."

"What can't be happening again, Gwen? Gwen what's going on?" Hermione lit a candle in the room and looked over at Gwen, then to Salinas.

Gwen sighed and shook her head again. She turned to Sal and Hermione, with a grave look on her face. "Nakuru had another vision."