The Forging of the Bonds

Chapter 26. Potion Brewing.

"A girls' bathroom?"

"Don't worry, no one ever comes here."

"Why not?"

"Moaning Myrtle," Elizabeth said. "A ghost."

"Where is she?"

"Quiet! If she isn't here, it's better for us. Less distraction." She began to set up the cauldron. "Did you bring your staff?"

Mike put it next to the other ingredients. "Do we need both halves?" he asked. "Maybe we should just use one--just in case we're completely wrong."

"Good idea," Elizabeth agreed. "But I think that's unlikely. Why else would they have the second task at night?"

Mike finished the setup. "There could be plenty of reasons... what does the book say?"

Elizabeth began reading. "The Nicthalopy Potion is used to allow the drinker to see in the dark. Primary ingredients: shredded wood of Canadian elm, laced with dragon blood..." She read off a few more ingredients. "Damn this. Two bits from two different nocturnal creatures, must be added precisely at dusk and dawn on the fourth day's brewing. Using a potion in which the timing was off can lead to problems, including permanent night vision--ouch, you'd never be able to go into the sun again--and blindness."

"Blindness?" Mike jumped.

"That's what it says."

"How long does it take?"

"Eleven days, counting the cool-off period."

Mike did the math in his head. "But that means--"

"I know. We won't be able to test it until the task. I knew the schedule would be tight--even if we already have the Canadian elm, the other ingredients are not your everyday stuff. Took a while for them to come in."

Mike paced the bathroom a few times. "We have no choice, right?"

"Unless you feel like quitting and giving up the Cup to Durmstrang--"

"I get it. Come on."

Elizabeth filled the cauldron with water as Mike took out a knife and began shredding one half of the staff. Pieces of wood started falling into the cauldron.

"So," Elizabeth began, "what do you think about it?"

"About what?"

"Don't be stupid. About Potter, of course."

"You mean what he showed us? I didn't think you'd want to talk about it."

Elizabeth narrowed her stare. "It's just a shock, seeing my father like that. Remember Christmas? Hard to think it's the same two people."

"I suppose so. Maybe he'll show us my parents later. They were his best friends, after all. That's what I'd really like to know. How they fell apart."

"Did you ask him?"

"He said Voldemort came between them. He didn't elaborate."

"I see. What about your aunt?"

"Aunt Ginny? Well, he hasn't shown us her, either. I somehow get the feeling he'll show us as little as possible."

"Sneaky," Elizabeth agreed. "It's what I would have done if I had a secret to keep."

"Did you ever hear about this? Your mother's capture?"

"No. I knew she gave birth to me shortly before the Dark Lord's defeat."

"My mum's probably pregnant with me, too."

Elizabeth nodded. "And Longbottom? Katherine--"

"Kate doesn't look much like her father, I know."

"Now I can see where it comes from..."

"What?"

"The way she fences. She's good, but she is too quick to attack."

"And you think that comes from her dad? You've only--"

"Maybe not. But it fits. She won't listen to me, but you might teach her the value of a good defense."

Mike thought about this. "I kind of have my hands full right now. Kate's smart, she'll figure it out."

"If you say so. I wouldn't trust things to fate."

"Who said anything about that?"

Elizabeth placed the lid on the cauldron. "We don't have to bother till tomorrow."

Mike nodded. "I'm really tired." He yawned. "Thanks. There's no way I could do this alone."

"You know, maybe it's a good thing our names came out of the Goblet together."

"Oh really? Why?"

"I can't imagine I'd be having this much fun if I had to partner up with--"

"Now hold on just one sec! You think the Goblet would have selected you otherwise? It might have been me and Dave, you know."

"Jordan? Come on?"

"Why, you arrogant--"

"Pot. Kettle. Black."

Mike laughed. "I'll see you tomorrow, Elizabeth. For what it's worth, I think it's a good thing your name came out too."

"And why is that?"

Because I like you, and if it hadn't happened, I wouldn't even consider this. "Because--" he smiled at her "--Dave is even worse at potion-making than I am." And he left. He could have asked her out, but the way she reacted to his last kiss wasn't promising. He decided to get through the second task before he started worrying about that. They needed to work as a team now.