Chapter 3. Aether

"Class, please prepare snake fangs, horned slugs, and porcupine quills," Professor Venti began giving instructions.

It was our first practical Potions lesson, and I felt a slight nervousness, afraid I might do something wrong. Moreover, I really wanted to earn points for my house. Next to me, a boy, my classmate, was fussing with the ingredients, but we had never spoken. He was quite quiet and, it seemed, hadn't uttered a word since we started school. I didn't even know his name. But my gaze often lingered on him, especially on his bright golden eyes.

"Excellent, now place six snake fangs in the mortar," the professor walked lightly past me, and I caught a faint but noticeable smell of alcohol emanating from him. Professor Venti seemed to be a bit tipsy in every lesson, probably hoping that the smell of the classroom itself would cover for him. However, all the students quickly figured it out, but it became more of an inside joke because everyone really liked the professor. He was cheerful, lively, often told us stories from his numerous travels, and truly explained all the confusing points in his subject thoroughly, so everyone forgave him this peculiarity.

While I was emptying the contents of the pouch holding the snake fangs, a boy from Slytherin, with whom we had a joint lesson, approached my quiet classmate. During the short time I had been at the school, students from my house often told me to be wary of Slytherins, that they were always looking to cause trouble. Despite the fact that my little sister studied there, I couldn't help but be cautious. However, my classmate suddenly lit up upon hearing what the Slytherin said to him. He smiled slightly, and with a grin, extended his hand to the Slytherin.

"Thanks, I'll try! My name is Xiao, what's yours?"

"My name is Scaramouche, but you can call me Scara."

Something pricked at my chest. Why did he smile at that Scaramouche like that? And anyway, I wanted to be the first to get to know him and find out his name. It was very unpleasant to think that some Slytherin... rather, some other student had beaten me to it. I tried to distract myself from these thoughts and started counting my snake fangs. One, two... five, but where's the sixth?

"Professor, excuse me, it seems I'm missing one fang," I raised my hand to get the teacher's attention.

"Oh, that's not good, you need to follow the recipe exactly; five fangs won't be enough. Let's go to the storeroom; there's always extra there. Class, put aside your ingredients and wait for my return."

The professor placed a hand on my shoulder and led me to the far side of the classroom, where the storeroom for various magical items was located. As we passed by Xiao and Scaramouche, I heard the latter whisper to him, "Imagine how they'll praise you if you..." and his voice was drowned out by the chatter of other first-years.

"So, what do we have here, aconite, fire seeds, beetle eyes... ah, here they are, snake fangs, fresh ones! Here you go, now you absolutely must make an excellent potion, agreed, Aether? The most important thing is to follow the instructions carefully, or something might..."

"Help, someone!"

Lumin's scream reached us. I immediately rushed past the professor back to the classroom. The scene I saw seems to have forever etched itself in my memory. My sister was horrified, as were all the students; Scaramouche looked the worst, repeating, "No, no, it wasn't supposed to happen," and on the floor next to him, Xiao was convulsing. Blisters bubbled on his face, hands, and other exposed areas of skin, his eyes were rolled back, and he was gasping for breath. The professor pushed me out of the way, pulling something from the wide sleeves of his robe and quickly inserted a vial with some mixture into Xiao's mouth.

"Calm down, class, he's having a severe allergic reaction, but he'll be alright. What was he handling?"

"He... he continued preparing the potion when you left, and when he added the quills..." one of the students stammered.

"Did he add them before or after taking the potion off the fire?" Venti interjected quickly.

"He didn't take the potion off the fire..."

"Understood... This is what happens when instructions aren't followed. I hope this will be a lesson for all of you..."

"You put him up to this!" I shouted, moving towards Scaramouche.

"I... I didn't think that..." Rage clouded my vision, and I struck him.

He fell to the floor, but I hit him again, and again, and again...

How dare you? How dare you do this to him? Xiao was so happy when you, bastard, approached him and gave him advice! He hadn't talked to anyone before this, and this is how you repaid his friendliness?!

"Aether, stop!" Despite looking more like a teenager than an adult, the professor clearly had more strength than an eleven-year-old, so he easily pushed me away from Scaramouche. I came to my senses and immediately rushed to Xiao. He was breathing again and no longer convulsing. This brought some relief to my clouded mind. I scooped him up in my arms and ran towards the classroom exit.

"By Merlin's beard! Where are you taking him?!" the professor shouted at my back, breaking into a run to catch up with us.

"To the hospital wing!" I replied without stopping.

"You'll fall and make it worse!"

"I won't drop him, professor, I won't drop him, no matter what!"

Something in my words made the professor slow down and exhale. I heard him address the class:

"Today's lesson is over. I'll take Scaramouche to the hospital wing. Gryffindor, Slytherin, this is simply outrageous behavior, I'm forced to deduct..."

"Aether! Wake up!" I opened my eyes and met Xiao's gaze; he was shaking me by the shoulder. "We've arrived."

It seemed I had fallen asleep on the way to the school. It was already dark outside, as it always was when you arrived at the Hogwarts station from London.

"Are you alright? You look pale. Did you have a bad dream?"

"Well, partially," I stared at my hands, in which a few moments ago I had held little Xiao, carrying him to the hospital wing. But that was 6 years ago. Now a much older Xiao stood next to me, looking at me with his still bright golden eyes, filled with concern. "Don't worry, everything is really okay. Where are Lynette and Lynny?"

"They went to meet Fremine to row together in a boat. We should go too."

"Yes, of course."

I found that my things were already neatly packed, all that remained was to take them and head out of the carriage. Soon, the fresh mountain air hit my nose. Overhead, an endless starry dome stretched out, and the moon illuminated everything around. Something about that moon made me think of Lumin. Our parents always compared us to celestial bodies, and while I would never call myself the sun, my sister was definitely the embodiment of the moon.

At the station, we were met by the clear, authoritative voice of Wriothesley, the Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts, who didn't need to shout to be heard.

"First-years, please follow Professor Mona to the boats first, then the second-years, and so on up to the seventh, is that clear?"

"Yes, sir!"

The wait didn't take too long; soon we were rowing across the lake towards the lights of the school, glowing against the night sky and playing on the water with amber hues. This view always made my breath catch slightly. I turned and looked at Xiao's hand, lying a few centimeters from mine. It still bore the distinct emerald marks left by that ill-fated potion from our first year, even though the rest of his body and face had been cleared by the nurses. My fingers involuntarily reached out to touch those patterns when suddenly there was a splash of water behind us. I jerked my hand back and turned around.

"Bennett!" Fischl and Razor shouted simultaneously before also jumping into the water.

Laughter rippled across all the boats. Some things in life remain unchanged.