Trigger

"Open your books on page 20. We will be learning the basics of how to not explode your cauldron." He narrowed his eyes at Noah before continuing. "Pay close attention - if any of you dimwit beetleheads commit a mistake in my class, then your houses will be deducted points."

"Are we even learning then?" Noah murmured in a low voice, which unfortunately didn't escape Faefilus keen ears.

"What did you say Mr? Would you share it with the rest of the classroom?" His face deformed into an ugly smile. "I am sure your words can add to the lesson."

"It is Mr. Noah Sir - and I didn't say anything." He shrugged his shoulders, only furthering his teacher's anger.

"Then help me in this lecture! - I expect you to know a lot to disrupt my class." His new student was proving to be the most pain in the ass he ever had. Ever since being raised in France as a potions master's apprentice, never someone had the courage to challenge him.

'This... Mr. Noah, he has no manners or discipline. Un singe ayant des cours.'

French surfaced when his rage broke through untold limits.

"Tell me - what are the ingredients of a Polyjuice Potion?" He crossed his arms in victory, as there was no way a first-year would know the answer.

'Huh, playing dirty, aren't you?'

"Knotgrass, Fluxweed, leeches, lacewing flies, powdered Bicorn horn, and shredded Boomslang skin. To finish, something from the person to be impersonated - strands of hair for example."

A great part of the classroom stared at him in disbelief, including Faefilus.

'What - come on, why are you so surprised? Unbelievable! Wizards who grew up knowing about magic are losing to a muggle-born. What were they doing before coming here, seriously?' Juniper had other thoughts on the matter though.

"Correct answer." His eyebrows trembled in distress. "Now, what are the spells used to make a Felix Felicis, commonly known as Liquid Luck?"

'Spells? I don't remember that from the books!'

"I don't know Sir - but perhaps it is a bit too harsh to ask a first-year about one of the hardest potions..." He relented.

"Je t'ai eu! " He cleared his throat. "I mean, I expected you to know it. So much arrogance but no bite, aren't you? Minus 10 points to Ravenclaw." He stated before going right back to the lecture. Noah could only grumble and accept his punishment, Faefilus was the professor after all. His house wasn't happy as well, they were furious actually - Noah and his boldness would only put them behind.

Of course, Noah wouldn't forget what happened. He promised to himself and everyone at Ravenclaw - he will be the best at potions.

***

It was Thursday morning, the start of yet another busy day, when hundreds of people woke up early to get their train at the King Cross station. The sun shined in the sky, welcoming the workers under its embrace.

There was one person, however, which stood out in the crowd. A woman dressed as an agent waited for something to happen. If she was there for underhanded negotiations, then all spies on the world would cry blood, for her black suit and glasses stood out a lot. She didn't care for being a sore spot though.

Hours passed as she sat there, stiffer than the bench she was on - her eyes were fixed in one corner, waiting for someone to walk out of there.

"Ma' am, it has been ages since we last saw each other." A voice came from behind.

"Perhaps the years made your memory worse - don't you forget your discipline, agent S." She said in a cold voice.

"Pardon Martyr. R." He bowed, not caring about the strangers around, who didn't even spare a glance at them.

"Humph, at least you've remembered to make sure these muggles didn't see us - but let's go straight to the point, your report." She demanded.

"The bunny and its package reached their hideout." The two of them smiled.

"Good. The plan can be carried out then - be sure to remind the bunny the stakes we have here." She dismissed him, before staring back at the corner.

Just as she expected, someone came out of there, running like a madman between the crowd. He turned his head frantically, sweat running down his black hair down onto his glasses.

When their eyes met she grinned.

'Too late.' She gestured with her mouth before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"Damnit!" He punched the wall in frustration. Apparating back to the QG, he said in defeat:

"Too late." He repeated her words. By hearing him, all his colleagues went back to their duties with slumped shoulders - yet another day they failed to catch one of those people.

All they knew about them was that a big organization was at play, but other than that - nothing, not even how they were called. Ever since the first attack, the Aurors could only capture one of the bloody bastards - which wasn't too helpful as well. Because for one second their prisoner was fine, and on the very next he didn't even remember his own name.

That was what frightened them the most... how could an Obliviate be spelled from such a distance? They asked themselves all nights, not being able to go to sleep.

Such a powerful wizard couldn't exist. They reasoned themselves. Something else happened that night, a dark spell for certain. One worse than the Unforgivable Curses or manufacture of a Horcrux... a spell which was ancestral and couldn't be named.

Time was running and they couldn't find a single clue for the frequent disappearances. All the QG was under pressure, for a new plot was being executed right under their noses.

Voldemort was only cannon fodder to what was to come.

***

Noah's day, in contrast, was largely uneventful. His classes were in sequence: Potions, Herbology, and History of Magic (which for his surprise, had quite an enthusiastic teacher). For his happiness, the Potions subject was quite similar to Chemistry at school.

To create a potion there were 3 essential charms utilized during the brewing.

1. Temperature control - Caliditus

Meant to warm or cool the mixture. 'Watch out for the cauldron's heat limit, or your house will be deducted points.' He was reminded by the haunting voice of Faefilus.

2. React - Onem

When used, all the elements present in the cauldron react to create a new mixture. 'Watch out for the temperature before using the spell, you dunce hooligans. When doing a reaction, heat is liberated.' It whispered inside his head.

3. Separate - Etepart

Separate ingredients. 'Pay attention to the measures.' No matter what he did, Noah couldn't shoo away his teacher's voice - it stood there on the back of his mind.

After 30 minutes of writing in his notebook, he unpacked his things and organized them before slumping down on his bed.

"Finally unpacked your things, congrats!" Juniper laughed by herself at him. As she mocked his laziness, he noticed that she wasn't shy around him anymore.

"Yeah, thank you Juniper." He smiled smugly. "Hey, you never told me anything about you."

"Trying to change the subject huh?" She raised her eyebrows. "Well, I guess it doesn't hurt to tell you." She paused.

"Pleasured to meet you, I am a muggle-born which was raised in a church - expelled from there actually." She muttered.

"There were times when I did things out of the blue, didn't know why or how." She explained. "But I did, and they thought I was the devil's daughter because of it! Can you believe it?" She exclaimed in rage. "I was raised there, and they thought such things of me?! Ahhh." She breathed in and out. "A mage brought me in after finding me in the streets - and here I am."

"I am s-" Before he could finish though, Mary opened the door in a rush.

"You two, what are you doing here?! I was worried!" She fell into Juniper arms almost crying.

"Why? What happened?" She soothed her friend.

"A girl was shot in the hallway, no one knows who did it." She muttered.

"Shot? Like... by a gun?" Noah asked in confusion.

"Yes, we heard a gunshot - the teachers were just as confused. Fortunately, they arrived there before she bled out. They are taking the girl to the infirmary now. " She blurted out.

"Let's go then, there might still be a killer let loose. They said to everyone be gathered in the great hall." They got up and walked out - the dormitory was soulless, the hallways just as much.

On their way, they met with the girl who was shot. She was being carried over a stretcher by 4 professors, 2 students following closely behind.

As Noah got a glimpse at them, cold perspiration bathed him.

Lily Potter was shot, and her two older brothers were taking care of her.

'The children of Harry Potter getting involved in trouble... I don't feel good about this.' He thought.