Chapter 3
“Merlin's beard, a double period with Slytherin?” Alec muttered, sullenly, after saying goodbye to Underhill. There was a good chance that Magnus Bane had also taken this course. Occasionally, he wondered if his fate had decided to make him stumble from one unpleasant situation into the next. His high spirits from his Defence against the Dark Arts were quickly being squashed as he was ruthlessly pushed through the crowded corridors. One would have thought that Alec's height would command at least a shred of respect from the younger students, yet every elbow jammed into his ribs told a different story. As Alec descended into the dank cold of the Hogwarts dungeons, a shiver crept up his spine. The subtle odour of damp mildew and sweat couldn't be fully masked by the comforting scent of candle wax. A slight feeling of unease, by now a familiar yet unwanted companion, nestled in his chest. Sighing softly, the Hufflepuff tried to accelerate his pace. One of the trick stairs almost cost him his neck, an incident he was keen to forget as quickly as possible.
With trembling fingers, Alec adjusted his tie, which suddenly felt very tight, and entered the spacious room where their potions lesson would take place. Flickering candlelight bathed the room, which was lined with wooden cabinets, in a dim twilight, giving it a striking resemblance of a mausoleum. Hundreds of jars and containers took up most of the shelf space. Alec could make out milky white bodies of unknown creatures in the depths of the dark glass. Their vacant, unblinking eyes looked as if they wanted to devour him. Shuddering, he tore his eyes away from the revolting sight and surveyed the room. Only a few students had already taken their seats at the desks, Alec noted with relief, addressing a polite, “Good day, Professor” to his teacher. The words almost lodged in his throat as he caught Professor Morgenstern's disapproving gaze. A pair of dark eyes glared at him, like the beady eyes of a poisonous beetle waiting to impale him. Whether impaling was within the realm of possibility for a beetle was unclear, then again, if Professor Morgenstern was one, nothing could have stopped him.
“Lightwood? You again. I thought you would have put an end to this disaster after last year,” Professor Morgenstern snapped, his smile as saccharine as ever. Strands of his once white blonde hair stuck to his furrowed brow. “At least try to keep up this year. I don't see why I have to explain everything twice for your sake.” He seemed pleased with himself and now turned his back on the Hufflepuff. His cloak billowed out like a jet-black cloud of fog that followed him wherever he went.
Alec nodded sheepishly, although Professor Morgenstern had already turned his attention to something else. He quickly paced the room so that no one could see his cheeks, which were red with shame. If only his words had been a groundless taunt, a lie. The realisation that the truth was at their core was something Alec could only bear painfully. For hours he tried to memorise the steps and lists of ingredients, but the result was, as always, poor or barely mediocre. It was almost unbearable for him to know that his father's accusations had been confirmed.
The Hufflepuffs in this class had gathered together already, with no more room for Alec. And how could it be otherwise? Adele Nightshade, a beater on the Quidditch team, gave him an apologetic look and even made a move to stand up. But he just shook his head smilingly and motioned for her not to leave her chair. While she was small and slight at first glance, Alec didn't want anyone to mistake her for a fragile flower. After all, he had seen her swing her bat around in the air as if it were a toy. He paused for a moment and studied the chestnut-coloured braids of her sleek hair falling over her narrow shoulders.
He couldn't help but think of his sister. His tiny sister, who saw right through him with her big dark eyes, who had held out her hairbrush to him when her black strands had become knotted again. Of course, that was years ago and Isabelle would skin him if he messed up her perfectly thought-out hairstyle. However, the memory of it still brought a smile to his lips.
A little resigned, Alexander sat down at a table in the back row. Too close to the bug-eyed mason jars for his taste, but at least he could fail undisturbed here. Soon he had retrieved all the utensils he needed from his leather bag and placed his battered brass kettle in front of him.
“I see that almost all of you made it to my classroom on time.” Professor Morgenstern stepped away from his desk, which he had been leaning on just a moment ago. “For your information, I'm going to be asking a lot from you this year. If you don't strive for perfection, then you can leave this class immediately.” He pointed theatrically at the door, which opened at that very moment.
A dishevelled-looking Magnus Bane rushed in. His usually perfectly styled hair looked as if someone had just raked their fingers through it. Glitter, scattered across the Slytherin's shoulders like fairy dust, was caught by the light of the candles. The pupils of his deep brown eyes were slightly dilated and, against his will, Alec was captivated by them. Had he not had such a clear recollection of the night in the Astronomy Tower, there would have been no denying that Magnus was irresistibly attractive. Yet Alec, kind-hearted though he was, would not forget what had happened to him. In this case, learning from the past meant staying out of trouble as much as possible. And as far as he could tell, Magnus Bane meant trouble.
“Sorry I'm late. Professor Carstairs needed my help,” Magnus claimed, with a coy grin on his repulsively perfect lips, adjusting his crooked tie. Without waiting for an answer, he set himself in motion and headed for the table where his Slytherin friends were already waiting for him.
“Not so fast, Bane,” Professor Morgenstern interrupted him. His words dripped with satisfaction. A sinking feeling settled in his stomach. It was as if someone was trying to call out to him through a thick pane of glass. Whatever his teacher had in mind, it couldn't be good. “Please sit next to Mr Lightwood, and keep him company in the back row. See if you can help him out a little.”
“What the hell?” Alec gasped, barely audible, and wished he could join the gob-eyed creatures in the preserve jars. What had he done to deserve this punishment? Deep down he knew the answer to this question, but he couldn't bear the thought of it right now.
“But, you can't-”Magnus started in dismay, only to be interrupted by Professor Morgenstern.
“No talking back, Mr Bane. I'm sure he won't bite you,” the teacher declared, before flipping over the blackboard, which was covered in neat chalk letters.
Successfully, avoiding Magnus' gaze, the Hufflepuff slid to the far end of the desk. Just then, he realised that his fingers were clenched around the soft fabric of his trousers. Alec's knuckles strained against the flesh turning the skin around them ghostly white. Merlin's beard, did Bane use sandalwood shampoo? There ought to be a law against being so attractive and such a jerk. His mind swam with the blend of sweet notes, rounded off by a woody, earthy scent. The tanned skin at the nape of Magnus neck seemed to tighten as he flexed the muscles in his shoulders. For a moment Alec toyed with the idea of leaning over to feel how... absolutely not. Blood rushed to his cheeks, tinting his pale skin a rosy pink. This was definitely going too far. Only now, Alec realised that he had completely tuned out Professor Morgenstern. He had begun to initiate the lesson and describe today's tasks. Alec cursed himself inwardly, he really couldn't afford any distractions this year. If he didn't pull himself together, he could give up the job of an auror altogether. He recalled the shame he had felt on the astronomy tower and successfully ended his daydreaming.
“We'll start with a simple potion today.“ Professor Morgenstern indicated a list of ingredients on the blackboard that Alec could hardly make out with narrowed eyes. Choosing the last row had clearly been a mistake. ”Can anyone tell me the function of this potion?” Professor Morgenstern asked the class, apparently not expecting an answer.
Right away, Magnus' hand shot up. His long, slender fingers bent elegantly, as if they needed to be stretched. Maybe he was trying to charm his way out of sitting next to Alec. Professor Morgenstern looked at him curiously and inclined his head. “This is a dreamless sleep potion. Unlike the potion of the living dead, you can be awoken from it.”, Magnus answered monotonously, the pleasant tone of his deep voice completely gone.
"Exactly. Good work, Mr Bane. Fifteen points for Slytherin.” For a split second, mild surprise appeared on Professor Morgenstern's stern features, but then the impassive mask had slippen on again. “This potion shouldn't cause you any trouble if you follow the instructions. I expect that after seven years you should be aware of where the ingredients are. Ideally, your result should be a clear shade of purple."
“It can't be that hard,” Alec murmured and rolled up his sleeves. “Fire salamander blood and lionfish bones,” he repeated like a chant and set to work.
****
Much to his despair, Alec realised that all his efforts seemed to be in vain. Instead of a clear purple, his potion had assumed the colour of a road-kill. A frustrated sigh escaped his pursed lips. Over and over again, his thoughts wandered back to the night on the Astronomy Tower and their first encounter on the train. He vividly remembered how Magnus had helped him with his tie when he had not yet known who Alec was. His heart hammered in his chest, as if it wanted to break free from his ribcage. With a frown, he examined the concoction bubbling merrily in his cauldron. Had he not followed the instructions properly? The rising steam bit into his already heated skin, causing beads of sweat to form on his forehead. His bandage was now stained with some of the ingredients and his wound had started to ache again. The Hufflepuff rubbed his neck, tilting his head slightly. Discreetly, the Hufflepuff stole a glance at Magnus cauldron. Of course his potion was perfect. Magnus had turned his back on Alec as much as possible, avoiding any contact. The Slytherin seemed utterly bored and stirred his potion indifferently, making it look like the most natural thing in the world.
“Lightwood.” Alec jumped at the sound and almost knocked his cauldron off the table. Busy with watching Magnus, he hadn't noticed Professor Morgenstern approaching. “Merlin's beard, what have you done this time?”
“I-” Before Alec could get a chance to explain himself, his potion began to bubble, bursting with an ugly plopping sound and spilling the brownish-red liquid all over the table. The smell of sulphur and burnt toast filled the air, clouds of dark blue vapour rising from the cauldron.
Professor Morgenstern merely shook his head in disapproval, studying him with cold, black eyes that reminded Alec of the smooth surface of the great lake. “If you can't even manage this simple potion, how do you expect to pass this course?” Professor Morgenstern asked in a calm voice. Alec was very familiar with this brand of disappointment, he had seen this look on his father's face plenty of times.
Immediately, all eyes were on him. All except for Magnus'. The prying gazes, seemed to ignore Alec's wish for a quick, painless death. He sat there, frozen, all colour drained from his already pale face. “It won't happen again.” Alec muttered, ashamed, wishing the ground would swallow him. The revolting smell still hung in the air.
Alec drew his wand in resignation. Scourgify. With a casual flick of his wrist the remains of his mishap vanished. During the holidays, Alec had spent many hours studying non-verbal magic, which, unlike potions, came easy to him.
“You added the fire salamander blood after the eel eyes and then stirred the potion two times more than listed in the instructions,” said Magnus, still not looking at him. Had the Slytherin been watching him?
“T-Thank you,” Alexander stuttered, caught off guard. “I didn't notice.” What the hell had gotten into him? Did he actually thank Magnus Bane? The Magnus Bane who made him spend a night in the Astronomy Tower? White-hot rage, like boiling water searing through his body, welled up inside him. Alec wasn't sure if this feeling was directed towards himself or Magnus. A vein on his temple started throbbing, prompting Alec to take a deep, calming breath.
“That was to be expected.” Magnus replied coldly while he filled a glass vial with his, undoubtedly flawless, potion.
Alec sighed deeply and just shook his head. Why did he care what Magnus Bane thought of him? Why should he care about his hatred? Why don't you stick your prejudices up your ass, Bane? Alexander had a strong urge to spit these words into his attractive face. However, thanks to his wonderful parents, he was a professional at keeping his feelings and views to himself. He decided to remain silent, as he so often did. After several failed attempts to contain his anger, Alec clenched his fists in frustration. “What did I ever do to you, Bane?” Alec snapped, in an uncharacteristically harsh tone. He immediately regretted his outburst. Magnus would probably take even more pleasure in giving him the cold shoulder now.
Suddenly Magnus sighed and actually turned around to him. The Hufflepuff blinked in astonishment and could hardly believe his eyes. Was there a sliver of remorse in his cold features? It couldn't be. But the furrowed line clearly visible between his arched eyebrows told a different story. “I guess I should stop acting like this. I may not particularly like you, but my behaviour towards you was out of line. Just so we're clear: I still don't want anything to do with you, Lightwood. But I don't intend to stoop to the same level as your parents.”
“Um…” Alec replied, not particularly witty. He hadn't recovered from his initial shock at all and had to force himself not to gape in disbelief. The deep, gentle tone of Magnus's voice enveloped him like a cocoon of the finest midnight-blue silk. All he wanted to do was to close his eyes and drift off into another world. A better world. A world where things between him and Magnus would be different. Only now did he notice Magnus' outstretched hand and he grasped it without thinking twice. Perhaps it was naive of him to forgive. Perhaps he shouldn't have given in so easily. But his heart longed for understanding, craved recognition and friendship.
“Apology accepted,” Alexander blurted out and felt his heart leap as Magnus squeezed his hand. In contrast to Magnus’ golden-brown skin, his own long fingers looked like the pale legs of an oversized spider. A shiver ran down his spine and filled him with unusual excitement. The Slytherin felt velvety soft and warm under Alec's cold fingertips. Extremely suspicious. How could you have warm hands in this freezing dungeon? It was like being in a... What did the Muggles call it? Oh yes, that's right: a refrigerator. An extremely clever invention that cooled food and drinks without the need for magic.
Of course, no one knew about Alec's occasional research and his growing interests in the muggle world. At home, he would undoubtedly have been met with nothing but bewilderment and disapproval. Startled, Alec realised that he must have drifted off when Magnus withdrew his hand with a strange look on his face.
“You can leave the sample of your potion on my desk when you leave the classroom. Don't forget to add your name. Divination is not one of my fortitudes,” Professor Morgenstern announced, urging his students to hurry with an impatient wave of his hand. Then his piercing gaze settled on Alec. “Lightwood. You stay here. I need to speak to you after class. And Mr. Bane? You as well.”
Magnus shot him a wry glance. As if it was Alec's fault he was being summoned.
“What is all this about?” Magnus huffed, visibly annoyed, and began to gather his things.
In the meantime, Alec had stuffed his things into his satchel. There was a sense of relief in the air, the dreaded potions lesson finally completed. Most of the students had already rushed to the door or were chatting happily with their friends as they left the dungeons. Alec's stomach gave a soft rumble, reminding him that his body was also craving a warm meal. He couldn't wait to escape the clammy dungeons and meet his siblings during the lunch break. Not even the scolding that awaited him could dampen his eagerness. Not wanting to lose any more precious break, the Hufflepuff made his way to the front of the classroom and stood in front of Professor Morgenstern's desk. Magnus had followed him, now crossing his arms with a grim look on his face.
Professor Morgenstern was examining the small glass bottles, the contents of which, to Alec's relief, were not all purple. Admittedly, the fact that his potion had thrown stinking bubbles was a bit of a problem, but he wasn't the only one who had produced an unusable potion.
“Now, you're probably wondering why you're here, Mr. Bane,” Professor Morgenstern stated in a stern voice. The smug expression on his angular face made Alec's insides knot. “I couldn't help but notice how you two were holding hands in the back row. Very touching. Since you seem to be getting along so well, I have a favour to ask of you, Bane. You are one of my best students and Mr. Lightwood here is, to put it mildly, an absolute disaster.”
What was he getting at? “And what does that have to do with me, Professor?” Magnus asked, voicing Alec's thoughts, and raised an eyebrow in irritation.
“Well, you are aiming for an O in this course, aren't you?” There was a dangerous undertone to the teacher's words. Was he threatening him? Magnus had apparently noticed this too and merely nodded cautiously. “I'm a very busy man. That's why I'm putting Mr Lightwood in your care. Don't disappoint me.”
“Excuse me?” the Slytherin now asked, completely aghast.
Professor Morgenstern sighed heavily and leaned on his desk. “I want you to tutor him, Mr Bane.”
Alec almost fainted from the shock.