False Shadows for True Substances
Flickering lights spun slowly through the space around her - some clockwise, some anticlockwise, and some in a direction which defied comprehension. Odelia had been sitting with her back to a bookcase, knees tucked into her chest and one hand placed firmly on the book, for quite some time now. A few hours, perhaps. Or possibly for a few minutes? It was difficult to tell, really. Something was definitely messing with her head.
All at once, she was in a stairwell. How did that happen? It was only a short one, a door at the bottom and one at the top. And nothing else. She pushed the top one open cautiously, and then she was stood in the middle of the Central Hall. The same set of uniform rushed past her an infinite number of times, colours blurring in their wake. She picked one at random and followed. It led her outside onto a bridge and then through a stone garden, columns as tall as the sky. Then she was in the Great Hall.
Actually, what is going on.
"Odelia?"
Hey I know you!
She clung onto his arm, swaying slightly. “Hi Ominis!”
“Weren’t you with Sebastian in the library, what happened?” He switched his wand to the hand that she wasn’t hanging on to and held it out in front of them, guiding them over to their usual seats. The red light at the end was the only thing in the room that was not hazy, and as Odelia watched it the rest of the room came into focus.
“Yes,” she cleared her throat. “Yes I was, but he got caught by Madam Scribner.” She paused, considering her words carefully. “I’m worried that he’s in a lot of trouble.”
Ominis frowned. “It can’t be that much trouble since he’s eating breakfast over there now.”
“How -”
“I can hear him.”
Odelia looked over, and indeed there he was, laughing raucously with a few boys sitting around him. She let go of Ominis and stormed over.
“Sebastian!”
He glanced up then shooed away the boys opposite, clearing a space for her. She sat.
“Sebastian, what happened?”
He ate a spoon of porridge, completely nonchalant. “How do you mean?”
“She means how did you get away from Scribner.” Ominis has slid into the place next to her. “This is serious, Sebastian, last time she threatened you with real consequences.”
Sebastian took another mouthful. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Odelia’s mouth dropped open.
What?
He addressed her directly. “It’s all fine, you’re making a fuss over nothing. I managed to catch Peeves and cast a befuddlement charm on him, then snuck out of the library before she saw me.”
“But -”
“Think about it Odelia,” his voice softening, “if Scribner had caught me, how would I be sitting here now?”
Ominis said nothing.
“I suppose that’s true,” Odelia said slowly. She suddenly felt very tired - it was a relief to know that she had not seen him confront Scribner. She yawned and sighed, accepting the mug that Ominis handed her. She had been looking forward to Friday, but with such a lack of sleep she could not remember why.
“Cheer up!” said Sebastian. “It’s Herbology first for all three of us! Can’t wait for you to meet Garlick - she’s really one with the plants, if you know what I mean.”
Odelia yawned again, covering her mouth with her hand, and nodded. Sebastian and Ominis began a rather spirited conversation over the various merits of something called a Venomous Tangotella? Tarantula? And that was that.
-----------------------
After only five minutes in a lesson with Professor Garlick, it was clear why Sebastian had described her the way he did. She was certainly very passionate about the subject she taught. They were repotting Mandrakes, and Odelia felt a little bit bad for them as they kicked their chubby little legs around in the air and were shoved into pots. Even if their screams did shatter the glass roof of the greenhouse. Then in the second half of the lesson they were planting dittany seeds, and Sebastian would not stop whispering rude jokes about all the different plant names. Their whole end of the room was trying not to laugh, though Adelaide did look a tad scandalised. Their whole end, except, that is, Sebastian’s tall and red-headed Gryffindor rival. He glowered at his pot with such animosity that Professor Garlick exclaimed that he was ‘upsetting the plants’!
Odelia was still very tired though, and kept yawning. She’d got up to put some clippings away at the side of the room, when the Professor came over to examine her work.
“Well done! Once it can be harvested your dittany will be ready to use in Wiggenweld Potion. I’ll let Professor Sharp tell you about that.”
The fogginess in her mind was making it difficult to process her words. Potions? There was something she was forgetting.
“Now,” Professor Garlick continued cheerily,” what say we branch out? Introduce you to a different sort of flora - the Chinese Chomping Cabbage! You’ll find that some plants are better suited to uses outside of a cauldron. The cabbages do get testy without something to chew. Fortunately, I have a dummy for them to gnaw on. Be a dear and let them have a good chomping.”
“Yes, Professor.”
“They’re in the other greenhouse. It’s just at the end of the footbridge leading out of this room. Your classmate, Mr Prewett, has kindly offered to accompany you. Come back and see me when you’re finished. Oh, and - mind your fingers! They do bite.”
‘Prewett’ - did she mean Everett? No, he was still at the back of the room, at the tiny workstation he had been banished to. Odelia giggled, imagining what he had done to land himself there. Since breakfast, everything had been funny. Probably the lack of sleep, as well as relief about Sebastian.
She headed up the steps, her hand trailing along the metal railing, and was about to turn the corner when someone spoke up from behind her.
“Hello!”
Odelia jumped, putting her hand over her heart in shock, and stared at the Gryffindor boy. His red hair had been combed painstakingly into place.
Gosh, that must have taken him a long time in front of the mirror.
“Saw you on your way to Hogsmeade the other day.”
He probably has a tiny, fussy little comb that he uses. He probably keeps it in a special box hidden away in his bedside table.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Leander. I’ll be showing you the Chinese Chomping Cabbages.”
Ohh, so your name is Leander. Did you say - cabbages?
Odelia wracked her brain, but in the moment could not think of a single appropriate way to reply. Tiredness had stripped her of the capacity to act like a normal human being.
Leander stopped, evidently waiting for her to say something in return, but when she didn’t he kept talking - trying desperately to keep a handle on the conversation.
Up these stairs’ll take us there, but - your lead.”
He gestured for her to go ahead, so she went up the stairs. They were now on a network of walkways crisscrossing the upper level of the greenhouse. Tall plants from downstairs poked through the openings in the floor, and smaller ones spilled out of boxes lining the edges of the path.
“Nice work in Defence Against the Dark Arts, by the way.”
Odelia turned back to face the boy. “Excuse me?”
“Your duel with Sebastian! And he’s good. Ha, thinks he’s really good. But you outright slaughtered him. It was brilliant.”
“Oh. Well. Thank you.”
Apparently Leander did not notice her reluctance to carry on with that particular topic. “I nearly put Sebastian in his place myself. I mean, I would’ve if Hecat hadn’t stopped me.”
“Didn’t she stop that dragon skull from crushing you?”
“Pfft, typical Slytherin trick, dropping a dragon skull on someone during a fight. We Gryffindors fight with honour.” He noticed her raised eyebrows as she turned away. “Uh, no offence. Sorry.”
They walked the rest of the way in an awkward silence. Leander attempted to go in front to show her the way, but Odelia stepped smartly around him and continued across the footbridge. She had understood Professor Garlick’s instructions well enough.
Presently, they came to the next greenhouse where Leander showed her where the cabbages were planted. He tossed a few at a duelling dummy - and so began a savage assault on the metal humanoid.
So not just cabbages then. Definitely ‘Chomping Cabbages’.
Leander chuckled to himself as they tossed a few more. “Mum planted some in her garden last year to keep the gnomes out. Did save her the de-gnoming, but they left her Honking Daffodils in tatters.”
Odelia smiled weakly in reply. They turned to go back up the stairs to the walkways.
Leander spoke, breaking the quiet. “Vicious little bastards, aren’t they? My kind of plants - not like stupid Bubotubers and Bouncing Bulbs. The kind of plants that’d have your back in a fight. Not saying you can’t go it alone. But - well imagine that wasn’t a dummy.”
“I suppose they could prove useful outside of the greenhouse. Nothing wrong with a bit of backup. Even if it is from a cabbage.”
“It’s chaos out there - trolls in Hogsmeade and such. You can’t be above throwing a cruciferous vegetable if necessary.”
She stared at him - alarmed. Cruciferous vegetable? He sounded so serious. Mistaking her look for one of interest, he continued talking.
“Dogweed and Deathcap has more of them, if you’re keen. Other plants too - ones your parents wouldn’t plant in the garden.” He coughed, embarrassed all of a sudden. “You get the idea. Anyway, we, uh, probably ought to head back to class.”
-----------------------
“What did that incompetent hair-gelled slimebag want with you then?” hissed Sebastian in her ear as they walked into their next lesson. She turned to roll her eyes at him, and he spread his arms innocently and grinned. They both laughed.
“Nothing, just to show me some cabbages.”
“Oh, but of course! His cruciferous vegetables."
Odelia laughed again and went to join Ominis at a table at the side of the room. Imelda was the third person stationed with them, and she glared at her over the cauldron. Odelia waited until she looked away, and then pulled a face. Then she turned to say something to Sebastian, who was at the table behind hers with Natty and Garreth, but at that moment the door opened and the Professor strode in, limping heavily on one leg.
Odelia’s vision tunnelled, she could count the beats of her heart as he passed.
So that’s what you were forgetting this morning.
She didn’t feel tired anymore. In fact, she was alert to every motion.
He stood before them, explaining the work to be set for this term. Odelia wasn’t listening. His eyes were fixed on the other tables, never once flicking over to where she stood.
Why won’t he look at me? He did before.
Instructions given, Professor Sharp sat down at his desk and bent over a piece of writing. The rest of the class bustled around preparing for the potion, but Odelia didn’t move.
“What, Black, still tired?” called Sebastian from behind her.
“No, I’m fine.” She walked over to a cupboard and began to gather ingredients, her heart racing.
He shouldn’t be ignoring me.
Wiggenweld potion was not hard to make at all, her mother had shown her how many times over the years. Hers was the perfect shade of green.
At the front of the room, Professor Sharp stood up. He walked over to Violet who was alone at the first desk and checked her potion, pointing out corrections to be made. Then to the next table, then to the one at the back. Hers was the only one left - he had to notice her now.
The Professor moved to speak to Ominis. Odelia stepped forward instead, holding up a vial of Wiggenweld. He took it from her, and held it up to the light for inspection.
“Hmm. Not an easy potion to brew.” He handed it back, and held her gaze. She didn’t break it. “Well done.”
Looked around furtively at everyone else still working on a passable version of the healing brew, Professor Sharp lowered his voice and leaned down slightly. “And from what I hear of your recent exploits in Hogsmeade, you’d also do well to practise brewing the defensive Edurus potion. For the moment you can find the ingredients you need in my office -” He cleared his throat and turned away. “- but in future you’ll be expected to provide your own ingredients.”
Odelia felt colour flush her cheeks, and looked down at her cauldron.
No one else has been told they can go into his office. That must mean he sees me differently to the others - not just as another student.
That could be true.
It is true. I know it.
But look now, he’s talking to Imelda for far longer. He pays more attention to her than he does to you.
Not true.
Hmm, we’ll see.
Yes we will.
She walked over to the study door, and as she did Garreth joined her, whispering conspiratorially. “Did I hear Professor Sharp say that you have permission to go into his office?”
“Yes,” she replied loftily, “but why does that matter to you?”
“Brilliant!” Garreth’s enthusiasm was undimmed by her cool tone. “And it matters because you can be a part of something truly creative. Listen, anyone with a troll-sized brain can brew an Edurus Potion. I’m working on something that’s certain to be spectacular. I’m just missing one tiny, last ingredient that will add that extra spark.”
“I suspect that is where I come in.”
“You’re as clever as I’d hoped. I simply need a single Fwopper feather. As you’ll already be in Sharp’s office with his permission, perhaps you could grab it for me.”
The beginnings of a plan were starting to form in Odelia’s mind- forget Garreth’s idea. She would not be ignored. “I’ll get you the Fwooper feather, as long as you’re certain Sharp won’t miss it.”
Oh, he will.
“I assure you he won’t. Fwooper feathers aren’t that valuable. Wait until you see what I’m brewing!”
He will.
She smiled slyly, and slipped through the door.
-----------------------
Professor Sharp’s office was meticulously kept, everything put away in its own proper place. I had not taken Odelia long to find the ingredients for the Edurus potion, nor to take the Fwooper feather and mutter a quick incantation over it.
There was a note tucked under the inkstand on his desk. A memorandum from the Auror Office ordering a raid on a shop called Borgin and Burkes - Odelia knew the one, it was in Knockturn Alley. The memo was dated to the 31st of December, 1875.
Huh, interesting.
She left the office, closing the door firmly behind her, and headed over to Garreth. “Here’s the Fwooper feather you wanted.”
He looked up from his concoction, the steam puffing out his curly hair like a mad scientist. “Brilliant! Thank you. This is going to take a moment to brew - I’ll tell you when it’s finished.”
Odelia smirked and went back to her cauldron. Edurus potion wasn’t too difficult either, though she was so busy listening out for a commotion behind her that once or twice she nearly added extra clockwise stirs.
“Wait, it’s not supposed to -”
And there it is.
She dropped the ladle and sidled up to Garreth. Blue sparks were firing out of the cauldron at an alarming velocity and the people around them were beginning to complain.
He turned to her. “Dragon dung. What happened?” Odelia shrugged and widened her eyes.
BANG!
Everyone ducked for cover as a torrent of liquid burst upwards out of the cauldron. Garreth grabbed her arm to pull her away, but Odelia didn’t move. She knew it would fizzle away before it ever reached the ground.
The fireworks show ended, the rest of the class went back to their work. Imelda called over snidely - “Well done, Garreth.”
“What now Mr Weasley?” Professor Sharp had stood up. “You -” he noticed Odelia standing beside him. “And - Miss Black.”
She smiled as their eyes met.
Now you see me.