Harry Potter and the Order Of the Phoenix [158]
“You have one hour… starting now!” he roared at them, spinning around and sitting down at his desk to correct more exams. Harry looked down at his test, it was even worse then Professor Binns’. All it contained was ten pages… all essays. Harry looked over and saw Hermione, already halfway through the first essay. He looked to his other side, and saw Malfoy, not looking his usual conceited self. Harry then turned his head back to his own exam, let out a loud sigh, and started writing.
A few seconds before the hour was up, Professor Snape sat up from his desk. Harry still had half of his last essay to write, and he quickly rushed through it, making the last few words nothing but illegible scribbles.
“Time is up!” yelled Professor Snape, banging his fist down on the nearest desk, which happened to be Dean’s. He jumped at least a foot in the air, and fell over in his chair. Professor Snape remained indifferent to this occurrence, and grabbed his exam from the desk. He moved his head from side to side, looking disappointed with whatever Dean had written. He walked back to his desk, test still in hand, and grabbed a small pot, and two little containers that looked exactly the same. He placed the pot in front of Dean, and a container on either side. He then pointed his wand over the pot, and filled it with water.
“Thomas,” he said, with a sinister smile, “your test disappoints me. Just after looking at the first page, I can tell that this is a failing paper.”
“I- I…” stuttered Dean.
“Now now Thomas,” said Snape, waving a finger, and grinning even more. “I am not that evil as to fail you right now, I will give you a chance to make up for your pathetic test, by getting the Advanced O.W.L.”
“Re- really?” said Dean, trying to looked happy.
“Oh yes,” said Professor Snape. He held Dean’s test right in front of him, and tapped it with his wand. He let go of it, and it remained in the air. Snape gave an evil grin, and tapped the test again. A tiny flame appeared in the corner. Dean looked terrified.
“My test!” he yelled.
“Here is your predicament, Thomas,” said Professor Snape, speaking extremely fast. “Before you there are two identical containers. One, when mixed with water, will create a powerful anti-fire potion. The other, when mixed with water, will create an even more powerful lighter fluid, causing your test to turn into nothing more than a few ashes.
“Now, if you wish to save your abysmal test, and attempt at an Average O.W.L., I suggest you now begin searching your pathetic brain for which substance will do which. If you succeed, not only will you maybe get the Average O.W.L., but you will get the Advanced O.W.L for passing this test. Come on now! What are you waiting for?” Dean looked like he was almost in tears.
“B- b- but I don’t know which one is which,” he whined. The entire bottom part of his test was smoldering.
“Then you have not learned anything this year, Dean,” said Professor Snape. “And you must learn what you do not know quickly! I’d say you have about… ten seconds left.” Dean immediately grabbed one of the containers of mystery substance, and opened the lid.
“Nine seconds…” whispered Professor Snape.
Dean put his nose to whatever he opened, and immediately shot his face back. It evidently had some sort of powerful putrid odor.
“Eight seconds…”
He grabbed the other one and threw the lid off, putting it to his nose. This one evidently had a better smell, Dean almost smiled after breathing in its scent.
“Seven seconds…”
He stuck his fingers in the good-smelling one, and was surprised to find a pink goo stick to them as he tried to pull them out.
“Six seconds…”
Dean quickly threw that container aside and picked up the other one, sticking his fingers inside. A white