The Beauty Balm

She used the free period she had before lunch to prepare for her next class. Those were going to be older students, students who already had five years of magical education behind them, completed their O.W.Ls and were about to begin their N.E.W.T classes. She wanted to throw in an impressive first lesson, advanced yet fun, colorful and sophisticated but not difficult enough to be discouraging – and then, she felt as though a light was turned on inside her mind, and she set to working.
She went down to lunch a couple of hours later in a very good mood and settled in a seat next to Hagrid, just like the night before.

- Havin' a good firs' day o' term, Celena? – Hagrid asked her through a mouthful of mashed potatoes.
- I think I like it here, - she said happily, helping herself to potatoes and salad too.
- I've always wondered why yer parents decided ter send yeh to Beauxbatons instead o' Hogwarts, - he observed, picked a bone from a chicken's leg.
- Well, - Celena tilted her head to the side slightly, her fork in mid-air. – Mom always thought there's nothing quite like the traditional French education, you see. And it really was good – excellent teachers, beautiful castle, fancy food. I made friendships with the most interesting people; I learned to speak fluent French. And you must know there's nothing like spending some time in a foreign country and setting bonds with people of a different culture to expand your horizons…
- Yeah… - Hagrid nodded, his expression suddenly dreamy. Celena suppressed a grin, but continued her musings:
- I got Fleur as my best friend, that's priceless. She's really the best anyone could ever have. We were always together; the two most popular girls in our year, and when the Triwizard Tournament was held, we both applied and came here in the Beauxbatons delegation… I suppose you don't remember me from that time?

- Yeh looked familiar when I met yeh at Remus's some time later, - said Hagrid, shrugging. – But not really, no.
- Well, that's hardly anything to be surprised about, is it, given the fact that we didn't even get to spend much time inside the castle. I mean, we spent about eight months here back then and now I barely recognize the place! It was our final year, and we had to study for our final examinations mostly by ourselves, with very little help from Madame Maxime. We took the exams about a month later than everyone else, though.
- Did ye get disappointed when yeh weren' chosen for the Tournament?
- Well, - she paused, frowning slightly - I suppose we all were a bit disappointed – but you see, we had a pact made with Fleur; we agreed that if the Goblet chooses one of us, me or her, the other will not be jealous, but would stay here and be supportive. So I did my best. And you know, Hagrid, thinking of the disaster that Tournament turned into, I'm glad I wasn't chosen for it. I'm not sure I would have handled it half as well as Fleur.
- Yeah, - said Hagrid. – Those were dark times. We're so lucky ter have it all behind us.
- You definitely think it's all over, then? – Celena asked hesitantly, lowering her voice a little. – Because, you know, Uncle Remus acts kind of odd lately, and I know he's in the Ord-
- Yeah, well, yeh can't expect all evil ter be erased from this world just like tha', - Hagrid cast an anxious look around him, lowering his voice as well, but the other teachers were all too busy with their plates, and the scraping of knives and forks was too loud for anyone to hear anything. – There's still plenty o' slime out there. I think the main source of it is gone, though, an' the rest, well, the rest we can deal with.

… There was still a little time before the start of afternoon classes, so Celena walked in the direction of the dungeons in a quiet, dignified sort of way – as befits a Hogwarts teacher, she thought, pleased with herself. Just then, however, she heard quick footsteps behind her, and someone calling out for her:
- Professor Costello! Professor Costello! Can I have a word with you?

She turned around and saw a boy of sixteen or seventeen standing in front of her, quite skinny but otherwise good-looking, with light-brown hair, clear grey eyes and a rather pale complexion. Right now, however, he was red and shiny in the face from running, his hair was ruffled and his bag was thrown hastily over his shoulder.
- Dennis Creevey, from Gryffindor, Professor, - he said, panting.
- How can I help you, then, Mr. Creevey? – She asked, and added. – Do try to make it quick, though. I don't want to be late for my next class.
- It's just that, your next class, Professor! – he said hastily. – You see, I – I took my O.W.L exams last year, and I got "Exceeds Expectations" on Potions, and I knew Snape – Professor Snape, I mean – doesn't accept anyone into his N.E.W.T class with anything but an "Outstanding", so I didn't even bother signing up for Potions this year. But this morning, Professor McGonagall told us you even accept those who finished with an "Acceptable", and I, er, I really want to continue taking Potions, but I – I didn't buy any books or ingredients or anything, and I was wondering if I still can – if it's all right –

He blurted it all out in about ten seconds, and it took Celena another ten seconds to register what he was trying to say.
- Oh, it's quite alright, Mr. Creevey, - she smiled at him encouragingly. – I thought there might be some confusion with the new arrangement. Come with me, the class begins now. I will add you to the name list and I can lend you some supplies until you can make your order. And please, by all means, if you know of anyone else in a similar situation, tell them that they are welcome in my class even if they didn't sign up on time.

But the news already spread around the school on their own, and when Celena opened the dungeon's heavy door, she faced what she knew to be the biggest N.E.W.T Potions class in many years.
During the break, Celena wondered whether it would be wiser to just abandon the gloomy dungeon and find a big enough classroom on one of the upper floors, but she was pleasantly surprised. She saw Dobby and his fellow house-elves did a wonderful job. The desks were sparkling clean, the floors spotless. The sinister torches were replaced by shiny bronze chandeliers, and the stone walls were now draped with colorful tapestries and pictures. The old, rigid chairs were gone and replaced by stools, a flowery cushion attached to the seat of each one. A soft, squashy armchair stood in front of the teacher's desk. The old store-cupboard was hastily repainted white, and a smell of fresh paint and cleanliness hung in the air, instead of the musty, cold, unpleasant smells that usually lingered here. Celena grinned from ear to ear and made a mental note to send Dobby a pair of socks as a present.

The students – especially the Gryffindors, who tried to find seats closer to the teacher's desk – looked pleased. They kept glancing around and whispering excitedly, clearly in awe of the enormous difference made to their old Potions classroom. The Slytherins, on the other hand, sat closer to the back of the class and showed little emotion.
Celena approached the teacher's desk, but didn't sit down. She looked into the students' faces. She was not that much older than they were, and could remember clearly her own very first N.E.W.T class. She felt just as excited now. And many of the students, it was easy to notice, felt lucky to be there at all.

- Welcome, - she said, - to your N.E.W.T Potions class. My name is Professor Costello, and I will guide you through this most challenging and exciting part of Potion-making studies. Silence fell. Everybody, even the Slytherins, looked eager.
- The books that will be our guideline through the next two years are "Advanced Potion-Making" by Libatius Borage, the first part of which we are supposed to cover this year, and the book that has accompanied you from your very first Potions class – "One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi". In addition, sometime later this year I will give you authorization to read "Moste Potente Potions", which can only be found in the Restricted Section in the library, and will assist us in getting to know some less conventional potions and poisons.
As for the subjects we are going to cover this year, they include recognizing various poisons and brewing antidotes, learning to distinguish several illegal potions in their various disguises, several Healing potions and a few other subjects I will reserve for our last term. Today, however, I have something special planned for you. Any questions so far?

And, expecting it this time, she saw a pretty girl with long, shiny black hair raise her hand.
- Melissa Hanson, Professor. I know it doesn't really have anything to do with the subject, but is it true that you are a descendant of the man who made the only known Philosopher's st-
- Yes, Miss Hanson. – Celena said exasperatedly. – I am indeed one of the descendants of Nicholas Flamel. However - sorry if this disappoints you – Nicholas didn't pass the secret of the Philosopher's Stone to anyone, and we certainly won't be making it here.
A few students grinned. Others started loudly whispering into their neighbors' ears.
- And now, I have one more comment to make before we proceed.
The class, that has been buzzing excitedly, fell silent once more.

- As you already know, when I took the position of Potions Master in this school, I decided anyone who passed their O.W.L examination, even with only an "Acceptable", should be given the chance to continue to N.E.W.T level. However, due to the concern expressed by the Headmistress about the capability of weaker students to cope with the amount of new knowledge they are supposed to acquire, those who got an "Acceptable" O.W.L will be given extra homework each time we meet, until I am quite sure they are at the same level as the rest of the class.

At the sound of this, some students looked crestfallen. Others muttered to each other fervently. After a second's pause, Celena continued:
- Today, we will be making a potion which isn't, strictly speaking, included in your study program, but which is both advanced and interesting, and that's why I thought it would be a good project for our first meeting. I am speaking of the Beauty Balm.
Several people gasped; some gave a soft "wow", and a few girls giggled. Dennis Creevey, who sat at the very front and middle, gaped at her with his mouth open.
- But those are really valuable! – said Melissa Hanson. – They are quite expensive if ordered through "Witch Weekly".
- They are, Miss Hanson, - Celena nodded. – If made correctly. Now, most of the ingredients needed for making of the Beauty Balm will not be found in your basic kits, so take them from the store cupboard and use them sparingly, especially unicorn hair and Dragonweed. The instructions, - she waved her wand – are on the blackboard. Tricky, but an hour should suffice. Fire away.

There was an immediate rush of action – people were setting fire beneath their cauldrons, cutting valerian roots, measuring exact amounts of clear water and Elf-tree juice and rushing to the store cupboard. Celena was getting ready to walk around the class, examine people's work and make sure the unicorn hair is indeed being used sparingly, when the dungeon's door opened and a man walked in – the very last man Celena wished to see in the middle of her very first N.E.W.T class, the greasy-haired, clad in black robes and wearing and unpleasant smirk, Professor Snape.

- Well, well, well, - he raised his eyebrows, looking around. – What an impressive decoration change here! Did you do it all by yourself, Professor Costello, or did you have to blackmail the house-elves? They never even cleaned here properly, as far as I can remember there were cobwebs in that corner for the last five years or so…
- Good afternoon, Professor Snape, - she said in her most dignified voice, while several Slytherins sniggered. – Is there any special reason..?
- Oh, certainly, - he said dryly, indicating the box h was holding in his arms. – I brought you an extra supply of Wormgrass. The Headmistress thought you'd need some more, because your class, you see, - he looked around, then paused, then continued, - is rather larger than usual…
- Thank you, - Celena said stiffly, taking the box from him and placing it on her desk. – Now, if you will excuse me, Professor Snape, I think I should…
And then she stopped, because the cold expression on Snape's face was replaced by a rather unplanned, blood-chilling twist of his thin lips that was the least welcome smile Celena ever saw.
- Creevey? – he whispered, looking at the boy, who now stopped chopping his Dragonweed and glared back. – You have Creevey in your class, Professor Costello?
- That's quite right, Professor Snape, - said Celena in a ringing voice, feeling an uncomfortable flush in her face, but raising herself to her full height nevertheless. – As you very well know, anyone who didn't fail their O.W.L is welcome in my class.
- Oh, I am well aware of the fact you decided to teach those I would never let in my class, - he cut across her in a low voice that sounded as though it was dripping with venom. – But Creevey… - he hissed towards the boy, - you always loathed Potions… you got a detention last year for telling me insolently to my face you find my subject useless and will not carry on with it even for a prize of a thousand Galleons…

Dennis stood up now, his back stiff, his face scarlet and his fists clenched, while his potion bubbled and steamed, forgotten, emitting puffs of grey vapor because of the uncontrolled fire beneath the cauldron. A corner of Snape's mouth twitched.
- But of course, - he said in a dangerous, silky voice, and cast Celena a very nasty glance. – I could never be quite so… charming.
There was no point pretending not to hear; the students were all listening to the low, malevolent voice. Dennis was a shade of magenta now, mute with indignation, and Celena was fighting back the urge to draw her wand. The Slytherins looked as though Christmas had come early.
- The Beauty Balm, - sneered Snape, growing more and more confident every moment, with the obvious support of his pet students, as he looked at the instructions on the blackboard. – Wise choice, Professor Costello… some of us certainly could do with a few drops, - he looked pointedly at Melissa Hanson, whose face was rather freckly, then turned around and walked out of the classroom without saying another word.
Melissa looked on the verge of tears.

- Some of us, - said Melissa's friend, Samantha Gardner, in a very good, hissing imitation of Professor Snape, - could do with washing their hair, and keeping their overlarge nose out of a classroom that is no longer theirs!
Melissa gave her a weak, grateful grin and continued working on her potion, her hands now shaking slightly.
At the desk next to the girls', a handsome boy was shooting incredulous looks towards Dennis, stirring his potion carefully at the same time.
- What is it? – said Dennis out of the corner of his mouth.
- It's just, well – mate, don't get mad at me or anything, but Snape was right in a way… I mean, it's true that you always hated Potions, and not like the rest of us; only because of Snape… it really was your least favorite class. So how come..?
Dennis turned an even more brilliant shade of magenta and continued working without saying a word.
Celena, in the meantime, walked along the rows, fuming, but didn't say anything until time was up.
- Well, stop working now, and let me see what you have done… ooh, I see most of you did fairly well, although I see that some of your solutions are too watery…
- Mine isn't too watery, - said an annoyed, plump Slytherin girl, prodding the congealed mass inside her cauldron that looked more like beeswax than anything else.
- The Beauty Balm, ideally, should be of a light yellow shade, thick and oily; - Celena ladled some of the solution Denis's friend made. – What is your name, young man?
- Martin Nordholm, from Gryffindor, - he replied.
- Good job, then, Mr. Nordholm… oh, and I see Miss Hanson did very well too. I wouldn't dare to use yours, though, Mr. Creevey, it's a bit too dark and I think it might be because you added too much knotgrass.
- Are we going to try it right now, then? – Melissa asked enthusiastically, apparently not upset at all anymore.
- Oh, yes, that's the most exciting part of today's lesson, - said Celena. – You see, the special thing about the Beauty Balm is that it doesn't change your entire appearance at will, but instead acts upon the feature you would like to change most. For example, if one's ears are overlarge, and one is bothered by it and maybe even teased because of it, they would be the feature that changes with the application of Beauty Balm. And if one finds oneself perfect, the Beauty Balm will not take effect, even if this impression isn't entirely true… now, you may try your Balm, Miss Hanson, and you, Mr. Nordholm, and you, Miss..?
- Brinkley, - said a surly, watery-eyed Slytherin girl.
- Go ahead, now, rub a fair amount of Beauty Balm behind your ears, don't worry, even if the effect is not quite what you desire, it will wear off in a couple of hours…
- Ooh, Professor! – Melissa Hanson exclaimed excitedly, gazing at her reflection in a small mirror she pulled out of her bag. – Look!

All her freckles were gone, and she looked even prettier than before. Martin Nordholm's face didn't change at all, but he grew a few inches taller right in front of everyone's eyes, so that his robes now revealed a stretch of brown wool socks; a few girls gaped in astonishment. The Slytherin girl, Brinkley, now had enormous emerald green eyes with long eyelashes instead of her small watery ones, and was looking very pleased as she saw her reflection in the corner of Melissa's mirror.
- Well done! – Celena said approvingly. – You may keep your Balm, everybody who managed to do it correctly, that'll leave you with a small stock you can use once in a while… be careful not to exaggerate, though, or the effect might become different if you use it too often, and I'm sure you don't want half a face freckled, Miss Hanson…

- Would you like to try some of my Beauty Balm, Professor? – offered Melissa, and everybody looked at her curiously, because Celena was indeed so pretty that it was difficult to imagine what about her would change under the effect of Beauty Balm.
- Oh, I suppose this can't hurt, can it, Miss Hanson? – Celena said light-headedly, scooped some of the thick, yellowish oil from Melissa's cauldron and rubbed it in behind her ears.
She felt a strange, prickling sensation at the sides of her head. She knew it was just not right when she saw the astonished faces of her students.
- It's – it's not so bad, really, Professor… - said Melissa in a very small voice and handed her mirror to Celena.
There were now leaves and wildflowers growing out of her head in a very neat line, like some bizarre wreath. It didn't look ugly, indeed, but it was quite a shock nevertheless.

- This Beauty Balm works wonders, doesn't it! – whispered Amanda Brinkley to her fellow Slytherins. – I mean, who wouldn't want to look like a flowering shrub?
The Slytherin girls giggled unpleasantly.
- Yes, well, - said Celena, deep in thought, examining herself in the small mirror. – I should have foreseen something like this might happen, yes… side effects… not to worry, though, Miss Hanson, I see your Balm worked just fine on you, so you keep it. Well, that's it for today. Extra homework for those who need it is on the blackboard, and for the rest of you – a roll of parchment about the properties of unicorn hair and its uses in Potion-making, to be handed in next time.
Relieved, the students picked up their things, washed their hands and went off to their common rooms, while Celena started walking in the direction of the hospital wing.