Archer's determined look was not due to the competition itself. He was determined not to look at any of the other students in his group. Aside from Hestia, he was terrified of the other three. He was relieved when his cousin fled to a far corner, and he made it a point to choose another far corner, so he would have less neighbors.

Today was already not his day. Someone hadn't realized he was also walking down the stairs and bumped him so fiercely that he'd taken a tumble. His wand wrist was swollen to a concerning degree, but the thought of having to explain what happened, yet again, to the nurse had him sent nearly to the brink of a panic attack. Now, he had to participate in a stupid potions competition a boy in his dorm maliciously signed him up for. He was too terrified to withdraw.

His gaze flicked to the judge as she explained their task. A calming draught. Merlin, he needed on of those right now.

Archer seemed to be doing alright at first, but, when it came time to wave his wand over the potion, he nearly dropped it into the cauldron. In order to stop such a catastrophe from happening, he over compensated and did the entirely wrong motion and sent his wand, instead, flying across the room. The pain in his wrist made his skin grow even more white than normal.

Trying to save face, he attempted to pour the last ingredient in, but his non-dominant hand shook so much from the embarrassment, he upended nearly the entire container of crocodile hearts.

Ears red, he did the only thing he could think of. Freeze.