Miss Scrimgeour immediately proved unequal to the task and was quickly dismissed from the competition. It was a shame - Slytherins really ought to put on a better show.

Of the Ravenclaws the young lady was something quite impressive: quick, confident, and utterly poised right up until the near perfect potion was complete. She was definitely through, and likely knew it, but there was nothing wrong with being sure of one's abilities. The other Ravenclaw, on the other hand...

Quite apart from nearly poking her in the eye with his flying wand the cauldron he was working at cracked from an overabundance of hearts and smoke spewed forth, somehow grew crocodile teeth and chased her from one corner of the room to the other.

Disqualifying the young man with a glare she regained her dignity and equilibrium by examining the remaining potions. The Gryffindor pair had produced serviceable if unspectacular efforts but as neither of them had caused her to look foolish she had absolutely no qualms about passing the pair of them.

"Miss Scrimgeour and Mr Belby may stand down. The rest of you can begin a shrinking solution immediately."

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