Ned laughed, "Yeah, there aren't exactly counter spells for potions gone wrong." At least a fire could be extinguished with another spell. Sludge could just continue to eat away.

It wasn't terribly far to the common room entrance, but he didn't feel the need to rush. It was so difficult to snatch moments with just Alice. Between schoolwork, prefect duties, and the drama he hadn't put much effort into investigating in fear of prying, it seemed like 'free time' was a bit of a challenge to come by. He'd found he'd been somehow spending more time with Sisse, which was a bit strange seeing how much closer he and Miss Dawson were.

"Yes, it certainly seems as if everyone is...preoccupied." He could see through her comment, but he was a bit too polite to point it out more than a small comment. "At least there's a Hogsmeade weekend soon. That will be a nice break."