Sirius Black, Matchmaker
Dorcas Meadowes didn't particularly like Potions. She was only in the N.E.W.T-level class because her best friend, Lily Evans, was a genius at it. Today, they were learning about Amortentia, the most powerful love potion in the world. Dorcas snorted. As if a silly potion could reproduce the effects of love. The 6 Gryffindors and 7 Slytherins in the class were all gathered around a large cauldron of the aforementioned potion, as Professor Slughorn lectured the group of 7th Years on the history of Amortentia.
Dorcas swept her gaze over the collection of students. There was Lily, listening attentively as Slughorn went over the properties of Amortentia. A few people away from her stood Severus Snape, greasy and hooked-nosed, his black eyes darting from Lily to Slughorn. Seated directly across from Lily were the Marauders. There was Remus, who looked pale and ill, Peter, who was only in this class because Remus tutored him, James, who had been uncharacteristically well-mannered throughout the school year, and Sirius, who was slipping a vial of something into his robe-
Wait. Did Sirius just nick some Amortentia? Dorcas glared at him accusingly. The grey-eyed boy winked at her and smirked, before putting a finger to his lips and turning to engage Peter in conversation. Dorcas shook her head. She and Lily had better watch their pumpkin juice…
For reasons unfathomable to Dorcas, her friend Lily had dragged her over to sit next to the Marauders during dinner. She supposed it was because Lily wanted to make conversation with Remus, who was looking quite ill. He had bags under his eyes and his waxy complexion almost made him seem like a ghost.
Lily paused in her conversation to take a sip of her previously untouched pumpkin juice.
As her lips touched the goblet, Sirius shouted, "Prongs! What are you doing?"
James raised an eyebrow. "Leaving. I have to tutor some second years, and then work on the patrol schedules for the prefects." He made eye-contact with Lily. "Speaking of prefect schedules, Lily, do you mind helping me-"But it looked like Lily had stopped listening. She instead stared at James with a dreamy look on her face, and then abruptly stood.
"Let's go then, James." She said, and proceeded to drag the raven-haired young man away from the Gryffindor table.
Dorcas hurried to catch up with her. "Lily!" she shouted, "Wait for a second!"
Lily eyed her questioningly, then told James to meet her in the library. Dorcas dropped her voice to a whisper as she came closer to Lily. "I think Sirius spiked your pumpkin juice."
Lily raised an eyebrow. "With what, exactly?"
"Amortentia." Lily looked like she had seen a ghost.
"W-what?" she stammered. A second later, her face cleared. "Don't be ridiculous, Dorcas. Even if I have ingested Amortentia, it only lasts seven days. If I stop being infatuated with James by this time next week, I will have known that you were right."
Dorcas' jaw dropped. "Did you just admit to being infatuated with James?"
Lily blushed. "M-maybe."
The red-head then turned around, waved good bye to Dorcas, and exited the Great Hall. Dorcas sat back down in a huff next to Remus.
"What was that all about?" he asked, half amused. His voice sounded scratchy, as if he had a sore throat.
Dorcas glared daggers at Sirius as she answered Remus' question. "Your buddy Padfoot here just spiked Lily's pumpkin juice with Amortentia."
Sirius opened his mouth to protest, but Dorcas' temper flared and she cut him off. "SIRIUS ORION BLACK! DON'T YOU DARE DENY THAT YOU NICKED AMORTENTIA FROM SLUGHORN! THERE'S A REASON WHY YOUR INITIALS SPELL S.O.B ,YOU SON OF A-"
"Dorcas." Remus' voice lifted the red haze from her eyes. He then turned to Sirius. "Is this true, Sirius? Did you put Amortentia in Lily's pumpkin juice?"
Sirius shrugged and fumbled with something in his lap, then cursed as it fell to the floor. Peter immediately snatched it up and gave it to Remus.
Sirius mumbled something that sounded like, 'Wormtail is a bloody traitor' before turning to Remus and bracing himself for the impending lecture.
Remus looked at the empty vial in his hand. He was like that for ten seconds before he launched into a speech. "Sirius, do you know what this will do to James once Lily suddenly stops liking him next week? He'll never be able to be happy again! It'll be almost as bad as when his parents die-" He stopped suddenly and glanced at Dorcas, clearing his throat before continuing on a different track. "Anyway, this time next week, James will become depressed, and Lily will become extremely confused. Or angry. Or both. I hope you're happy, Padfoot."
Remus got up, flanked by Peter and Dorcas. "See you around, Sirius."
And with that parting remark, Sirius was left alone at the Gryffindor table.
The haughty young man sighed contentedly, a small smirk forcing its way onto his face.
Lily had drunk her pumpkin juice at 7:02 PM on March 12th. It was 7:00 PM on March 19th when she and James entered the Great Hall, hand in hand. Both of them had dreamy smiles on their faces as they sat down across from Dorcas. The past week had been one of the best of James' life. He and Lily had gotten together, and she finally seemed to understand that he was a good person. James glanced at her, noting the auburn hair and green, almond shaped eyes. He was in love.
It was then that James noticed how Dorcas, Remus, and Peter were staring at him and Lily with wide eyes. "Who died?" he joked.
"What time is it?" Remus asked suddenly.
James glanced down at his watch. "7:03, but I don't see how that matt-"
He was cut off as Dorcas asked, "Lily, do you like James?"
All eyes turned to the petite red-headed girl. "No." she whispered.
Before James had a chance to respond, Lily said, "I love him."
As James and Lily snogged passionately, Dorcas, Remus and Peter turned to Sirius.
He held up the vial of Amortentia he had stolen, its seal unbroken. Sirius glanced at Dorcas, winked, and put a finger to his lips as he tucked back into his pocket.
A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed this short little oneshot that I came up with after football practice last week. This was obviously inspired by Harry's trick with the Felix Felicis in HBP. Good day.