Caveat Emptor

Rating K+

Summary: A dialogue between Tonks and Slughorn, concerning a purchase she made from him.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter world or its characters, J. K. Rowling does.

"It's not working," Tonks said.

"It is," replied Slughorn.

"How can you say that? He's resisting it."

"He is not. He's in love with you, just as I said he would be."

"That's not true. He rejects me."

"That doesn't mean he doesn't love you, nor that the potion isn't working."

"You're not making sense. You assured me the fortified potion would overcome all resistance."

"I did, and it does. It overcomes not only indifference, but outright dislike……"

"So what, the standard Amortentia does that."

"And the fortified version also overcomes the fact that he is homosexual and you are a woman. It sets aside all considerations of gender, orientation, and even species. It can make a girl fall in love with her grandmother, or an old man with a goat. In fact I recall just such an incidence……"

"I don't want to hear your ridiculous stories right now, thanks. I want to hear why this potion that I paid good money for doesn't work."

"If you are dissatisfied with my potion, I shall not be offended if you take your custom to Zonko's or the Weasleys."

"You know I can't do that. They can only supply the standard potions, not the illegal stuff. Why won't you give me a straight answer?"

"Very well. The potion is working, in so far as it has made him fall in love with you, against his own inclinations. Why it doesn't appear to be working is because it cannot overcome nobility of soul."

"What do you mean?"

"He rejects you only for your own safety, to protect you from himself and from those who would target you if it were known that he loved you."

"But I don't want him to protect me! I can look after myself, I don't care that he's a werewolf! I don't care about any of that!"

"Perhaps you should care."

"Spare me the lecture. I didn't come here to be preached at. Are you going to give me an effective potion or not?"

"Increasing the concentration of the potion could be dangerous. It could have toxic side-effects."

"I don't……"

"You don't care?" Slughorn smiled slyly.

"Of course I care. But it would only be once. That wouldn't be too dangerous, would it? Please, I'll give you anything, whatever the going rate is, I'll double it."

"I see. An offer I can't refuse. Very well. Just one dose."

-oo000oo-

"Ah, Miss Tonks. From the un-funereal aspect of your hair, I surmise the concentrated potion had the desired effect?"

"Yes. Thanks. But nothing's happened yet, because he's such a damned gentleman. Got to wait until after the wedding, because he loves me too much, he says."

"I really don't think I need to hear all the intimate details, thank you. Have you decided when the happy day is to be?"

"First of October. And that's what I need to talk to you about. I'm going to need one more dose, just to keep things on the boil until then."

"And afterwards? More and more doses, until he is poisoned? I'm not comfortable with this."

"No, but you're comfortable taking my gold, aren't you? Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. It's just the one more dose I need. After the wedding, he'll know how much I love him, and how good I am for him, and how happy I can make him, and he'll fall in love with me for real, and I won't need any more potion. Once more, that's all I'm asking."

"So, you give me six Galleons, I give you some super-concentrated fortified Amortentia, and we're both happy?"

"We're all three happy."

"I hope so, Miss Tonks, I do hope so."