Remus Lupin was many things. To his closest friends he was Moony, the witty bookworm with a Furry Little Problem. To his Professors, he was a bright mind with an even brighter future. But right now the only thing Remus Lupin was, was late.
He sprinted through the winding corridors of the dungeons, wheezing from the effort. He slowed as he approached his destination, trying to catch his breath. With a quick adjustment of his tie, he opened the door to the Potions classroom and walked in.
"Ah! Remus, my boy! How nice of you to join us!" Professor Slughorn greeted from his desk. Remus gave a sheepish wave and made towards the empty chair next to Sirius. "Not so fast, my boy," Slughorn said with a chuckle, waving his hand. "You've just volunteered yourself to be my helper for a moment. Come, come."
Remus re-shouldered his pack and headed towards the front of the room, where a simmering cauldron was emitting tiny puffs of spiraling steam. "Now, Remus, what can you tell me about Amortentia?" Slughorn asked. "It's the strongest love potion known to wizardkind, Sir," Remus responded promptly. "It smells different to everyone, according to what attracts them. Hector Dagworth-Granger, the founder of The Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers did extensive research to prove that despite its strength, Amortentia cannot create true love, it can only project and magnify feelings that already-" Slughorn raised his hand with a chuckle. "Very good, my boy. Very good. But I simply must stop you, or else I'll have to start paying you to do my job." Remus fidgeted nervously as he watched the Professor grab a ladle from his desk. Slughorn carefully brought the ladle closer to Remus. "So tell me, Remus. What do you smell?"
Remus leaned closer to the ladle and closed his eyes. "Hmmm... peppermint, like the candies my Mum used to make. The smell of the trees after a rainstorm, and old books, and-" Remus stopped himself from continuing, thinking 'Strawberries? But I don't like strawberries!'
"Very good, my boy!" Chortled Slughorn, interrupting his thoughts. "Now, if you'll kindly take a seat next to Mr. Black, we'll begin reading the instructions to brew Amortentia!" Remus sighed with relief, heading towards the open chair next to Sirius.
"Ah! Not that Mr. Black, Remus," Slughorn said, gesturing towards a chair on the opposite side of the room. Remus glanced in the direction he had gestured. "But Professor! He's a Slytherin!"
"Yes, well, so am I. Move along now lad, we've got a potion to brew!" Slughorn responded, turning back towards the cauldron and the chalkboard behind it. Remus headed towards the empty chair, looking furtively back towards his friends. Sirius gave a noncommittal shrug, and James grimaced slightly. 'Some help you lot are,' Remus thought to himself as he pulled out the chair.
He glanced at his brewing partner from under his mousy hair. "Hullo then. I'm Remus."
"I know," responded the Slytherin boy, extending his hand. "Percy Black, the pleasure is mine." Remus' eyebrows arched in surprise. "Any relation to Sirius?" He asked. Percy's response was a slight shrug. "Possibly. But then, all purebloods are related if you look closely enough."
The conversation lulled as the boys turned their attention towards Slughorn, who was just finishing his instruction.
"-and you'll know that you've completed the brewing process when the potion settles to a distinct mother-of-pearl sheen and is giving off spiraling tendrils of smoke. Feel free to ask if you have any questions. Now, hop too!"
Remus reached for the potions text on the bench in front of him, just as Percy did. Their hands brushed ever so slightly, and Remus was the first to yank his back, glancing at the boy next to him. "Sorry," he mumbled, reaching instead for his own book from his pack. As he leaned back up from fetching his book, he caught a whiff of something familiar. Leaning ever so slightly towards his desk mate, he tried very hard to be discrete as he sniffed the air. Percy glanced over at him with a coy smile on his face, as he fished something out of his pack. He drew back a small container and opened the lid, making very bold eye contact with Remus. "Strawberry?" He offered with a wink.