For the Amortentia Challenge on the Bellatrix Forums. 498 words.
Doubtful Self Control
Horace Slughorn, Potions Master at Hogwarts School at Witchcraft and Wizardry, sat by his study's fireplace, musing over the classes he had the next day. First Years, Third Years, Sixth Years…oh and the Advanced Potions class, of course. What would he teach them to brew this time? Randomly selecting a volume from the stack in front of him, he flipped to a random page and started to read the ingredients stated there.
"A vial of Unicorn tears." "Six Rose petals. Seven crushed berries of mistletoe. A half cup of dissolved rubies and star sapphires. The juice of a white pomegranate."
Ah. Amortentia. The most powerful love potion ever known to man.
Well, why not? It was high time they learnt to brew it. One never knew; it might even come in handy for one or two of them some day.
A knock on his door suddenly broke his concentration. Laying the book aside, he called "Come in!", struggling to his feet as Minerva McGonagall looked in.
"Ah, Minerva. What an unexpected pleasure. Come in, please. Have a seat. Crystallised pineapple?"
"No, Horace, thank you. I actually came down on Dumbledore's orders."
"Oh…What does Albus want from me this time?"
"He wants your House's Hogsmeade permission slips. Do you have them all in?"
"Oh! Yes, of course. Let me just find them." Slughorn got up and started rummaging around in the clutter on his desk, accidentally knocking the textbook off as he did so. McGonagall stooped to pick it up for him, pausing as she caught sight of the page he had been perusing.
"Amortentia, Horace? Really?"
"Yes. For the Advanced Potions class, of course. It's high time they learned to brew it."
"But isn't – Forgive me, but don't you have Narcissa Black in that class? And Lucius Malfoy?"
"Yes. What of it?"
"Well…the poor girl's going to have to pretend that her potion doesn't smell like his hair oil; with the boy standing across the room from her. She's only fifteen. You can't ask that of her."
"Minerva, obvious crush on Lucius Malfoy aside, Narcissa is a Black. She's been trained to hide her emotions from the cradle. She will do it, no matter what it costs her. Trust me. I have great faith in her." Slughorn answered as he handed his colleague the requested forms
"I wish I could agree, Horace, but love makes people do the strangest of things, whether they are Blacks or Muggleborns." McGonagall replied, half-sighing as she laid the book back on his desk and went to the door. "I must get these forms to Albus before it gets too late. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Minerva. And thank you for the advice. I will let you know how young Narcissa fares tomorrow."
"Do please. I'll be interested." McGonagall nodded crisply and then went out, shutting the door behind her. Making a couple of notes on the nearest scrap of parchment, Slughorn reached for another piece of pineapple and turned his attention to the first years.
AN: So, note of explanation. Since Snape told Harry to say that he was coming for Remedial Potions instead of Occlumency in Book 5, I figured they must also have Advanced Potions. And it strikes me as Narcissa's strength, Potions. So, she's a Fifth Year, taking Advacned Potions with a number of Sixth and Seventh including Lucius Malfoy, for whom she is harbouring a rather obvious crush. And that's why McGonagall is warning Slughorn against teaching Amortentia. Hope you enjoyed and please review.