Come one, come all to the much awaited Amortentia Chapter. SO sorry about the long wait. First rehearsals, then school started up, and then I started this whole Misfits thing, and... *shakes head* But I'm back, baby, and better than ever! Let the clichés begin!
"Amortentia? Really? At our level?"
"I know. I swear, I could make it in my sleep. But, hey, he's the teacher." Tom laughed heartily at this, slinging Meg's canvas bag over his shoulder as they made their way to Potions.
Meg tucked that away in her mind for later. She had been noticing him doing that sort of thing a lot lately. Just small things, mind you, but there had been many of them. Carrying her bag, pulling out her chair for her, letting her wear his coat when it was cold out, that sort of thing. She told herself it was just normal best friend behaviour, but somewhere, in the very back of her mind, she suspected – she hoped – that it was more than that.
"Is everything okay, love?"
Once again, it was Tom who brought her back to reality. It killed her a little every time he called her love... but of course, he didn't know that. "Hm?" Oh, Merlin, was I staring? "Oh, it's nothing. Just tired, I suppose."
"More nightmares?" he noted with evident concern.
"No. Not nightmares. Tired. Just tired. Erm... let's get going, or we'll be late to class."
Tom shrugged, not quite convinced, and they walked once more towards the dungeons. Once seated, they turned their attentions towards Slughorn.
"Now, class – can anyone tell me what this is?" He gestured at a small cauldron of a clear liquid. "Don't everyone answer at once."
Meg looked around. The only people with their hands raised were her and Tom. Tom, out of courtesy, lowered his.
The whole class stared at him, including Meg and Slughorn. Tom Riddle not answering a question in Potions? Wasn't that a sign of the Apocalypse?
"What?" Tom glared. "I thought I'd give Meg a chance to answer one, since clearly she's the only one of you who knows anything about potions." Most everyone looked away uncomfortably.
"Ahem," Slughorn cleared his throat. "Very well, then. Miss Lacroix, would you like to answer this one?"
"Yes, professor. That would be Amortentia. It creates the illusion of love. It is unique among potions because it's scent depends on the user. It smells like whatever the person smelling it finds attractive."
"Exactly right. Ten points for Slytherin. Now, I'd like all of you to form a line, and take turns smelling the potion, so we can see how the scent differs from person to person. Miss Lacroix... perhaps you would like to go first?"
"Sure, professor." Meg stepped up to the desk, inhaling the potion's fumes deeply. "Mm..." she sighed as the scent tickled her senses. "It smells... good. Like... ink, parchment, and... silver and some sort of... tweed fabric and... lavender."
From the back of the room, Tom was blushing profusely, due to the fact that he washed in lavender soap every day, and did, in fact, smell of it this very day. No, he thought. She doesn't feel the same way. She's seen what you are... what you've been. If anyone, she's the least likely to have feelings for me.
"Mr. Riddle," the teacher said several minutes later.
"Professor?"
"Everyone else has gone. Are you waiting for a formal invitation?"
"No, sir." And with that, he approached the cauldron. "I smell... what is that? Leather, and silk. A sort of... book smell. Like the library. And vanilla. Vanilla and mint."
Meg's face turned a brilliant scarlet. She used a vanilla body spray and mint toothpaste. But... No, she thought. He's perfect. Too perfect. That kind of thing just doesn't happen. Not to people like me. He deserves better. And with that, she shoved the thought into the back of her mind, where it belonged.
Aw, how tragic. Both pining after one another, and neither knows. Sound almost like Shakespeare, huh? Now, I just gotta figure out how this dilemma is going to resolve itself...
