A/N: Yes, yes, I know its been almost a year! Please don't hold that against me! This is a shorter chapter - its been getting me stuck with writer's block at every turn, and I've rewritten it several times. But I've finally broken through, and hopefully I'll have the next chapter done a lot quicker! (Disclaimer in Chapter 1)

Chapter 21 – Amans Celia

"Madam Pomfrey!" Ginny called, guiding Harry into the Hospital Wing. He had been feeling worse and worse all the way up, and was now leaning heavily on her side as she helped him to lay down in a bed near the door. Madam Pomfrey rushed over from her office.

"What's the matter, Miss Weasley?" She asked quickly.

"He complained about something feeling weird in the Great Hall. Apparently, his pumpkin juice tasted off, and then his stomach started feeling fluttery. As we came up here he struggled more and more to walk himself, to the point where I was practically carrying him." Ginny informed the Matron. She looked pointedly at her. "I think it has something to do with your last discovery."

Madam Pomfrey's eyes widened slightly, before she cast a silencing charm around them to prevent the other patients hearing what they had to say. "How do you think it is related, Ginny?" She asked.

"We've been suspicious of Dumbledore for a while – we already know he hasn't told us everything he knows about the bond, and we think he might be trying to split us up. We were warned by some – friends – over the summer that he might try a love potion. Apparently, they won't work properly on us, but I guess it could still affect us in some way." Ginny said, as Harry groaned slightly on the bed.

"Right. We'll start looking there then. Are you OK, Ginny, no adverse affects in yourself?"

"Not so far, although I am starting to feel a bit weaker." Ginny said, worry on her face for Harry.

Madam Pomfrey turned to Harry, and started casting diagnostic spells. A few minutes later, she poured a potion down his throat and cast another spell, which seemed to calm him down some. Ginny meanwhile, took a seat next to his bed and held his closest hand between both of hers.

"Ginny, I think you're right. Someone has attempted to slip him a love potion. Something has stopped it from working, although I don't know what, and I'm not going to ask. However, the foreign potion is still in his system, and his magic is protesting against it. I believe the fluttery feeling is due to the nature of the potion – it is designed to instil effects similar to that of a crush or fancy for another person. However, it seems your bond overcomes this, and directs most of the feelings towards yourself."

"So why is he so weak?" Ginny asked, looking up from where she was lovingly stroking Harry's cheek.

"It seems that his magic is working against the potion, and trying to get it out of his system as quickly as possible. In doing so, his magic is weakening himself. I think this is why you are feeling weak as well – he is trying to draw excess magic from his bond-mate – albeit subconsciously. The potion I gave him should stabilise him enough that he stops fighting the effects head on, and the spell transferred a little of my untapped magic into him, so that he doesn't draw solely from you. Otherwise, you could have fallen unconscious as well as he tried to accidentally pull too much from you into himself. He should sleep for a while now, then when he wakes the potion should have run its course. I suggest you lie down with him, as you are weak as well and he will need your comfort and reassurance when he awakens. I will pull a privacy curtain around you." Madam Pomfrey finished, moving over to the curtain beside the bed.

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey. Unfortunately, I don't think the Headmaster will stop at this. Next time he'll probably try a stronger potion – he doesn't much appreciate having his plans ruined." Ginny replied thankfully as she crawled under the covers beside Harry, curling into his side as she lay her head on his shoulder.

"I understand, but unfortunately there is not much we can do about it. We don't want to let onto him how much we know. He'll probably suspect a bit after you left the hall this evening, but not much could be done about that. If he asks, I will report it as Harry just eating something that didn't agree with him, and you insisting he come up to see me. After all, we know that without you giving him that push he would have just remained there, causing who knows how much damage to his body and magic." Madam Pomfrey said, as she pulled the curtain closed.

"I must go and check on my other patients now, but just call me if you need anything." She said. "Try and relax, and regain your strength – Harry will need your reassurance when he awakes. I'll prevent visitors until you're both awake and recovered." Madam Pomfrey said kindly, as she slipped out through the curtain.

'What luck.' Ginny thought to herself as she drifted off to sleep. 'Why do we always end up in the Hospital Wing?'

"What went wrong?" Dumbledore muttered to himself as he observed Ginny leading Harry from the Great Hall. Quite clearly, Harry had been somewhat affected, but not how Dumbledore had expected.

'Clearly, something must be blocking the effects of the potion'. Dumbledore thought to himself. 'I'll have to try a much stronger potion next time. But what could it be that was blocking this one? Harry should not have been able to fight this off - he's definitely not powerful, or experienced, enough'.

Unseen to him, Minerva McGonagall had spotted his frown as the pair of students had made their way from the hall. She frowned briefly as well, but quickly wiped the expression from her face, returning to her usual stoic look before either the students or staff noticed anything amiss. It would not do for the Headmaster to find out what she already knew, and now suspected. She would speak to Poppy later - the young couple were undoubtably on their way to the infirmary at that moment.

A short while later, Professor McGonagall entered the infirmary with the intention of speaking to Madam Pomfrey. She glanced around, and saw that the Hospital Wing was unnaturally empty. She headed over to the one bed with curtains drawn around it, and as she entered, Harry groggily opened his eyes.

"Harry!" Ginny said excitedly from the chair at his bedside. She leant over him and planted a quick kiss on his lips.

"Mmm, what a wonderful way to wake up." Harry commented. They were both clearly oblivious to the fact that Professor McGonagall was present. She cleared her throat before anything was said or done that she didn't want to know about.

The effect was immediate. Harry glanced over at her, saw who she was and immediately dropped his head back to his pillow, closing his eyes with a groan. "Did I really just say that in front of a teacher?" He asked rhetorically.

Ginny, who had spun round with a blush starting to form on her cheeks at seeing the identity of their unknown audience, turned back to him and giggled, responding "yes dear, you did." She patted his cheek slightly patronisingly.

'Well I came here to ask Poppy about them'. McGonagall thought to herself. 'I guess there's no harm seeing what the Potters know and think at the same time'.

Addressing the young couple, she said, "Harry, Ginny, I'm just going to get Madam Pomfrey, then I'll want to talk to you both briefly."

"No need Professor, I'm here." Madam Pomfrey said brusquely, bustling over to Harry's side. "You're looking better young man. How are you feeling - any unexpected side-effects?" She asked.

"None Madam Pomfrey. I feel normal again." Harry replied, still slightly embarrassed.

"No overwhelming desire to seek out anyone immediately?" She asked bluntly.

"Not as far as I can tell, but then there wasn't to begin with anyway."

"No? That's interesting. A potion that strong should have caused at least some effect." Madam Pomfrey commented, curiously.

"Excuse me, Madam Pomfrey. I hate to interrupt but do you know what potion Mr Potter was put under?" Professor McGonagall asked, feeling she was missing half the story.

"It appears Mr Potter recently ingested a substantial amount of the Amans Celia potion. Miss Weasley mentioned something about your pumpkin juice?"

"That was when I started noticing the effects. Just after drinking some, I felt sort of queasy, not ill, but not in a good way either."

"Was it a feeling you'd experienced before though?" Madam Pomfrey persisted.

"Yes, but only..." Harry trailed off, remembering who was in the room, and glanced at Ginny.

"You can tell us Mr Potter. We already know your big secret, and nobody else is here. Neither of us will judge you." Madam Pomfrey reassured him.

"Please Harry. It might help." Ginny cajoled, a worried look on her face. The expression on her face, more than anything, caused Harry to cave in, and talk. He didn't like seeing her worried.

"OK. I've felt it before, but only when I'm thinking about Ginny." He muttered, blushing. Ginny's cheeks turned almost as red as her hair. Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall shared a glance, but neither made a comment - the pair were married, after all.

"Do you remember anything after that?"

Harry continued watching Ginny, seemingly mesmerised by her blush as she looked at her lap, but answered all the same. "The feeling changed to just pain in my stomach, and then head as well. I told Ginny and we came straight here. I don't remember anything past the door of the infirmary."

Ginny spoke up at this point. "That's where you pretty much passed out. I managed to manoeuvre you over here, just as Madam Pomfrey arrived." She informed him.

"So what was the potion doing to Mr Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked. "My Latin is not what it used to be." Harry and Ginny also looked interested.

"Amans Celia literally translates to Lover's Brew." Madam Pomfrey informed them. "It is a mild love potion, which when used in the proper dosage causes mere infatuation with the target. An overdose will cause similar symptoms to what you just experienced, but would have more ill effects - my spells would not have helped you recover completely this quickly."

Harry and Ginny looked angry. "Do you know who might have given you this?" Professor McGonagall asked tentatively.

"Dumbledore." Ginny almost growled. "We already knew he's trying to keep us apart, now he's trying to influence Harry away from me. We were warned that he might attempt something like this." Harry pulled her into a calming hug.

"But Dumbledore wouldn't overdose me. He wants me away from you, but I still need to be capable, just under his control." Harry commented bitterly.

"I believe I can explain that." Madam Pomfrey said. "I think he gave you the correct dose, but with no target. The potion was designed to make you experience the feelings you have for Ginny, but for everyone in the school. He probably expected that once you realised your feelings for her were no different than those for anyone else, you'd break up with her.

"I also have a theory for why you're not experiencing the symptoms I expected. Ginny mentioned something about love potions not working properly on you. I believe this diluted the potion even more, but as it remained in your body you still fought it in some way, in an attempt to remove it from your system as quickly as possible. You drew on not only your magic, but Ginny's as well, through your bond. However, as the potion was already diluted, both through having no particular target and from the protection on you, the amount of magic required to fight it was not nearly as much as normal, meaning you only remained unconscious for an hour or so, rather than several days."

"So I'm fine now?" Harry asked.

"It appears so, but I'd like to keep an eye on you for a bit longer. You should be able to leave in the next hour or so."

Harry groaned and flopped back against the bed, whilst Ginny laughed at him, and the two adults stifled their grins – even Madam Pomfrey knew how little students liked being stuck in the infirmary.

The first weekend in December brought with it the next Hogsmeade visit. Being in Scotland, it had started snowing just a few days earlier, and so there was a fresh layer of snow across the cobbled path out the main gates of Hogwarts as Harry and Ginny watched the horseless carriages carry their classmates off to the village.

They were just arriving back at the castle when Ginny suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, when he realised he'd walked on a few steps without her by his side.

"I've just thought –" Ginny said, before catching herself. She moved next to him and whispered, "I can't tell you here, let's move away from the castle a bit."

The pair found a secluded corner tucked away between a tree and wall of the castle, where Ginny explained her idea.

"Fred and George mentioned something about your map showing passageways out of Hogwarts to Hogsmeade. I think they said most were blocked up, but maybe one will be clear and let us visit the village after all."

"Great idea! Let's see…. I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Harry said, tapping his wand on the piece of parchment he'd just fished out from his pocket.

"It looks like this passage is closest to us." Ginny commented as she studied the map, pointing at one tunnel that started near their current location on the grounds. However, as they turned the corner towards it, they realised this must be one of the blocked passages.

"There's no way we're getting in there – the Whomping Willow is planted right over it." Harry said dismally, as he couldn't help but remember what that particular tree had done to his broomstick. He looked back at the map. "Maybe this passage on the third floor will do the trick – I don't think the second floor one will be worth it, even the map is showing a cave-in."

They quickly made their way up to the third floor, and arrived at a statue of a hump-backed one-eyed witch. "But where's the passage?" Ginny muttered to herself, looking at the map again. Suddenly, a speech bubble formed next to her marker with the word Dissendium. Speaking the activation phrase, she and Harry watched for any clue as to where the passage was opening, but nothing happened.

"It looks like your ink marker on the map is tapping something against the witch." Harry observed, watching the map.

Ginny gasped, and pulling her wand out, tapped it against the back of the witch, whilst saying "Dissendium!" Immediately, the hump opened just large enough for them to climb in, and sealed itself behind them. "Lumos." Ginny commented into the darkness, her wand tip flaring with a small white light allowing them both to see.

"Onwards, I guess." Harry commented, as he lit his own wand and set of down the tunnel, leading the way to Hogsmeade.