A/N: Welcome to yet more slash-o-rama, detailing Katie Bell's conquests over the hearts of adoring Hogwarts girls

A/N: Welcome to yet more slash-o-rama, detailing Katie Bell's conquests over the hearts of adoring Hogwarts girls. Beta-ing courtesy of Wotan. If girl-to-girl love isn't your scene, now is an appropriate time to stop reading.

Love in Excess 3: Desperate Remedies

"A romance repellant?" repeated Hermione. "Who're you trying to repel, exactly?"

Katie glanced away. "Does it matter?"

"I guess not." Hermione shrugged, but Katie could tell she was slightly hurt, possibly annoyed even, that Katie wouldn't share this piece of information.

"I would tell you, it's just kind of…different," Katie trailed off lamely.

"Whatever. It's your business, I suppose." Hermione fiddled with her spellbook, absent-mindedly flipping pages.

Taking a deep breath, Katie mumbled, "It's to repel this…this Hufflepuff named Laura."

"But Laura's a girl." Hermione stopped flipping pages and frowned at Katie. "And anti-romance potions would usually be used for - ooohh!" she broke off as understanding dawned.

"You have a problem with that?" demanded Katie, feeling defensive and cranky all of a sudden.

Hermione shook her head vigorously, wide eyes still on Katie.

"Great. So you know how to do this anti-romance potion?"

Hermione shook her head again, more slowly this time. "No. I'd have to look it up."

"Well, you're the research diva - how long will it take?"

"Katie," began Hermione in an exasperated voice, "I can't just look up something like that. Those kinds of potions are dangerous - I'd have to get a note from Snape giving me permission to use the Restricted Section."

"Well, could you at least do some background reading in the meantime? See how exact it is? Because the last thing I need is to have it backfiring and putting off everyone."

Hermione smiled. "Everyone? Are there so many girls in love with you, then?"

"You sound like Angelina," groaned Katie, sinking her head to the table.

"Angelina?" Hermione raised both eyebrows, then shrugged and said, "I probably don't want to know -"

"Hermione!" Katie interrupted, "Angelina is my friend!"

"Okay, okay, keep your voice down." Hermione glanced over at Madam Pince's desk.

"If you can't handle it -" began Katie hotly but Hermione shushed her, eyes still on the librarian.

"It's not that. Madam Pince will chuck us out for being too loud." She nodded over at the librarian, who gave them a rebuking glare but made no other punitive moves. Satisfied their position in the library appeared secure, Hermione turned again to Katie. "I'll see what I can find out. But I really can't think of any way to get Snape to write me a note."

"Does it have to be from him?"

Hermione considered. "I guess not. I did get one from, erm, Lockhart once," she admitted with a blush.

"Excellent." Katie slapped the table with both palms and stood up. "McGonagall loves you - ask her."

"No way. She'd ask what I wanted and she can always tell if you're lying."

"Lupin? You could say you need a Dark Arts book."

Hermione frowned. "I do need a Dark Arts book for this. But I don't want to ask him - I couldn't lie."

"You need to loosen up in the scruples department." Katie sighed and sat back down.

"It's your potion - why don't you get the note?" snapped Hermione. "You're a seventh-year, it's much easier for you to get permission."

"Because I don't know what I'm looking for."

"Well then," began Hermione, a lofty expression on her face, "hands-on research is the best way to learn. You get that permission note and then we'll talk." Smiling, she gathered up her things and pushed back her chair. "Coming to dinner?"

"Yeah." Katie stood up and together they walked back to Gryffindor tower.

**

Even though Katie was still far from completing her plan, she felt much calmer the rest of the evening, especially with the prospect of Hermione assisting her. She had a lot of homework to do and spent the time after dinner working companionably beside Alicia, with Angelina pulling up a third armchair in front of the fire. It felt just like old times.

Next morning, however, Katie felt a bit less certain about her plan. Hermione was the only person she could even imagine getting a note granting complete access to the Restricted section; typically you had to specify which book you wanted, and Katie had no idea.

As her morning lessons dragged by, Katie understood why Hermione didn't want to deceive Professor Lupin. Although he was her best bet, being the sort who didn't probe too deeply if he thought you had a legitimate reason for wanting a book, Katie couldn't bring herself to pretend with him. Oddly, her mind kept drifting to Snape. She wanted a potion, after all, and he did give her reasonably high marks, considering she wasn't in Slytherin. Still, Katie couldn't imagine Snape writing her a note; to her knowledge he'd never done anything a Gryffindor student requested.

"What's with you?" asked Angelina during the morning break. "We've got Transfiguration next - you'd better get your head out of the clouds for McGonagall."

"Sorry. Just worried about er, Potions," muttered Katie.

"We don't have a test today, do we?" Angelina began rifling through her bag in a panic.

"No. I just…I almost messed up last week and I don't want to do it again," said Katie, hoping Angelina's relief over no test would overshadow the lameness of her own excuse.

Following another abysmal Herbology lesson, however, Katie strengthened her resolve to ask Snape for the note.

"I'll catch you up in a minute," she said to Angelina and Alicia just before they set off from the greenhouse to the dungeons. Making quite certain Laura was gone, Katie waited for Cho to appear.

She didn't have to wait long. The sixth-year Ravenclaws could soon be seen topping the hill and Katie heard their chattering voices as the approached the greenhouse. She headed up the small slope and intercepted Cho, drawing her aside.

"Cho, I can explain about the other day," Katie said hurriedly. "About Laura, I mean."

Cho jerked away from her. "I saw what happened. What's to explain?"

Katie let out a short, irritated sigh. "I see you've already got the wrong idea."

Cho said nothing, merely gave Katie an impatient look.

"There's nothing going on with her. Honestly, that girl is causing more problems for me."

"What, with your other girlfriends?" demanded Cho coldly.

"No. I don't have any girlfriends." Katie scowled, then stood back and fixed her gaze on Cho. "There's only one person I'm interested in, and that person is you. I know you had a bad experience with Fleur but I don't work like that."

Cho crossed her arms and tossed back her hair in a challenging manner. "Prove it to me."

"I will! Trust me Cho, Laura is never going to bother me again. I'm going to make things very clear for her."

As Katie looked back at Cho, she could see she was relenting. "Well, I'll believe it when I see it," she muttered, but her small, pointed chin was no longer thrust out angrily at Katie and the beginnings of a pleased smile played at her mouth.

"You'll see it," promised Katie. Still unsure how friendly Cho was feeling towards her, Katie hesitated for a moment, then leaned closer and gave Cho a kiss. Her tentativeness vanished as Cho responded, but knowing how little time she had before Potions began, Katie pulled away ruefully and sprinted back to the castle.

Luckily Katie was an athletic girl; most people couldn't have covered the distance between the greenhouse and the castle - let alone run down two flights of stairs - on time. Katie plopped into her seat just moments before Snape swept into the classroom. She was still breathing hard and her face was flushed, but he seemed not to notice. Instead, his black eyes glittered with the kind of malice that sent a tremor of nervousness across the Gryffindor side of the room.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" he snapped, as if they should all have been able to divine his intentions immediately. "Partner up!"

"You two can work together," muttered Katie to Angelina and Alicia. Taking a deep breath, she volunteered to partner Warrington. Snape's eyebrows shot up for a moment, disappearing under his long, untidy hair, and he regarded Katie with a kind of knowingness.

"Miss Bell?" he inquired. "Any particular reason for this display of inter-house cooperation?"

"Well sir," began Katie as blandly as possible, "last time you had us work together I realised I learned a lot, and there's the practice NEWT papers coming up…" she shrugged and tried to look ingratiating. Her latest encounter with Cho had left her feeling unaccountably pleased, and gave her a temporary boost of confidence.

"Very well. See that you pull your own weight, however." With a final, probing look at the pair of them, Snape moved along to the next table.

Katie kept her head down, avoiding the baffled glances she knew Angelina and Alicia must be sending her. In fact, without even looking she knew Angelina was regarding her with a 'have you gone mad?' expression.

Today they were working on a tricky concoction: an enervating potion. She noticed that last time they'd done strengthening potions and before that, weakening. They'd been warned about adding ingredients out of order and ending up with the opposite potion instead, as Katie had almost done before.

"If we're doing enervating today, does that mean next lesson we're creating something that makes you hyperactive?" Katie heard Alicia wonder, and saw her cast an uneasy glance at Fred and George, working at the next table up.

Katie smiled to herself, and had to agree Alicia's concern was well-founded. The last thing any of them needed was Snape deciding to test their potion-making skills by having students consume the results of their work. Fortunately he seemed to have backed off that idea, at least with their group. The memory of the twins under the influence of a vocal potion remained fresh with everyone in their year, all of whom agreed the potion hadn't worn off fast enough.

After everyone else had cleared away at the end of the period, Katie approached her teacher. "Yes?" Snape looked up from the papers he was marking.

Now that she was actually face to face with him, Katie felt her nerve would fail. She'd never been so close to Snape, alone. His eyes were so dark and intense, reminiscent of a predator waiting for its prey to make a mistake.

Holding the image of Cho foremost in her mind, Katie took a deep breath and uttered her request. "Professor, I noticed we've been studying potions that have opposites: strengthening and weakening, for instance. I was wondering if you could recommend some more reading on such potions - what the connections are, what the fine differences are, that sort of thing." She knew she sounded nervous - she hadn't even breathed while speaking and it all came out in a rush.

Snape's eyes narrowed. "Why the sudden concern, Miss Bell?" He glanced down at his roster. "Your marks have been just fine. I can't imagine you're worried about your exams just yet." He folded his hands in a deliberate gesture on top of his desk and smiled at her. "Why would you want any extra reading?"

Still meeting his gaze, Katie replied, "Well, it is the NEWTs. And as you've told us, Potions isn't something you can cram for at the last minute."

Now he leaned back in his chair, still surveying her. "Very well, I have a recommendation for you. One moment, please." He took a blank parchment and began writing. "Here. You'll need to give this to Madam Pince. And I expect a two page summary of what you've learnt when you're done with it," he added, handing her the note.

"Thank you, sir." Katie didn't even dare to read the note, just clutched it in her hand and backed out of the dungeon, nodding to Snape.

"What is with you today?" Angelina's voice made Katie jump and turn round. Her two best friends were standing just outside the door, waiting for her.

"Since when do you suck up to Snape?" demanded Alicia.

Both girls stared at her incredulously. "Yeah, that's letting down the side, that is," said Angelina. "No self-respecting Gryffindor tries to get in with Snape. What's that?"

Seeing Angelina's eyes on the parchment, Katie tried to mix it in with her Potions notes. "Nothing."

"Let's see it." Angelina reached for the note.

"Don't! Come on, we'd better get going," urged Katie and began walking upstairs.

"What's in the note, Katie?" Alicia asked quietly.

Reaching the first landing, Katie stopped, turned and faced her friends. "It's a permission note from Snape for a Restricted book."

Even Angelina had nothing to say to this startling announcement, not immediately anyway. When she found her voice again, however, her words tumbled out: "Snape? Restricted section? What are you playing at, Katie?"

They had reached the main corridors again and Katie was grateful for the noise made by everyone else as she whispered, "I want to learn how to make an anti-romance potion."

"A what?" Angelina screwed up her face.

Alicia seemed to understand perfectly, however. "Who's it for?"

"Who do you think? That Hufflepuff who can't keep her hands to herself."

"But you could get in a lot of trouble," Alicia said, turning worried eyes to Katie. "You don't need to make something like that. I'm not jealous anymore, honest."

Looking down into Alicia's eyes, Katie realised with a mild shock that she was telling the truth. Her eyes were earnest and worried, and her lips were starting to settle into a firm line indicating her determination to prevent Katie from going through with it.

"Don't take this the wrong way," Alicia continued, "but I'm over you - really. I know I was angry with you before, but I thought about what you said to me that evening after the Quidditch match and you're right - we need to stick together as friends."

Given that Alicia was so convinced the potion was for her sake, Katie quickly decided against enlightening her on the larger motivation. Instead she said, "I'm glad you feel that way."

"So you won't do it?" Alicia walked quickly to keep up with Katie's longer strides.

"I still have to take out the book now he's given me this note," sighed Katie. "Told me I have to write a summary."

"I hope that teaches you not to ask Snape for anything," Angelina said. "What got into you, thinking some Dark Arts potion is the perfect solution? It's just a stupid crush - she'll get over it."

**

But Katie wasn't so convinced Laura would have a change of heart any time soon. Besides, she'd promised Cho to put an end to any further Laura entanglements, and a potion seemed the quickest - and most direct - way to do it. She was doing Laura a favour, really. There was no way Katie even wanted to be her friend at this point, let alone girlfriend, so the sooner Laura lost interest the better.

After dinner, Katie entered the library and presented her note to Madam Pince. The librarian seized the parchment, read it over twice, then inspected Katie with suspicious eyes. "Well, if it's from Severus Snape you must be serious," she finally said, and marched Katie over to the appropriate shelf. "Here you go." She handed her a very large, very old and very dusty book. It was so heavy, in fact, that Katie staggered under the weight of it. Trust Snape to assign her a book that required swallowing a strength potion just to carry it.

Nonetheless, the sheer volume of the book made it that much more likely she'd find the kind of potion she wanted. Settling herself at an empty table, Katie opened to the contents and began to read.

"Ooohhh, what's that?" Hermione Granger had spotted Katie in the library and was now casting envious glances at the leather-bound tome.

"Have a seat." Katie gestured to the chair across from her and Hermione promptly sat down.

"I can't believe you got the note already. Don't even tell me how you did it."

Without looking up, Katie said one word: "Snape."

"What?" Hermione was so shocked she forgot to whisper. Flinching at the loud tut-tut she received from Madam Pince, Hermione lowered her voice and leaned across the table. "What'd he give you?"

Katie hoisted the book's spine up with difficulty. Exhaustively Complete Potions: Theory and Method it read.

"What have you found?" asked Hermione, now craning her neck and trying to read upside down.

"I just started. So far I'm on the table of contents."

Hermione pushed back her chair and came to stand behind Katie, reading over her shoulder. "Hmm, Theory of oppositionals, that sounds promising. Or how about theoretical background of -"

"Maybe you should just take a look, " sighed Katie and slid to one side.

Hermione eagerly sat down and ran a finger along the entries. She flipped the thick, dusty pages until over half-way through the volume, then found what she was looking for.

"What're you reading?" Katie asked, wondering how she was going to read all this, let alone fit her summary into two pages.

"Love and Romance," Hermione whispered, eyes zipping across the pages.

"I don't want a love potion. I want an out-of-love one."

"I know. They're all in the same section." Hermione fell silent and Katie waited patiently while she read. So much for hands-on research. Reading obscure books was how Hermione partied, Katie decided as she watched her.

"Oh no," Hermione murmured under her breath. Katie sat up.

"What? What's 'oh no'?"

Hermione partly closed the book and turned to look at Katie. "I hate to say this, but I don't think there's a potion that will do what you want."

"What? That's impossible. You just haven't read enough. Let me see that," urged Katie, reaching for the book.

"It says very clearly in the theory section," began Hermione, shaking her head.

"There are thousands of potions in there - don't tell me there's not an anti-romance one."

"Well, there isn't," snapped Hermione, pulling the book from Katie's grasp. "That's the problem with love spells - most of them have no antidote."

"But I don't want an antidote. I just want something to make her fall out of love."

"Maybe you should try a spell."

Katie sat back. "A spell?"

"Yes. Read this part." Hermione opened the book again and shoved it over to Katie.

She skimmed the pages, which were all devoted to the theory behind the potions, and her eyes fell on the section to which Hermione referred. Nothing she didn't already know – love potions were ingested, effects were usually permanent, taking multiple love potions together could result in a fatal interaction of the two substances. Then, her eyes fell on the part Hermione must have just read – success in countering love potions had occurred in limited instances by using spellwork.

"I suppose the spellbook I'd need is also restricted," sighed Katie, looking over at Hermione.

"Maybe." Hermione cast an eye over at the Restricted shelves before returning her gaze to Katie. "I really don't think you should do this."

"Did I ask for your opinion?"

"No, but you asked for my help." Hermione flushed slightly and her eyes became stormier. "These things can be permanent, Katie. I know everyone thinks, 'oh, a love potion will solve all my problems', but everything I've ever heard - or read - about them says in no uncertain terms that they're dangerous. And anti-love potions or spells are just as bad."

Katie rolled her eyes. "They're just trying to scare us off. Look, what's the point of being a witch if you can't use magic to solve a little problem?"

"Just talk to her and explain. You don't need to use magic." Hermione's voice became less angry and more pleading. "Like I said, this could be permanent. I know you don't think you like her now, but what if your feelings change? Maybe you'll fall in love later and never be able to be together because of some stupid thing you did at age seventeen!"

"I'm willing to take my chances."

"But you can't know for certain, " persisted Hermione. "Mrs Weasley told me when she was at school Mr Weasley used to sit behind her in class and hit her with a rolled-up Daily Prophet to get her attention. She used to think he was really annoying, but then her feelings changed…what if yours do, too?"

Katie stood up and closed the book. Leaning her hands on the book's cover, she said, "They won't change. If you don't want to help me, you certainly don't have to - just let me do what I want." Being taller than Hermione, Katie was able to look down at her in an imposing manner.

Hermione, however, did not appear intimidated. Rising, she faced Katie and said, "Will you at least think about what I said before you do anything?"

"Fine," snapped Katie. "I'll think about it." She hoisted up the book and stalked away. Hermione's help would have been nice, but it certainly wasn't essential.

**

Re-reading the book late that night in bed, Katie noticed that Hermione hadn't been quite right. Reading beyond the theory section, Katie learned the book said only that love and anti-love potions couldn't be taken together, leading her to hope once again there might be a something to suit her needs. Scanning the pages that followed, she sifted through love potions, passion restoratives, and aphrodisiacs until coming to the potions designed to make people fall out of love.

CAUTION: DO NOT CONSUME AFTER INGESTING ANY VARIETY OF LOVE POTION read the large caption at the start of the section, and in a moment the letters began to blink and a high-pitched shriek sounded. Katie quickly turned the page and held the book under her pillows. She waited for a moment to see if anyone had heard, but Angelina merely tossed in her sleep.

Katie read more carefully now. What she needed was an Indifference potion, she decided. There was an entry, but it merely directed her to the Jealousy section. Laboriously flipping back to the J entries, Katie finally located the directions, after first being sidetracked reading about a class reunion jealousy potion - guaranteed to make former classmates jealous of your figure, your marriage and your career.

The Indifference potion was remarkably simple, at least in terms of ingredients. Brewing the potion, however, required complete accuracy. Not measuring out the exact weight of each powder could result in a hostility brew, for example. Katie sat back against her pillows and wondered when she would have the time and privacy to devote herself to this potion.

Reading the list of ingredients again, Katie realised she had everything she needed to make it. Why not do it now? She slipped out of bed, crept to her trunk and removed her Potions kit, then tiptoed to the girls' bathroom. It was the middle of the night and even Hermione Granger was bound to be sleeping rather than studying, giving Katie complete privacy.

Katie arranged her materials, set the enormous book on the ledge by the sinks, and read over the instructions once again. Satisfied she knew what to do, she measured out her ingredients, double-checking every step to ensure accuracy. Once she'd combined all the ingredients, Katie set her timer for the exact simmering duration and waited.

The ways of love are often misconstrued

Once magical workings are set in motion.

But heed well the making of this potion

And the strongest passion will be subdued.

Katie re-read the last lines again with a sense of relief. Assuming she made the thing correctly, this potion appeared to guarantee even someone as persistent as Laura would become indifferent around her. The timer chimed, and Katie removed the potion from the flame. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, then at the glass beaker in her hand, containing bright pink potion. She waited until it had cooled, then - taking a final, deep breath - Katie lifted the solution to her mouth and swallowed it.

"Bleh!" Katie hastily ran water and drank from the tap. The liquid had a bitter taste; somehow, she'd expected something so brightly pink to taste sweet, like cherry or strawberry.

"Who cares what it tastes like, as long as it works," Katie said to her reflection. She brushed her teeth again to completely clear the taste from her mouth, gathered up her kit and returned silently to her room.

**

Katie could hardly contain herself the next day. Although tired from lack of sleep, she was so nervous and excited about discovering if the potion had worked - or if she'd accidentally made Laura hate her - she could hardly wait until Herbology.

"Hi, Katie," purred Laura as she approached the greenhouse.

"Hi, Laura," returned Katie. Maybe she needed to be closer to her for the effects to be seen. She slowed as she walked right past Laura, eagerly anticipating seeing the other girl recoil, or just walk away indifferently.

Neither reaction occurred. In fact, Laura showed no sign of indifference at all. Katie's mood plummeted from anticipation to despair. The stupid potion hadn't had any effect. Feeling thankful that at least she hadn't gone wrong and created a hostility potion, Katie decided she had no choice but to follow Hermione's suggestion and actually talk to Laura.

After the lesson was over, she took Laura aside and said, "We need to talk."

"About time." Laura smiled, but her smile quickly faded once Katie explained herself.

Watching the other girl's face, Katie didn't feel nearly as relieved as she had imagined, and wished again her potion had worked so that she wouldn't have had to be so blunt.

"Is there someone else?" asked Laura suspiciously, and Katie couldn't help noticing Ravenclaw coming over the hill. Laura noticed her roaming attention and snapped, "It's Cho Chang, isn't it? Fine. Knock yourself out trying to get her attention." She stormed off just as Cho swept past them.

"Hey, Cho!" Katie called out gently and caught at her sleeve. Pulling her over to a secluded area of bushes, she rested her hands on Cho's shoulders and kissed her.

For a moment Cho kissed back, but for only a moment. Breaking away from Katie's grasp, she stared with an expression of both horror and bafflement. "What's going on?" she gasped.

Katie's grin flickered for a moment. "I just told Laura I'm not interested. Wasn't quite how I'd planned, but -"

"No," cut in Cho, hand creeping to her mouth, "It's you. I - I don't feel anything towards you. Just a moment ago I did, but when you kissed me -" she stopped talking again and backed away from Katie as if she were possessed.

Panic rose up in Katie. "What do you mean?" she asked, knowing in advance what the answer would be.

"Just as I said - there's nothing there. I want there to be, but it just feels…wrong," whispered Cho. "What's going on? Did Laura do something to you?"

Katie grasped at a nearby tree branch for support, feeling on the verge of collapse. Everything was getting very dark at the edges, she couldn't focus and she suddenly felt overheated as the full import of what she'd done sank in. The potion had worked, all right - but it had affected Cho instead of Laura.