The Amazing Thing About: Friendship. Chapter twenty.
Can you make a love potion? -F
What?!
Not a strong one or anything dangerous. -G
I guess. Why?
Valentine's day is coming up. -F
You guys can't get a girl without the use of a love potion?
We want to sell them! Girl's go crazy for that stuff this time of year. -F
So you want me to make you a love potion so you can make money from lonely, desperate girls?
Exactly! -G
You two are vultures.
It had been a few weeks since Eliza had confessed that she was worried that her past was going to be stuck with her forever. Luckily the twins had dropped the subject looking completely lost as to what to say or do. During their meetings they didn't bring it up and it took a huge weight off of her shoulders. It helped her concentrate. She did notice a big jump in accuracy with her spells after that night. Maybe there was something to being more open and honest.
The relationship with Hermione, Ron, and Harry seemed to unravel as time wore on. Mostly between Ron and Hermione. The latest news was that Ron believed her cat had eaten his rat. Hermione vehemently denied it to be true but there was no convincing Ron of that. "You better watch Rikki. He could be next!" He'd said to Eliza who'd frowned. Crookshanks didn't appear at all interested in her ferret.
Fred and George teased their brother about the loss of his pet which didn't help matters any. His mood was atrocious until Harry mentioned letting him have a go on his newly returned Firebolt after quidditch practice. Eliza had wanted to come along and watch but there was no amount of Kelly's doe-eyed flirting that would convince Wood to allow any Ravenclaws near the pitch.
Their relationship had developed since their first time attending the Gryffindor practice. When Kelly wasn't hanging out with their friends, she could be found with Oliver. The Gryffindor captain had a rather serious demeanor but to see him with Kelly one would never know it. It seemed she brought out a soft side of him that the twins brought up any time they had the chance. It was rather cute to watch Oliver's face redden at the very mention of her.
Though she'd initially declined to make anything close to a love potion for the twins, Lee had talked her into it. It had taken quite a bit of work on his part and she'd caved just so he'd stop asking. Fred and George were absent for a while as Wood had the team practicing five nights a week. She'd taken up experimenting with different formulas while they were busy. She didn't want to create a brew strong enough to cause any damage. One just strong enough to create a sense of warmth and friendliness towards the person who gave it to them.
With the twins busy and practicing alone growing boring she decided to pop in at the dueling club. Victor had invited her after all and they'd become rather good friends since their 'not date' so what was the harm? He looked pleasantly surprised when she stopped by and introduced her to the few younger students in attendance. Eliza insisted on watching from the side for a while and she was impressed with how talented some of them were for their age.
Victor tried to have her go up against a third-year girl who looked far too excited at the prospect of dueling an upperclassman. Eliza soon discovered it was because she was raw talent and was disarming Eliza within seconds causing her to curl over with laughter before congratulating the girl. "Truly a champion in the making." Eliza said as the girl beamed proudly.
The girl gave her pointers on her stance and Victor laughed along when Eliza created her own stance, a ridiculous pose with one foot tucked up against the opposite thigh and one hand on her hip, elbow jutting out to the side. Her wand arm was stuck up in the air, wrist bent downwards. The younger students laughed and she pretended to be confused and offended. "What? Why are you laughing? This is how the professionals do it."
"Sorry for being a nuisance." Eliza said after most of the students had left. Victor shook his head with a chuckle. "Not at all. They loved you." He said as they sat on the edge of the long platform. "I thought Holly was planning to ask you to replace me." He grinned referring to the third-year girl. Eliza waved her hands in front of her. "Pffft! I can't even duel." She said.
"True but you're fun." He said and there was something in the way he looked at her that made her feel like he was toeing the friendship line. It didn't happen often but on occasion when they were hanging out he would slip some sort of reminder to her that he was still interested. Sometimes it was a lingering look or a brief touch on her arm or back. He wasn't pushy but he wasn't exactly subtle either.
"So how do you think we're gonna do against Gryffindor?" Eliza change the subject to quidditch and Victor followed along. "Not sure. Cho is a good seeker She might have given Harry a run for his money but that new broom of his is something else." He said. The way everyone had surrounded the Gryffindor table when Harry presented it in the great hall had been insane. She'd had to get up so as not to be squished between all the students trying to get a look at the Firebolt.
At the mention of Cho Eliza recalled seeing the girl hanging out with Victor and his friends now and again. She was incredibly pretty and had a laugh like a tinkling bell. "She's a fourth-year isn't she?" Eliza asked. He nodded and she cracked a grin. "You two get along well." She hinted wondering if the girl had caught his eye. If so she would be very happy for him. However, he shook his head and gave her a look as if to tell her he knew what she was implying.
"She's all about Diggory. Pretty sure he's got eyes for too." He said.
"Shame. Hannah's gonna be heartbroken. She's been eyeing him for months." For some reason her friend still hadn't approached Cedric. It honestly flabbergasted Eliza how one boy in the school made Hannah lose all her nerve. "I know what that's like." Victor smirked and she rolled her eyes at him. "Doesn't the pining thing ever get old?" She teased.
Victor placed a hand on his chest as if offended. "I like to think of it as brooding."
"Well, all this talk of who likes who is making me queasy and it's time for lunch." Eliza stood and they left the room together.
"You brought it up."
"Technically YOU brought it up with those eyes." Eliza said to let him know he wasn't fooling her for a moment.
"Oh? You like my eyes?"
"They are pretty. There's a reason girls swoon over you left and right."
Eliza placed the back of her hand against her forehead and swayed on her feet. "Oh, Victor Duponte. What a dreamboat." She mocked. He shoved her playfully and laughed. "No one does that."
"Close enough." She snickered looking back at him. Eliza became distracted by his expression as his smile disappeared. She was preparing to ask him what was wrong when he reached for her arm and pulled her to the side. "Wha-" His eyes were on something behind her and she turned to see a pretty girl with luscious curly blonde hair hurry by. She ducked her head as she passed and Eliza felt bad. If Victor hadn't moved her she would knocked right into the girl "Sorry!" She called after her but the girl didn't look back.
Victor placed his hand on her lower back to prompt her to move. "C'mon. I'm hungry." He said but his earlier playfulness was missing. The sudden change in his demeanor made her question what had just happened. She'd never seen him act unfriendly towards anyone. Even if he didn't particularly enjoy someone's presence he still veiled it with a polite attitude. "What was that?" She asked as they joined their friends at the Ravenclaw table. When he refused to answer she gaped at him. "Was that your ex?" She put two and two together.
Victor gave a small nod and Eliza blinked at him several times. "I swear if you get me hexed, cursed, or jinxed I'm going to set your beautiful hair on fire." She said.
"Wait. Who's hexing Eliza?" Hannah asked from across the table. Victor shook his head and finally smiled once more. "No one. I don't think she'll do anything." He said and patted Eliza's hand. Hannah wanted to know what they were talking about but Eliza kept it under wraps until they were back in their dorms that night. Eliza and Kelly were sitting on Hannah's bed and Rikki was trying to get Kelly's attention but the girl was too wrapped up in the drama.
"It's not like it's a secret that you and Victor are friends. That has to have gotten back to her by now." Hannah was saying but Kelly was all about speculation. "What if she snaps and goes crazy?" she asked. She truly had a flair for the dramatic. Eliza was bouncing between the conversation and the journal in her lap. "I don't think she's really going to do anything. I was just making a joke." She explained as she waited for a response from one of the twins. She'd let them know that she was getting closer to a finished love potion and they were talking back and forth about a name for it.
Izzy's affection infection -F
Fred's response made her snort and the girls looked over to see what was so funny. "What's that?" Kelly asked and Eliza pulled the journal away. "Nothing." She said and tilted the page away from her as she scribbled back a response.
That sounds like a rash. Why does it have to have my name on it?
Hannah reached over and snatched the journal from her hands with a smirk. Eliza lunged for it but Kelly grabbed her around the waist and held her back. "Oh! I've seen these!" Hannah exclaimed as she turned the journal so Kelly could see the handwriting appear on the page. Eliza managed to get free from Kelly's grasp and took the journal back. Kelly looked confused.
"They're really neat! You give one to your friend and you keep the other. Whatever you write in it shows up on their end and you can write back and forth. Way cooler and faster than owls." Hannah explained and Kelly looked at the journal again. "Wow that's really cool. Where did you get it?" She asked. Eliza felt awkward revealing the information but what could it hurt? "Its a Christmas present from Fred and George." She said and checked the message inside.
Marketing obviously! -G
With how quick the Guzzlerz sell if people see the same name on it they'll trust it works! -F
As Kelly scrunched up her nose, she asked, "So you have a secret journal to talk to the twins?"
"What do you guys even talk about?" She followed up as if it was a wild concept to her. Hannah was smirking though. "Izzy's affection infection." She said to which Kelly's face soured even further.
"That sounds like a rash."
"Is that how you guys come up with new products?" Hannah asked. Eliza felt busted and she scrambled for an answer but Hannah was way ahead of her. "Oh, c'mon. We know you made those Gas Guzzlerz. Do you think we're dumb? The twins call you Izzy all the time."
"Right. Anyone who's been around you three for more than ten minutes knows you made those." Kelly chimed in. "My little brother loves those Gas Guzzlerz by the way. He's been torturing my parents nonstop."
Okay. They had a point. It wasn't exactly top secret but she still hadn't been the one to let them in on it. They figured it out for themselves so she didn't feel bad about it. "Since you already know..Yeah." She conceded. If any of the other girls in their dorm had been around she would deny it to her dying breath but as long as it was just them it would be okay, right?
"So what are you working on?" Hannah asked. Eliza felt a bit embarrassed to admit it but when she told them it was a minor love potion Kelly was all ears. "That's perfect! Valentine's day is coming up!" She said.
"Yeah that's why they want it. I'm almost done."
"Naughty girl." Kelly slapped her playfully on the arm and Eliza rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the journal.
Izzy's Elixer of Ecstacy - G
Izzy's Tonic for twittering hearts. -F
Eliza cringed as she read them both and the girls peeked over. Kelly nearly choked on her own laugh. "They're clueless, honestly."
George, don't make me gag.
"Fred's isn't terrible." She muttered. "At least it sounds silly."
They went back and forth for half an hour. Some of the names were downright awful but eventually, they settled on Izzy's Philter Of Fondness with some help from the girls.
