Chapter 2: Potions and Questions

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

Sirius was the most aghast of the group- the bottle had been perfectly fine when he'd pulled it out for Harry, Ron, and Hermione's graduation a month ago, and hadn't been pulled out until now. And everyone was going to think he'd done it! Why would he do something like that to the people he loved the most?

As these thoughts ran through the dog's head, Dumbledore carefully sniffed the remaining contents of the bottle and cringed. The odour had a bitter tang to it; his and the many years since he'd been an active alchemist gave him a disadvantage in identifying the ingredients. Good thing Severus always had spare potions. Dumbledore pulled a Sobering Potion out of his robes and made his Potions master drink it. Severus returned from semi-awareness sputtering at the Sobering Potion's foul taste.

He glared at Dumbledore. "You know, there are ways to make that taste better."

Dumbledore just gave the younger man a tiny smile. "I'm not the one who made it, Severus."

At that rather sadistic comment, Snape shut his mouth and took the almost empty bottle from Dumbledore's hands. He sniffed at it and grimaced.

The Potions master stepped back and examined the liquid through the bottle, adopting his lecture tone as he spoke. "Aconite in an infusion of wormwood- they'll be out for a while, Lupin in particular. Billywig stings, scurvy-grass, and a touch of belladonna- they'll be unbalanced when they wake up, but nothing fatal. Apparently whoever did this didn't want to kill anyone. And the shimmer is evidence of-" Snape's face contorted, as if in disbelief, "-ashwinder eggs? You've got to be kidding me."

Snape dubiously looked at Dumbledore, who was trying not to chuckle, even though Tonks and Potter (who had needed a bit of knowledge to pass his Potions NEWT) were already on the floor laughing drunkenly. The rest of the group just seemed confused, as Snape looked down from where he stood. He spoke softly, anger boiling.

"We have been played fool with something a fourth-year could have mixed!"

So, as it turned out, the potion temporarily made Lupin fall madly in love me. Hence the little snogging session. But, realizing what he was doing and in front of so many people, he claimed it was his drunken - blurred vision that caused said incident. Then he passed out. Due to his age, when he awakes, he should be back to normal.

The potion knocked the younger ones out more quickly because it affects youth more rapidly. We are still unaware of who the three have fallen in love with. Yet, since they are young, we will know when they awake for they're actions will be similar to those of Remus.

Snape was aware of all of this, yet he said nothing of the sort to Dumbledore. He simply remained silent and stared at the broken glass, thinking. What if he where the first to be seen by the awakening girl?

At the top of the staircase, a recently-turned eighteen year old girl was watching the incident with interest. That definitely had not been her intention when she concocted the potion. She had simply hoped a certain messy haired boy would get drunk, find it in his godfather's pocket, take the advantage of more free alcohol, and see her smiling face when he awoke. She knew it was a long shot for that to happen, but it was worth a try. What else could she do? For seven years, she sat on the sideline watching her love live an exciting life with his two best friends. She tried to make him notice her, she tried talking to him, and she tried hanging out with him. But she was always pushed away from him because her dearest brother thought she wasn't worthy of hanging out with his friends, especially Harry. So, why not attempt to give him a love potion? But of course it didn't work. Things never seemed to for her. Ginny Weasley sighed and slumped on the topmost stair.

As Ginny contemplated the nuances of her estranged love life, the three young adults downstairs were beginning to come to. Fred stirred first, groaning, but not opening his eyes. Everyone, Snape in particular, looked to him warily. But, unlike Snape, who knew what was going to happen, the younger members of the party came in closer to the twin to make sure he was alright.

Being the way it was, with Murphy's Law coming into play, Fred opened his eyes to gaze upon the slightly distant face of one Luna Lovegood, who had been sitting between Fred and Ron (being Ron's current love interest) during the game. Since no one but Snape currently knew the full effects of the potion, they were all rather bemused when Fred sat up immediately, eyes misting as he stared at the blonde girl for an indiscriminate length of time.

This behavior had Ronald reddening after several minutes, even after everyone had calmed down at the lack of immediate danger and started talking amongst themselves. Snape was smirking to himself as he watched the three covertly, knowing of the younger Weasley's jealous streak from recurring tirades by Miss Granger, who had been working with him towards the Dark Lord's downfall not a month ago.

It was during this mindless chatter that Ginny Weasley emerged onto the scene, seating herself between Harry and Tonks and asking what was going on. At the red head's appearance, Fred seemed to 'snap out of it', so to speak, and became eager to return to the game.

"Well," he said, rubbing his hands together, "let's get started!"

"But Fred," Harry pointed out, "George, Hermione, and Remus are still out cold, and we no longer have a bottle."

"Of course we do!" chuckled Dumbledore, who was as sadistically eager to see this out as Snape was, "Severus, if you would be so kind as to hand me that bottle..." Dumbledore easily Evanesco'd the remaining glass shards (as well as the small ones in Lupin's head, which was quickly healing) and placed the bottle reading 'The Strong Stuff' in the center of the now rather oblong circle. The old wizard even sat down, bringing Snape with him.

"And since our friend Remus is unable to, I'll spin for him!"

Snape very nearly groaned out loud.