The week was miserable and Hastings, Gabe, and Sirius were very relieved when the weekend arrived. Odessa was the only one not excited about the trip. All she could talk about was Malcolm O'Reilly, and the fact that he had just announced that he couldn't go with her to Diagon Alley due to some research he needed to do made her incessant chatter even worse.

"What's the point of going?" asked Odessa as they boarded the Hogwarts Express to go to London.

"Come one," said Hastings, "It's gonna be fun. And you can get a new dress to impress Malcolm with."

"I suppose you're right," said Odessa, sighing tragically as the train pulled out of Hogsmeade Station.

"Ruddy git," said Sirius under his breath. He was leaning against the side of the train, staring out the window, and trying not to make a scene. He was rather upset about the fact that he was not sitting next to Odessa, who was increasingly treating him like a brother. Hastings and Gabe were sitting by each other, holding hands, or whispering to each other more times than not, and Sirius felt alone.

"What was that, mate?" asked Gabe.

"Nothing," said Sirius, standing up and stretching. "I'm going to take a walk. If the food trolly comes by, get me something chocolate… I feel like I've faced about fifty Dementors."

"Will do," said Hastings. Sirius walked out of the car and on down the corridor. "We really need to find an antidote." Hastings said to Gabe.

"Agreed," said Gabe.

"Antidote for what?" asked Odessa. "I could make it… what do you need an antidote for?"

"Oh, nothing," said Hastings.

"No, really," said Odessa. "I majored in antidotes at the Potion Masters' Academy. They're my specialty."

Hastings looked at Gabe. Gabe spoke, "Well, see, it's one of the… students."

"What's wrong?" asked Odessa, twirling her wand in her hair, something she hadn't done in months, but seemed to start up once she started thinking about O'Reilly.

"The kids have been misbehaving, as you remember…"

"Not with me," said Odessa. "Well, they did earlier in the week, but they've been as good as gold and better lately. Of course, I think it must be because of the brilliant leadership Malcolm is taking when he visits. Did you know that he's created some of his own potions…he is amazing."

"Well, they've been concocting potions… illegal ones," said Gabe.

"What kind?"

"Subtlety Love Potions," said Hastings, deciding to gamble.

"Oh, those?" asked Odessa. "I could whip up an antidote in no time for something like that. I just need the ingredients. It's a tough potion… Takes two days of brewing and constant stirring. That's why it's so hard to make… the potion maker usually falls asleep, ruining the potion."

"Well, we could take it in shifts," said Hastings. We could have it done by Sunday night… and administer it once we get back to Hogwarts."

"That would be great," said Gabe. "I bet Sirius would help, too…"

"Speaking of Sirius," said Odessa, "Have you noticed he keeps acting inappropriately toward me?"

"He's in love with you," said Hastings bluntly.

"That's obvious," said Odessa. "But I've told him time and again that I'm with Malcolm now. If he keeps on me, I'm going to tell him I don't want to be friends. I swear, some people…"

Sirius came back in, carrying a case of Chocolate Frogs. "I guess you found the food trolley, then?" asked Gabe.

"Yeah," said Sirius. "You all want one?"

"Sure," said Hastings and Gabe.

"None for me, thank you, Professor Potter," said Odessa. "I'm trying to watch my figure for Malcolm."

"You look hot just the way you are, Ode. And since when did you start calling me Professor Potter?" asked Sirius, biting into a frog so it wouldn't hop away.

"Since you started treating our friendship with such flippant irreverence," said Odessa with sneer. "I'm going to ask you one last time: stop flirting with me, or I'll report you."

"Fine," said Sirius, balling up a fist.

"Good news," said Hastings, trying to diffuse the tension. "Odessa here can help us make an antidote for… um, that student who was slipped the Subtlety Love Potion."

"That's great," said Sirius, "The sooner, the better. The blighter's getting on my last nerve."

"I guess you have him as a student too then?" asked Odessa.

"I do," said Sirius, "But you wouldn't know him… he's… a transfer student, from Durmstrang."

"Really?" asked Odessa. "How exciting! I always wanted to have an exchange student. Malcolm speaks fluent Bulgarian, you know and—"

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" asked Hastings.

"Hey," said Gabe. "You guys want to visit Minerva in St. Mungo's while we're here? I bet some friendly faces would do her some good."

"Sounds great," said Odessa. "I can tell her all about Malcolm…"

"And we can tell her of our suspicions about whoever's cursing her," whispered Hastings.

"Sounds great," said Sirius. "Maybe we can also get some magical tape to shut up all the talk about Malcolm…"

"I'm surprised they had all the ingredients," Odessa said to Hastings. "A lot of them are usually on back order because they're so rare."

"Lucky for us then, I think Sirius is about to murder this student."

"Who made the potion? I'd love to meet someone with that type of skill at such a young age, and I know Malcolm would love to take him under his wing."

"Uh…Sirius didn't say. You'd have to ask him."

"Oh, I'd rather not. He's been a git all week. So moody. To think I ever preferred him over Malcolm."

"One can only wonder what you were thinking," Hastings said under her breath.

"Before I forget, I sent Malcolm an owl about the antidote. I wanted to see if he had any suggestions."

"You did what!"

"Asked Malcolm. You know he's the most brilliant potion master since Severus Snape. To bad Snape wasted his skills. And he was never handsome, not like Malcolm. You know, Malcolm has the cutest laugh, it's so…cute. He was talking about moving to Hogsmeade so we could be closer. You know what Haste? I think he's going to propose soon. I think that's where he is right now. He said a research project, but I know that's not the truth. I wouldn't be surprised if he showed up in London to ask. Wouldn't that be romantic?"

"Uh huh," responded Hastings, who had tuned Odessa out while she tried to figure out what to do about Odessa's owl. Why hadn't they thought of that possibility?

"So anyway, he said…are you listening to me?"

"Of course," Hastings said quickly. "I was just trying to remember where we were staying."

"Right here, you ninny," Odessa said, turning into the building in front of them. "I wonder if the guys are back yet."

"I think they're planning on staying out late tonight," Hastings said, remembering her and Gabe's agreement to keep Sirius and Odessa as far apart as possible.

"Hopefully Sirius'll find someone new to drool all over. Come on, let's start the potion." Odessa carefully measured out the ingredients while talking nonstop about Malcolm. "Okay, now it's time to stir. I'll take the first shift because it's the most tricky. I need to make sure that nothing more needs to be added. A lot of times you can't tell right away."

"But you have to be so careful measuring the ingredients," Hastings said.

"That's for the initial reaction," Odessa explained. "Afterwards some changes may need to happen. But only in the first four hours."

"Do you think you can stir for that long."

"Oh yes, I'm sure," Odessa said. "Malcolm says I have strong arms from all the stirring I do. Of course, they're nothing compared to his arms…"

"I'm sure that's true," Hastings quickly interrupted. "I have some shopping that I need to do, stuff for my parents' anniversary. Do you mind if I leave you here?"

"Not at all, have fun. Just send someone back here to relieve me of duty before tomorrow."

"No problem," Hastings said. "I'll see you later." She apparated out of the bed and breakfast and into The Leaky Cauldron where she knew Sirius and Gabe were.

"Okay guys, she's busy. Let's go talk with McGonagall." Hastings said. The guys nodded, quickly finished their drinks and apparated to St. Mungo's.