Sorry for the wait. I had life things. I know, but thanks for hanging in with me.

I'm happy about this chapter. I want to try and keep the story as close to canon as possible while still having my characters there without it feeling like I'm shoehorning them in.

Anyway, let me know how you liked this chapter.

Chapter 19: Problems and Potions

The storm from the previous day had blown itself out by morning, but the ceiling in the Great Hall was still gray and gloomy.

Kat and Boston were comparing their schedules at the table. Boston had private studies that she took in place of the mandatory study block that Kat had. She was also taking Divination this year while Kat had opted for Astronomy. Other than that, they had the same schedules.

Lee, George, and Fred were down the table discussing magical ways of aging themselves. After yesterday, hearing that the TriWizard Tournament was for witches and wizards 17 and up, they had been trying to find a way to fool whatever idiot they got to choose the champion.

"Double Divination this afternoon," Kat heard Harry bellow. She shared a look with Boston.

It was no secret that Harry and Ron hated Divination and that Hermione had flat out refused to take it at all anymore. Though, Kat found it funny that they would dislike it so much. Ron was naturally gifted at it and it seemed like something Harry would enjoy, but she supposed with Sybil telling him he was going to die every year, it could get a bit tedious.

Though, to be fair, Harry did seem to almost die every year.

Boston spread butter on her toast and Kat gnawed on her lower lip. She hadn't told Boston about the broom cupboard. She should have, of course, she told Boston everything.

So why didn't she tell her this?

The rustling of owls broke Kat out of her thoughts and she looked up to see the mail getting delivered. She hadn't expected anything at all to be honest, Bart and Vega weren't really the type to send things.

Neville got a package as well as Boston. Then the Aunt Cissy's owl flew over and dropped a small parcel in front of Kat.

Kat looked across the room to see Draco had gotten a similar package. It made her smile to know that Draco was loved as he was meant to be.

Kat opened the parcel to see a few sweets and cakes wrapped up, along with a note.

Katherine dear,

Please remember that I am here for you.

Look after Draco, will you?

Anything, anything at all. Just ask.

Narcissa Malfoy (Black)

Kat smiled at the note.

Vega had explained it once, that the House of Black shared a bond that was bigger than the marriages they found themselves in. She had told Kat that she was a Black and a Warner and it was only by the crime of being a woman that she did not keep and pass on the name.

She wondered if Cissy had told Draco something similar, about him being a Black first and a Malfoy after.

Boston looked over at the note in Kat's hands and rolled her eyes so loud Kat could hear the strain it put on them.

"What?" she asked.

Boston just shrugged and sneered.

"Well, what did you get?" Kat asked, motioning to the package in front of Boston.

There was a card on top that she tucked into her bag quickly to read later in private. Kat tried not to be hurt by this action. But if she was going to keep secrets, Kat supposed Boston could too.

She pulled the strings on the package and the wrapping fell away to reveal a beautiful red dress robe.

"Oh, woah Boston, that is so pretty," Ginny commented from the other side of the table.

"Oh right, I have to get one. Perhaps on Hogsmeade weekend or something," Kat thought out loud.

"What's that for?" Ron asked through a mouth full of food.

Boston rolled the robe up around her arm and shrunk it with her wand so it would fit nicely in her bag.

"Don't be daft, Ronald!" Hermione huffed. "Didn't you listen to Dumbledore last night? There is going to be a Yule Ball around Christmas this year. That's why your mum got you and Harry those dress robes."

Ron just nodded. "Right, so like a dance?"

"Yes, Ron, like a dance," Kat answered.

"They are very pretty dress robes, Boston," Hermione commented as she stuffed her mouth full of food so quickly, Kat was shocked the bushy-haired girl didn't choke.

Boston smiled politely at everyone and grimaced slightly to herself. Dress robes didn't really seem like they were something Boston would be interested in, but she supposed if Boston's guardian was sending them, they must be rather special.

Kat let her eyes slide over to the other Weasleys at the table.

Fred and George were still talking about the tournament, but Fred seemed a little tense. Her fault probably.

Kat knew she shouldn't have kissed him. It wasn't as if it was something she had ever planned on anyway.

They were friends.

She never wanted them to be anything other than friends.

Kat Warner's life was already planned out, according to Bart at Vega anyway. She was going to marry whatever Pureblood male they picked out for her and she was going to continue the proud Warner and Black tradition of having pureblood children who would then have pureblood children and so on and so on and so on.


Her thoughts had carried her all the way to morning Potions with Severus Snape in the dungeons. It was always so dark and gloomy in the dungeons, Kat wondered how the Slytherin's dealt with it.

Everyone was gathered around one of the large tables in the middle of the room. It held a few cauldrons and vials of potions that they were sure to be tested on.

"Quiet," Severus drawled in his cruel bored way.

It wasn't like the room was particularly loud, to begin with. Kat just found that Severus was somewhat of a tosser about all things.

Kat found it particularly funny when she visited Boston at her home to hear her guardian slip up and call him Snivillus instead. Kat had nearly fallen out of her chair laughing when this happened. Boston's guardian became very embarrassed mumbling about how they weren't the only one who called him that.

"Today we will be investigating rather complex potions," Severus started, looking critically around the room of sixth years. "Though, I doubt it, can anyone tell me what the potion in the cauldron is?"

Kat could only guess, but by the way, Boston's neck reddened, she was sure she was right. She raised her hand.

"Ms. Warner," Severus drew out her name for way longer than necessary.

"Is that Amortentia?" she asked.

"If you have to ask, then you do not know." Infuriating blighter he was. "I asked if anyone knew."

Boston snorted and her nose crinkled in distaste.

"Do you have an answer, Ms. Boston?" Severus asked.

Boston just glared at the Professor.

"10 points from Gryffindor for refusing to answer," Severus sneered.

"Oi, that's not fair," Angelina chirped.

"Professor Snape, as I am sure you're aware, Boston doesn't speak, so there is no way she could answer the question," Cedric said from behind Kat somewhere.

"Quiet," Severus drawled again. "Students will raise their hands if they wish to speak in my class." A hand shot up somewhere in the back. "Yes, Mr. Pucey?"

"Warner was right, it's Amortentia," Adrian said. Kat turned to look at him but he was blocked by the massive size of the Weasley Twins.

"Ten points to Slytherin," Severus said.

Kat rolled her eyes. It wasn't worth getting into a fight with the Potions Professor over a few house points. Besides, it wasn't like Gryffindor wasn't going to win the house cup anyway.

Severus began his long drawn-out explanation of everything on the table. "Polyjuice Potion provides the drinker with the ability to change into another person for an hour at a time, though none of you seem bright enough to effectively brew it, I would caution against the attempt as any miscalculation could result in extreme injury or death."

Kat briefly wondered to herself if the greasy man ever smiled or was slightly amused or if he was just in this perpetual state of bored dissatisfaction.

"Veritaserum," Severus continued, motioning to a small stoppered vial of bluish liquid, "is used in order to force the drinker to reveal the truth. It is illegal to use on students, much to my displeasure."

Illegal to use on students for what reason, Kat wondered. Was it illegal to use in the Ministry as well? She would have to ask someone who knew. She could write to Cissy and see if she and Uncle Lucy knew.

"Lastly," Severus's voice broke through Kat's thinking, "Amortentia. It is the most powerful love potion in the world. It smells different to everyone based on what attracts them and again is very illegal to use under any circumstance. Any offspring produced as a result of a love potion can not feel love.

"Let me be very clear. If you are caught using any of these potions it is not only grounds for immediate expulsion but also a trip to the Wizengamet to determine if you will spend time in Azkaban." Severus's words rang through the silent room.

When no one moved or even breathed, Sev let out an exasperated breath. "Come and smell the blasted Amortentia now so we can get that done and over with."

They all lined up in a solemn little line and took their turn sniffing the pinkish-purple potion in the cauldron.

When it was Kat's turn she leaned into the swirling smoke and inhaled fully. It was like sticking her nose into an overwhelming room of comfort and chaos. She smelled freshly cut grass like on a Quidditch field and burned sugar like the twin's bedroom and sweet honey like Boston's morning tea.

It smelled like her friends.

She could have kept her nose there forever, but Boston was behind her and she wanted her friend to experience it.

Kat watched Boston lean in and saw that small smile cross her face that was always there when she was happy and didn't know anyone was looking.

It was a sweet sort of smile that made Kat think about Boston's family. When she smiled like this she could see them.

Now, Kat had only seen Boston's parents in photos and that one hilarious portrait of her father that was apparently commissioned by his friends as a birthday present for Boston's mum, but that sweet smile belonged to her mother and that twinkle in her eye belonged to her father.

Seeing that look on any face other than Boston's was no longer that jarring to Kat, but when it was first pointed out how similar Boston was to the rest of her family, it was all she could see for a long time.

Now Kat could see the parts of Boston that were from her family and ones that were simply Boston. Like the way she flew was clearly from her father, and the way she cared was apparently from her mother and probably her guardian as well. Though Boston had a tendency towards Divination that her family did not. She also was unusually shy when it came to new people. She hid it under hostility of course, but Kat knew the truth.

There was also this thing she did when she was reading, she would pinch her bottom lip between her fingers and roll it around absentmindedly to the point where her bottom lip would become some red that it looked as if she were wearing makeup.


Fred briefly wondered what Kat smelled in the Amortentia. A selfish part of him hoped that she had smelled him.

The realistic part of him knew she smelled other things. Like tea or cookies or even George.

Fred shook his head and leaned in to smell the Amortentia himself.

Cinnamon and fireworks and the ground after it rains.

He wondered why he didn't smell Kat specifically. Maybe he just thought she was hot. She was of course. If you liked loud and short and bossy and oblivious. Merlin, he hoped that he just thought she was hot.

They could put the broom closet behind them and he wouldn't be breaking any promises he made George.

"What do you smell, Freddie?" Kat asked, appearing beside him like he conjured her from his mind.

Boston scoffed slightly, but when Kat turned to look at her she schooled her face into neutrality and just shrugged. Godric that girl was strange.

"World domination, Kitty Kat. I smell world domination." He smiled down at her but he could see her mind was wandering behind her deep brown eyes.

He watched George lean into the steam and inhale.

Fred knew his brother too well.

He smelled Kat.

Fred knew that Kat smelled like some sort of fruit or something. Like sweet but with a sting to it.

"What do you smell, Georgie?" Kat asked.

George smiled at her and Fred felt his chest tighten looking at it. Merlin this was horrid.

"Fireworks, mum's chocolate chip biscuits, and cherries," George answered. "What about you?"

Kat shrugged her shoulders. "Oh wouldn't you like to know," she teased.

George shoved his hands in his pockets. "I would, actually."

Kat raised her chin at that challenge. Fred felt himself lean into the conversation. It wasn't his place to ask, but Gods he wanted to know.

"Honey, burned sugar, and the Quidditch pitch."

Boston raised an eyebrow at her answer.

Fred squinted at the strange girl, trying to understand what she was thinking.

It was impossible, of course. He would never know what Boston was thinking. Though he guessed that perhaps she smelled something similar to what Kat smelled. It would make sense. They were so close.

Fred's thoughts hung on Kat's answer for a moment. Then she let her gaze fall to his face and his thoughts dropped out from under him.

Brown eyes met his and all he could think about was how her body felt under his fingertips.

Bloody fucking hell.

"Enough," Snape's voice bellowed low and threatening. "You will brew Draught of Living Death. If you somehow are able to brew an acceptable batch, you will receive a single vial of Felix Felius which if any of you bothered to read the material you will know that it will last 5 hours."

"Bollocks! Really? You're joking Snivilles," Kat barked laughing.

Fred was getting ready to laugh but it all went wrong so very quickly.

Fred saw Boston's face first. Pale. Pale and shocked.

Then there was Snape. Fred had seen Snape angry before or irritated, but this was other. Snape was practically snarling.

"Leave," Snape breathed at Kat.

"Look, Severus, I am sorry, I have no idea where that…" she didn't get to finish.

"Leave!" Snape roared at her.

Boston moved slightly in front of Kat to block Snape from her. Fred and George stepped forward as well.

"The rest of you, get back to work," he sneered at the three of them.

Fred looked back at Kat who had gone quiet. She slowly started to grab her bag from the floor next to her.

"I'll see you guys next class, yeah?" And then she walked out.