Draco POV
The vial in my pocket was burning a hole. I could feel it, scorching through the fabric like acid and oozing out onto my skin, but every time I checked it was still there- untouched and tightly sealed. It was all panic of course, imagined worry over something that wasn't possible. A clear vial full of clear liquid that gave away none of the danger of the potion inside. I knew from personal experience that it tasted like nothing, smelled of nothing, yet it was just as threatening as any draught of living death. To the average wizard, it was the second most dangerous potion in existence, right behind a love potion, because the only thing more dangerous than the truth was love. I wasn't average. Neither was Granger or Theo. It shouldn't be worrying me so much. If I was honest with myself, it was the truth I was afraid of, not the potion.
What if her truth was not mine? I could imagine it leaking out, spilling, ruining everything.
Theo offered to hold the vial at lunch, after I pulled it out for the hundredth time. I waved off his concerns, ignoring the reasoning for my fear, focusing instead on what I knew of the potion and its effects. I'd taken veritaserum a dozen times, a double dose even on the night I received my mark. Voldemort couldn't be bothered with monitoring me that night of course and neither Aunt Bella nor my father could interrogate me due to our connection. That left Dolohov. Mother had suspected as much, had trained me for that exact outcome with all of my occlumency lessons with Snape before hand.
Still, we had been extremely lucky that it all had worked out. Voldemort probably could have broken past all the barriers with legimency if he had ever really tried past the slight scrapes of claws he occasionally bothered with. If he had…my body shivered at the thought. He was dead. Dead and gone. Neither him or Aunt Bella could scrape against my mind again. The contents of the vial were nothing compared to their digging claws.
In fact, the vial was almost harmless in the right hands and minds. Almost.
The 5 drops we would take before the professor committee would be enough for base level truths to determine the potion's potency and maybe make your tongue itch and your mind go soft, but the bottle…the bottle was a full dose. A full dose would put the mind into a haze of comfort before it would send that tickling itch farther down into your throat with every lie of purpose or omission. Eventually, the itch would become concentrated in the brain. It would stay there, tickling your mind, giving you an overly giddy sensation until the truth would release you from the torment or the potion wore off. That was the thing about veritaserum, the effects of a full dose only lasted for ten minutes or so. Although most wizards would crack long before that point.
The tiny bit of guilt that I had at putting Granger through even a second of that discomfort was overcome by the conclusion that Granger would know what she was getting into before taking it. She would agree and Theo would administer the dose. It wasn't just the fact that I would have her agree that had settled my conscience. With enough power and control, she could fight it until the feeling finally subsided. There was no doubt that she could fight it if she really wanted to because it's exactly what I had done and she was as powerful as me, more so even. Both Theo and Granger had magic that spoke to mine, abilities equaling mine and power that fed power. Neither of them were average. Not average at all. Spectacular maybe. Powerful. Amazing. The truth would only make that all the more obvious. That truth would set her free. It would set us all free.
The potions class was assembled into the Great Hall that was set up with the bleachers. Bottles of what appeared to be perfectly clear vials lined the table, labeled with the last names of the team they belonged to. I counted them instinctively. Every team had managed to brew a suitable potion it seemed. They had been magically tested for poisonous ingredients or inaccurate mixes so Professor Slughorn would have removed them if they were dangerous. Well, anymore dangerous than any other veritaserum potion.
"Please take your seats and we will call each team up individually," said Headmistress McGonagall, herding the students with soft touches on shoulders and backs as she had done a thousand times.
The Ravenclaw in front of me shifted and I caught sight of Granger, staring heavily at the floor, her magic a light mist of green. I was sure it was anguish to coincide with the terror she was probably feeling over the fact that she would have to speak. It would be simple answers for simple questions. Still, I didn't blame her for her anguish or fear. I only wished that I could bring her comfort. I wanted to sit next to her and hold her hand, to whisper to her and tell her it would be fine. Instead, I sat beside Nicola and watched Theo take the space I coveted.
At least he was with her.
Her magic took on an edge of red when Theo sat down, his thigh pressing against hers, and his magic reacted in kind. Pink and red, love and lust perfectly co-mingled, nearly masking the dreaded green. My chest ached to be in that mix.
The general chatter quieted as Headmistress McGonagall took her own seat at the professors' table, between Slughorn and Flitwick
"We'll start with-" Slughorn paused, re-situating his glasses before he looked at the parchment in front of him. "Astoria Greengrass and Romilda Vane."
Astoria walked two steps ahead of Romilda to the professor's table, her face stern. I'd seen that expression on her a hundred times on the quidditch pitch. This may not be a competition, but Astoria was still in it to win. She had some aspects of Granger in that sense, though none of her kindness or softness. Sure, she would pat my back on the quidditch pitch or question how I was feeling, but only because it pertained to her own desires and ambition. Astoria was always working for Astoria.
She placed a roll of parchment into Slughorn's hand containing their written report. Romilda beamed beside her as if she had contributed. Not likely. The two then turned to the table of vials. Astoria nearly smacked her hand away from their vial when she tried to reach for it, proving my assumption about Romilda's participation, or lack thereof.
"You will each administer 5 drops onto your tongues," said Headmistress McGonagall. She turned to the rest of the students present then. "There will be complete silence from the rest of you during this portion of the assignment."
The silent room seemed to get even quieter. Astoria pulled out the dropper and tilted her head back. There was no reaction when the liquid hit her tongue. She didn't relinquish the bottle, instead signaling her partner to lean her head back. Romilda answered with an irritated glare, but quickly pushed it away, plastering back on that smile and following Astoria's instruction, flinching every time the drops struck.
"You will be asked three questions and lie on the final question. That is, you will lie to the best of your ability."
Astoria and Romilda nodded their heads and the questions started. They were silly. Any 1st year would know how to respond. Hell, I was pretty sure I knew the answers by the time I was 6. What are the 4 house symbols? What are the names of the Hogwarts founders? The two girls answered in tandem. One right after the other, Astoria always first.
"As was discussed, This will be your lie." said Professor Slughorn. He set his quill to parchment, ready to write his observations of their response. "Who is the current headmaster of Hogwarts?"
The effects of the veritaserum had everyone on the edge of their seats. It was strange watching it from the outside, more so when you knew exactly what it felt like. Astoria and Romilda each opened their mouths to speak, but there was nothing except silence. I saw the blank expressions in their faces, the sort of hazed look. There was a sputter from Astoria- determination. All the determination and good grades in the world was no match for rigorous training in occlumency and raw power. She didn't have either. The crumble was nearly immediate. Astoria held out for a split second longer than Romilda, but their answers mostly blended.
"Minerva McGonagall."
Slughorn grinned, writing down the results.
"Good! The standard response time. Please be seated. The potion should wear off within the next minute or two. Raise your hands when you no longer feel its effects.
"Thank you," Astoria mumbled, shaking her head, looking both confused and irritated as she took her seat.
The process continued. Each pair lasted around the same time- some slightly longer, some shorter. The ones that lasted even a second longer were instructed to describe the exact feeling and sensations they were experiencing. The professors were trying to determine the potency level I assumed. That made me worry. How long would Granger last? Would they make her talk longer? I was so worried thinking about her that I barely heard my own name.
Nicola and I stepped forward, following the instructions we'd already heard multiple times.
The drops brought that itchy sensation, made my brain soft. I responded to each question and on the third, I lied. Not in my answer to the question of the Headmistress. I lied in the sense that I allowed the itch to push the truth out of my mouth without a fight, just after Nicola. I didn't even try to lie. I didn't need the others to think that I could defeat the potion. It would just be something else for people to judge me for and question. Only Headmistress McGonagall gave me a strange look when she heard her name from me. I doubted she believed that I had fallen so easily. She probably came to the same conclusion that I did though because she excused us without an arguement.
The process continued until we reached the final names, the ones I had been waiting so patiently to hear.
"Theodore Nott and Hermione Granger."
I could kiss McGongall for delaying them until last. I could, but I wouldn't. She was far from my type. Theo waited for Granger to stand first and meandered behind her. When instructed, they passed the bottle between them, placing the drops on their tongues. I caught the slight shake in Granger's hand as she set the vial down and I fought my hammering heart. They were both nearly void of color, short of an edge of green similar to mine, and that only made my pulse quicken more. We were all terrified for her and there was nothing we could do.
Theo answered the first two questions slowly, ready to cover for Granger's stutters only there were none. She spoke slow and precise, but there wasn't a single slip. How…I didn't have time to consider the possibilities, the good fortune. Slughorn was already at the lie.
"Who is the current headmaster of Hogwarts?"
Theo and Granger answered at the exact same time. They both lied, straight faced and without hesitation.
"Albus Dumbledore."
The room exploded into noise and the vial in my pocket no longer burned, it was a weight. It was the heaviness of all my hopes sinking. It was no longer a question of if it would work on her. It was a question on if she would allow it to work. I wasn't even sure that the regular dose would do anything. Power spoke to power. There was the proof. My magically bonded mates abilities in fact matched mine. I could see Theo coming to the same conclusion, there was a brief flash of green and pink warring with each other. Those two colors bounced between us while Granger looked on confused.
"Silence!" All eyes turned back to the headmistress. "Please hand me your vial." She took it and handed it to Professor Flitwick. "If you would be so kind, Professor?"
He didn't hesitate, taking the bottle and dribbling the droplets on his tongue. She questioned him, forgoing the additional interrogation for Granger or Theo. After all, she had the excuse of double checking the potion of the only wizards to succeed. That woman really was brilliant. Professor Flitwick faltered quickly, same as Nicola had. The potion Granger and Theo had concocted was perfection. Good. Maybe a full dose would at least give Theo and I a chance at the truth.
McGonagall barely held in a smile as she dismissed Granger and Theo to their seats.
"Thank you, Headmistress." Even in all her shocked confusion, Granger managed those words with perfect grace. The smile broke through on McGonagall's face, her joy finally too difficult to hide. It was a feeling that I was getting to know all to well.