Chapter 4

"What lies before me is one of the most powerful potions to ever exist," Slughorn said, eyeing us all. "Does anyone know what this potion is?" He pointed at a pot.

A couple of students raised their hands, I took this as a chance to lay my head on the desk and perhaps fall into a short slumber.

"Ms. Powers! perhaps you know what it is!" Slughorn's voice said, forcing me to awake.

Kill me now.

Next to me, Remus was laughing at my defeat, I took this as the perfect opportunity to elbow him in the stomach. Groaning internally, I got up and approached Slughorn where three different sized pots sat. I peered at the one he was pointing at and took a whiff what I got in return assured me that it was Amortentia.

I looked at Slughron, "It's Amortentia, a potion that causes infatuation or obsession. Apparently, it smells differently to each person depending on what they are attracted to. To me it smells like vanilla, fresh sheets and petrichor. But to someone else it could very well be the smell of charcoal or..decomposition." I said with a sardonic smile.

Slughorn coughed and shot me a forced smile, "Thank you Ms. Powers, take a seat." he then took a pregnant pause. "Yes, it is Amortentia. A very powerful and very dangerous love potion, although it has the word love in it it doesn't create actual love- only obsession and temporary infatuation. Now, turn your books to page thirty two."

"Sir, are we going to be brewing it?" May Brekle asked rather excitedly.

Slughorn shook his head, chuckling, "Oh no, I don't know what will happen if I allowed that. We'll be making the draught of the living dead! Hurry now, page thirty-two."

"Oh," May said as she lowered her hand, a sad look on her face.

I looked at the instructions for The Draught Of The Living Death. Wormwood..powdered root of asphodel...sloth brain..I could already tell that this wasn't going to be an easy potion to make.

"Petrichor attracts you? Really?" Remus said out of the blue, causing me to jump a little in my seat.

"Why do you just randomly talk out of the blue! also, there is nothing wrong with petrichor. It's calming." I say as we both walk up to the supplies cabinet and grab the ingredients we need.

"Sorry but how is the smell of earth after rain supposed to smell attractive?" He asked in an incredulous tone.

As we got back to the table and I lowered the supplies on the table, I turned to him and said. "Okay, then Mr. I'm So Great why don't you go and see what you're attracted to. Go on."

"Alright then," He said as he approached the potion. Luckily for him Slughorn was busy attending to a student, not that he would get in trouble of course - for some reason Slughorn liked him. A lot. Probably because he actually did his work on time.

I put the wormwood inside the potion and the powdered root of asphodel when Remus came back, looking a bit dazed. I cocked a eyebrow and gave him a stare that asked 'what's wrong?'.

He shrugged, "It smelt weird. Like..cinammon, burning wood and old books."

"That sounds kind of cool, actually." I smiled.

He looked at the pot and mumbled, "You're doing it wrong- you added too much wormwood. Hand me the sloth brain." I scrunched up my nose and complied, watching him fix the potion that I thought had gone right.

"It's feels kind of familiar doesn't it? Like you know where it's from but you just can't place it." I said, watching him.

"Yeah," He looked up. "that's exactly it."

I grabbed the sopophorous beans and attempted to cut it just like it said in the book but after several attempts and watching it fly across the room, I angrily stabbed the bean causing it's juice to come out. I looked up and saw that everyone was cutting it - everyone except Severus Snape who was crushing it and extracting the juice with ease. I decided to trust Snape's potion skill and put it in the potion, I watched as the potion turn a lilac color and then clear. MY eyes widened and I gently hit Remus's arm.

"Moony, I think I did it." I said grinning.

He peered inside the pot and was impressed to find that I had actually succeeded at making the potion. He then called Professor Slughorn who looked in my pot and announced to everyone that I was the second person to finish it, after Severus of course. Despite that I was still overjoyed.

Remus smiled, "Good job Winnie."

I felt my insides fill up with pride.

A few hours later we were all in the common room, laughing and messing about.

"Try outs went amazingly, yesterday. I think we found a new seeker, someone to replace Adrian. His name is Michael Dirk. He's a bit strange but plays brilliantly." James said happily

"Never heard of him." Sirius replied.

"'Course you haven't." I replied, rolling my eyes.

He sat up and glared at me. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I shrugged cooly, "You don't tend to notice other people,"

He clenched his jaw, "That's not true." he looked at Remus "Remus, tell her that's not true!"

Remus laughed, "Don't get me into this."

Sirius looked at Peter for help, "Pete?"

Peter looked at him and uncertainly said, "He's not that bad at noticing other people."

Sirius huffed and stood up, "I do notice other people! Look there's Lily, Mary and Marvis " he said and pointed at Lily and Marlene , which obviously gained their attention.

"You mean Marlene?" Remus said, stifling his laughter.

"Right, Marlene." He said sheepishly, taking a seat.

I sat up and waved at them, "Hi Marlene, Mary and Lily!" Marlene and Lily looked at each other and hesitantly waved back, Mary however shot me a small and bemused smile. I always liked her.

"Did Lily just smile at me?" James said awestruck.

I rolled my eyes, "No, you moose she smiled at me."

"Stag. Not a moose, a stag!" James said irritated.

My gaze led back to Marlene McKinnon. The pretty blonde with baby-blue eyes and sharp features, she was relatively nice with a hilarious sense of humor and easygoing personality. She was also quite smart scoring the second highest in charms after Lily. For some reason, she gave me the same vibe I got from Sirius. The same 'I don't care about anything' facade which usually hid insecurity or problems. She also seemed to be the female equivalent of Sirius, she too was popular and well liked and she also had many people wanting her. Just like Sirius.

Wait..was I playing matchmaker?

I kind of like it.

I poked Sirius's arm, "Hey Sirius, what do you think of Marlene?"

He batted my hand away and focused intently on the game of exploding snap he was playing with Peter. I came to the conclusion that the only way to get him to listen to me was by making him win the stupid game.

"The one's on the far left." I whispered to him, he nodded discretely.

Sirius tapped the cards with his wand and Peter's card exploded, meaning that Sirius had won.

"YES!" He said and jumped, sticking his fist in the air.

I rolled my eyes but smiled nonetheless, "Now will you listen?" I pleaded.

He sat back down and turned his body to me, giving me his full attention. He cocked his brow as if to say 'what?' I sat indian style on the couch and repeated, "What do you think of Marlene?"

He furrowed his brow and looked at her, "I don't know? she's cute I suppose. I've only spoken to her a number of times - what does this have to do with anything?" he said loudly.

I shushed him and hit his arm, "Quiet! I just think you guys would be cute together, she's exactly like you!"

He laughed loudly, "Darling, I can get a date whenever I want. I don't need you to play matchmaker."

"No but look!" I said and forced his face to turn in her direction. Marlene was currently laughing with Lily about something while doing their homework.

"Are you looking?" I asked.

He removed my hands from his face, "Yes, I'm looking. She's nice, I guess. But I'm not the dating kind of guy - you can leave that to Remus and Peter. I like to be free, love."

I scoffed, "Free? what better way to be free than with a person who shares the same interests with you! You can have double the fun." I said raising my hand to emphasize my point.

"Oi, matchmaker. What about me and Lily!" James said, amused.

"Ladies, please! One client at a time! Do I look like I have time to set you both up with lovers while simultaneously trying to have my own love life and actually pass this year? Give me time. I need to plan."

"I don't want a 'lover' as you call it, I'm enjoying the freedom of being a single man." Sirius said, leaning back on the couch and kicking his legs up onto the table.

"So far." I said quietly.

"What was that, Winnie?" Sirius said and then shoved me playfully.

"I said I'm in love with you."

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

I decided to get up from my spot and head over to Marlene, Mary and Lily. They shot me bemused, uneasy smiles but smiles nonetheless.

"Hi! also, before you ask - James did not send me here to spy on you I got bored of their..boringness." I said brightly.

Naturally Marlene was the first one to speak, since she was the most outspoken, "Oh well, the more the merrier! What have you been up to Winnie?"

I shrugged, "Nothing really, just plotting everyone's death. Would you prefer to be killed by cyanide or tortured to death?" I beamed.

She pretended to think it over, tapping her chin. "Hmm, I'll go for the cyanide. I'd prefer my death to be fast and painless."

We all laughed.

"So, Marlene what do you think of Sirius Black?"