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"Today we will be brewing the Amortentia potion. Split up into groups of two and get started. The instructions are on page 35. You have until the end of class, but it takes a while to brew, so don't dawdle now!" Professor Slughorn said, his mustache twitching, as he eased down into the large, overstuffed chair behind the desk.
It was only the first day back, and yet the teachers were already burying the students in work to prepare them for their N.E.W.T.s at the end of the year. To top it off, many of them were already behind in their studies because of the "change in management" last year, as Neville had taken to calling it. Now they had to learn last year's lessons along with the new information from this year.
Ginny sighed to herself as she glanced around dubiously. She did not particularly care to partner up with anyone but she had no choice. Hmm, let's see. Who will annoy me the least? she wondered. Today, the Gryffindors had a double period with Slytherin. Most everyone had already chosen the people they wanted to work with. Before she knew it, only she and a small handful of students remained without a partner.
"Hey, are you working with anyone?" a light voice spoke up from behind her. She turned around in her chair and stared up into the smiling face of Pami Artisan, a Gryffindor she had never really spoken to much other than for a brief good morning or hello in the common room.
"No, unless you want to partner up with me," Ginny replied hopefully, casting a glance around at the only students left, a trio of scowling Slytherins. Pami gave a twinkling laugh and sat down. "So do you have any idea what to do?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. "I'm afraid that I'm not the best when it comes to Potions. All I'm good for is Music and Muggle Studies really."
Ginny smiled. "Don't worry, I may not be another Slughorn, but I'm adequate I suppose. Here, I'll go get the ingredients." As she stood up and began walking over to the Potions cabinet, she overheard snippets of the other students' conversations. Normally, she would have ignored the gossip and moved on but something caught her ear. Pretending to search for a bottle of bat blood, she strained her ears in the direction of two whispering Slytherin girls.
"Are you sure it was him you saw?" a dark-skinned girl with brown corkscrew hair demanded with wide eyes. The other girl nodded, her blond hair gently swishing. "I'm positive! I mean, who can mistake him with that silver hair and tall, lean body? Plus, he was moving around like he was in control of the entire castle. Duh, of course it was Draco. He's like, a total hottie! Anyway, there I was, sitting on the bench with Theodore when this long shadow moved at the end of the corridor. We immediately jumped up and started to run back to the common room, 'cause we didn't want to get caught by stupid Filch and his diseased cat again. You know he gave me twenty nights of detention for being out five minutes after ten last time! I had to—"
The dark-haired girl let out a frustrated growl. "Focus, Rachel. What about the shadow? What else did you see?" Rachel leaned forward eagerly, holding her hand up to her mouth to muffle the sound. "Well, I saw his face. It was all screwed up, like this." She scowled fiercely, her lips pinched and her nose scrunched up.
"And then, right before we turned the corner, he vanished!" The other girl frowned. "What do you mean vanished? Are you sure you didn't just imagine all this?" Rachel rolled her navy blue eyes in contempt. "Bridget, I know what I saw. Unlike you, I can actually see what's in front of me."
Bridget jerked her head back and glared at her friend. "What's that supposed to mean? I can see just fine! For instance, right now I'm looking at a really fat, conceited cow!"
Ginny grabbed a random ingredient, having heard enough. As she carefully maneuvered her way around the tables full of simmering cauldrons and past the pair of bickering Slytherin girls, she bit her lip in thought. Now what would Malfoy be doing out late last night, she wondered. Although she was not as paranoid as Harry or Ron, she still had enough sense to know suspicious behavior when she saw it. She had grown up with the ultimate pranking duo, Fred and George, after all! If she knew anything, it was mischief.
Pami looked up when Ginny sat down beside her. "What took you so long? I had the time to look up the potion in the book and prepare the cauldron, which is saying a lot knowing me," she joked with an easy grin. Ginny smiled absently in return and began laying out the items they would need. "Alright, according to the book, it's supposed to have a mother-of-pearl sheen and steam rising up when it's done."
Pami examined the book closely and waggled her eyebrows at Ginny. "The book also says that whatever we smell, will be what attracts us the most. Hehe, guess that means we're getting free romance advice from a potion," she said with a giggle. Ginny rolled her eyes and carefully began stirring the simmering philtre. "Yeah, are we pathetic or what?" They shared a chuckle before turning their attention back to their cauldron. Ever so often, they would add another ingredient or a stir. Finally, the bubbling potion began to shimmer with soft iridescent colors.
Pami let out a gasp of awe, her mouth hanging open wide. "We did it! I can't believe it! For the first time, I actually got something right in here," she exclaimed, turning to hug Ginny in delight. The red-haired girl hugged her back with a laugh, but gently pushed her away after a few seconds. "Look, here comes Professor Slughorn!"
The two girls waited impatiently for the man to make his way to their table. When he saw the sparkling philtre, a huge smile grew on his rounded face. "Oho! Look here students, Ms. Weasley and Ms. Artisan have done a truly magnificent job! Fifteen points each to Gryffindor for your most excellent work," he said, beaming at them. Pami looked as if she were about to faint, and Ginny had to give her a poke to bring her out of her daze. "What? Oh, oh yeah! Thank you Professor!"
The Slytherins shot them dirty looks, but the other Gryffindors grinned and gave them thumb-ups.
One handsome boy tapped Pami on the shoulder with a smile. "Nice! Thirty points? I couldn't do that in a week," he praised. Pami blushed bright pink and stuttered a shy reply. Ginny shook her head at the girl and turned back to the cauldron.
Leaning forward, she sniffed delicately, hoping to catch a whiff of something in the spiraling steam. As she breathed in deeply, an odd combination of vanilla, broomstick handles, and something distinctly mint-y registered in her mind. "Mmmhhh," she sighed softly, her eyes sliding closed. The smell reminded her of someone, but she could not remember who.
Before she could figure it out, the bell gonged and everyone began to gather up their things. Whatever it was, it smelled positively delicious, she thought as she slung her book bag on her shoulder.
Just to clarify, Bridget and Rachel are actual Slytherin girls. They appeared as members of the duelling club in the Chamber of Secrets video game.
Also, a philtre is a potion designed to enchant or charm the drinker.
What did ya'll think of what Ginny smelled from her potion? ;)
