Regulus' POV
Regulus’ mind was elsewhere.
While he normally found Professor Slughorn’s lectures on potion properties relatively interesting, on this morning, he couldn’t be bothered.
“Regulus?” he heard Pandora Lovegood whisper beside him, but he remained lost in thought. Why would Potter approach him? Him?
“Regulus.” Pandora’s voice echoed again, a bit louder.
And his eyes. There was something off, like he was in another world. Potter always looked very-
“Regulus!” Pandora tried once more, and Regulus abandoned his train of thought to look at her, keeping his expression blank.
“Hm.”
“Are you thinking about this morning?”
He sighed. Barty had found the entire interaction so strange that he wasted no time filling Pandora and Evan Rosier in when he passed them in the corridor.
“He was like, posing and shit in front of him!” Barty had laughed, clapping his hand on an amused Regulus’ shoulder and shaking him.
“You are, aren’t you?” Pandora guessed, keeping her voice low enough so as not to attract Professor Slughorn’s attention.
Regulus straightened his back and forced his gaze down towards the bubbling liquid in the cauldron. Slughorn had brewed something earlier that period and told the students he’d reveal its nature at the end of the class.
“Of course not,” Regulus replied. He cleared his throat and tried to pay attention to the words spilling out of Slughorn’s mouth, but it all sounded like gibberish.
Was he posing in front of him? He had tried to touch him multiple times…
“You’re so obvious,” Pandora whispered, and Regulus could hear the smile on her face. He glanced up at Slughorn, who had moved to the front of the room and was now explaining the various vials displayed on his desk.
“Do you think it was some sort of prank?” Regulus asked his friend, turning to face Pandora, whose face melted into one of pride.
“I knew it!”
“Shh,” Regulus warned, looking back toward the professor. He waited a beat before continuing, “Shut up. This doesn’t mean anything.”
“Mhm,” Pandora grinned and forced her gaze forward.
Regulus pursed his lips, annoyance bubbling to the surface as he joined Pandora in staring straight ahead. After a moment of silence between the two, Pandora leaned over and whispered again.
“If it was, that would’ve been a really lame prank.”
Regulus exhaled slightly before glancing sideways at her. Pandora’s platinum blonde hair was braided out of her face today, no doubt to keep it from catching on fire like it did last year in Potions. Her clear, pale skin was accentuated by her bright blue eyes that widened when Slughorn’s voice boomed.
“Alright, everyone! Now, we’ve come to that point! Time to reveal the mystery potion inside all your cauldrons…”
Regulus and Pandora adjusted themselves, leaning over to view the reddish-pink liquid swirling inside the pot.
“Can any of you tell me what the liquid smells like?”
Pandora’s hand shot up at Slughorn’s words and Regulus rolled his eyes, smiling. Her curiosity was going to get her killed one day.
“Ms. Lovegood! How fitting! Please, tell me what you smell.” Slughorn grinned and took a few steps towards their desk.
Pandora leaned over and inhaled deeply, her eyes shutting and eyebrows knotting in focus. The class quieted as she contemplated for a moment, her eyes slowing opening and a smile curving her lips.
“It’s Amortentia, isn’t it? The love potion? To me, it smells like strawberries, lilies, and-“ she leaned back over the cauldron, inhaling again and finishing, “-the sea.”
Slughorn mirrored her smile. “Wonderful, Ms. Lovegood! That’s exactly right. In each of your cauldrons, I have brewed the most powerful love potion in the world: Amortentia. Now, Ms. Lovegood smells strawberries and the like, but to each person, the potion smells different.”
Regulus found himself instinctually leaning back. He had no desire to smell that potion. He knew a bit about Amortentia: supposedly, it smells like whatever one finds attractive.
“Your assignment is to read about the potion’s properties, brewing instructions, and ingredients. And, if you would like, include what the potion smells like to you,” Slughorn added, smiling as he turned back around and continued with ancillary directions.
It was seconds later that Regulus noticed Pandora’s hand reach for the ladle lying casually inside the cauldron. She raised her arm and began swirling the potion, entranced as the pearly liquid caught the sunlight streaming in from the overhead window.
Regulus smiled at his friend, her concentration admittedly admirable, before the potion’s scent hit him.
Cinnamon.
Cedar.
Leather.
Broom polish.
Regulus doubled back.
Oh.
Oh.
“Regulus?” Pandora’s voice chimed again.
Fuck.
Regulus: 1. James: 1.