A potion to sooth the soul
Marlene was bored. The only exciting thing about today was Quidditch practice in the evening and even that seemed boring. Just so boring. She wasn’t sure why. Ugh. Slughorn’s voice was boring, the lesson was boring, even Lily and Mary were being boring. Actually listening? Lame. And the stuck up bitch behind her (she who will not be named) was doing absolutely nothing but still pissing her off.
”Shut up, will you?” Marlene hissed between gritted teeth, shaggy blonde hair whipping around into Lily’s face as the girl behind her raised an eyebrow. “Right… because I was making so much noise.”
Dorcas fucking Meadowes. Every Slytherin vs. Gryffindor match she managed to humiliate Marlene in the worst ways possible. Marlene had a natural aptitude for the game, not even Slughorn could deny that. When she was in the air, there was no stopping her. Buttery air propelled her along, bludgers tapping into the opposite players. She was untouchable.
But as soon as Dorcas stepped onto that pitch, buttery air became viscous. Sticking to her, slowing her down, dragging her to a near stop as she looked desperately for the bludger. What usually came to her like second nature stopped short. When she should’ve looked like quidditch was as easy as breathing, instead she looked like a bumbling toddler.
And it was all Meadowes’ fault.
Not that Dorcas knew that.
•|•
Slughorn was finally being interesting. Instead of going off on one of his blundering tangents about the ‘Slug Club’ (which she still hadn’t been invited to - racism or misogyny, Dorcas wasn’t sure), he was finally touching the actual course. The whole fucking reason Dorcas chose this course, potions that would make her think.
Aromentia, the world’s most potent love potion. And the class was going to make it. Merlin above, why had Barty chosen today to sit next to her.
”Shut up, will you?” Marlene aggressively whispers at her. What the- “right… because I was making so much noise.” Morgana, that girl was wierd. Wierd but… oddly enticing. No. That’s not right. That’s… an odd thought.
”C’mon fuckface, let’s get on with this. I wanna steal some and slip it in Anna’s morning Pumpkin juice.” Barty slammed a hand down on the desk. Merlin! ”Barty, that’s… illegal.” Dorcas said slowly, she could never tell if Barty was joking or not. He cackled. Evan looked over, Dorcas wished she could switch places. What she would give to be partnered with quiet, sensible Regulus rather than Barty. Plus with Marlene in front of her.
Marlene who she always hoped would give her some sort of competition on the pitch. Marlene who always disappointed.
”Lighten the fuck up.” Again, Dorcas flinched back and Barty slammed the ingredients down on the table. “Careful, Merlin, you’ll break something. Idiot.” Dorcas mumbled, deft fingers picking out exactly what she needed as Barty swung on his chair and threw paper at the girls in front.
•|•
“I swear to God, I will turn around and rip the hair out of his scalp if he continues.” Lily grumbled, chopping a beetle shell with too much strength, it shooting from her fingers and landing neatly in Remus’ hair. It flings back into her forehead without a second thought. “Ugh, would I would give to see her bald. Please do.” Marlene muttered, limply stirring the potion - which was spitting and bubbling and looking suspiciously like acid.
“No, I meant- never mind.” Lily cut her self off, grabbing her wand and flicking it - a crumpled up ball of paper pausing in the air before vibrating and shooting off towards Evan. “Hey! Stop that!” Barty cried out, his wand slipping out from his sleeve and burning the ball before it could hit the back of Evan’s head. Marlene rolled her eyes and threw a beetle shell into the cauldron, the backsplash landing straight into her eye.
”Fuck! Fuck! Shit!” She yelled, grabbing onto Lily as Slughorn rushed over.
<•>
Despite James and Peter’s mocking, the potion had not made Marlene fall madly in love with the first person she saw - Slughorn. It did mean that she got to miss the boring part, only being allowed to return to the potions lab when everyone had a go sniffing their potion.
Regulus was up first, his expression unchanging. “What did you smell?” Slughorn asked, being the master of intrusive questions. Regulus’ shoulders tensed as Barty whooped obnoxiously. “Parchment, quidditch, and… wet dog.” He sneered slightly at the last smell, Sirius’ eyes widening and head ducking whilst James whispered encouraging words to him. Evan sniggered at Regulus - probably making some crude joke about zoophilia.
Don’t get Marlene wrong, she’s all one for making fun of your friends. But even she thought that mocking someone’s aromentia smells was too far. But, what else did she expect from Slytherin’s.
Dorcas tutted and flicked her wand, Evan’s tie tightening around his neck and cutting him off. Loosening it, he glared at Dorcas whilst she gave him a pointed look.
Okay, Marlene definitely wasn’t expecting that level of politeness from a Slytherin. Obviously that didn’t change the fact that she-who-will-not-be-named was a bitch, of course.
Sirius Black smelt the forbidden forest, Morgana knows why he knew how that smelt, and Marlboro Lights. This earned an uncomfortable glance from Lily to Remus. Again, Morgana knows why. Marlene was almost certain that there was something going between everyone that her and Maz weren’t aware of. And it pissed her off every time it came to fruition. It made her feel isolated, more isolated than when Mary and Lily tittered about boys and Marlene quite simply didn’t understand what they were on about. More alone when there was ‘boys talk’ in the locker rooms that always ended up objectifying her. More alone than when her family was forced to go to mass and she was left kneeling in a pew wondering why God loved her but not enough to save her.
Barty was next. He sniffed once, frowned, sniffed again and then again. “Uh, firewhisky,” he admitted slowly, a disapproving look from Slughorn, “my mother’s perfume, and my friends’ cologne.” Oh, right, Marlene forgot it could be platonic.
”I don’t understand.” Barty whispered to Dorcas, “it’s all platonic, I don’t-“ he sighed, slumping onto the desk. “It’s fine, it just means you haven’t found anyone. Not that you’re unlovable.” Barty shot up. “Unloveable?! When did I say that? Merlin, you’re putting ideas into my head Cas.”
Lily was next. Poor, sweet Lily who was still in denial about her obvious feelings for James. She smelt petunias, broom polish and the library. Flaming red cheeks, she scurried back to the desk, avoided James’ happy look and gently running her fingers over the back of Remus’ hand - the not-so-secret code for him to meet her in the library.
Remus next, he sniffed rather gingerly - sneezing almost immediately. Lily winced slightly - Peter snorted whilst Sirius rolled his eyes (James too caught up in how Lily smelt him to care.) Thankfully, Marlene and Maz were in on this joke: Remus had exceptionally strong senses. He smelt chocolate (surprise surprise), the library and his Mam’s cooking. Sirius tried to give Remus a secret look but Remus ignored him. Trouble in non-existent paradise?
Maz was next, Marlene was exceptionally excited to see what she’d smell. Maz was with a new boy every week, but actual matters of the heart? She kept that very close to herself. Even in drunken gossip, Mary had never admitted anything - and Marlene and Lily had grown to respect that. But now was the moment to find out. Slughorn asked the intrusive question, Marlene genuinely thought that man had serious social problems. Mary simply turned away on her heel, her platformed school shoes (cons of being short, Marlene couldn’t relate) clicking on the linoleum flooring.
Lily and Marlene cheered quietly when Mary turned to look at them, not before she-who-will-not-be-named got up.
•|•
Dorcas was positively shitting herself. Morgana, what if she smelt something utterly embarrassing? Or what if she didn’t even recognise the smell? How awful would that be? Stop. Focus. Straight back. Breathe.
Dorcas walked up, regal, proper, perfect. Eyes on her, Marlene’s eyes on her. And, the big question. What the fuck was she going to smell? She took a deep breath in. An earthy, meaty, deep, rich smell filled her nostrils. “Cooking.” Dorcas said quietly, not wanting to expand on how it was her sisters cooking. The last proper meal she had made. She took another breath in. A woody smell filled her nostrils, accompanied by the smell that comes with ice cold air whipping into your nostrils. Strangely, there was something else. The cinnamon smell that came with flying against Gryffindor, the… cherry? Cherry smell? Cherry. Cherry?
The cherry smell that also came with playing against Gryffindor.
The cherry smell that also came with playing against Gryffindor.
Cherry.
Cherry.
Fuck.