Amortentia
Scarlets POV
In the beginning of Slughorn's lecture I am standing next to Hermione in the front of the class. A loud bang comes from the door to the classroom Slughorn abruptly stops to address the two boys making the commotion, Harry and Ron come stumbling into the room. Making their way to the book cabinet they are fighting over the last two books. Hermione rolls her eyes next to me as I start to snicker.
“Now, as I was saying, I prepared some concoctions this morning. Any ideas what these might be?” He asks searching around the classroom for an eager student. Of course Hermione is the only one raising her hand. Swot. “Yes, miss…”
“Granger, Sr.” she clears her throat. “That one there is veritaserum. It's a truth telling serum.” She says matter of factly.
“Yes Miss Granger, That is current. How about you miss….” he points to me
“Oh uh, Johnson, Sr.” I stutter over my words. Why on Crices name did he pick me?
“Ah Miss Johnson. Go on. Do you know what potion this one is?” He gestures to the cauldron on the right. Pink mist slowly evaporating out the top.
“Yes. This one here is Amortentia. Terribly tricky to create. It is the most powerful love potion in the world.” I look around me. Hermione is smiling in my direction indicating that I took the words right from her mouth.
“It is rumored to smell differently to each person according to what attracts them.” I lean over just a step to be able to smell the potion. “For example, I smell fresh limes, violets, and tobacco.” I blush while taking a step back to aline with Hermione.
“Very good Miss Johnson.” He claps his hands together. “This last one here is Felix Felicis. Otherwise known as liquid luck. The rest of the class you will be brewing an acceptable Draft of Living Death. Recipes can be found within your textbook. You may begin.” He dismisses us students back to our table to proceed with the brewing of the potion.
Getting all the necessary ingredients to my table next to Theo I start to brew the potion. Typically am great in potions. It is one of my favorite classes. Draco, Hermione, and I are the highest scoring students in our class. But for some reason these instructions seem off. Looking around the room I see that both Hermione and Draco are also having issues brewing this particular potion.
“Scar, are you having some trouble?” Theo asks snidely from next to me. My forehead is starting to sweat. Theo has a huge grin on his face next to me.
“This just doesn't seem right… I cannot get it right.” I am frantically looking around the classroom.
“Maybe you're just not as good in potions as you thought” He laughs.
I shoot a death glare at him. “Well if that's how you feel you’re more than welcome to get a new partner.” Theo is a great potions partner. Though I'd rather work with Draco or Hermione, Theo listens to my instructions and does what I say. So I cannot complain much.
“No, no. I would much rather keep you as a partner. You are much nicer to look at all of class compared to Drakey over there.” He snickers. I blush as my glare softens as I continue to try and brew my potion.
Fresh limes and violets. Adrian smells like grass…. so that doesn’t makes sense. But I have never been around him when he smelled like limes or violets. Theo though.. He smells of limes. Is it possible for my Amortentia to smell like more than one person?
“So, Pans told me she found you and Adrian in bed together last night. Does this mean you two are back together?” Theo asks as he stirs his potion.
Damn Pansy. I knew she couldn't keep her mouth shut. “Of course she did.” I say rolling my eyes. “I think so? He apologized and said he loves me. I love him too, you know. It's just hard to forget those feelings.” Talking about my relationships with Theo has always been sort of uncomfortable. Not because I am uncomfortable around him, but because of the crush I have had on him the past couple of years.
“Well, If he makes you happy love, then I am happy for you… Even though I hate the git.” he smiles at me as he grabs my hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. “I will not hesitate to curse him if he hurts you though” I laugh, protective as always.
As the class ends to everyone's surprise Harry is the one who finished first and received the vial of liquid luck. I walk up to Harry confused but I congratulate him nonetheless and make my way to my next class with Draco giving Theo a smile goodbye as we walk the other direction.
“Scarlet, I was wondering… Would you be able to help me tonight? With my DADA assignment.”
Draco asks as we are walking towards herbology. He has his hands in his pockets staring straight ahead.
“DADA assignment? I didn't remember Snape assigning any-” I stop myself mid sentence. Snape did not assign anything for DADA. Draco was referring to the task that the Dark Lord gave him. I told Draco before we left the manor I was going to help him with his task. “Of course I will.” I say putting my hand on his shoulder trying to be comforting. I know he has been stressing himself out over this task since he was given it. Fix a broken cabinet so that the Dark Lords lunatic followers may invade Hogwarts and potentially kill our professors? Sure why not?
“Okay, after dinner maybe? I don't have practice tonight. Blaise and Theo are going to help Pansy with her flying so they will be busy.
“Oh, uh can we meet in the common room a little after dinner? Like an hour or so… I have plans to study in the library.” I have plans to snog my boyfriend for a good hour after dinner.
Eyeing me suspiciously, “I guess so. Who are you studying with? Maybe I can join and we can go after?” Damn Draco is really trying to cockblock me right now.
“Uh…” Quick who would Draco hate most to study with. After a second or two I finally respond “Hermione. I am studying with Hermione.” I say as my green eyes graying slightly as I increase the locks on my occlumency doors.
“Scarlet… You forget that I know you more than anyone else. I know when you’re lying and when you are occluding. You can’t hide it from me.” Draco can always tell when I'm lying. I've never been able to keep a secret from him. All of a sudden he stops and pulls me into an alcove just before we reach the Herbology classroom.
“You're meeting Adrian.”
Not a question.
A statement.
Extra locks.
I try to pry his hand from around my forearm. His grip only tightening. “I thought I told you to stay away from him.”
Another statement.
Eyes dull. Fully gray now.
“He’s a prat Scarlet. He cheated on you once, what makes you think he won't do it again?”
His grip is hurtful. He is hurting me though it isn't his intention, but his fingers are digging into a burn that has yet to heal properly. I wince away from him and his entire demeanor changes. He lets go of his grip on my arm, to wrap around my shoulders pulling me into a hug.
“I love him, Draco. He's the only other boy who has loved me besides you. I forgive him.. Why can't you?” When he finally lets go he notices all emotion leave my face, his own walls come down a little and his face gets softer.
“He will never be good enough for you Scarlet. But I will not say anything more about him. I do not like him and never will. We are not friends. But, I will tolerate him. For your sake. But if he hurts you again. He will answer to me.” he says with one last squeeze of my shoulders and a slight smile on his face.
“Loud and clear.” A smile creeping back on my face. As Draco walks to the class room I quickly fix my make up and the puffiness of my eyes and follow behind him. Draco doesn't like Adrian and that's okay. At least he can be civil.. I hope.
Tonight's dinner is roasted chicken, carrots, broccoli, mash potatoes, rolls and salad. As I am putting food on my plate I spy Adrian walking in and wave him over. Now that all my friends know we are back together might as well try to integrate him back into the group.
I scoot closer to Pansy allowing him to sit next to me. Draco, Theo and Blaise are across the table from us. All of them are wearing a similar face of disgust. I kick Theo under the table and give him a look that says ‘play nice or I will kick higher next time’. He seemed to understand as we whispered to the other two and the looks morphed into disinterest.
“Hello Angel” Adrian says as he plants a kiss on my head while sitting down next to me.
Theo continues his conversation of the ridiculous potions assignment while Adrian starts to pile food onto his plate.
“You should have seen her hair! It grew 4 times bigger than usual! Scar was getting all flustered and Draco! He looked as though he was going to tell the cauldron “his father would hear about this’. Best class ever!” Theo says, clutching his side as he laughs.
“Oh whatever. I am just glad that Slughorn didn't make me smell the Amortentia. No Idea what I would have said but I rather not have my deep secret crush be revealed.” Draco adds, quirking his eyebrow up at me, as if he is insinuating something.
“My amortentia would smell like grass, broom polish and sugar quills.” Adrian says as he is shoving his face with his chicken.
Pansy eyebrows are furrowed in confusion as she looks around the table. “That’s funny. Scarlett doesn’t smell like any of those things” She says matter of factor.
“What did your amortentia smell like Scar?” her face now turned into a smirk as she studied her nails.
“Oh. Uh it smelled like fresh limes, violets,, and tobacco.” Pansys’ eyes grew wide as she looked at me. I quirk a brow up at her as she starts to silently giggle and she makes a quick look towards the boys.
“Those smells sound awful together. I don't smell that bad do I?” Adrian asks as he snakes his arm around my waist to pull me closer. I rest my head on his shoulder. “Of course not darling.”
As dinner continues they are all talking to Pansy about her flying lessons. Draco's eyes are fully gray. He's occluding. Does he really hate Adrian that much?
As dinner starts to wind down and everyone is getting ready to leave we wave the group goodbye and make our way down to the dungeons to be alone in his dorm.
Draco is spread out on the black leather couch in the common room. Potions book perched in his hands. Fully immersed in the section that he is reading.
I walk around to stand in front of him. “Nice to see you can pull yourself away from sucking face to meet me.” he says not looking up from his book.
I roll my eyes and put my hand on my hip tapping my foot against the hard stone floor. “Well I'm waiting.”
Adrian and I started a heated make out session which then led to him trying to shag me. Seeing as I had to meet Draco soon we didn’t have enough time. This sent Adrian into a right fit.
Which, incidentally led to me fighting back tears the whole way down the hall to the common room.
After a minute or two he finally finishes whatever section he was reading and puts the book in his bag and leads us out of the dungeons.
“How was flying lessons with Pansy?” I ask as we make our way to the room of requirement.
“She's getting better. Still trying to figure out who she is trying to impress. I bet 20 galleons on Goldstien.
I snort at his answer. “Why would it be Goldsien? He's a Hufflepuff!”
“Well I know it's not me. I do not think it's Blaise, and it's definitely not Theo. No one else would make sense.” He says as we round the corner at the end of the hall.
“I don’t know. Maybe I will ask her.” I say following behind him as we near the door. “She originally asked to keep you boys distracted while I talked to Adrian, but I have no idea why she is still making you all help her.”
I am lost in the thought of who Pans is actually trying to impress with flying skills, as I wait for Draco to make the door to the Room of Requirement. As soon as it did he put his hand on the small of my back guiding me inside. Only once the door shuts do I stop to take in all the room has to offer.
While looking for the cabinet I keep talking. “Wait. Why ‘definitely not Theo’? He's cute and funny. Plus he loves to fly!”
“Theo is very complicated. Unfortunately, his thoughts are very loud. Pansy believes he fancies another, and I agree.” Draco says while walking in front of me searching for the cabinet.
“What? I didn't know Theo fancied someone? Since when? Who is it?” I rush out as I am trying to keep my cool.
Theo hasn't fancied someone in a long time. He's had hookups every now and then and is very flirtatious with loads of girls but hasn't fancied anyone for two years, and even then he wouldn't tell anyone who it was. He was quiet for most of last year. Distant. I really missed my friend.
“Look, over here.” Draco says while ignoring my question and leading me to the reason we came here in the first place.
Pulling the sheet off, a large oak cabinet with brass embellishments stood in front of us.
For the next two hours me and Draco spend our time trying to understand the spells that are written within the structure in order to try and figure out why it's not working.
After Draco nearly pushes the thing over while slamming the door closed out of frustration. We take a break and try to come up with a plan for killing Dumbledore..
We decided on cursing a necklace we found in the room and wrapping it neatly in parchment to be delivered. As much as Draco wants to please his father and Voldemort, he doesn't have what it takes within him to kill someone…
Once we finish cursing the necklace and he carefully wraps it in brown parchment and places it in his bag we head back down to the dougeons.
Being so exhausted once I finally reach my room I put on my pajamas and crawl into bed. Finally, allowing myself to fall asleep.
Outside the air feels warm. Letting the sun shine on my face as I lay in the garden with Ditty the house elf. It took alot of coercing for him to come lay out here with me. But father and mother are away god knows where, so I decided that Ditty can take time off and just relax. Letting the smell of the grass and the violets flood my nose. Ditty is giggling at the shapes of the cloud above us. All of a sudden his giggle stops and I feel the pull of magic as he apparates away.
“And what is it that you are doing here on the ground little girl?” Bellatrix asks as she sneers at me with her yellow crooked teeth.
“I'm sorry. I was just… Um, enjoying the sunset.” I say as I hurry to my feet.
“Rodolphus requests you in his study for your afternoon training.” She says as she watches me very closely. “NOW.” Pushing towards the house.
In his study, father is sitting at his desk. Cigar in hand. “Scarlet. It has come to my attention that your occlumency is weak.”
With shaky hands I look down at the ground. “I am working on it, father.”
He lifts his head up to look at me “It's pathetic, just like you.” He slams his chair back when he stands up. “Maybe I just need to give you some motivation”. “Give me your arm.” He holds out his hand waiting for me.
“No... Please father...Please don't…” I choke out holding back a sob.
“Look at you already shaking and I haven't even begun. Pathetic. You can never get a hold on your emotions. Now I will NOT ask again. GIVE. ME. YOUR. ARM.” he roars.
In one swift motion he takes ahold of my arm, and slams it down on his desk. “Now hold it in.” Slowly he takes his cigar and presses it in the crook of my elbow. I internally hiss. He picks it up again, takes a drag and presses it into another spot on my arm. This repeats for 5 more burns.
Finally when he's satisfied and I have made no noise he lets go with a forceful push. I pull my sleeve of my cardigan down and stand there and wait for further instruction.
Suddenly I hear another presence in the room. When I look over I see Bellatrix. Her grin is wide as she holds an old knife between her fingers I've never seen before.
“Is it my turn dear? I have something very special for her.” She says trying to be sweet but her eyes are filled with hatred.
“Of course. Let's see if she's as strong as she pretends to be.” He says using a spell to throw me to the ground.
My head slams on the floor, pain blurring my vision. I feel the hem of my dress is pulled up just enough to expose my right upper thigh.
“What were you calling her love? Pathetic?” The tip of the knife digging into my thigh. P “That's fitting.” A “Aching for our love.” T “Our approval.” H “Nothing you do will be good enough.” E “You’re worthless” T “Nothing but a useless whore” I “You are path-----”
Gasping for air I spring out of bed. Looking around the dark room I see no movements so I try to ground myself. I see Pansy in bed. I see my wand on the ground. I see a grindylow swim by. I hear the lake hum against the window. I hear the light inhale of pansy across the room. I hear footsteps of students walking by. I can move my fingers. I can move my legs. I can move my hands.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
Once my breathing has settled I slowly pull off the blankets and look at the word marked onto my skin “Pathetic” I trace over every letter. Severe distress or pleasure causes the disillusionment charm to wear off. I charm away the cut that goes across my left eye and the light bruising on my right eye, wrap the rest of my body under the blanket Molly made me and get out of bed to head outside.
While walking to the lake I see another figure sitting by the water. Familiar curly brown hair and broad shoulders sit with their legs spread out in front of them. Smoke rings floating above.
“Fancy seeing you here. Draco's snoring keeping you up?” I say, as I settle in next to him, ensuring my blanket stays closed. “His snores are the worst. Can hear them across the hall back at the manor.”
“Well hello to you too, bed head.” He bows from his position on the grass making me giggle. “Our little Draky was quietly sleeping when I slipped out. Though, that more than likely isn't the case anymore.” Walking around him to sit on his left he continues
“What are you doing out here at this hour?” Theo asks while looking at me with a smile.
I try to smooth my hair out while keeping the blanket wrapped around my body. “I couldn't sleep.”
“Couldn't sleep huh? Looks more like you woke up from a nightmare.” I furrow my brows confused. How would he know that?
“Your eyes. They aren't as green. You’re occluding again.” he points at my eyes the cigarette gently nestled between his index and pointer finger.
“Right…Um yes I guess you could call it that..” I gestured for him to pass the cigarette to me.
“Want to talk about it? You know, instead of locking it up?” He gave me a sympathetic smile. Theo had known about my system of locking up my emotions ever since he had asked me to help him learn occlumency.
“I'd rather not… I'm fine though, really. Just a silly dream.” I say trying to give a reassuring smile back but it faulters some. Placing the stick between my lips and inhaling the smoke.
“So, where do you stand on the whole Pansy Goldstien debate?” I ask Theo, changing the subject from me and before handing him back the stick.
“Draco got you on his side too? I think it's a female. Or rather I want it to be.” He raises his eyebrows seductively. “Weslette is rather fit nowadays and a fantastic flier.” He says while smirking at me.
“While it wouldn't surprise me that pans would swing both ways, I think it's someone closer to our group. Perhaps a certain curly haired brunette?.” I say while giving him a wink.
“It is not me. Trust me Scarlet. Besides, I would be a horrible boyfriend. ” He chuckles lightly.
“Any girl would be lucky to call you their boyfriend, you're a great guy. Even if you don't think so. I have met a lot of terrible guys.. You, Theodore Nott, are not one of them. You're one of the good ones.” I grab his hand and squeeze it reassuringly, he blushes a little at my comment.
Once the cigarette is put out I reach over his lap to grab the pack and pull out another one. While lighting it the movement causes the blanket to shift some.
Unbeknownst to me, my right thigh is visible now along with the inside of my arm through a crack in the blanket. From the corner of my eye I feel him tense with his vision on me.
Taking an inhale I hand him the stick as I joke “I have heard that you fancy someone as well. Are you gonna tell me who this time? You must know, they need my approval to date my Theodore.” While bumping my shoulder into his.
Looking up to his face I see that he is staring straight ahead. Vision unmoving. His jaw tensed. His fist is clenching and unclenching.
Clearly my question made him uncomfortable. “Hey, I’m sorry Theo. I was just joking. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to.” I say watching him take a large inhale.
Holding it in some before finally letting go. His entire demeanor changed within a matter of seconds… Did I do something wrong? We always joke around. I try to back track but before I am able to say anything he hands the stick back to me before standing up dusting off any left over grass from his trousers.
“You're not pathetic Scarlet.” He says barely a whisper as he looks directly at me then down towards the ground where my wand rests in between my legs.
Did he just say pathetic?
How-
Wha-
Eyes wide at what he just said trying to ask him where that came from but my voice is caught in my throat. I follow his line of sight to see that my entire right thigh is out in the open as well as my arm. I didn't disillusion any of it as I planned on being alone and was covered by the blanket… I rush to cover myself once again.
Slamming the doors shut.
Locking them.
Adding extra locks.
“Yes. Yes I am.” I whisper back, so quietly I know he didn't hear me as he started to head back into the castle.
Fuck