Potion Of (Unrequited) Love
In the potions classroom, two men sit across from each other, deep in a game of wizard chess with cups of tea in their hands (the Zaunite's was spiked with whisky).
"A week before Valentines." Silco comments. "Bishop to h4."
"Indeed. It's that time of the year again." Tobias acknowledged. "Pawn to b5"
"Are you sure you want to do this to your daughter? Vander and I surely don't mind doing it to Violet, the stubborn girl." Silco took a sip from his cup. "Queen to a6."
"Are you suggesting I break our tradition Sil?" Tobias feigns insult. "Knight to d4"
"Of course not, Tobias. I'm simply reminding you of how much chaos this particular lesson causes every year." Silco grins. "Bishop to d1."
"Oh I know very well. Perhaps it will be the push they need to act on their feelings. It worked for Cas and I." The two chuckle remembering Tobias' little slip up in Potions in their 5th year.
"I better prepare for the lesson then. Knight to f3. Checkmate." The men smile at each other and shake hands.
"So what do you think about that sketchy shit Sky said?" Vi asks as she drops her things and settles in her spot beside Caitlyn.
"Potions class should be interesting for you guys today." Sky told them at breakfast. This was met with mischivous grins from Mel, Viktor and Jayce.
"It must be something complicated or volatile." Caitlyn mentally goes through all the potions they were to learn for 5th year, crossing out the ones they'd already done.
She turned her attention to the teachers table where a cauldron was covered with a cloth. Around it were several types of potion ingredients. Ashwinder eggs, powdered moonstone, peppermint… pearl dust.
Suddenly her eyes widened. "Vi. When's Valentines day?"
Vi raised a skeptical eyebrow. "End of the week, Sunday. Why?... wait."
The duo's conversation was cut short as Professor Silco emerged from the back room carrying a bottle filled with a liquid of swirling shades of pink, glimmering with a mother-of-pearl sheen.
"Good morning, students. Or shall I remove the 'good' as I do not particularly enjoy this potion. However, as dictated by the curriculum, I have to introduce it to you." Vi could tell there was a hint of a lie there but she wasn't as good as Powder at reading the man.
Silco stood behind the table and pulled off the cloth revealing a potion quite similar to the one in the bottle but it lacked the shine and shimmer of the bottled one.
"From the ingredients and what's in the cauldron, who can tell me what this is?"
Caitlyn's hand shot up.
"Miss Kiramman."
"An incomplete Amortentia potion."
There were several gasps in the room. Everyone knew this potion. There were too many tales of it.
"Correct 10 points to Ravenclaw. This is indeed Amortentia, the strongest love potion ever made. Note that it does not create true love, only intense infatuation. Now then, what need to be done to complete the potion?"
Vi raises her hand.
"Another pinch of pear dust."
"Correct 10 points to Gryffindor." With that he takes a small pinch of the white iridescent powder and sprinkles it into the cauldron. One quick stir and the potion takes on its signature sheen along with pink smoke that rises in a spiral.
"Take a deep breath. Each of you will smell something different. Amortentia's unique aroma changes to mimic the scent of whatever makes one happy." With a wave of his wand the smoke spreads across the room.
Both Vi and Caitlyn take hesitant breaths. They shared a singular thought the moment they identified the unique smell.
'Fuck.'
"What is it for you?" Caitlyn looked Vi.
"My room, burning fireplace wood, leather, and the slop from Jericho's." Vi answered with a smile. "You?"
"Old and new books, hot tea, and morning dew." Caitlyn responded with a matching expression.
Far too lost in their own heads they miss the tinge of disappointment in each other's eyes. Missed how sluggish their usual fluid team work was. How hesitant their words were compared to their lighthearted banter. The whole time they were tormented by what was supposed to make them happy, completely unbeknownst by the other.
The Zaunites were all together in the Firelight base at the end of the day. Vi was splayed out on a couch, all eyes in her.
"My dear sister, what did you actually smell in Potions today?" Mylo grinned.
Vi growled in response. Not a playful one. No. The one that set everyone on edge… except for Powder of course.
"Vi?" The youngest Wick called out to her sister. The effect was instantaneous, Vi's demeanor softened.
"It was…"
---
The Piltovans sat under their tree by the lake. Mel and Viktor leaning against Jayce, backs against the tree, while Sky sat on a root across from Caitlyn.
"So, Caitlyn dear. What did Amortentia smell like to you?" Mel practically purred, eyes sparkling with mischief.
Caitlyn flinched visibly. Concern washed over the others.
"Cait?" Jayce spoke softly, coaxing the truth from his sister in all but blood.
"It was…"
---
"...lilac, gooseberries, and cupcakes." Vi sighed.
---
"...herbs and violets." Caitlyn whispered.
---
"That's Caitlyn's perfume." Abby said softly.
"Why don't you just tell her, Vi?" Claggor's eyes silently pleaded.
---
"That's Vi's scent." Sky muttered to herself.
"Caitlyn. You should tell her." Viktor looked at her with concern.
---
Vi took a deep breath and sat up, legs spread and forearms braced against her thighs.
"She's too good for me. She's smart, gorgeous, responsible, kind, funny, and riotous. She can charm anyone. Own even experienced hunters on the range. A prodigy with magic. She's going places ill never reach.. She's perfect and I'm… Vi. I'll never be good enough for her… I can't lose our friendship because I was stupid enough to confess knowing she'd never return my feelings."
---
Caitlyn tensed up, frustration building in her. She looks at the others with fear and dismay.
"I cant! She was the first person aside from you all to treat me as Caitlyn not as a Kiramman. She's a free soul. Being with me will only tie her down to our world and I know her history with purebloods… I don't want to lose her friendship with my stupid feelings. I can't hurt her."
---
The respective groups were sworn to secrecy. Whether or not they wanted to.
---In an alternate universe---
Caitlyn stumbles into the classroom, breathless. "Forgive my tardiness. Professor Heimerdinger asked me for some help demonstrating a spell to the first years."
"You're excused." Silco keeps his well practiced pokerface as a very familiar scene begins to play out before him.
Relieved Caitlyn shuffles to her seat beside Vi. The pinkette was in the middle of making the potion for today.
"Hey Cupcake. There goes this year's perfect record huh?" Vi teased with a grin.
Caitlyn gently whacks her shoulder. As she takes a deep breath to steady her heart from running, something catches her attention.
"Goodness, Vi. Did you leave one of your uniforms here after Quidditch practice?" She said loud enough for a few students near them to hear. Ears started honing in on the duo's conversation.
"No? Why?" Vi stammered, gay panic in full force. A few more students notice.
"Then why in the world does the room smell like you?"
That caused a ripple in the room as silence fell over the students. With everyone's attention on the duo, Silco takes a moment to crack a grin. Caitlyn notices their little audience.
"Um. Did I say something wrong?" She looks down at Vi who she now sees is burning red, metaphorical steam coming out her ears.
"C-cupcake. T-this is Amortentia." Vi stutters out and Caitlyn freezes.
There is a long moment of dead silence as the words settle into the bluenette. Everyone sees the red color her cheeks and spread all over her face, down to her collarbone. Next thing they knew Caitlyn was rushing out the door. The stunned silence lasted a moment longer before-
Bonk. Claggor hits Vi on the head with a bottle cork from halfway across the room.
"GO YOU USELESS LESBIAN!" Mylo yells which spurs the rest of the class to action. All of them cheering for Vi to 'get your girl!'
Jolted out of her stupor Vi books it out the door with a frantic shout of "CAIT!"
'Like father, like daughter.' Silco muses in his head.