Grey Eyes (A Harry Potter Fanfiction)

29. Duplicity

“Can anyone identify this potion here up front?”

Valentine’s Day came and went and, to my immense relief, everything has pretty much gone back to normal.

Remus and I returned to our usual rapport surprisingly fast. I guess it was expected? I think we both just had this tacit understanding that we really wanted to stay friends. Even though we only had a few hours, Remus had taken me around to all the Hogsmeade shops, including Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop as predicted. Since then it’s been as if the date never happened, though sometimes when he doesn’t think I see him… he looks kind of downcast.

For some bizarre reason, the only thing that changed after Valentine’s Day was between me and Sirius, who was standing on the opposite side of Slughorn’s desk with Lily while I remained by the chalkboard with Remus. We actually haven’t talked pretty much since… blimey, has it been a week already?

“Anyone?” the professor asks again, gesturing towards the cauldron. “Surely it can’t be too difficult for my star O.W.L. students! How about Mr. Black? Can you identify this potion?”

Sirius reluctantly breaks away from a rather engaged conversation with Lily to take a glance and a whiff of the potion. “Amortentia,” he replies promptly.

“Splendid!” Professor Slughorn exclaims. “Ten points for Gryffindor! And for an additional five points, the attributes of the potion, Mr. Black?”

With an unsuppressed groan that rouses a ripple of chuckles from the class, Sirius once again turns away from Lily to face the cauldron. “It makes the drinker experience deep obsession or infatuation towards the potion maker,” he answers perfunctorily. “You can distinguish Amortentia by its unique aromas, which appeal differently to each person.” He pauses. “And… I’ll just give an example, I guess?” He takes a deep breath. “I smell forest pine, red wine, and… cherry blossom.”

Our eyes connect across the table and suddenly, as if prompted by his words, a long forgotten memory flashes across my eyes.

“Sirius! Sirius, let’s go play!”

“Sure, what do you want to do?”

“Hmmm, hide and seek? …eh, what, why are you sniffing the air?”

“Something smells good. Is it you?”

“Oh, I just showered. You like it? My mum got it for me for my birthday. Cherry blossom!”

“Cherry blossom huh? It suits you.”

“Excellent, excellent! Another five points for Gryffindor!” Slughorn nods approvingly. “Now, class. Pay careful attention to the unique swirls of steam this potion creates and its distinct mother-of-pearl sheen for…”

I blink as Slughorn’s voice shakes me out of my daze, dragging me back to reality. What was that just now?

I glance back at Sirius across the table questionably only to find him once again in a whispered conversation with Lily. My brows furrow as I watch Lily grin and say something to him behind her hand and then Sirius lean in to whisper a reply in her ear. They’re… awfully close, aren’t they? Don’t they have any sense of personal space? And before I know it, Lily then tilts her head up at him with doe-eyed look in her eyes and Sirius actually returns her gaze for a long moment before Lily giggles and hits him across the arm.

What is this.

Am I imagining it? No, they are definitely acting way closer than they should be. If I didn’t know better, I’d think they were bloody flirting!