Starry skies and Gardenias

Chapter 100

"Team!" James said brightly. 

The team waited anxiously, waiting for their captain's words of encouragement.

James looked around at all of them, then with a bright grin, he said, "Let's show them how it's done,"

"We've got the best captain in the world," Andrew said jovially as he skipped out of the locker rooms and they formed the usual line before stepping out into the pitch.

The only thing that bothered Isabella about this was that the Seeker was the first one to walk out, and then the Chasers follow, the Beaters and the Keeper. 

So every time Isabella walked out onto the pitch, there would be a loud explosion of noise from the stands, cheering for the stands. And the sudden noise would make her flinch.

Their match against Hufflepuff was easily one of the best ones. At least for Isabella, it was. 

The conditions were perfect, Gryffindor was scoring goal after goal, and Isabella found the snitch within fifteen minutes of the game, just a foot away from her. 

It ended in a landslide victory for Gryffindor, and Isabella slipped away before she could be dragged up for a party. 

She preferred the solitude. Besides, she had a lot of homework to do. Teachers always seemed to pile homework on them during the Marcy-April months, and then they would have their revisions and exams. 

........................................................................

The potions classroom was filled with fumes from the cauldron in the centre of the room.

It had been a full lunar cycle since they had started working on the potion, and it should be done today.

Isabella and Regulus got along well after their first disastrous week. Neither wanted something like that happening ever again, so they remained civil and cooperated with each other. 

The last thing Isabella wanted to do was end up as a cat, and the last thing Regulus wanted to do was repeat the nightmare again. 

And so if it means working in harmony with his enemy, then he was taking it.

Slughorn had come up with a scheme, where they would make potions together, and one person would try it to check the results. Of course, Slughorn would have an antidote ready at hand just in case too. 

Isabella was the one who tried it first, it was a pepper-up potion, that was so strong it made her ears release steam with just one sip. 

Black went next, and he had to be hexed first. He was very reluctant, but finally, Isabella cast a hiccoughing jinx, and then he took the potion and he was cured. 

Then Isabella was forced to take a Befuddlement Draught. And this gave Isabella a very strong urge to want to duel Black, which he found very amusing to refuse as she swore wildly at him. 
The embarrassment was a nightmare, once she took the antidote, especially with Black laughing at her. 

"Today is it you," Isabella said stubbornly. "I did it last time,"

"But that was a simple potion," Black argued. "This is Veritaserum,"

"And you think I would be up for taking it?" Isabella said sharply.

"Well, you are the Gryffindor," Black shrugged.

"You are the 'Potions Prince'," Isabella snapped back.

"Yes, that is true," Black said smugly. "That's why you should take it,"