These Dreams

Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark

Henry was sitting by the fire, chatting amiably with Neville when Emma found him. The crowd in the common room had dwindled considerably due to the lateness of the hour, and only a handful of students and teachers remained. Emma slid into a spot on the couch next to Henry, gesturing Killian into an overstuffed chair across from them.

"What are you doing here?" Henry said, looking at Killian. "Aren't you a Hufflepuff?"

"The uh...Sorting Hat made a mistake," Emma said. "That's why he's here - he had to come back and get that straightened out."

"A mistake?" Neville looked incredulous. "The Sorting Hat never makes a mistake."

Emma leaned forward, lowering her voice to a whisper. "It does when there's a powerful curse on it."

Neville's eyes widened with shock. "Really?" he whispered back.

"Don't say anything," Emma cautioned. "We don't want to start a panic."

Neville nodded. "I understand."

"Since I've got you two here, I was hoping you could help me with something," Emma went on. "We need to get our hands on some liquid luck."

"Felix Felicis?" Henry's eyebrows went up. "That's serious stuff. You can't get that from Madame Pomfrey."

"They don't allow it in the auror's office?" Neville asked.

"Oh, they allow it. They're just...out of it right now." Emma explained.

"It's an extended process," Killian improvised.

"Six months or more to brew," Neville said. "The ingredients are difficult to find, and there aren't a lot of people who can brew it properly. It can be a disaster if it's done wrong."

"You look like you speak from experience," Killian said.

Neville gave a chuckle. "No, but I used to wonder if my mother hadn't brewed a bad batch and spilled it on me as a child."

"It's illegal to use in Quidditch," Henry said, tilting his head to Killian. "You know that, right?"

"That would be cheating," Killian said, raising his brows.

Henry gave him a look that clearly said he knew him too well.

"I barely know how to play the bloody game," Killian protested. "And I was flying a broom one-handed."

"I think you were too distracted looking at my Mom," Henry said with a grin.

"Well, that I'll own to," Killian answered. "Perhaps we could have a rematch sometime."

"You're on," Henry smiled.

"If you two are finished," Emma broke in. "We were talking about how we can find some liquid luck."

Neville chewed his lower lip. "Professor Gold may have some, but he's away right now."

Emma's eyes shifted to Killian, then back to Neville. "Professor Gold?"

"He took over as potions master when Slughorn retired again," Neville explained. "But he's away at a Wizengamot conference this week. Everyone's having double Herbology instead."

"Can you tell me where to find his storeroom?" Emma asked. "I'm sure he won't mind if we borrow some."

Henry looked at her like she was nuts. "He doesn't leave the door open, you know."

"Let me worry about that," Emma said.

"I'll come along," Henry offered.

"No - you stay here for now." Emma said.