Rose Evans

Up to You: Amortentia

Amortentia
Okay so this one was a frequent request... But I'm going to spin it to include a /joke/ request (the person who requested it should get a kick out of it even if I'm not following through 100%)
Back to Sirina's POV

Professor Snape allows me to take some ingredients from his personal store, I told him I wanted to practice a bit... But honestly he'd probably let me take it even if I said I was planning on blowing up the castle.

I run the storage up to the girls bathroom where I'll set to work. "Myrtle!!" I call out. She's a little sensitive, but friendly enough once she found out I was Harry's sister and nothing more. She likes being trusted with that secret, "I've got the ingredients!"

We became friends a few weeks ago when I was feeling very overwhelmed by everyone asking about what had happened last term. I went to hide in the bathroom nobody ever uses, and discovered why nobody uses it. She didn't like me much at first when I told her why I was crying- she doesn't much like anyone who's friends with Harry.

She swoops down from the ceiling and hovers s few inches off of the floor with her legs crossed as if she's sitting on the floor. "I'm so excited," she squeals, "what's first? What's First?!"

"Myrtle, calm down..." I chuckle, "we're not in a rush." Honestly I was a little afraid to begin. "Let's start by labeling the jar I'll keep it in... okay?" She nods, though obviously frustrated. I scribble on the jar Amortentia. Myrtle squeals with delight.

"Just make it!"

"Myrtle, you know I'm taking this with me... right?" I look up at her, she rolls her eyes and nods. "You can't use it. Even if you did, it doesn't really create love--"

"Just obsession, I know!" She huffs, "I want to smell it! I haven't made a potion in a hundred yeeeeears!" Her voice goes high-pitched as she flies around the bathroom.

I shrug and begin adding ingredients to our cauldron. Myrtle loved helping by handing me ingredients and occasionally stirring while I read the directions over again.

After about half an hour, the potion turned a bubbling shade of pink. We both smiled, and went in for a high five. I fell through her when she didn't slap my hand back. We have a common issue of forgetting Myrtle is not human any longer. I rubbed my knees and scooted back toward the potion.

"Myrtle, you smell first!" I insist, "you are the one who wanted to brew it." I wave her toward me.

Myrtle sits across from me and nervously bows her head down toward the cauldron. She inhales deeply, keeping her eyes closed in the cauldron.

"Well, does it smell like Harry?" I laugh, knowing that's what she'd expect from it.

She shakes her head, "no," she's still smiling though, and inhaling the potion. "It smells like peppermint toads, peanut butter sandwiches, and..." she inhales again, "maybe... maybe blueberries."

I tilt my head, confused. "Who would that be, Myrtle?"

She looks up and shrugs, "I don't remember," her smile drops only slightly, "maybe someone I once knew. I know the smell, it makes me feel alive again."

I smile, glad that I could make her happy. Also quiet. This is the quietest I think Myrtle has ever been. Her voice was a neutral pitch, there was no squealing, and she was sitting fairly still. I wonder if when she was alive she was this calm. Reminded me a bit of Ginny.

"Your turn!" She squeals. And the moment is gone.

I laugh and bow my head toward the potion, I take a deep breath. I'm not sure if I'm surprised or not at what I smell. I can't exactly put a face or name to the scent.

Mud and grass, maybe some sweat... shampoo... apple? I couldn't put it all together, it just smelled like school I guess. Mud, grass could be anywhere. Sweat, quidditch I guess? Shampoo, well everyone washes their hair I'd hope. Apples are served in the great hall all the time!

My potion could literally mean anyone.

"Who do you smell?" Myrtle asks excitedly, spinning around the bathroom in circles.

"I don't know."