Serendipity (S. Black)

FIVE

"and suddenly all the love songs were about you."

*

"Are you all right?" Eva whispered to Remus as she bruised her peppermint flower's petals with a mortar. "You look pale."

"I'm fine. Just tired is all. Thanks for asking, though." She didn't believe him, not for one second, but he gave her a strained smile and consulted the textbook again. She scooped up the petals and held them over the cauldron before he seized her wrist. "Don't put those in yet, we need to stir it four times counter-clockwise first."

"Oh, sorry. I must've missed that. I'll do it." Thank God Slughorn had assigned Remus as her partner. While Eva had earned a place in the 'Slug Club' and was talented in her own rights, she had no real aptitude for brewing. "Now?"

"Yeah, sprinkle them in. Be careful, though, Amortentia's tricky," he said. "Can you pass me the moonstone? I need to crush it."

She gave him the small white stone and peered around the classroom to see how her friends were faring. Through the hazy air, she could see James and Peter almost spilling their concoction, Sirius and Marlene chatting up a storm, and Lily and Snape glaring in opposite directions. Why did the Gryffindor get stuck with the Slytherins for classes this year? Poor Lily. She'd gotten stuck with the boy who called her a Mudblood the year prior. That was the year when she completely cut ties with Snape and stopped being his friend. It was also the year that Eva conveniently stopped protecting Snape if she caught James messing with him. Eva protected everyone, but she protected her friends first.

No one messed with her friends.

"So, your first match is coming up, huh?"

"Yeah, against Hufflepuff. I think we have a decent chance. We got a few good new people at tryouts."

"You still playing keeper?"

She nodded. "Yeah. McKinnon's had us out every single day after classes practicing. It's like he thinks we're going to lose. It's only Hufflepuff. Last weekend Ravenclaw wiped the floor with them."

"Fifteen minutes left!" Professor Slughorn called as he walked between the tables.

"Anyway, we play Slytherin in a few weeks. That's the big game."

"We'd better win. I can't stand the smug looks on their faces otherwise. Can you throw the rose thorns in? I've got them in that little bowl. Then mix it."

"Sure." When she dumped them in, the potion became a golden color. "That's kind of pretty."

"It's almost done. I just need to put in the Ashwinder Eggs." Remus slowly dropped in seven of the red eggs. Mist rose from the cauldron and the liquid turned a pearly pink. "It's done."

"We did it!" She held up her hand for a high five and after a look of tired amusement, Remus slapped her hand. "Well, mostly you, I guess."

"Nah, we'll call it a group effort."

"You're too nice."

"Help me with Transfiguration and we'll call it even."

Professor Slughorn wove his way through the tables with great effort before stopping in front of theirs. "Mr. Lupin, Miss Taylor, have you finished yet?"

"Yes, sir," they chorused.

"It's the perfect color. In fact, it looks perfect! Congratulations. Remus, what does it smell like to you?"

Remus sniffed the mist rising from the cauldron. "Chocolate, and wood burning, and lemons, and parchment."

"And what about you, Eva?"