Hermione and I were standing around, waiting for the lesson to start. The Professor was quietly preparing each cauldron.
"Is that Professor Slughorn?" I whispered to Hermione, pushing hair behind my ears and out of my face.
She nodded.
"I'll be right back." I handed her my book.
I went up behind him as he hummed to himself, polishing a cauldron.
"Excuse me, Professor." I said, putting my hands behind my back. He gasped in surprise, putting a hand on his chest as he turned around.
"My apologies," I said quickly. He looked at me with a bit of a perplexed look on his face. "I didn't mean to startle you."
"I just wanted to introduce myself," I stuck out my hand, "I'm-"
"Y/n Fawley." He smiled, taking my hand. "Yes, I know quite a bit about you."
"Oh, really?" I asked.
"I taught both of your parents, they were both some of the most intelligent Slytherins I'd ever met." He boasted, "Looking at your OWL's, I assume you're following in their footsteps."
I looked at him with my jaw slack slightly. "Well, that's saying a lot but yes, I think I'm doing quite well."
He nodded, "And I expect this year will be no different?"
"Of course, Professor." I nodded.
"That's good," He nodded. He turned me around as he walked, patting me on the back. "I'm excited to have you in my class."
"I'm excited to be here," I nodded.
"Great," He clapped his hands together, "It's always a joy to teach avid learners."
Avid learner is a bit much but I nod along, taking a spot at the front next to Hermione. She handed me my book as Professor Slughorn turned to stand in front of the class.
As he talked, I looked at each of the cauldrons sitting on the table. I looked over at Hermione who seemed to be studying them just as closely, there was no doubt in my mind that she knew what every one was.
I could easily tell what the Felix Felicis was, there wasn't many potions that resemble molten gold.
The other, Veritaserum, was also extremely easy to recognize. It was clear and had no odor but when you have experience with the potion it becomes easy to see the differences between it and water.
There was a third cauldron filled to the top with a potion that seemed to swirl on its own, glinting with a pearl-like sheen.
As the draft of the dungeon wafted the steam of the potion, my senses were filled with the best scent I've ever experienced. I thought I would never leave the classroom if it meant I could smell it forever.
The smell was sweet and like something I couldn't quite put my finger on but also smelled like butter beer, burnt cookies, cinnamon, and the beach. It might sound like a weird combination but if you were there you would understand.
"Ah. Harry, old boy." Professor Slughorn cut himself off. My eyes snapped up, falling on Harry as he stood awkwardly in the door way. "I was beginning to worry."
Then, Ron peeked his head out from behind Harry and they shuffled into the classroom.
"Brought someone with us, I see."
"I thought they weren't taking potions this year?" I whispered to Hermione. She shrugged and I straightened back up.
"Ron Weasley, sir." Ron smiled. I felt a girl basically leaning on me. I looked over and it was Lavender Brown basically melting. I gave her a perplexed look, pulled my arm away from her, and stepped closer to Hermione. Hermione was staring at her with her own unwelcoming look.
"I'm dead awful at potions," Ron continued, shaking his head and trying to weasel himself out of the course, "Menaced actually, so I'll probably just go."
"Nonsense." The professor chuckled, "Any friend of Harry is a friend of mine. Get your books out."
"Sorry sir, I haven't actually got my book yet, nor has Ron." Harry said.
I looked at Hermione out of the corner of my eye to see that she was already looking at me. We both quickly covered our mouths to hide our smiles.
"Not to worry, then, get you one from the cupboard." Slughorn smiled.
He turned back to the classroom, clapping his hands together. We all tried to ignore the two boys who were fighting behind his back.
"Now, as I was saying, I prepared some concoctions this morning. Any ideas what these might be?"
Hermione's hand shot up per usual and I heard slight groans and scoffs. I looked over my shoulder glaring at and silencing Pansy and a few other Slytherin girls.
"Yes, Miss..."
"Granger," Hermione gave him a curt nod. She stepped towards the cauldrons carefully. "That one there is Veritaserum. It's a truth serum."
"And that one there is Polyjuice potion," She paused, "It's terribly tricky to make."
"And this..." She stopped in front of the glimmering potion and we all looked at it. "...is Amortentia. The most powerful love potion in the world."
She stammered a little bit as she looked between the potion and Professor Slughorn.
"It's rumoured to smell differently to each person according to what attracts them."
Who knew that burnt cookies and butter beer were attractive to me?
"For example, I smell freshly mown grass, and new parchment, and... spearmint tooth paste." She cut herself off, stepping back next to me. I gave her a confused look as she shrunk into my side.
"Now, Amortentia doesn't actually create love, that'd be impossible but it does create powerful infatuation or obsession. And for that reason it is probably the most dangerous potion in this room."
The girls who had wandered to the front to stare at the Amortentia stepped back when he put the lid over top.
"Sir, you haven't told us what is in that one." Katie Bell spoke up.
He turned around, smiling as he took the little vial in his hand and held it up for everyone to see.
"Ah, yes. What you see before you, ladies and gentlemen, is a curious little potion known as Felix Felicis." He explained as we all crowded to see closer. "More commonly known as..."
"Liquid Luck." My tongue slipped before I processed what I was saying.
"Yes, Miss Fawley." He beamed, "Liquid Luck. Desperately tricky to make, disastrous should you get it wrong. One sip and you'll find that all of your endeavors succeed. At least until the effects wear off."
He walked around to the other side of the table, putting the vial back on it's display.
"So, this is what I offer each of you today. One tiny vial of liquid luck to the student who, in the hour that remains manages to brew an acceptable Draught of Living Death. Recipes for which can be found on page 10 of your books." As soon as he said that, everyone started flipping through their books. I looked over the recipe, which seemed to be extremely complicated.
"I should point out, however, only twice did a student manage to brew a potion of sufficient quality to claim this price." He looked at me proudly, as if it had been me who had brewed the potion. "Nevertheless, good luck to you all. Let the brewing commence."
The ingredients were already laid out at each table, sat next to a cauldron for each student. I set up my working area in between Hermione and Harry and across from Ron. But my cauldron was the one that was closest to Dean at his table, arranged so that we were basically back to back.
The first two steps were easy enough, I shook the infusion of Wormwood like my father had shown me when I was little and measured it out correctly. The root of Asphodel was easy enough, although Dean blew some into my face and then got scolded for being wasteful. Professor Slughorn made him clean it off my face and the floor.
The sloth brain was absolutely disgusting and it made me wish that I had failed my OWL exams last year.
Now the part that was really giving me trouble was the Sopophorus bean. The instructions were to cut the bean in half diagonally to squeeze the juice into the potion, but no matter what anyone did the bean seemed to jump away from the blade.
I held it in between my thumb and pointer finger, trying to slice through it. It was almost like the bean launched and I let out a yelp as it flew, banging against Hermione's cauldron.
I chuckled slightly but she was not as amused. She seemed increasingly frazzled, her hair matching the look on her face.
Harry laughed, grabbing the bean from under the pile it had flown into.
"Here." He said, stepping by my side and grabbing my hand that held the dagger, twisting it and crushing the Sopophorus bean with the blade.
"Thanks." I smiled. He nodded, stepping back into his own station. I held the bean over my potions, crushing it up in my hand and letting the juice drip.
"How did you do that?" Hermione asked.
"Crush it, don't cut it." Harry said as he did the same to his own.
"No." Hermione said firmly. "The instructions say specifically to cut."
"No, really." He nodded.
I heard the sounds of struggle and laughter from over my shoulder. I turned around to see Dean wrestling with his Sopophorus bean, trying to get it to stay still while he cut it. I put a hand on his shoulder and gestured for him to move.
He stepped back, "Be my guest."
I looked at him with fake smugness, grabbing the blade from his hand and turning to his cauldron.
I carefully place the blade on top before pushing down with all my weight. I then squeezed the juice into his cauldron.
"Thanks," He said, looking between the cauldron and I. The potion was slowly churning, turning into a lilac color.
"No problem." I smiled, handing him the dagger.
I went back to my own desk, looking at my potion which seemed to be quite an acceptable texture as well. I looked at Harry, who was looking at Ron with a clenched jaw, and then at Hermione, who was staring at her potions book frustratedly.
I stirred my potion and then started to pour in the potion water. It was my last step, and after I stirred the potion 7 times I would be done. Professor Slughorn had been wandering around the classroom and ended up behind my shoulder. He clasped a hand on the shoulder that was stirring the pot.
"Very good, Miss Fawley. I think I was right by assuming you're following in your mum's footsteps."
"Thank you, Professor." I said over my shoulder, "I think I'm almost done."
Just as soon as I said that, Harry caught Slughorn's attention.
"Professor, I think my potion is finished." At that, I frowned but continued to stir. I was secretly hoping he had gotten something wrong, only because I was too competitive.
"Merlin's beard," Slughorn exclaimed a minute later. I looked up from my cauldron. "It's perfect! So perfect, I dare say a single drop would kill us all."
I smiled at Harry as he looked over at me, excited for him.
But when Harry stood in front of the class I couldn't help but sigh in defeat as he was given the small vial containing Liquid Luck.
"There we go, as promised. One vial of Felix Felicis." Harry reached out for it and Slughorn held it back. "Use it wisely."
Harry held it up in front of the class proudly. I clapped for him tiredly but smiling slightly at the proud look on his face.
As we walked out of the class, I caught him in the hallway.
"You're bloody lucky."