As we walked into Potions the next morning Snape had written one word up on the board. "TEST."
Fred and George groaned and took their seats. I normally get nervous for tests but potions was my strong suit. I pulled my hair up into a messy bun and took my seat next to Fred.
"Now listen Arabella, you can cheat off of me if you want, but im bewitching my answers to be wrong for cheaters." Fred said, " I mean, I am like way smarter than you." We both laughed as Snape silenced us in his low voice.
"Now witches, wizards, and anyone in between, this is a test on the properties of Amortentia. You must take this test and pass to brew your potion." Fred gulped and looked down at his desk.
"Although, if you fail the first time, as im sure some of you will. There will be retakes during any detention periods." Snape went to the supply room where he sent copies of our tests out. Fred was silent for the first time in a long time.
"Hey, its gonna be okay" I assured him and tapped his hand. We both looked down and immediately moved our hands. The test was easy, I mean beyond easy. I finished in minutes and turned it in to Snape at the front. The Ravenclaw next to George was finished at the same time as me. Fred and George both took quite some time.
After we all finished Snape bewitched a quill to grade them for him and Snape sent them back as soon as the quill was done. It was mere minutes, but those minutes were torture. The classroom was silent, you could hear a phoenix feather drop.
The tests were handed back and I looked down and saw a big 100% scrawled across the top. Fred got his and turned it over 65%. He had to retake it, he looked very disappointed but played it off as he didn't care much.
"if you need to retake it, which over half of you do, step up to the front and write your name in a slot." The whole class stood other than that Ravenclaw girl, a Slytherin boy in the back, and I.
I turned to Fred and said, "You want to study with me in the common room after practice tonight? I can help you, and you too George."
"Actually Bella, thank you but Pacifica and I were going to study tonight." George said pointing to the Ravenclaw girl next to him.
"Guess its just us Freddie." We both smiled, and agreed on the time.
That night at quidditch practice Wood worked us harder than he ever had before. It made sense, we were up against Slytherin tomorrow evening. In their match against Hufflepuff they sent 2 girls to the infirmary and 1 boy looked like he was practically petrified. They were a scary looking bunch of bafoons but they knew how to play.
McGonagall strode onto the field after practice and delivered the speech about playing fair and what not.
"But with Ms. Dupont on the pitch we've got nothing to worry about." McGonagall said. Fred shot me a glance, he still must be a tad confused about my past in quidditch.
As we were walking off the field I walked between him and George. George caught him up on my quidditch past.
"And then against Knoxford, she performed the first ever standing shot. And then..." George rambled on. "against the summer team for Hogwarts she pulled off a jump shot. You may ask how she did that on a broom, and stuck the landing, but I think it was just pure skill." I looked a little shocked that George knew so much about my stats but I didn't mind.
"Wow Georgie, if I didn't know any better I'd say you had a crush on me." I joked as he laughed.
"I mean you are practically famous" George said.
"So you set fires in your school, taught yourself how to change your appearance, is a potions expert, and led your quidditch team to the championships? Is there anything else you'd like to tell me?" Fred rambled on while George went to go meet Pacifica.
"I also played for Ilvermony in America for part of the summer in my 1st year." His jaw dropped,
"Enough about me, what's a fact about you that I would never know? And not the fact that you have 6 siblings, or that your brother tames dragons. Something about you, not your family." As I finished my sentence a look of admiration grew on his face.
I could only imagine how much attention is fought for in a house of 7 children, 2 parents, and a lousy ghoul.
"Lets see, I've been banned from every joke shop other than Zonko's and even Zonko has a list just for me." He said, looking proud of himself.
"Wow, even I cant say that. Not George?" He smiled.
"No, George is banned from only about half of them. Hes actually the shy one, believe it or not." I cant imagine either of the twins being labeled as shy.
We walked into the common room where Ron and Harry were sitting. They started whispering to each other as we took a table near the edge of the common room. Fred pulled out his test and showed me his answers
QUESTION 1: what does your Amortentia smell like? why?
expensive perfume, a new broomstick, and vanilla
that is what I think of when I think of true love.
QUESTION 2: where do you get the ingredients?
snapes cupboard
QUESTION 3: what are the cons to Amortentia?
love itself.
It was strange I've seen Fred's tests and homework before and normally the answers were much less...depressing. We started with the ones I could help with.
"Now, that may be true but you cannot truly know until you make it." Fred nodded and wrote this in.
"Number 2 you aren't incorrect but..." I went into full detail of where to find the ingredients.
"The highest flower on the pedestal of love in Beauxbatons flower garden." Fred turned and changed the subject.
"Have you ever been there?" I nodded and recalled the memory of my first time there.
Fleur was a second year and was showing me around the school.
"Now, Dupont. This is the flower garden, up there is the pedestal of love. Its very important you never come here with someone you dont truly love. The flowers will play mind tricks and eventually if you dont snap out, you will go all Romeo and Juliet." She pointed to the pedestal and talked about the garden some more.
"But, if you truly love someone, romantically, love someone. It will give you peace and prosperity. Many weddings take place around the pedestal each year." Fleur finished.
I guess I must have zoned out because Fred was asking if I was okay when I snapped out of the trance.
"Yes, yea. Just an old memory. I went there once, but never to the pedestal. You have to be in love to go up there." I said, remembering Fleurs words.
Fred nodded and said, "Maybe you can show me one day." We locked eyes and looked at our papers.
"You know to like show me around your old school." he coughed and said, "question 3".
I looked down at his answer which scrawled in messy writing wrote "love itself." I looked up at him as he looked down again.
"So, you aren't wrong but there's a little more to it." he nodded and I continued, "it's actually because the love it produces is a con, and not just because its love. Its the illusion of it."
He sat and thought and said "Its fake?" I nodded as he scribbled down the answer.
"But, it isn't always fake, its less of fake love and more of a fake belief of love. There is of course a chance for true love to be found but many believe if you drink the potion it will create love. The potion merely fabricates the idea of love. If you give it to the wrong person they would fall in love but it would be forced."
We finished his test and he went to retake it the next day. I waited outside the classroom as he took the retake. He walked out of the dungeon with his normal amount of swagger and cockiness.
"You aren't the only one with 100%." He said as he shoved the paper in my face. I laughed and we started to walk off when we heard a cough from behind us.
In a cold familiar voice Professor Snape said, "Ms. Dupont, have you ever made Amortentia before?" The question took me off guard.
"Ummm.. yes professor. I have."
Snape smiled and said, "Just out of curiosity what did it smell like, and I want the actual answer this time."
I looked down, the thing is the last time I made Amortentia, I didn't smell anything. I made it with my old class and lied about what I smelled. I told my professor and she explained how those who have never felt love dont smell anything.
"I got a letter from your old potions professor and she explained how marvelous you were." Snape smirked obviously wanting to embarrass me in front of Fred.
"Professor, I actually dont remember what I smelled." Snapes smile grew a bit more.
"Well, you must learn to not tell lies to those superior of you Ms. Dupont. Ill give you one more chance to tell the truth or its detention." The courtesy smile on my face grew dim. Why was he trying to make a fool out of myself?
"After all, we are making the potion by the end of the week." I looked to the floor and then back at Snape. I've only had detention with Snape once since I've been here and it wasn't a cake walk. I could just come clean to Snape about not smelling anything, or I could take a detention where he would still tell the class next time too.
"Professor, I must have made the potion wrong because I didn't smell anything."
Snape's smile grew and for the first time in this conversation Fred chimed in, "If you'll excuse us Snape-y we've got to get to the feast."
Fred put his hand on my shoulder as to say lets go but I stayed still. "I'm surprised as such an intelligent student like yourself doesn't know what that means."
I nodded and turned and as Fred and I started to walk away Snape said, "Not smelling anything Ms. Dupont, means you are incapable of feeling love." I stopped dead in my tracks and so did Fred.
"Must make two of us then Professor." I turned and stormed off.
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I didn't stop until I made it to moaning myrtles bathroom. I did quite enjoy myrtles presence, unlike the other students. She was always pretty sympathetic towards me when I was having trouble. She was generally very rude to the other girls who came in there to cry but never was mean to me. I still dont know why though.
"Oh Bella. Snape is a bloody idiot. You are capable of love, you just haven't met the right person." She started weeping too after a while of floating around me.
"Why haven't I smelt anything? I've made that potion more times than I've have detention," Myrtle grew quiet as I thought about the potion.
I have made it more times than I can count. I've also had detention more times than I can count.
"Myrtle, what did you smell?"
She drew out a long sigh and floated down to my level, "Oh Bella. I smelled dark chocolate, old parchment, and firewood." She smiled at the thought of whoever this mystery person was. As she finished her sentence I stood up in front of a mirror and wiped my tears.
"Thank you." I said in an almost whisper. There was chattering from outside the doors as people must have been coming back from the great feast.
"Fred, do you think it would be wrong for me to go in? We have been waiting for some time." Georges voice said from outside the door.
"You can go Georgie, I'll wait." I heard George get up and I stayed silent for a while until I heard two knocks on the door.
"Ummm Myrtle? Is anyone in there with you?" Myrtle looked at me and I nodded.
"You can come in." Myrtle called with a hint of an attitude. Fred pushed open the doors and saw me crying by the sinks. He ran over to me and hugged me. It made me cry even harder. We sat there for a while until Myrtle broke the silence.
"Oh break it up." She smiled and floated away. I pulled away from Fred's hug and he had tears forming in his eyes.
"I'm sorry." He said.
"For what? It was Snape who called me out. I should've never cried, it just gave him what he-" I said.
Fred interrupted and said ,"I told McGonagall. She yelled at Snape and said that he cant pick on the students like that. Don't think he'll listen but its worth a shot." We both laughed and left the bathroom.
"Are you ready for the match tomorrow?" Fred said. In all the craziness with Snape I completely forgot about our match against Slytherin. It was our first match ever and I was super excited. I also realized as I skipped dinner I was just about starving.
"Did I miss dinner?" I asked Fred, he nodded but got a mischievous look on his face.
"Follow me Madam." He crept around the corner to a large painting of fruit.
We walked in and he shushed me in a dramatic way like they do in the movies. He spun around in the kitchen filled with house elves and put his arms in the air "Ta-Da, magic is marvelous innit?" I laughed while house elves rushed over.
"How may we help you ma'am" One said
"We would like some cookie dough." Fred said, bending down to the house elves level.
"Anything for Mister Weasley!" The elf said.
Fred thanked the elves for the cookie dough and we walked back to the common room.
"Incendio" Fred said shooting the perfect amount of fire at the cookie dough.
"How do you know how to do that?" I asked.
"This isn't my first time magically making cookies." He said putting them on a plate from the common room and motioning me out the door and onto the lawn.
"I dont know if this is touchy but how come you dont smell anything. Have you just never been in love?" Fred asked.
"I love people, I do. I love my dad but not in the way Amortentia works, that would be disgusting. I've never had a crush or boyfriend and I was too young to understand my sexuality when I was at Beauxbatons." I said, remembering my old school.
"Have you ever been in love?" I asked, Fred looked down and shook his head no.
"I too love people but I dont know. I've had girlfriends dont get me wrong but its always been as favors. Most girls want George and then their friends want me. So as a good brother to George I go with the friends. It never worked out but it makes George happy so." We both smiled and Fred changed the subject back to me.
"Wait, you love your dad? What about mum?"
"My mum hates my guts. I'm an utter disappointment to her. But, my dad and I are the same people. Hes quite a bit like you in a sense. Maybe that's why I like you so much." I said, blushing at my words.
"No offense, but your mom seems like a bitch." Fred said.
"Yes, a huge one. She only cares about grades and wanted to send me to a finishing school for proper witches but my dad wouldn't let her. Can you imagine? Me having to drink tea with my pinky up and having manners?" We both made fake puking faces.
The next day was the quidditch match and I woke up extra early for breakfast. When I went down to the common room with my broomstick and quidditch jumper on, the rest of the team was there. Wood was talking to Angelina and Katie, the other chasers, while Fred and George were mocking him from behind his back.
"Perfect timing Ara! I was just telling these two about our match today." Wood talked for another solid 10 minutes while we all sat and listened. Possibly the most boring thing ever. We all walked down to breakfast together and talked the whole time.
"Alright, lets get to it then." Wood said after about 30 minutes. We walked down to the pitch and into the changing rooms.
"You nervous?" Fred asked.
"Yea, its totally normal" George added on.
I shook my head. I've faced people meaner and more competitive than the Slytherin team before and I wasn't going to ease up now.
I walked over to the seeker who was completely silent.
I looked down and said "Harry, is it?"
He nodded and I said, "My first quidditch match was when I was 2 years younger than you. A bludger took me off my broom and when I got back up it came right back and nearly killed me. A bit of advice if you'll take it?" He nodded once again. "Have trust in your beaters. They've been playing longer than you but their job is much easier. They cant mess it up too bad." He laughed and the twins came next to us.
"I mean, they aren't the sharpest tools in the box but they'll get the job done. And know that if I see you in trouble ill come help, even if there's a quaffle in my hand."
The match started and everything was going smoothly when the air got cold. Dementors. Harry froze on his broom, a bludger flew towards him.
I flew in front of Harry to block him from getting hit while also trying to move out of the way when a loud thud came out and Lee Jordan said on the intercom "Weasley takes a bludger and falls! Will wood call time out?"
No one called time out and all of a sudden we heard Lee chime back in with, "Harry catches the snitch in his mouth!! Gryffindor wins!" I flew down to the ground where Fred was laying unconscious on the ground.
"Fred! Fred!" He was out cold. Dumbledore flicked his wand and Fred started levitating off to the infirmary. Tears were forming in my eyes as George ran over to me.
"I'm so sorry George. Its all my fault"
George laughed, "are you kidding me? He'll be fine. He was trying to beat the bludger away from you but he flew in front of it instead. We will go visit him but first we have to go get changed. You smell absolutely vomit worthy." We laughed and walked up to the common room.
I got changed and met George back in the common room.
"Woods just told me! Hes alright, just sleeping. Lets eat." We met the rest of the team in the dining hall where the Gryffindor banners were hung celebrating our win. I put some of the food on a plate and left dinner early to go meet Fred in the infirmary. He was still asleep. I put the food on his table and left to shower. After my shower I walked back down to the infirmary to find the rest of the team walking out of the infirmary, they must've just seen him. I walked in to find Fred still asleep, I sat by his side while Madam Pomfrey told me about him.
"He has a broken arm but it wont take more than a week to mend. Minor concussion. He will have to miss the next game but it'll be fine." I told her thank you just as Fred shifted and rubbed his eyes. He groaned and grabbed his head.
"Hey, how are you feeling?"
He looked at me with a confused look. "Who are you? Where am I?" Fred said as Madam Pomfrey left the room.
"Very funny. You wont get me with that. Were you even sleeping?"
He shook his head no and sighed, "worked on the others, guess you're just too smart. We won at least, but ill miss the next match." I nodded and looked at his table.
His food was untouched. "here eat up." I put the food on his tray as sat with him as he ate.
We talked for what must've been hours because Pomfrey came back in and said, "10 more minutes you too and then its off to bed."
I was telling Fred all about my worst quidditch injuries when I looked at him. He was looking at me with this look on his face. Almost like pure joy.
"What?" I asked in the middle of my sentence.
"You just look so.." he stopped, "beautiful" I smiled and grabbed his plate that was still sitting on the tray.
I was about to sit back up with the tray when he grabbed my hand and pulled me close. Our faces were inches apart and I couldn't help but get nervous. What was going on?
He let go of my hand and said, "Ummm.. you uhh should probably get going. We have classes tomorrow."