Louanne Delacour

The Potion

December 2nd, 1993

"And how is this relevant to me?" I asked Harry.

"Because Lupin wants you there too, on account of you knowing the spell already," he said, sitting down across from me.

I sighed, "Fine. But if I pass out, I'm blaming you."

"How would it be---"

"What are you blaming him for?" Ron asked, walking into the Great Hall with Hermione.

"Professor Lupin wants Harry to learn how to fight off dementors." I took a bite of toast. "And since I know the Patronus charm, he wants me there, too."

"That's seriously advanced magic. When do you start the lessons?" Hermione inquired.

"After Christmas break," Harry answered. That's almost two weeks away. Surely I could re-learn the spell by then.

"Well, at least I'll get time to remember how to do it." I grabbed a sheet of parchment from my bag. Hermione cocked her head in confusion. "What? You need an ultra, super-powerful, mega happy memory to do it, and I just can't think of any right now." I got up and started toward the doors. "I'll see you guys later. I have to pick up something real quick."

After murmured goodbyes, I headed down the hall and down into the dungeons to the potions classroom. Upon entering the room, a putrid smell clouded my senses. It smelled of vomit and fish. I covered my nose and mouth with my sleeve and strode across the floor to Professor Snape's demonstration table. The teacher held out his hand, and I slipped him the extra credit essay he required in exchange for a very specific potion I needed every two months.

"Don't forget to---"

"Take it in secret, private, or alone. Yeah yeah I know," I recited. He tossed me a cold glare, and I took the tall glass jar from the table. Luckily, the stink didn't follow me out of the room, and I was able to get to the common room just fine. Dreading the taste of the potion given to me, I decided to take it later that night after everybody else went to bed.

It looked different this time, though. Instead of the usual orange tint the jar normally held, a midnight blue hue was now in its place. I must've been too in a rush to get out of there to notice.

As I held it up to the firelight, it was clear enough to also notice the smoke trying to break its way out from under the metal lid.

Maybe Snape used a more powerful ingredient this time? You know, it could have been that he tried a new recipe or whatever. It could have been any number of things.

So why do I get the feeling that this isn't meant for me?

"Whatcha got there, Lou?" I whipped my head around to see Neville and Dean heading my way. It took all my willpower not to shove the potion into my bag, but that would only make it more suspicious.

"Oh, hey guys. Nothing much. Just a potion I found when I sat down," I responded easily. I should have felt bad for lying, but I really didn't. Maybe that makes me a horrible person, but in this case, a small lie wouldn't hurt them.

"Oh, wicked. Do you know what it's for?" Dean asked, reaching for it. I hesitated giving it to him, but in the end, I handed it over. "It looks like a Wolfsbane potion!"

He was right. There's no doubt about it. But I stayed silent, listening to the two boys figure it out for me.

"Yeah, looks like it!" Neville chimed in. "But who at Hogwarts would need a Wolfsbane Potion?"

"Well I haven't seen anybody resembling a Werewolf so far, but maybe it was just for practice. We did have that essay on them not too far back." Dean handed me the jar.