Mischievous Glint | George Weasley

Chapter 34

We were in potions class. Slytherins and Gryffindors had classes together so I stood beside Hermione. At the door Harry dragged Ron inside. The students turned in unison. Hermione and I frowned as Lavender who saw Ron was now beaming.

"What?" I asked as Hermione stared at me.

"What's up with you and her?"

"I don't like her too. She's bad news." I replied as Hermione nodded.

Slughorn resumed, gesturing to the cauldrons bubbling before him.

"Now, as I was saying, I've prepared a few concoctions this morning. Any ideas what these might be? Yes, Miss...?" He looked at Hermione.

"Granger, sir. That one there is Veritaserum. And that would be Polyjuice Potion. And that... Amortentia! The most powerful love potion in the world. It's rumored to smell differently to each person, according to what attracts them. For example, I smell freshly mown grass and new parchment and spearmint toothpaste." Hermione blushed and stopped herself.

Slughorn regarded her and continued whilst I grinned at her.

"One of my best friends is Muggle-born. She's the best in our year... now Amortentia doesn't create actual love, of course. That's impossible. But it does cause a powerful infatuation or obsession. For that reason, it is probably the most dangerous potion in this room."

I stood still beside Hermione and I noticed Slughorn turned and saw a sea of dreamy faces leaning into the vapours. Instantly, he clanged a cover onto the cauldron, bringing them round. Lavender was still staring dreamily at Ron. Noticing, Hermione's eyes narrowed more.

"Sir, you haven't told us what's in that one." A girl who I assumed was Katie Bell spoke up.

"Ah yes..." Slughorn stepped to a small black cauldron and began to ladle a bit of clear liquid into a tiny vial.

"What you see before you, ladies and gentlemen, is a curious little potion known as Felix Felicis. But it is more commonly referred to as... Miss Knight do you know what this is?"

I snapped out of my reverie I didn't even know when I got lost in.

"Liquid luck." I replied.

A buzz ran through the class. Even Malfoy perked up.

"Yes, Miss Knight. Desperately tricky to make. Disastrous should you get it wrong. But brewed correctly, as this has been, it has remarkable powers. One sip and you will find that all your endeavors succeed... at least until the effects wear off."

"But then why don't people drink it all the time?" Katie Bell asked.

"Because taken in excess it causes giddiness, recklessness and dangerous overconfidence." Slughorn replied.

"Have you ever taken it, sir?" I asked.

"Yes. Twice. Once when I was twenty- four. Once when I was fifty- seven. Two tablespoons taken at breakfast. Two perfect days..." Slughorn eyed the vial dreamily, adrift then finally blinked.

"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, the recipe for which can be found on page ten of your textbook."

Excitement seized the class. Slughorn smiled knowingly.

"You should know that in all the years of my previous tenure at Hogwarts, not once did a student brew a potion of sufficient quality to claim this prize. Good luck."

Slughorn set the vial upon his desk, where it shimmered in a shaft of sunlight. We all started to make our own potion. I stood across Harry and opened my book and started reading. My book was marked with tight scribblings. I smirked as I started to follow the steps. The book belonged to my father. He used it for himself in his years and now it was mine. I noticed Harry's book had the same thing scribblings on it. He noticed that I was looking at his book so I looked at him then smiled pointing at mine gesturing we had the same condition on our books.