With Love, || N.B.

𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒏

December 18, 1972

The next morning, breakfast was quiet. Whether it was because of the previous day's excitement at Hogsmeade or because first term exams were that morning, no one spoke as they wolfed down bacon, eggs, and toast.

"Attention, please!" Dumbledore called at the podium. The students looked up at the podium where Dumbledore stood, his hands resting in front of him. "I would like to take this opportunity of silence to announce the Yule Ball court." Everyone's interest was suddenly wired. The students looked up from their textbooks, putting their forks down as Dumbledore continued. "This year, as you all know, we will be hosting the Yule Ball. The Yule Court is the group of students who start the first dance. Each one will be required to bring a partner. This year's Yule Court will be the following students: Lucius Malfoy, Amycus Carrow, Aurora Sinistra, and Narcissa Black."

Everyone-mostly the Slytherins and Ravenclaws-clapped and cheered. Polite smiles and applause came from the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs as everyone went back to eating their breakfast and stressing over their exams.

For Eleonora, Potions was first.

"Now," Slughorn smiled, "for your first term exam today, you will be pairing up with someone. One of you will come up to my desk and draw a slip of paper from this hat." He picked up a top hat that sat top-down on his desk. It was filled with slips of paper, each one with a different potion on it. "You and your partner will have to brew the potion on your slip of paper. None of them will take more than a class period. Now, you're free to go! Pair up with whomever you want. This exam tests your ability to work with others along with your knowledge of potions."

The group of students all flocked to their friends. Flashes of red and blue could be seen together, and yellow and green were seen at a table. Lucius Malfoy turned to his right. "Narcissa, I was thinking, since we both-"

But he was ignored. Instead, Narcissa walked right past him and stopped behind Eleonora. His mouth open, he watched in shock as Narcissa chose a muggle-born over him.

"Do you want to be my partner?" Narcissa asked.

"What?" Eleonora's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Merlin, Nora, do I have repeat-"

"No, no!" Eleonora chuckled. "It's just-you want to be my partner?"

Narcissa rolled her eyes. "Yes, Murphy, I want to be your partner. Now go pick out a slip of paper."

"Alright," Eleonora giggled. "No need to be so pushy."

As Nora went off to retrieve a slip of paper, Narcissa turned around to face Lucius. "What?"

"A mudblood?" he spat. "Really, Narcissa? I knew the Blacks were going to fall, but not this soon. Who knows what your sister would do if she found out."

"Take my family's name out of your mouth, Lucius," she hissed, "or whatever dowry they're going to pay you for my hand in marriage will be down the drain."

Money always works. Lucius's mouth shut abruptly at the threat of his precious dowry being given to someone else.

Narcissa took a seat on a stool, pulling out her Potions textbook.

"Alright," Eleonora sighed, taking a seat beside her. "I haven't opened it yet because I thought we could open it together."

Narcissa smiled softly, the loom of her conversation with Lucius still on her conscience. She took the paper from Nora and opened it. Both of their stomachs dropped.

"You're shitting me," Nora groaned.

In the center of the slip was the following word:

Amortentia

"We should've seen this coming, Nora, honestly." Narcissa cast the paper aside, moving off her stool to collect the ingredients.

Dropping everything onto the countertop, Narcissa kept standing, looking up and down at her list as she marked every ingredient off. "Right...ashwinder egg...check...peppermint...rose thorn...the powdered moonstone...pearl dust...Alright! We have everything we need!"

Eleonora turned the burner on, making sure it wasn't too high. With the cauldron on top, she poured in the base, adding the ingredients carefully. As the characteristic white spirals of steam floated off the surface, and the mother-of-pearl sheen appeared, various smells could be detected in the air.

Nora took in several breaths, her brain working to figure out what everything was. Other students noticed their favorite smells too. Murmurs of "I smell..." could be heard around the classroom.

For Nora, the smell of white sage and eucalyptus mingled with orange blossoms from home danced under her nose. A wave of happiness from her parents' shop encased her senses. But a second, vague smell filled her nose. She closed her eyes, trying to pinpoint where she had smelled the jasmine perfume before.

"Well?" Narcissa said, her eyebrows raised expectantly. "What do you smell?"

The answer to her own question was given before Narcissa's. Her cheeks grew hot as she tried to speak. "Erm-well, you know...stuff...my parents' shop...white sage..."

"Right..." Narcissa trailed off.

"So, what did you smell?" Nora asked.

"Me? Oh...also...stuff..." Narcissa paused. "Chamomile tea...it's my favorite...erm-Lucius's cologne, definitely...."

But something nagged at Narcissa that day, as Lucius Malfoy's cologne was not what she smelled in her amortentia at all.