under the mistletoe || jegulus

eleven

"Now, what is amortentia?" Questioned Professor Slughorn, looking around the room; Lily's hand automatically shot up just as James put his hand up confidentially. When Slughorn turned to James expectantly, Lily put her hand down with a look of disappointment.

"It's the most powerful love potion in the world, and it causes a powerful infatuation in the drinker," James explained. Professor Slughorn nodded.

"Correct, five points to Gryffindor! Amortentia doesn't create actual love, of course, but as Mr. Potter said, it does cause a powerful obsession or infatuation. The ingredients will be put up on the board," Slughorn tapped the board with his wand and the ingredients faded up onto it, "And you have an hour and a half to try to remake the potion with your partner,"

James turned to Sirius with a grin, "I'll get our ingredients," and then he hurried towards the cupboard without waiting to listen to Sirius' protest.

As he came back and they started to work on their potion, Sirius asked, "What d'you think you'll smell? I'm not sure who I will, but I think it's obvious you'll smell a lot of books and parchment,"

James scoffed and threw one of his rose thorns at the boy, "Oi, shut up, I know she doesn't just smell like books! She actually smells really flowery and—"

Sirius cut him off with a smirk, "How do you know that?" With a wriggled eyebrow, "Did you—"

With a furious blush, James slapped his friends' arm, "No, get your mind out of the gutter, I just know because she actually allows me within three feet of her now,"

"Yeah, sure, anyway, add the rose thorns," Sirius instructed. James just rolled his eyes and put in the rose thorns. There was suddenly an overwhelming smell. James scrunched his nose slightly and took a whiff of the scent around him, Sirius imitating him.

"Who d'you smell? I'm not sure I know who I smell right now," James added, turning to Sirius, who had a growing pink shade on his face, "Are you okay? You look like you're trying to hold in a fart,"

Sirius laughed nervously, "Nah, I'm fine. I dunno who I smell either, but shouldn't you smell Evans? C'mon, Prongs, you've been chasing her since you laid your eyes on her,"

"Wait, erm, yeah, I smell her. Never mind," James lied. He took another deep breath as his mind raced through hundreds of people in his mind, trying to think about who smelt like vanilla and Quidditch uniforms.

"Oi, you two, who do you smell?" Sirius asked Remus and Peter. "Actually, I know Peter already smells Hanlon, so what do you smell, Moony?"

Remus shrugged, "I'm not telling,"

Sirius groaned as Remus smirked at him, "C'mon, I won't care who it is! Just tell us,"

Remus shook his head and then retorted with, "No thanks. Who do you smell, then?" That made Sirius go silent. With a triumphant smile, he turned back to Peter and continued their conversation.

"Ouch!" Regulus yelped, stumbling over the girls' books he had walked into. Now they were both on the floor, staring at each other.

"Sorry, mate, didn't see you there," she pushed herself up and put out her hand expectantly for Regulus, who took it hesitantly, staring at the girl before him.

"Who are you?" Regulus asked, cautiously adding, "Are you a pureblood?" He had gotten a letter earlier reminding him that if he interacted kindly with anyone other than a pureblood, he'd get consequences.

She smiled and pulled her hand away, her smile suddenly dropping, an intimidating and rather scary look replacing it, "I'm a forbidden monster named Maya from the Forbidden Forest that has been following you since you've gotten here. And now we're alone, meaning..."