Her, just her. | Regulus Black [Marauders]

Chapter Seven - Potion Projects

Walking into Potions, chitchatting, Rory, Alice and Mary found their usual seats right at the back of the Gryffindor side of the classroom.

They hated the dungeons, where Potions was held, because of its awkward and far away placing in the castle. Often, if you had Potions and then something like divination straight after, you'd be late nine times out of ten because of how far and down the dungeons were to everything else.

They also hated it because it was basically the home place and breeding grounds of Slytherins. They loitered around everywhere, giving death glares at other houses and jinxing any poor lower year that was just trying to get to their potions class.

Rory was also deeply upset because of this particular Potions class because of who else was in it.

Sat across the room, was Regulus.

She hadn't seen Black since the night of the party on the astronomy tower, finding every way to avoid him at all costs, after he if she remembers correctly, he called her a dirty half-breed whore. Or something like that.

Alice and Mary where both aware of her newfound aversion to the Slytherin, as she couldn't exactly hide what happened that night when she returned to their dorm soberly with mascara running down her cheeks and red eyes from the crying.

She told them the bare minimum, that was the least embarrassing option for her, telling her friends that he basically said she was a slut and was below him in every way. She also left out the part where she seeked him out to be 'friends' with him, now realising what a stupid idea it was in the first place, instead making up a lie about needing fresh air and just running into him.

This incident spurred Alice into an absolute Anti-Regulus-Black-Campaign where she happily tried to do everything in her power to make it known she (and by extension everyone she associated with) hated him.

"Listen, Rory, just completely blank him. We can just stay over here and Mary can block your view of him so there's no chance you will even catch the eye of that disgusting blood-purist." Alice scowled across the room at him, while Rory busied herself with sorting out her quill as to not be tempted to look at him too.

"I can't believe they even let future deatheaters in here. It's such a violation, I bet if you reported him for that night Rory then Dumbledore would have to kick him out of Hogwarts!" Mary suggested, happily.

"It's fine. He can be a loser over there, I don't care. As long as I never have to talk to him again." Rory sighed, flipping through her textbook as Slughorn attempted to quiet down the class.

"Welcome, students. As you all know, sixth year contains lots of new and exciting brews for the year, and some of my personal favourites too, like Polyjuice, Veritiserum and more." Professor Slughorn smiled.

"But today, as it is the beginning of the year, we will as per the sixth year syllabus be conductor a large brewery of the most strongest love potion in the Wizarding World. Amortentia."

Rory shared a look with Alice as Mary quickly tried to find the page in her textbook. Everybody knew about Amortentia, or the stories surrounding it. When brewed, it makes the person inhaling the scent to smell what their attracted to.

Rory remembered when James returned from that lesson, boasting about smelling strawberries and parchment and floral and zest. He wouldn't stop going on about how his soulmate was definitely Lily, and Lily wouldn't reveal what she smelt at all. Remus had described what he smelled in secret to Rory as leather, old books and Sirius' cologne which even further solidified his crush on Sirius.

To say the least, it was an eventful day and now it was Rory's turn. And she was terrified.

"During recent times though, I've picked up on some hostility between you houses." Slughorn gave Mulciber a stern look who had apparently been caught hexing unsuspecting Gryffindors more than a few times this year. "And decided to slightly tweak my plans for this partnered project."