Ares Salazar Riddle| a hp fanfic

chapter eighty seven

—ARES IMMEDIATELY KNEW HORACE SLUGHORN, HIS NEW POTIONS PROFESSOR, KNEW HIS FATHER. It was clear from the way Slughorn was treating him— almost as if he was a disease. Slughorn wouldn't get close to him or even look his way, but if his eyes did happen to land on Ares, he would tremble for a second then look away.

Slughorn turned around during the middle of his explanation when he heard footsteps behind him. "Ah, Harry, my boy, I was beginning to worry. Brought someone with us, I see."

Ares's eyes landed on the boy, who walked in with Ron Weasley.

"Ron Weasley, sir," said Ron, then backed away, "but I'm dead awful at potions. A menace, actually, so I'm probably just gonna—"

Harry stepped behind him and stopped him.

"Nonsense," said Slughorn with a wave of his hand. "Let's sort you out. Any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine. Get your books out."

"Er— sorry, sir, I haven't actually got my book yet, nor has Ron." Harry said sheepishly.

"Not to worry, get it from the cupboard." Slughorn turned towards the other students and continued, "Now, as I was saying, I've prepared some concoctions this morning. Any ideas what these might be?"

Hermione Granger raised her hand. When Slughorn pointed to her, she said, "That one there is Veritaserum. It's a truth telling serum. And that one is Amortentia. Terribly tricky to make—"

"We've already learned about Amortentia," Lavender Brown said as she stopping staring at Ron.

Professor Slughorn looked surprised for a second. "Ah, I assume Professor Snape has taught you this?"

They all nodded. Ares, meanwhile, stepped a bit closer, subtly sniffing the potion.

Would he still smell—?

The smell of broomstick polish and pumpkin juice hit his nose.

Ares's shoulders slumped as he took a step backwards, looking at the ground.

He still smelled Harry.

Draco elbowed him to catch his attention. "We're supposed to be making the potion now." He said as they walked to one of the tables that had two cauldrons on it. "Anyone that gets the potion right will get a small bottle of liquid luck."

Ares could not care less.

His mind was still on what he smelled as he robotically made the potion. Perfectly.

✫ ✫ ✫

Harry Potter still smelled Ares's cologne from the Amortentia.

He tried not to think about it while making his potion with the help of a book belonging to someone named 'the half-blood prince'.

But he couldn't help but sneak glances at Ares every now and then. He seemed distant, colder, and his jaw was always clenched.

Harry did not want to think of it much. But was that because of him?

He didn't know. He wished he knew.

✫ ✫ ✫

Slughorn deemed Harry's potion better than everyone's. It was blatant favoritism, but they all didn't care enough to say anything.

"I could've really used that Liquid Luck." Draco muttered as the six sat down for dinner.

Ares ignored him and put some food on his plate. He only took a few bites of it before he was full. He didn't have much of an appetite the past few months. He supposed it could be worse.

"Mate, you've got to get started on your task." Blaise pointed out.

Draco glanced at Ares. He bit the inside of his cheek nervously. "I know. I'm thinking of how to get on with it."

"Better be soon," said Ares finally.

"Potter's looking at you as if you killed someone, my lord." Daphne whispered.

Ares glanced at Daphne, then looked at Harry.

Indeed, Harry was looking at him. Ares stared right back at him.

Harry looked away, looking guilty that he got caught. He whispered something to his friends and stood up, walking out of the Great hall.

Pansy's eyes lit up as she got an idea. "Can we go duel him? Six vs one?"

"Real brave, Pansy." Daphne said sarcastically and raised an eyebrow.

Ares's face hardened as he answered, "No. Potter hasn't done anything to me. It stays that way."

"Except spy on us on the train," mumbled Draco.

Ares glared at the boy. Draco gulped.

"What?" Blaise's head snapped to the side. "He did what?"

"It's fine. We didn't let out any important information, anyway." Daphne reasoned. She looked at Ares. "You knew."

Ares merely nodded.

"That's why you told us to be quiet the whole ride," mused Theo out loud.