Annabeth Chase and Things Are Getting Intense

Chapter Ten

The dungeon was already full of smells and aromas when Annabeth and Vera arrived and Slughorn ushered them in. Bubbling cauldrons stood on each table. Annabeth and Vera joined Harry, Ron, and Hermione at one of them. This cauldron was golden and was emitting a beautiful, refreshing aroma: pine, the beach, fresh strawberries, a cool sea breeze on a hot day. The smells of home.

Despite the comfort of it, Annabeth narrowed her eyes. Something this alluring had to be dangerous. She didn't trust it.

"Now then, now then." Slughorn shut the door. "Scales out, everyone, and potion kits, and don't forget your copies of advanced potion making."

Harry shifted uncomfortably, then raised his hand. "Sir?"

"Harry, m'boy?"

"I haven't got a book or scales or anything—nor's Ron—we didn't realize we'd be able to do the N.E.W.T., you see—"

"Ah, yes, Professor McGonagall did mention... not to worry, my dear boy, not to worry at all. You can use ingredients from the store cupboard today, and I'm sure we can lend you some scales, and we've got a small stock of old books here, they'll do until you can write to Flourish and Blotts..."

Slughorn went over to a cupboard in the corner and threw open the doors, extracting two copies of the book that seemed to be on their last legs of life, along with two sets of very tarnished scales. He put them down on their table and went back to the front of the class.

"Now then, I've prepared a few potions for you to have a look at, just out of interest, you know. These are the kinds of things you ought to be able to make after completing your N.E.W.T.s. You ought to have heard of them, even if you haven't made them yet. Anyone tell me what this one is?"

He gestured towards the cauldron that was closest to the table where the rest of the Slytherins were sitting. The cauldron appeared to be full of boiling water, but Annabeth wasn't fooled. Something was off about it.

Both Hermione's and Vera's hands shot into the air. Slughorn pointed at Hermione.

"It's veritaserum," Hermione said. "A colorless, odorless potion that forces the drinker to tell the truth."

"Very good, very good!" Slughorn said happily. He pointed to another cauldron. "Now, this one here is pretty well known... featured in a few Ministry leaflets, too... who can—?"

Hermione's hand shot into the air again. "It's polyjuice potion, sir."

"Excellent, excellent! Now this one here... how about you?" He finally pointed at Vera, whose hand had been up for the past two questions.

"That's amortentia," Vera said. "The most powerful love potion in the world."

"It is indeed," Slughorn said. "You recognized it, I suppose, by its distinctive mother of pearl sheen?"

Vera shrugged. "Sure, let's go with that." She leaned a bit closer to Annabeth and winked, murmuring, "it smells like oatmeal raisin cookies."

"May I ask your names, my dears?" Slughorn said. Annabeth tried not to gag.

"Hermione Granger, sir," Hermione said.

"Granger?" Slughorn perked up. "Can you possibly be related to Hector Dagworth Granger, who founded the most Extraordinary Foundation of Potioneers?"

"No, I don't think so, sir. I'm muggleborn, you see."

Slughorn sagged a little but perked up and turned to Vera. "And you, my dear?"

"Vera Ortiz," Vera said, rolling her eyes.

"Ortiz? As in the famous auror Brenard Ortiz?"

Vera shrugged. "Probably not."