Novus Orbis | Fred Weasley x Insert | ON HIATUS

Chapter 9 - Lemon Soap

"Amortentia," Snape says as they take their seats in the Potions classroom the next day. "The most powerful love potion in the world. It ensures the senses, offering a different aroma to each that smells it, according to their...tastes.

"You all will not be brewing this potion today, seeing as its properties can be disastrous, but rather we will discuss them in length and then I expect two scrolls of parchment on its effects and possible— and failed —counter effects, on my desk by Thursday. I'm going to ask for a volunteer—L/n, Weasley—" He turns to where Fred and Y/n are sitting in a pair at their table, discussing something quietly. They both jump, and he continues. "The potion in this cauldron, tell us what you smell."

Coming to the front, Y/n hovers her head close to the cauldron. Breathing in deeply, she closes her eyes.

"It smells like—a bonfire. And fall." She immediately thinks of Fred's sweater as she speaks. "Vanilla and—the fresh bed sheets in an inn."

A few laughs come from the back of the room, Snape quick to scold them. Y/n can feel Fred's gaze on her as she steps back from the table, and she looks to the professor for silent permission to walk back to her desk. As she sits down, she watches the boy intently as he steps forward. Her mind flies back to that night in the common room when she had shoved her reddened face in Fred's jumper and first breathed in.

"It's...like lemon shampoo." Fred's voice resonates in the small room and he sighs deeply. "A good, warm pastry, and...a nice wool."

Snape watches stiffly as he bashfully walks back to his shared desk before closing the lid. "Amortentia is known by its distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen, and the steam rising from it in characteristic spirals. It is an incredibly dangerous , as one should never underestimate obsessive infatuation. Although certainly...powerful, Amortentia does not create actual love, as it is impossible to manufacture or imitate love. The person under the effect of the potion would only hold an obsession for the person who administers it. Presumably, this would also mean that the potion cannot not undo true love, meaning that Amortentia would not be able to displace true feelings of intimacy."

-

That night at dinner, Y/n watches the front of the hall where the choir is busy collecting their books after the latest christmas concert. One of the toads has escaped, and Y/n and her friends laugh as several students get spooked when it hops onto the Ravenclaw table. Professor Flitwick quickly waves his wand and the toad floats into the arms of a waiting student, who then carries it out of the room. He waves it once more, and the platters the reptile touched are whisked away, presumably to the kitchens below.

"Right then," McGonogall says, standing up and raising her hands for everyone's attention. "That about wraps up tonight's meal, let's all get back to our dorms, please." And with that, the food is gone and students gather up their belongings to crowd out of the Great Hall. Lee has already bid them good night and headed back with Angelina. Y/n, managing to snatch a few sweets before they are gone, passing some out to the twins before biting into a pastry as they wait for the floods of people to dissipate so that they can walk to the Gryffindor tower without trouble (with plans to throw dungbombs into Filch's office on their way.)

"Could you believe Harry's reaction to the Map?" Y/n chuckles as they walk through the halls, splitting up the dungbombs between them. "'What's this rubbish.'" Fred shrugs and laughs along.

"Hopefully he'll put it to good use. I think he was walking the halls with it the other night."

"Was he?" George says. "I'm proud."

"Do you think Sirius Black is really inside the castle?" The girl asks, tossing a chocolate into her mouth. "I mean, what happened with the Fat Lady's painting was mad."