I went to my dorm and got into the shower. I took a long shower so I could wash out the goo and calm down. Once I finished, I got dressed and laid down on my bed. I rolled over so my head rested on the edge on my bed and my arm was hanging off. I saw a folded up parchment sticking out from under my bed. I grabbed it and unfold it.
'I'm going to win. And you will be mine. -D.M.'
I frowned. I remember this note. I found it in Draco's jacket, the jacket he gave me at the beginning of fourth year. I crumpled it up and tossed it into my wardrobe. I reached under my mattress and pulled out the bracelet Draco gave me on Christmas during our fourth year when he first asked me to be his girlfriend. I don't know why I still have it.
May walked in and saw me. "Hey."
I put the bracelet under my pillow. "Hey."
May sat down next to me. "Are you okay?"
I nodded, "I'm fine. Just pissed off at Parkinson and Draco."
"I would be too." May said. "Anyway, I hexed them."
I smiled a little, "did people laugh at them?"
May nodded, "oh they did."
"Good." I laid back down and stared at the ceiling.
May reached under my pillow and took the bracelet. I tried to take it back but she moved it out of my reach. "Draco gave this to you."
I nodded, "yeah. I found it under my bed. I'm going to get rid of it because he's a no good prat. I should have known better."
"Don't be so hard on yourself." May put the bracelet on my night stand. "Everyone falls for someone who might hurt them. Beside.... I know you don't want to hear it but... While you were gone last year. We all noticed Draco was under some kind of spell."
I rolled my eyes. "You guys already told me this."
"I know but wait." May hurried. "We thought he was under a love potion but when we gave him the antidote it didn't work."
"Because maybe he really does like Pugface Parkinson." I retorted.
May gave me a look. "We both know Draco hates her."
"Yeah. He hated me but he told me he loved me." I pointed out. "Maybe he has a thing for girls he hate." I paused for a second. "That made no sense but it's Draco."
"Ember. Think about it. Draco does everything Parkinson tells him to do. One day he's upset and depressed because you were sent away. Then the next day he's following Parkinson like a lost puppy."
I rolled over and faced May. "Maybe it's because he got over me. Ever thought of that?"
"I'm being serious, Ember!" May exclaimed. "We all think Draco's under some kind of spell or charm or curse. Even Hermione agrees."
I sighed, "I don't believe it until I see it."
May groaned, "think about it Ember. You know it's true, you just don't want it to be."
-
Harry decided to talk to Slughorn and asked me to go with him. We went to the potions classroom and the dismissal bell rang. "Now don't forget to look over the chapter on antidotes. I'll be poisoning one of you next time we meet. I'm joking!" Slughorn laughed. "Off you go! Don't forget your rattails, Miss Alys." Harry and I went into the classroom. Slughorn hummed to himself until he noticed us. "Ah! If it isn't the Prince of Potions himself!" I rolled my eyes. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Well, sir, we were wondering if we might ask you something." Harry said.
Slughorn nodded happily. "Ask away, my dear, ask away!"
Harry and I exchanged looks. "Well, you see, the other day we were in the Restricted Section, in the library, and stumbled upon something rather odd while reading. Something about a bit of rare magic..." Harry trailed off.
"Yes?" Slughorn questioned. "And exactly what was this rare magic?"
"We're not sure..." I said. "I mean, I don't recall the name... exactly."
"But it got us wondering." Harry added, "are there some kinds of magic you're not allowed to teach?"
Slughorn frowned. "I'm a Potions Professor. Perhaps your question would best be posed to Professor Snape."
"Yes, well, we don't exactly see eye-to-eye, sir.." I trailed off, looking at Harry wanting him to say something.
"What she meant to say is," Harry added. "He's not like you. He might... misunderstand."
fear flickered in Slughorn's eyes. "There can be no light without the dark. And so it is with magic. Myself, I have always strived to live within the light. I suggest you two do the same." Slughorn looked at me when he said that. I frowned. Oh of course, assume the daughter of the Dark Lord will be the same as her father.
"Did you say the same to Tom Riddle, sir?" Harry asked. "When he came asking questions."
Slughorn looked at Harry. "Dumbledore put you up to this. Didn't he? Didn't he!"
I spoke up, "sir -" Slughorn walked away and out of the classroom. I groaned, "great."
"He'll open up to us." Harry said, "just give him some time."
-
Harry, Hermione and I sat in the common room alone. Everyone else has gone to bed. Hermione was doing her homework while Harry looked at the Marauder's Map. At least it isn't the potions book. I sat in front of the fireplace and watched a the flames flickered and danced. "Did you two actually expect you could just walk up to Ol' Sluggy and ask him to reveal his deepest, darkest secret? Honestly, sometimes I think the Daily Prophet should call you the Dim One." I laughed a little. "Same goes for you, Ember." Hermione added. I rolled my eyes. "You're going to have to persuade him somehow. And now, I'm afraid, you've made it a lot harder." Hermione got up to leave.
Harry stopped her. "Hermione. I think Malfoy's leaving the castle. I've seen it. Sometimes...
sometimes he just disappears off the Map." Oh no.
Hermione shook her head. "That's... not possible. No one can leave the castle these days. The Map is wrong."
"The Map is never wrong." Harry said.
Hermione frowned. "I'm going to bed. Ember?"
I didn't look away from the flames, "I'll be up there in a bit." Hermione nodded and went upstairs.
"What should we do about Slughorn?" Harry asked a he joined me in front of the fireplace.
I shrugged, "I don't really know."
"I think I'll be going to bed now." Harry said and stood up. "You should get some rest."
I nodded, "I will in a bit."
"Don't stay up too late." Harry said.
I rolled my eyes, "yes mother dear." Harry went to the boys' dormitories. I sat in silence, watching the flames of the fireplace. A few minutes later, Harry walked in holding Ron. I stood up and went over to them, "what's wrong with him?" Ron had this sort of love sick, dreamy look on his face.
"He's under a love potion." Harry explained. "I'm going to take him to Slughorn."
"I'll go with you." I got up and helped Harry take Ron to Slughorn. Once we arrived, Harry went to knock on the door. I held on to Ron just in case he walks off or something.
The door opened, Slughorn was wearing an emerald green robe. "Yes?" Slughorn asked sounding a bit worried. But he realized it was Harry. "Oh. Potter. It's you. I'm afraid I'm busy at the moment -"
He started to close the door but Harry stuck his foot in the doorway. "Sir. I'm sorry. I wouldn't bother you if it weren't absolutely -"
"Where's Romilda?" Ron asked a bit loudly.
"What's the matter with Wenby?" Slughorn asked. I rolled my eyes, he never get Ron's name right.
Harry whispered, "a very powerful love potion."
"Ah. Very well. Bring him in." Slughorn opened the door and we went inside. I led Ron to a couch and had him sit down, I handed him a pillow and he hugged it.
Slughorn went to a table full of ingredients and begins to brew an antidote. "I'd have thought you could whip up a remedy for this in no time, Harry, an expert potioneer like you." Slughorn said.
"I figured this called for a more practiced hand, sir." Harry said.
Ron stood up and looked into a mirror, "Hello, darling. Fancy a drink?" He winked at his reflection." I sighed and pulled Ron back onto the couch.
"Hm. Perhaps you're right." Slughorn said and went back to mixing.
"I'm sorry, sir. About earlier. Our... misunderstanding." I said to Slughorn.
"Yes, well, water under the bridge as they say, correct?" Slughorn said.
"I mean, I'm sure you're tired of it, after all these years. The questions. About... Voldemort." Harry said.
Slughorn stopped and looked at Harry. "I'll ask you not to use that name."
"Well," I cut in. "Dumbledore once said that fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself. It seemed sensible."
"With all due respect, Dumbledore sometimes forgets that most of us do not possess powers so great that we can risk offending the most dangerous Dark Lord who ever lived." He went over to Ron who was behind the couch kissing the pillow I gave him. Harry and I grabbed him and sat him down on the couch. "Alright, m'boy! Bottoms up!" Slughorn handed Ron a cup with the antidote in it.
"What's this?" Ron questioned.
"A tonic for the nerves." Slughorn said.
Ron drank it and he still had a dreamy grin on his face. Beams briefly. Bu a second later, it fell. "What happened to me?" Ron questioned utterly confused.
"Love potion." I explained.
"And a bloody strong one at that." Slughorn chuckled.
Ron frowned. "I feel really... bad."
"Pick-me-up's what you need, m'boy." Slughorn said. He glanced at Harry and I "Do us all good, I think." He went to a small cupboard and went through the bottles. I've got butterbeer, wine - ah - and a dazzling oak-matured mead. I had other intentions for this but given the circumstances..." Slughorn poured each of us a glass of wine. I love wine, haven't had it in a long time. Last time, Remus yelled at me for drinking. I took a sip from the wine and I felt a pan of hotness go down my throat.
Suddenly, I couldn't breathe properly.
