The Headmistress's daughter [James Sirius Potter] (On Hold)

THIRTEEN

"Excuse me, ma'am. But, where might I locate the books on potions?" Eleanor said to the old woman behind the counter at the Beauxbatons library.

The old woman looked up from the book she was reading. Upon seeing her face, Eleanor was astonished. She was undeniably beautiful. Especially for her age. "At the back, down those isles.", the old woman said using a voice that sounded sweeter than a chocolate frog.

"Thank you." Eleanor smiled and the old woman smiled back. She turned and proceeded to follow the librarian's directions.

One she'd reached her destination, she eagerly grabbed about five potion books, specializing in potions involving love, infatuation and anything in between.

"Amortentia. That's what I need." Eleanor said as she flipped through the pages of one of the books.

She skimmed and scanned all five books and took all the notes she needed. Afterwards, she put the books back respectfully and skipped out of the library.

The librarian watched her leave and said, "Must have learned something really nice."

She ran to the room assigned to her at Beauxbatons and quickly sat down on the floor and checked her notes.

"Alright, I'll need ashwinder eggs. I could just get some from the kitchens.
Rose thorns I think I'll be able to get some in the gardens. Peppermint. Easy. And-" she squinted at the last two ingredients. "Powdered moonstone and pearl dust? Where am I going to find those?" she said to herself.

She heard the doors to the dormitories open and heard people's voices, so she quickly slammed her notebook shut and stood from where she was sitting. She didn't want to seem suspicious so she took the page from her notebook where she listed the ingredients, folded it and shoved it in her pocket. She placed her notebook under her mattress. She didn't want to look suspicious so she proceeded with walking out of the dormitories calmly.

"Oh, hey Elean-"

"I DIDN'T PUT MY NAME IN THE GOBLET OF FIRE!!" Eleanor jumped.

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?" Cygnus screamed, imitating Eleanor's unusual reaction.

Eleanor stuttered. "Erm.." Eleanor thought of something to say next. "N-nothing. It's nothing. Just.. Girl problems, is all."

"Alright.. " Cygnus said, unsure if he wanted to believe her.

"Well, I'll be off now."

"Okay."

Eleanor rushed out of the dormitories, avoiding any sort of human contact. She proceeded with going to the kitchens to pick up some ashwinder eggs. The ashwinder eggs were easy to obtain. Eleanor simply told the staff that she needed it for her Potions class homework. Rose thorns were the easiest to get. She simply picked a bunch of roses from the gardens. Peppermint plants could also be found in the gardens, so she picked some up along with the roses. All she needed now were powdered moonstone and pearl dust. She needed to get into the Potions classroom. The big problem was, she didn't know where it was. And she certainly didn't know how to get in.

Eleanor cursed. "This is going to be bloody tricky." Eleanor told herself as she walked through the halls of Beauxbatons, with all the ingredients she's gathered in a basket she took from the kitchens. "Maybe, I shouldn't go through with it." She muttered

"Go through with what?" she heard a male voice from behind her. Eleanor immediately turned around to see who it was.

It was James.

"Oh, Merlin!" she grunted. If James found out what she was doing, he would rat her out for sure. She could already imagine the gossip.

The Hogwarts Headmistress's daughter was so desperate for a date to the Yule Ball, she tried to brew her own Amortentia potion.

That sounded horrible. In so many ways, absolutely, horrible.

"Go through with what, McGonagall?" James asked once more.

"None of your business, Potter." she spat.

"Really?" James smirked. "Because it seems like you've got something to brew." James gestured to the basket she was holding.

"I said, it was none of your business." Eleanor turned her heel and decided to go back to the dormitories before James gets any more suspicious.

"You know, if you're missing a few ingredients, I know where you can find some."

That got Eleanor thinking. Maybe she could talk her way into this without James muttering a single word about her scheme. She turned again to face James.

She signed. "I'm listening.. "

"If you're planning something devious, you're going to have to come closer. Someone might eavesdrop."

Eleanor walked closer until their faces were only a few inches away from each other. "Alright, now spit it out."

"Right then. Here's the deal. You look like you're looking for some hard to find ingredients." James whispered.

"I am."

"Well, I just happen to know where to find some. I'm fairly confident that I can help you."

She became suspicious. This was a boy she'd resented for most of her time in Hogwarts... And now, she was seriously considering working with him. "What's the catch?"

"You have to tell me what it's for and you must promise you won't tell anyone about the new prank Fred and I are planning."

Upon hearing those words, Eleanor had stopped letting her desperation get the best of her and used her brain. She wasn't going to let Potter manipulate her. Especially not now. "You evil little toe-rag! No way!" she turned to leave but James got hold of her hand. Her hands tingled from where James was touching her.

"Oh, come on! I know you really need those ingredients. I just don't know what for."

"How about I don't tell you what I'm planning, but I won't tell anyone about your new prank."

"No, you see, I'm gonna need some information for blackmail. Just in case you tell anyone."

"Forget it! I'll get those ingredients on my own." she shook her hand out of his grip.

"Alright, fine. Your choice."

Eleanor scoffed and continued to walk away.

She couldn't believe the nerve of that boy. To think he would try to blackmail her. It was absolutely unnerving. How dare he even try?

She really wanted to tell someone about what James and Fred were probably planning. But, people would wonder how she got that information. And she didn't want to lie any further. All that matters now is that James doesn't know what she was planning. He won't tell anyone she's been sneaking around if she doesn't speak a syllable about what happened. And she's just going to have to deal with this Yule Ball date problem on her own.