Lucky Lux

Chapter 4 - Fifth Year

I started my first day of classes off as usual, sitting with the Marauders at the end of the Gryffindor table. I was placed strategically between James and Lily, distracting James with muffins every time he turned to try a pickup line on his Lily-flower.
"Seriously Potter? We haven't even started classes yet!" Lily scowled, throwing her napkin down and stomping out of the great hall.
"I think it was a great one mate." Sirius spoke through a mouthful of food, giving James a pat on the back. He scoffed and fluffed his hair.
"She'll come back, I know it. Lily Evans will be mine." He winked at me, I rolled my eyes and moved to sit next to Remus, who was looking very pale.
Yes the boy was normally pale, his light scars poking out from his otherwise very clear and smooth complexion. But there was something almost gray-like to his skin this morning, and his gray eyes didn't hold the usual cheekiness they usually did. Amara let a hand fall on his arm, he jumped.
"I'm sorry Remus, I didn't mean to startle you. You just, you don't look well mate." She grimaced, his bloodshot eyes looked up to meet hers. Remus got sick often, but usually he was in and out of the hospital wing before it got too bad, blaming it on his weak immune system. But right now seemed like more than a weak immune system to Amara.
"Understatement of the year." Remus chuckled, but there was no real meaning to it. The other three boys didn't look too concerned, which irked her. For his best friends they didn't seem to care a lot.
"Well my mum has this amazing tomato soup recipe! I'll sneak into the kitchens on my break and brew it up for you, you'll be back to good 'ol Remy in no time!" She grinned, his head lifted to meet hers and she could see a faint blush coat his otherwise colourless face.
"Thank you." He smiled back. Amara finished breakfast quite happy with herself, having done some good by her friend. Not that the other boys could say that, the heartless toe rags. Amara was going to have to remember to dish it out to them at lunch.
"Ready for potions?" Marlene popped up from behind her. Marlene had changed quite a bit since first year, she let her blonde hair grow down to her waist, and in third year started wearing makeup. Well, most of the girls had by then, except me. Why would you want sticky stuff on your face all day? Never mind the fact that you can't even rub your eyes! It seems pointless to me, but the other girls in her dorm adored it.
"Yep!" I got off the bench, waving goodbye to the boys and leaving the great hall. Marlene was rambling about Augustus Corner, who apparently got 'smoking hot' over the summer.
"I don't see it." She made a face in the direction Corner was sitting. He was a Ravenclaw, which we shared potions with.
"Don't see it?! Are you kidding, he grew like a foot, and got rid of his acne! He's a babe." Marlene squealed, Lily, who had chosen a seat behind us agreed.
"Not you too Lily." Amara sighed, she giggled and shrugged, staring dreamily off into Corners direction.
"Personally, I think you suit a messy haired boy with glasses Evans, but that's just my opinion." Sirius Black smirked, taking a seat next to Lily. She huffed and positioned her chair further from him.
"You mean Potter? Please." She laughed, opening her potions book and getting ready for the professor.
Slughorn was a bore in Amara's opinion, he clearly had favourite students, and didn't that go against some kind of teachers oath? If it didn't, it definitely should have. Remus and Lily were Sluggy's favourite Gryffindors, James wasn't too far behind, surprisingly enough. Me though? I was far far down on the list, the only reason he would remember my name is by the amount of detentions Sirius has landed me.
"Okay class, today we're going to be brewing up a difficult potion. Does anyone know what Amnortia is?" He sat at the corner of his desk, gesturing broadly to the class. Lily's hand shot up in the air, Remus not far behind for being so sick.
"Yes Lily dear?" He smiled sickly sweet, each of his yellowing teeth shining vividly in my direction.
"It's a love elixir. The potion smells different to each person, it smells like what they love." She beamed. Remus interrupted-
"It's a lust potion really sir, no magic or potion in the world is strong enough to make someone fall in love. It's just infatuation." He gave Lily a pointed look, and she huffed, not angrily though.
"You're both right, when smelling the potion you smell your greatest love, but Remus is correct it's not real. Now you and your partners are going to flip to page 165 in your books and brew your best amnortia you possibly can! Then at the end, we can perhaps share some of our mysterious smells." He chuckled heartily, but it gave Amara a queasy feeling.
Have everyone know what she loves most? Or who she loves most? Nope, doesn't sound like fun to me. Marlene was a lot better at this potions thing than I was, so I handed her what I knew and helped her e most by staying far away. Marlene had a knack for potions, but because I was her partner she would never get good recognition from Slughorn, he says I always mess it up somehow.
A pull on one of my locks pulled me out of my focused state. I turned in my chair to see a ruffles Remus pulling a chair up to sit with me. I gave him a warm grin.
"Done so soon?" I teased, looking back at Marlene's work, we weren't too far now from what I could tell.
"Mhm, Gerald from Ravenclaw has a strong odour coming from him though so I thought it best to come over here." He grinned a toothy grin, leaning his head against his fist and closing his tired eyes.
"Well that's just dandy Remus really-" Marlene's chirpy voice cut me off.
"It's done! I finished Amara, smell it!" She hit me excitedly, causing Remus to open his eyes. I blushed, nervous to have to share my subconscious feelings.
"Nah, who'd wanna anyway?" I stammered, leaning back and hitting my elbow on Lily and Sirius's table. Cursing I leaned forward and groaned.
"Well if that wasn't a sign, fine give me the bloody potion." I grumbled, leaning forward and taking a whiff.
All of my stress immediately washed away, i was surrounded by the smell of warm coffee and fresh parchment paper. I closed my eyes and breathed in, hints of honey creeped there way in there, and for a moment all my muscles relaxed. What a wonderful smell, but what was it?
"Hey Amara?" Remus shook my arm, I opened my eyes and jumped back from the cauldron. My eyes turned and met his warm hues of grey and hazel.
"Oh um, sorry. It was ... lovely." My gaze trailed back to the cauldron, wanting to escape into its blissful euphoria once more.
"Ms.Mckinnon! I say you and Lux here must have brewed a beautiful potion, I haven't seen a reaction like that in a long time." Slughorn came over and chuckled, his meaty hands on his Santa like belly.
"Thank you professor, but I don't think it's the potion. I didn't do that.." she stumbled off, almost as if she wished she felt what I did.
Slughorn went on and on about how it depends on the person and ya da ya da ya da, instead I turned back to Remus. His eyes were still focused on me, like I were going to break any second.
"Hey, what did you smell?" I asked, bringing my knees up to my chest for comfort. His face went a bit pink.
"Oh it was a mix of a lot of things, none I can quite put together." He shrugged, I furrowed my eyebrows. What a strange scent to love, sounds kind of hectic to me.
"That's rather unusual. But whatever floats your boat!" I winked, he blushed and let out a nervous laugh.
"Yeah, I suppose."