𝕐 𝔼 𝕃 𝕃 𝕆 𝕎 | 𝐒𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤

14. P o t i o n s

"Now now! Don't get too settled in your seats this lesson. Starting next lesson, you may sit with whom you wish but as we ran out of time last year to do your final assessment for Potions with your partners you will be doing it this lesson! Straight into the deep end!" Slughorn's bellow echoed around the classroom, bright eyes slowly dying out. Small groans were heard here and there but the majority of the sound was seats moving and feet shuffling. Now back with their partners from the year before, the students looked at their professor with anticipation yet worry.

"Now, as you have learnt from your other final assessments you've already taken, there was a reason why we paired you up with the same person all year long. When you work with someone for a long period of time you learn trust, friendship and a sense of routine. In front of you is a blank sheet of paper. On the other side is the name of a potion. Each pairing has a different potion picked at random so there can be no cheating or help from others. On my count, you will turn over your paper, find out your potion and you and your partner will have to work together, in harmony I'm hoping, to find the recipe, ingredients and brew it with in the next 3 hours. There will be obstacles such as ingredients being placed in unusual areas that may or may not require magic to be used, you can't converse with anyone BUT your partner and the first pairing to not only complete the potion but brew it to a great standard will be awarded 100 house points each and perhaps another special prize." Selling it like a pro, the students were buzzing and grinning at each other.

A hand pressed against the side of Nora's thigh, resting there as they listened along side of her, a smug but satisfied smirk ever-present on his lips. Nora looked up at him, unfamiliar to his touch but she was stuck looking at his sharp jaw and stubbled face to even say a word. Swallowing the lump that formed in her throat, she found herself leaning into his touch, biting her lip as she tried to concentrate. Thinking back to dinner the night before, Sirius was unsure as to whether he should show how he felt about her. After staying up all night, he concluded that given the state of how the wizarding world was going, life was short and they may not get a second chance

"I can read you like the back of my hand..." He muttered smugly, patting the side of her thigh thrice before the bell rang from Slughorn, signalling for them to start. Nora flipped over the page to see the words she wasn't expecting to see. Sighing and blushing at their choice, she moved away and began to scurry to the back to find a hidden potions book for the recipe. Sirius looked at her with a curious smirk before looking at the name himself. Amortentia.

"Merlin, my dude, You are the greatest wing man." He grinned, running to the supply cupboard for the ingredients. He remembered the potion well. "Nora! Run to the rose bushes by Hagrid's. You need petals and some thorns. Go go go!" He winked at her, grabbing her gardening kit from her bag and tossed it to her before lighting his cauldron, placing some of the other ingredients from the cupboard on the work bench.

"Amortentia! You got a love potion!" Lily gasped, keeping quiet so the Professor wouldn't catch her talking to Sirius. He turned his head over his shoulder, grinning at his friends with a cheeky wink. Looking at the clock on the wall, Sirius started to worry about how long Nora was taking, momentarily face palming for sending her to collect the rose items. Nora had asthma and making her run was a dumb idea. Finally after another 20 minutes, she came back in the room practically crawling on the floor. Looking at her with pained eyes, he took the ingredients and lifted her on to the stool beside their cauldron. He brushed the hair out of her face and held her cheeks, worry clear in his eyes as she panted and heaved heavily.

"Take a break. I'm sorry. I should have gone considering I can tr... you know." He muttered, trying not to laugh at her playful glare and hands mimicking a choke on his neck. They burst with laughter and Sirius started to form the base of the potion. Nora caught her breath and looked around at the frantic but excited class. Her eyes met with Garrett's, an angry and jealous glare bright as the sun met her. Garrett watched Sirius lift her, his hands in the places where he used to touch Nora, imagining her warm skin in his palm, a feeling he missed. His knuckles cracked when Sirius brushed her hair out of her face and held her cheeks, an overly affectionate gesture for someone she only considered a friend. Sirius was very close to her face whilst making the gesture but he couldn't help it. He had to be near her. It was beyond his control and because of that, Garrett was mentally preparing himself to kick his ass.