Vicious Love [Teddy Lupin]

8. Befuddlement Draught

"And so we need to crush the roots and put them to the cauldron so that -- you aren't even listening to me."

"I am listening, Lupin."

"Then why are you smiling at Wood instead of paying attention to me?"

"I'm not smiling at Nate. I'm laughing because Colleen had already ruined her and Nate's potion." I explained, nodding towards the table on our right. Nate and Colleen's cauldron is smoking and both of their faces are burnt. Slughorn sighed sadly at their failure and excused them to go to the hospital wing to take care of their burns.

Many other pairs also are having a hard time brewing a befuddlement draught. According to Lupin, it's a potion that has a similar effect to alcohol. It makes people confused and reckless, as if they are high on booze.

"Sam, stir the cauldron counterclockwise while I get scurvy grass and lovage. Don't stop stirring and do not ever change directions." Lupin instructed before running to the ingredients cabinet behind Slughorn's desk. I looked down at our cauldron and stir just as Lupin directed. It smelled horrible and the color was dark brown.

When Lupin returned, he crushed the scurvy grass and put them on our cauldron along with the lovage, and as I continue to stir it, I started to smell mint and the liquid became green. "This smells good." I sniffed, putting my face closer to the cauldron and feeling the heat of the potion.

I hear Lupin laugh softly. "I'm glad you think so. You'll be the one to drink it, darling."

I pulled my face away from the cauldron to glare at him. "What do you mean I'm drinking this? Why not you? You did most of the brewing!"

"Exactly. I did most of the work. The least you can do is drink it."

"For all I know, you could have put some sort of poison or something." I scoffed, sitting down on my stool. "And it wouldn't be the first. I don't trust you." He's done it before on our third year. He and I were also partners at potions and he put something on the potion that made me have a temporary amnesia.

Lupin shook his head. "I promise I didn't put anything."

"Ah, Mr. Lupin, Ms. Avery, have you finished your befuddlement draught?" Slughorn stopped at our table after seeing us relax on our seats. He observed the cauldron for a couple of minutes. "It smells and looks right. But for our final test, which one of you two will be drinking the potion?"

"Samantha will." Lupin answered before I could utter a word.

Slughorn gave me a small vital glass and put some of the green potion inside. "Cheers, Ms. Avery."

Grimacing as I take the vital glass, I slowly drank the green liquid and felt the coldness travel down my throat. All I tasted was mint. At first, I felt normal and after a couple of minutes, I felt as if I've got a migraine.

***

I don't remember what happened, at all. After I felt a pounding headache during Slughorn's class, everything felt like a blur and I literally have no clue what I've done between Potions and now, lunch break.

"I can't believe you did that!" Roxanne exclaimed as soon as she joined me in the Gryffindor table. "You of all people! I want to know why."

"Why what? What did I do?"

"Don't act like you don't know! You and Teddy!" She grinned, giving me a teasing wink. "I've always known this day was coming but I didn't think it would be so soon! I'm actually quite happy about it. And in front of many people, too! Merlin's beard Sam, I didn't know you had it in you! You -- "