The Golden Quartet {Cedric Diggory x Reader x Harry Potter}

Fourth Year: Chapter Nineteen

The next morning— after walking in between Cedric and Harry all the way to class— you checked on the wolfsbane underneath the lid. Snape didn't say anything as you moved to the back table that had become a home to you last year. The other seventh years watched you pull out your other cauldron before you paused. You looked up from your notebook, taking off your robe and rolling up the sleeves of your white shirt.

"Professor, it's prunus aloe. Grows in Uganda with the same properties as wolfsbane, it's gel instead of powdered. I'm almost positive it's not a one to one ration but a three to one. It's boiling point is also lower. Do you think I should keep the copper cauldron I use or a different one?"

"It's best to brew for longer until you've figured it out."

"Understood, thank you."

You looked around for a moment before grabbing your robe and hastily putting it back on. Snape couldn't help himself but chuckle as you ran out of the room yelling about accidentally leaving your prunus in the greenhouse. You came back minutes later, tenderly rubbing the plant and saying sorry to it. Snape didn't stop writing on the chalkboard as he asked you a question.

"Is your aloe alright, Ms. Black?"

"Just fine. It's not meant to be in humid environments," you explained as you walked back to your table. "The greenhouse is practically a rainforest right now because of the bubble lilies and I completely forgot but it's only been a day so I think we'll live."

One of the seventh years raised their hands. "Professor, do we need the aloe for something?"

"No, Ms. Jha. Ms. Black not only harvested the flutterby petals needed for this but she has successfully brewed Amortentia for her N.E.W.T.s over the holiday break so she is allowed to sit this one and work on her own potion."

The class turned to look at you. "You took your N.E.W.T.s already?"

"Only for Herbology and Potions."

You vaguely listened to Snape teach as you worked on the improved wolfsbane potion. Per his suggestion, you switched to a pewter cauldron which would take at least half of the class period to brew. As long as it got a good result, you would think it was worth it. You peeled a small glob of gel from the aloe leaf and began to stir it in, carefully watching for any changes in the potion.

"Ms. Black," Snape called you out.

"Yes, Professor?" You didn't look up at all while talking, noting every minute color change or swirl in the potion.

"Why does Amortentia smell different to each person?"

You stirred the potion twice before answering. "In order to create fake love, you must use the real thing. Amortentia takes the victim's current love and uses the scent to cover whoever brewed the potion for them. Like a perfume. Smells can change over time if you fall in love with someone else and they tend to vary between two to five scents."

"Victim?"

"It's a potion that forces you to become obsessed with someone who is essentially pretending to be your actual love. It's cruel, so victim."

You only looked up when Snape called you to the front of the class to smell it.

"Cinnamon, butterbeer, and wool. It smells like Christmas."

You shuffled back to your table. The potion hadn't changed and you noted the time for how long a brew took in a pewter cauldron. You brought the copper cauldron with the original version and began comparing potion properties. It was funny to hear everyone be called up one by one to smell the Amortentia. Some said what they smelled with confidence while others blushed and whispered what they smelled. Cedric walked up to the front after Snape called him. You were still detailing the potion properties, not even looking up.