/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝟔.𝟟.𝟣

"today is the first day of the rest of your life." ~ Abbie Hoffman

~january 1977~

The Potions classroom smelled like a million different things at once. It was the day the sixth years had been waiting for ever since their unit on recreational potions. Amortentia day. Marlene and Artemis were paired up in the back of the classroom and had finished their potion within the first hour of class. "Is it just me, or is everyone here incredibly stupid?" said Marlene, leaning back in her seat and propping her chunky black boots on the table.

"It's not just you," Artemis said, surveying the room and seeing all of the other N.E.W.T. level Potions students struggling with their potions. "This is going to be awhile."

They were waiting for it to boil completely. Once it got to the right temperature, it would be ready. "I can't wait to know what mine smells like," said Marlene, her voice suddenly full of anticipation. "I mean, God, this could be horrible."

Artemis raised her eyebrows at her. "Why would it be horrible?"

"What if it smells like... like not what I'm expecting?" Marlene said anxiously. "Like, I'm expecting it to smell like Dorcas and, like, you guys and my parents' house, you know. What if smells like... Bellatrix Black."

Both girls burst out laughing at the absurdity. "Marly, I can promise you one thing, and that's that it certainly won't smell like Bellatrix." Secretly, she was wondering about her own potion. She had no clue what it would smell like. It was supposed to be something that brought her comfort and made her feel like the embodiment of love, but she couldn't for the life of her imagine what that would be. The only place she felt truly comfortable was Gryffindor Tower. She shrugged her thoughts off and gave Marlene a troublesome grin. "I know something that'll calm you down." She pulled a pack of cigarettes from her bag.

"We're literally in class, Art," said Marlene.

"So? Slughorn'll just think it's one of the potions. He's dumb enough, anyway."

Marlene snorted and sat forward in her seat and took a cigarette, careful to hide it from their professor. "You know, smoking hasn't been exciting in years, but this makes it fun again."

"That's what I'm here for," Artemis said in an offhand voice. Sometimes she wondered if it was true. If her friends just kept her around to always have something new and exciting to do.

Lily glanced over at them from the table she was sharing with Mary, then did a double take. "Artemis," she hissed. "The hell are you doing?"

"Unwinding," said Artemis, leaning back and propping her feet up on the table by Marlene's.

Lily's eyes rolled back into her head in purest annoyance. At least Artemis could be confident she didn't rely on her for excitement and trouble. "Idiots, both of you."