Albus was determined. He would concoct a cauldron full of Amortentia. Scorpius has been bothering him through the morning classes, babbling nonstop about his obvious superiority in Potions. So he had decided it was necessary to show him he was wrong. As soon as he managed to make Demi Boyle fall in love with Polly Chapman, his damned best friend would have to recognize him as the one and only Potion King.
Hiding in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, the first week he started to prepare the ingredients. The second week, he mixed and cooked them. In the third, he let the potion rest. And in the fourth he contemplated his work, shining with its distinctive mother-of-pearl colour and its steam rising slowly on spirals, vaguely smelling of parchment, chocolate and Pepper Imps. Carefully, he put a generous doses inside a muffin and went to the Slytherin Common Room, to exhibit his plan before putting it on action.
He found the Common Room entirely empty. He left the muffin on a table and went to the dorm searching for Scorpius. The dormitory was empty too.
On his way back to the Common Room, while he wondered why he hadn't search for him in the library, he was caught by a long pair of arms, inside a strong bear hug.
- Ey- Scorpius greeted him with a sweet voice, his breath of chocolate on Albus' face. - Thank you for the muffin.
Albus tried to hide his fear.
- Sorry, mate. The muffin is for Polly Chapman. ¿How much of it did you eat?
- ¿Why did you prepare a muffin for her? - There was pain on Scorpius' voice now.
Albus, very aware of the effects of the potion, tried to calm his friend down: - I am really worried about you, Scorpius. It was a tricked muffin. I am amazed because you didn't grow an extra pair of ears.
Scorpius took his hand to his ears in order to control them, but Albus didn't laugh at the panic of his face, because he was racking his brain, to find a solution for that disaster. He had to prepare an antidote, without Scorpius noticing what it was and giving him some of it to drink. He couldn't leave his friend alone, because he had started to caress his hair and to mumble sweet nothings on his ears. It wouldn't do them any favour to feed the gossip even more: a public declaration of love would be Scorpius next deed, if he was left by himself.
So Albus opted to lie: -I have to prepare an antidote. Would you help me, please?
Scorpius kissed him on the nose and said, earnestly: -I would follow you to the end of the world.
Albus made a noise, something between a grunt and a laugh and assured him: -Just follow me to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
Scorpius took him by the hand and so they walked to the bathroom.
There, Scorpius had an affectionate outburst and hugged Albus again. He had to accept that it wasn't unpleasant being pampered in such a way, but he was terrified for Scorpius' anger, a natural reaction as soon as the potion's effect vanished. He thought a moment, throw a nonverbal Confundus and congratulated himself when the eyes of Scorpius unfocused and he sat on the floor, his head on his hands.
Albus started to work quickly and performed an antidote, but he should let it rest until midnight. He didn't think it was possible to stay that long in the bathroom, so he took his friend by the hand to lead him to the gardens, hoping the halls were empty.
