magnolia ~ h. potter

four

[CHAPTER 4]
THE POTIONS CLASS

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LATER THAT MORNING, Emily stood in her first potions class of the year, intently listening to Professor Slughorn recite the properties of Veritaserum.

The weather had become dull since Emily's talk with Dumbledore, and drops of rain were now splattering the window.

Emily didn't mind, she rather liked the rain and the smell of the soil after a storm.

Suddenly, in the middle of his speech, the door burst open and in came Harry, dragging a sour-faced Ron by the sleeve. Slughorn spotted them, and a broad smile spread across his pudgy face.

"Harry m'boy! I was beginning to worry! And I see we've brought someone with us," he peered at Ron.

"Ron Weasley, sir. But I'm dead awful at Potions, a menace actually, so I probably should just be going–" he made a move to go, but Harry held him back.

"Nonsense, we'll sort you out. Any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine. Right then, I assume you haven't got your books, yes Minerva did say. . .Get anything you need from the cupboard," he said, and Harry's eyes met Emily's briefly, making her look away immediately, her cheeks reddening.

"Now, as I was saying, I've prepared a few concoctions this morning," Slughorn went on, "Any ideas what these might be?"

Immediately, Hermione's had shot up hastily, and Emily's followed soon after.

"Yes, Miss...?" Slughorn asked, trailing off for a name as he looked at Hermione.

"Granger, sir," she said, before stepping forward, "That one there is Veritaserum. And that would be Polyjuice Potion. And that is Amortentia, the most powerful love potion in the world," Hermione said.

"Can anybody tell me anything else about Amortentia? Yes, Miss.....?" he nodded towards Emily.

"Emily Poole sir," she said, before nodding towards the cauldron containing the potion, from which were rising little wisps of curly smoke.

"It's rumored to smell differently to each person, according to what attracts them. For example, I smell old parchment, freshly laundered clothes and-" she stopped herself slightly, "-broom polish,"

"Oho, very good Miss. Poole, 10 points to Gryffindor. Anyone else wants to give it a try? Harry, m'Boy?" he asked, and Harry looked startled for a second before stepping forward and sniffing the potion.

"Well, I smell uh..." he stalled for a second, "Treacle tart, broomstick handle and uh. . . I suppose the smell of rain on dry soil,"

Emily's eyes widened as she looked up to stare at Harry, and Dumbledore's words rung through her head.

You mean something to Harry Potter.

She shook her head fiercely to herself, setting her jaw. It had been three years since they had become friends and not once had he said anything about having feelings for her. She knew he didn't, and would never see her more than just a friend.

"Now Amortentia doesn't create actual love, of course....."

Slughorn's words were drowned out by Emily's thoughts.

Maybe Dumbledore had been wrong, but she decided she would not put herself through the pain of wondering if Harry could like her, hoping for something that couldn't be, as she had for all of last year.

From now on, she would stay away from him.