DROWN • Sirius Black

Mandrake Leaves and Legimency

Esme was considerately awoken the next morning by being suffocated by a mass of black fur.

"Dante," groaned Esme, gently lifting the cat from her face.

Dante was Esme's nefarious cat who solely favored Esme. Esme had bought Dante at Diagon Alley before the inception of her first year at Hogwarts. She became fond of the cat at first encounter and the bad omen that he represented.

Esme leisurely glanced at her bedside clock and abruptly realized the time.

"Thank you, Dante," she kissed the top of the cat's head before giving him a treat, "you just saved me from missing breakfast."

Esme swiftly proceeded to change into her freshly-pressed robes and comb her long raven locks until they cascaded down her back in silky waves. The young witch examined her appearance in the reflection provided by the mirror of her vanity. She gingerly readjusted her newly polished prefect badge. Then, for the final touch, Esme applied a spritz of her personally concocted perfume. She had contrived the formula as an independent potions project for extra credit. The perfume was composed of the fundamental ingredients of the strongest love potion, Amortentia. Consequently, the scent of the concoction would manifest into the aromas that attracted each individual.

Esme glanced at the upper corner of her mirror to acknowledge her roommate, Andromeda's dormant state, buried under the heavy cushion of her comforter.

"Andromeda, darling!" Esme called, "it's time to wake up from those delightful nightmares of yours," she jested, pulling the covers off of Andromeda's comatose figure.

"Go to hell," grunted Andromeda in agitation.

"It's a work in progress," replied Esme before swinging a pillow to hit the back of Andromeda's head.

Finally, after Esme's resilient efforts, Andromeda managed to wake up and throw on a pair of presentable robes. The pair were greeted in the Greet Hall by an impatient Regulus.

"Is there a homicide the two of you are trying to cover up that I am unaware of? Huh? A corpse to hide?" Regulus deadpanned, his face conveying no trace of levity.

"Pardon me?" Andromeda exclaimed, piling her plate with pastries.

"Forgive me," he regressed, "I just can't seem to find another viable reason for the two of you taking that damn long to get out of bed," he exclaimed.

"Well we're here aren't we?" Andromeda reasoned before starting her meal.

"You still haven't answered by question," Regulus prompted in a joking matter, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

"Well, I guess you'll never know," Esme concluded, pouring herself a cup of steaming black coffee.

"Hey!" exclaimed Regulus, "I thought that we had agreed long ago that all murder business was to be handled among the three of us, now you're telling me that the two of you get to have all the fun!"

"Shut up, Reg, dead bodies are not breakfast talk, let me eat my muffin in peace," exclaimed Andromeda, crumbs trailing down her chin.

"Whatever," Regulus sighed, "What do you have for first period? I have double potions."

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Fortunately, Esme did have a double period of potions as well, and the young witch decided to head to class early in hopes of submitting her independent summer project to Professor Slughorn. The rhythm of her heeled boots echoed through the tunnels as she stalked through the dungeons. Upon entering the potions room, Esme encountered three-fourths of the Marauders in the midst of what seemed like a puerile prank.