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On the first week back after the Christmas Holidays, both Harry and Lori had been trying to get Professor Slughorn to divulge the true, untampered memory that Dumbledore so desperately required.
It was nearly midnight on Saturday evening, when Lori was finishing a Charms essay, that Harry came down the steps into the Common Room, carrying her pyjama clad brother.
"What's going on?" she asked, laying down her quill.
"I'm in love with her." Ron smiled wistfully, his eyes on unseeing, "Romilda has such nice eyes."
Lori joined Harry, grabbing one of Ron's arms and wrapping it over her shoulder, whispering to him, "Love Potion?"
He nodded, the three Gryffindors traipsing through the dimly lit castle to Slughorn's office, hoping he would be awake at this time of night. Knowing that she had a better rapport with the Potions Master, after Harry's blunder yesterday, she was the one to knock on his door.
"I'm sorry, sir," she said when his face appeared at the window, "we wouldn't bother you if it weren't absolutely essential."
"Where's Romilda?" Ron wondered aloud, staring in confusion along the empty corridor.
Slughorn narrowed his eyes at the boy, turning to Lori, "What's the matter with Wenby?"
Harry moved to the window, muttering lowly so his best friend couldn't hear, "Very powerful Love Potion."
Slughorn conceded immediately, opening his office door to the three of them, "Very well. Better bring him in. I'd have thought either of you could whip up a remedy for this in no time."
While the professor busied himself with fixing an antidote, Harry replied, "Well, we thought this called for a more practiced hand, sir."
Ron suddenly wrapped his arms around Slughorn, who visibly tensed, "Hello, darling. Fancy a drink?"
"Perhaps you're right." Slughorn looked at them, Lori pulling her brother off him and seating him on the sofa.
Harry interjected, "I'm sorry, by the way, professor, about earlier today, our misunderstanding."
"Oh, not at all. All water under the bridge, you know? Correct?"
"I expect you're tired of it after all these years. All the questions about Voldemort." Harry mused, Lori having to pin her brother down as he attempted to waltz with a pillow.
"Don't use that name!" Slughorn snapped. Lori pulled the pillow from Ron's hand, plumping it and putting it back where it came from, only to find her brother perched on the back of the sofa, before he fell off the end with a surprised grunt.
She pulled him back onto the sofa, as Slughorn bustled over with a goblet containing an antidote, "There you are, old boy. Bottoms up."
"What's this?" he looked at the red liquid inside.
