janus ~ hermione granger

lix

"now then, now then, now then. scales out, everyone, and potion kits, and don't forget your copies of 'advanced potion making'," professor slughorn began, but was interrupted by harry raising his hand.

"sir?"

"harry, m'boy?"

"i haven't got a book or scales or anything—nor's ron—we didn't realize we'd be able to do n.e.w.t., you see-"

"ah yes, professor mcgonagall did mention—not to worry, my dear boy, not to worry at all. you can use ingredients from the store cupboard today, and i'm sure we can lend you some scales, and we've got a small stock of old books here, they'll do until you can write to flourish and botts," professor slughorn turned to the corner cupboard, foraging through it before walking up to the two gryffindor boys, handing them a copy of the book each and some tarnished scales.

"now then, i've prepared a few potions for you to have a look at, just out of interest, you know. these are the kinds of things you ought to be able to make after completing your n.e.w.t.s. you ought to have heard of 'em, even if you hadn't made 'em yet. anyone tell me what this one is?"

"it's veritaserum," hermione answered. "a colorless, odorless potion that forces the drinker to tell the truth."

phoebe furrowed her eyebrows before quickly glancing at her twin sister, who was sitting with the four slytherins, which earned a raised eyebrow from the darker girl.

"very good, very good! this one here is pretty well known," slughorn shifted over to the cauldron closest to the ravenclaw table, "featured in a few ministry leaflets too, who can-"

"it's polyjuice potion," maddy raised her hand.

she only remembered anything about it because it was one of the causes of hers and hermione's friendship.

"excellent, excellent," slughorn switched cauldrons as theo and draco stuck their tongues out at maddy. "now, this one here—yes, my dear?"

"it's amortentia!"

"it is indeed. it seems almost foolish to ask, but i assume you know what it does?"

"it's the most powerful love potion in the world," phoebe and hermione replied in unison.

"quite right! you two recognized it, i suppose, by it's distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen?"

"and the steam rising in characteristic spirals. it's supposed to smell differently to each of us, according to what attracts us, and i can smell vanilla, coco butter, and—tattoo ink?"

draco raised maddy's right sleeve as theo took a whiff of her. the blonde boy revealed a new tattoo, which had been made by a random seventh year slytherin the previous night, who happened to be friends with daphne.

it was a lavender flower, which gave her a sense of safety, seeing as it was her soulmate smelt like and it was tonks' favorite flower.

the woman who had become a mother figure to her within the past year.

"and you, miss taylor?" slughorn turned to the younger twin after chuckling at draco and theo's actions.

"uh—i smell freshly mown grass and new parchment and-"

the girl turned slightly pink, causing maddy to snort in amusement.

"may i ask your name is, my dear?" their teacher turned back to hermione, ignoring phoebe's embarrassment.

"hermione granger, sir."

"granger? granger? can you possibly be related to hector dagworth-granger, who founded the most extraordinary society of potioneers?"