That afternoon, as Anne and Fanny walked down the corridor toward their Potions classroom, they noticed only thirteen students waiting outside the door, scattered in small clusters. Among them were five Ravenclaws, three Slytherins, including Malfoy, though Crabbe and Goyle were nowhere to be seen.
Of course, Anne thought, with their level of intelligence, it would've been a miracle if Crabbe and Goyle had made it this far. Besides them, there were four Gryffindors, including the well-known trio, and one Hufflepuff, Ernie Macmillan.
Compared to the earlier class that morning, the atmosphere was less awkward. When Ernie spotted Anne, he gave her a polite greeting, though his eyes kept sneaking glances at Fanny.
Anne had barely exchanged a few words with Hermione when the door to the dungeon classroom creaked open. Professor Slughorn hadn't even stepped out yet, but his large belly made an early appearance around the corner. As the students filed in, his walrus-like mustache twitched with his wide smile. He seemed especially enthusiastic as he greeted Harry, Zabini, Anne, and Fanny.
No surprise, he'd made a point of chatting with Fanny during lunch at the Slytherin table. Anne figured he must've noticed her name on the class roster earlier that morning.
This Potions class felt different from those they'd taken before. The dungeon was already filled with steam and strange scents. Several cauldrons simmered across the room, and at a glance, Anne recognized Polyjuice Potion, Veritaserum, Amortentia, and... Felix Felicis?
Raising an eyebrow, Anne glanced toward Harry. Looks like today's class was going to be interesting, Felix Felicis was one of the story's key plot elements, after all.
The desks had been rearranged into neat square groups. Four Ravenclaws sat together, and likewise for the four Gryffindors. Without hesitation, Anne pulled Fanny toward the table next to Hermione's, so that they were separated by only a narrow aisle.
Ernie quickly exchanged a look with a lone Ravenclaw and hurriedly took the seats across from them. Malfoy and the other two Slytherins had no choice but to sit at a nearby table. Judging by their expressions, the two Slytherins seemed a little frustrated, they had clearly intended to sit closer to Anne and Fanny.
Fanny sniffed the air and whispered to Anne, "It smells amazing in here..."
Only then did Anne notice that their seat was the closest to a golden cauldron simmering with Amortentia.
"Alright, alright," Slughorn's voice cut through the haze. Through the rising steam, his large frame looked slightly ethereal. "Everyone, please take out your scales, your ingredient kits, and don't forget your Advanced Potion-Making textbooks..."
"Sir?" Harry raised his hand.
"Yes, Harry?"
"I don't have a book. Or scales. Ron doesn't either. We didn't think we'd make it into the advanced class, "
"Ah, yes, Professor McGonagall mentioned that," Slughorn said with a chuckle. "Don't worry, my boy. Not a problem at all. You can use ingredients from the supply cupboard for today. I'll loan you both a set of scales, and I have a few spare textbooks here... you can order your own copies from Flourish and Blotts later."
He strode over to a supply cupboard, rummaged for a bit, and pulled out two battered copies of Advanced Potion-Making by Libatius Borage, along with two sets of dull, faded scales, which he handed to Harry and Ron.
"Right," Slughorn said as he returned to the front of the classroom, puffing his already-rounded chest out so far that it looked like his waistcoat buttons might pop off. "I've prepared several potions for you to admire. Purely for interest, of course. Once you've mastered this level, you should be able to brew these yourselves. Even if you haven't made them yet, I'm sure you've at least heard of them. Can anyone tell me what this one is?"
He pointed to the cauldron nearest to Malfoy's table. Anne leaned forward for a better look, Veritaserum. She glanced at Hermione, who already had her hand in the air.
Anne smiled faintly.
Slughorn gestured to Hermione. "Yes, you may answer."
"It's Veritaserum," Hermione said. "A colOrbiess, odOrbiess potion that forces the drinker to tell the truth."
"Excellent, excellent!" Slughorn beamed. "Now then..." He gestured toward another cauldron near the Ravenclaw table. "This next one is rather well-known... The Ministry's recent pamphlets even featured it prominently. Who can?"
Hermione's hand shot up again.
"Polyjuice Potion, sir," she said.
"Splendid! And this one here... Yes, dear?"
Hermione's hand was in the air once more, and Slughorn looked genuinely impressed.
"That's Amortentia!"
"Absolutely right. Seems I hardly need to ask." Slughorn chuckled in admiration. "And you surely know what it's used for?"
"It's the most powerful love potion in the world," Hermione replied.
"Perfectly said! I imagine you recognized it by the distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen?"
"And the spiraling steam," Hermione added, clearly enthusiastic. "Also, the smell varies from person to person, depending on what attracts them most. I can smell freshly cut grass, new parchment, and, "
Hermione suddenly flushed red and cast a quick glance at Anne, who smiled expectantly, clearly hoping she'd go on.
"...and the scent of wood and grass in the forest, plus violet blossoms…"
Fanny nudged Anne with a teasing grin. Anne just smiled serenely, though her gaze toward Hermione was soft and full of feeling, which only made Hermione more flustered.
"My dear, what's your name?" Slughorn asked, apparently unaware of Hermione's embarrassment.
"Hermione Granger, sir."
"Granger? Granger... any relation to Hector Dagworth-Granger, founder of the Extraordinary Potioneers' Society?"
"No, sir. I'm Muggle-born."
Slughorn showed no sign of disappointment. On the contrary, he smiled even more broadly, glancing from Hermione to Harry.
"Ah yes! 'One of my best friends is Muggle-born, and she's the brightest in our year!' That's what you told me, wasn't it, Harry?"
"Yes, sir," Harry said.
"Wonderful, wonderful! Twenty points to Gryffindor, Miss Granger, richly deserved!"
"Of course, Amortentia doesn't create actual love," Slughorn continued. "Love can't be manufactured or mimicked. No, this potion merely causes a powerful infatuation or obsession. In fact, it may be the most dangerous potion in this room..."
He cast a meaningful look toward Malfoy and Nott, who had been snickering skeptically. "You'll learn, with experience, just how destructive a false infatuation can be…"
"Now," Slughorn went on, "let's properly begin today's lesson."
"Sir, you haven't told us what's in this cauldron," Ernie Macmillan said, pointing to a small black cauldron on Slughorn's desk.
Its contents shimmered like molten gold, droplets leaping like tiny golden fish, but never spilling over.
"Ah, yes!" Slughorn said. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is one of the most curious concoctions in the magical world, Felix Felicis. And I believe..." he turned to Hermione, who had gasped, "you can tell us what it does, Miss Granger?"
"It's Liquid Luck!" Hermione said excitedly. "It brings good fortune!"
"Absolutely right! Ten more points to Gryffindor. Yes, this is Felix Felicis. Difficult to brew, and a single mistake can be disastrous. But, when done properly, as in this very cauldron, it guarantees success in everything you do... at least, until the effect wears off."
"Why don't people drink it all the time, then?" Terry Boot asked eagerly.
"Because too much causes dizziness, recklessness, and dangerous overconfidence," Slughorn explained. "Even the best things become harmful in excess. And yes, it's toxic in large doses. But taken sparingly and wisely..."
"Have you ever taken it, sir?" Michael Corner asked.
"Twice in my life," Slughorn said dreamily. "Once at twenty-four, and once at fifty-seven. Two spoonfuls at breakfast... those days were just perfect."
He stared into the distance with a nostalgic smile.
"And now," he returned to the present, "I'm offering this as today's prize."
The room fell silent. Every bubbling and sizzling sound from the surrounding potions seemed amplified.
Anne noticed Hermione looking determined. She considered trying to win the prize and giving it to her, but quickly dismissed the idea, Hermione would never accept it. Maybe she could brew some for her another time instead.
Slughorn pulled a small vial from his pocket, a little glass bottle sealed with a cork, glinting with liquid gold.
"This small bottle of Felix Felicis will bring twelve hours of good luck," he announced. "From dawn till dusk, success will follow you like a shadow.
"But remember, Felix Felicis is banned from organized events, sports matches, exams, elections, and so on. The winner may use it on an ordinary day... and watch how that day becomes anything but ordinary.
"So," Slughorn said, clapping his hands, "how can you win it? Open your Advanced Potion-Making to page ten. You have just over an hour. Brew the best Draught of Living Death you can. It's the most complex potion you've tried so far, I don't expect perfection. But whoever brews the finest batch wins the Felix Felicis. Begin!"
A chorus of scraping and clattering followed as students pulled cauldrons toward themselves and began weighing ingredients. Anne hesitated briefly, she hadn't expected it to be this easy. She'd brewed the Draught of Living Death last term while testing dosage ratios of advanced magical plants.
She glanced at Harry, who looked like he'd just uncovered a secret in his textbook. Then she checked on Hermione, who was already immersed in the process.
Hermione looked beautiful when she was focused. Anne caught herself staring before Fanny poked her.
"Class time," Fanny muttered in exasperation.
"Right…" Anne shrugged, tearing her gaze away. She flipped open her book and started adding ingredients to her cauldron.
As she read, she couldn't help but mentally critique the textbook. These instructions are full of errors. What year was this published? Doesn't the publisher proofread anything? Has Slughorn even read this book? She hadn't checked it herself when buying it, having mostly relied on family recipes and master alchemists' notes over the past few years.
Tossing ingredients into her cauldron absentmindedly, Anne kept sneaking glances at Hermione.
"Time's up!" Slughorn called. "Stop stirring!"
He moved slowly between tables, checking each cauldron. Occasionally, he'd stir or sniff a potion, but said little.
At Anne and Fanny's table, he smiled and nodded in approval. At the Gryffindor table, his reaction to Hermione's potion was similar, until he reached Harry's cauldron. His face lit up in delight.
"A clear winner!" he declared loudly. "Brilliant, Harry! You've clearly inherited your mother's talent, Lily was a natural at Potions! Here you go, one bottle of Felix Felicis, as promised. Use it well!"
Malfoy looked furious. Most of the class was stunned, while Hermione appeared quietly disappointed.
"How did you do that?" Ron asked Harry the moment they exited the classroom.
"Must've been luck…" Harry replied.
Hermione walked beside them, flipping through Advanced Potion-Making, clearly still trying to figure out where she went wrong. Anne reached over and shut the book with a snap.
She slipped it into Hermione's bag and draped an arm around her. "It's after class now. Besides, reading while walking is bad for your eyesight."
"But—"
"If you want to figure out your mistake, you won't find it in the book. You followed it exactly. But if you'd like, I can take you to my little lab by the greenhouse tomorrow. You can practice a few more times, Potions require hands-on experience."
"Little lab?" Hermione gasped. "Anne? Did Dumbledore approve it?"
"What little lab?" Ron looked completely lost.
"It's just my old workstation near the greenhouse. I asked to upgrade it into a combined potion and plant-testing lab. Professor Sprout agreed to lend me a storeroom next to Greenhouse One, Dumbledore just had to sign off on it."
"He actually approved your proposal?" Fanny still looked amazed.
"Potions lab? Don't you just need a cauldron?" Ron asked. "You could use an empty classroom or even Moaning Myrtle's, "
"Ahem, " Fanny cut in. "Technically, yes, any cauldron will do. But potion-making involves precise temperature, dosage control, and sometimes dangerous ingredients. A lab is essential." She turned back to Anne. "Can we check it out tonight?"
Hermione was grateful for Fanny's interruption, Ron had almost blurted out their second-year Polyjuice incident. The memory made her think of that night in the Slytherin common room...
Anne scratched her head. "Maybe after dinner. The workstation's probably ready, Sprout said she'd help, but the protective wards aren't up yet. Still, brewing the Draught of Living Death should be safe enough."
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