All the Time in the World | Sirius Black

18. Valentine's Day

Lily's seventeen birthday was spent as a spa day, but muggle version. Lily, Marlene, and I spent the entire day, after our classes, doing our hair and nails. I had let Lily cut my hair and she gave me fringes, I almost cried. In turn, Lily let me cut her hair as well— to her shoulders! It was probably one of the most well-spent days I have had. At the sight of Lily's new look, James almost passed out and was completely swooned.

"You have that boy wrapped around your finger, Lil," I gushed.

"Stuff it, Rory," Lily blushed. "Potter might fancy me, but nothing that's going to happen!"

"Keep telling yourself that, Evans," I teased.

For our holiday-themed lessons, most of the teachers were teaching either the history behind Valentine's Day or making their lessons love-related. Professor McGonagall even had us learn how to to transfigure Lovebirds into Love Notes. Our potions lesson, though, Professor Slughorn decided to teach us all about Amortentia.

"Amortentia doesn't really create love, of course," he continued his lesson. "It is impossible to manufacture or imitate love. No, this will simply cause a powerful infatuation or obsession. The fragrance you smell of the potion is what attracts you the most. It is probably the most dangerous and powerful potion in this room — oh yes," he said, nodding gravely at James, who was smirking sceptically. "James Potter, can you please come up and tell me what you smell in the Amortentia near my desk?"

James slowly got up from his spot in the back, Sirius sniggering at him, and walked up to Slughorn. In a small cauldron at the teacher's desk sat a liquid with a distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen and blue-green steam rising. James bent over and smelled the steam and smiled dreamily.

"Well?" Slughorn encouraged.

"It smells like broomstick polish, wet moss, and... flowers," James said sheepishly.

I raised a brow at him, flowers?

"Perfect," Slughorn clapped him on the back and signalled for him to go back to his seat. "Now, if you will please, we will be making a very diluted version of Amortentia— it will not cause obsession or intactuation, just let you know what your favorite smells are and intensify your already present feelings."

A soft murmur filled the room, most of them excited, some of them annoyed. I, for one, was happy it wasn't regular Amortentia for it is dangerous and nonconsensual to give someone the Love Potion.

"Follow the instructions on the board," Slughorn said, tapping his wand on the blackboard, "and create your potions. It shouldn't take more than half an hour. You will then take your own brew, let you know who you secretly like, and then it will wear off after five minutes. Begin."

With a sigh, I scribbled down the instructions and measurements needed to brew the diluted Amortentia. Severus told me he would get our ingredients and I nodded, starting on my own brew. Over the last month, our relationship was slightly strained, but slowly going back to normal.

"Thanks," I smiled, grabbing the ingredients from him.

I never asked, and Sev never told me, why he had the impulse to kiss me. Though, I really didn't want to know, I could figure out that it was most likely that he took my kindness for attraction and thought I liked him back.

"I reckon he's making us powder the moonstone instead of dissolving it to make the brewing time shorter," Sev said.

"It is, and that is also why we have to add less rose thorns and peppermint oil; to dilute the brew," I commented.

"How are you good at potions?"

Looking up from my cauldron, I gave him a small smile, "my friend taught me Tcheministry—"