Chapter 1: What Is This Potion?!

Potions class – it’s always been a bit of a nightmare, hasn’t it? Why was Snape constantly breathing down your neck, and why did Merula seem hell-bent on sabotaging your every move? Not to mention, the classroom was always chillingly cold. But, amidst all the chaos, there were a few bright spots. Whenever Snape wasn’t looming over you, you could usually chat with Rowan and catch up on things.

Today, however, you were tasked with brewing love potions, and Rowan had warned you to be discreet. Unfortunately, you had to share a cauldron with Merula, so you couldn’t shake her off to investigate the smell on your own. You were practically quivering with anticipation as you carefully added the final ingredients. Stepping back to psych yourself up, Merula took a curious whiff of the elixir and whispered, “Hey [Last Name], I think you messed up this potion.” Confused, you replied, “Why?” Her response left you dumbfounded, “It smells like you.” After realizing what she had said, she blushed lightly and turned away.

The class passed quickly, and you were still reeling from her answer when Rowan had to practically drag you out of the dungeon. As you ascended to the Charms Tower, Rowan noticed your unusual silence and asked, “What’s wrong?” All you managed to stammer out was, “M-m-Merula.” He probed, “What about her?” You blurted out, “No, don’t tell me you think that’s who...” Cutting you off, you almost screamed, “Shut up! Besides, it’s not like I can choose who I love,” you added in a whisper, “and she told me, not the other way around.” This left Rowan puzzled, with a perplexed look on his face as you continued to Charms. “I was just kidding,” he stammered out, regret washing over you. You found yourself feeling inexplicably down during Charms class, and it was then that you realized you missed Merula.

The rest of the day passed by normally, with the occasional stray thought here and there ... until flying class.