Boystuff

'BREW ME!' shouted the Love Potion

"Guys, I thought about it and I have to admit, that it's the worst plan ever," announced Francis Wilkes, whilst glancing at his dormmates who were sitting on their beds, looking at him incredulously.

"Let him speak, Severus," said Evan Rosier to his other friend, who smirked and made a move as if about to leave the dorm.

"Rrright!" Severus sighed and made himself more comfortable between the pillows.

"Geez, Severus, don't be such a fusspot! Francis, go on."

"Okay, so... onto our plan. It's kinda dangerous, you know? What if we get caught tonight? Or someone sees us? Those little buggering first years are everywhere!" complained Francis.

"Wilkes, if you're going to talk about the uses of the first years and how to avoid them, then I'm leaving. I have to write my Transfiguration's essay, is that clear?" Severus stood up, gathered his parchments, but didn't make it to the door because of Evan's strong arms pulling him back to bed.

"Sit and listen."

"Francis, come down then,"

Francis sighed heavily.

"The plan we made is... well... not so good. See, stealing potion's ingredients is one thing, but the second one - going to the class, brewing the potion tonight and making Evan drink the stuff... What's it for?!"

"For Bellatrix falling in love with me," mumbled Evan.

"Yeah, yeah, that's for sure. But still... you have no idea if she feels something for you, better check it first and the rest will go on without the potion, everything's going to be so natural. And pure, intimate, delicate, true... Don't you want things to turn like that? Without using this blasted potion?"

Evan looked as if lost in his thoughts for several seconds and then his gaze fell upon Severus, who just shrugged.

"No."

Francis groaned and fell to the floor.

"He prefers forced love to the true one! God, help me!!!"

"Evan, you're gonna suffer the consequences of drinking this liquid for some time, I hope you haven't forgotten that," said Severus in a low voice. He could finally go to the Library to work in peace and quiet, and nobody would disturb the silence surrounding him.

"I haven't, don't worry mate," Evan winked and went to the bathroom, whistling 'Ode to joy'. Francis and Severus exchanged meaningful looks.

"Severus, can I go with you? I have to check on one book," pleaded Francis. "I don't want to stay here alone with that 'moron-in-love', I can't stand him singing... Pretty please?"

The silence is certainly not going to be disturbed by Francis. It would be much worse if he'd taken Evan (who obviously hasn't discovered Library yet). He nodded and soon they were leaving Slytherin dungeons in hurry, just in case if Evan followed them.

****

Severus was very prompted to make this unique Love Potion because he simply loved doing this kind of stuff. He could improve his abilities, discover some new uses of ingredients, invent something entirely different from what he read about in books from the Hogwarts' Library... Well, he was sort of addicted to it.

Francis, on the other hand, was very skillful at Transfiguration. Once, when Sirius Black and his raging hormones attacked him, he transfigured the Gryffindor's hair into bunch of snakes. Black started to scream histerically and beg Francis to remove the animals that were swirling on his head. Francis did so and soon, Black was weeping in Madame Pomfrey's sleeve, wanting her to make hair appear on his head again.

Evan... well, as for him, he was skilled only in Quidditch. Maybe he had some hidden abilities. Maybe he had some other purposes in life other than enslaving beautiful but cruel Bellatrix Black. Though Francis and Severus doubted it.

"He might think we're doing it just because he's good in blackmailing us," ventured Francis, verting some huge book about the Dark Creatures.

"We're helping him, 'cause his our friend," reminded him Severus, finishing the essay and putting it aside to look at the pile of books Francis brought to their table. "Nothing more. Bellatrix's happiness is beyond our thoughts. I don't care about her or other girls, they're... well, girls. Y'know what I mean."

"I give up. If Evan wants to risk that much, let him be. I don't believe that Bellatrix's going to fall for him immediately. She seems to resist everything, even a sliencing charm."

"Don't believe in it either. But Evan does. Let's not ruin his dreams, okay? If anything goes wrong you have the right to treat me with a killing curse."

"What? 'Avada Kedavra' you?"

Some fifth years shot them dissaproving glances.

"Try saying it louder," scoffed him Severus. Francis looked apologetically at him and turned to the book he was reading.

"Sev, I'm sure everything's going to be alright, besides you're a superb potions brewer and you can make it! Something as simple as a Love Potion is a piece of cake, right?"

Silence.

"Umm... Right?"

Even more silence.

"Severus, were you listening to me?"

"Of course I was. I'm just thinking of a good answer!"

"And?"

"To say the truth... you know that it isn't an ordinary Love Potion, don't you?"

"Yep. To drink something just to smell like this... That's weird."

"Our Rose wanted something that doesn't need pouring into Bellatrix's pumpkin juice, just to avoid attracting attention."

"Correct."

"But it's damn hard to make this potion! It's very similar to Sleeping Draught! One mistake and we're doomed. By Evan himself."

"If I go to hell, I'll haunt him every night!"

"Francis, we're not talking about..."

"And I'll provide myself with chains to make a good impression on him! Gonna scare him to death!"

Severus sighed and turned his head to the right, just to see Nicholas Avery entering the Library. His insides flipped suddenly, as the boy approached Madame Pince and smiled that beautiful smile of his, asking her about something... Soon Severus found himself gazing absently at the gentle and nice Slytherin, sitting at the table in front of them. Francis waved his hand before Severus' eyes.

"My, my, you're really losing your heart for little Avery," he chuckled.

"Oh, shut up, Francis!" Severus eventually took his eyes off the pretty boy. "And I'm not in love with him! He's not even the opposite gender!"

"It's nothing wrong with this," Francis went on conversationally. "You love a person, not their gender."

Severus' eyes welled up with tears of joy and he thrown his arms around Francis, not carring much about the students watching them.

"It was beautiful, Fran, say it again!" he sniffed loudly.

"Severus, you're utterly mad! And don't call me 'Fran', will you? Makes me feel girly. Get off me, moron! Stop joking around, we're in the Library!"

"Sorry, mate. It was thrilling."

"I think so," nodded Francis. "Hey, Nicky, come here!" He waved at their dormmate.

Nicholas Avery with all his beauty and soothing smile went up to them and sat near Severus, who almost fell off his chair at this. Nicky raised his eyebrow inquiringly.

"I've heard that you're up to something tonight," he said with a slight interest.

"Yeah, feeding Evan with a Love Potion," grunted Severus, trying hard not to blush.

"Why? He doesn't want to fall in love with somebody?"

"No. Worse."

"Bellatrix again?"

Francis and Severus nodded in unison.

"Oh, I see... Do you need help?"

When Francis was about to say 'no', Severus pulled out the piece of parchment with ingredients written on it.

"Yes, of course," Severus shot a murderous glare at Wilkes. "Some of the ingredients we've got in our cupboard. Some of them are in the Forbidden Forest ("WHAT?!" almost shouted Francis.) and some are hidden in our Potions Professor's rooms, down in the dungeons."

"Forbidden Forest, you say?"

"Yeah."

"We can go there now," Nicky beamed at him. "Coming, Francis?"

Francis' jaw dropped.

"You're insane... you're totally insane..."

But, eventually, he went after two happy Slytherins, wondering whether they'd start holding hands or kiss.

None of the above took place.

Hagrid caught them when they were about to go past his hut and that was the end of their trip. Or so it seemed. Francis settled himself on the lake's shore and waited for Nicky and Severus to join him. Avery had been struggling to calm the other boy down and provide him from going near the Forest again. It was a shock for all of them that one of the most important ingredients was there. Shadowed by trees, hidden in moss... All they could do is wait. Wait for the night to come. One of them surely had makings for a sneaker or a thief. The only problem that stuck in their heads, was that the safest place where they could enter the Forbidden Forest was right behind Hagrid's hut.

"Maybe we'll try this later?" suggested Nicky. Severus buried his face in hands and said nothing. Francis rolled his eyes and patted the black-haired Slytherin on the back.

"Nope. Evan can't wait. He's going to kill us if we told him that we can't fo this today. Besides, we want to get rid of his wailings. And babbling about Bellatrix. About the Love Potion. About his suffering," he shook his head. "You're out most of the time, so you don't know what's been going on for the past three months."

"I thought he'd finaly given this up."

"He's going to kill us..." came a muffled voice from behind Francis.

"No, he's not!" Nicky stood up, his expression unreadable. "We have to think of something, quickly!"

"You don't have to do this. He won't hurt you, if you'll keep a low profile."

"Don't be such a pessimist! We'll make it."

Severus looked up at him. His stubborn expression made Francis feel worse than ever. Now, that meant trouble.

****

It has been 11 p.m. already when four figures ran out of the Hogwarts castle and strode towards the Forbidden Forest. The candles in Hagrid's house were still lit, when they were crouching under the windows. Once they were safe, one of them streched himself and pulled out his wand. The others followed.

"It's cold out there!" hissed Evan Rosier. "And too dark. Sev, say 'Lumos', okay?"

"Are you daft?" barked Severus. "Hagrid's going to see us if we do so! And try not to talk so loudly."

"This is a kind of plant, right? Were are we supposed to look for it? Under the trees?"

"Rrright."

"Guys, Hagrid can't see us, it's quite a remote area."

Somebody said 'Lumos'. The unnerving shadows appeared and started to move as if trying to scare the Slytherin boys.

Nicky stepped past Francis and touched the nearest tree.

"It's very rotten," he said. "Severus, you said that they grow under what kind of trees?"

Hearing his name being spoken by his affection's object, Severus jumped slightly and glanced at the list of ingredients.

"Beech... Beeches and birches."

"It's not good. There are mostly pines and junipers here, you can't see many of those leaf trees."

"Come ON, we've got the whole night!" Francis got impatient.

"What if something attacks us?" stuttered Evan.

All four boys suddenly went stiff.

"Then we'll die," snarled Severus. "And you're going to be lucky and stay alive, but soon will commit suicide because you won't be able to live with a thought that you're friends died for your sake."

Evan pouted and stopped.

"Anybody checked if those ingredients are in Professor Herne's cupboard? Or school supplies?" asked Francis after a while of a complete silence.

Severus shook his head, just as he suspected. Both Evan and Nicky said 'No'.

"So, for the time being, who's the biggest dope here?" growled Francis.

"It might be me... as I'm taking care of providing us with the ingredients," murmured Severus slowly.

"Me too... thinking too much of myself, I think," uttered quietly Evan.

"Me not," chirped Nicky with a grin.

"Me... maybe," said Francis. "Though Evan did absolutely nothing in this case. We had to do this all alone, stand up to your expectations as for the potion!"

"Am I that bad?" Evan gazed at him for a long while. Finally he moved and started walking towards the castle.

"Hey, Rose, where are you going?" shouted Severus.

"To the castle! I'm going to find these plants all by myself!"

"Better go after him," proposed Francis. "He's not the type who can't be seen if he doesn't want to. He's to big to be overlooked. Especially by teachers of Filch."

They hurried back to the castle, not taking much care of Hagrid who might have seen them, their minds set on Evan Rosier's well being.