An Illegitimate Endeavour PV Complete

Howard stormed out of the Hufflepuff common room, probably making himself a bit too noticeable as he was off to break some more school rules. A note was crumpled up in his hand, one he squeezed tightly as he made his way towards the potions classroom. It was about damn time! He paused in the hall, reading it over once more and checking the watch on his wrist. The time for him to meet with Aurelia had finally come, although much later than he hoped. He would have to have a few words with her about this.

Howard moved quietly through the hallways, doing his best to avoid detection. Making sure the coast was clear, he descended the stairs into the basement of the castle. As he approached the potions classroom, he spotted the Gryffindor waiting for him. His eyebrows would raise as he took in the sight of her. Her left arm was wrapped in bandages from shoulder to elbow. Maybe this was the cause for delay. She sure had a knack for getting her self injured.

“Hey! Aurelia.” He called out in a hushed tone. “I got your note, took ya damn long enough! What did you do to yourself now? Oh, and by the way...” Howard held up the note for her to see. “I think it’s best to drop our names from any owls. You tryin to get us busted before we even start.” His eyes would drop down to the bottle of orange liquid in her hand. “Is that the stuff?”

At this time, not many students or professors would be present in the basements but then again. It was especially why she chose such a late timing for this. It was barely a few minutes when she heard hurried footsteps echoing down the corridor. Unsure if it was a professor, student or Howie, Aurelia put her right hand, the one holding the phial behind her back, not so effectively obscuring it from view.

Thankfully, it was the hufflepuff. The last thing Aurelia wanted was a professor coming up to ask her why she had a vial of forgetfulness potion in hand. Howie definitely noticed the bandaged on her arm, how could he not? Aurelia extended her arm for him to take the bottle of orange liquid. It would still feel warm from brewing if he were to touch the glass.

“Alright, I’ll skip the names the and use initials instead then. And yes, the potion,” She confirmed. When she came to think of it, she had no idea what Howie’s last name was. If she would use initials, he would be addressed as a simple H while she herself, A.B.

“I did not do this to myself. It was that crazy boy in the abandoned bathrooms who I tried to deal with. ” She objected with a mildly frustrated sigh. The rumors of the incident in the abandoned bathrooms would have spread far and wide by now; a stabbing rampage. Unlike the other two first years, Aurelia had been taken down with Diffindo but perhaps a stab might have been better? That small knife of Keagen’s could cut, diffindo on the other hand, could severe an entire arm off. Even the nurses in the Hospital wing had told her she was lucky to have her arm still intact.

“Anyways, that’s not the point. You’re here for the potion.” She said diverting the topic to the potion instead. Howie had no idea how to use it and Aurelia was there to help. For all she knew, he might take a dose too many and forget if he had even eaten lunch or attended his classes.

“With a teaspoonful’s dose you would not remember about three to five minutes back. Three tablespoonfuls, about a little more than half an hour. A quarter of a bottle at once and you’d knock yourself out - which I really do not suggest you try.” She began. It was entirely different for Aurelia who after months of consuming the potion had develop quite a tolerance for the effects. It would take a quarter of a bottle to cause her to forget half an hour and she’d still be perfectly fine.

“The potion is not meant for long-term forgetting. Just perhaps suppress anxiousness by forgetting what made you anxious in the first place or unseeing what you’ve seen.” The Gryffindor explained. She wasn’t the best at teaching. All this seemed like common knowledge for her.

“I hope I’m making sense.”

“I’ve heard the rumors. This school is freakin crazy.” Howard had indeed heard the whispers of the events in the abandoned restroom. It always amazed him what the staff allowed the children to get away with. The crazed Ravenclaw boy would have been immediately removed if he was still at his Muggle school. Hogwarts seemed to be getting more and more dangerous as the school years progressed, he himself involved in a few violent incidents. One of the reasons he yearned to experiment with the potion. His angry outbursts were getting out of control, and coming much more frequently. “Well, I’m glad your ok.” His frustration with her subsided, couldn’t really blame her after sustained such sever injuries.

Howard listened closely as Aurelia explained the potion and what doses to use, a sense of excitement brewing in his belly. It sounded like it was exactly what he needed. His eyebrows would raise slightly as she told him with enough of a dose, he could black out all together. The idea was scary, but also intriguing. Even a moment of unconsciousness without the nightmares sounded like a dream.

“I’m following you so far. Have you ever tried it before sleeping? Would it even be possible, or would I just forget to go to sleep?” His hands fidgeted by his side as the questions flew out of his mouth. “Oh...if this does indeed work, how much will you be able to supply?”

Aurelia managed a weak smile when Howie told her he was glad she was alright. The incident hadn’t been pleasant. If the spell hadn’t hit her arm but somewhere more fatal, chest or even her head, she would be as good as dead. She was glad she herself was alright too. She hadn’t told her parent about for they would definitely be worried sick upon hearing the news that a crazy boy sharing the same school as their daughter. The last time she got this badly injured was Anatole’s fault. They way he carelessly pulled the incendio for the sake of getting rid of some ridiculous shoes. She had returned home afterwards during the holidays and her Mother was devastated to see the scars she had acquired. Aurelia didn’t want that to happen again.

Sleep? That would explain his condition a few weeks a go in the owlery that day. The Hufflepuff indeed looked like he barely gotten a few hours of sleep with those terribly weary eyes. Aurelia didn’t use the potion for sleep but had sometimes used one of the herbs that was one of it’s ingredient, Valerian specially when she was stressed. It had sleep inducing properties that when consumed would make her extremely drowsy. Aurelia had tried taking the herbs with a dose of potion but it hadn’t had much difference except for the fact that she could remember having any dreams when she woke up.

The brunette slipped her hand into the bag, digging through she pulled out a bunch of dried dried flowers. “Valerian. One of the ingredients used in the potion. It has some magical properties that makes you sleepy. You can brew it along with some chamomile tea before sleep. It works like a charm. Here isn’t a need to take the potion along with it but if you do, you would simply wake up from dreamless sleep.” She explained, handing the ugly bouquet of flowers to the Hufflepuff. Valerian wasn’t as costly as mistletoe berries or river lithe water so she could spare him some.

“Oh...if this does indeed work, how much will you be able to supply?”

Aurelia’s eyes widened and her brows furrowing ever so slightly. She had thought that their deal was only just this once. Aurelia was a busy person and although she took the potion herself, she couldn’t keep brewing a vial for Howie when ever he required it. It would be twice the work, not to mention double the galleons. Her parents would definitely suspect something was wrong which they probably already had since she had not returned their most recent owl which was a month ago.

Before she had the chance to reply, a soft echo of footsteps could be heard along the corridor. Someone was coming. It was rare that students would loiter around the basements so late and it was also a terrible time for professor Anton to be returning to the potions classrooms. He was the professor who issued the Gryffindor her first detention and for that, Aurelia did not particularly like him.

Their voices must have drowned it out a few moments ago and now it would barely be a few more seconds before the person turned around the corner. The tingle of nerves crawled up her skin when her gaze fell on the potion filled flask still in the boy’s hand. Her lips pressed tightly together, they were doomed. Aurelia remembered what Howie had specifically promised that day in the owlery when she had agreed to help him: If I were ever to be caught, mark my words, I will take the fall. You’re name will never come up. Aurelia now wondered if the Hufflepuff was going to keep to his words and if he did, how he was going about doing it. Of course, that was if it the footsteps turned out to be of a professor. The basements were dimly lit but Aurelia managed to see the figure turn around near corner. It was not a professor but yet dread crept up Aurelia’s face when she realised who it was. Damn it.

The Ravenclaw crept along the corridor, walking at her normal pace before stopping for a moment. Of course, that voice couldn't belong to anyone else; she could never forget it no matter how hard she tried to. It was none other that Aurelia herself, but it was not her voice that caught her attention. It was the second voice. Unable to hear his complete question, she tried her best to put the miniature features into the bigger puzzle. There were only two reasons Aurelia had ever come down into the dungeons. One being the class of potions, the more obvious one and the second, to concoct the special potion of hers she treasured so dearly.

Letting her footsteps echo throughout the echoing hallway, Emma deliberately walked at her normal pace. It wasn't like she had anything to hide from, or she came to eavesdrop on the Gryffindor. She already knew what her business was down in the dungeons at this time of night. It was nearing curfew, it was even a bit risky herself to be down in the classroom. She had memorized the rules of Hogwarts top to bottom and she didn't want to be caught when her dormitory was a while away. Farther than the Gryffindor common room was, anyway.

The sole of her tennis shoe scrapped against the stone floors, causing just enough noise to be heard in the hallway. Her sound would not progress to the main floor and she was ready to come up with a valid excuse to any staff member if the moment was right. She didn't know what staff was competent of after being issued her first detention by Professor Anton.

Poking her head in the classroom door, she looked around momentarily before stepping all the way in, clapping her hands together. There were way too many flasks of the potion to belong to just Aurelia. Of course, now another student happened to be consuming the potion. She was doing it because she hated to see Aurelia consuming the substance or just to see the look on her face when she showed up. To be honest, she didn't actually know; it was a mix of both to put it flatly.

"Hey, you guys." Emma began in a falsely joyous tone as if talking to one of her friends with a bright smile that didn't need to be falsified. "Aurelia, how was your break? You and your brother must have had lots of fun. How is he?"

Valerian! The boy thought to himself. Howie’s eyes would narrow as a flash of emotion tore through them. This happened frequently these days. Small moments of frustration would lead to a rise of anger, and in those small moments he would lose himself. He shook his head slightly to remove the dark thoughts.

Howie extended his hand and received the bunch of dried flowers from Aurelia, her next words wiped any remnants of anger as a sense of joy filled him. Dreamless sleep. He looked down into his hands, the flowers in one and the potion in the other. Could this finally be the answer he had been searching for? The dementor haunted his dreams, visiting him every night to steal his innocence. To change him from the bright boy he once was to the dark pre teen that stood before Aurelia now. His eyes returned to her, the slightest shine of emotion within them. “Thank you.” He spoke in a whisper.

Howie would not see the surprised expression on Aurelia’s face when he asked of resupplies. A pattern of footsteps met his ears and his head snapped sideways to look over his shoulder. Someone was coming. He stuffed the potion and the Valerian into his robes and turned to face the intruder. Howie was true to his words, he would take the fall if a professor entered. He would tell them he threatened Aurelia, forced her to the classroom to brew a potion for him. His marks in the class would be proof enough. However, there would be no need. Emma Hill would enter with a clap.

The two did not know each other well, only having met once before for a short interview in the Library. He did know Aurelia’s feelings for the girl however, their conversation in the owlery came to mind. None of that really matter in this moment, they had business to attend to and Emma was interrupting.

“Hello.” Howie’s voice carried no false joy, only irritation. “We’re in the middle of something here Emma...something private.” 

Howie had stuffed both the flowers and the potion into the pocket of his robes just in time leaving an obvious bulge at his sides. Emma had strutted barely a second later. Surely she had not made her way down to the potions classroom to brew a potion. It was too late for that, about less than an hour before curfew hit. Aurelia knew the Ravenclaw was there just to see her. What she wanted? Aurelia only knew that it was not simply to say hi.

The Gryffindor’s hand clenched into fists at her sides when Emma had brought up her Brother. A wave of emotion struck her almsoy immediately at that very statement, most likely giving Emma the satisfaction. A hint of sadness could be seen deep in Aurelia’s blue eyes that had suddenly turned icy cold. How’s your Brother? Emma knew very well that she did not have a Brother. Raphael was dead. Yet she choose to poke at that nerve. An effective strategy. Aurelia wanted nothing more than to lunge at the Ravenclaw and throttle her. But of course, that was exactly what Emma was aiming for, to make her, a Gryffindor prefect look in a way, bad.

“We’re in the middle of something here Emma...something private.”  Howie had said. Aurelia’s eyebrows rose slightly, Howie knew her? The last time they met in the owlery, the boy had no idea who Emma was.

“We are almost finished. If you came here to brew a potion, you’d have less than an hour before curfew hits which I do not think it’s possible with in such a short period of time.” Aurelia gathered herself, switching to the serious tone used whenever she was about doing her prefect duties.

What could she say? She loved to tease Aurelia, and now that she was prefect of Gryffindor there was no more fighting. It gave her a sense of satisfaction and appreciation to see the Gryffindor succeeded. With her stringent behavior, the position of prefect fit her like a glove. Of course, not all prefects were uptight and bossy, in fact, the stereotype had become less and less as the years at Hogwarts seemed to advance. It was quite ironic how the old cultures seemed to resurface as time progressed.

Her response only broadened the Ravenclaw's smile, taking the habit of crossing her arms all while doing so. Actions were much louder than words and hers just happened to shriek unpleasantly at her much like Aurelia would. Both students knew well they couldn't fight anymore, but to bicker and argue, however? It was uncertain, but that wasn't going to stop her. If one mere statement could provoke her nerves, she couldn't imagine where the rest would take her in the end. One thing was for sure, she was indeed looking forward to doing so.

Emma let out a small chuckle. There wasn't anything private about Aurelia's life, and she didn't take long to put the pieces together, at least she assumed. The potions classroom wasn't the best spot for an intimate rendezvous, and though they appeared almost perfect for each other, she immediately launched that idea out of the window. The two unmistakably hadn't come to ask the Professor a question but stealing his supplies, much like the last time, was a warning that raised suspicion in her. The Gryffindor certainly did not need two vials, or perhaps her addiction was simply getting worse by the day. With luck, she'd end up in the Hospital Wing. With a smile, she responded Howie sarcastically. "Get used to it, I kinda do this all the time. Just ask Aurelia."

"Oh come off it. Please don't use that tone with me, it's not going to prevent me from doing anything. I've got an hour to mess around with you guys, I've completed all my homework; I've got nothing to do." She leaned against the door frame with her arms crossed, her brown hair bouncing along with her. The brunette didn't want to return back to the common room and recommence her reading. Weighing a book to an argument, there was only one inclined answer, and this time it wasn't the book.

"You guys don't plan to overdose, do you? That seems awfully like a large amount for just one of you. And if you're going to hide the vial, do it when I'm not looking, will you?" Her hand gestured to the vial filled with the Forgetfulness Potion and then to his pockets. Nine o'clock and there was nothing to do in Hogwarts but roam, read, and write. It wasn't wrong to have a little fun every now and then.

Howie's eyes would flash with anger as Emma began to speak. He was beginning to understand why Aurelia had such strong feelings of dislike towards the girl. Unfortunate, she seemed alright during their interview in the library, but now he was getting a glimpse at her true self. He wondered what the history was between the two as every word she spoke seemed to be nothing more than an attempt to get a rise out of Aurelia. It was uncharacteristic of a Ravenclaw, most of them mild mannered book worms, but that was however just a stereotype. The same stereotype that most thought of him when he wore his Hufflepuff badge on his robes. The kind and caring lot, always wanting to make friends and live happily ever after. She would be greatly mistaken if she thought this of him.

He watched as the Ravenclaw smiled boldly, crossing her arms in a smug way, blocking his exit from the classroom. She was overconfident. There were two of them and only one of her. Aurelia may be a Prefect, but he however was not. Little did Emma know, that Howie was now indebted to Aurelia and was more than willing to do her fighting for her. If she gave the command, Howie would bite. 

"Get used to it, I kinda do this all the time. Just ask Aurelia." Emma said to him, laying on the sarcasm thick. Howie crossed his arms to match her posture. "Oh come off it. Please don't use that tone with me, it's not going to prevent me from doing anything. I've got an hour to mess with you guys, I've completed all my homework; I've got nothing to do." Howie shook his head at her words. This was all some kind of game to her. A way to amuse herself and pass the time. This was no laughing matter to the aggressive thirteen year old. He was suffering and she was now interrupting He and Aurelia's business deal. The anger was brewing in his belly, his temper growing white hot. "You guys don't plan to overdose, do you?" That seems awfully like a large amount for just one of you. And if you're going to hide the vial, do it when I'm not looking, will you?"

Howie had had enough! As Emma pointed to the stash in his pockets, he would take a quick step forward, his long legs closing the distance between them quickly. His finger would outstretch, pointing in her face as he began to speak. His tone would carry his anger. "What business is it of yours what we do?! And I've got a lot more than tone for you if you don't leave us be. Now shut up and get out of my damn way! We're done here!"