MAY 13, 1976

THE COLD MORNING WIND CUT INTO KATHLEEN'S FACE AS SHE SAT IN THE QUIDDITCH STANDS. It was practically summer, but the mornings were still chilly, and it was six a.m. after all. Knowing both Gryffindor and Slytherin had a shared practice at the Pitch, she'd gotten up early and brought her Arithmancy tables with her to study as she watched the practice. The stands were dotted with a few other Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, jealous that their Houses hadn't made it to the finals; they would be playing in a losers' bracket on Wednesday.

When their practice concluded, in what became routine, Kathleen stole from Regulus a kiss behind the team room tents. They waited until everyone else left before walking arm in arm up to the castle, laughing about not one important matter. The morning sun beat hard and hot down on the Pitch, and when they finished climbing the steps to the castle, Kathleen's forehead had a thin sheen of sweat.

Of course, they had to separate at breakfast, but Kathleen saw him not twenty minutes later, in Advanced Potions, where Kathleen (who'd run out of Slughorn's pity cards) had to be assigned a  partner for a new project. She stood at her table in the back, knowing she couldn't do this project by herself.

"Good morning everyone! We will begin with an introduction to our final major project of the year before exams, some samples being right in front of you all," Slughorn said, indicating at some open cauldrons in front of them, with pretty ringed spirals puffing out of each one. "Can anyone tell me what this Potion is?"

"-A Love Potion, sir," said Carlton Rowle from the back of the group, seeing over everyone with his height.

"Exactly right. Now, typically, I reserve this Potion for my sixth years, but you are in an advanced class for a reason. You will be brewing in pairs, with the assistance of Mr. Snape, of course, who has graciously continued assisting levels of Potions classes though his own internship has concluded. Your partners will be your tablemates. Now, I'd like you all to start with reading and taking notes from your books, before we go gather ingredients from the greenhouses next class." Slughorn said merrily, as the students lazily took out their textbooks, notes, and quills. "Oh, and Miss Prewett, join Mister Black up here at the front. I'm afraid this project will be too intensive for one."

Kathleen moved her things up to the front, giving Reg a sly smile as she sat beside him. He snarked back in return, eyes flicking to her lips. 

"Now, as you all take notes, the sample will be passed around, so you all can get a good look," Slughorn called, and slowly, one of the Amortentia cauldrons levitated and started hovering in front of each lab table.

Kathleen hummed as she took out her quill, finding a new page and titling it Love Potion Project. "Have you done work with Amortentia before, Reg?" she whispered.

Regulus coughed, making Kathleen look up in surprise. He wore a strange expression, like he just swallowed a sour lemon. 

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes," he coughed again. 

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes," he forced. "Er- do you want my notebook? I took notes on the Potion last night already."

"Oh," Kathleen said, and smiled gratefully as he nudged his book towards hers, open with a chart on the ingredients of Amortentia, and their respective uses and properties. He had the same handwriting as hers, slanted and neat, except hers was a bit loopier. She admired the curve of his cs and ys as she copied her things down.

The sample came over to their table. "Oh, there it is. Come on, let's take a look and smell it." She grew a little self-conscious as she said so, slowly tilting her head over the Potion. It was translucent, silvery, and the spirals fanned over her face as they rose. She closed her eyes, inhaling its scent: somehow it smelled of the salty sea at Prewett Keep, wildflowers, and the deep, woody scent of chalk. 

She opened her eyes, expecting to see Reg watching her, only to see him turned away and hunched over, clenched fists hovering over the table. He was exhaling sharply in little breaths, eyes shut and jaw tight, as if he were a puppet, with his master stringing him upright at once. His fists were white against the textbook pages of the table, and when Kathleen reached out a hand to brush over his, he flinched under her touch.

"Are you alright?" she asked concernedly. 

Reg blinked, breath coming out haphazardly as his chest rattled a bit. "Fine- Just waiting for the cauldron to go away."

"...It's not going to leave until you smell it," Kathleen pointed out, noticing how the cauldron lingered at every lab table until levitating to the next.

Reg glared at the cauldron, as if it were a cat and he a dog. Throat bobbing, he wouldn't quite meet her eyes.

"Do you need to go to the Hospital Wing?" 

"No- no," said Reg sharply, before bending over unnaturally, and inhaling so quickly it sent him into a fit of broken coughs. Kathleen watched, confused as the cauldron floated away, turning her eyes back to Reg, who'd displayed, frankly, one of the most confusing things she'd ever seen. 

"We're talking about this later," she said finally, beginning to write down her own notes. Soon, she was distracted by Slughorn's lecturing again, as the bizzareness of the moment faded into obscurity.

━━author's note ━━

a short chapter this time. we're almost done with white rabbit! i'd estimate only five more chapters for this story. it's been a pleasure having you lovely people here~