Erotica Anthology #8

#39 Euphoria Two students conspire to distribute magical concoction within a magical school (cousins, drug use). “My goodness,” Professor Gonagall squints her nose at the smell that is coming from the room, wands pointed out. The smoke is so thick that it is practically difficult to see. “What in the name of Gryffindor is this?” Professor Sylar and Darius is not so far from her, coming in through the blasted door in an alarmed hurry. Like Professor Gonagall, they also have their wands out. “It seems like some students have taken upon themselves to brew some potions outside their lessons, Minerva,” Darius assess the situation, using his wand to cast out the smoke. The thick scent of chocolate still lingers through the air, but at least they can see much better now. “Got away with it too, it seems,” Professor Gonagall says grimly, before throwing Sylar a look. “Do you know who might have been responsible for this?” “No,” he states with his usually flat tone, completely unimpressed. He sniffs a little bit, before adding, “But more importantly, who in their right mind would have modified a carefully tested potion?” “What is it?” she asks. Sylar takes a step closer in order to inspect the situation at the potion table, waving his wand to make sure that no traps or anything dangerous are laid, before swiping in a small amount of residual ingredients to his finger and bring it to his nose to inhale. His frown deepens, before he briskly twist his body abruptly to face the other two professors. “It’s an Euphoria potion, but it was not quite right,” he announces with a calculating tone. “Is it a failure?” “No, it’s still effective, but the composition has been slightly altered. It is now a more,” he trails out to put the right word to it, “addictive feature.” “You mean—” “—Like drugs?” he finishes for her. Her eyes turn bewildered. “Yes,” he confirms her suspicion. They try to further investigate the mess, but everything important has been cleared out of the table. If not from the spills and traces of the brewing, they would have not been able to get anything at all. And since they can not find anything else anymore, they decide to leave the room, agreeing to continue the investigation the morning after. . . . . . Harry and Pansy are shuffling under the Invisible Cloak, trying to stay inside the narrow space that is left for them to occupy. They have taken reside in hiding at one of the corner edge of the room, slightly away from the sudden commotion. They know that they have to stay quiet until the professors take their assessment and leave the room, but there is only one way out of there, but Professor Darius and Professor Minerva are blocking it. In an attempt to stay hidden in a rush, they squeeze in together as close as possible, resulting in some uncomfortable positions. One of Pansy’s upper tights land on top of Harry’s, landing so close to his crotch. He tries not to get himself bothered by it, brushing the thought off, until he finds her hand resting on top of his chest. The spot where she has her palms on feels warm overneath his blazer, and he tries to still his heart and regulate his breathing, unless he wants her to notice the change in him. Pansy is listening in closely to the three professors’ conversation, ignoring whatever is happening to the two teenagers’ bodies. It is when the professors finally decide to leave after some brief investigation that she manages to exhaling a relieved sigh, before finally turning her attention to the boy under her. Most of her legs have landed on Harry, who somehow managed to place his legs folded, causing her to half sitting on his lap. Her hands are on his chest, and that is when her senses finally take notice of the hammering heart beat rapidly underneath his ribcage. Finally realizing what has been going down, she quickly jumps out from his lap and into a standing position. “Come on, we should leave soon, in case they decide to check back,” Pansy mutters without looking at his direction. Harry mumbles a coherent agreement, before they both leave the classroom, bags full of potions (and other various things) at hands. “You got everything, right?” he asks, just to make sure, before they leave. “Yup. Let’s go.” . . . . . Pansy is waiting at the girl’s lavatory, looking for the sign of that Hufflepuff blonde. It is after school and the place is almost empty, with most probably having gone back to their respective dorm rooms. They have decided to pick a less conspicuous place as a meeting spot, and this lavatory happens to be the less frequent visiting during this hour, a perfect choice for their transaction. Apparently, the Hufflepuff had shared the potion with the other girls in her room, who had caught her drinking it when they just went back from class. They were merely piqued with interested at first, allured by the sweet chocolaty smell. The girl contemplated whether she should share this with them or not, and had apparently decided to do just so. The others become enthralled, having skipped around the place merrily, minding their usual business, before later returning back to her, asking where they could obtain more of them, having become hooked on the taste just as much as her. She knew the person who sells it, and they entrusted their money to her so that she can get more of this deliciously tasty liquid gold. Or at least, that is what the Hufflepuff told Pansy, the last time they met. She waits five more minutes, but still no sign of her yet. A few more minutes passed, for her only to find out that the girl has already been in the lavatory all along, though for an entirely different purposes. She does not look well, almost sickly. Is it just her, or is her skin in a paler shade than before? Is this the side effects that Potter has been concerned about? she pounders in her mind. But it should be okay for her to sell this potion, right? She does not look that bad. Besides, who says this is caused from the Euphoria? It could have been from something else. Maybe she is just naturally sick. Pansy blinks her eyes, only to realize that the Hufflepuff girl has been trying to earn her attention for a while now. “Hey, do you have the potion?” she asks, the words barely registering to Pansy’s brain. “Um, yeah. Here you go,” she gives the girl the same amount as the last time she gave to her, but the Hufflepuff scrawls, not seemingly satisfied at all as usual. “Do you have more?” “Why do you need more?” she instinctively asks in return. “Is it about the money? I can pay you more, if that is the case. Just give me more of the potion,” the other girl offers. “I do, but—” she tries to say, but immediately cut off. “Fine, here,” the blonde shoves a bag full of galleons, and Pansy is surprised by the amount of money the girl gave to her. The amount is double from the one she has been paid before. “What the—” Pansy starts to say, but the girl cuts her off once more, sounding even more urgent that the last time. “Now hand it over.” Petrified, Pansy’s hand snake into her bag and hand over one dozen of the potions. She only intended to sell half of the batch to the girl, planning to keep the rest for the next transaction. But the blonde has insisted to buy the whole batch right on the spot. But hey, who is she to say no to a good sale, huh? Once she presented the potions to the Hufflepuff, she grins side to side gleefully. Her hands immediately go for them and snatch the bottles from Pansy’s hands, taking each of them into her hold carefully. Pansy was about to offer a bag for her to care them with, but the girl is way too impatient, taking the potions out of the lavatory without a glance back, too ecstatic to try them right away. Students outside the lavatory only glance the girl briefly before she heads towards the Hufflepuff Basement, where the house’s Common Room is located. She can not wait to share this with her eager friends, but more over to taste the delicious liquid and have it pool in her tongue, before running to the back of her throat. The potion is probably the most delectable thing she has ever tasted. Plus, it also has a chocolate flavour, which further enhance the appeal even more. . . . . . The next day, other Hufflepuff girls start coming to her, asking for the same potions. She tells them that they are still in the making, and that they have to meet her tonight, because that is the fastest time that she can deliver. The girls sound a bit disappointed that they can not get some of them right on the spot, but they agree to meet in the same lavatory this night. The girls are even willing to pay her in advance, just to make sure that they get their fair share of delightful chocolate smelling potions. Pansy considers herself having a lucky day. What with being in the school ground, she earns herself a good marketplace to distribute the potion amongst peers her age who are interested in the product she is offering. Plus, this stuff is so good, they have become easily addicted to it. Though she has never tasted it herself, she must admit that the scent is rather inviting. She makes a rule for herself not to taste it though, not wanting to become attached to consuming it. Pansy also makes sure that Potter also swears off to do the same thing, not wanting him to also become too enthralled by it that he can not focus on work. They have a business to run, after all, and she has no time to get distracted. And that includes a certain boy that she might and might not have been thinking of way too often lately. . . . . . Lately, more and more people start approaching Pansy for the Euphoria potion. And it is not just the same girls from Hufflepuff that keeps coming to her. Some of the boys from the same house also continues getting to her to enquire about the potion she has been selling. She can not fraternize with them in the public, much because she is a Slytherin. Her house expect her to behave a certain way, and that includes not socializing with certain houses or those with lesser blood status. Though it might hinder her from making business just as fluent as she prefers it to be, Pansy manages to make sure that they exchange words as brief as possible, telling them to meet her at a certain place later on. Since she has does always carry the potion with her, she will bring the potions to them then. Pansy also figures out that it would have been better if she has a couple of different choice of meeting spots. Aside from the lavatory in the third floor, she can also meet them in the Astronomy Tower, or near the entrance of the kitchen area (where the Hufflepuff Common Room is located nearby). It is also a good thing that other Slytherins do not visit the last place (avoiding it, in fact), so she can roam around the area rather freely. But of course, she has to make sure that students from other houses do not spot her so that they will not be able to start another rumor on her. But of course, secrets tend to make its way from going out. She is rather surprised to find that students from the other houses start approaching her for the potion as well. In one day, she gets three Ravenclaws asking to buy the chocolate flavoured Euphoria, two students from Slytherin, and even one from Gryffindor (much to her lack of self-control for her disgust). But the boy does not seem to bother with her reaction, too happy to receive the product. From the look of it, he seems to have gotten a taste of the potion as well, and is now looking to consume more of it. . . . . . Harry becomes busier and busier in time. Right after classes, he is bombarded with large amounts of orders from Pansy. It seems like their consumer based has just gotten wider and wider by night. He has become so busy that he barely have time to do homework, let alone hanging out with his friends. Whenever Ron or Hermione approaches him, he has to reply with things like, “Sorry, I’m busy,” and, “No can’t do, I have work to do.” He does not like saying those words repeatedly either, especially to his friends, but he really needs to catch on to the potion brewing and his homework. Often time, he finds himself having to work on his assignments during class or break time. That is how crunched his scheduling is, and how busy he has eventually become. He informs Pansy to buy two more Bronze cauldron, having wanted to brew as many batch as possible in the short span of time they have. Pansy also gives a helping hand during the potion making, since Harry has become to overwhelmed that he needs another extra pair of hands in order to complete the potion in time, as well as doing it correctly. She is not as skilled when it comes down to potion brewing like Harry, but at least she can take instructions well. However, she is still learning, and she is not skilled enough to brew an entire batch by herself. This potion selling business is not only taking most of Harry’s free time, but also overtaking her daily schedule. Right after classes, Pansy always head straight to homework or business. She does not have much time for socialization as much as she used to, before the potion selling business took off. She barely has time to take care of herself, let alone her appearances. Often time, she finds herself having to share a meal with Potter in their brewing room to save up some time. When the Europia potion sales take off, it takes off so fast, the girl barely has enough time to keep up with everything. The teachers are also on to her as well. They are still investigating the culprit who made the potion before. Apparently, they have caught on to the fact that some of Hogwart’s students have been behaving rather odd lately, and soon enough, they might be suspecting that this has got something to do with the potion explosion. Potter and her also have to become more wary and aware of where they brew the Euphoria potion. The chase on their trails have been too close and too caustic that the two of them have to resort to utilizing the Room of Requirement to do things. Potter is the one who tell her about its existence and the uses. And she has to say, she is impressed by him. It, not him, she corrects herself mentally. Of course, she does not tell Potter about what she thinks of him. Over her dead body. Their relationship is strictly business. It is not like they are friends or anything. They are just simply benefiting each other through materialistic means. Nothing more than that. . . . . . The sales have doubled and tripled in a very fast pace lately. More students keep reaching out to her to buy the potion. But of course, they still have to keep it in a low profile. Don’t want the professors to caught on on them now, do they? Thankfully, her customers are usually very agreeable, since they also do not wish for the Euphoria distribution to be halted and the potion selling business to be stopped because of the teachers. By the end of the week, they have gathered more than five hundred galleons. Each. More students comes in. Most of them are still the Hufflepuffs girls, but other houses start to resurface as well. They get more advance orders than before, causing the demands of the potions keeps increasing. Pansy keeps finding herself talking to many more different students than she ever has before. She eventually takes the time to learn their names (forced upon it, much more likely), especially with how many students just keep placing their orders in advance. She has to know which of them is who in order to get the amount of order right. She can not always rely on remember their faces, more over because of how many faces comes in every single day. It is a hectic task that it becomes a big wonder how she is able to maintain all of this, while trying to keep up with the lessons and assignments. Potter and her eventually agree to draw some lines on where they take their priority, especially during incoming exams. This allows them time to study together, though the sessions are more often taken in the Room of Requirement, when they are waiting for the brewing to shimmer. Though of course, there are times when the forget to take notice that they are conversing in public, having already been used to each other during their time preparing the potions. This causes witnessing students to become aware of their suddenly increasing closeness, especially with just how many slip ups the two have made in greeting and discussing with each other. It does not help that whenever they meet, they always talk in secretive manners, more so because they are trying to hide the fact that they are the source of the school’s sudden increasing odd students. The students of Hogwarts have been behaving rather strangely, indeed. A few number of them start to show signs of overly happiness and cheeriness. It is odd, considering the fact that most of the time, there is nothing to be so ecstatic about. And while some keep wondering about the cause of the mysterious source of elatedness, the number of students who are affected by this strange effects just keep on adding up, increasing more and more by days. By the end of the week, many rumors begin to circulate. From something as trivial as how Parkinson and Potter are suspected to be secretly dating, down to the fact that more students know about the existence of the mysterious Euphoria potion. Everyone at everywhere seems to know about the stuff, but just keeping quiet about it while referring to the object in public. Well, at least they have make sure to keep the end of their words it keeping things low profile about the potion, else they want the professors to confiscate the liquid drink and ban it from the school. None one knows about the how Darius, Sylar and Gonagall have almost busted them brewing potions outside bedtime without permission to use the classroom though. It seems like it is safe to say that the three professors keep things quiet about this incident, most probably wanting to investigate about this case in the background. Besides, it is not like the culprits will suddenly show themselves when announced or asked (not that the teachers know that there are more than one person involved so far). . . . . . Pansy is meeting Potter at their usual spot, the corridors in the seventh floor, where they usually prepare about trying to find and make the Room of Requirement open for them. It is across from the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy where she finds him waiting for her to come. They have figured overtime that it would have been much more efficient in time if they just enter the room together, rather than trying to find the door per individual. But of course, they have picked a rather strategic time to meet, in order to make sure that no one sees them. Though there are times when they are in a bit of a hurry, or just plainly letting their guards down too unawaringly such as tonight, which cause some of the rare passing students to find them conversing during the night, looking suspiciously. It is very rare to see Slytherin and a Gryffindor together, especially at such a time of night. A girl and a boy, what else can they possible be doing, rathering than sneaking around for a rendezvous? Are they dating now? How long has this been going on? The students can not wait to spread this juice detail among their peers, no doubt looking forward to talk about this rumor with their friends regarding this conjecture. Of course, it also does not help that some other students also see them walking out from the seventh floor corridor at the same time, before parting ways (and not without bickering or anything unpleasant, just polite goodbyes with mutual respect). This is suspicious indeed, and the ones who witness this exchange can only assume the worst. This occurrences only confirm the rumors that have been going around. Harry still remains oblivious to the rumors, because apparently no one manages to tell him. He only sees them whispering behind his back while throwing looks at him, though he does not know what they are really talking about. He thinks of the worst, that the professors have announce their suspicions about the potion brewing culprits. He thinks that they are on to him, and that is why he has been very wary since this morning, when he spots people starting to talk behind his back. How long has this been going on? What is he supposed to do? Turn himself in? That usually works if one wants to lessen the punishment. Though he can not really confirm the direness of the situation, he can only assume the worst possible outcome of this. He is supposed to meet with Pansy after class. Maybe then he can consult with the girl of what he is planning to do. After all, they are in this together. He should at least let her know of what he is about to do and come to an agreement. It is lunch break now, and it feels like it has been such a long time since the last he has the chance to talk with his friends. Ron and Hermione brisking approaching him with concern looks on their faces, taking their seats across from him. “Harry, where have you been?” comes Hermione lecturing tone, as per usual. “Yeah, man. We have been looking all over for you?” Ron adds, before starting to grab in some food to his plate. “I told you guys, I’ve been busy. But now that I have some free time, what did I miss?” Harry says sheepishly, feeling a bit guilty for having to have abandoned his friends this past week. “What did you miss? Blimey, Harry, didn’t you hear about the rumors?” Ron exclaims scandalously, causing Harry to frown with slight worry. Don’t tell him. Did they figure it out after all? “About what?” the glassed boy still try to evade the inevitable by playing dumb. “Don’t you know? Everyone has been talking about it!” Hermione is not one to listen to rumors, but for the brunette to react in such a way, there must have been something serious going on. She nudges at him, as if that alone can talk him what the heck is going on. But since he remains clueless as ever (though this is not a first time, so no big surprise there), Hermione is has no any other choice but to break the news to him. She looks around, left and right, spotting a few familiar faces turning away from their direction, while some are caught listening in in the most obvious manner. Still, she needs to let her friend know. It is the least she can do to spare him the confusion. “They say,” she starts out carefully, “they say that you have been dating.” “Who?” Harry is definitely not doing such a thing that he has been accused of, especially when he has been so overloaded with work left and right all week long. “Parkinson!” Ron busts out the news to him, not being able to handle the continues charade anymore. “They say that you are dating that Slytherin puck face, Harry!” he exclaims with a mouth full of food, almost a near miss in scattering bits of pieces of chicken meat everywhere in the progress. “What?” he shouts in a complete surprise, unable to control the volume of his voice out of the shock. “But that is ridiculous.” “I thought so too, and that’s what we’ve been telling the others, but they won’t believe us,” Ron replies. “I heard that some of the fifth year Ravenclaws saw the two of you together during night time. That was when the rumor started, I think,” Hermione informs him. “That’s just preposterous. I mean, sure we meet a few times, but—” “Aha! So you did have rendezvous meetings with her!” Ron shouts out accusingly, turning the flow of the conversation into a ninety degree. He sounds more astonished, though still mixed with clear disgust. Ron hates everything involving Slytherin, though most of it is because the house is consist of rich pureblood extremists who look down on poor families such as his. As a matter of fact, he envie their wealth more than anything. “Wait, so the rumor is actually true?” Hermione questions him, arching her eyebrow judgingly. “Only half of it. It’s not like that. We’re . . . okay,” Harry trails off, not being able to really put a word to it. Pansy has stated that they are not friends, but they can be business partners. Not that Harry can tell them that either. Not without baiting them for more questions, which will eventually doom him until they get every last bit of juice truth out of him. “What does ‘okay’ means?” they try to lure out some answers out of him, but Harry quickly dodge it this latest excuses. “Sorry, I’m busy. Gotta go.” He quickly hops off the bench and head out, his friends staring at him with unbelievable looks. “You don’t reckon he is meeting her again, do you?” Harry overhears Ron asks Hermione as the boy walks away, but doesn’t stay in longer to hear the girl’s respond to the gingerhead. On his way out through the corridors, students start throwing Harry with silent looks, and for the first time he finally understand them. While some are clearly giving him looks of disapproval, some of them are certainly awed. He dares himself to glance at the Slytherin table, only to find Malfoy throwing daggers at him. Yep, it is definitely official now. . . . . . “According to rumors, I am dating you now, apparently,” Pansy steps into the Room of Requirement in dismay, before beginning to work on the potions, though still with a slump look on her face. “Did you know this?” Harry looks up from the cutting board in order to throw her a sympathetic glance. “No, I just heard it from my friends today.” “Dear Salazar, why did I let this happen? How did it get through my sensor?” “Well, you have been too busy working on selling the potions rather than paying attention to anything else, after all.” “Just my luck,” she groans, “there goes another work.” “Why?” he asks. “Why what?” “Why bother yourself with it?” Pansy throws him a confused look. Harry then starts to explain, “I mean, if they think that we are . . . together, then wouldn’t it be much more easier for us to meet up? We don’t have to sneak around anymore. Besides, it’s not like we have to say anything. Let them assume. That way, we don’t have to bother ourselves to explain things.” “Yeah, that’s a great idea, except when it comes down to those who like to confront about this things. I have a reputation to keep, you know,” she says, wrapping her arms under her chest. “Is it so bad? To date me?” he dares to ask boldly, suggesting something underneath his tone. Pansy raises a critical eyebrow at him. “Well, I suppose it can come with certain benefits,” she finally admits. And he knows just as well on how Slytherins like to benefit themselves. The two share a mutual smile and continue to work. . . . . . Symptoms of the Euphoria consumption has taken a toll on Hogwarts. Students are excessively happy once they consume the potion, but becomes overly tired once the effects of the potion wears off. Not to mention the extreme appetite to consume more of the potion once it wears off. No wonder they run out of stock just as fast. Now that the consumer base of their small business has grown overly large, Pansy and Harry are having a hard time trying to meet up with their large demands. The more days pass, the larger is the increase of their orders become. This situation escalates so quick and abrupt that by the end of the days, the two business partners start to struggling in keeping up with the orders. And when they finally able to produce as many batch as demanded, they are forced to go back to square once again, falling out of batches to sell. One of the most commonly known side effects is the agitation. Students who are hooked on the chocolate flavoured liquid is know to easily become impatient, especially once they run out of Euphoria to consume. Aside from that, it is also accompanied with itch, which spread like a skin rash whenever they stop consuming for more than a few hours. While Harry and Pansy are crunched trying to figure out a way to meet their demands, the customers are urgent them violently to continue producing the fast selling drink fast. They are so desperate for more than some are even willing to double and triple the usual price, while some (who are not as rich) are willing to do any favour for them in return. They are prepared to do pretty much anything asked on the spot, and judging from how frantic and determined they are, these people really mean what they say. It will be fool for Pansy to refuse such a great opportunity to take advantage of these students. Harry might not be so agreeable to her decision, but she keeps convincing him that this is a good chance. He will never know when he might need a big help from these people, and the money can really be a good saving income for the two of them. Who knows? Maybe there will be a time when they need some huge cash in immediate use. This will be a good thing, and the Slytherin girl manages to change his mind, though he is still a little bit reluctant and worried. What the two partners fail to oversee is the fact that their customers will start breaking fights and causing chaos all over the school, all in the name of serving the right to buy the now so limited stock of product. Wands are drawn left and right, while some resorts to catfights and physical brawls. Everywhere they turn their heads on, students are trying to backstab one another in order to make the other give up or fail to pay up the potion, either by stealing their galleons or hurting one another, sabotaging their chances to make the purchase. They see this and Pansy takes the initiative to call out on all of them, causing the lot to freeze on the spot when they recognize her as the seller.