Chapter Twenty-Eight:
( the poisonous love )

▂✫⌒*･ﾟ

SPENCER UNWRAPS HERSELF FROM Daniel's embrace and steps back. Currently, all the ones returning to Hogwarts are surrounding the fireplace where Spencer had once come from. The Ministry allowed access from this one to the one that Professor McGonagall has in her office, thankfully. Truth be told, she feels a little uneasy returning back to Hogwarts for two different reasons. One, she has to face the students that don't really appeal to her. Another, Blaise is someone she still needs to have a talk with— and she hopes to Merlin that nothing bad goes between the two of them. Since New Years passed, everyone else began returning to work or to their duty. Fortunately, Daniel has stayed behind to say an actual goodbye unlike when she first entered her sixth-year. Well, him and Mrs. Weasley.

Mrs. Weasley has not been in the best mood specifically because Percy— when he had came— had stormed off from the house with his glasses splattered with mashed parsnip (for which Fred, George, and Ginny claimed credit). Ginny hugs her mother comfortingly, letting the older woman sob in her shoulder.

"I don't want you to have insomnia so soon," Daniel warns Spencer, his eyebrow arched in perfect measure. Having discovered that she stayed up late trying to look for information, he told her to back off on the case and focus on other topics— such as Blaise. Mrs. Weasley lets go of Harry and then embraces Spencer in a motherly hug.

"Be careful, now," Mrs. Weasley cries out, tears still streaming down her face. Spencer pats her back awkwardly before nodding in acceptance. Once they let go and utter their goodbyes, she waves one last time to her brother before announcing, "Hogwarts!"

Familiar flames engulfes her, spinning very fast, and then begins slowing down as she reaches the fireplace in Professor McGonagall's office. The woman glances up once more having already looked at Harry, Ron, and Ginny. She gives her a warming smile and says, "Happy New Year, Spencer."

"Happy New Year, Professor!" Spencer exclaims brightly, making sure to dust herself on the fireplace rather than the cold floor. She steps out of there with Harry's helping hand and then bonds his arms with hers. He leans his head on hers for a few seconds before telling Ron and Ginny that they should drop her off to the Ravenclaw dorms. The other two easily agrees with Harry and laughs within the small group.

The Gryffindors stare dumbly at the knocker for the Ravenclaw dorms and their eyes widen when it asks, "What is so fragile that saying its name breaks it?"

Ron gapes at it in confusion. "Huh?" He covers his mouth in deep thought. "I don't get it? So, you have to answer the riddle correctly?"

Spencer gives him a smile. "Yes, or back up your answer with evidence. Won't let you in if you answer it wrong or if it is not enough," she shrugs indifferently. Her eyes wander back to the knocker and answers the riddle, "Silence."

The door to the dorms opens up and she waves at her friends before heading inside. Right immediately, her eyes fall upon the Ravenclaw boy who she had befriended since the very start. Ricky Adams grins at the sight of her and quickly pulls her in for a hug. "So, tell me what the fuck happened with you and Zabini? Do I call him Blaise now or what?"

"Well, he's a friend of mine," Spencer begins, holding a finger up as she goes inside the girl's dormitory. She places down her stuff before returning to the common room where Ricky waits patiently for her to continue. "And I reckon calling him Blaise won't hurt."

"Oh, cut the bullshit! The two of you kissed— I mean, how was that? Was it good? How did it happened? Have you talked about it?" Ricky rambles on with the questions and from the looks of it, if Spencer does not answer them now, he will continue asking. She stares right at him with a raised eyebrow before calmly saying, "I'll tell you if you tell me how it had gone with Theodore."

Ricky silences for a few seconds before nodding defeatedly. "Alright, then," he motions for her to sit down. Remembering that someone had given him something to give to the girl, he raises up his pointer finger and turns to grab a small heart-shaped box. "By the way, McLaggen gave me this to give to you. Think he has a crush on you," he teases knowing well that the Gryffindor boy did indeed like her (along with Hermione).

"Well," Spencer takes the box and leaves them on her lap. "The kiss was good, yes. Then again, I never kissed anyone before, but I imagine it to be the best. I uh— may have called him beautiful— but look, Ricky, he has the best smile. And this isn't an exaggeration because his eyes twinkled and his dimples deepened—"

"I believe you, seriously," Ricky interrupts her, an amused smile on his lips. Spencer blushes in embarrassment and shakes her head.

"Um— right," she clears her throat awkwardly. "I called him beautiful and then Ginny came frustrated with Dean, and then she left and I was starting to get a bit overwhelmed for a few seconds and so Blaise took me behind the curtains... I just rested my head on his chest and then I smelled something familiar so I looked up and he was staring down at me with this look on his eyes..." she trails off, her eyes zoning out as she thought back to it.

Ricky chuckles breathlessly. "If I didn't know any better... I think you just found yourself a boyfriend, Spence," he comments truthfully.

Spencer widens her eyes. "I've never had one! And he was Morgana's ex, I don't know— do you actually think he likes me?"

Her best friend rolls his eyes. "Definitely. I've never seen him actually care for someone like he does to you. And for him dating your sister? I think that was just an unfortunate moment that he'll have to live with thinking about, but nothing of importance. He doesn't even like Morgana," Ricky assures. He motions to the box of chocolates. "Are you gonna eat them?"

She shrugs uncaringly. "Maybe another day... why? You want some?" Spencer offers.

He shakes his head. "No, I bought plenty to last me the whole school year," Ricky grins toothlessly.

"Mmh," Spencer hums with a slight smirk. "Diabetes..." she sing-songs quietly. She fixes herself and turns to him seriously. "So, Theodore?"

Ricky sighs dreamily. "It started off awkward because we had not talked in actual months. And I was forced to pull a 'Spencer' card—"

"— A what?" Spencer cuts him off confusingly.

He gives her a look. "A Spencer card which is basically me having to ramble about some type of subject and you know, I went with engineering because that's what my dad does... since he didn't know about it I really did become you for a couple of seconds before he laughed— like angelically laughed— and then told me that I was acting like you. Then, we both began talking normally and it was nice. More than nice, actually. I thought I could get rid of my feelings for him, but he was there and— I know what you mean now, Spencer," Ricky tells his own story, his eyes staring right at hers seriously.

"Theo... he's genuinely good. I mean— he doesn't hate me when he should since I'm a muggleborn. He likes being with us and I know he misses it because it's the first time I have seen him actually smile. Though, when Malfoy came in he seemed to panic and then went after him..." Ricky trails off in thought. His last few words makes Spencer freeze. Harry believes that Malfoy is doing something for Voldemort which she does too since Daniel himself told her of the loyalties and trust within the Death Eaters. If Theodore has become one as well, that meant he needed to do something too... and if she's correct, that may be why him and Draco have been hanging out when they have never done it before.

Shit, Spencer thinks to herself. With her head leaning against Ricky's shoulder and the sudden want of change in conversation, the two of them began talking about their holidays instead. And yet, that sudden thought only stays in her mind the whole time.

.･:*:･ﾟ'✫,'✫'ﾟ･:*:･˙

"HORCRUXES? NO, I HAVE not heard of them in any book... well, except one, but all it said was that it was completely dangerous," Spencer tells Harry as they made their way toward Potions together. He had finished telling her what Dumbledore requested of him and what he was intending to look for. What she told Harry is true, however. There was only one mention of the word Horcruxes throughout the hundreds of books she read and weirdly enough, she only saw it one time. "And trust me, the only mention of it was in the Restricted Area and since it was a word I didn't know about, I tried looking for it more, but did not find anything."

Harry places his lips into a thin line. "Well, thanks anyway." He enters the classroom with her, his eyes smoothly trailing around. Somehow, Ricky is already sitting in his usual spot with his head faced down the desk. Spencer stops momentarily and turns to the green-eyed boy. "I could look into it more if you want," she offers kindly.

He smiles at her words and presses his lips slightly on her hand. "Don't worry about it, Spence. I'll just try to get some information from Slughorn," Harry denies with a simple shrug.

Spencer nods at him, though, the information he just told her did not leave her mind. Horcruxes? If they were truly dangerous as one of the books had mentioned, then why was there not much more on them? It is almost like if they were banned— is it possible? Maybe... her head shook in realization that class was about to start and made her way right beside Ricky. She made eye contact with Blaise and smiles warmly at him. They still have not had the chance to meet up and discuss what occurred in Slughorn's party, unfortunately. The term started with them having to find out that they would soon learn how to Apparate. It costs about twelve galleons and Spencer made sure to sign up for the lessons despite her not turning seventeen until summer. Either way, they have both been busy to have the chance to actually talk about what happened and not just small conversations (like 'hi' or 'Snape is even more annoying').

Blaise gives her a slight smile (if you could call it that way when his lips curl up on the side) and lets his eyes follow her to her seat. "Good morning," he greets kindly.

"Hi," Spencer responds back, her voice small and fragile. She only realized how she sounded when Ricky began coughing in surprise. An annoyed look appears on her face and she turns to her best friend with a glare. His mouth is covered up obviously trying not to burst out laughing and after a while of trying to be mad at him, she cannot help but begin trying to hide her laughter as well. "Fuck you, Ricky," she whispers through her hands.

"Language," Ricky calls out softly, his face slightly red. With a hidden middle finger being directed at him, Spencer positions herself well and begins taking out parchment paper to write what they are to learn in class today.

"Settle down, settle down, please! Quickly, now, lots of work to get through this afternoon!" Slughorn begins his class, walking around the front. Spencer straightens you and prepares for what he is to say next. Her eyes narrow thoughtfully as she takes in his looks. Did he gain more weight? It was a question more of curiosity than anything. "Golpalott's Third Law... who can tell me — ?"

Spencer raises her hand in preparedness, but then so does Hermione. Professor Slughorn chuckles with amusement and then motions to the muggleborn, "But Miss Granger can, of course!"

Hermione recites at top speed: "Golpalott's-Third-Law-states-that-the-antidote-for-a-blended-poison-will-be-equal-to-more-than-the-sum-of-the-antidotes-for-each-of-the-separate-components."

The young Montague blinks at the exact answer from the textbook and at her unusual rapid speed before shrugging. In other words, the antidote for a blended poison — that is, a poison created by mixing several other poisons together — cannot simply be created by finding the antidotes to each separate poison in the blended whole and mixing them together. The potion maker must find that single ingredient which, when added to the blended antidotes, transforms them near-alchemically into a combined whole which will counteract the entire blended poison. Simply put, according to this law, a true antidote to a blended poison is more than the sum of its parts, hence why Hermione's words make sense to her.

"Precisely!" beams Slughorn. "Ten points for Gryffindor! Now, if we accept Golpalott's Third Law as true..."

"Is it too late to quit?" Ricky groans. "What did Hermione say?"

Spencer pats his back thoughtfully before writing an easier explanation in her notes and then passing it to Ricky. The Ravenclaw male skims toward her writing and then makes a face of realization. "Alright... that's gonna take forever, though," he mumbles disappointedly.

"I want each of you to come and take one of these phials from my desk. You are to create an antidote for the poison within it before the end of the lesson. Good luck, and don't forget your protective gloves!" Slughorn finishes, clapping his hands happily. Spencer scrunches up her nose before accepting the challenge. She wonders if Harry had some help in this situation, but upon noticing the confusion in his face, Spencer realizes he's gonna have to think deeper on it. Unless, the man who wrote the textbook knows a shortcut to it.

With all the supplies already being placed in her desk, she begins mixing and making calculations on her own head. Upon noticing an ingredient all similar to one another in the poison, she brought those out and thought more about all the randomness she could put inside. At one point, she sighs in exhaustion and begins putting all she had learned over the years. Well, fuck it, right?

There is an easier way out of this situation, Spencer realized half-way through. One time, Snape had mentioned that 'a stone taken from the stomach of a goat, which will protect from most poisons'. Bezoars would definitely work— but not to all of them, surely. Taking a small break from spells and mixing other substances together, she wrote it down on her paper. Yeah, Spencer thinks to herself. She won't finish this time.

"Time's up!" Slughorn exclaims.

Blaise tilts his head toward her potion. "How does yours look almost right?" He groans in exasperation. Spencer gives him a raised eyebrow. "The poison had around forty substances mixed in together and I've got sixty-three which even includes all the spells that had to be casted," she tells him in return.

"Wait," Blaise turns away from Slughorn as he reaches to smell and see his 'antidote'. "So, how many would've you need?"

Spencer does quick math in her head before answering, "Almost eighty for it to be a perfect one, technically. You can base it off the smell and color— mostly smell. Should be something sweet rather than bitter."

Slughorn leans close to hers. "You've got the right idea, Spencer. Oh, was it that... mmh, smart tactic," he pointed to her notes proudly. She gives him a sweet smile before letting it fall once he moved elsewhere.

"You've got nerve, boy!" Professor Slughorn booms when he reaches to Harry's desk. He takes the bezoar and holds it up so that the class could see it. Spencer glances down at her notes tiredly. So, she was right! "Oh, you're like your mother... Well, I can't fault you... A bezoar would certainly act as an antidote to all these potions!"

See, that is a way to treat it all! Then again, the longer way still works for every other poison. The bezoar only works for some. Spencer gives Harry a short smile knowing that Hermione (based on her sweaty-face and livid look) is currently mad. Though, she is also curious to how his mother had been an expert on Potions. Seriously, she could have sworn that Professor Snape would have been the top-tier one.

"Saint Potter had to become a fucking master at it, didn't he?" Malfoy spits out angrily, cleaning the poison away non-verbally. Blaise rolls his eyes at the sudden tone of his best friend and turns to Spencer. "Are you up to meeting later?"

Spencer nods her head at him. "Yeah, of course," she responds quickly, noticing the aggravated blond boy beside him. Was it her or did he seemed entirely desperate nowadays? Hell, even Theodore seems only slightly better. Still tired, but better.

"Let's go, Blaise!" Malfoy huffs out in annoyance. Blaise scrunches up his nose in disgust before sending a short nod at her.

Ricky pops up right next to her with a smirk. "Are you two gonna talk now?" She hums in agreement before walking with him toward their next lesson.

Later on that day, Spencer sits in the Ravenclaw table with raised eyebrows as Harry sits with them. Ron, from the looks of it, is sitting in the Gryffindor table with Lavender all over him. She can tell right away that Harry is facing some sort of crisis that his two best friends do not bother helping him in. Thus, Ricky and her listens to him rant about how Slughorn will now forever hate him and practically kicked him out of the room. All because of something called Horcruxes in which Spencer is guessing is something much more important than they easily assumed.

"Now, I can't get Dumbledore's wishes done, Slughorn hates me, and Hermione and Ron are out of their mind!" Harry sighs clearly tired of his hero complexion. It is odd seeing him be easily frustrated and brooding. Spencer feels bad for him, truly. She places her hand on his arm comfortingly.

"Let Slughorn cool off then. Make it seem as if you don't care about it anymore and well, come up with some plan! Like get him drunk or one of those sweets Fred and George created," Spencer offers easily, giving him a plain look. "You can't just ask him this question out of the sudden. He seems to be wanting to block it out, so, work around it."

"Get him drunk?" Harry repeats dumbly. "How am I suppose to do that?"

Ricky snickers at their conversation before drinking form his pumpkin juice. Spencer rubs her temples at her clueless friends. "I was just giving you an idea, don't take it seriously! Unless, you could get him drunk, but of course, that's unprofessional. This is all hypothetical and I am not taking any blame for it."

Harry ponders for a few minutes before sighing defeatedly. "Maybe you're right."

"Yeah, she doesn't want any blame for it because then how will she kiss—" Ricky tries retorting before no more words came out of his mouth. It takes Harry a few seconds to realize that Spencer had casted a spell on him before he began chuckling in amusement. "Is he wrong?" Harry defends the Ravenclaw male.

"Do you want me to silence you too, Harry?" Spencer glares at him, easily ignoring the middle finger Ricky threw at her. Harry raises his arms up in defeat before quietly laughing to himself. After a whole five minutes, she repels the spell from Ricky and the three begin to converse about something else entirely.

In the fresh air from the Astronomy Tower, Blaise and Spencer sit beside one another. She keeps her posture relaxed heavenly as she begins laying upon the cold floor. They keep themselves in comfortable silence while waiting for one of them to speak up. Spencer debates talking about the glowing moon before deciding it is best not to. Her hand travels to her neck where the necklace he gifted her is placed. She has come to notice that when she does not know what to do, her first instinct is to play with it.

"Thank you for the necklace," Spencer softly says, letting her eyes wander across the millions of stars— wondering and hopeful for the universe and their fate. Is it bad that she knows if she looks at his face— his beautiful, well-structured face— there will be an undeniable force of her wanting to kiss him one more time? It had been easier to control that sensation before their lips had connected, but after getting that taste of how it felt like... she began realizing that there is more to life than just reading books about fiction or facts or theories. Life is here and now, present, accountable.

"Thank you for the rings," Blaise responds back with the same tone. She can feel his eyes burning into her skin practically yelling at her to turn and gaze back. Spencer does not comply to the silent demand. Instead, she lets her mind take her to months ago, when she first walked into this tower with him— a favor crossed in her mind and the remembrance of how she was not sure of his intentions. Back then, she believed he was still dating Morgana and only followed to get the treatment of her hand. Her eyes trail down to the faded scar.

I must be like Morgana.

It is interesting how much these words used to affect her. They don't. Not anymore. Not like how it used to. She takes a look at it and comes to realize that being like Morgana can only lead to disaster. Chaos, destruction, wickedness. Gaining a new upright family has given her an insight to what it means to be loved and not just by one person. Sure, Morgana is manipulative and can struck a cord, but she does not have the same family and friends as Spencer does. Her scarred hand is just a reminder that... that Spencer Montague managed to survive the wickedness from Umbridge and became better.

"I still haven't repaid your favor," Spencer chuckles to herself, finally turning her head to Blaise. He is staring at her already, their eyes locking with one another. There is an ease between them as he glances openly all over her face— from her own plump lips to the light chocolate-colored eyes.

He furrows his eyebrows confusedly barely making a connection that she had spoken up. It does not take him long to realize what she said and then he smiles (and Spencer feels mesmerized with the tilt of his lips) as he recalls what she is talking about. "I think we're past that," Blaise teases, not bothering to stray his eyes away from hers.

"You know," Spencer continues, "I remember having an inner battle with myself if I should be worry or not. There was even a point where I thought to myself, 'if he tries to throw me off this rail, I could still save myself'."

"Was I that mysterious? Closed off?" Blaise wonders out loud. Spencer loses eye contact with him as she scoffs at his question and stares back at the sky with amusement. "Was? Blaise, you still don't like people."

"Well, that's not true," he counters confidently. Spencer turns back around to stare at him. Instead of backing down in embarrassment or with shyness, he raises an eyebrow and gives her a smug look. "I happen to like you, if you haven't notice," Blaise retorts.

Oh— he went there! THERE!

Spencer widens her eyes at his blunt response. She fixes herself up in a sitting position and stares at him, hoping to find the same confidence that he had as well. "Good," she murmurs softly. "Cause I like you too," Spencer admits, shifting her smile awkwardly.

Connecting the two dots together, Spencer cannot help but blurt out, "I've got to admit, Blaise, crushing on your ex's sister? Seriously?" She grins righteously at him, her arms bundled up to her knees.

Blaise scoots closer to her cautiously. "A memory I will be force to remember and regret every single day, because she isn't you. And she won't ever be you and you will never be her," he whispers surely.

Spencer tilts her head curiously, not knowing if those words are meant to belittle her or not. "Is that a bad thing?" She questions honestly, afraid the answer will be the one she has been dreading.

He stares at her like if he was gazing at the stars. "Of course not. Morgana... she's ruthless and bloodthirsty. I mean— I never actually liked her, not even as a person... but you? You're compassionate and benevolent and I don't need or want to compare the two of you when you are you. And on top of that, there is no one else who I care about like I do to you and it fucking sucks with how intelligently stupid you are," Blaise tells her straight up, revealing nothing but truthfulness in his whole system.

Rude, Spencer internally jokes toward the end of his point. "So, this is real?" She asks, letting her hand meet his and clasps them together.

"Oh, woman," Blaise groans in exasperation. He leans in closer and grabs her cheeks, his lips only a centimeter apart like weeks before. "Please, kindly, shut up with your depriving thoughts and let me kiss you, yeah?"

Her usual loud brain silences all at once in the most calmest and relaxed way when she answers him just by pressing her lips on his. Spencer lets her hand travel to his neck and devours herself on how even though he is the first boy she has kissed, Blaise Zabini makes her insides melt in glee. She is on some high sea roaring in the air, or soaring across the sky brightly and heavenly. It is longer with absolutely no interruptions, but they both part breathlessly at some point during their meet.

Spencer beams at him happily and it only intensifies when he gives her a grin in return. "I think I've been blinded with your smile. Is that why you're always brooding? So we don't have to worry about our eyes?"

"With those awful pick-up lines, I'm gonna have to rethink my decisions," Blaise rolls his eyes, leaning back down all relaxed. Spencer copies his movement and glances up at the starry sky.

"My favorite star is Regulus," she says out of nowhere.

Blaise doesn't even need to see where she is pointing at as he tells her, "I know." Because he does. And despite never talking about their favorite stars, she knows his too.

.･:*:･ﾟ'✫,'✫'ﾟ･:*:･˙

NOTHING HAPPENED BETWEEN THEM which Ricky has found absolutely ridiculous. Even after establishing that they both liked each other, Blaise nor Spencer did not make things 'official' as some would say and rather stayed as friends. And not even the ones with benefits, but simple friends who have a crush on one another and relationship issues (or at least that is what Ricky is sticking with). Though, Spencer does not mind it and she has a feeling that Blaise doesn't either. They both still talk at any chance they get (whether it was about the universe or what they like) and the Slytherin still makes sure her sister continues staying away from her. The feeling between them is comfortable and thus, neither of them interrupt it.

During the month of February (Merlin, time passes so fast nowadays... Hogsmeade has even been cancelled because of what happened to Katie Bell!), the sixth-year students manage to have Apparition lessons with Wilkie Twycross. This turns out to be the most difficult lesson for Spencer, but of course, not impossible. Within the first few weeks, she succeeded in apparating around the Great Hall which earned her some good full points from Professor Flitwick. Though, she had the words 'destination, determination, and deliberation' stuck in her head for the following weeks. One of the worst things to have happened was Susan Bones having her left leg standing five feet from where she was standing. It did not help when Pansy Parkinson tried to help her ex-girlfriend and was only shut down angrily by the Hufflepuff girl. Ricky definitely struggled with it, but luckily had not been one of the next few people to get 'splinch'.

"I still can't believe nothing happened between you two," Ricky repeats for the sixty-seventh time since they returned from holidays and almost coming along to the third month. "Seriously, like... what the fuck?"

"Your mouth has been filled with rubbish, hasn't it?" Spencer changes the topic and points out how much more he (and her too) have been cursing. She has a theory that something occurred between the holidays that suddenly made these sixth-years start saying atrocious words. And not just with words, but with body language as well! Their new favorite finger might as well be the middle one, you see.

Ricky rolls his eyes and sticks his tongue out. "Speak for yourself," he responds smoothly. Ever since the Slug Club party, Ricky has continued to stay gazing at Theodore who unfortunately begin ignoring them again. However, with Blaise in their side he has been telling them that Theo and Malfoy are hiding something and constantly whispering about some plan. What plan? He tried asking but they ignored him and so he got mad at his own friends and began hanging out more with Parkinson instead.

"Ricky," Spencer eyes the sweets surrounding him. "Your chocolates make me hungry."

Her best friend raises up one of his muggle chocolates (he had not lied to her when he said he had enough to last the rest of the year). "Want some?"

Just as she was about to take it, she remembers about the gifted chocolates and then shakes her head. "No, I think I still have the ones McLaggen gave me," she denies. Spencer goes up to her dormitory, grabs the small box of chocolates and then heads back to sitting beside Ricky.

She begins eating it and her eyes widen at how delicious they seem to be. Already with one gone in her stomach, she eats another one. Ricky does not bother to notice her get the third one in. There is one more, but she is starting to get a bit light-headed. "You know, it's odd that I actually know that I—"

Spencer pauses and suddenly feels a whole sudden change of mood. She stares at the box confusedly before a droopy smile takes over her face.

"That you actually know what?" Ricky begins cleaning himself off and raises an eyebrow at his best friend.

"That I am in love!" Spencer exclaims brightly, glancing around the room with wide eyes. The boy beside her spits out his chocolate and stares at her incredulously. "W-what?! Already? I mean I can't blame you— I mean... are you sure you know if you're in love with Blaise?"

The young Montague gives him a bewildered look and quickly stands up insulted. "Of course not! I am in love with Cormac," she sighs in awe, looking out into the room like if she is staring at the sky.

Ricky begins coughing and choking all at once, slamming himself in the chest to catch his breath. "McLaggen?"

"Oh, yes! Yes! Yes! Do you know where I can find him? Oh, I have to see him, I do!" Spencer begins crying, storming out into the halls unexpectedly. Ricky gapes at the empty seat beside him before quickly running after her.

"Wait, Spencer! Spencer, come back and I'll uh— I'll take you to him," Ricky calls out, patting himself in his head for being smart enough to get the box of chocolates that she had just eaten. His best friend had gasps at his words and returns back to him excitedly. Instead of doing what he said, he grabs ahold of her and with his other hand casts, "Revelio."

Immediately, the box of chocolates vanishes from appearing completely normal and reveals what he is sure came from the shop Fred and George created. "Fuck," Ricky curses to himself, tugging the crying Ravenclaw along with him. "We just got 'pranked' you goddamn prat," he mumbles to the girl who doesn't even bother to care what came out of his mouth.

"Hey, Ricky!" Harry grins at the boy and makes his way beside him and Spencer. "Hey, Spencer."

"He's so beautiful and smart," Spencer gushes, rubbing her eyes in distraught. Harry blinks in surprise and turns to Ricky. "Um— what is she...?"

"Yeah," Ricky sighs in annoyance. "I think she just got poisoned."

"What?!" Harry yells loudly. "What do you mean?"

"Cormac—"

Spencer lunges at Ricky in desperation. "Cormac? Where is he? You told me you'll take me to him!" Ricky huffs at how clingy she turns out to be and then sends Harry an apologetic glance. "I'll handle her," he tells the worrying Gryffindor. Harry seems to hesitate before his name is being called and he sends him a thankful nod.

"You will owe me one big time," Ricky mutters bitterly as he fakes a smile to her. "Yeah, I'll take you to Cormac!"

"I should announce it to the world," Spencer suggests enthusiastically. The male beside her rubs his temples aggressively. "No, no, I don't think you should," he disagrees quickly.

Spencer begins to pout and tears form in her eyes again. "Why not!"

His eyes widen in regret before correcting himself, "Isn't it more romantic if you tell it to him?"

"You're right," she sighs. Ricky forces his arms around her as he leads her to the Great Hall, hoping that Professor Slughorn is actually there eating food or something. Anyway, sometimes Ricky questioned why he was in Ravenclaw. Seriously. He did not think clearly on who would be on the Great Hall during the weekends! See, he told Spencer that he would gladly take her to McLaggen, except that had been an utter lie. Or at least it had been. Though, things did not go as planned since Cormac McLaggen sits in the Gryffindor table with a few of his friends and Spencer, his very intelligent friend, notices him right away. "Look! He's right there, Ricky!" She exclaims happily.

Ricky continues giving her a fake grin and uses his muscles to actually gain control of where to take her. "Mmh, right!" 

"Why are you holding her so tight?" Ricky stops dead in his tracks as he hears the familiar voice of Theodore Nott. In fact, he is so surprised that he accidentally lets go of Spencer. "Fuck, someone stop her!" Instead of bothering to respond to the boy he had a crush on, Ricky runs after Spencer himself. Just as she is about to reach McLaggen, thankfully, someone did hear him and stops her before she can reach her destination.

Well, there are different ways to define thankfully and Ricky knows this one falls in between it being good, she did not throw herself in front of McLaggen, but bad, because the one who stopped her is Blaise Zabini.

"Calm down," Blaise chuckles lightly, gently grabbing the girl's arms. He tilts his head in concern as he notices the anxiety and excitement from the Ravenclaw. "What's going on with you?"

Spencer, the fucking dumbass prat as Ricky will now call her, stares at the Slytherin with a sob wanting to escape her mouth. "I am so—"

"She is completely overwhelmed with emotions, it is horrible, really," Ricky cuts her off, closing her mouth with his own hand. He takes it back immediately as she licks his palm and blurts out, "In love! Isn't Cormac so handsome?"

Theodore comes behind him and makes a face. "Did she just say—"

"— Cormac? Like Cormac McLaggen?" Blaise finishes off in shock.

Spencer smiles widely. "Yes, him! Isn't he so dreamy?"

"No," Theodore answers confusedly. He leans toward her in suspense. "Is she drunk?"

"Why the hell would she be drunk?" Blaise shoots a glare to his housemate. The two begin to banter before Ricky shut them both up.

"She's been love poisoned," he exclaims, cutting off their little banter. The two Slytherins turns to him in anger and worry. "What?"

"Help me take her to Slughorn, yeah?" Ricky ignores their question and makes them hold her down while making it seem normal. The three boys went beside the table filled with professors and called out for Professor Slughorn. "Sir, we have a problem!"

Professor Slughorn turned his attention toward them and smiles toward Blaise and Spencer. "Oh, hello there!"

Ricky forces himself not to roll his eyes and tells him, "Spencer has accidentally eaten some special chocolates, you see." He is sure not to mention they came from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and emphasize on the 'special' part.

The man's eyes widens and then urges them to follow him to his office. They walk in silence until they reach inside and let Professor Slughorn look for some of his antidotes. "Why did we leave Cormac behind?" Spencer begins crying loud again and Ricky pinches his nose. He has heard her cry before and although those times it had truly pained him to hear, it was somewhat angelic. This time, however, she is crying so unlike her that if he was not her best friend he would have thrown her off the Black Lake.

"What exactly happened?" Professor Slughorn questions curiously.

Ricky eyes the two Slytherins before telling the man, "Well, we were talking like normal and I was eating these muggle chocolates. I offered Spencer some, but then she remembered that Mc— someone gifted her chocolates after the holidays. They were in disguises and I know for a fact that Spencer would have not eaten them willingly. She's quite smart."

"Ah, yes, she is very smart. Probably would have found some way to heal herself, right?" Professor Slughorn chuckles amused before scattering some stuff to find the correct antidote.

"I just made the perfect poem for Cormac," Spencer gasps, smacking Theodore's arm roughly. "You want to hear it?"

"No," the three boys answer in unison.

Unfortunately, Spencer does not bother to care. "Cormac McLaggen, oh so romantic. You have my heart trapped in an attic. I cannot help but turn blue, as I think of how much I am in love with you," she rhymes awfully, swooning and giggling immediately after.

Only Professor Slughorn seems to find it amusing as he chuckles while the others close their eyes in disgust.

"Oh, yeah, that's not my Spencer at all," Ricky groans. "The normal one could have at least made some sense of it. She would have used beautiful words and rhythms..."

"Come on," Professor Slughorn motions Spencer to go forward. The young Montague purses her lips. "Will they bring Cormac?"

"Definitely, dear," the man lies easily, handing her a small liquid bottle. "Drink up first, however. It'll help with your— uh— breath!"

Spencer widens her eyes before gulping the supposed antidote rather quickly. All of them stare at her intensely and watch as the grin on her face vanishes and a look of horror flash instead. Ricky lets an amused smile take over his face. "Do you still want me to take you to dear Cormac?"

She takes a quick glance at the people in the room before slumping down in one of Slughorn's chair in embarrassment. "I think I want to either cry, hide, or run," Spencer mumbles in between her hands. Ricky crouches down beside her.

"Well, you were doing two of those three things anyway," he mocks, snickering this time around as she slaps his arm. "How is that for some exercise?"

Spencer stands up from her seat and begins fixing herself up. "Thank you, sir. That is something I hope you never see from me again," she ignores her friends and gives the man a grateful glance.

"Don't worry about it. I would be more careful about those love potions. Might not want to receive anymore gifts like that," Slughorn warns easily.

"Yes, sir," Spencer nods surely. She grimaces as she notices Theodore and Blaise standing by the side. "You two will never speak of this again, understood?"

Theodore snorts. "I don't think I'll listen, Mrs. McLaggen."

Blaise, however, does not seem to be in the same joke as him. "Shouldn't we hex him or something?" Though, he only said that once they are out of Slughorn's earshot.

"You know, I agree with him. Making me suffer with you... think we need to pull a Weasley on this. McLaggen definitely wanted your attention," Ricky shudders once more.

"Oh, fuck off. I feel assaulted and he hasn't even touched me," Spencer scrunches up her nose in disgust. The three boys share a look of mischief before staying quiet, a plan already forming on their minds.

(And well, Spencer wasn't the only person being poisoned with love that week).

▂✫⌒*･ﾟ

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
just when u get another kiss
they're like well, yes, but no ❤️
and then mclaggen is like um
hello? i'm here too 👁👄👁

bruh it was funny to write tho 😭🤚
ricky was like wtf she's so dumb
and theo was concerned and blaise
was like ?? murder 👍

but anyway, i published a theo fic 😁
sadly it's not him and ricky but like also
it's gonna be kinda cute idk 😳