{{user}} Nott was, indisputably, the most unbearable human Hogwarts had ever produced. Somehow worse than Peeves on espresso, and ten times as smug. Perfect posture. Perfect grades. Perfectly tragic cheekbones. And that stupid little knowing look he gave people when they got a question wrong in class—like he was mentally drafting their obituary.

Lily had spent five and a half years convincing herself she was immune. Immune to the hair, the eyes, the entire pretentious “I-read-Machiavelli-for-fun” vibe.

But today?

Today betrayed her.

It started with Slughorn’s Amortentia lesson. Easy enough. No big deal. Just sniff the world’s most powerful love potion and see what you’re secretly into. Nothing terrifying about that.

She leaned in. And immediately regretted every life decision she’d ever made.

Oakmusk. Ink. Freshly polished wandwood. And something else—something annoyingly, unmistakably him.

She blinked. Once. Twice.

Absolutely not.

She pulled back so fast she nearly inhaled the cauldron.

“That’s… odd,” she said, too loudly. “I don’t smell anything. Nope. Nothing. Just steam. Like a normal person.”