Chapter 73: Healing Touch (4)

"No parties!" – Catherine said wearily during breakfast. This marked the third occasion in two days she had to remind her friends that she didn't want a birthday celebration – "I've had more than enough time in the spotlight recently. Please, can't we just have a quiet evening hanging out together in the Common Room."

"Fine, grandma!" – answered Sirius, snatching the girl's schoolbag – "Come on, we'll be late for Charms."

"I can carry my stuff." – the young witch mumbled sulkily, following her friends out of the Great Hall. 

"Sure, you can - once you stop being stubborn and go to Madame Pomfrey. I don't know why you are so clumsy these days!" – said Sirius.

The black-haired girl rolled her eyes behind her classmates' backs. While she wasn't intentionally hurting herself, it was true that she suffered quite a few incidents in the last week or so – from tumbling down the stairs to cutting her hand while attempting to peel a Sopophorous bean during their last Potions class. 

Though she had promised Dumbledore not to hurt herself purposely to practice healing magic, Catherine saw these accidents as valuable learning opportunities. This way, the young witch could stay true to her promise and simultaneously gain some experience with real wounds. 

'I guess my clumsiness might not really be a pure coincidence.' – concluded the girl while trying to focus her attention to her wound.

Unfortunately, the attempts to mix her magic with vital power remained fruitless. Consequently, the cut on her hand persisted, making everyday tasks problematic. Therefore, the third-year wasn't thrilled about the upcoming Potions class.

'That's what I need – to be bested by Snape on my birthday!' – she thought bitterly. 

To her utter surprise, however, Professor Slughorn was incredibly accommodating. 

"Catherine, my girl, is that nasty cut still there?! Merlin, you should go see Poppy! Even the most talented Potions Masters have an occasional accident or two. I myself once almost burnt my entire hand with a splash of Polyjuice Potion! There's no pride in suffering for making a small mistake!"

Then, he provided the Gryffindor with a set of ingredients for brewing a Confusing Concoction, which were already prepared for usage. This allowed the Catherine to finish before everybody else, spending the last fifteen minutes of the class enjoying Snape's sullen face and occasional mutters about 'people who would do anything to go ahead in class, even exploit their mediocre singing abilities.' 

"It seems that you've already received your birthday present, Daisy." – chuckled Lily when the class was over, and Snape hastily left the classroom.

"You have a birthday today?" – asked Slughorn, who was collecting the leftover baneberries from the tables – "Allow me to wish you a very happy birthday, my dearest girl! I hope you continue bringing us joy with your beautiful voice and brilliant mind!"

Catherine smiled politely, trying to ignore Lily, who was giggling behind her cauldron. 

"You know, I have a book that I acquired a long time ago from one of my old aunts. I think it might be a fun read for you!" – exclaimed the Potions Master, clapping his hands. He quickly walked into his office and returned with a thin book whose original colour had probably been pink at some point in time but currently appeared as a mixture of brown and beige. 

"The Potions Guide of the Witch?" – read Catherine, confused. 

"It's a rather amusing, old-fashioned book that was considered a manual for house-witches for 'handling' their husbands. It contains some truly crafty potions. I think it would be interesting for you, coming from a Muggle family, to have a peek at what our society used to be like."

Catherine sincerely doubted she would find anything interesting but nevertheless took the book with a lot of appreciation and gratitude. 

"Oh, you are quite welcome!" – said the professor, touched by the third-year's profound gratefulness – "It's not much of a birthday present, but of course, we could celebrate it more thoroughly during the Christmas party I organise in mid-December! I hope both you and Lily could make it, and you could sing for us again, my dear!"

"Of course!" – the two girls agreed immediately. 

'Well, it's another chance for me to sweet-talk Slughorn into giving me instructions on the Animagi potion.' – thought the young witch, casually browsing through the book during dinner.

Suddenly, her eyes widened in surprise. She threw away her fork and read in concentration for a few minutes.

"I understand you not wanting a party, but reading during dinner on your birthday? It's a bit much!" – complained James, who was sitting next to Catherine. 

"I found a way!" – she whispered, pointing at one of the old pages, covered with yellow spots. 

"Bacchus Bliss Elixir?" – read the boy, confused.

"It's listed as a hangover prevention. You put it in the wine, and you can drink as much as you want without having any symptoms the next day." – explained Catherine – "However, the author here suggests a slight modification which would also make the person who drinks the elixir - I presume the poor husband of the witch owning the book - very suggestable to all kinds of ideas. And the best part is that he's not going to remember anything the next day!"

"You want to drug Slughorn?!" – asked Sirius, who was seated across the table – "I like you more and more with every day!"

"It's a suitable way to handle a Potions Master, is it not?" – asked the witch with a sly smile, adding – "It's not very hard to make. It will take approximately three hours. I can brew it at Hagrid's next week, and I will find a way to make Slughorn drink it at the Christmas party!"

"See? I told you everything was going to turn out fine!" – grinned Sirius – "There was no point in sulking for days after Halloween. You almost ruined your birthday present!"

"How so?" – asked the girl, blinking. 

"I couldn't draw a portrait with your frowning face!" – laughed Sirius and handled his friend a rolled parchment. Catherine quickly opened it and gasped when she saw a very accurate portrait of hers sketched with what appeared to be charcoal. 

"You made this yourself?!" – she exclaimed still in awe. 

"It's nothing special. You just appear kind of picturesque when you are concentrated on a task." – chuckled the young wizard – "Do you like it?"

"I love it!" – Catherine smiled brightly, then stood up, walked around the table, and hugged the surprised artist, kissing him on the cheek. 

*** 

"I got your message." – Catherine said, entering the empty Common Room at three in the morning. 

"Well, while technically it's not your birthday anymore, I couldn't just skip it. Unfortunately, you are constantly surrounded by people!" – Greg explained, gesturing to the seat next to him on one of the comfortable red sofas. 

"Look who's talking - the Heir of Hogwarts with a whole designated entourage!" – answered the girl mockingly as she took the free spot.

"Nevertheless, happy birthday, my dear sister! Welcome officially to your teenage years!" – smirked the wizard and hugged his sibling. 

"Thanks!" – answered Catherine hastily and suddenly her face lit up – "I don't see any presents!"

"Well, that's because I don't want your jealous boyfriends jumping on me for giving you a gift!" – Greg replied sulkily. Sirius was still not talking to him, except for occasional grunts during Quidditch practice – "How about I buy you something when we go to London for Christmas?"

"We're going to London for Christmas?" – asked the young witch, surprised.

"Ah, yeah, just for the 24th though. Grandpa's going to be in town, but he won't have much time since he's travelling to Iceland."

"Jeez, thanks for the update!"- Catherine snapped – "I'm always the last to know. Anyway, I will forgive you both this and the absence of a gift if you do something for me!"

"What do you need?" – asked the boy with suspicion.

"I need you to acquire a bottle of Dad's elf-made wine and give it to me." – stated the girl, disregarding her brother's shocked face – "It's not for me. I'm gifting it to somebody."

"And how, pray tell, am I supposed to do that?" – grumbled Greg, scratching his head – "We are not allowed to receive alcohol, tobacco, or any opioids by owl! You know there are spells preventing it around the school!"

"Up to you!" – shrugged the young witch – "Just be sure I get it before Slughorn's party in December. I will count it as a Christmas present too."

Catherine jumped from the couch, and jolted towards the girls' dormitory, leaving her very annoyed brother to solve the puzzle of how to smuggle house-elf wine into Hogwarts without being caught.