Harry opened the small box for the tenth time that afternoon. It was Valentine’s Day, and he really wasn’t sure about the gift he’d bought Ginny. Nestled on a small velvet cushion, there lay a necklace. Ginny wasn’t a girly-girl and not normally interested in jewellery, but he hoped she’d like this. The pendant showed two broomsticks crossed with a diamond at the centre to represent the Quaffle. He studied it again, still unsure.

What I need,� he murmured under his breath, “is a female opinion.�

Just then, a memo shaped like a bird, landed on his desk. He groaned as he recognised the lurid purple paper. Only one witch at the Ministry used that particular shade for every note she sent.

Harry,

We’ve received some rather startling news about a series of incidents taking place in the Muggle world. Whilst it may only be the work of a practical joker, we do have to take Muggle-baiting seriously. Please drop by my office at your earliest convenience.

Regards,

Romilda

Harry chuckled; Romilda was always getting riled about something. She took her job in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts department very seriously – almost as seriously as his future father-in-law.

“What’s the problem, Romilda?� he asked thirty minutes later.

Romilda looked up from her desk. Harry noticed she had her hair tied back rather severely and she was wearing glasses. Momentarily he wondered if they were a prop that she used when she wanted to be taken seriously.

“Ah, Harry. Do sit down,� she said politely, indicating a chair on the other side of her desk. She fumbled in her drawer and brought out an ornate glass bottle, a quarter full of a shimmering, petal-pink liquid.

“This is a bottle of Muggle perfume,� she began. “It’s available at most chemists and all good department stores.�

“Romilda,� Harry said, sighing, “Leave the sales pitch and just get on with it ... please. I have somewhere else I need to be.�

Romilda pursed her lips. “In the last week, seven Muggle men have been caught behaving ‘inappropriately’ with a young woman wearing this perfume. An empty bottle like this was found at the scene of the fifth crime. This bottle was found last night in the cloakroom of the pub where all the incidents have taken place.�

“Surely it’s a job for the Muggle police?� Harry interrupted. He yawned. “I doubt it’s got anything to do with whatever’s in that bottle. Muggle advertising may use slogans about becoming irresistible to men, but it’s all a con job. Never really works.�

“Here in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Department,� Romilda continued, ignoring Harry’s scepticism, “we believe this Muggle perfume has been charmed.�

“Not again, Romilda,� groaned Harry. “Last time it proved to be Gurdyroot juice being sold by Mundungus Fletcher. It was hardly Dark Magic!�

He stood up, meaning to leave. If he left now, he could catch Hermione, before she left for the day, and ask her opinion on Ginny’s necklace.

“Seven different men ... seven separate incidents ... but in the same bar and with the same girl,� Romilda intoned.

Harry sat back heavily in the chair, realising that Romilda was not going to let him leave that quickly. “Anyone we know?� he asked wearily.

She pulled out a picture of a witch, who had changed little from her Hogwarts days. Millicent Bulstrode sneered out at him. Her chin was still as large and square as he remembered from school, her eyebrows just as untamed, and her mouth as rubbery as a tyre. Harry shuddered at the thought of behaving ‘inappropriately’ with her.

“Oh, sweet Merlin,� he gasped. “That’s just plain nasty!�

“Exactly,� Romilda said, looking pleased to finally have Harry’s full attention. “And this is the week leading up to Valentine’s Day, so goodness knows what she’s planning for tonight.�

“She definitely has more perfume, then?� he asked, staring at the liquid as it sparkled under his eyes.

Romilda shrugged. “Not sure. Look, Harry, the Hit Wizards sent Finnegan to stake out the place, and he’s there now, but if the Auror Department could check it out ...�

“Okay, I’ll look into it.� Harry got up to leave. Checking his watch, he sighed. Hermione would have gone by now, there was no way he could show her the necklace. “Before I go, Romilda, you wouldn’t give me your opinion on this, would you?�

With a flourish, he brought out the small box containing Ginny’s gift. At the same time, his arm jogged Romilda’s. The small bottle with the golden stopper was sent flying, the perfume spilling on the floor. Dissipating in the air, the aroma pervaded his senses, driving all sentient thought from his mind. “Romilda,� he said huskily. “Come here.�

“No, Harry,� she replied, backing away. “This ... this really isn’t you.�

But Harry had slid over her desk and begun to remove her glasses. He touched her face, his fingers tracing her cheekbones, her lips and the soft nape of her neck. He lowered his face to hers, breathing in the soft intoxicating scent that had filtered through the air, settling in her long, lustrous, black hair.

Romilda knew this was wrong. She knew he was in love with Ginny Weasley and that this wasn’t real. But this was Harry Potter, ‘The Chosen One’, for Merlin’s sake! And she had waited four long years for this chance, ever since the Chocolate Cauldron fiasco.

She lifted her face to his and entwined her fingers in his hair, pulling his lips down to hers as she gloried in his touch.

“Kiss me, Harry!� she commanded.

He complied.

***

Because Harry was groggily unavailable for duty, Millicent Bulstrode was able to launch her final assault. Removing the last bottle of her Charmed perfume from a dragonskin bag, she smoothed down her black dress, and sprayed the scent on her pulse points, paying particular attention to her ample cleavage. The last seven nights had been but rehearsals, leading her towards her mark. Then she plucked a coarse, black hair from her chin, and pushed open the door of the toilet.

Tonight was the night Millicent would bag her man.

She wiggled her hips as she weaved her way through the smoky pub and approached the man of her dreams – the one she had lusted after for far too long. She knew the scent worked on Muggles, but it wasn’t a Muggle she was after.

“Bulstrode!� exclaimed the wizard, barely looking up from his pint. “What are you doing here?�

She slid onto the stool next to him, leant forwards, and smiled as she noticed his eyes becoming unfocused. “Fancy a drink in my room,� she croaked, sounding like a bullfrog.

Unable to refuse, the wizard allowed himself to be led away, unaware that the barman was giving the mismatched couple some very strange looks. Once they’d disappeared up the stairs to Millicent’s room, he reached for the Floo powder.

“Romilda!� he yelled into the fireplace. “I’ve just seen her. Bulstrode is – Bloody hell! What are you up to? Who is that?� Seamus stopped speaking, grabbed some more Floo powder and leapt into the hearth.

“Oh ... er ... hi, Seamus,� Romilda said, giggling as she pushed an amorous Harry off her, and pulled up her bra strap. “I was just ... um ... appraising Harry of the situation with the Charmed perfume.�

“By appraising you mean trying to shag his brains out!� Seamus snarled as he pulled them apart. “I thought you’d changed, Romilda.� He pulled Harry by his cloak towards an open window, and shoved his head into the fresh air.

“Gerroff me,� Harry slurred. But as he inhaled, he felt his head clear. “Oh, Merlin, what was that?�

“Charmed perfume,� Romilda declared and smiled slyly. “I take it you believe me now, Harry.�

He blushed and fumbled to straighten his robes. “Seamus, what can you tell me about this?�

Seamus grimaced. “Millicent Bulstrode has been trying out this perfume all week. According to the landlord, she’s approached seven good-looking men and all have succumbed to her ... er ... charms.�

“And been arrested, Romilda said,� Harry replied, looking only at Seamus and not wanting to think what could have happened if his old school mate had not arrived at that precise moment.

Seamus nodded. “Mmm, Bulstrode didn’t take them to her room, so they were done for Public Indecency. So far, she’s eluded the cops ... probably ‘cause she Confunded her victims. Tonight is different, though.�

“Why?� Harry asked. Seamus’ tone suggested it was serious.

Seamus bit his lip. “I left as soon as I could, Harry, you gotta believe me.�

“WHO?� Harry demanded, anxious now. Hell, there were Ministry dignitaries converging for a conference at the weekend. What if Millicent had got her claws into one of them?

“Draco Malfoy.�

Harry felt the corner of his mouth twitch. “Malfoy? Are you sure?�

“Uh-huh,� Seamus replied, his face split in two by his mischievous smile. “What do you think we should do?�

Harry considered. Looking across to the desk, he saw the small box containing Ginny’s necklace lying open on Romilda’s blotting paper. Holding his breath in case any more of the perfume caused him to grope Romilda again (or even worse Seamus), he stepped forwards and picked it up in his hand, admiring the diamond as it twinkled under the lights. He faltered. “Romilda ... you’re not going to say anything to anyone about me ... er ... kissing you, are you?�

She raised one eyebrow, giving him a look that clearly stated it had been far more than a kiss, but then winced as Seamus grabbed her arm. “OW!� she complained. “Seamus, that hurt.�

“What do you say to Harry?� Seamus murmured, staring into her eyes.

Sighing, Romilda gazed at Harry then looked at her feet. “Sorry, I know it didn’t mean anything, and I won’t say a word to anyone.� She paused as her hand reached across to the perfume bottle and replaced the gold stopper firmly.

“So, now that’s settled, what are we going to do about Bulstrode?� Seamus asked.

Harry laughed. “Who are we to stand in the way of true love, Seamus?� he said blithely, Clutching Ginny’s gift, he walked out the door. “Let’s leave Malfoy to enjoy his Valentine.�