Dressed In Hufflepuff Robes

It's the potions assignment that pushes Sirius over the edge.

"Sirius, my boy," Slughorn says, peering into the cauldron, "why is your Shrinking Solution orange?"

Sirius squints at it. "Isn't it supposed to be?"

"It should really be more of a green," Slughorn says, eyebrows furrowed. "Who was your partner?"

Sirius can feel everyone's eyes boring into him, and his face heats up. "I worked alone."

Slughorn blinks. "No James today?"

"James is still in the Hospital Wing after last night's Quidditch match, so we've got an odd number." Sirius shrugs. "I followed all the instructions, sir."

"Hm." With a sweep of his wand, Slughorn vanishes the failed Shrinking Solution. "Who here thinks he or she's got Shrinking Solutions down?"

One lone hand at the front of the room goes up.

"Severus?" Slughorn moves to examine the boy's cauldron, and Sirius groans. "Well done, my boy! Perfect shade of green. Everyone gather 'round!"

Sirius can see Snape's smug little smirk from all the way from his seat in the back.

"Sirius," Slughorn says, "pair up with Severus and let him teach you the proper way."

Sirius' jaw actually drops. "Can't I pair with Evans?" he asks. "She's his partner, isn't she? She just ran to the loo—"

"Stop stalling, Sirius, you're already well behind everyone else." Slughorn waves him up to the front. "Go ahead, you two, get to brewing. The rest of you can take a ten minute break."

Sirius groans loudly and shuffles to Snape's cauldron. "What's the matter, Black?" the Slytherin asks as he pulls out fresh ingredients. "Can't handle someone being better than you? Life must be incredibly difficult for you, with that mentality." He gestures to his cutting board. "Pour in the hairy caterpillars."

Sirius is opening his mouth to tell Snape exactly where he can stick his hairy caterpillars when Lily comes back in. "What are you doing here?" she asks Sirius. "Shouldn't you be in the back not paying attention?"

"You lot are hostile today." Sirius picks up a caterpillar and drops it into Snape's cauldron. "Slughorn paired me with you two. Merlin knows why. Maybe he hates me."

"Maybe he hates us," Snape mutters, and Lily smirks.

Sirius rolls his eyes. "What's the next step?"

"Juice the leeches," Snape says. "Four of them."

With a little noise of disgust, Sirius does. "Now what?" he asks as he slides the mess of guts into the cauldron—

—and lets out a girlish scream when everything explodes.

Slughorn is at their sides in an instant. "What happened?"

Snape is doubled over with laughter. Sirius pushes his hair from his eyes and looks at the cauldron, which is letting off smoke. "I dunno, sir. I added the leeches, like Snape told me—"

"I said juice the leeches." Snape is wearing a smug grin. "I never said to add them. That step comes later. Can't you follow directions, Black?"

Slughorn sighs. "Five points from Gryffindor, I'm afraid, for failure to follow instructions."

(Sirius sees Lily try to hide her smirk.

He sees Snape glance at her for approval.

He sees the way Snape's face melts into relief when he sees her smiling.

Something clicks.)

"I'm sorry," Sirius says to Slughorn. "I'll try once more, if you want."

(It's the potions assignment that pushes Sirius over the edge.)

"Dear Snape—"

"You dolt, she wouldn't call him Snape." James takes a long sip of pumpkin juice from his bed in the Hospital Wing. His arm is bandaged, but the worst of the bruising is gone, and Madam Pomfrey says he can go back to class as soon as the swelling goes down in his cheek. "She calls him Severus."

"Right." Sirius crosses out the heading and begins again. "'My dearest Severus.' Is that better?"

James snorts. "'Dearest' is a bit sappy for Evans, don't you think?"

"He'd buy it," Sirius says. "You should've seen the way he was looking at her, James. I've never seen a more lovesick expression in my life. It was disgusting."

James shrugs. "Have it your way. 'Dearest Severus.'"

"Dearest Severus, my heart burns for you."

"Oh, come on."

"I'm telling you—"

"I'm beginning to get jealous, Padfoot."

Sirius grins briefly at the use of his new nickname. The Marauders have only been animagi for a few weeks—the transformations have taken a bit of getting used to, and the real reason for James' stayin the Hospital Wing is the incident last night when he'd gotten stuck as Prongs and panicked and headbutted a wall repeatedly until he'd gone unconscious—but Sirius loves that he has a secret to share with his friends. "Never thought I'd hear you say you're jealous of Snivellus."

"Yes, well, it's happened." James sighs wistfully. "I'd give anything for a love letter from Evans."

Sirius taps the parchment. "When I'm finished with Snape's, I'll get one written up for you."

James grins, revealing a cracked tooth. "Thanks, mate."

"So." Sirius leans his chair back on two legs. "What are we going to have Evans tell Snape to do?"

"Hm." James finishes off his pumpkin juice. "Come to breakfast wearing Hufflepuff robes, d'you think?"

Sirius lets out a low whistle. "Humiliating. Snape in yellow. It's a sight I want to see." He scribbles a few sentences. "'My dearest Severus, my heart burns for you. I have loved you since the day we laid eyes on each other, and have been too nervous to confess my feelings in person until I know they are reciprocated.'"

"Reciprocated," James says, nodding. "Good word. Very Evans."

"Thanks." Sirius goes back to the letter. "'If you yearn for me as I yearn for you, send me a sign. Come to the Great Hall tomorrow morning dressed in Hufflepuff robes. Then, and only then, will I know you love me, too. Eternally yours, if you'll have me, Lily Evans.'"

"I'm impressed." James sits back against his pillows. "You're a romantic at heart."

Sirius smirks. "I just know what the ladies like to hear. And Snivellus in love is essentially a lady, right?"

"I'd say so." James nods once. "Send it off to Moony so he can rewrite it in legible handwriting, and then post it to Snape, I s'pose."

"Think it'll work?" Sirius asks as he rolls up the letter and stows it in his bag.

"Merlin," says James, revealing that cracked tooth again in a smile. "I hope so."

Snape shows up at breakfast the next morning wearing Slytherin robes that he's charmed neon yellow.

When Lily fails to comment, his face crumples.

(For just a moment, Sirius feels bad.)

Quidditch League Round 9: Shakespeare

Holyhead Harpies, Seeker

Prompt: Twelfth Night (specifically, the letter to Malvolio, which includes a false declaration of love and a request to wear bright yellow stockings if the feelings are reciprocated)

Word Count: 1,034