Professor's Pet
"Now, class. Before we begin the year, I would like to introduce Ms. Laverne de Montmorency. Her lab has recently burnt down, and she will be taking up residency here at Hogwarts while it is under repairs," Professor Slughorn said, addressing his newest sixth year potions class. The whispers began almost instantly.
"Isn't that the woman who discovered the modern love potion, Lily?" Marlene McKinnon quietly asked her best friend Lily Evans. Lily nodded in reply, slightly star struck by the impressive witch.
"What's the big deal about it, Sluggy?" shouted Sirius Black from across the room, receiving high fives from his three marauder counterparts. Lily scowled at him. If you asked her, he shouldn't even be in NEWT level Potions.
"I'm glad you asked, Mr. Black," replied Slughorn, ignoring the strange nickname. "I am going to pick one of you to be her assistant this year. Instead of class, you will be assisting Ms. de Montmorency with her research.
"Oh I'm so winning that deal," whispered Emmeline Vance to her other Ravenclaw friends. "Easy O, all the way."
"And how exactly are you choosing who to join her as an assistant, Professor?" asked Severus Snape, somewhat intrigued. Slughorn grinned at his second best pupil.
"Well, Severus. I'll be conducting interviews with the top three students in class at the end of the week. Whoever can best respond to my questions will get to work with Ms. De Montmorency," Slughorn said, before turning his attention to the blackboard and doling out instructions to his students.
Once the instructions were given, Slughorn took a seat at the back of the room and chatted amiably with his guest. The students were completely silent, immersed in their work in the hopes of being among the top three.
After class, the main topic of discussion among students was the impending interviews with Professor Slughorn. Sirius pulled out his notepad and shouted down the hallway, "Taking wagers on who will make top three, and who will win the easy O grade!"
The marauders were quickly surrounded by classmates, both wanting to place bets and wanting to know what they were even betting on. Lily rolled her eyes and continued to the Great Hall with Marlene for lunch.
"You know you'll be in the top three, right Lily?" Marlene asked her, gushing and essentially not shutting up.
"I'm aware, Marley. However, as amazing as I find Laverne de Montmorency, giving up a year of education to help her isn't my idea of earning a grade," said Lily simply. Marlene's jaw hung open.
"But what if Slughorn picks you? I mean, you are his star pupil, practically the professor's pet!" Marlene argued, after returning to her senses. Lily shrugged.
"I guess I'll just play it by ear in that case," she said unworriedly. Marlene shook her head at her friend. Lily sometimes could be too studious for her own good.
On the other side of the Great Hall, Emmeline Vance and her gaggle of Ravenclaw groupies were plotting a way to get her into the top three.
"Quit crowding me, I already have a plan," said Emmeline, annoyed by her friends' constant badgering. "I'm already incredible at making potions, it's just essays that I am awful at. Therefore, Johanna, I'll need you to write my essay on Wolfsbane this week, so I can focus on brewing. Sound good?"
"Sure thing, Emma!" replied Johanna with a big smile. The girl really was an idiot when it came to people.
"Perfect," said Emmeline with a victorious smirk. "Then all I'll need to do is butter up dear old Sluggy and the job is mine."
At the Slytherin table, Severus Snape sat quietly by himself, already planning what best to say to flatter the old, fat potions master.
By the end of the week, Sirius and the Marauders had collected a good number of bets. They sat outside the potions room, dishing out winnings to various students as all but three exited the classroom. Inside sat Lily Evans, Severus Snape, and Emmeline Vance.
James popped his head into the room quickly. Emmeline, upon seeing him, flipped her hair flirtatiously, and was promptly ignored. "Good luck, Lily! I bet on you," he stage whispered across the room to her. Lily rolled her eyes in response. James quickly ducked back out the door as Slughorn's office door opened.
"Alright, we'll go from three to one, so Emmeline come into my office please," Slughorn said with a smile. Emmeline confidently followed him. Once seated, Slughorn smiled once again.
"This interview will be quite simple. I simply have one question. Why should I give the job of assistant to you?" he asked. Emmeline grinned triumphantly, completely prepared.
"I should be assistant to Madame Laverne de Montmorency because I am intelligent and knowledgeable. This is, of course, due to your superb teaching methods, and my ability to take your words as doctrine and memorize each of your lectures," Emmeline said, oozing with flattery. "I am the product of the excellent teaching you provide each day in your class."
Slughorn smiled greatly, blushing slightly at the praise. He was flustered as well, but hoped that it didn't show. "Why thank you, Ms. Vance, why don't you send Severus in here now," he said, pleased. If this is what his least favorite of the three candidates had to offer, he couldn't wait to hear Lily's response.
When Severus walked in, Slughorn posed the same question. "Now Severus, I simply have one question for you this interview. Why should I give the job of assistant to you?" he asked.
Maintaining his cool demeanor, Severus replied, "Because, through your superb teaching, I have already learned as much as I can directly from you. I can only assume that Ms. de Montmorency is one of your former students, and to share a potion cauldron with another taught by you, I believe we could create amazing potions together."
Professor Slughorn had to physically stop himself from clapping. It was a very good day for him indeed. "An excellent answer indeed, Severus! Now, send in Ms. Evans on your way out, would you?" he said happily.
Lily entered the room quietly and took her seat. Slughorn asked, for the third and final time, "Lily, dear, why should I give you to job of assistant to Ms. de Montmorency?"
She replied simply and honestly, "Because as a top student, I have already learned much from you and I would benefit along my path to the NEWT tests to learn from another potions master who has surpassed even you, Professor."
Slughorn's face immediately dropped. "Yes, I see, very well Ms. Evans. You may go," he said. Lily stood and walked out.
"How did it go?" asked James, who had been waiting outside the classroom for Lily. Lily shrugged.
"I suppose I answered honestly and he didn't quite like that," she replied. James slung an arm around her shoulder, which she immediately shrugged off.
"Don't you have Quidditch practice of something? Marlene was complaining how her new captain started on Friday of the first week," she said nonchalantly. James muttered a quick curse word, before running off toward the pitch, waving over his shoulder. Lily rolled her eyes.
The next day, it was posted in all of the common rooms that Severus Snape had won the assistant job. Each paper had slight smears of residual candied pineapple. Upon seeing, Severus smirked. He had outwitted the Professor's pet.