Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter!
Chapter 1: A Failure To Communicate
"Hey, Sev, I was just wondering, there's a Hogsmeade weekend in a few weeks. Will you—," but I stopped short. Sev was frowning down at the contents of his rusty old cauldron, already full to the brim, though potions hadn't started yet.
"What?" he asked distractedly as he added a few snake fangs to the brew. He hadn't looked up yet.
"The Hogsmeade weekend, I was just wondering—" but just then the potion ate through the already corroded cauldron, causing fluorescent yellow liquid to squirt onto the table. Sev cursed and fumbled for his wand, but I already had mine ready. One flick and the hole was repaired.
"Thanks Lily, I really appreciate…um…." a Slytherin boy at the next desk caught his eye and he faltered. "I could have fixed it myself!" he said defensively.
"Of course you could have," I said, completely taken aback. "I… I guess we need to clean this up." I looked at the smoking and pitted remains of the table; whatever Sev had been mixing had eaten clean through metal and three inches of wood. "What were you making?"
"Nothing, just an experiment." The reply was too quick, though and it made me suspicious. I decided I'd get it out of him later. Mind wandering, I reached for a rag and start mopping up the mess on the desk.
"DON'T!" But it was too late. The potion seeped up through the thin cloth and onto my exposed skin. Everywhere it touched, burning, stabbing pain followed. Sev was instantly at my side spreading an oily green liquid over the burns. Everyone stared, probably because I had screamed. He covered the last of the burns and his hand paused for a moment, then jerked away. I saw that the Slytherin boy had caught Sev's eye again and heard mutterings about cleaning like a muggle, asking sarcastically what a wand was for. I blushed, humiliated, and couldn't stop myself from lashing out.
"What the hell were you making that burns through flesh?" Screw waiting for answers!
"Sorry, sorry, I'm so sorry!" I sighed, still angry; it had hurt a lot. Finally professor Slughorn waddled into the room, looking jovial, pompous, and generally very pleased with himself.
"And how are my two expert potioneers doing today?" he asks, still oblivious to the unfriendly atmosphere surrounding us.
"Well professor, Sniv-, I mean Severus decided to start early and almost burned Evans's hand off." Of course Sirius Black would take it upon himself to cause as much trouble as possible.
Sev sank as low as possible into his seat, still muttering "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." His attempt to hide didn't do much good seeing as we were sitting in the middle of the front row
"Lily, let me see it," Slughorn murmured, sounding genuinely concerned."
"It's alright, Severus had an antidote ready, it's fine now." And it was, the skin was completely healed, if a little pinker than usual.
"Well, my boy, it really isn't wise brew something that dangerous on your own….But, with an antidote this perfect, I can't really fault you. You've taken proper precautions." Slughorn smiled understandingly at Sev and slowly my best friend stopped trying to become part of the dungeon floor.
"But sir! That's not fair! You gave me two weeks worth of detentions when I tried something on my own, and I didn't mutilate anyone!"
"Mr. Black, I wouldn't remind everyone that you were brewing essence of insanity if I were you." Sirius looked down at his desk, then winked at the girls across the aisle.
"Bad luck Padfoot, but you don't really want to be like Snivellus, even if it did mean favors from the teachers. I mean, 'I'm sorry, I'm sorrrrrrry, I'll lick your shoes if you take me to the Christmas party!'" he imitates Sev's voice cruelly.
"Sounds more like something you would do, James," I say, pretending not to see a pair of white hands balling into fists next to me. Peter Pettigrew had been laughing wheezily for some time. James just waggled his tongue in reply to my insult. That's the trouble with those four: nothing ever bothers them.
"Alright, I'm afraid we'll have to return to potion-making for the moment," said Slughorn, chuckling. The lesson went as most of them do, but it was not nearly as fun as usual. Severus's potion was absolutely perfect, and, after a few whispered corrections, mine was nearly as good. Other than that, we were silent. Class ended and there was a mad rush to get to the Great Hall for dinner. James and his friends were first out the door as usual.
"Just one moment, if you please," Slughorn says to us. "You two have been my students for over four years now, you know I like to have a Christmas Eve get-together for my exceptional pupils." He winks. Before I can say anything, he adopts a business-like manner and says, "Only both of you missed last year, and I wanted to make sure…"
"We'll be there professor," I said quickly, smiling. It really hadn't been a good day, and I just wanted to leave. Sev caught up with me on the stairs.
"Lily, I'm so –"
"Sorry, I know. It's okay. Just tell me the next time you're working with highly corrosive cerates." He smiled a little at that. I know he thinks it's funny when I use the advanced potions terms we study (by which I mean he teaches me) outside of class. I smiled back, everything forgiven. "I guess we'll be going to the Christmas Party together. I mean, how would I get through it without you?" I couldn't decipher the look in his eyes. "I mean you are my best friend."
"Thanks. Lily." And he walked very quickly away from me to the Slytherin table. What was going on?
Author's Note: My first story! I would be eternally grateful for reviews/constructive crit. Also, the story is about Snape, but will be told from different view points. Thanks for reading!