A/N: I realized somewhere mid-way through posting that I'd posted no authors notes whatsoever, so I'm editing this in. Thanks to everyone for reading and leaving comments. I love reading all the feedback I've gotten so far! I am having a lot of fun with my first Marauders-at-hogwarts era fic.

September 1977

They should never have been allowed to choose their own partners for this potions assignment. This endeavor was going to end with the names Sirius Black and James Potter in print. Either in future texts for brewing the potion to end all potions, or else in the Prophet, for being the cause of Professor Slughorn's nervous breakdown.

A cauldron at the center of the mostly bare bones looking classroom held the two Gryffindors' attention.

"I don't think it's supposed to make a noise, mate." James looked at the contents of the cauldron, a sort of muddy green slime, with a look of concern.

"Maybe it was trying to tell us something." Sirius offered.

"What would it want us to know?"

"I imagine something about how I look fetching today. Thanks potion. You're so kind." Sirius gave an over animated performance of pointing and winking at the viscous liquid.

"It sounded more like 'please put me out of my misery'. Really. Hand me that book. We had to have gone wrong… somewhere."

"Well we're only 3 steps in. It can't be that bad. We'll fix it."

"Ok ok it says here stir the substance, COUNTER-clockwise."

"We've been stirring clockwise this whole time. Damn."

"Well we have two options."

James knew by the look on his best mate's face that he was crashing head first into some sort of shenanigans.

"Is one of them that we just forget this and go do… anything that isn't this?"

"No dear Prongs, it is not. We must either admit failure and start anew, or else we see our potion through. Maybe if we keep going with the clockwise stirring throughout, the result will be an improvement upon the original. You never know until you try."

"Padfoot you've gone barmy. That thing isn't going to result in the improvement of anything. Especially not my appetite. It's actually a little sickening to look at."

"Well well…James Potter isn't up for a challenge anymore. You can go then. I'm sure Evans wonders where you are. You haven't asked her if she'd like you to carry her books, or take her to Hogsmeade, or father her children, or anything in nearly an hour and a half. She might think you've met your untimely end."

Sirius knew exactly how to get James to agree to just about anything. It was a time tested method. He smirked, sure of his win.

"Sod off! Fine. We'll see this brew to completion. Give me the spider legs."

It was over an hour before they figured out exactly what the potion was doing. It appeared to be… at least related to the concept of the assigned potion. Antidote for Amortentia. It was repellant.

"Well… I guess we invented a new potion! This could be a good thing." Sirius shrugged, tilting his head, as if looking at the repulsive potion at a different angle would make it better.

"No one is going to want 'Essence of Disgust'. There's no use for it.

"Well I, for one, think it could be very useful."

Sirius imagined arming himself with it in case he was pursued by some particularly unpleasant girl. It would actually come in quite handy with his Dorothy McClaggen problem...

"We're not suddenly a potioneers because you convinced me to keep going with this mucked up assignment."

"We could be! Who ever became a potioneer without a little risk?"

"We're going to get a T and possibly detention as well. I'm meant to be a role model as headboy, you know?"

"Honestly. Such a pessimist."

Lily Evans, head girl, and the object of James's affection for an unreasonably long time, stood inside the doorway. She looked at James expectantly.

"I had to ask Remus were you were. We've got rounds to do."

"Ok then. You heard the lady, Padfoot. I've got rounds to do."

"Going all Headboy on me? Fine then. Maybe I'll take all the credit and glory for our potion."

"Ok you can have it. I'd give up more credit and glory than the Essence of Revulsion, or whatever you're going to call it, could possibly acquire just for a walk with the prettiest girl at Hogwarts. Shall we, Lily?"

"Potter, you're ridiculous. I know you brewed that horrid thing too. But we have to go. So let's.."

"The Essence of Revulsion. I like it" Sirius said to himself as James left him alone with their creation.