The following story is the very beginning of a story that I am in the midst of writing and I am in need of a Beta. I don't think I will have too many spelling errors, but I would like advice on syntax, story line and fact checking. I work 40+ hours a week and have a baby, so updates will be about once a month. If you enjoy this blurb and would like to Beta please message me, or if you are interested in the next chapter or have suggestions I would love to hear them.
Title is currently in the works. But for now, this is Fates Circle.
Hogwarts, Library.
September 1975.
Snape glanced up from his study of the ancient scroll, laid out in front of him across a well hidden table in the library. The recipe was in Olde English, easily translated with the right sources, but complicated beyond belief, he could see why the four buffoons swallowed their pride and asked for his help.
"The ingredients are rare… and expensive" he sneered at the group.
Black snorted, "Not a problem, for us." Lupin elbowed him in the ribs, reminding Black that it was them asking for help.
"Remind me again what your plan is and why I should be involved?" he sighed in frustration.
It was Potter who answered this time, "I want to prove to Evans that she is my soul mate- "
"And Fates Circle will do that? I thought that it only let you glimpse into the future, nothing specific!" He interrupted.
Potter looked put out at the interference. Good. It was Lupin of course, who answered his question. Obviously he had spent the most time studying this scroll.
"Its not just Fates Circle, that potion is a variant of scrying water that was used to give you a glimpse of your true love. James found it hidden away in the family vault. His great-grandfather worked for the department of mysteries and developed this back before they banned ritual magic." he lectured patiently.
Lupin probably couldn't keep his grubby hands away from all the books he had access to at Potters house, he most likely spent hours there every summer pouring through the banned texts and reading about illegal magic and hidden history's.
"The combination will reveal the form of your soul mate within the Fates Circle. We have the ancient runes and arithmancy for the ritual completed, we were able to do most of it over the summer, but the potions are beyond us. I suggested we ask you- I know you hav-had- a relationship with Lily and this might be a way for both you and James to figure out if you should keep pursuing her."
The gangly Gryffindor brought up a good point, he knew that there was no way that Lily was Potters soul mate. But any relationship he had with her was gone after the debacle at the end of term last year. His outburst during what he considered the worst moment of his life was unacceptable and he didn't want to loose his best friend.
"I'll make the potion, but I want to participate."
There was immediate outrage from Black and Pettigrew. The usually slimy snake insults. Snape held eye contact with Potter. He knew it would be him who decided as he was the leader of their little circus. After a long moment Potter held his hand out, and Snape gladly clasped it in a frim handshake.
A deal was struck.
"This will take 6 weeks to brew and must be used by the winter solstice, unless you plan on waiting a year, we will have to work fast."
If anyone had come across the group working in the library that day, they might have joined the Fat Friar and the Grey Lady in haunting the castle, as the sight of the Marauders and Severus Snape willingly working together was a chilling one.