Antidotes and Answers
A One-Shot by Nymph the T-rex
"She was a dab hand at Potions, Lily was," Scenes from Lily Evans Potter's years at Hogwarts, all focusing on one thing: Potions.
Disclaimer: I'm not . Or richer than the Queen of England. End of story.
"Now, now then. Thought we might start off with a little questioning, nothing formal, just to see if you've got the right idea, if you've studied properly like I'm sure you all have." Professor Slughorn smiled from behind his walrus-like mustache at the new class of first years. "Now… first question. Can anyone tell me what useful thing you might find in the stomach of a goat, and what its properties are? Anyone? This was in the first chapter of your book, you ought to have read… Yes, Mr. Potter?"
James Potter looked at the boy sitting next to him and smirked. "Well, sir, you'd probably find whatever the goat just ate, and judging by how long ago it'd eaten it's probably be rather —"
"Very funny, Mr. Potter, though not quite the answer I was looking for… Anyone want to really give it a go?" The Professor looked expectantly at his class. "I might just have to pick someone…"
"Answer it!" Lily Evans whispered fiercely in Severus Snape's ear. "I know you know it! You've read our entire book front to back already…" Eleven-year-old Severus stared resolutely ahead. He shook his head ever so slightly.
"If no one's going to answer," Slughorn chuckled, "How about…" he paused momentarily, scanning the class. Lily looked down at the empty cauldron in front of her.
"Please not me, please not me," she thought. "Please not…"
"Miss Evans?"
Curse her brilliant red hair for making her noticeable, never mind the fact that she had been talking a moment ago.
"Erm, Sir… I don't think I know, sir? Though it's certainly got something to do with potions… erm…" Lily said, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. She hated not knowing the answers, but even with Sev helping her she couldn't for the life of her understand her potions textbook.
"A bezoar." Came from beside Lily, loud enough that only she could hear. Lily paused.
"Erm, a bezoar, sir?" she said uncertainly. She shot Severus a glance that clearly read "thank you" and "you should have said it! You're the one who knew it in the first place!" all at once. In later years Severus would marvel at that fact, how Lily could say so many things with just a single glance.
"Aho! Right you are, Miss Evans, and do you know what it can do?" Lily began to shake her head, but Severus once again whispered to her.
"Antidote."
"It's an antidote, sir?" Lily pursed her lips in what she was sure could only be called a Petunia-ish way. It was really Severus who knew the answers.
"Aho! That's correct! Five points to Gryffindor, Miss Evans. Now…" Slughorn said. Lily bit down, hard, on her lip. Now, this wasn't fair at all! She hadn't known the answers, Sev had, shouldn't he be getting the credit? Lily raised her hand.
"At it for another one, Miss Evans?" Professor Slughorn asked pleasantly.
"No, sir." Lily said.
"Oh? Do you have a question, then?"
"Not exactly, sir. It's just, I didn't know the answers to your question just then. Severus," the boy in question looked at her, wide-eyed. Lily faltered only for a moment before continuing, "Severus told me the answers. Slytherin should be the house getting points, not Gryffindor."
"Aho! Is that true, Mr. Snape?" Slughorn asked, clearly bemused. He hadn't noticed anything. Of course, it was a little hard to see the face behind the long, greasy locks.
"Yes, sir." Severus said stiffly, staring straight ahead.
"Well then, five points to Slytherin." The Professor said. "And Gryffindor can keep those points, Miss Evans, for your honesty. Now…"
"Why'd you do that for?" Severus asked as soon as Professor Slughorn's back was turned.
"Because it was the right thing to do," Lily whispered.
"You do realize that you just earned points for your rival house, right?" Severus shot back. "These things are really important to some people! If word gets around…"
"I'm not some people, Sev, and I don't care." Lily said quietly.
At the end of class, though, what Severus had said proved correct.
"Nice going, Evans!" James called as they walked to their next class. "Why'd you have to go and give Snivellus extra points?"
"Are you sure you're a Gryffindor, Evans?" Sirius Black, the boy who had been sitting next to James during class, added.
Severus turned to his friend. "Told you," he said.
Lily shook her head, and red hair flew everywhere. "You're more important, Sev. You and our friendship."