Truth Be Told

This whole predicament started because of Professor Slughorn and his mad ideas. What ever happened to a good old fashion lection based potions class? Whose idea was it to have activities? And, of all things, potion brewing?

Rude professors, that's who.

Rude professors who pair you up with grinning idiots who have, in the past, shown no regard for the rules. Grinning idiots who have previously brought you much embarrassment. Rude professors who should have known this whole ordeal would happen and went along with the pairing anyway.

And as for having us brew such a dangerous potion! I can't even begin to tell you how absolutely over the top insane that man must be to have us do something so down right…dangerous, for lack of a better word.

I mean, come on, a whole lot of damage can be done with a truth potion.

Trust me. I would know.

When I got out of bed that fateful Monday morning, I did not know that it was going to be the last day of my sane life. I did not know something horrendous was going to take place mere hours after leaving the sanctuary of the girls' dorm. Even as I entered the room, I was blissfully unaware.

Until I read the blackboard, that is.

"Truth Potions." That's all it said. That's all it needed to say. I knew at that moment that I was doomed.

Well, ok, maybe not that moment.

I began to piece together the facts of my imminent demise when I was paired with Sirius Black.

Ok, so, maybe I didn't really know yet then, either.

It was more when the assignment sheets were handed out.

That was definitely it.

"1. Interview partner using questions attached.

2. Lie."

Why, do you wonder did we need to answer questions and lie about the answers? Because our professor is absolutely insane. He was going to make us drink the potion! We were going to be interrogated in front of the whole bloody class!

That is how I knew that nothing good could come of the idiotic grin on my idiotic partner's face.

Nothing but humiliation, that is. And that's only good if you're not being humiliated. Which, unfortunately for me, was not the case. I was definitely and utterly humiliated.

I grew suspicious from the moment I saw his idiotic grin. I tried to tell myself that Sirius Black always had an idiotic grin, but it didn't sooth my troubled soul. Not in the least bit.

I, being the wonderful student that I am, followed the directions for Slughorn's little truth party. Sirius asked my parents' profession and I blurted out "Mum's a florist, Dad's a landscaper" (Yeah, right. He'd never guess I was lying, though. My sister and I are named after flowers, for heavens sake.)

"What color are your knickers?"

My head snapped up from where I was doodling little designs on my parchment. "Excuse me?" His idiotic grin grew even bigger.

"Just kidding. What color is your bedroom?"

I gave him my best withering stare, which, unfortunately did not wither him. Not even the slightest, tiny, little bit. Just my luck.

We sat there like madmen and women for a moment. Him grinning like an idiot, me attempting to wither him into nothingness.

It probably would have gone on forever had I not taken control of the situation by giving in and answering his question with a reluctant, "Purple."

Several tedious questions later, it was my turn to play reporter. I dutifully asked my questions and jotted down his answers on my almost completely doodle filled parchment.

I probably wouldn't have been so compliant about the whole situation if I had good grades in divination. I mean, if I would have known what was about to happen, I definitely wouldn't have just played right into it the way I did.

Sometimes being the favorite sucks.

That's all I'm going to say.

If Slughorn hated me, I wouldn't be in this stupid, horrendous situation that I'm in today. That's all there is too it. Really.

He picked me first because he thinks I'm brilliant, or something stupid like that. Clearly, the man is mad.

He was practically dancing in his bloody seat while I drank down that blasted truth potion.

While waiting for it's horrible effects to take over my body, and mostly my tongue, he passed out copies of my answers, you know, so everyone could see what a liar I was. What fun is a truth potion without a little bit of a lie, right?

The utterly insane man instructed me to try and lie when he asked me my name. I couldn't do it. My tongue rebelled against me and spit out "Lily Evans" against my will.

He looked like he was about to burst with excitement. If I would have known then, I probably would have just run out of the classroom until I had completely control of my mouth again. He probably had top marks in divination and knew exactly what was going to happen. Why else would he be so excited?

"Go on, Black. Begin your interrogation!"

I was really starting to panic. People were turning around in their seats to look at us. They were all craning their necks to hear the words that were about to spew forth from my lips.

And I was holding my breath, waiting for the words that were about to spew forth from Black's lips. I was mortified at the thought of everyone knowing what color my knickers were! A girls' under-things shouldn't be discussed in a dungeon full of people, after all.

"Where were you born?"

What? I almost wanted to ask him to repeat himself. I thought I heard wrong. Of course, I couldn't ask him because the only thing that I could say was "London."

Everyone looked dutifully down at my answers. One point honest Lily.

"What do your parents do for a living?"

What? Was he serious? He was sticking to the script! I was beginning to feel a little more at ease as I heard myself mutter "Mum's an accountant, Dad's a bank manager."

Slughorn let out a huge bellowing laugh. "She got us all on that one! I thought for sure her answer was true."

"What color is your room?"

"Yellow."

This was going to be ok! There was only one more question, after all. He couldn't botch up too badly now. Surely he wouldn't string me along for all those questions and then get me at the end.

Surely.

"Do you fancy James Potter?"

Several people in the crowd began giggling.

Oh no.

No bloody way.

What a traitor!

I trusted him!

In my head, I was screaming out "No! No you bloody moron! No I don't fancy James Potter!"

In my mouth, however…

Well, that was quite a different thing, now wasn't it?

That's the funny thing about a truth potion. You can fight it and fight it until you are blue in the face and your mouth, your own tongue and teeth and lips are still going to betray you. What you say in your head just doesn't matter.

I was already out of my seat before the word ever even started bubbling in my throat, before my vocal chords even began to vibrate. I was grabbing my things and stuffing them into my bag, fighting back that urge to open my mouth as if my very life depended on it.

That stupid grinning idiot.

That was the last thing I thought before the word slipped out of my mouth and I turned on my heel, sprinting for my life.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed. At least one more part to come (maybe two?). It really depends on of a few of my ridiculous ideas pan out. Let me know what you think!