James

"Can any of you tell me the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane? Mr.

Potter?"

Of course, Remus was first to put his hand up, but Professor Slughorn called on

me instead. It wasn't like the bloke was trying to embarrass me knowing that I

didn't know the answers, he just sincerely hoped that I did know them. I looked

at Remus for help, but he refused to look me in the eye. He was still mad

because I was invited to join the Slug Club instead of him, even though he was

clever and I was practically useless.

"Well, Professor," I said, clearing my throat, "the difference between wolfshood

and monksbane is that the former is poisonous and the latter is an antidote." I

tried to make my answer sound clever so I wouldn't seem like a complete twat,

but I couldn't help going red in the face when the lousy Ravenclaw students

began snickering. I looked at Peter and Sirius. Sirius was grinning, no doubt

thinking up a trunk load of insults to torture me with later, and Peter seemed

confused as to what half the class was laughing at.

I turned my attention back to Professor Slughorn and saw Remus shaking his head

out of the corner of my eye. He was acting quite crude lately. Professor

Slughorn looked disappointed, and manuevered his gaze to a sassy Ravenclaw girl

who spoke her answer as if reading it from a texbook, all while staring directly

at me.

"Professor, there is no difference between MONKSHOOD and WOLFSBANE. They are the

same herb, which also goes by the name of aconite. It is also the main

ingredient in the Wolfsbane potion, which allows a werewolf to keep its mind

during its transformation."

"Very good, Miss Carlisle. Ten points to Ravenclaw," said Professor Slughorn.

"Now, if you'll all turn to page 326, we can begin the next lesson..."

I decided I'd glare at Victoria Carlisle for the rest of the lesson. I missed a

few things from the lesson, including what it was about and what our homework

assignment was, but that's what I had Remus for. I didn't even realize class had

ended until Sirius tapped my shoulder.

"Ready to go, mate?" he asked. "We've got study hour next. Jonathan Devigio from

Hufflepuff said he'd face you in a game of wizard's chess."

"Count me in!" I said as the four of us, Remus, Sirius, Peter and I walked out

into the corridor. "I'll send him crying home to his mum."

"Please, James, you haven't been able to beat even me at wizard's chess yet,

what makes you think you can destroy the Hufflepuff champion?"

"Remus, Remus, Remus," I said, draping my arm over his shoulders and looking him

in the eye. "I'm James Potter. I've beaten Cory Finch and Bentley Stephens at

Quidditch every game we've ever played."

"Those are only the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff chasers," said Peter. "You were

beat by Martin VanHoussen of Slytherin just last year."

"Yeah, but I'll get him next weekend. Mark my words, gentlemen, Slytherin will

NOT be going to the finals this year."

"Don't be so dramatic," said Remus.

"Would you like to put that in writing, then?" asked Sirius as we walked into

the Great Hall. "We can all bet on the teams going to finals. It can be fun,

what say you guys?"

"I'm in. Grab a piece of parchment, put me down for five galleons. I say it'll

be Gryffindor versus Ravenvlaw. How about you, Remus?"

"I'm not sure I'd like to bet."

"I'll bet eight sickels on Hufflepuff versus Ravenclaw," said Peter. "They both

have excellent keepers, not to mention Hufflepuff's got Allan McClinsky as team

captain."

"Thanks for having faith in me, Pete. Right pal you are," I said with a smirk. I

was only joking, but Peter never quite catches on to sarcasm.

"All right," said Sirius, who was writing names down. "I'll put four galleons on

Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. You sure you don't want in, Remus?"

"He has to. It won't be fair if it's just the three of us," I said, then added

with a grin, "Besides, he wouldn't want to be known as chicken."

"Fine," said Remus reluctantly. "I'll put in nine sickels, five knuts. I say it'll be Gryffindor versus Slytherin."

"Brilliant!" I said. "I'll add my galleons to the box after dinner. I've got

some chess to play."

"Can I watch?" Peter asked.

"Yeah, I suppose. What are you guys going to do?"

Sirius and Remus turned to face each other then looked back at me.

"I'm going to get a head start on my homework," said Remus.

"And I've got Simon Witherby waiting in the Transfiguration courtyard to play

Gobstones," Sirius replied. "Catch you later then, James."

"Bye," I said, adding a quick nod in Remus's direction. For a moment it seemed

as though they were hiding something, but the thought passed just as soon as it

had come, so I shrugged it off and walked over to the Hufflepuff table where

Jonathan Devigio sat waiting.