Chapter seven: it's hardly magic!
A/n: truly forgive the lateness of this fic I am truly sorry. Enjoy it and review please.
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"Alright class," Slughorn's heavy voice greeted the eleven year old Slytherins and Gryffindors, "as this is our first class together, I wanted to try something fun! So we're going to start with the Dirty-No-More potion." He grinned and waved his wand to get the instructions on the board.
Severus sneered. That was hardly difficult. In fact he doubted it could be called a potion at all. Just some silly little housewife's concoction to get rid of the stains on her kids' clothes.
"My mom would love to have some of this stuff!" Lily, his partner in every shared class, exclaimed.
Severus couldn't help but smile at the joy his love was expressing. "I suppose. But it's quite the simple potion to brew. Slughorn should give us something much harder and intriguing than some cleaning solution."
Lily tucked back a lock of hair. "Easy for you Sev, but that's only because you're so brilliant." She gave him a grin and Severus smiled back. "Now shush, I want to hear what he says."
Snape nodded and started to prepare some of the ingredients whilst keeping one ear out toward anything old sluggy had to say.
Unfortunately it was nothing on the potion (not that there was much to say about it) but more on the creator who turned quite successful and rich from making it.
Severus shook his head. This was the reason why never like Horace Slughorn all that much. The man cared more about making connections than teaching the art.
He glanced around the classroom and sneered in James Potter's direction; now that he was studying with him again he noticed that his son, Harry, wasn't at all like him. Oh, he was still an arrogant little boy who thought rules were above him but he wasn't as vain or as selfish as his father.
He turned his head away when he saw him whispering to Lupin about something or another and his gaze turned to the unassuming shy Gryffindor rat, Peter Pettigrew.
Snape smirked when the rat stared his way for a second before hastily turning away at seeing his expression. Oh, how he loved seeing the fear on the traitor's face. Black, he noticed haven't taken to Pettigrew as he had the previous time line, though, he chucked it up to Black not wishing to play nice with the other Gryffindors now that he was in a different house.
Though, even from an outsider's point of view, Peter Pettigrew was a pathetic worm. It truly sickened Severus every time he saw Wormtail gushing over Potter and taking his words as gospel. And not because of the fact the potter's words were hardly gospel material, but more due to Peter Pettigrew being a wormless rat that can't do anything by itself and….
His musings were cut off when a small explosion occurred and when the smoke dispersed, Wormtail was covered in several small burns and a couple of boils. Turning his gaze around, Severus' eyes fell on the smirking figure of Sirius Black and he wondered what the boy would have said if he knew that in another life he was best friend with the same boy he bullied.
"Oh dear me," The old man paused as he surveyed the damage. "No harm done but best go to Madam Lewis just in case." Peter whimpered and slowly moved to the door. "Perkins, clean that mess up, will you?" Slughorn ordered one of the kids and went back to his lecture as if nothing happened.
"Poor kid, I bet it hurts." Lily whispered and Severus shrugged. He wasn't going to tell Evens that he didn't give a damn if Pettigrew died- quite the shame he didn't.
"Still, interesting class. Potions really is everything you said it will be." Lily gushed out as they started packing everything up.
"You'll just wait. What we did right now, that was nothing but in a few years....oh you have no idea what you'll learn! Cleaning solutions will seem like a joke when we get older and the amount will learn…." Severus spoke passionately and Lily grinned.
"Well until we do I'm going to do everything in my power to be just as good in it as you are."
Severus would have commented something abut how she would succeed without a doubt when he was shoved from behind.
Turning around he saw that it was Sirius who was responsible for it but not on purpose. It seemed that Potter pushed him from behind, causing the boy to fall and hit Severus.
"You did it, didn't you Black?" Potter spat out and Severus sighed when he saw the crowd of first years gathering around to watch.
"Did what James?" Sirius spoke, still sitting on the floor and staring up at his best friend.
"You made Peter blow up that cauldron, didn't you? And don't lie." James glared and Sirius shook his head. "Did you see me doing anything to him?"
James paused. "No. but I know you did it."
"How?"
"What?"
"How do you know? Are you a seer? Or a psychic? Can you read minds or something?" Sirius asked and sounded genuinely interested. Several kids laughed.
"What? No! Of course not!"
"Then unless you know it was indeed me that did it don't say such things." Sirius huffed and got off the floor. "Hey Remus." he grinned to the boy standing nearby. The amber-eyed wolf ducked his head shyly but nonetheless repeated the greeting. "Sirius."
James Potter glared. "Come on Remus we're going." he spat and pulled the smaller kid away.
"Bye Remus!" Sirius called out and Remus flushed and waved goodbye. "Snape, Lily." Sirius nodded as the crowd dispersed. "How are you flower?" He grinned at the red head and Lily blushed not unlike Remus. "Fine Sirius, do you have detention today?"
Sirius nodded with a grin. "Alas I do and I honestly don't know why!" Lily shook her head.
"I'm sure you do. Still, you should make sure to behave the next few days if you want to study together."
Sirius nodded much to Severus' chagrin. "I know. And I'll try to behave. Anyway, got to go I have a letter to send before I leave for detention."
"Annoying mutt." Severus muttered and Lily rolled her eyes. "He isn't as bad as you make him out to be, Severus. And his questions are really funny and thought provoking."
"Lily! He asked the Harbology professor if she breast-feed the mandrake babies!" Lily snickered at that and Severus found his lip twitch in amusement.
"Well, it is a legitimate question! They are babies!" She giggled loudly and Severus almost rolled his eyes. "That boy is nothing but trouble! And is a disgrace to Slytherin house." He huffed as he and Lily started walking again. "Should have been in Gryffindor instead."
"Oh no I quite like the house points to stay as they are, thank you very much." she said, pointing out the fact that Slytherin house didn't have any points left.
Severus scowled at the reminder.
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It was late at night and Sirius hummed quietly as he walked down the dungeons to the Slytherin common room. Detention had been a piece of cake what with having to dig up new holes for Madam Rock's plants.
There weren't many students about as curfew was a few minutes close not that Sirius would have cared if there were. Frankly as much as was glad for a second chance in life, he got bored quite easily and his attempts to get James and Remus to be friends with him again were futile that he wondered at times why he still tried.
He sneered when he Snape heading in his direction, no doubt heading to the common room as well. While still aware of his future deeds, there was something about the boy that Sirius didn't like and couldn't stand.
"Looking especially greasy today Snivellus." Sirius called out that hated name effortlessly once the other boy was close enough.
"At least I don't have fleas, Black." Snape spat out in return and both boys froze.
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A/n: finally! I updated. Wow. It's only been a few months.
Looks like the boys finally became aware of the other's presence in time….now what?
I am sorry for the delay, army life is quite hard and taxing and lately I don't have time for anything, I'm on a particularly hard course and as such must study study study or I'll fail and trust me even the diploma I have isn't helping by much as one of the kids proved by failing spectacularly!!!
I will try to update more often as I do enjoy this story but I can't promise.
