I know I know Sirius didn't have Slughorn in the books but I couldn't think of other teachers sorry!
Chapter 10: Send Your Troubles Away
The silence was consuming, Moony's troubled eyes looked distant. His hair fell into his green eyes, though it didn't faze him. I glanced at the clock: two hours till lunch. Blimey, Moony actually saw Severus as a dangerous threat to him. I need to make sure Severus knows of nothing, except the new invention called dandruff shampoo.
"Moons, I solemnly swear Snivellus won't ever find out." I said with all honesty, he didn't buy it though; I wouldn't either if I was him.
"Thanks Sirius." This was serious, he called me Sirius he never really called me Sirius unless he was acting like his fun less and demanding prefect self or when something was actually in a serious manner. Peter James and I had to take care of Severus next time a full moon occurs but how? What could help us blockade Snivellus without severe punishment?
"Moon…Remus; you really are scared, huh?" I asked Moony simply nodded his head delicately as if afraid if his head might fall off if he nodded harder.
"You've never been this afraid before why's that? What's different this time?" These questioned buzzed through my head since he told me he was scared of Severus finding out.
"I've just noticed how close he's coming to finding out the truth of my furry little problem. I'm more terrified of his reaction, he'll notify the parents and then all hell will break loose I can feel it." He explained with a shutter, he clenched his palms. Misery induced eyes that screamed in agony were looking in my direction.
Just then the door opened and in walked Prongs with Wormtail trailing right behind him like usual. Prongs wore his normal mischievous smile and dazzlingly sinister eyes, while Wormtail had his less than enthusiastic smile and he looked like the usual interloper he was. Yes, I just called one of my friends an interloper, he was always looking awkward around Prongs, Moony and I we never understood why but he always did.
"What's wrong, Moony? You look distressed, what did Padfoot do this time?" Prongs asked he loved to blame me when Remus looked upset. Usually I'd laugh and give a sarcastic remark but I looked at him in all seriousness.
"Shut up James." I said with fearful eyes and venom in my voice. The sharpness made me flinch as well as everyone else.
"James… you never call Prongs that unless… what happened Moony?" Peter asked taking a seat on my bed next to Moony.
"He's afraid that Snivellus is close to finding out about him being a werewolf." I chimed in, seeing as Remus looked all too speechless for words.
"I can see why you're scared." James said lying on his bed, probably daydreaming of doing explicit things with a certain Lily Evans who he has been trying to woe for the past two years. He will never learn that she doesn't deserve him.
"What are we going to do?" I asked with a questioning tone.
"Hey, Padfoot come with me for a sec will you?" Prongs asked leaping from his bed. I looked confused but didn't fight him, I knew better than to argue with James. I joined him in the stairwell that led to the Gryffindor common room and the other male dormitories.
"I have a plan to get rid of Severus." Prongs said with an evil cackle.
"We're not going to kill him Prongs."
"I know that, bloody hell I can't afford an expulsion at the present moment." His voice echoed on the stone walls.
"So what's this plan of yours?"
"The day of a full moon, we will trap Severus inside one of the abandoned classrooms using a Trapping hex. I know a hex already that can get the job done." He said with accomplishment, I was impressed that he had done the research before even telling me.
"Bullocks James, you actually worked on something other than trying to win a shag from Lily Evans I'm impressed." I grinned; he punched me gently in the shoulder. He couldn't cover the fact that I was correct, one day I hope with all my life that Lily will stop being arrogant and agree to accompany him to grab a butter beer, surely I will go mental if I have to hear about her brilliance and luscious hair.
"Shut it Pads, I don't want to just shag her I also want to hold her in my arms and…" He started but I gagged selfishly, I didn't deserve to be punished by James's sappy thoughts and feelings. Blokes do not share their feelings with other blokes that's how it goes.
"Oh now don't be getting sappy on me now Prongs."
"So what do you think about my excellent and fool proof plan?"
"Fool proof? I see many holes in this plan but we can correct them by the next lunar cycle." I announced although Prongs didn't seem happy that I saw flaws to his plan but quite frankly they're obvious to any living being.
"I have to go see Professor Slughorn, come with?" He asked, I accepted since that was my next class and didn't need more ear-deafening silence with the awkward werewolf bloke or the buck toothed boy either. Potions didn't start for another hour and a half and both Prongs and I know that Professor Slughorn doesn't have an earlier Potions class. We started down the corridor and into the very wide and high ceilinged hall. Prongs turns to me with a look of brotherly concern.
"So what's with you and Moony, last year you two were always together inseparable now you can't even avoid silence when you two are in the same room. This started before Moony became paranoid about Severus, are you two fighting?" Prongs asked but I shook my head, we started for the Slytherin tower which to our dislike Potions was near. Prongs gently knocked on the wooden door that led into the Potions chamber, which had a small opening to reveal the eyes of the Potions professor, Professor Slughorn. He had piercing green eyes and wrinkles bone deep embedded themselves near his forehead and jaw line.
"Ah good morning Professor Slughorn." Prongs said with a suck up tone, not like that surprised me he always acted like this in front of Professors.
"Ah good morning James and Sirius, and what do I owe such delightfully bright student of mine?" He said with elderly smile.
"Professor I was wondering if you could show me how to make a weak love potion." He said with a disguised look on his face that made it difficult to read any emotion.
"Ah well come on in you two." He flung the door open and revealed a chunky stubby man with short graying black hair; he wore his usual casual black robe with a solid green tee shirt and black trousers. The first thing you notice when you step inside is there aren't any windows…ironic much? Are they expecting us to die by inhaling some toxic fume?
"To start a weak love Potion, you must first pick off three rose petals." He said retrieving a rose from one of the vases that was sitting on his desk. Prongs touched the thorn-less part of the rose and with such care began to remove a single petal. He acted like he was in a life or death situation. Each petal laid beautifully on the slate cold tabletop.
"Now pour two liters of this red wine here into the cauldron. Luckily I already had measured two liters before your arrival. " Professor Slughorn handed James a bucket of blood like fluid. James poured the bucket carefully, trying not to cause any spills or messes.
"Excellent, now I want you to cut a piece of ginseng into nine different slices each must be proportional to the others." Prongs was handed some ginseng, who knew he could be so careful usually he tips cauldrons with a turn of a head. He was as skilled at Potions as I was, not that I'm jealous or anything, James was barely competition. With a small cutting knife, James made eight small incisions into the root like object. James made a motion with his hands asking Professor Slughorn if he should place them into the red wine, Slughorn nodded slightly.
"Outstanding my boy, now you must place five drops of vanilla extract into the cauldron, which should cause the potion to turn a pinkish color." Slughorn said handing him a dark flask from the ingredients cabinet. James squeezed black drops into the cauldron, which caused a chemical reaction and the potion turned a pastel pink.
"Well done, now place the petals into the cauldron and turn the burner onto low. Stir clockwise for two minutes and then counter clockwise for five minutes." James clasped his hand on the knob that controlled the flame on the burners; he placed the cauldron onto the burner and began to stir with a wooden spoon.
About 10 minutes later, Slughorn looked at Prong's cauldron and examined the potion after careful observation, he turned to James.
"This is… brilliant! You're potion is perfect, now may I ask why you wanted to know how to brew this?" Slughorn looked suspiciously at him; streams of sweat began to flow down Prong's cheeks. "Who's the lady?" He added with a chuckle.
"Lily Evans." He blurted.
"Ah Lily Evans, she is a fine young woman, normally I would be forbidden to allow such a potion to exit my classroom but for one of my exceptional students I shall make this our little secret." He chuckled, placing a ladle into the potion and pouring it into an empty flask, which he corked.
"Ah very well class will start in five minutes so I suggest you two get your books from the cupboard and take your seats." He suggested, turning the burner off and disposed the rest of the concoction. The bell rang and the chatter of students became louder and noisier. Time for another lesson.