(A/N)Please, please, please, please, please, please, please REVIEW!!…thank you…= ) And thank you to my first reviewer, Antoniaeast. Peace, folks!

Chapter 5: Potions

Sirius, James, Remus and Illiar came skidding into the potions classroom just as the bell rang. The teacher stood at the front, glaring at them.

"Go! Take a seat now," he said, annoyed.

Illiar grimaced and took a seat next to Sirius. James and Remus sat behind them, and Peter sat in an empty chair next to another Gryffindor. The Slytherins watched them with cold eyes.

"It would serve you well in the future to get here sooner," the professor growled. "My name is Professor Brilen, and here in the dungeons I will teach you the precise art of potion brewing. You cannot get by in this class purely on magical talent. In fact, you will have no need for your wands at all."

Brilen had short, light brown hair, and beady dark eyes. He wasn't tall, or short, but stood looking intimidating anyway. His nose was off-sided a bit, and his complexion was a touch pale.

Sirius nudged Illiar and passed him a note.

Ill-

What was that look on McGonagall's face for when we left?

Illiar took out his quill quietly, keeping an eye on Brilen, and answered:

Sir-

I went back for my quill, and when I reached my hand out, it came to me on its own: like, floated into my hand…

He slid the note back, and Illiar saw Sirius' eyes widen as he read.

Ill-

Wandless magic?

Sir-

You're going to tell me that's not normal, aren't you? Yes, that's what happened. It just came naturally, though. I didn't try to do it!

Ill-

You're just really powerful…we'll figure you out, don't you worry ;)

Illiar sighed as he read Sirius' last note. Yeah, I need to figure myself out, and yes, you can help, but I need to keep my origin a secret in the process.

"Mr. Ainet," came Brilen's rough voice. Illiar started, and turned to the professor, who looked pretty angry. Great, now two teachers hate me… "Sorry, am I boring you? Perhaps you already know this. Tell me, what is the magical element in Dragon's blood?" (A/N- I'm making this up)

"Their-" Illiar paused, and Brilen grinned, knowing he had caught the boy. But somehow this sounded strangely familiar to Illiar and was growing more so by the second. There were Dragons in my land…now what was special about them…? He took a guess. "Immortality."

Brilen frowned, and the frown turned into a sneer. "Think you know everything, don't you?" Illiar's eyes widened. He didn't want another teacher to hate him. He'd only answered his question! "Well, then you'll have no trouble writing up an essay on Dragon's blood. One and a half feet."

There was an outburst of argument from the Gryffindors, most loudly by Sirius ("What do you think you're tryin' to pull? That's a scam!"), and Illiar knew his own jaw had dropped and he was staring at Brilen.

"Enough! Quiet, or you'll get the same assignment," the professor snapped. As an afterthought he added, "Five points from Gryffindor."

Sirius now looked at Brilen like he was about ready to kill the man, and Illiar could imagine his own face looked the same way.

"If we could now move on," Brilen glared at Illiar as he said this.

"Why the little-"

Illiar elbowed Sirius, giving him a look that said, 'Leave it alone.' Sirius growled, but kept quiet, frowning.

"Into your cauldrons I would like you all to at least attempt to make this simple potion. Now I understand most of you will fail even this, simplest…but I will make worthy students of you yet."

Ingredients and directions appeared on the board at the flick of Brilen's wand, and the nervous students around Illiar immediately got to work.

"I can't believe that arse," Sirius started. "But maybe I can. He is the head of Slytherin."

"I have a plan, but we have to finish our potions first," said Illiar.

"What?" Then the grin that characterized Sirius oh-so-well split across his face. "Tell me. I want to help."

"Do your potion. Just wait."

"That seems impossible for Sirius," James broke in.

"Very amusing, Potter," said Sirius sarcastically.

Illiar began slicing ingredients to the right sizes, and couldn't help but feel this was a useless and meaningless subject for him. There's nothing so magical about this… True, these ingredients were special with magical properties…He had zoned out, and was staring into space when Sirius nudged him. Illiar started and turned to glare at Sirius and ask 'what?' when he saw Sirius' warning look. Brilen, from his desk, was watching him.

"Get to work," Illiar whispered, returning to his pointless potion.

He was once again bored within seconds, and poured the first half of his potion into his cauldron. Illiar stared at the rest of his unfinished potion, and wished it were done already so he could get on with his plan for Brilen. He was so light-headed at that moment, both from boredom and Brilen that he pointed his hand at his potion with a sarcastic thought of doing 'wandless' magic to get the darn thing done. Illiar sighed and brought his hand down, knowing he musty look like an idiot. He went for his knife to start chopping when he glanced inside his cauldron. He cursed.

"Holy shit."

It was a light green, with small bubbles poking up. Just like the finished potion was supposed to be.

"What did you end up screwing up, Ainet?" growled Brilen as he stalked over.

The professor took one look in the cauldron and frowned more. Illiar silently sighed, expecting a reprimand or something of the like he got from McGonagall. Nervously, he looked around at the class, which was staring at him, and noticed that one particular greasy-haired Slytherin was glaring at him with disgust.

But with a "humph," the professor only took a sample of the potion and went back to his desk, signaling the rest of the class to continue. Then the greasy Slytherin raised his hand, calling that he was also finished. This time Brilen smiled (the first one Illiar had seen from him) as he collected the boy's potion.

"Excellent, Severus. You have the makings of a Potions Master. Good focus."

Sirius snorted and muttered, "Sniveling suck-up," before returning to face a still stunned Illiar.

"D-did you see what I did?"

"Um…you got away with swearing in front of Brilen?"

"No! My potion; what I did to it," said Illiar.

"What did you…You mean you changed it? Magically?" Sirius' voice was a whisper.

"Yeah…" Illiar's eyes were wide and worried.

**

Sirius shook his head slightly, a small mischievous, disbelieving grin playing at his features. Illiar slumped his head in his hands. Sirius looked at the boy, and found his concern growing. Here was this muggleborn who knew nothing of the magical world, and now he was over his head in mysterious, abnormal powers.

He directed his gaze to the greasy-haired Slytherin who was glaring at them with a look of smug triumph. What was his name? Severus? More like Snivellus. Sirius got a growing plan in his head, and lifted his wand preparing to hex him. But which one to use? he thought curiously.

Ah, he knew. He whispered a few choice words and Severus began squirming. Pretty soon worms were visible coming out of his robes. The boy stood, letting out a shriek. The class roared, and Sirius nudged Illiar. He looked up and grinned at the sight. Illiar pulled out his own wand and in the commotion changed the directions written on the board.

**

When Severus regained himself he turned to Illiar and Sirius. His glare was full of loathing, and it only made the boys laugh harder. But then Professor Brilen barked at the class to be quiet. He stood livid behind his desk.

"Mr. Snape!" he turned to Severus. "What's the cause of this?"

Snape blinked and turned to a pair of boys. He pointed, "They did it, Professor."

"Wrong," said Sirius calmly. There was still a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. "It was only me. Don't credit that wonderful work to anyone else!"

"Mr. Black!" exclaimed Brilen. "I knew you'd be trouble the moment you were sorted-" Illiar was curious about this statement "-detention Friday night!"

Sirius only shrugged, unfased.

"What are you looking at? Back to work!" the professor shouted.

The class finished their potions, but, (unknown to Brilen), by the changed directions that now sat on the board. By the end of class, cauldrons were exploding all over the room. The bell rang just in time (and about time too). Illiar and Sirius shot out of the room, hearing Brilen's frustrated and exasperating cries behind them. James, Remus and Peter caught up with them and it was all they could do not to collapse from laughter. "He messed with the wrong guys," Sirius had said. It had been both the worst and best class of the day, Illiar finally decided.

Next will come nightmares and visions…but not just for Illiar. Read on, and please review! I feel terribly lonely.