Why Love Potions Are Bad
Chapter Three
By Alicia Jennings
~
"I wondered when I'd be seeing you, Mr. Black," said Dumbledore, smiling, as he sat in a chair opposite of Sirius in McGonagall's office. "What seems to be troubling you? Would it have anything to do with Mr. Snape's declarations of love to the fair Miss Evans?"
"Err...yessir," said Sirius, looking at the floor.
"Would you care to explain, young man?" asked Dumbledore. For the first time in days, Sirius felt comfortable about telling how he pulled his prank. He told Dumbledore everything...dumping the ingredients, getting lost in the blizzard, and how James, Remus, and Peter were about to kick his butt.
Dumbledore nodded when Sirius finished his tale. "Sirius, Love Potions are very dangerous things to mess with. And strong ones are not meant to be used in pranks. I trust you will never go messing around with them again. You've most likely already altered the future with this one."
Sirius gulped. Quite audibly. "Is there anything I can do, Professor?"
Dumbledore nodded, drawing forth a half-full vial of red liquid. "This is a hate potion, Sirius. These also are not meant for pranks. This is just enough for Severus to stop liking Lily. Put one of Lily's hairs in it, then slip it into his pumpkin juice at dinner."
"Thank you, Professor," said Sirius, his shoulders relaxing. He'd set things right in just a few hours.
~~
Lily, James, Remus, Peter, Joelle, Paralee, and Sarah-Anne were quite hungry by the time dinnertime rolled around. Lily plopped down at the end of the Gryffindor table, James and Remus on either side of her.
"Who's missing?" she asked, glancing around.
James, meanwhile, had launched into a quidditch story.
"It was last year when we played against Slytherin...oh, it was so cold that day....I thought my broom was going to freeze up...It was an hour or so into the game..."
"Err...James?"
"Anyways, I had just seen the snitch! I knew that I needed to catch it so the game would end because Remus here, our Keeper, had just been ousted by a Bludger. So, I go into this magnificent dive -"
"James? Umm..."
"And I could feel the Snitch in my hand...and that Slytherin beater...y'know, that Lucius Malfoy character...he whacks my arm with his club! So -"
"James!" Lily nearly shouted.
James stopped in the midst of his Quidditch tale. "Yes?"
"Where's Sirius?"
"Why should I care?" James asked. Then Lily gave him a meaningful look. "Oh. He might be pulling another prank."
"Exac'ly," said Sarah-Anne.
"Is that him over there?" asked Joelle, pointing under the Slytherin table. A figure was huddled under Severus Snape's usual spot. As they watched, he snuck Snape's goblet off the table and poured a small vial of liquid into the juice. He swirled the cup a bit, much like a wine taster would do, then sat it back up on the table, unnoticed. Quietly, he snuck away.
"If he's at it again..." said Paralee, her teeth clenched, "I swear, I'll hurt him so bad he'll never have children."
"You and me both," said Lily.
"Count me in as well," said James, his eyes following the sure-to-be Sirius figure come towards the Gryffindor table.
It was at that time that Severus Snape came walking - rather, waltzing - into the Great Hall. He stopped and rather showily made his way toward the Gryffindor table.
"Lillian, my dear," he said, bowing to Lily, "You look simply ravishing."
"Thank you," she said rather stiffly.
Snape stood to his full height. "Would you do me the honor of sitting with me this dinner hour?"
"She's a Gryffindor," said Remus, "So she has to sit at the Gryffindor table."
"On the contrary," said a voice, "Students can't be segregated into their houses. They choose to sit at their house tables, they aren't punished if they don't."
It was Sirius. Lily opened her mouth to protest loudly, but Sirius then did something strange. He pretended to scratch his head in thought - but held out his small finger while doing so. The sign of the Marauders.
James began, "Sirius you great pr-", but before he could finish, Lily punched his shoulder and interrupted him.
"Severus, that would be lovely. It's a small way that I can repay you for saving my life and the lives of my friends yesterday." He held out an arm, and she wrapped hers around it. As they walked past Sirius, he whispered to her, "Pumpkin juice." She gave a curt nod and continued on.
"What are you bloody playing at?!?!" James exploded as Sirius sat down.
"You'll see," said Sirius calmly. "You have to trust me and Dumbledore."
"This bloody well better be good," said James, taking a sip of his pumpkin juice.
~~
As Lily sat down next to Snape at the Slytherin table, she'd never been so uncomfortable in all of her thirteen years of life. She was sandwiched between Snape and Lucius Malfoy. Some of the Slytherins looked at her briefly then went back to her meals. Others glared at her in contempt. She barely touched the meal she'd been so hungry for before.
"So, my dear, what would you think of going to Hogsmeade next weekend."
"Umm...ahh...studying...I need to study for my History of Magic exam," she stammered. "So very sorry."
"It is all right. We can study together," said Snape, eating his meal. He hadn't taken one sip of his pumpkin juice. Lily cursed silently. Snape finished eating quickly, making small talk about grades and Hogsmeade. "My sweet, what is wrong?" he asked, brushing her bangs out of her eyes.
*I won't scream,* she thought silently. "Oh, just feeling a bit puny, that's all. I'll be fine." She reached for her goblet, but it was empty.
"Oh, you are out of pumpkin juice. I will go get some more for you," he said, taking the goblet and walking to the nearest pitcher.
Lucius Malfoy turned towards her. "Well, since little Sevvy is gone, I guess I have you all to myself."
"And why, Malfoy, would I want to be with you?" she snapped. She sent a pleading look towards James and Sirius. Remus was restraining James, and Sirius was mouthing to her, "You have to stay and make sure he drinks it!"
"You might like me after a while," he said, leaning closer to her ear. She felt his hand on her thigh, underneath her skirt. "I'm quite gentle...and as I'm three years older than you, experienced."
She reached down for his hand, as if to hold it. He looked pleased, but that look turned to pain as she twisted it painfully. "I guess I'm not so gentle, Malfoy," she said calmly.
He glared at her. "I won't forget this, Mudblood."
"I hope you don't," she said, glaring back at him. She glanced toward the Gryffindors. The girls were now having to restrain all four boys. "Ahh, Severus. Thank you so much for the pumpkin juice. It seems especially good tonight." She made a dramatic look towards his goblet. "And you haven't drank any of yours! Come, let us make a toast."
"To what?" asked Snape.
"To...to..." She again glanced towards the Gryffindors, to James and Sirius. "To Quidditch! May we have a...er...good season."
"To Quidditch," said Snape, as they clinked goblets.
Lily downed hers quickly, and he did the same. She jumped up as soon as she was finished. "Well! So sorry to rush, but I must be going. Thank you for your company." She nearly ran from the Great Hall, and the rest of the circle did the same.
James gave her a great big hug. "Congrats, Lil. No more Snape."
"Thank God," she said, with conviction. "Sirius, what did you put in his pumpkin juice?"
"Hate Potion," said Sirius. "Just enough to counteract the love potion. Although he might dislike you slightly from now on."
"That's fine with me," said Lily. She grinned at Sirius. "Thanks."
"Forgive me?" he asked hopefully.
"Of course," she said, enveloping him in a hug. "I say we go to the Astronomy Tower and play some Exploding Snap. Who's with me?"
A chorus of "Me! Me!" prevailed, and the young teenagers headed for the empty Astronomy Tower, or Make-Out Capital, as Sirius called it.
~~
"And that, young Harry, is why love potions are bad," said an adult Sirius, to a small baby he held in his lap. Lily Potter and James Potter laughed aloud at the retelling of their school days.
"Don't mess with 'em," said Lily, taking Harry from Sirius' lap. "Terrible things. I got so much grief from that you wouldn't believe." She made a face at the baby, and Harry laughed.
James chuckled. "And who woulda figured that we'd let him be our son's godfather."
"Lord above help," said Sirius. " 'Course, I have given him the warning on love potions. If he ever does what I did....well, it's not my fault."
"Right," said Lily, drawing forth a book, titled Potions for Everyday Mischief. "I suppose that's why I found this in my son's room."
Sirius shrugged. "Love potions are bad indeed, but wherever would we be without that potion that turned Lucius Malfoy's hair blue?" He grinned broadly.
~~
Severus Snape, now the Professor of Potions at Hogwarts, looked distastefully at the fourth year student, Harry Potter. So much like his father.
He wondered...why...he hated James so much. He had quidditch skills, yes. He was handsome, yes. But...why did he have that twinge of jealousy? Was it because of Lily?
He supposed...he would never know.
~THE END!~
A/N - Sorry it took me so long to finish!!! Please review! *Alicia*
Chapter Three
By Alicia Jennings
~
"I wondered when I'd be seeing you, Mr. Black," said Dumbledore, smiling, as he sat in a chair opposite of Sirius in McGonagall's office. "What seems to be troubling you? Would it have anything to do with Mr. Snape's declarations of love to the fair Miss Evans?"
"Err...yessir," said Sirius, looking at the floor.
"Would you care to explain, young man?" asked Dumbledore. For the first time in days, Sirius felt comfortable about telling how he pulled his prank. He told Dumbledore everything...dumping the ingredients, getting lost in the blizzard, and how James, Remus, and Peter were about to kick his butt.
Dumbledore nodded when Sirius finished his tale. "Sirius, Love Potions are very dangerous things to mess with. And strong ones are not meant to be used in pranks. I trust you will never go messing around with them again. You've most likely already altered the future with this one."
Sirius gulped. Quite audibly. "Is there anything I can do, Professor?"
Dumbledore nodded, drawing forth a half-full vial of red liquid. "This is a hate potion, Sirius. These also are not meant for pranks. This is just enough for Severus to stop liking Lily. Put one of Lily's hairs in it, then slip it into his pumpkin juice at dinner."
"Thank you, Professor," said Sirius, his shoulders relaxing. He'd set things right in just a few hours.
~~
Lily, James, Remus, Peter, Joelle, Paralee, and Sarah-Anne were quite hungry by the time dinnertime rolled around. Lily plopped down at the end of the Gryffindor table, James and Remus on either side of her.
"Who's missing?" she asked, glancing around.
James, meanwhile, had launched into a quidditch story.
"It was last year when we played against Slytherin...oh, it was so cold that day....I thought my broom was going to freeze up...It was an hour or so into the game..."
"Err...James?"
"Anyways, I had just seen the snitch! I knew that I needed to catch it so the game would end because Remus here, our Keeper, had just been ousted by a Bludger. So, I go into this magnificent dive -"
"James? Umm..."
"And I could feel the Snitch in my hand...and that Slytherin beater...y'know, that Lucius Malfoy character...he whacks my arm with his club! So -"
"James!" Lily nearly shouted.
James stopped in the midst of his Quidditch tale. "Yes?"
"Where's Sirius?"
"Why should I care?" James asked. Then Lily gave him a meaningful look. "Oh. He might be pulling another prank."
"Exac'ly," said Sarah-Anne.
"Is that him over there?" asked Joelle, pointing under the Slytherin table. A figure was huddled under Severus Snape's usual spot. As they watched, he snuck Snape's goblet off the table and poured a small vial of liquid into the juice. He swirled the cup a bit, much like a wine taster would do, then sat it back up on the table, unnoticed. Quietly, he snuck away.
"If he's at it again..." said Paralee, her teeth clenched, "I swear, I'll hurt him so bad he'll never have children."
"You and me both," said Lily.
"Count me in as well," said James, his eyes following the sure-to-be Sirius figure come towards the Gryffindor table.
It was at that time that Severus Snape came walking - rather, waltzing - into the Great Hall. He stopped and rather showily made his way toward the Gryffindor table.
"Lillian, my dear," he said, bowing to Lily, "You look simply ravishing."
"Thank you," she said rather stiffly.
Snape stood to his full height. "Would you do me the honor of sitting with me this dinner hour?"
"She's a Gryffindor," said Remus, "So she has to sit at the Gryffindor table."
"On the contrary," said a voice, "Students can't be segregated into their houses. They choose to sit at their house tables, they aren't punished if they don't."
It was Sirius. Lily opened her mouth to protest loudly, but Sirius then did something strange. He pretended to scratch his head in thought - but held out his small finger while doing so. The sign of the Marauders.
James began, "Sirius you great pr-", but before he could finish, Lily punched his shoulder and interrupted him.
"Severus, that would be lovely. It's a small way that I can repay you for saving my life and the lives of my friends yesterday." He held out an arm, and she wrapped hers around it. As they walked past Sirius, he whispered to her, "Pumpkin juice." She gave a curt nod and continued on.
"What are you bloody playing at?!?!" James exploded as Sirius sat down.
"You'll see," said Sirius calmly. "You have to trust me and Dumbledore."
"This bloody well better be good," said James, taking a sip of his pumpkin juice.
~~
As Lily sat down next to Snape at the Slytherin table, she'd never been so uncomfortable in all of her thirteen years of life. She was sandwiched between Snape and Lucius Malfoy. Some of the Slytherins looked at her briefly then went back to her meals. Others glared at her in contempt. She barely touched the meal she'd been so hungry for before.
"So, my dear, what would you think of going to Hogsmeade next weekend."
"Umm...ahh...studying...I need to study for my History of Magic exam," she stammered. "So very sorry."
"It is all right. We can study together," said Snape, eating his meal. He hadn't taken one sip of his pumpkin juice. Lily cursed silently. Snape finished eating quickly, making small talk about grades and Hogsmeade. "My sweet, what is wrong?" he asked, brushing her bangs out of her eyes.
*I won't scream,* she thought silently. "Oh, just feeling a bit puny, that's all. I'll be fine." She reached for her goblet, but it was empty.
"Oh, you are out of pumpkin juice. I will go get some more for you," he said, taking the goblet and walking to the nearest pitcher.
Lucius Malfoy turned towards her. "Well, since little Sevvy is gone, I guess I have you all to myself."
"And why, Malfoy, would I want to be with you?" she snapped. She sent a pleading look towards James and Sirius. Remus was restraining James, and Sirius was mouthing to her, "You have to stay and make sure he drinks it!"
"You might like me after a while," he said, leaning closer to her ear. She felt his hand on her thigh, underneath her skirt. "I'm quite gentle...and as I'm three years older than you, experienced."
She reached down for his hand, as if to hold it. He looked pleased, but that look turned to pain as she twisted it painfully. "I guess I'm not so gentle, Malfoy," she said calmly.
He glared at her. "I won't forget this, Mudblood."
"I hope you don't," she said, glaring back at him. She glanced toward the Gryffindors. The girls were now having to restrain all four boys. "Ahh, Severus. Thank you so much for the pumpkin juice. It seems especially good tonight." She made a dramatic look towards his goblet. "And you haven't drank any of yours! Come, let us make a toast."
"To what?" asked Snape.
"To...to..." She again glanced towards the Gryffindors, to James and Sirius. "To Quidditch! May we have a...er...good season."
"To Quidditch," said Snape, as they clinked goblets.
Lily downed hers quickly, and he did the same. She jumped up as soon as she was finished. "Well! So sorry to rush, but I must be going. Thank you for your company." She nearly ran from the Great Hall, and the rest of the circle did the same.
James gave her a great big hug. "Congrats, Lil. No more Snape."
"Thank God," she said, with conviction. "Sirius, what did you put in his pumpkin juice?"
"Hate Potion," said Sirius. "Just enough to counteract the love potion. Although he might dislike you slightly from now on."
"That's fine with me," said Lily. She grinned at Sirius. "Thanks."
"Forgive me?" he asked hopefully.
"Of course," she said, enveloping him in a hug. "I say we go to the Astronomy Tower and play some Exploding Snap. Who's with me?"
A chorus of "Me! Me!" prevailed, and the young teenagers headed for the empty Astronomy Tower, or Make-Out Capital, as Sirius called it.
~~
"And that, young Harry, is why love potions are bad," said an adult Sirius, to a small baby he held in his lap. Lily Potter and James Potter laughed aloud at the retelling of their school days.
"Don't mess with 'em," said Lily, taking Harry from Sirius' lap. "Terrible things. I got so much grief from that you wouldn't believe." She made a face at the baby, and Harry laughed.
James chuckled. "And who woulda figured that we'd let him be our son's godfather."
"Lord above help," said Sirius. " 'Course, I have given him the warning on love potions. If he ever does what I did....well, it's not my fault."
"Right," said Lily, drawing forth a book, titled Potions for Everyday Mischief. "I suppose that's why I found this in my son's room."
Sirius shrugged. "Love potions are bad indeed, but wherever would we be without that potion that turned Lucius Malfoy's hair blue?" He grinned broadly.
~~
Severus Snape, now the Professor of Potions at Hogwarts, looked distastefully at the fourth year student, Harry Potter. So much like his father.
He wondered...why...he hated James so much. He had quidditch skills, yes. He was handsome, yes. But...why did he have that twinge of jealousy? Was it because of Lily?
He supposed...he would never know.
~THE END!~
A/N - Sorry it took me so long to finish!!! Please review! *Alicia*
