"Here you have, Jonathan," Lily said to the greatly relieved first year, handing him a mild sleeping potion. Poor kid missed home terribly, to the point he couldn't sleep. Being a Muggle-born he had trouble with adaptation and Lily considered bringing the matter up to Professor Flitwick, Jonathan's Head of House.
"Thank you," the boy whispered shyly, examining the vial.
Lily had to smile. She could remember her own mistrust to the wizarding ways all too well. "It will really help you. It contains some valerian and herbs and several spells. You will be sleeping sound in no time, you'll see."
Johanna nodded and took his portion of the potion with him, leaving Lily alone with the Hogwarts mediwitch.
"Anything else, Madam Pomfrey?"
The woman looked up from the potions she was lining up in the cabinet. "Would you mind staying here for another hour or so? I have a couple owls to send and I need to get Professor Vodkan make more Pepper-Up Potion... I can't leave the Hospital Wing unsupervised."
"Of course, no problem."
Madam Pomfrey closed the cabinet. "Well, in that case if something serious comes up, you'll find me either in Owlery or in Professor Vodkan's office. You will manage with the lighter cases."
Lily nodded. She was doing everything in her power not to grin like an idiot, but in fact she was very proud of the faith Madam Pomfrey had in her. She struggled hard to become a good mediwitch but Madam Pomfrey didn't usually shower her with compliments. The school nurse was a very no-nonsense person.
Alone, Lily took the 'The Healer' and skimmed through the pages stopping on the article on the effects of strengthening charms. She got through half of the page perhaps, when her thoughts started wandering.
James.
He invited her to the Hogsmeade this weekend. Well, actually he told her that he needed to buy some Quidditch supplies and that he might use a specialist on charms to verify the quality of the new cushioning charms. The problem was that it would be hard to find a better expert on any form of magic connected to Quidditch than James himself. If there were such a person at Hogwarts, his name would be Sirius Black. James obviously didn't need her and she's never hidden the fact that Quidditch placed rather low on the list of her interests. Could it count as asking out then? It was not the first time she would be going to Hogsmeade with a member of the infamous quartet, but never before had she gone there with James alone. Of course, before they had been either too young for asking each other out or she had been Remus' girlfriend.
But now?
One: he used a lame excuse to make her agree to go with her. Two: she had no attachments. Three: he had no attachments, as amazing as it seemed. Four: there would be only the two of them. Five: there was always the possibility they would go to the Three Broomsticks for a glass of a butterbeer. It sounded like a date to her. She chickened out and said she would have to clear it with Daisy first since she had already made the arrangements for Saturday. Well, she needed time to think.
James Potter, the star, the most sought-after boy at Hogwarts, asking out Lily Evans? Something had to be wrong... There had to be a catch somewhere. What if he only wanted to cheer her up, to take her mind off her troubles?
She could almost hear Daisy's advice, Then go with him and have a good time anyway, silly! He didn't ask you to marry him and bear his children!
Oh hell, why not? Go with him, not bear his children, that is.
Having made up her mind, Lily returned to the article.
"Evans?"
She looked up. Blinking, she convinced herself that the person who said her name was indeed the one she thought she heard. In front of her, clutching his left forearm with his right hand as if in pain, was Snape.
"Snape?"
"No, Uric the Oddball. Where is Madam Pomfrey?"
"Taking care of some business." She put the magazine away. "What's wrong with you?"
"I'll... come back... later..." the words came out in a hiss of pain.
Lily shrugged. It wasn't as if she cared that Snape, of all people, didn't trust her skill. "As you wish. But I assure you I'm capable of relieving the pain."
He looked unconvinced, but, probably because of the pain, he gave a small nod and sat on one of the beds.
"What happened?"
"I cut myself," he replied, unbuttoning the cuffs the shirt under his school robe. When he rolled the sleeve up, Lily's eyebrows shot up. The gash that went across his inner forearm about two inches under the elbow was a large, deep and open wound. What had he been doing, trying to cut his hand off?
"When did it happen?"
"The day before yesterday."
She looked at him incredulously. "That long ago? It looks very fresh, although it's not bleeding."
He seemed to struggle with himself. "I used an Noli-Sanguinare Spell," he admitted, tensing when she touched the slightly swollen tissue of his hand.
She shook her head at such stupidity. "You can't use such potent charms on such a big cut! It interferes with the system, prevents you trombocytes from working their way. No wonder the wound didn't heal. You must release the charm and let the cut bleed naturally for a little while."
He frowned. "Are you crazy, Evans? I'm not going to let myself bleed, for a little while or a little longer! Do you have any idea what can be done with blood?"
She tapped her foot impatiently. "You prefer to have your hand useless for the next month and be drugged with painkillers?"
He thought for a moment, glancing at his forearm, his long hair obscuring his face. "Yes."
She snorted. "As if the teachers wouldn't notice and didn't send you back here for treatment."
Again, he seemed to consider her words. "What do you suggest?"
"I'll release the charm and you'll sit here, letting your arm bleed for several minutes. Then I'll put the healing salve on and use a Asclepio Charm."
"Can't you just use a... what's it's name... the Scabbing Charm?"
She sighed in exasperation. "Snape, I am a mediwitch apprentice here, not you. I know what I am doing. You have severed not only your skin and veins, but also nerves and possibly some muscle. The Scabbing Charm won't help for internal injuries. The salve is necessary."
Snape nodded, looking a little impressed. She realised she was showing off her knowledge, but with people like Snape - the ones with the negative attitude towards everything unless they were proved wrong - there was no other way. Snape nodded his agreement and Lily went to the cabinet to take a clean cloth and a salve. When she came back to her patient, she noticed he had his wand drawn-out.
"And what do you need that for?"
"To dispose of the blood. You didn't think I would let you wipe it with a cloth?"
She gritted her teeth and started tending to his wound. Oh, how tempting it was to squeeze his arm and hear him yelp! For all he had done to her, to Remus, to her friends. But then again, she was supposed to practice her bedside manners.
"So tell me, Snape," she said conversationally while cleaning the area around the deep gash. "What did you do to get yourself this little inconvenience?"
"I was cutting the scorpion carapaces and my knife slipped."
Yeah, right, thought Lily. More like some popular Slytherin game involving throwing knives went not exactly as intended. The wound that deep and placed so high couldn't be a result of the lab accident. Did he think her stupid?
"If you say so."
The cut started bleeding slowly and Snape immediately began charming the blood away, making it disappear into thin air. Lily had to wait about twenty minutes before she could apply the salve.
"How's life been going, Evans?" Snape asked after a moment of silence.
She blinked. "Why?"
"I'm trying to make conversation."
Lily narrowed her eyes. "As opposed to ruining my life every now and then?"
He seemed surprised. "I did you a favour. You are attached to that werewolf no longer. Don't tell me you're still pining after him?"
All thoughts of becoming a good mediwitch forgotten, Lily squeezed Snape's arm. Oh yes, the yelp was definitely satisfying.
"Whach ya doin', Evans!" he gasped, almost bending in two.
"Let me make one thing clear. My life's not your business, so please refrain yourself from messing with it again. Your favours aren't welcome. And if you tell a word of insult about my friends, you'll be very sorry. Understood?"
Still gasping, he tried to shrug. "Whatever you say, Evans. I only live to serve."
"Good. Now stay still as I put the salve on."
He didn't say a word after that, neither did Lily, still fuming. She tended to the injury, applied the Asclepio Charm and bandaged the Slytherin's forearm. Trying not to show her amusement at his paranoid checking for any traces of blood that he might have left, she focused her thoughts on the upcoming weekend. That was certainly more pleasant than dealing with James's nemesis.
School business finished, James and Lily were the only ones left in the common room. The flames in the fireplace cracked merrily and the faint red glow illuminated the chairs they were seated at. To Lily it was almost... romantic.
"We're done early," she remarked.
"And what more could we do about laundry?" James asked.
"If the first years don't learn to put their baskets in front their beds, the House Elves are going to run crazy with worry that they can't find them. Merlin, I can't believe some wizarding children can be so helpless. Do you know that Muggles have no House Elves and they still can go on with their lives?"
"I have taken Muggle studies, Lily," James sounded a little offended. "For four years now. I do know Muggles go by without servants. Although how they do laundry without them, and without washing spells... Professor Triden didn't cover that. Do they have to do it by hand?"
Lily took a deep breath. For the last seven years she was doing all in her power to familiarize her friends with Muggle ways, but only Sirius had any idea what she was talking about most of the time, being the only one with recent Muggle ancestry. Time for another lesson.
"Some Muggles, in less developed countries do it by hand. Others have machines to do it for them."
"I wish I could go to the Muggle world and see such a machine."
Lily broke into laughter. "You would go to the Muggle world to see a washing machine? James, if it isn't the most silly wish I ever heard!"
James shifted in his armchair. "Well, why not? The items of every-day use seem most interesting. Most different."
Lily stopped laughing and became thoughtful. "James... if you're so curious about Muggle world, why didn't you come to my house during the summer holidays a year ago? Lizzie, Daisy, Sirius, Remus and Peter could and you..."
James's face took a slightly grim expression. "I'm sorry Lily."
"Nothing to be sorry about, I would simply want to know why... and if my family or I ..." she trailed off uncertainly not knowing what she wanted to say.
"It had nothing to do with you or with your family." he sighed. "It had everything to do with my family though. See, my father is pretty uptight... a career man. And my mother is quite a social climber. They simply needed me present on all the social occasions they were attending or hosting. 'This is our son, Mr Biwinkle, he's a captain of his House's Quidditch team and a prefect. Your niece is a prefect too? How extraordinary! They should meet each other, I'm sure they would understand each other well!" he mimicked. "That kind of stuff."
"Sounds dreadful," Lily said greatly relieved that the reason for James's refusal to her invitation was completely external.
"It was. Sometimes I think staying at Hogwarts and dealing with the first-years' laundry and bathroom problems is preferable to the holidays at home,"
The girl chuckled. "Only a rich, spoiled brat can say something like that."
"You say I'm spoiled brat?"
"I don't know. Are you?"
"Of course not! Marianne is the spoiled one, not me," he referred to his younger sister.
"And you were the one to spoil her rotten, no doubt," she teased. From what Lily heard, James adored his baby sister.
"I did not! I'm the most responsible of brothers! I take her on the broomstick ride whenever she asks me to!"
"And that's responsible behaviour?"
"Of course," James said with deep conviction. "She will be a professional Beater one day. The way she smashes the balls sometimes is incredible. Such talent should be groomed from the cradle."
"Aurors and Quidditch players. The most glamorous occupations in wizarding world," Lily grimaced. "At least it's better than being an actor or a model in Muggle one."
James cleared his throat. "Speaking about Quidditch. What about our little excursion to Hogsmeade?"
It's your last chance to back out, Lily thought. "Daisy said she doesn't need me that much. I can go." The die is cast.
"Great!" James's face looked like it was going to split in two with his huge grin. "Can't wait till we scare off the shop owner with our competence!"
Again, Lily couldn't help but laugh. She and the competence in Quidditch? Merlin, was there another person who made her laugh so much?
Their plan was simple. Peter was supposed to go down to the Potions lab and engage Snape in some sort of conversation to provide distraction, while James and Sirius, under the Invisibility Cloak, would add some water to the potion Snape was brewing. Easier said or done.
As Peter entered the lab, James and Sirius - invisible - in tow, Snape barely looked up from the set of vials that were placed next to the cauldron he was standing at.
"Get out, Pettigrew."
"Oi, Snape... I thought you would be glad... I came to make amends," Peter started.
James and Sirius scanned the lab. There were four different cauldrons - two were simmering softly, and two appeared to be in a full boil.
"Which one?" Sirius mouthed to James.
James made a face. He had no idea.
"Not interested," Snape answered to Peter's goodwill. "Get out before I go to Professor Vodkan complaining that you interfere with Slytherin lab schedule."
Peter's eyebrow quirked upwards. "Vodkan? And he would do what, I pray?"
Meanwhile, James and Sirius sneaked up to the cauldrons, deciding they would add the water to all cauldrons. They hoped none of them would blow up to their faces, but the risk was minimal. Additional water tended to render most of the potions ineffective. The only thing they needed was Snape getting out of their way, losing some of his focus.
"I'm a prefect, if you haven't noticed before, Pettigrew," Snape replied. "My word does carry some weight. I'm sure I could suggest to Vodkan what he might do."
"Awww, Snape. How impolite of you to threaten me when I come as a messenger of peace."
James rolled his eyes praying that Peter wouldn't overdo with sarcasm.
"I can also go to Castor," Snape said, sounding irritated. "I'm sure you will be happy to be the centre of attention when you lose fifty points."
The Gryffindors, those visible and invisible, winced at the thought.
"No proof again, Snape," Peter said confidently. "Even Castor wouldn't... and what do we have here?"
Peter, prowling around the lab, approached the desk on which the parchments and scrolls lay. Selecting one of them, he scanned the content.
"Elixir of Invocation? Isn't it illegal?" Snape's attention was caught. "Put that down, you sorry excuse for a wizard," he hissed, "or I will hex you not only into next week, but also to the other side of the Moon."
"Afraid of losing fifty points? Or perhaps of Azkaban?"
"Accio exercise parchment!" Snape called and the page flew from Peter's hand to Snape's.
Peter, rather unaffected, merely picked another one. "My, my... Licentiousness Potion? Now, what would you need that one for? If you only..."
Snape was advancing at him with his wand drawn out. "Lacrimae Caeca!"
Immediately Peter's eyes welled up with tears. "C'mon Snape... " he wheezed as the liquid streamed down his face and leaked inside his nasal fossa, down to his throat. "I won't look anymore... ok? You didn't have to blind me!"
That was the chance James and Sirius waited for. Although Peter could be a pest, he could also be genius sometimes. Quickly they emptied the bottle of water they had hidden under the cloak into the four cauldrons. Mission complete. James stuck the hand out from beneath the Invisibility Cloak and waved at Peter that the task has been carried out successfully. Hopefully Peter would see it.
Either Peter saw it, or had enough of providing distraction, for he said while choking on tears, "You're hopeless, Snape. Don't... expect any of... us... offer you hand again."
Shuffling through his parchments, Snape snapped, "No worries, Pettigrew. I would rather shake hands with a Dementor."
"At this rate, Snape, I'm sure you'll get a chance," Peter replied, trying to find his way despite not being able to see anything. When he managed to get to the door and open them, he collided with somebody.
James and Sirius, also on their way out, saw Anabell Wilkes.
"Pettigrew?" she said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"Leaving," Peter muttered and almost stumbled trying to get past her. "Would you please move?"
She did, letting him go and closing the door. James heard Sirius gnash his teeth in anger. Well, it couldn't have possibly gone smoothly, could it? The way out was blocked and two Gryffindors were forced to wait until either Snape or Wilkes decided to leave.
"What was that all about?" Anabell asked.
Snape shook his head, still mad. "He came to make amends. Would you believe that?"
"No." Anabell furrowed her brows. She was actually quite pretty girl, with straight black hair falling to the middle of her back and pale complexion. James wondered what she was doing with Snape, she could surely do much better, especially given her popularity in Slytherin as a Seeker.
"What did he really want?" she inquired.
"He was spying on me," Snape replied angrily. "On behalf of his masters, no doubt, Casanova and Potty - I think it's time we showed them their places. Pettigrew got to my recipes."
"Oh."
"Well, possession of the recipes is not a crime..."
"You should be more careful, Severus." Anabell went to the cauldrons and peeked into them. "Which one?"
"The one to the right. It should be ready in the next hour or so."
Anabell grinned at him. "Cool."
Snape nodded, returning to the spot he vacated at Peter's arrival. Selecting one of the vials, he begun to fill it with some kind of dried leaves.
"How is your arm?" the girl asked.
Unconsciously Snape's hand went to rub his left forearm. James thought Snape had an odd look on his face, his features... softening? Nah... just an impression.
"Better. Next time be more careful. As if you didn't have any practice."
"Sorry."
"It's all right, Bell. But would you excuse me now? I need to concentrate, we wouldn't like some of those concoctions go wrong, would we?"
"With you brewing?" the Slytherin girl blandished him with a smile. "As if. I'll come later to get the potion."
Nodding, Snape returned to work. James noticed the chance and dragged Sirius after Wilkes. Trying not to sigh loudly with relief, they slipped out of the lab after her.
"Show us our places?" Sirius seethed when they got away at the safe distance. "Why... that slimeball... we shall see how his little brews turn out."
James shrugged the Invisibility Cloak off them. "I wonder what he was brewing. Any chance he starts salivating while taking? How do you think?"
"I hope he was making that Licentiousness Potion of his and that he fails and he makes a fool of himself. And that I will be there to watch it."
"We shall live, we shall see," James said philosophically. "But he will almost certainly get in trouble with Vodkan. Revenge is sweet."
A/N: If someone didn't realize that yet, Snape is going to be a major player now, with Remus more in the background. So if someone hates fics with Snape in it, then this is not a story for them.
Lacrimae Caeca means approximately: 'blinding tears', although my Latin is not best, so this is only a rough translation.
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