Title: The Bet
Chapter 5: Apologies Summary: Sirius makes his apologies and Lily even helps him out a little.
Sirius and James wished each other good luck and separated. Caroling picked a spot in the back of the room and began setting up the cauldron as Sirius lagged behind her. When he found his seat next to her she spoke without looking at him.
"Let's do a reality check, Black. You are scum. Some how you almost managed to convince me that there could be a tiny chance, hiding in some dusty, used corner of you twisted soul, that you might not be so bad after all." Sirius' face lit up, but even before it had spread to his eyes she continued. "But-" She held up a finger and shook it. "But, you just ruined it. Do not talk to me unless absolutely necessary. Do not mess my grade up."
She set the fire under the cauldron wearing a face that looked like she would rather it be Sirius roasting in the pot than the ingredients of a truth potion. "Chop this," she said blankly, pushing a purple squash like plant to him. He took it and started to chop slowly, not only because the slices had to be equal, but also because he was busy thinking of a way to set his plan into motion.
"I am genius!" he yelled as he finished chopping. An idea had just come to him. He smiled sheepishly at the girls in front of him. He had caused them to add too much lambslik powder to their potion when he yelled. Caroline was glaring at him too.
"What's your problem, Black," she asked viciously.
"Erm...I finished chopping," he covered. After he pushed the moonfruit he had chopped to her she examined it carefully. He grinned; he knew already that he had done them perfectly.
"I guess this will do." She had been trying to find another excuse to glare and possibly even yell at him.
"Nothing but the best."
"Shut it, Black. Making equal pieces is hardly a reason for such celebration. Unless you're three years old. On second thought, good job." Sirius scowled at her and pulled out his wand. He hid it expertly in his sleeve. He waited until she was stirring the potion and steam clouds were floating around the dungeon before whispering something under his breath.
Caroline was staring idly at a blank wall when she noticed a puff of steam glide in front of her face. It was moving quite oddly and she knew that it was not ordinary mist. It formed the words "I'm sorry," in curly letters. Then it swirled and the form of a rose hung before her. Just as it seemed she might smile she whipped her hand through the image and destroyed it. Again Sirius muttered under his breath. He felt the weigh of something appear in his hand and clenched his fist around it.
"I forgot the crushed beetles," he lied.
"But I saw you..."
"No, no it was lambslik." Caroline gave him a look as if she now had to go eat worms instead of just walking to the student supplies and getting the ingredient. When she returned her cauldron was decorated with scrawled phrases like "I was wrong" and "Please forgive me." Caroline lifted her hand to wipe the gritty white lettering off of the metal, but she changed her mind and let her arm relax. She almost smiled again, but managed to suppress the urge. Sirius knew that one more attempt, if it was good enough, could tame her. For Sirius the rest of the class was spent trying to form an idea. Finally, as Caroline was putting away the supplies, it came to him.
He reached out and took her hand gently. She seemed to enjoy it for a split second, but then she pulled out of his grasp with a glare. "It's okay. I wasn't trying to make a move. God knows it wouldn't do much good. I was just going to say that I would put away the supplies."
"Oh..." She was slightly embarrassed at her own reaction. Maybe Sirius did deserve another chance. "I'll just go," she pointed with both hands at the door "to class...okay." She turned around and sighed silently. Smooth. Really smooth. After shaking his head, Sirius started to put things away.
"Ok, come on, remember, remember. I should have paid attention last lesson. Damn Slytherins always needing to be pranked. Ok, effects of truth potion...hmm...okay...I know. They cause you to tell the truth."
"Another stroke of genius." He hadn't realized he had been talking out loud and turned around to see Lily with her bag slung over her shoulder smirking. It was obvious that she had been watching him during class.
"Yeah. Great. I don't have time for this," he said as he finished putting things away. He started t move towards the door.
"The effects of are varying depending on the strength of the truth potion. For example, the potion we made today, Vertisa, lasts for about three hours and 56 seconds. It would cause someone to revel minor secrets, such as things they wanted to say, but were afraid to. If you are asked too intense of a question stay silent. Don't look at Caroline when you talk and don't say her name. No inflection in your voice either." She crossed her arms and watched his disbelieving face as he turned back to her.
"Why would you...what do you mean?" he struggled to cover up his plan.
"What? You didn't think I would be able to tell what you were thinking? I've know you for a long time, Sirius."
"Right...but..."
"I'm only helping you because Caroline is my friend. I know she likes you and I know you will take care of her. She's just stubborn. In fact, I'm not helping you. I'm helping Caroline."
He stared at her for a second. "Thanks for helping her Lily. Thanks a lot." He ran out the door and Lily shook her head laughing slightly. She gathered her notes and started to head out the door and Sirius pooped his head around the doorframe.
"Lily?"
"Yeah?"
"You're stubborn too. Think about it." He said it in a way that was more wise than hurtful and then hurried away again.
Lily thought to herself for a moment and nodded to herself. "I am. I really am."
Chapter 5: Apologies Summary: Sirius makes his apologies and Lily even helps him out a little.
Sirius and James wished each other good luck and separated. Caroling picked a spot in the back of the room and began setting up the cauldron as Sirius lagged behind her. When he found his seat next to her she spoke without looking at him.
"Let's do a reality check, Black. You are scum. Some how you almost managed to convince me that there could be a tiny chance, hiding in some dusty, used corner of you twisted soul, that you might not be so bad after all." Sirius' face lit up, but even before it had spread to his eyes she continued. "But-" She held up a finger and shook it. "But, you just ruined it. Do not talk to me unless absolutely necessary. Do not mess my grade up."
She set the fire under the cauldron wearing a face that looked like she would rather it be Sirius roasting in the pot than the ingredients of a truth potion. "Chop this," she said blankly, pushing a purple squash like plant to him. He took it and started to chop slowly, not only because the slices had to be equal, but also because he was busy thinking of a way to set his plan into motion.
"I am genius!" he yelled as he finished chopping. An idea had just come to him. He smiled sheepishly at the girls in front of him. He had caused them to add too much lambslik powder to their potion when he yelled. Caroline was glaring at him too.
"What's your problem, Black," she asked viciously.
"Erm...I finished chopping," he covered. After he pushed the moonfruit he had chopped to her she examined it carefully. He grinned; he knew already that he had done them perfectly.
"I guess this will do." She had been trying to find another excuse to glare and possibly even yell at him.
"Nothing but the best."
"Shut it, Black. Making equal pieces is hardly a reason for such celebration. Unless you're three years old. On second thought, good job." Sirius scowled at her and pulled out his wand. He hid it expertly in his sleeve. He waited until she was stirring the potion and steam clouds were floating around the dungeon before whispering something under his breath.
Caroline was staring idly at a blank wall when she noticed a puff of steam glide in front of her face. It was moving quite oddly and she knew that it was not ordinary mist. It formed the words "I'm sorry," in curly letters. Then it swirled and the form of a rose hung before her. Just as it seemed she might smile she whipped her hand through the image and destroyed it. Again Sirius muttered under his breath. He felt the weigh of something appear in his hand and clenched his fist around it.
"I forgot the crushed beetles," he lied.
"But I saw you..."
"No, no it was lambslik." Caroline gave him a look as if she now had to go eat worms instead of just walking to the student supplies and getting the ingredient. When she returned her cauldron was decorated with scrawled phrases like "I was wrong" and "Please forgive me." Caroline lifted her hand to wipe the gritty white lettering off of the metal, but she changed her mind and let her arm relax. She almost smiled again, but managed to suppress the urge. Sirius knew that one more attempt, if it was good enough, could tame her. For Sirius the rest of the class was spent trying to form an idea. Finally, as Caroline was putting away the supplies, it came to him.
He reached out and took her hand gently. She seemed to enjoy it for a split second, but then she pulled out of his grasp with a glare. "It's okay. I wasn't trying to make a move. God knows it wouldn't do much good. I was just going to say that I would put away the supplies."
"Oh..." She was slightly embarrassed at her own reaction. Maybe Sirius did deserve another chance. "I'll just go," she pointed with both hands at the door "to class...okay." She turned around and sighed silently. Smooth. Really smooth. After shaking his head, Sirius started to put things away.
"Ok, come on, remember, remember. I should have paid attention last lesson. Damn Slytherins always needing to be pranked. Ok, effects of truth potion...hmm...okay...I know. They cause you to tell the truth."
"Another stroke of genius." He hadn't realized he had been talking out loud and turned around to see Lily with her bag slung over her shoulder smirking. It was obvious that she had been watching him during class.
"Yeah. Great. I don't have time for this," he said as he finished putting things away. He started t move towards the door.
"The effects of are varying depending on the strength of the truth potion. For example, the potion we made today, Vertisa, lasts for about three hours and 56 seconds. It would cause someone to revel minor secrets, such as things they wanted to say, but were afraid to. If you are asked too intense of a question stay silent. Don't look at Caroline when you talk and don't say her name. No inflection in your voice either." She crossed her arms and watched his disbelieving face as he turned back to her.
"Why would you...what do you mean?" he struggled to cover up his plan.
"What? You didn't think I would be able to tell what you were thinking? I've know you for a long time, Sirius."
"Right...but..."
"I'm only helping you because Caroline is my friend. I know she likes you and I know you will take care of her. She's just stubborn. In fact, I'm not helping you. I'm helping Caroline."
He stared at her for a second. "Thanks for helping her Lily. Thanks a lot." He ran out the door and Lily shook her head laughing slightly. She gathered her notes and started to head out the door and Sirius pooped his head around the doorframe.
"Lily?"
"Yeah?"
"You're stubborn too. Think about it." He said it in a way that was more wise than hurtful and then hurried away again.
Lily thought to herself for a moment and nodded to herself. "I am. I really am."