Chapter 2 / Guinea Pigs

"Today's the day!"

"I still can't believe you actually think you'll get away with this."

"Well, damn, Petey, have you seen the instructions to make the stuff? I'm good, but not that good."

James sighed, keeping his eyes closed, all the while listening to Sirius and Peter argue. That's when it hit him. Since when had Sirius been up before he? Nodding off the thought, he spoke, keeping his eyes closed. "I know several girls who might disagree."

Remus nodded in agreement. "I also happen to know those girls who would be horrostruck if their dear Sirius was injured or sick because he just had to take some potion that he had no clue of how it worked."

Peter glared at Sirius. "See? All the more reason for you to not take it, you prat."

"Oho! Look who's talking." Sirius chided as James rolled his eyes and went to get ready. "For your information, Moony happened to fill me in on what happens. It makes you get lucky. And I trust him. So unless you want to be the guinea pig, you should really shut your trap."

Peter flinched and nodded, putting his books in his bookbag. He'd turn me into a guinea pig?

- . -

"You're really going to go through with this? Awesome. If it works, I'll be sure to grab some." a blonde girl said to Sirius.

"Cai, don't leave me out." her black-haired, blue-eyed friend said, a little too cheerfully.

"I won't, Ash." Caila responded. "Although, we could always have Remus or Stephanie make us some...they're smart enough." she said, looking down the table at the two. Remus was talking to another girl with dark brown hair whose name was Jassandra "Jace" Andrews, while the girl known as Stephanie was reading her Charms book a few seats down.

The three of them were sitting at lunch, poring over a copy of Advanced Potion-Making, flipped open to the page that listed how to make a batch of Felix Felicis.

"Yeah, but I imagine the ingredients are hard to find...you'd have to have some pretty sticky fingers in the ingredient cabinet." Ash replied doubtfully.

"Add to that it takes six months to make." Sirius commented, pointing in the book.

"SIX MONTHS!" Ash and Cai both choked. Sirius nodded sadly.

"I know. I'd use it all up before then."

"Oooh." Cai said, mocking interest. "What do you need luck in?"

Ash snorted as Sirius shot daggers at Cai with his eyes. "Nothing you need to care or know about." he said darkly.

"I could use a bit more luck with Lily." James said, sitting down on the other side of Sirius and rubbing the side of his face. "And that's the last time I listen to you, Padfoot."

Sirius looked offended. "How would I know that she didn't change her mind?"

James rolled his eyes. "So, the plan still intact? Are we all ready."

"As we'll ever be."

- . -

Even though it was rather nippy outside (the mid-October winds were biting as hard as ever), it was still very warm in the dungeons. Which of course, was to be expected, when you have fifteen or so students stuck in a room with no windows, boiling potions.

"Okay. I'm set." James whispered over to Sirius. He nodded his head towards some exploding rocks that they had made over the summer. They resembled the Muggle snap-pops that most kids enjoyed throwing during celebrations, but these had a few magical adjustments, that made the explosions bigger, louder, and more than once.

Sirius nodded, keeping an eye on Slughorn. When he was poring over Snape's cauldron, admiring his excellent potionwork, Sirius took that opportunity to head towards the storage room with an empty flask in his hand.

James waited until Sirius was in the room, and he pretended to drop something. On his way down to the floor, he grabbed all the rocks in one hand. Crouching down, he slid them across the room to hit various cauldrons and legs of desks. He jumped back up and continued stirring his concoction nonchalantly while Sirius was helping himself to the Felix Felicis and the rocks started blowing up.

Remus watched the whole scene unfold. He glanced over at James' hands, which were covered in dust. "You might want to rub those off on something, or Slughorn'll know it was you." he pointed out as Sirius came flying back across the room and stuck the flask in his bookbag.

"Thanks, Moony." James muttered, running his hands on the inside of his pockets. He did this for a few minutes as the explosions continued and mayhem ensued. Finally, as calm was being restored--and Cai and Ash were getting over their laughing fit while trying to convince Stephanie and Lily that nothing was wrong with having a bit of fun--James' hands were clean and clear.

No matter how hard the girls had been laughing, Professor Slughorn was not amused. The speech he delivered after all the students turned in their potions an hour later was not a happy one. And, unless Remus was imagining things, he kept his eyes mainly on the Marauders.

- . -

"You think he knew?" Remus asked nervously, as they sat over their homework.

"I don't know, and I don't care." Sirius said smugly, waving the bottle with the gold substance in it. Peter looked on admiringly, hoping to get some for himself.

"So when are you going to drink it?" James asked anxiously. It took the better part of a minute for Sirius to answer.

"When the need arises."

James saw the look in his eyes, and was the only one who noted his best friend's glance at the corner where Ash and Cai were reliving the day's events while Lily was writing her homework and Jace was curled up with a book.

"Still undecided, eh?" James muttered to Sirius.

"Nah. I know which one I want. The problem is, I don't think she wants me. And I don't think I'd mind the other one, but..."

"...she's someone you'd be more likely to settle down with."

"Exactly."

"Well, mate, I know what it's like to be around a girl that you'd kill to have but she'd kill to have you gone. All I'm going to say is, if it works for you, then a week from now, Lily and I will be the House sweethearts."

Sirius chuckled. Oh how a week could change things.

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A/N: I have PofA on in the bg xD It's at the part where Sirius breaks into the castle...

Anyways...Whoa. I just got an email from FF saying I submitted my story...weird. I'm not watching myself X.x

is confuzzled Anyways...read and review pwease :D I've got three chapters up at once, and I'm working on chapter four as I type this, so enjoy.