A/N: Hello all! This chapter has been updated as of 1/19/2014. But if I have missed anything please leave it in the reviews! Oh yeah AND REVIEW! Pretty please with jily smut on top ;)
Y6: Chelidonium Miniscula
Lily barely slept the first night back and rose before five the next morning. She sat in the shower letting her tears mix with the water. Her arms wrapped around her naked body as her hair fell down her back. Cara was an early riser like Lily and would've been singing in the shower at this hour of the morning. Lily heaved a sob at a memory from early fourth year. Cara had been singing again while Marlene was trying to sleep. Lily was reading every once in a while glancing at Marlene as she tossed in her bed. In a matter of seconds, Marlene was up and bursting through the bathroom door.
"If you don't shut your bloo—" Marlene had yelled before sliding across the wet floor and landing on her back.
Cara threw open the shower curtain with fits of laughter as she grabbed a towel to cover herself. Lily had come running to the scene when Marlene stood red faced and stormed out of the dormitory. Cara and Lily spent the next hour preparing for class while laughing of their morning.
But Lily wasn't laughing now. Her best friend was gone and she felt alone. She wasn't alone of course. Mary Diven sat up in her bed thinking of similar memories with Cara. Like the time Marlene had spilt her breakfast down her uniform and Cara tried to vanish it away but instead it turned Marlene's hair pink. It took Mary hours to fix Cara's mess. Or the time, Cara tried to teach Mary to fly in first year because her flying lessons were terrible. Mary ended up getting stuck in a tree with the only broom the two had so Cara had to climb it and fetch Mary out.
When Lily finished showering and reminiscing and the others woke, they went to breakfast together. They took a seat at the far end of the table where the First Years typically would sit. Lily sat with Remus and the other Gryffindor prefects when Professor McGonagall walked in with class schedules. The prefects divided them amongst themselves and began to hand them out. Lily shuffled through the cards and set down the five addressed to her roommates next to Dorcas who handed them out. Lily walked down to the center of the table and prepared the schedules for the Marauders.
"Black," Lily said reaching across the table to hand him his card.
"Give me Remus'," Sirius said reaching to meet her.
She gave him the card and set Peter's beside him. She walked to the other side of Peter to hand James his card, "Here Potter."
"And how is my beautiful flower?" James smiled playfully.
Lily's eyes narrowed as she said darkly, "Today is not the day, Potter."
James dropped his gaze as he registered Lily's emotion. Cara. That's who she was thinking of too.
"Sorry," James apologized turning back to his food.
Lily was surprised by his obedience but only hesitated for a moment before walking to her seat.
"Transfiguration," Dorcas said shaking her head, "I hate Transfiguration. And of course it's with a bunch of bloody Ravenclaws who know everything."
"I just heard some Hufflepuffs say they had that first too. I think it was Caroline Kennedy. So you won't be the worst in the class," Lily huffed sitting down groaning at her schedule, "At least you don't have double potions first."
"Oh," Mary gasped, "Slytherins always have that first."
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, it looks like we'll be suffering it together," Emmeline groaned.
Marlene sighed, "Merlin, I'm in there too."
"Well, I'm leaving now," Lily said standing.
"Dumbledore hasn't even said his first day speech," said Marlene.
Lily shrugged and began walking to the door. Before she reached it, however, Albus Dumbledore rose and began his speech. Lily listened pausing at the door.
"As I said last night, at the Sorting Ceremony, it is a pleasure to welcome back our Hogwarts family as well as take in the new First Years. As Headmaster, I find it my duty to drone on in your mornings and repeat the words I have said to you last night. To make it simple, I shall list the rules and then you can go about your day. As you all should know, frolicking in the Forbidden Forest is forbidden," Dumbledore locked eyes with the Marauders, "Roaming the castle at night is of course forbidden. Casting charms that turn others hair pink is forbidden," the hall erupted in laughter, "Quiet down now. Also as Headmaster, the responsibility of addressing issues in the Wizarding World to students of Hogwarts has fallen to me. As some of you may know, there are rumors stirring of the kidnapping of Gryffindor student, Cara Lilith Connors. It has come to my attention that some do not know of her story. She was believed to have been kidnapped by a group known as Death Eaters. There is no evidence to prove that she has been harmed in anyway. We ask that anyone who comes across any information to her capture reports it to their Heads of House. I have been informed that the Ministry of Magic has made it their number one priority to find Miss Connors and the other two women who had been kidnapped. I ask you think of her and her family in this time of need. I ask that you reach out to her friends. And I ask that every student in this school never loses hope. Hope is the glimmer of light in a room of darkness. Always remember to turn on the light."
Dumbledore turned to sit and the students clapped and began readying for classes. Lily fought back tears as she walked quickly out of the Hall. She wiped at tears as she ran down the stairs to the dungeon. She was first to the room and leaned against the wall breathing heavily. Lily had her eyes shut tight when she heard people approaching her. She opened them to see James Potter and Sirius Black.
"Are you okay, Evans?" Sirius honestly wondered.
Lily shook her head yes but didn't trust herself to speak.
James looked away unable to console her. When more students approached, they kept their distance unsure if their presence would provoke a Marauder. Professor Slughorn, a short pudgy man, pushed his way through the crowd and unlocked his classroom door. Lily took a seat in the back left corner. The two Marauders sat three isles away in the back right. Marlene and Emmeline came late with puffy eyes from crying after Dumbledore's speech. They sat towards the front of the room leaving Lily alone. She sighed as she watched Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy take the two seats in front of her.
"How unfortunate," Malfoy snickered, "a pureblood is being tortured right this moment all because her parents are Muggle lovers. I guess that serves them right."
Lily bit her lip as she fumbled with her bag.
"Honestly, Snape," Malfoy continued, "I wonder what she is being tortured with now. Perhaps, she is already dead. Snape?"
"Perhaps," Severus mumbled trying to avoid Lily's attention.
But her green eyes glared at the back of his stupid head. Yes, he wasn't attacking her like Malfoy tried to do; but he wasn't saying anything to stop it. He always did this, he let Malfoy turn him into this heartless zombie. She breathed heavily trying not to curse Severus to pieces and take Malfoy with him.
"Even worse, she could be—" Malfoy began before being cut off by Slughorn.
"Welcome, welcome back," Slughorn cheered, "I'm pleased to say how excited I am to see all who made it in to my class. I have a very fun class ahead of us. As you can see, I have three pots up here. I want each student to come up and examine them then write down what they think the three potions are."
"What happens if we get them all right?" Artemis Regan, a Slytherin, hollered.
"Oh it's a surprise Mr. Regan," Slughorn smiled, "but believe me when I say these potions are very complex and it would be astonishing to see a student successfully guess them the first day."
The class quieted as each person stood to look in to the pots. When Snape sat back down and began scribbling on his parchment, Lily rose to look in to the pots. She pulled the lid off the first one and examined the dark yellow color and the watery quality of it. Chelidonium Miniscula, a sedative but if you take too much it is a poison that could cause blindness or even death.
She looked in to the other pot. The potion was a thick green potion. It was like a heavy cream soup, she mentally noted. It smelled of citrus and Lily closed the lid knowing exactly what it was. Wiggenweld Potion, a healing potion that awakens cursed sleepers.
She scooted over to the final potion and opened the lid. It was a muddy brown with great big lumps floating in it. She could smell a weak odor that reminded her of dirty socks. She gagged as she put the lid back on. Rano, a potion that if applied to ears like a paste could wipe memory.
Lily walked back to her seat and neatly wrote her answers on her parchment. She opened her book and began reading as she waited for the others to examine the potions. Slughorn with a flick of his wand held everyone's parchment in his hand. He sorted through them and smiled when he pulled out two sheets and waved them in the air.
"Two!" he cheered, "two students guessed all three correct. Congratulation Miss Evans and Mr. Snape, congratulations indeed."
The two rose and walked to the front of the classroom as Slughorn shook their hands, "Your prize is simple. For our first project, you two can choose any Level 3 potion."
"And when exactly is our first project?" Snape drawled.
"You will begin today and you have one month to do it," Slughorn clapped Snape's back.
The class groaned. Homework on the first day of classes?
"Now go sit down, so I can assign partners."
They went back to their seats as Slughorn waved his wand and papers flew in front of every student.
James cursed under his breath as he flipped over his sheet to read Severus Snape. Severus mimicked the swears as he ran his fingers through his greasy long black hair. Marlene moaned as she looked across the room to Bellatrix Black. Bellatrix was already glaring at her.
"Who is Dorothy Thompson?" Sirius muttered to James. He looked up to see a very unattractive Hufflepuff waving to him, "Bloody hell."
Emmeline looked around for Tobias Fiddler, an obnoxious Slytherin who used to tease her about her short hair. He sat laughing with his friends making crude comments about Emmeline's "fit" bottom.
Lily turned her sheet over and moaned at the name on it.
Lucius Malfoy, was scrawled in tiny letters. Lucius held a sheet that read Lily's name and he turned in gave her a sharp glare. Lily put her head in her hands muttering curses under her breath.
Honestly, out of everyone in the class, Lucius Malfoy?! Seriously!
Where's the bloody Chelidonium Miniscula? Give me the pot! Let me die, please! Lily thought darkly.