Hi everyone. Thanks for being patient. Here is a new chapter for you lovely readers.

Big shout out to everyone who reviewed the last chapter...

Jannice Sace, Jolokas, CelticFire89, and Bookwurm1612.

Previously...

"You're sure your potion isn't going to kill me?" James teased.

"I wish," Lily laughed.

James drank some of Lily's potion and aged dramatically. Soon he looked as old as Dumbledore. I'm loving your beard James!" Lily laughed.

"Right, try mine Evans," James said, giving her a vile of potion.

Lily aged quickly, "wow you're so wrinkly."

"Thanks Potter."

"I take it back, I don't want to date you if you're going to look like that when we're old."

Lily hit James across the head, "quit it, Potter!"

Chapter 15:

At the end of the second years' potions lesson the Gryffindors made their way towards herbology. They all walked together laughing and chatting happily. Lily walked slightly on the outskirts of the group as they walked through the grounds towards the herbology greenhouses. "Are the rumours about you and Rachel true, James?" Alice asked.

"What rumours?" James asked.

"That you are going to get together," Peter squeaked.

"I – I don't really know, to be honest," James said as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Do you like her?" Remus asked.

"I don't know," James said, turning slightly red, "She's alright, I guess."

As the group were talking a ravenclaw second year boy made his way towards Lily, "alright Evans?"

"Yeah, Trevor. I'm good. How are you?" Lily replied kindly.

James noticed the exchange and frowned. He couldn't understand why, but he really didn't like the fact Trevor was speaking to Lily. He frowned sighing gently, before turning his head away from the sight of Lily and Trevor talking. James tried to rationalise his thoughts, it's just because he's a douche… I'm not jealous.

"Are you looking forward to herbology?" Trevor asked.

"Yeah, I guess. You?" Lily asked.

"Yeah definitely. We get to use greenhouse three this year. Apparently the plants in there are way cooler than the ones in our old greenhouse." Trevor said, excitedly.

When the second years entered greenhouse two, Professor Sprout was waiting for them, tapping her foot quietly. Once they were all present and she had taken the register, she looked them up and down, "welcome to second year! To have been able to advance into this new phase of your magical education means that you are more than competent to continue." She smiled, "I must warn you that your work load will increase, there will be more homework and you will be working with slightly more exotic and dangerous plants. Therefore, I must warn you to be cautious and pay attention at all times. Anyone not paying attention will receive an automatic detention." Her eyes hovered on the marauders briefly. "Today we will be working with mandrakes. Who has done some research over the summer and can tell the class anything – anything at all – about the mandrake plant?"

Lily's hand shot up but Frank's was in the air a fraction of a second quicker than hers, "yes Mr Longbottom?"

"The mandrake is a plant which has a root that – well it – looks like a human. It kind of looks like an ugly baby at first but it will mature as the plant grows." Frank answered, awkwardly.

"Very good, Mr Longbottom. Ten points to Gryffindor." The professor turned to the rest of the class, "anything else?"

Lily's hand shot up again. Professor Sprout nodded for her to continue. "The root screams whenever it is unearthed. The scream of a mature mandrake will kill the person who hears it but a young mandrake's scream will just knock a person out for several hours."

"Very well, another ten points to Gryffindor. To prevent me having any knocked out students on my hands you will be wearing earmuffs whilst we work with the mandrakes. However before that, I would like you to take out your textbooks and make notes on the care and uses of mandrakes."

The second years began to make notes from their textbooks. James and Sirius rushed through their work so that they could continue messing around. James quickly scrawled;

Mandrakes not only resemble humans, but also have similar behaviour to them. They have been known to suffer from acne and their behaviour often relates to their stage of development. Mandrakes are known to be fully mature when they start moving into each other's pots. Matured mandrakes can be used as a prime ingredient for the Mandrake Restorative Draught, curing those who have been petrified.

The mandrake has been used since ancient times as a medicinal plant. It is a member of the nightshade family and can be used as a pain killer and a sedative. It was used in ancient times for surgery. However, an overdose can be fatal. It is supposed to be an aphrodisiac.

James and Sirius snickered as they wrote about the Mandrake's aphrodisiac qualities. Once the class had finished their notes, Professor Sprout diverted their attention to the small pot plants that had appeared on the tables in front of them. "There is a Mandrake for each of you. Do not touch them until I say so. These Mandrakes have outgrown their pots and need re-potting. Each of you will be looking after a Mandrake for the next few months. Make sure you write your name on the pot that you are placing your Mandrake into so that you know which Mandrake is yours. You will be responsible for watering, feeding and re-potting the mandrakes. This will give you an opportunity to see them grow and develop. Then when the time comes the plants will be used by the N.E.W.T students in their potions class. In a moment you will put on your earmuffs and then when I give you the thumbs up you can begin. I must warn you that young Mandrakes do have a habit of biting. Please put on your earmuffs."

The Gryffindors made their way to their charms classroom. Professor Flitwick was waiting for them at the doorway to his classroom. "Come in, come in!" The students made their way into the classroom, "before you sit down I want you to sit Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff."

James and Sirius sat on either side of a Hufflepuff girl that neither one of them had spoken to before, "hi, I'm James."

"And I'm Sirius."

"I know," the girl smiled, "I'm Lucy."

"Nice to meet you," James said, shaking her hand.

"Do you want to work with me and James today – we are really rubbish at charms," Sirius winked.

"I'm not very good either, you know." Lucy laughed.

The three of them sat together laughing as Professor Flitwick stood on top of a pile of books as he tried to get the class' attention. "Last year you should remember that we studied spells like wingardium leviosa, lumos, incendio, and spongify. This year we will revise so of the spells that we learnt last year but you will also have the opportunity to learn some new charms. Today we will be focussing on skurge. Can anyone tell me what the skurge charm does? Ah, yes, Miss Evans?"

"It's a cleaning charm, Professor. It's mostly used to clean up the mess that ghosts leave behind but it is also useful for scaring ghosts and it can potentially hurt poltergeists – so it's incredibly useful against Peeves. It's very similar to the household spell – the scouring charm – scourgify."

"Very good Miss Evans. Twenty points!" Professor Flitwick clapped his hands excitedly. "I want you all to turn to page 200 in your textbooks and begin practicing the skurge charm. If you manage to do it correctly I would like you to attempt the scouring charm (scourgify) and if you somehow manage that as well," his eyes darted to Lily, "then you may try tergeo; another very useful cleaning spell."

"Ah this is girl magic," Sirius cried out in boredom, causing Lily to frown across the room at him.

"You may think that it is girl magic all you like but you are going to practice the spells and for being so disrespectful to about half of your fellow students you will write an essay on these so called girl spells for next lesson."

"Argh Professor," Sirius moaned.

"J-Just be grateful that you haven't got a detention!" Professor Flitwick squeaked.

After charms the Gryffindors made their way out into the grounds to sit by the lake before lunch. "Defence after lunch. What do you think the new Professor will be like?" Kate asked.

"I don't know. I heard his name is Professor Bartlet," Sirius replied.

"Bartlet? I know that name," Frank said, thoughtfully.

"Yeah me too. My dad's mentioned him a few times. He's supposed to be a private dark wizard catcher. My dad says he's a bit mental but he's good at his job – gets paid a bomb too. Only problem is that when you're working privately who's to say who's a dark wizard."

"I've never heard of private dark wizard catchers before," Alice said gently.

"Most people haven't. They keep themselves to themselves." James nodded, "the other problem is that they don't have the same rules as the aurors. They do what they want – they're not under the authority of the ministry and they break a lot of laws."

"That's terrible. Why aren't they arrested?" Lily asked, joining the conversation.

"Because they are hard to find and well their usually quite wealthy – money gives diplomatic immunity – it's corrupt but it's true." James answered. "They're not all immoral. According to my dad Bartlet is one of the better ones. He's even worked with the ministry on occasion."

"That's how I know his name. Dad said ages ago that a Bartlet was helping them with a case. Some international dark wizard had come into the country and was wrecking havoc." Frank concluded.

Several minutes passed before Peter opened his mouth, "I'm starving. Let's go get some lunch."

Really hope you enjoyed the chapter...

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Next chapter...

The first Defence Against the Dark Arts class

A party in the Gryffindor common room!