Sirius glanced around the spacious Great Hall, its expanse sparsely populated. Only a handful of students from various houses were enjoying an early breakfast. He and his friends had arrived earlier than usual, prompted by James who had something to discuss over the morning meal. With a croissant in hand, Sirius began to nibble on it before posing his question through a mouth partly filled with food, "So, what do you wanna talk about?"

"What else could I be hinting at? It's regarding that ludicrous idea we pulled off yesterday," James leaned in closer, despite the almost deserted Gryffindor table. He whispered, a sense of incredulity in his voice, "I can't believe I agreed to this without any sort of plan. What in the world am I supposed to do?"

"What do you mean, 'What am I supposed to do?' It can't be that difficult, can it?" Peter chimed in, sharing glances with the rest of the group.

"Easy for you to say! Do you want me to just stroll up to Snivellus and casually ask if he wants to hang out?" James's and Peter's expressions twisted in distaste at the notion.

"Snape," Remus gently corrected.

James rolled his eyes with an exasperated sigh. "Whatever. Are you three actually going to lend a hand, or am I just standing here with a foolish plan?" He drummed his fingers impatiently on the plate.

Their attention shifted as two figures took seats a few spots away from them. "Morning, Sirius," Marlene's sweet greeting filled the air. Sirius offered a forced smile and raised a hand in response. James lifted his hand to greet Lily, but she swiftly placed her bag on the table, shielding her face as she gathered some food.

"Alright then," James spoke, his tone marked by a tinge of awkwardness. A chuckle escaped Sirius as he watched James navigate the early morning rejection.

Returning their focus to one another, they brainstormed alternative approaches for James to connect with Severus. Remus massaged his jaw, taking a moment to ponder. Suddenly, he turned his head toward Sirius with an expression that seemed to herald a great idea. "What's going on? Why are you staring at me?" Sirius blinked rapidly, a sense of discomfort settling in as a foreboding feeling told him that he might not be a fan of this idea.

"You're partnered with Severus for our potion assignment, aren't you?" Remus asked, to which Sirius nodded in affirmation. "Well, what if you bring James along to all your meetings? That way, he won't have to face Snape on his own," Remus suggested, his gaze shifting between James and Sirius, hoping for some sign of agreement.

Sirius halted and looked up at his friend, who was grinning expectantly after sharing his idea. "Absolutely not. No. Way," Sirius retorted, stressing each word to underline his strong disagreement

"Wait, why not? I think it's a solid plan. That would spare both of us from spending time alone with him," James interjected.

"Feel free to do as you please, but you can't crash our assignment meetings. Aren't you supposed to be busy working on your own project with Lily?" Sirius mused, hoping James would consider an alternative approach.

James rolled his eyes at his friend's flimsy excuse. "Come on, mate. We can just schedule our meetings at different times. You know how much I can't stand that guy. Are you seriously going to make me chase him around the school on my own?" he persisted, his frustration evident as he prodded Sirius for agreement.

Sirius could feel his irritation growing. Having James accompany him during his meetings with Severus could only turn into one thing ; a recipe for disaster. Besides, he couldn't risk James finding out about the little game he and Severus had. When he had convinced James to "get along" with Severus, he only intended for James to give Severus some space, not dive headfirst into bonding with him.

"I'm sorry, chum."

"But why not? I told you I—"

"For crying out loud, 'no' means 'no.' When I said I'd help, I didn't mean you could disrupt our project. Find another time," Sirius asserted, his voice growing louder, yet still contained enough to avoid drawing undue attention.

James shot Sirius a betrayed look, his bottom lip caught between his teeth in evident upset. Remus, positioned between the two, felt the awkward tension and attempted to diffuse it. "It's alright, Prongs. I'll help you figure out another—"

"—No, you know what? Screw you, Pad. Like this wasn't your plan all along," James interrupted Remus, his frustration palpable as he stood and moved to take a seat next to Lily, who greeted him with a displeased glare.

Sirius stared at his friends in disbelief. He parted his lips as if to speak but thought better of it, preventing himself from escalating the situation. Instead, he took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as he covered his face with his palm in a gesture of resignation. "Damn it," he muttered under his breath.

Nervously, Peter glanced around the bustling Great Hall, unsure of what to say or do. James and Sirius rarely quarreled, leaving Peter unaccustomed to this unfamiliar tension. He nudged Remus, silently urging him to intervene, but Remus only shot him a stern glare and gestured for him to remain silent. The hall quickly filled with the buzz of students chatting, yet the trio remained silent throughout the rest of their breakfast.

From a distance, Sirius watched as James attempted to distract himself by flirting with Lily, who continued to ignore his advances and focused on her food. The sight reminded him of Harry and brought a pang of pain. His preoccupation with Severus and Regulus had caused him to nearly overlook his mission to drive a wedge between James and Lily—an almost impossible task considering James' obsession with the girl since their third year.

Growing tired of the repetitive scenes of flirting and rejection, he shifted his gaze to the Slytherin table. His eyes met those of his brother, Regulus, who signaled for him to follow. Regulus rose from his seat and left the Great Hall. Without hesitation, Sirius excused himself and followed the same path, reaching the hallway outside the Great Hall. He glanced left and right, searching for his brother.

"Sirius," a gentle voice called out.

Sirius glanced back and spotted his brother in a secluded corner of the hallway, motioning for him to approach. He closed the distance and asked, "What's going on?"

"Did Mother send you a letter?" Regulus asked.

"Yeah, she couldn't resist talking about that Greengrass girl, could she?" Sirius sighed with a hint of exasperation. He felt relieved that Charlotte Greengrass hadn't attended Hogwarts and had opted for Beauxbatons instead. Dealing with her relentless attempts to engage him in conversation had been taxing enough.

Regulus frowned and made a disapproving face. "She's your fiancée, you know? You're supposed to marry her in four or five years. I don't understand why you're so adamant about avoiding her. You should give it a chance and try to get to know each other," he advised, his patience wearing thin with Sirius' continuous avoidance of even innocent interactions with his intended spouse.

Sirius raked his hand through his hair in frustration. "Damn it, Regulus. Don't you get it? I don't want to marry whoever Mother pairs me with. Any girl she approves of is already a giant red flag in my book," he retorted with a hiss. His mother's obsession with blood purity ran so deep that she wouldn't even allow a pure-blood who wasn't a blood supremacist to enter the family—such was the extremity of her beliefs.

"How could you possibly know if you've never even spoken to her?"

"Oh piss off, what do you know anyway? Just wait until next year when you're paired with someone. I have this gut feeling she might match you up with Andrea Mulciber," he grimaced at the thought of his younger brother ending up with that girl. He vividly remembered the shock he felt when he discovered that Regulus was engaged to Andrea Mulciber in his previous life. Unfortunately, he had fled from home before their engagement, so he wasn't able to express his disgust and displeasure to Regulus.

Regulus sent him with an odd look, as if he'd just uttered something peculiar. "And what's wrong with Andrea Mulciber?" he asked, genuinely curious. Sirius fell silent, flabbergasted by Regulus' composed response. "Hello?" Regulus prompted when his brother failed to provide an answer.

"I honestly can't tell if you're joking or just have no sense of self-preservation. You can't possibly be telling me you're alright with being paired with her," Sirius stated, staring at his brother as if he had grown an extra head. The notion of anyone marrying that girl was utterly dreadful.

"What's the problem with her?" Regulus asked, perplexed by the point Sirius was trying to make.

"She's ugly. That's her problem," Sirius exclaimed, taken aback by Regulus' apparent lack of understanding.

The Black family's was widely known for their stunning looks. Sirius couldn't fathom anyone from their lineage being paired with someone unattractive. He might not fully embrace his family's values, but this was one aspect he took pride in—their aesthetic appeal and genetic heritage. Some might label him shallow, but he deemed it a matter of upholding the standard of their lineage's quality, not that he had any interest in doing so himself.

At the sound of Regulus scoffing, Sirius glanced up, only to find his brother shaking his head and shooting him a mocking expression. "Is that all that matters to you? You don't even know anything about her personality," Regulus countered, using the wall for support as he leaned against it.

"And you do?" Sirius arched an eyebrow at Regulus. As far as he could recall, Regulus and Andrea had barely exchanged a word until a year after he left their household, around the time they became engaged.

Glancing out of a nearby window, Regulus shrugged. "No, but it doesn't matter. We can get to know each other if we end up being paired," he responded calmly. This was why Regulus was often hailed as the obedient son of the Black family. He was content to relinquish decision-making authority over his life and would gladly comply with whatever their mother dictated, all in the pursuit of securing her favor. Regulus had always been Walburga's favored child, even before he began his Hogwarts education and found himself sorted into Gryffindor. Their close relationship was likely a significant driver of Regulus' loyalty to the family.

"And if you don't end up liking her?" Sirius posed a challenge, expressing genuine doubt that his brother comprehended the importance of attraction in a relationship, given his general disinterest in romantic matters.

"Then we'll simply have to find a way to make it work," Regulus responded curtly, as if his own happiness was of little consequence. As though attraction and interest held no relevance in the context of marriage. Sirius regarded him skeptically, prompting Regulus to roll his eyes at his elder brother. "Sirius, I've never been particularly invested in relationships, so whoever Mother chooses for me will suffice. Maybe someday you'll realize that attraction isn't the sole factor in an engagement or marriage."

"You sound like you're fifty," Sirius sneered.

Regulus pushed away from the wall and began to stroll away at a leisurely pace. "I'll take that as a compliment. And remember, Charlotte Greengrass is renowned for her beauty, so I don't quite understand why you're so concerned," he waved without looking back before reentering the Great Hall to conclude his breakfast.

——————————

Sirius scowled, his patience wearing thin as his desk mate, Everly, persisted in her nagging. Still on James' bad side, he found himself seated next to Everly during the Transfiguration class with the Ravenclaws. "Just concentrate on the particles around you and try to conjure something!" Everly fumed, her frustration with Sirius becoming increasingly evident.

The assignment involved conjuring a magical creature, a task notably more challenging than summoning non-magical animals like birds, butterflies, or snakes. The entire class seemed to struggle with the assignment's difficulty, but for some reason, Everly managed to make it seem as if Sirius was the sole struggler. Sirius begrudgingly acknowledged the embarrassment, especially given his skill as an Animagus, which required a solid foundation in transfiguration. Unfortunately, his time in Azkaban had blurred his memory of the subject.

"What are you zoning out for? Get your head in the game! Merlin, why did you have to sit next to me? Now I'm stuck partnering with you, you dunderhead," she snapped in frustration, pushing him over the edge. He focused once more, honing in on the surrounding particles, and with a swish of his wand, he successfully conjured a small creature before them—an unimpressive ten-inch, toothless brown worm. "...Flobberworm. I expected no less from you," Everly quipped sarcastically, promptly raising her hand to summon the professor.

Professor McGonagall approached their table, her gaze shifting between the two creatures. "Well done, you're the third pair to conjure two magical creatures. Now, can the two of you please demonstrate the vanishing spell?"

Everly and Sirius exchanged nods before simultaneously raising their wands and intoning the incantation, "Evanesco!" In an instant, the two creatures they had struggled to conjure vanished into thin air.

"Nicely done, Mr. Black, Ms. Chamber. You may remain seated for now, or you can assist your fellow students if you wish. I will be checking on the other students now," Professor McGonagall commented before departing from their table.

Sirius let out a relieved breath as he slouched into his chair. He silently vowed that this would be the last time he'd ever have to sit next to this girl. Glancing sideways to catch a glimpse of what she was occupied with, he was taken aback to find her staring intently at him. "Merlin!" he exclaimed, caught off guard by her sudden observation.

"You know... something about you seems different," she remarked, casting him a suspicious look. Sirius remained silent, somewhat bewildered by her statement. He recalled having little interaction with her, apart from the instances when she and her fellow prefects would chase him and his friends for their mischievous escapades. It was highly unlikely that she would perceive any changes beyond the usual behavior. "I've noticed quite a few unusual shifts in your behavior lately," she continued, scrutinizing him as if conducting an investigation.

"Recently? Are you a stalker or something?" Sirius quipped.

She snorted, as if she had heard the most amusing joke. "Me, stalking you? Please, it's not difficult to notice that the most troublesome student has been significantly tamer in the pranking department. What happened to your solo prank sessions? Did something occur during the Christmas break that triggered a newfound sense of responsibility?" With a smug tilt to her chair, she smirked down at him in a patronizing manner that irked Sirius. If she weren't a prefect, he would have had no hesitation in devising a fitting prank to put her in her place.

"What's the matter, Chamber? You miss chasing me around Hogwarts?" Sirius smirked, taunting her.

She chuckled softly at the exaggerated statement. "Not particularly. I've actually been enjoying a much more peaceful time lately, not having to escort students to the hospital wing every other day," she mused with a hint of satisfaction, though her expression gradually dimmed. Her gaze suddenly fixed on him, giving him a pointed look. "Except for the incident last week," she reminded him of the altercation he'd had with Severus in the abandoned section of the castle.

"Don't worry, you won't have to deal with that anymore," he reassured her, though her skepticism was evident. Frankly, he wouldn't expect anyone to trust him after hearing that.

"I'll believe it when I see it. I'm pretty sure I saw you near the spot where Snape usually hangs out just yesterday," she pointed out, referring to the moment when she'd caught him heading towards the Gryffindor common room from their meeting spot.

Sirius arched an eyebrow. "Well, hate to disappoint you, but that was only because we're in the same group for our potion assignment," he clarified, having entirely forgotten to explain this to her yesterday before she had left him.

"So you're saying you were simply having a meeting with him?" she stared at him skeptically, her disbelief still apparent. "Did you have a falling out with your friends or something?" she ventured to speculate.

"What?" Sirius was taken aback.

"I mean, you're paired up with Snape in Potions, and you're sitting here next to me instead of with your usual friends. It's kind of odd, don't you think? You and your friends are known for being selective about who you associate with," Everly shrugged nonchalantly. She was right, of course. His friend group was notoriously selective when it came to forming connections, particularly him and James. They had established five clear criteria together when it comes to choosing acquaintances ; they shouldn't be in Slytherin, shouldn't be a blood supremacist, shouldn't be unattractive, shouldn't have an interest in dark magic, and shouldn't show any romantic interest in any of their group members' crushes or love interests.

However, Sirius had deviated from these rules due to his need to approach and gather information from Death Eater circles. "It's called growing up, Chamber. Maybe you should give it a shot sometime," he retorted.

"Ah, so something did happen over the holiday, huh?" Everly chuckled softly, finding Sirius' defensive response to his recent behavior rather amusing.

Slightly annoyed, Sirius decided to go along with her assumption. "Let's just say being forcefully engaged played a significant role in that," he replied with a forced smile.

"Well, well, who would've thought I'd see the day when Sirius Black is ready to be a responsible individual. Who would have guessed that all it took to tame him was a beautiful lady?" Everly mocked, her laughter tinged with sarcasm.

Sirius was tempted to fire back, but he held himself in check. He knew she was likely anticipating his explosion as a way to prove her point. He wouldn't grant her the satisfaction of being right. "Let's just go with that," he responded curtly.

The remainder of the class was consumed by their banter, exchanging mocking and sarcastic remarks that escalated as time passed. By the time the professor dismissed them, Sirius's blood pressure was off the charts. He hurriedly made his way over to his friends, intent on apologizing to James, only to discover that James had already left the classroom. "Where did Prongs go?" he questioned Remus.

"I'm not sure. He left as soon as the class ended, without saying anything," Remus informed him. Sirius glanced at Peter to see if he had any information, but Peter simply shook his head in negation. "I did see him turn right after leaving, if you're looking for him," Peter added.

"Thanks. I'll catch you later in the common room, Moony!" Sirius waved Remus goodbye, ignoring Peter completely before exiting the classroom and turning in the direction Peter had indicated. He searched around corners, but there was no sign of James anywhere. He was contemplating returning to the Gryffindor common room when he caught faint voices that sounded all too familiar. Slowly approaching the source, he spotted James and Severus engaged in a heated argument near a staircase. Severus clung tightly to a large, heavy-looking brown bag, while James attempted to wrest it away from him.

"I told you to give it to me," James demanded, forcefully tugging at the bag.

"What's your bloody problem, you tosser? Just leave me the hell alone," Severus cursed, struggling against James' strength. The disparity in their physical prowess was evident even from a distance, giving away who was the stronger of the two.

Without wasting a moment, Sirius advanced toward them, concerned that the altercation might escalate into something physical. "What's going on here?" he interjected, capturing their attention.

Severus flicked his gaze toward James, who still clung to the bag. "Black! Tell your moronic friend to back off. He randomly accosted me and started trying to grab my potion kit," he ordered, his anger palpable in his demeanor toward the other boy.

"I was only trying to be helpful. You're utterly insufferable," James snapped with aggression. Sirius clenched his jaw, struggling to maintain his composure. Watching James's attempt at being 'friendly and helpful' was exasperating. If this was James's best effort, any hope of a truce seemed futile.

Scratching his head, Sirius surveyed the awkward scene before him. He came to the conclusion that it would be best for James to leave for now and address the situation later. He needed to have a private conversation with him. "Snape, are you heading to the old classroom?" he inquired.

Severus retorted with annoyance, "Where else would I be taking this?"

"Got it," Sirius acknowledged awkwardly. He then turned to his friend, who had been giving him a stern glare ever since he had intervened. "Listen, James. Snape and I need to have a meeting, so I'll take it from here. You can head back now. We'll discuss this later tonight," he explained.

James didn't appear pleased with his request. Sirius began to regret pushing him to get along with Snape in the first place just to secure a date with Lily. It seemed to have only complicated matters further. "Well, I'm coming with you two," James stubbornly insisted, seemingly oblivious to the tense atmosphere.

"No, you're not," Severus retorted.

"James, you can't—" Sirius started to protest, but he stopped when he met James's heated glare. He let out a heavy sigh, realizing that reasoning with him at that moment would be useless.

"I'm just trying to help carry this bag for him," James argued.

"Fine, whatever. Snape, give him the bag," Sirius said defeatedly.

Severus did the opposite and tightened his grip on the bag. "Why should I do that?" he retorted, scowling.

"Just... Please do it. Otherwise, we'll be stuck here forever," Sirius implored, attempting to convince him. The quicker they reached the classroom, the sooner they could get James out of the picture. Several seconds passed with the two of them locked in a standoff, before Sirius tried again. "Severus, come on," he pleaded, his exhaustion evident in his tone.

The journey to the classroom was filled with tense silence, marked by unpleasant glances exchanged between Sirius and James.

Upon reaching the abandoned part of the castle, James seemed on the verge of saying something, but he appeared to think better of it and refrained, simply following Severus's lead. As they arrived at the classroom, Severus cautiously opened the door and peered inside. After a brief pause, he turned back to Sirius and remarked, "Good to know you at least know how to clean."

The three of them entered the room one by one. James cast a curious glance around the Slytherin workspace. Although he and his friends were aware of this location thanks to the Marauder's Map, they had never been particularly interested in venturing into this area, given its apparent lack of significance.

"Just set the bag on the table," Sirius instructed James, who complied. As soon as the bag was placed down, Sirius sidled up to James and leaned in to whisper, "What was that all about?" he hissed.

"You're the one who told me to handle it on my own. I said I'm not good at this," James retorted under his breath.

"I didn't tell you to handle it on your own. I told you to do whatever you could as long as you didn't disrupt our meeting," Sirius clarified, casting a glance towards Severus, who observed them with his arms folded across his chest.

James clicked his tongue in frustration. "Well, I did what you said. I did whatever I could, didn't I?" he muttered in annoyance.

Sirius raked his fingers through his hair in exasperation, struggling to comprehend James's reasoning behind his actions. "Listen, you can't mend your relationship with Snape by just forcing your help onto him. It doesn't work like that," he explained in a hushed tone. While he and James weren't accustomed to apologizing to others, it should have been easy to anticipate the probable outcomes of their actions.

"Yes, I can. I'll even offer to help him chop ingredients if he needs it right now," James insisted, shoving Sirius aside as he began to approach Severus.

Quickly grabbing James's wrist, Sirius pulled him back towards him. "No, you won't. You said you were only bringing the bag here. And I've already told you, you can't join our meeting!" he ground out, teeth clenched in an attempt to control his irritation.

"I can be helpful," James argued.

"Well, I could say the same about myself, yet Snape still regards me as a liability. Trust me, you won't be helping your case by sticking around," Sirius shot back, promptly disputing James's claim.

James's lips pressed into a tight line, acknowledging the accuracy of his friend's words. He glanced at Severus one last time before wordlessly leaving the room. Sirius knew that James was still annoyed with him, but the issue could be resolved later. This was certainly better than him sabotaging his plan to extract information from Severus.

"Sorry about that," Sirius sighed, placing his bag on the table.

Severus who had been leaning onto the Severus, who had been leaning against the wall, observing the whispered exchange between the two, pushed himself away from the wall and approached Sirius. "I distinctly remember telling you to instruct your friends to stop bothering me," he muttered in a low tone, the annoyance evident in his voice.

"I did tell them. You can't expect them not to find it odd, can you? Don't worry, James won't do anything to harm you. He gave me his word," Sirius reassured him, hoping to alleviate Severus's concerns. He couldn't reveal that James was attempting to 'befriend' Severus as part of a plan to woo Lily for Valentine's Day; that would likely only provoke further anger and frustration.

"I couldn't care less about what he thinks, Black. I simply need him to keep his distance from me," Severus retorted sharply.

"And I told you I can't control his actions. You'll have to either endure his occasional presence or put up with his pranks. Your choice," Sirius sighed, growing weary of the situation.

Severus narrowed his eyes, not bothering to reply. He headed toward the cabinet housing the potion ingredients, selecting a jar of dried billywig stings. Frowning at the contents, he shook his head disapprovingly before tossing the entire jar into the small rubbish bin. He retrieved an older bag from the lower drawer instead.

"Where are you going?" Sirius inquired as Severus made his way back to the door.

"Picking up new ingredients for the potion," Severus replied, opening the classroom door, ready to depart.

"What happened to the ingredients from yesterday? Why did you throw them away?" Sirius inquired, slightly puzzled by Severus's earlier action. He was pretty sure he had ensured everything was returned to its original containers yesterday.

Severus let out an exasperated sigh. "Chopped billywig stings have a limited shelf life of a few hours before they spoil for potion making. Thanks to a certain individual who mixed chopped and unchopped stings together, they all went bad," he explained, giving Sirius a disgruntled look.

Sirius's eyes widened at the revelation. He wasn't aware of that particular aspect. He had simply put the stings back in the jar since they hadn't been used the day before. "You didn't tell me that could happen," he defended himself.

"I didn't think I needed to mention something we all learned in our first and second years," Severus scoffed at Sirius's lack of basic potion knowledge.

"Fine, I admit I'm ignorant," Sirius conceded, realizing there was no point in trying to deflect the blame. He grabbed another empty bag from the same cabinet where Severus had taken his and stood beside him. "So where are we going to get the ingredients?" he asked with enthusiasm, attempting to shift the mood.

"We? I'm not collecting ingredients for you. Just wait in the classroom until I return," Severus responded, attempting to take the bag from Sirius's grasp. However, Sirius was quicker and hid it behind his back.

"No way. I'll die of boredom," Sirius retorted.

Sirius could see the exhaustion in Severus' face. He was just fighting with James and couldn't handle fighting with another person. Letting out a heavy sigh, Severus agreed. "Alright, fine. Just... don't say a word about whatever you witness," he requested, and Sirius nodded in agreement, though he wasn't entirely sure about the meaning behind Severus' words.

Sirius followed Severus as they ascended multiple flights of stairs. Walking around the castle could certainly count as a form of exercise. There were moments when Sirius wished that the magical world would adopt some of the conveniences from the Muggle world. Having experienced Muggle inventions like lifts and escalators during his visits to their world, he couldn't help but wish for their efficiency within Hogwarts. Climbing hundreds of stairs to reach the Astronomy Tower was a stark contrast to modern Muggle buildings.

A soft growl from Severus snapped Sirius out of his thoughts, and he glanced over to see his companion glaring at the students who were giving them curious looks. Even the portraits seemed to be paying attention to their presence.

Severus quickened his pace, prompting Sirius to do the same in order to keep up. Suddenly, Severus came to an abrupt stop, causing Sirius to crash into him. "Black!" Severus snapped in annoyance, pushing him away. Sirius quickly raised his hands in a gesture of innocence.

Severus pushed past Sirius and approached a statue that stood in front of them. Sirius joined him and looked up at the statue—a witch with an eyepatch over her left eye. * Before he could ask what they were doing, Severus began to scan their surroundings to ensure no one was watching.

Once he deemed it safe, Severus turned back to the statue and drew his wand. He tapped the statue while voicing the incantation "Dissendium," which caused a hidden passage to open behind it. "Hurry, stay close," Severus ordered, darting into the passage and pulling Sirius along by his robe just before the entrance closed.

As they entered the dimly lit passageway, Sirius squinted to adjust his eyes to the darkness. He could sense they were moving underground. Straining to see, he noticed something ahead. "A lift!" he exclaimed, pointing at the wooden contraption in front of them. It seemed fate had granted his wish for modern conveniences, albeit in a magical context.

"Nice observation," Severus remarked with a hint of sarcasm, his tone laden with mock appreciation. He pulled on the lever to open the door of the lift, but nothing happened. He tried a few more times, his attempts futile. Just as he raised his wand to fix it, Sirius intervened by placing his arm in front of Severus' chest.

"Allow me," Sirius grinned smugly, producing his wand from his pocket. He cleared his throat dramatically before casting "reparo." The lift's interior lit up, indicating that the repair had been successful. Sirius let out a satisfied chuckle, playfully imitating the way Muggles in films flipped their guns. "You're welcome," he quipped, wiggling his eyebrows for added effect.

Severus rolled his eyes, finally pulling the lever to successfully open the lift's door. They stepped inside, and as the lift descended, Sirius couldn't contain his curiosity. "How did you discover this place?" he inquired, genuinely intrigued by the hidden passage. He realized there were still many secrets about Hogwarts he had yet to uncover, and this only fueled his desire to explore further.

"None of your business," Severus retorted tersely, his response curt and closed-off.

Sirius' smile wavered, transforming into a scowl. It seemed conversing with Severus wasn't as straightforward as he had thought. The irony wasn't lost on him, considering he had just advised James about the same earlier.

When the lift finally halted, they stepped out into what appeared to be a cave-like interior. Spiderwebs clung to various surfaces. Sirius ensured his wand was within easy reach, in case they encountered any unexpected dangers. As they traversed the cave-like space, they came across several patches of horklump juice. Severus meticulously gathered each one, ensuring they ended up in his bag. Though Sirius tried to assist, Severus promptly slapped his hand away each time he reached for a plant. Sulking, Sirius spent the rest of the journey trailing behind Severus, unhappy about being relegated to the role of a mere spectator.

After a brief walk, their path came to an abrupt halt at the edge of a cliff. The opposite side was too distant for them to jump across. It seemed as though there should have been a bridge connecting the two sides. Before Sirius could voice his concern, Severus employed Levioso, levitating a wooden platform from the bottom of the cliff. With a swift leap, he hopped onto the platform and crossed to the other side. Not wanting to be left behind, Sirius immediately followed suit, joining Severus on the opposite ledge.

To their left, a door beckoned, devoid of any visible handle. Just as Severus was about to cast another spell to potentially open it, Sirius intervened once again. "Allow me," he grinned, eager to seize another chance to display his magical prowess. "Watch and learn. Alohomora!" he declared, his wand held aloft. A few seconds ticked by, but the door remained stubbornly closed. An awkward scratch of his head followed, and he reluctantly glanced back at Severus, who was already smirking at his failed attempt.

Severus swiftly conjured fire with a deft swish of his wand, igniting the braziers flanking the door with an incendio spell. The door obediently swung open, granting them passage. "Watch... and learn," he taunted, brushing past Sirius to descend a ladder connected to the door. Amused, Sirius chuckled and followed suit, descending the ladder himself.

As he descended, the unmistakable aroma of sweet chocolate, candy, and assorted confections enveloped his senses. It was as though they had been transported to Hogsmeade, specifically the beloved Honeydukes sweet shop. Perplexed, Sirius surveyed his surroundings upon reaching the floor. The space resembled a cellar, lined with numerous crates and boxes. Intrigued, he peered into one of the boxes, discovering a plentiful assortment of chocolates unique to Honeydukes.

Turning his attention to Severus, who was preoccupied with extracting dried billywig stings from a crate, Sirius momentarily diverted to explore. On the opposite side of the room, a brown door stood adorned with handles and devoid of any locking mechanisms. Experimentally, he pushed the door, and to his astonishment, it yielded. Slowly opening the door a little wider, he glanced through the narrow gap, a bewildered expression taking over as he gazed upon the familiar interior of Honeydukes. It was beyond his comprehension; they were standing within the sweet shop's very cellar.

Black," Severus snapped in a hushed tone, jolting Sirius and nearly prompting a startled yelp from him. Luckily, Severus acted swiftly, covering Sirius' mouth with his hands. Their wide-eyed gazes met, their breaths heavy as they stared at each other in the dimly lit cellar.

After a moment of calming down, Sirius gently moved Severus' hands away. "You scared me," he whispered, a hint of irritation in his voice.

"This is why I don't want you to follow me," Severus said irritatedly.

"Because you planned on pilfering potion ingredients from a sweets shop?" Sirius playfully quipped, unable to resist a teasing smile. He hadn't expected Severus to resort to theft; it seemed rather uncharacteristic for someone as prideful as him. "How long have you been at this? Who knew you had a penchant for mischief?" he continued, prodding Severus further.

The darkness did very little to hide the flush that crept up Severus' cheeks, a sight that Sirius found unusually endearing. "Just hush," Severus hissed, flustered by the teasing.

"Why not simply ask me to buy them for you? You've already asked for a small fortune's worth of potion ingredients and school supplies," Sirius suggested.

Severus raised the bag of horklump juices and dried billywig stings as if to illustrate his point. "There are certain ingredients I can easily obtain myself," he replied, his tone defensive.

"Through... stealing?" Sirius raised an eyebrow, questioning Severus' methods.

"Well, I wouldn't need to resort to stealing if I had the money, now would I?" Severus retorted, his annoyance palpable.

Sirius raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Calm down, I'm not judging. In fact, I'm rather impressed to discover that you have a mischievous side. It's good to know you're not a complete stickler all the time," he added with a sly grin.

"Great. Now hurry up. We should leave before they realize we're here," Severus directed, turning to head back toward the ladder they descended from.

Without properly surveying his surroundings, Sirius hurried to follow Severus and accidentally kicked over a bottle that lay on the floor. As he stumbled backward, he collided with the door he had forgot to close earlier, causing a painful impact as he hit the shop's floor. Grimacing in pain, he glanced up to find the shop's customers staring at them in astonishment. The shop owner's confusion gave way to outrage as he finally comprehended the situation. "You—you're the students responsible for stealing from my cellar! Thieves!" he shouted at them loudly.

"You bellend," Severus muttered, regretting the decision to involve Sirius as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

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*In case you didn't catch on, I drew inspiration from a side quest in Hogwarts Legacy where the main character had to obtain dried billywig stings for Garreth Weasley :3

I had an enjoyable time writing this silly little chapter. One particular highlight for me was depicting James' cluelessness in trying to mend his strained relationship with Severus.

Sirius : You need to get along with Snape.

James : Okay. *turn around* Give me your bag you son of a bitch.

Anyway, thank you so much for reading this chapter. Don't forget to subscribe to get notification whenever I upload new chapters! Have a nice day, everyone! 3