Potion Commotion (1st year)
February 16th, 1972
Potions class was held in the castle’s dungeons where the light was difficult to reach and everything smelled of burnt ingredients and damp stone. For the first-year Gryffindors, sharing the class with Ravenclaw was a double-edged sword. The Ravenclaws were sharp and quick-witted, always eager to impress Professor Horace Slughorn, and they were also willing to share their vast knowledge with their fellow classmates. But this also meant the Gryffindors had to endure their constant need to show off.
The boys sat at a long table at the back of the room. James was too busy trying to balance a quill on the tip of his nose, Sirius was doodling absentmindedly on his notebook, and Peter was helping Remus chop a mandrake root.
Professor Slughorn, an average-looking man with a round face and a full beard, walked in. He had a pleasant smile, though he couldn’t quite get rid of his smug expression and air of superiority. It was a trait cultivated since his school years as a Slytherin student and he kept it, as a reminder of his roots, fitting to his position as the Headteacher now responsible for the Slytherin House.
“Right then, settle down, settle down,” he said, adjusting his velvet waistcoat. “Today, we’ll be attempting the Oblivion Draught, also known as the Forgetfulness Potion. Not too difficult if you pay attention.” He shot a warning look at the boys. “You’ll find instructions on page thirty-four. I expect you to follow them exactly. No improvisation,” he added, catching Sirius’ eye. He flicked his wand to make the cauldron wobble slightly. “Now, you may start.”
He sat behind on his desk, taking hold of a book on Asiatic anti-venoms. The Ravenclaws immediately set to work, their noses buried in their textbooks. The Ravenclaw twins, Bilancia and Bayer Parvis were quietly arguing about the best way to smash the puffapod beans for the potion.
“Reckon this stuff actually works?” James asked as he lazily measured out some powdered dragon claw. “Imagine if we could get Snape to drink it for a whole week. He’d forget to wash his hair—if he ever does.”
Sirius snorted and added a handful of ingredients to his cauldron. “Maybe we should slip some in McGonagall’s coffee. Make her forget she was ever mad at us. If I keep listening to Hagrid rumbling about unicorns every night till detention is over, I might throw myself off the Astronomy Tower.”
“Yeah, I don’t think any potion will erase that. I suggest we lay low for a while,” said James. He adjusted his glasses, his eyes already twinkling. “On the other hand, we could see if we can find anything else about the centaurs.”
Remus’ hand stilled mid-motion. He inhaled sharply and threw a few dried billywig stings—magical creatures resembling large, blue insects—into his cauldron.
“What do you want to find?” Sirius asked.
“I don’t know,” James said, scratching his chin thoughtfully. “But there must be more to this. For starters, we should find what Pholus meant.”
“And how exactly do you expect to do it?”
“Well, I don’t know, I was expecting you could help. Remus, what do you say? You always have a plan.”
“No, for this I don’t,” said Remus.
“But why? You were the one who urged Hagrid to tell us,” said James. “And you were right, we might be in danger. Aren’t you even curious to know what this is about?”
“I am curious,” Remus said, his voice carefully flat and steady, “but I don’t want to get in more trouble. You heard McGonagall. The last thing I want is to get expelled.” He raised an eyebrow, pointing to James’ cauldron. “And you should return your focus on that before anything goes wrong.”
James gave him a sidelong look, stirring his potion. “C’mon, Remus, we should really talk about it at some point. And don’t worry about the potion,” he said, stirring lazily. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
As if on cue, a loud bang echoed from the front of the class. A Ravenclaw girl let out a startled cry and her friends hurried over, waving their wands to contain the mess from her cauldron, which was spewing bright purple smoke. Professor Slughorn only shook his head with disapproval and his attention returned to his book.
“Well, there’s your answer,” Remus said, adding a careful dash of powdered mandrake root to his potion. “Purple smoke, lost eyebrows, and detention. Pick your favourite disaster.”
James rolled his eyes and leaned over to Sirius. “You’ll help me right?”
“With finding out more about Pholus?” Sirius asked and James nodded eagerly. “No,” Sirius said, leaning over his textbook to check what ingredient to add next.
“No? What do you mean no?”
“I mean no. You wanna hear it in French? Non.”
“Since when do you say ‘no’ to any idea we have?” James asked, his voice full of exasperation.
“Since Remus is unwilling to join us with a proper plan.”
James raised an eyebrow. “I don’t remember you showing any appreciation for Remus’ plan the last time.”
“That—that was different. We were fighting.”
“Oh, so now you’re a team?”
Sirius sighed. “Point is, on our first day here, we promised to stick together to any prank, mischief, and adventure. If Remus doesn’t want to be involved, neither should we. We’re all together, or none at all.”
“Fine,” James said. He leaned back, a frown settling on his face. “Suddenly he wants to play D’Artagnan,” he muttered.
Sirius watched him closely. He didn’t like it when James was sulking; it felt like letting down his brother—a very stubborn, occasionally infuriating, yet always endearing brother. He exhaled deeply.
“Hey, the cauldron that exploded was purple,” Sirius started, trying to lighten up the mood. James glanced up. “Bet we can make ours change color. Two galleons says I get it to go blue.”
“Two galleons?” James said, but his competitive spirit had already flared up. “You’re on.”
Sirius grinned and tapped his wand against his cauldron, whispering a spell under his breath. Blue sparks shot out, and his potion turned bright blue. He turned to James in triumph. James, not to be outdone, muttered his own incantation. His cauldron, however, let out a weird noise and the mixture turned sickly green. There was a brief, ominous gurgle. Then it erupted like a mini volcano and gooey green sludge splattered everything—the table, their robes, Peter’s face.
Professor Slughorn rose from his chair. “Mr Potter! Mr Black! What in Salazar’s name—”
“Sorry, Professor!” James said, wiping sludge from his glasses. “It was an accident. Just a small miscalculation. Added more mandrake.”
Slughorn sighed with disapproval and resigned to his chair, grabbing his book once again. Sirius was laughing too hard to respond, clutching at his sides as green gunk tripped off his nose. Peter looked horrified while Remus simply shook his head, half-amused, half-exasperated.
“Two galleons,” Sirius wheezed. “Totally worth it.”
“Yeah, you’ll make a fortune out of us at this rate,” James retorted. “As if you’re not madly rich already.”
Sirius exhaled shakily. “My family’ s madly rich,” he said. “I won’t be till they’re all dead.”
James gave him a flat expression. He reached into his messenger bag and passed the galleons to Sirius with frustration. “That was not morbid at all,” he muttered.
“It’s the truth,” said Sirius.
Remus kept working on his potion in silence. It was almost ready. He flicked his wand with practiced precision and the fire obediently settled to a low, steady temperature. Suddenly, Professor Slughorn stood up and rushed forward, his face lit with excitement.
“Miss Evans, this is exceptional work!” He was standing right beside Lily, supervising her cauldron with admiration. “Seems like one of you managed to execute the recipe flawlessly.”
Lily held her chin high with pride. The Ravenclaws cast her annoyed and disappointed glances, muttering that she should have been placed in their House instead of Gryffindor.
“Now, miss Evans,” said Slughorn. “The texture of your potion is exactly as it should be as well as the colour.” He turned sharply to Sirius and James. “There’s only one way to find out if it actually works. Choose whoever you wish to try it.”
Lily’s eyebrows shot up.
“Give it to Potter,” Mary whispered, leaning closer to Lily. “Hopefully he forgets about his crush on you.”
Lily tried to suppress her grin. “Professor, can I try it?”
“Of course, Miss Evans. The taste should be bitter and leave a sour aftertaste. You’re most likely to forget the things that are most important to you, those that take up the most space in your mind. But don’t you worry, you will be provided with the counter-potion to reverse its effects.”
“Lily wait!” James called. She stilled, turning her head to face him.
James cleared his throat theatrically. “Don’t forget to remember me—And the love that used to be—I still remember you, I love you—In my heart lies a memory to tell the stars above—”
“What are you doing?” Sirius demanded, tugging at James’ sleeve. “What is he doing?” he asked again, turning to Remus.
Remus was laughing loudly, holding his sides. “He’s singing—Bee Gees,” he managed between shaky breaths.
“No, that’s not singing. That’s a freaking banshee dying.”
“Well, it’s quite a good impression,” Remus said as he wiped away a tear from the corner of his eye.
Sirius scoffed, a grin forming on his lips. “Yeah, if you’re tone-deaf.”
When James finished, he gave a small theatrical bow, and the rest of the class, clearly amused by his performance, started cheering and whistling. Lily brought a hand across her face.
“If you’re done, Mr Potter, I might resume my class, and you might as well reconsider your singing abilities,” Slughorn said. “Apparently, they are on the same level as your capacity to brew potions.”
Sirius snorted, while Remus and Peter kept shaking with silent laughter. James, somehow unfazed, winked at Lily and sent her a kiss. Lily glared at him and returned her attention to her draught. She thought about Severus who started avoiding her again since they returned to school after the holidays. She thought about Petunia who hadn’t even bothered stepping out of her room to say goodbye when she left. She thought about her parents struggling financially but trying their best to hide it so they wouldn’t worry their daughters. Must be nice to forget all those things, even just for a while.
She reluctantly took the ladle and brought the potion to her lips, taking a generous sip. She then let go of it, glancing around utterly lost and disoriented.
“Well,” Professor Slughorn said, “how do you feel?”
“I—I…where am I?”
“Excellent! Fifteen points to Gryffindor!” Slughorn exclaimed. “Please, Miss Evans, come with me and I’ll give you the counter-potion.”
Lily approached Slughorn’s desk hesitantly and shot a glance at Mary and Marlene who tried to contain their amused chuckles, clearly not as sympathetic as they should be with their friend’s state.
“Please, for the sake of my ears, don’t ever do this again,” Sirius said to James.
James’ grin widened. “You’re just jealous of my many talents.”
“Looks like someone drank a bit of that potion already,” said Sirius. “Forgetting our limitations, are we?”
“Finally!” Remus exclaimed.
“What? What happened?” Peter asked.
“My potion,” Remus said proudly. “It’s done.”
Sirius smirked. “Thank Merlin, we have you and Evans to win points for our House or else we’d be doomed.”
Remus narrowed his eyes slightly, a smirk playing at his lips. “Trust me, it’s a full-time job since you lot are working overtime to sink the ship. But hey, someone’s gotta do the dirty work.”
“Remus, I’m not even joking when I say we’d be lost without you,” said James.
Remus’ eyes softened slightly, and the edges of his mouth curved into a gentle smile. Just then, Peter’s cauldron erupted with a loud bang, sending a plume of thick, green smoke into the air. He had been trying to change his potion’s colour to impress the others, but things didn’t go as planned. Shards of the cauldron scattered in all directions as the potion splattered across the table and floor, hissing and bubbling violently. Students nearby jumped back with startled cries, covering their faces from the unexpected blast, while Peter stood frozen, eyes wide with shock, and soot streaked across his face.
“Mr Pettigrew!” Slughorn yelled, his face turning a deep shade of red.
Peter was looking petrified. “I—I,” he stammered. “More…mandrake?”
Slughorn sighed with exasperation and took his head in his hands. The boys burst into laughter.
March 4th, 1972
Sirius sat in one of the oversized armchairs of the Gryffindor common room, his feet propped up on a small table, and his well-worn diary balanced on his knee. It was late in the afternoon, so his mother was likely done with Regulus’ tutoring sessions, which meant that his brother would be free for a quick chat. The diaries have worked wonders so far. The two boys were able to communicate in secret and their messages vanished from the page as soon as they were read, so it was as safe as it could be.
Sirius dipped the quill in ink, tapping it lightly against the edge of the pot before writing:
Hey, Reg. How’s life at the madhouse? Mother yelling about something irrelevant yet?
The ink shimmered for a moment before settling, the words appearing clearly on the page. Sirius leaned back, waiting. He didn’t have to wait long. A few minutes later, the letters disappeared.
You mean today specifically or in general? Because the answer is always yes.
Sirius chuckled, already feeling the tension ease from his shoulders. Despite the miles between them and the strained circumstances, there was something comforting about knowing Regulus was still there on the other end of the parchment.
Any chance she’s ranted about me today? Miss the sound of her dulcet tones.
Of course. Something about how Hogwarts has corrupted you beyond repair and how you’re a disgrace to the family name. You know, nothing new. Oh, and Kreacher almost scratched one of the new portraits Mother got by dropping it. She went spare over that.
Sirius snorted, imagining their house-elf in another one of his fits. He shifted in his seat, his eyes flicking around the common room. The stark contrast between Grimmauld Place, and Hogwarts never failed to strike him.
So Kreacher is being useless as always. What’s new with you? Anything interesting?
Nothing much, really. I’m still stuck in the house since the holidays ended, so it’s the usual. Mother keeps tutoring me. Says Hogwarts’ curriculum is far beneath what should be taught to proper wizards. Oh, and I found another secret room hidden behind the tapestry on the third floor. Think it was a potions lab once, lots of old cauldrons.
Sounds like prime trouble territory. Got to make the best of it, Reg. Ever find that secret stash of firewhiskey I told you about?
Yeah, found it last week. Had a sip. Tasted awful.
Sirius rolled his eyes and laughed quietly.
That’s the spirit. Just wait till you try it again next year. It grows on you. Like fungus.
And that’s how you develop an alcohol addiction. Just like Uncle Alphard.
I believe Uncle Alphard’s addiction comes from having to put up with our family for so long. Might become a drunk myself in a few years.
He could almost picture Regulus scoffing with his last words, his young face disapproving yet amused. The image made Sirius smile softly.
Don’t expect me to hold your hair every night while you vomit then. Also, I forgot to tell you. Father’s been meeting with some Ministry people more often.
Probably something dull.
I’m not so sure about it. Abraxas Malfoy was here the other night, you know, Lucius’ father. They were discussing in Father’s study. Something about disappearances.
Sirius’ breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened slightly. The centaurs. This was getting interesting. He glanced around the room warily, before writing down on the paper.
Disappearances? What kind of disappearances?
I don’t really know, missed most of what they were saying. But, taking from their secrecy, I suppose they weren’t talking about Abraxas’ wife leaving him.
Sirius would have laughed at his brother’s last comment if he weren’t so completely absorbed in wondering what his father’s discussion with Malfoy was about. But he had a feeling, a strong feeling that it all connected somehow: Abraxas meeting with his father, the Death Eaters, Voldemort, pureblood families, and the missing centaurs.
Can you find more about it?
Yeah, sure, I can try. But why do you sound so intrigued? Well, you don’t actually sound like anything, really, but you get my point. Thought you weren’t interested in Father’s business.
Sirius hesitated for a few seconds. He couldn’t tell Regulus about their meeting with Pholus. Not yet. Not when Remus was personally involved. His mother was a master at Legilimency, the art of prying into someone’s thoughts, and Sirius wouldn’t risk her finding out about his friends through Regulus’ mind. He chose his next words carefully so that his brother wouldn’t get suspicious.
Well, it sounds more than just business, right?
You might be right. But I warn you, I can’t promise I’ll find anything. I don’t want to get in trouble.
Yeah, Reggie, of course. But if you hear anything else, let me know.
Regulus didn’t reply for a few minutes, and Sirius began feeling nervous, hoping that his brother wouldn’t start suspecting anything. Sirius was quick-witted, but Regulus was just as sharp and rarely missed the details. The older boy felt all right hiding the truth but he didn’t really enjoy lying straight to his brother’s face. He would do it, though, if he had to.
Sorry. Thought I heard someone coming. So, do you have any plans for tonight? Any chances for another prank?
Sadly, no. Minnie has been breathing down our necks. She doesn’t take her eyes off us, even in class. She’s in every corner of every corridor. Doesn’t help that she can transform into a cat either. They’re swift and silent, those bloody felines.
I’m sorry, is ‘Minnie’ supposed to be McGonagall?
Sirius smirked.
Yeah, it’s a pet name. Quite literally.
You’re a lost cause. I hope you know it.
I might be, but you still love me, you little shit.
I am exercising my right to remain silent.
Okay, okay, let’s call a truce.
Fine. I have to go to sleep anyway. Mother said we’d wake up early in the morning.
More tutoring lessons?
Yeah, tomorrow’s potions, so it’ll be fun.
We seriously need to redefine your definition of fun, Reg.
Yeah, I’m sorry for not being an uncultivated heathen like some.
Sirius rolled his eyes with a wide grin. He never got angry or frustrated when Regulus was teasing him. All in all, he was the one to appreciate a good comeback.
Okay, Reggie, talk to you tomorrow. And please, no potion talk or I might just kill myself. Sleep tight, love you.
Don’t worry, you wouldn’t understand a thing even if I told you. Goodnight, love you too.
March 16th, 1972
The Gryffindors and the Slytherins were already sitting at their cauldrons, the usual murmur of conversation replaced by silence as they waited for instructions. Professor Slughorn was standing at the front of the room, looking particularly excited about the day’s lesson which was rarely a good sign.
“Today,” Slughorn announced, “we will be brewing a tricky potion—one that requires the utmost precision. We’re working with Fire-Breathing Elixirs today.”
There were a few worried murmurs from the Slytherin tables. Lily, Mary, and Marlene glanced around warily. Their eyes rested on the four boys, silently pleading with them not to mess things up.
“Did he say fire-breathing?” James asked.
Sirius smirked. “I can already think of a dozen ways this could go wrong.”
“Due to the complexity of this potion, you will be working in teams,” Slughorn continued.
Remus looked at the list of ingredients before him with increasing apprehension. Brilliant. “Let’s try not to blow up the classroom this time, all right?” He shoot James a warning glance. Peter was sitting at the far end of their table, already looking nervous. Potions wasn’t exactly his strong suit, and anything with fire involved made him uneasy.
“If we’re not careful, this potion could cause real damage,” Remus continued, flipping through his textbook. He glanced up at the boys. “I’m serious.”
“No, I’m Sirius,” Sirius teased. He was already grinding up the dried salamander eyes for their potion.
Peter fumbled with his ingredients, his hands shaking slightly as he grabbed the jar of salamander blood from the many shelves of the classroom. The instructions warned to add precisely two drops of the flammable liquid but Peter was so focused on getting the stopper off the jar that he didn’t notice how unsteady his grip had become in his sweaty hands.
James slowly added the powdered dragon scales in the potion, while Remus carefully stirred clockwise. Sirius kept a close eye on Peter, knowing he had a knack for getting things wrong in—well, everything.
“Careful with that blood, Pete,” he said, not looking up from his own work. “A little too much, and we’ll be the ones breathing fire.”
Peter swallowed nervously and finally managed to get the stopper off the jar. “I know, I know. I’ve got this,” he muttered.
“Seriously though,” said Remus, “just for once, please, be extra careful. I don’t know what the hell Slughorn’s been thinking, but this potion—it’s extremely powerful and even more dangerous. One mishap and we could blow up the entire castle.”
Sirius lifted his head with a small smirk. “You worry too much. Nothing’s going to happen.”
“Sirius, please—”
“All right, fine. We’ll be careful. And in return, you won’t sulk next time we decide to cause some trouble.”
“Deal.”
James glanced over just as Peter tilted the jar, intending to add the two drops as instructed. But, in his nervousness, Peter accidentally knocked his elbow against the cauldron, causing the entire jar of salamander blood to spill into the potion.
“Peter!” Remus yelled.
It was too late.
Loud hissing sound came from the cauldron as the potion reacted violently to the overdose. The mixture inside began to bubble uncontrollably, turning a fiery orange. In an instant, a sudden burst of flames shot out from the cauldron, setting fire to the parchment-covered table and igniting nearby ingredients.
“Bloody hell!” James shouted, jumping back just as a lick of fire spread across the table.
The flames began spreading rapidly, consuming everything on their way. The heat grew intense and smoke began to fill the dungeon, as the fire quickly spread towards the shelves lined with explosive potion ingredients.
Slughorn rushed forward, waving his wand frantically towards the flames but the fire-breathing potion was resistant to normal water. Panic spread like wildfire (well...) and everyone scrambled from their seats as flames began to lick the edges of the classroom. Desks were knocked over in the frenzy, and chairs clattered to the floor. The students pushed and shoved, desperate to escape the rising heat and backing towards the door.
Maximillian Fowler from Gryffindor forcefully kicked the door. “It’s stuck!”
“Try harder!” Mary yelled.
It was chaos—everyone screaming and pushing near the entrance. The flames started rising high, consuming the wooden ceiling. The classroom would soon be engulfed in a raging inferno. Professor Slughorn was struggling to put out a small fire in the hems of a boy’s robes.
Suddenly, a large wooden plank fell from the ceiling right above Lily’s head.
“Evans!” Sirius yelled.
“Lily!” Severus screamed at the same time, his face painted with panic as he lunged at her. He got her on time, and they both fell sprawling to the floor just as Sirius reached them.
“Thanks,” Lily managed.
Sirius bent down and grabbed her waist, trying to raise her to her feet. “You all right?”
“Stay away from her,” Severus hissed, shoving him away. “You caused this hellhole!”
“Now, it’s really not the time for this, Snape.”
“We’re all going to die!” Benedict Mulciber yelled as he tried to put out some flames from his sleeve.
Severus turned to Lily. “We have to move. Now.”
“The door is stuck,” she said a little breathless, coughing through the smoke. “I don’t know what to do—I—it’s not locked, I can’t use ‘Alohomora’ to unlock it—”
Sirius placed firmly both of his hands on her shoulders to steady her. “Then we have to find another way.” He glanced at the students near the door then back at Lily. “Tell everyone to clear the entrance.”
Lily nodded and turned away with no other word. She rushed to her classmates, trying to pull them away from the door but they were so panicked they barely listened to her. Severus cast Sirius a last withering glance before running to the other Slytherins.
“Everyone, step aside!” Marlene screamed. She, Lily, and Mary tried to shove everyone away. The students eventually parted to the door’s sides, stumbling. Sirius stepped in a hurry in front of it, his wand raised at the door, eyes blazing with determination.
“Bombarda!”
The students covered their eyes as the door exploded outward with a deafening crash. Within seconds, the doorway became a bottleneck, as everyone fought to squeeze through. Some tripped, hands grappling to stay upright while others shoved their way to the front.
The fire kept consuming the back of the room, sending thick, black smoke into the air. Professor Slughorn kept helping his students to exit the room.
“C’mon, Black! What are you waiting for?” Lily cried, grabbing Sirius’ arm to pull him out of the classroom with the rest of the students.
“No, we have to help put out the fire. Take the rest to the infirmary. We’ll meet you later,” he said in a hurry, already backing away towards James, Peter, and Remus.
“Be careful!” Marlene shouted, leaving the room with Mary and Lily.
Sirius managed to run through the burning tables, reaching the others. James coughed, the thick smoke stinging his eyes as it filled the room. His vision blurred and he yanked off his glasses, blinking rapidly to clear the burning sensation. As he slipped them back on, the world came into focus again—though the smoke still swirled around him, he could see clearly enough to realise that soon the classroom would be burned to the ground. His adrenaline kicked in and he pulled out his wand.
“We need more water!”
Sirius and Remus reacted quickly, joining James as they pointed their wands at the flames. Three powerful streams of water erupted from their wands towards the burning ceiling, but it wasn’t enough. The fire from the potion was spreading too fast, threatening to ignite the rest of the classroom.
In the chaos, Peter stood frozen, his face pale as he watched the destruction unfold. “I—I didn’t mean to—” he stammered, his voice barely audible over the crackling fire.
“Peter, snap out of it!” Remus yelled, trying to get through to him as he doused more flames. “We need all hands we can get!”
Peter watched the spreading fire and his friends, who were struggling to contain the blaze. Something clicked in his mind. He reached into his bag and pulled out a small vial of dittany essence, something he had packed for their Herbology lesson earlier that week.
“I—I’ve got it!” he shouted, running towards the flames with the vial in hand.
“No, wait!” Sirius yelled.
Peter carefully opened the vial and sprinkled a few drops of the essence onto the fire. The flames hissed and crackled, but where the dittany landed, they began to die down, shrinking rapidly. Seeing the effect, James quickly directed a stream of water at the same spot.
“It’s working!” he yelled “Pete, the tables! We’ll deal with the ceiling!”
Peter nodded eagerly, running around the class, throwing dittany wherever he could reach. Professor Slughorn rushed to a nearby cabinet, yanking it open. He frantically searched through the shelves, knocking over bottles and jars until his fingers wrapped around a small vial of dittany. He quickly joined Peter, both working together until they eventually managed to put out the fire on the floor.
The others kept casting the water-making spell at the ceiling. Within moments, the fire was mostly extinguished, leaving behind blackened tables. The air was thick with smoke, and the boys were coughing and fanning with their hands.
Slughorn, panting heavily, looked around at what was left of the room. “Good heavens,” he muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. He turned to Peter, his eyes wide. “That was quick thinking, Mr Pettigrew.”
“I—I read about it in our Herbology notes... Dittany can neutralize magical fires,” he mumbled, staring down at the remains of his cauldron.
James wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, feeling the dampness cling to his skin. “That was brilliant, Pete. You really saved us there.”
“You’re lucky that worked,” Sirius muttered.
Slughorn waved his wand to clean up the remaining mess. “Perhaps we’ll take a break from fire-related potions for the rest of the week,” he said. “You boys should head to the infirmary. I will deal with the rest of the disaster.”
The boys nodded and with no other word walked towards the door, ragged-looking and exhausted.
“And boys,” Slughorn called after them. They paused and turned around, the dreadful feeling they’d be expelled settling in. “Thank you again, for your assistance. It was really brave of you,” Slughorn said with a strained smile, to their surprise.
“It was nothing, Professor, really,” said Sirius.
Slughorn nodded and returned his attention to the burned tables and wrecked cabinets. The others walked together towards the infirmary, still riding the adrenaline.
“Good thing I warned you to be careful,” Remus murmured.
Peter shook his head, looking like he was about to cry. “I’m sorry—Ι’m so sorry.”
Remus released a deep breath, his hand resting lightly on Peter’s shoulder. “It’s all right, Pete. Everyone got out safe. No severe injuries.”
“Remus is right. Worst-case scenario, they send you to Azkaban for arson,” Sirius teased.
“Azkaban?”
“Yeah, you know,” Sirius said with a shrug. “Jail for wizards.”
“WHAT?”
“Oh, shut up!” Remus said, shoving Sirius who was already laughing. “Peter, you’re not going to Azkaban. Get a grip.”
“I thought we were goners,” James laughed frantically.
“Not yet,” Sirius said. “I’m awfully young to die this way.”
“No one’s dead, and no one’s going to jail. God, you’re all insufferable,” Remus said. “And I suppose I can sulk now, right?” He raised an eyebrow at Sirius.
“Yeah, sure, go ahead. You have my permission.”
Peter kept walking a little farther behind the group, eyes on the ground. James threw an arm around his shoulder.
“Hey, it’s okay,” he said. “Slughorn will deal with the damage and I’m sure no one will remember it by next week.”
“But what if I get expelled?” Peter asked, his voice breaking.
“You won’t,” James said. “You saved the day. Dumbledore and McGonagall will be proud of you.”
“Guys, hurry up!” Sirius called. He and Remus were a few steps ahead of them. “I really need to take a bath. My hair is a mess!”
James chuckled, shaking his head. He nudged Peter lightly. “C’mon. Let’s get cleaned up.”
* * * * *
The infirmary was packed with first-years. Students arrived gradually, still coughing from the smoke or clutching at minor burns. Madam Pomfrey moved briskly between them; her youthful face twisted in concern. Lily paced at the end of the row of beds, her mind racing. Her long red hair was plastered on her neck from the sweat, and her robes had torn apart when she had tried to exit the classroom with her panicked classmates.
The smell of antiseptic and burnt fabric clung to her senses, but it wasn’t that which made her heart thud anxiously—it was the thought of what could have happened.
Marlene was sitting cross-legged on a nearby bed with Mary, absently playing with a loose thread on her robe. A small burn mark was visible on her forearm but overall she seemed to be fine. Mary was far less charitable. Her black curls were a mess, and ash was dusted all over her dark skin. She leaned forward, elbows on her knees, her expression dark.
“I swear I’ll murder those idiots,” she muttered. She glared across the room at the boys who were being tended to by Madam Pomfrey. “Setting the whole place on fire just to show off in front of Slughorn.”
“They were reckless, but they weren’t showing off,” Lily said. She paused in her pacing and crossed her arms. “They didn’t mean to cause the explosion.”
“Please, they’re always in the middle of trouble,” Mary said. “And this time, we nearly burned alive.”
Lily pressed her lips together, trying to find the right words. The truth was a small part of her had shared Mary’s frustration when the flames had erupted. She didn’t know why she was defending them now but she just couldn’t feel angry with them anymore. She’d seen what happened after—the way Sirius smashed the door to help everyone out, how he and James stayed behind, grabbing their wands to help Remus and Peter contain the fire, even at their own risk.
“They stayed to help,” she said. “They could have left, and perhaps they should have, but they stayed. They were brave, Mary.”
Marlene was sitting quietly next to Mary. She glanced up from the bandages on her hands where she’d gotten too close to the flames and tucked a stray strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. “She’s right. For once, Potter wasn’t just showing off. They actually did something useful.”
Mary huffed, clearly not ready to let go of her anger. “That doesn’t make it okay. One of these days, they’ll get someone hurt.”
Well, Lily couldn’t argue with that, but still, she felt a pang of defensiveness rise. “They tried to stop it. And no one was badly injured. Just let it go,” she said lightly.
Mary shot her a look but didn’t respond, sitting back on the bed with her arms crossed. Lily sighed and turned her attention back to the room. Her adrenaline hadn’t worn off yet and she started pacing again relentlessly.
“Lils, you’re making me dizzy,” Marlene muttered, wincing as she flexed her burned fingers.
Lily paused mid-step. “Sorry, I just can’t sit still.” She glanced over at Madam Pomfrey, who was healing a Slytherin’s arm with a wave of her wand. The young boy sniffled as the pain vanished and Lily felt a pang of sympathy for him. “Perhaps I should help her.”
“Leave it to Pomfrey, Lily. You’ll just get on the way,” Marlene said. “Besides, you’re probably just as shaken up as the rest of us.”
“Yeah, give yourself a break,” Mary agreed, leaning further back against the pillow with a sigh. She was still pouting a little. “That was nearly a disaster. I think we all need a bit of recovery time.”
Lily bit her lip, torn between wanting to help and knowing her friends were right. Her hands still trembled from the shock. But when Madam Pomfrey looked over, catching her eye, it seemed she’d been reading her thoughts. She approached the girls in a hurry.
“Miss Evans, if you’re so keen to help, grab that salve on the counter, will you? I could use an extra set of hands with the burns. Some students are a bit rattled.”
Lily didn’t need to be asked twice. She darted over the counter and grabbed a jar with thick, white salve, quickly heading toward the group of students Madam Pomfrey had yet to tend to.
Mary exchanged a glance with Marlene. “What did I just say?” she muttered, shaking her head with a defeated expression.
“She’s determined, that one,” Marlene said. “You have to give her that.”
Lily approached the small group and knelt down beside a Gryffindor girl, Margaret Gibson. Her eyes were still wide with fear, her hands clutched tightly around the edge of the bed.
“Hey,” Lily said softly, offering the girl a reassuring smile. “You’re going to be okay. It’s not as bad as it looks, I promise.”
Margaret’s lower lip trembled as she looked at Lily. “The flames… they were everywhere...” (That’s a less representative example of a courageous Gryffindor)
Lily’s heart ached as she scooped up a bit of the salve on her fingers and gently began applying it to Margaret’s arms, where the skin was reddened and raw. “I know it was scary, but it’s over now,” she said calmly. “This will help with the burns.”
Margaret whimpered, nodding slightly as Lily’s careful touch worked the salve into her skin. The cooling sensation seemed to calm her, and her breathing evened out. Mary and Marlene had joined them, standing a little further to the side.
“C’mon, give me that,” Mary said, extending her hand. Lily was about to protest that she was fine, but Mary cut her off. “I’m not letting you do this on your own. If you want to help, we’ll help you too.”
Lily blinked, passing Mary the jar. “Thanks. I’ll grab another one.”
“I think, I’m gonna help that girl over there,” Marlene said, pointing at a Slytherin across the room. Her dark skin was gleaming under the infirmary’s light as she struggled to untangle her thick dreadlocks. She was casually scanning the place, looking more relaxed and calmer than the others.
“Dorcas Meadowes?” Mary asked, raising an eyebrow. “She doesn’t even look that bad.”
Marlene shrugged. “Yeah, let’s show some of our House nobility to the Slytherins.” She winked at Mary and walked towards Dorcas who seemed rather surprised when Marlene sat at the edge of her bed, right beside her.
Lily’s gaze landed on Ixion Avery, who sat stiffly on the edge of a bed, his face pale and tense. His robes were singed at the edges, and the skin on his leg looked raw from a burn. She sighed. Let’s show some nobility. She grabbed another jar with salve and walked over to him.
“Here, let me help you with that,” she offered, keeping her tone neutral. She didn’t like Avery—at all—but it wasn’t like her to hold grudges when someone needed help.
Avery looked up, his face instantly tightening. He recoiled slightly, pulling away. “I don’t need your help,” he said. “Find someone else to play the hero with, Mudblood.”
Lily’s breath hitched, but before she could respond, Severus stepped in, his black eyes narrowing as he saw the exchange. Lily relaxed slightly, grateful that Severus would intervene and put Avery in his place.
“Leave him alone, Evans,” Severus said, his tone firm but not harsh. “He doesn’t want your help.”
What the hell?
“Evans? Really? I was only trying to help,” said Lily.
“You’re making it worse,” Severus said. “Just leave it.”
Lily clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms. “Why should I? He has no right speaking to me that way.”
Severus leaned closer to her. “You know how he is, Lily,” he whispered. “Don’t make a scene.”
“I’m not making a scene, Severus, I’m standing up for myself,” Lily snapped. Her voice rose slightly, drawing the attention of a few nearby students. “If you don’t care that your friends are disgusting, that’s on you, but I’m not just going to stand and allow that awful, ungrateful—”
“Lily.” Severus’ voice cut through her words. “Please, just drop it.”
Lily’s expression hardened. She couldn’t believe him. After everything, after all the years of friendship, he was still asking her to look the other way when it came to people like Avery. The same people who sneered at her every time they passed in the corridors, who called her horrible names, treating her like she was something beneath them.
“I can’t believe you,” she said. She turned on her heel and stormed out of the infirmary, not caring that she was drawing even more attention now. Severus calling after her only made her walk faster. She barely made it a few steps ahead before she heard the hurried footsteps on her trail.
“Lily, wait,” Severus called again, catching her up, and grabbing her arm lightly.
Lily whirled around to face him. “What do you want? Is there anything else to say? Are you going to defend him again or maybe tell me to ignore it, like you always do?”
“I’m not defending him,” said Severus. “I just didn’t want things to get worse.”
“Oh, right, because calling someone a ‘Mudblood’ isn’t bad enough,” Lily snapped. “Maybe if you actually called him out on how he treats me instead of letting him get away with it, things would change.”
“It’s not that simple,” Severus muttered, glancing down the hall to ensure no one was listening. “You don’t know what they’re like.”
“I know enough,” Lily shot back, crossing her arms. “I know that these days you spend more time with people like Avery, Mulciber, and Mcnair than you do with me. I know you’re willing to look the other way while they treat people like me like dirt. And you don’t even care!” Her face settled to an expression between disgust and disbelief. “I don’t even recognise you anymore.”
“You know I’m not like them.”
“Then prove it,” Lily said, her voice dropping to a strained whisper. “Stand up for me. For once, just stand up for me instead of with them.”
Severus stared at her, and for a moment, she thought he might say something, anything to reassure her.
“It’s not that simple, Lily,” he repeated, quieter this time.
Lily felt her heart sink. She had hoped that maybe he would finally see how much it hurt her, how much it mattered. Instead, he was choosing to stay silent. Again.
“Fine,” she said, her voice tight. “If it’s not that simple for you, then I don’t even know what we’re doing anymore.”
She turned and walked away, not looking back this time. Severus didn’t follow. As she entered the infirmary her anger cooled into a deep, aching sadness. She hated fighting with him but she couldn’t just stand by and let this go on anymore. Not when it hurt this much.
The place had quieted down. Madam Pomfrey was finishing up with the last few students. Marlene and Mary looked over at Lily as she sunk onto an empty bed.
“Are you okay?” Marlene asked softly.
“Yeah,” she murmured. “I’m fine. It’s fine.”
She didn’t really believe that anymore.