Enter Severus
September 10th, 1971
The dungeons were damp and cold, the air heavy with the smell of mildew and something sharp and bitter. Remus shivered as he followed James, Sirius, and Peter down the narrow staircase, the sound of their footsteps echoing off the stone walls.
“Why do we have to have Potions in the dungeons?” Sirius grumbled, pulling his robes tighter around himself. “Couldn’t Slughorn just set up in the Great Hall or something?”
“Because it’s tradition,” James said, smirking. “And you know how wizards are about tradition.”
“It’s miserable,” Peter muttered, trying to keep up with the others.
Remus didn’t mind the cold as much. His aches from the full moon still lingered, and the cool air offered some relief. He was more concerned about the Slytherins they’d be sharing the class with. James and Sirius had spent most of breakfast loudly speculating about which Slytherins would be the most obnoxious, and Remus had a sinking feeling they’d be proven right.
As they entered the classroom, they were greeted by rows of workstations lined with cauldrons, scales, and jars of mysterious ingredients. The Slytherins were already there, clustered in one corner of the room and casting disdainful looks at the Gryffindors as they filed in.
“Lovely bunch,” Sirius muttered, his gray eyes narrowing as he scanned the room.
“Just ignore them,” Remus said quietly.
“Where’s the fun in that?” James replied, grinning.
They found seats near the middle of the room, unpacking their supplies as the rest of the Gryffindors settled in. A flash of red hair caught Remus’s eye, and he turned to see a girl with bright green eyes and a warm smile approaching their table.
“Hi,” she said, setting her things down beside them. “I’m Lily. Lily Evans.”
“James Potter,” James said quickly, puffing out his chest. “And these are Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and Remus Lupin.”
“Nice to meet you,” Lily said, her gaze lingering on Remus for a moment. “You’re new to all this too, right?”
Remus nodded, feeling a bit shy under her bright smile. “Yeah. It’s… a lot to take in.”
“You’ll get used to it,” she said kindly.
Before the conversation could continue, a tall, pale boy with greasy black hair and a sour expression walked up to their table. He set his bag down beside Lily with a thud, glaring at the Gryffindors.
“Severus Snape,” he said shortly, his voice sharp. “And I’d watch yourselves if I were you. Potions isn’t for the faint of heart.”
“Is that a threat?” Sirius asked, leaning back in his chair and raising an eyebrow.
“It’s a fact,” Snape replied, his dark eyes narrowing.
“Relax, Severus,” Lily said, frowning at him. “They’re just trying to get their bearings like everyone else.”
Snape’s glare didn’t waver. “They don’t belong here,” he muttered under his breath, but loud enough for them to hear.
James bristled, leaning forward. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Exactly what it sounds like,” Snape shot back, his lips curling into a sneer. “Gryffindors are all the same. Loud, reckless, and utterly incompetent.”
“Big talk for someone who probably spent all summer brewing hair grease,” Sirius said with a smirk.
Snape’s face darkened, but before he could respond, the door at the front of the room creaked open.
Professor Slughorn entered with a jovial air, his round face beaming as he greeted the class. “Welcome, welcome! Today, we’ll begin with a simple potion to gauge your abilities. The Cure for Boils—straightforward, but requires precision. Follow the instructions carefully, and we’ll see how you all do!”
The students set to work, flipping open their textbooks to the recipe. The room quickly filled with the sounds of chopping, grinding, and bubbling cauldrons.
Remus worked steadily, carefully measuring each ingredient and double-checking the instructions. Across the table, Peter struggled to cut his horned slugs, the slimy creatures slipping out of his grip.
“Here,” Remus said, taking Peter’s knife and showing him the proper technique.
“Professor Lupin to the rescue,” Sirius teased, adding a handful of nettles to his cauldron with a flourish.
“Better than Professor Snape,” James muttered, nodding toward the Slytherin table.
Snape was working with Lily, his movements precise and confident as he stirred his cauldron. He glanced over at their table, his expression smug.
“Your cauldron’s smoking, Potter,” he said coolly.
James swore under his breath, quickly lowering the flame beneath his cauldron. “Show-off,” he muttered.
“Don’t let him get to you,” Lily said softly, her tone apologetic.
By the end of the lesson, Slughorn made his rounds, inspecting each potion. He beamed at Lily and Snape’s flawless result, chuckling as he clapped Snape on the back. “Excellent work, excellent! Ten points to Slytherin!”
When he reached Remus and Peter’s cauldron, he raised an eyebrow but nodded approvingly. “Not bad for a first attempt. Keep at it, lads.”
“Professor Lupin strikes again,” Sirius whispered, grinning.
James smirked. “We’ll catch up eventually, don’t you worry.”
As they packed up their things, Snape shot one last glare at their group, his eyes lingering on James and Sirius.
“Careful, Black,” he said quietly. “Not everyone in your family has the luxury of being reckless.”
Sirius froze, his expression darkening.
“Come on,” Remus said quickly, nudging him toward the door.
As they left the dungeons, the tension lingering in the air, Remus couldn’t help but wonder if this rivalry would be a temporary nuisance—or something much worse.