Potions
Chapter 3 - Potions
Potions have never been Remus’ favourite subject. Whether this was because of having this class together with Slytherin or having to deal with the monotone Slughorn was uncertain. Actually, it was most probably a combination of the two. He couldn’t even have as much fun with his friends as usual, since James was angrily staring at Snape and Lily (who were sitting next to one another) for most of the class. In turn, Sirius was trying his best to remind James that Snape was an idiot and Peter nodded along. While Remus agreed with this statement, he also knew that James couldn’t hear any of them at the moment. He was completely lost in his own little bubble. So, Remus did try his best to keep his attention on Slughorn, but it felt as if the words just went through his head.
This was not so much of a problem for Remus. Following him literally turning into an animal once a month; he did have some difficulties following along in school. Therefore, he had quite quickly learned to study the material on his own accord, when he didn’t feel like absolute crap. And this worked quite well for him. In many of his subjects, he was near the top of his class. Granted, Lily beat him at almost all of the classes they had together and no one was better at Defence Against the Dark Arts than James. As for Sirius, he didn’t care too much for any of his classes but he had a natural talent for astronomy and as much as he didn’t like to admit it, he seemed to be enjoying Muggle Studies. Peter took Care of Magical Creatures with Remus and was quite good at it too. Naturally, all of the marauders had excelled in transfiguration so far as they had some practice in the area.
Remus was in fact a very studious person, at least compared to his friends. He had made a plan with Lily to study for the N.E.W.T’s, and they both took more than the mandatory classes. Marlene had joined their study group as well but wasn’t exactly as into it as Remus and Lily. Instead, she had been spending a lot of time with Dorcas; something Lily had gone over with Remus multiple times. Either it was that Lily felt left out, or that Marlene “should be studying instead”. However, Remus could not exactly blame her. The N.E.W.T’s were a long way to go, and at this point, they were basically the only Gryffindor’s studying for it.
So, when Potions ended and Remus felt as if he had gotten nothing done he wasn’t too concerned. What was concerning was the way James stormed out of the classroom with an angry expression. Remus, Sirius, and Peter shared a slightly confused expression before Remus sighed and followed him. The rapid footsteps echoed throughout the class as James went into an empty classroom and threw his book down on a desk. Remus closed the door behind them after checking that nobody had followed.
“What’s up, mate?” Remus asked as he sat down.
James remained standing as he threw his arms out and said “I just don’t understand what the deal is with those two!”
“What, Lily and Snape?”
“Exactly!” James huffed.
“Come on, they have been friends forever”
“Yeah, I know. But I don’t understand why”
“Well, because-” Remus started.
“Hypothetical statement. What I mean is; she is the brightest witch I know. In fact, the brightest person I know, and he’s this dung bag who hangs out with deatheaters - knowing damn well that she is muggle-born.”
“I see what you mean, but-”
“No, there is no “but” to this. She knows what he’s doing and what? Simply doesn’t care? It doesn’t make any sense”
“I don’t think it’s that easy, though. I mean, think of how long you have known Peter”
“That’s not comparable! Peter would never act the way Snape is doing right now.”
“Why don’t you talk to her about it? It might be the case that she simply doesn’t know what he’s doing”
“I sincerely doubt that. Besides, every time I bring him up with her she thinks that I’m just bullying him”
The conversation is then interrupted by the door of the classroom creaking open, and Sirius enters the room.
“Everything alright here?” he asks
“Yeah, I was just leaving” James responds.
“Alright, I told Peter to go to the next class for now and that we would join him in a minute. Figured you wouldn’t need all of us here.
“Cheers, mate. I’ll catch up with you later. I just need a minute” James says and leaves the classroom.
Remus and Sirius watch him as he leaves, heading for the boys’ lavatory. His ropes sweep behind him as he goes away.
Sirus moves a chair back, sitting down to face Remus with the back of the chair in front of him. He glances towards the door as he asks “What was that all about? I know he’s into the girl, but that was a new reaction.” in a hushed tone.
“Yeah, I think it has to do with the war coming on. It puts things into a different perspective, I suppose” Remus replies.
Sirus runs his fingers through his black hair and sighs. The light emits a soft glow on them both through the window, and Remus can see some leaves falling off a tree and flowing by.
“It’s all just proper shit, isn’t it?” Remus asks.
“Tell me about it. But I do think the party will cheer him up.”
“Hopefully”
Remus looks at his friend. For all of his “not-caring attitude”, if it is one thing he always is concerned about; it is his friends. It took Remus a while to understand the bloke, but he is so much more than the persona he tries to put out. Sirius is one of the most loyal persons he knows, which is why he is so tightly attached to James. James was one of the first people who actually accepted him, despite his family name. In turn, James is also one of the most loyal people and the two have formed some sort of unbreakable bond. It still makes Remus a tad jealous from time to time.
“Alright, I think we should head. Class is about to start” Sirius says. Remus now realises he must have been staring at Sirius for a while. Not that he seems too bothered about it. Remus also realises; Sirius has probably been staring back.
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Remus and Lily meet up for their usual after-class session in the library. Besides the Gryffindor dorms, it is probably one of Remus’ favourite places in Hogwarts. While there are always a few people there, it feels quite secluded. The library has a few windows but is mainly lit by floating candles above the tables. It creates a really cosy atmosphere with the dark wooden furniture and provides a really good place for studying.
The two of them go over the notes they took during the day, and as they go over Potions Remus admits “I didn’t really take any notes, sorry”.
“No worries! Yeah by the way, what was up with James today?” Lily asks, seeming a bit concerned.
“You really don’t get it, do you?” Remus asks.
“Get what?” Lily asks without any trace of sarcasm.
He realises there is no good answer to this question, at least not in a way that won’t make Lily upset.
“I… I think he’s just upset about everything going on in the world right now. You know, people being hateful and other people not really giving a shit about it.”
“Oh,” Lily says and looks down.
“He really cares about all of this stuff and I think that’s a really good trait of his. At some point, we’re all going to have to pick a side.”
“I know. I also know you’re talking about me and Severus.” Lily says, her face flaring up a bit; the way she does when she gets upset.
“Not necessarily. I mean, this is bigger than all of us”
“Yeah,” she says in an upset voice.
“I do think you should talk to him,” Remus says and puts his hand on hers.
“Maybe I will” she sighs.