The Potions Substitute

“What is it?” Ron asked with his mouth full.

“I got a letter from my aunt, listen: ‘Good morning, Sweetheart, I hope you slept well last night. I know you hate having potions first thing in the morning, but I think you and your friends might enjoy your class today. With love, Aunt Iolanthe’.”

“Bloody hell... I adore your aunt, Harry, but if she thinks we could ever enjoy potions then she’s gone mental.” Ron snickered, shoveling more food in his mouth.

“Well, she must know something we don’t.” Hermione announced. “Your aunt doesn’t seem like one to say something like that with knowing what she’s talking about.”

“Maybe... but who could have fun with Snape.”

“Dunno.” Hurry muttered, looking over the letter again and then up to Lupin who nodded with a knowing smirk. “Well, whatever it is, my aunt and uncle are both in on it.” They finished their breakfast and grudgingly made their way to the potions room. When they got there, the door was open and they expected to see Snape at the front of the room in his all black attire, however, they were instead met with a different figure dressed in all black.

Your hair fell in soft waves around your shoulders and you wore a Slytherin Robe, your black v-neck tee shirt and black jeans fully visible beneath the open front of the robe. You watched the changing facial expressions of each student as they came in, finding yourself amused at the disappointment that turned to excitement in their eyes. Setting your wand on the demonstration table behind you, you waited for everyone to file in and take their seats. “Well, it looks as though everyone’s here.” You chirped, your bright, soft voice filling the room. “Good morning, my name is Iolanthe Lupin, and I will be your substitute potions professor today, and possibly tomorrow as well, with Snape returning bright and cheery- well, not so bright and cheery, seeing as it’s Snape,” you laughed, a few students snickering as well, “but nonetheless, refreshed for Monday morning. Now, I’m sure it disappoints you all that professor Snape isn’t here to loom over you while you attempt today’s potions, but I’m sure our dear potions master will be back on his feet in no time, it’s just a simple illness... any questions before we get started?”

A gryffindor girl near the back raised her hand and you motioned for her to speak, “You said your last name was Lupin, do you know Professor Lupin by any chance?” She asked with a slight grin, and near the front of the room, Harry and Ron tried holding back their laughter. 

You let out a small laugh and smiled brightly, “Yes, I’m afraid your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor knows me a little too well, sometimes better than I know myself, it would seem.” You held up your hand, flashing your silver wedding ring. “We’ve been married since I was seventeen.” A few girls ‘aww’ed and you smiled towards them, before clasping your hands together, “Let’s get started, shall we?” You made your way around to the back of the demonstration table, in order to face the class, and as you did, you could just barely hear Draco Malfoy mutter under his breath and his two friends laugh. “Mr. Malfoy, seeing as what you just said made your friends laugh, would you care to share with the rest of us?”

Draco tensed up, meeting your challenging gaze, and scoffing, “I said, wait until my father hears that Dumbledore’s got some amateur teaching potions that she probably can’t even brew.”

You laughed, the insult not bothering you in the slightest, “Well, Mr. Malfoy, when you do express your complaints to your father, I would certainly enjoy if you’d tell me his opinion of me.”

“And exactly why would I do that?” He sneered.

“Because I’m curious.” You shrugged, a devious smirk finding its way to your lips. “The last time I saw your father was when I declined his marriage proposal.” The room broke out in a chorous of gasps and giggles, and Draco slunk down in his chair to pout. “Now, all comments and questions aside, let’s actually begin.”

Half an hour later, the potion of the day had been demonstrated and the students were now huddled around their stations, chopping and mixing away. You wandered around to the different stations checking the progress of each group and when you got to Ron, Hermione, and Harry, Ron beamed. “That was bloody brilliant the way that you knocked Malfoy down a peg.”

“Thanks, I suppose.”

“Did you really get a marriage proposal from Lucius Malfoy?” Hermione inquired, wrinkling her nose a little at the idea.

“Yes, I was only fourteen so it would been more of a betrothal for an arranged marriage, and well... saying no was a rather easy decision for me to make... Sorry I never thought to tell you before, Harry.”

“It’s alright, just a weird thought is all... Does uncle Remus know?”

“Of course he does, Sweetheart. Your uncle was always the marauder I felt closest too, besides my brother, of course. Your dad and Sirius would tease me constantly about being in love with Remus, and the day I had turned down Lucius is when I told him. He pretty much confessed how much he loved me that same night as well.”

“That’s so sweet.” Hermione smiled softly, and you blushed a little, looking down at the pod she was trying to juice for the potion. 

“Oh here, love, if you put a small cut in the top of the pod and then try to crush it with the blade, you’ll get the shell to break more easily.” She took your advice and the pod cracked open with ease.

“Thank you, professor.”

“You don’t have to call me professor, although I do like the sound of it... maybe I should try to get a job here.” You joked, walking away with a slight giggle. Ron watched with a slightly open-mouthed expression of awe, and Harry nudged him.

“I know you’re madly in love with my aunt, but you could hide it better.” He joked.

Finishing your rounds, you looked over each potion and stopped at Draco’s bench. “How’s your potion coming?”

“Fine.” He snapped.

“Look, I’m sorry that I called you out in front of the class, Dear, but you will find in your life that you’ll achieve much more through a respectful approach than you will with snarky comments under your breath, despite any example that your father has set. All of your fathers.” You concluded looking to Crabbe and Goyle as well. You leaned over to look at the potion they had created and you smiled at Draco, “Have you been the one mixing and adding?”

“Yes.” He answered a little softer this time. 

“I only ask because your potion looks brilliant, Dear. It’s one of the best ones I’ve seen... You could be a very fine potions master some day. Well done.” For a quick second you saw Draco give a genuine smile and he nodded. 

“Thanks... professor.” 

“You’re very welcome, Love. Good work deserves recognition.” You patted him on the shoulder and made your way to the front of class. “Well done ladies and gentlemen, you’ve all brewed very impressive potions. I will certainly be informing Professor Snape of how well you did, along with my recommendation that both Gryffindor and Slytherin receive house points for Ms. Granger and Mr. Malfoy’s potion groups. I noticed a couple groups are still wrapping up but we should still finish with a good deal of time left. I can either move on to an introduction of tomorrow’s lesson, or show you a really fun potion that I don’t think Professor Snape will show you.” The room filled with students calling out ‘potion’ from every direction and you smiled, “Potion it is then.”

“Mrs. Lupin?”

“Yes, Neville?” 

“Um, we finished our potion but it’s turning bright orange.”

“That’s alright, Love, just add a hint more diced Shrivelfig. Half a teaspoon should do just fine.” You smiled, “Alright, while Mr. Longbottom’s group touches up their potion, I’ll get started on our fun potion.” You wandered around, grabbing a few ingredients and carrying their bottles to the cauldron at the front. “Scourgify.” You tapped the cauldron with your wand, cleaning it and adding the new ingredients except for the final one. “Now, you have my apologies for not being able to tell you the ingredients, amounts and order in which they go in, but I don’t think Snape would appreciate that much.” The slight movement of a shadow drew your attention to the doorway and you watched it for a moment, shrugging it off when you didn’t see anything. “Here we go.” You added the last ingredient and stood back, watching as little purple sparks began bubbling from the cauldron and a purple mist formed a ball above the table. A wave of your wand had the mist transforming into a mini dragon that soared around the room, you let it nuzzle Hermione and then it soared over to Dean and Seamus rolling around on their table on this back and lastly over to Draco’s table where it blew a breath of small smoke flower shapes instead of fire. The class smiled and giggled, and you were pleased to see Draco reach out and pet the little smoke dragon. Another flick of your wand had it coming back towards you and when it was just above your head, it exploded into a shower of real flowers. You held out your hands, looking up in slight confusion until you head a warm, familiar laugh.

“I see you’re hard at work teaching potions.”

“I see you’re hard at work teaching defense against the dark arts.” You smirked, blushing when Remus bent down to scoop up a rose, and placed it in your hair just above your ear. Quite a few girls ‘aww’ed again and Remus grinned.

“So, surely Professor Snape wouldn’t have you teaching the dragon whisp potion.”

“He didn’t, he had me teaching a different potion that everyone finished early because they’re all excellent potions students. So, I told them that we could either go into tomorrow’s lesson or I could show them something fun. As you saw, My Love, dragon whisp won out.”

“Your wife is brilliant, Professor, I think today was the most fun any of us have had in potions.”

“She certainly is, Neville... Can I assume you at least didn’t teach them how to make it? I’m sure Severus wouldn’t enjoy thirty purple dragons flying about.” Your husband chuckled, leaning beside you against the counter.

“Of course I didn’t teach them how... why should I when they can find it nestled perfectly in the center of the ‘Potions for Play’ book over at Zonko’s.” You grinned, with Remus shaking his head as several students hurriedly grabbed the quills to write the book title down before they could forget.

“You’re terrible, My Darling.” He muttered, standing straight and pointing his wand at you while he spoke. “You are just as dreadful at being subtle as you were when you were seventeen, Mrs. Lupin.”

“And you are just as dreadful at pretending to scold me as you were when you were nineteen, Mr. Lupin...” You and Remus both began laughing, the entirety of the class amused by the display. “Go get ready for your next class and stop preventing me from sculpting these brilliant young minds.” You cried, dramatically bringing your hand up against your forehead.

Remus backed toward the door, giving you a handsome smile and bowing his head slightly, “Very well, Professor... I very much look forward to pestering you during tomorrow’s class as well.”

“And I look forward to you doing so... Professor.” You stuck your tongue out at him, blushing when he winked back once out of view from the students. They were all snickering and smiling amongst each other, their conversations loud enough for you to catch snippets of how much they loved the class and how it was ‘the best day of potions ever’. “Alright, everyone, class dismissed. I hope to see you all tomorrow, but if I don’t... well, try not to look too disappointed for ol’ Snape, eh?”