Shadows | Regulus Black

F O U R T Y S E V E N

Am I writing this instead of my essay that's due tmr morning? Yes. Yes I am.

Even with the piling homework and endless hours of studying for her N.E.W.T. level classes, Madeline still managed to set aside spare time to perfect a potion she's been working on since the beginning of this year. It is now May.

"I think I did." She put her hands in the air, not wanting to accidentally push something that was nowhere near the potion into the pot. "I did it." She said again. This time with a smile on her face as she turned to look at Professor Slughorn who was at his desk, grading papers.

He lowered his glasses to look at her. "Now that you're done. I think I deserve the right to know what is it you've been brewing in my classroom all year, Ms. Potter." He stood up and walked over to her desk.

"Alright. I'll tell you, if you can't guess it yourself. But I cannot tell you why or who or what or- you get the point." She looked at the old man.

"Yes, I promise to not ask any questions." He said before pushing the smell to his nose, a soft blue Smokey look, you learn in first year to never put your face directly over a potion. Even if you're just smelling it.

"I'm getting a few familiar scents in there but I cannot pin down exactly what this is. Ms. Potter you have out done yourself. If I was worried about your grades I'd boost it for this one." He chuckled.

"Why thank you." She bowed her head. "And this is, professor, the Wolfsbane Potion, also known as-"

"Aconite." He finished her sentence. "Yes I should've realized that. I knew the man who invented it. Took him ages. This is a very advanced potion, and the ingredients are expensive. You amaze me everyday with your skills, Ms. Potter."

"Thank you, Professor. And yes I read about it and thought I'd give it a go. I didn't know it would take this long to perfect but now that I did and I know how. He'll have a much easier- crap! You didn't hear that last part. Sorry for cursing." She blurted out.

He just chuckled. "Don't worry. I heard nothing. And you are very welcome. Whoever you are doing this for is a very lucky someone." He winked as he walked back to his desk while humming.

Madeline carefully poured the blue liquid into a couple thin glass vials. She shut them tightly then carefully placed them into her bag before cleaning up her mess.

Madeline ran the whole way to the Gryffindor common room, overjoyed about the news she had for the boys, more specifically the wolf boy they love to call Moony.

"Where is he?" She said out of breath, staring between the three boys.

"Who?" Peter asked.

"Who do you think? The only one not sitting in front of me right now."

"Oh, um." Sirius said with a sad expression.

"Remus is taking some alone time right now." James answered.

"Where? Wait- what happened is he okay? Was last nights full moon really bad?"

"Something like that." Peter said.

"You guys are killing me. Stop beating around the Bush and answer. What happened." She demanded to know more than asked.

"We'll long story short, padfoot thought of a prank, it wasn't his brightest idea ever. And that involved a kid nearly dying. At the hands- or paws- of Moony last night." Peter explained.

"What-"

"Everyone is lucky o was there to stop Snivellus from going into the shrieking shack." James said.