Five Sickles - a Snily fanfiction (English Version)

L

"Yes, it's me!", Remus shouted, pulling out his wand with shaky hands, "You better go now, or you'll be sorry!"
Tears had gathered in the Gryffindor's green eyes, which he tried to hold back.
"I'm not leaving until you tell me what you're doing here, Lupin.", Severus replied in a serious voice and pointed his wand at the boy. Remus slowly lowered his arm and sat back down on the floor. A tear rolled down his scarred face.
"I just can’t get this potion done.", he muttered and began to sore softly, "And I have already tried to brew my potion with the help of this book, but-"
Severus' eyes began to shine when he saw Remus pulling out the book he had left in the Artifact Room the night before.
"Give me that!", threatened the Slytherin and came one step closer to him. A little confused Remus looked first at the book, then at Severus and then at the book again. "No, I can’t! There are strange things in the book that are supposed to be used to improve potions." , explained Remus and pressed the book firmly to his chest.
"Damn it, Lupin! Hand it over!", Severus shouted and jumped on the Gryffindor to snatch the book.
Remus accidentally knocked over the boiling-hot cauldron while fighting back.
The liquid of the potion spread all over the floor, soaking Remus' cloak in a shimmering green.

Sirius tapped his fingers on the table. Remus had been gone longer than usual.
"Where's Moony?", He asked James, who seemed to be worried. James let his gaze wander around the Great Hall.
There was no sign of Remus.
"Do you think there's a problem with the potion?", Sirius asked.
"Well, I don't know. But I guess there is a problem at the Slytherin table as well.", Peter said and pointed over to Lucius and Bellatrix who were looking anxiously around the hall.
"Apparently Snape has disappeared as well. Probably lying half dead in the Hospital Wing!", James chuckled and looked at Lily who was sitting right next to him.
But Lily didn't seem too pleased with James' comment.
"Don't be so mean, James. What if something happened to Snape?", Lily said frightened, biting her lower lip.
"Oh yeah, maybe he ran into a troll!", James giggled. Peter immediately started laughing and thus presented his too long front teeth.

Suddenly Sirius stood up and cried out: "There he is! There’s Moony!”
Sirius ran over to the entrance of the hall and hugged his friend.
"Moony, we were so worried! Where have you been and...", he stepped back and looked at Remus from top to bottom, "What happened to you?"
The green liquid of the potion dripped from his cloak onto the floor. His brown hair was disheveled and his sweater had a few small holes. He didn't want to bring up the fact that there had been an argument with Severus and they had fought over a book.
"I didn't succeed with the potion, Padfoot.", Remus said in a whiny voice, making his voice tremble.
Sirius hugged him again and stroked his back softly.

Remus sat down next to Lily, who had reserved a seat for him.
"Moony, you look terrible! What happened?", she asked and put her hand on his hand, squeezing it gently.
"Oh nothing, Lily.", lied Remus and looked at the table of the Slytherins.
He saw Lucius and Bellatrix, desperately poking around in their dinner. Severus hadn’t come back yet. He was starting to get worried.
"Please, Remus. What’s bothering you?", she asked him again and took a sip of her pumpkin juice.
The brown-haired boy lowered his head a little and whispered: "There were problems with the Wolfsbane Potion. Not even that stupid book could help me."
Remus took the book he had found in the Artifact Room out of his bag and gave it to her.
Lily curiously opened the first page of the book.
"And I also have no idea who's supposed to be the Half-Blood Prince.", groaned Remus.
Lily smiled and ran her index finger over the signature.
"Maybe you should ask Snape for help if you’re having trouble with potions.", she said and gave him the book back.

Dinner was almost over when Severus entered the Great Hall.
Silently, he sat down between Lucius and Bellatrix. Blood flowed down his nose and the skin around his left eye shimmered in a light shade of purple.
Part of his cloak were ripped apart and his face almost completely scratched.
"Merlin's beard, what happened to you?", Lucius hissed angrily, as Severus had drawn the attention of the entire hall by now.
"Just fight with Lupin.", he said, wiping the blood from his upper lip with the back of his hand, "I don't think I'll ever see my book again. Because he still has it."
Bellatrix cast a spiteful glance in the direction of the Gryffindors. She saw James and Sirius pointing at Severus, laughing loudly.
"I guess they never give up.", Lucius sighed, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe up the blood which was dripping onto the table.

After dinner, all houses went to their common rooms. It was already dark outside and the corridors were bathed in a warm light by candles and torches.
Severus couldn’t wait to finally go to bed.
"We won’t leave your side tomorrow, I promise!," Bellatrix announced, jumping up and down in a good mood as they went down to the dungeons.
When they reached the door to the Slytherin common room, they saw a girl leaning against the wall.. She had long ginger hair and wore a Gryffindor cloak.
"Is that Evans?," complained Bellatrix and crossed her arms.
Severus started blushing when he looked into Lily’s deep green eyes. She smiled and approached him.
"We’ll leave you alone then.", Lucius whispered, grabbing Bellatrix’s arm, and pulling her with him into the Slytherin common room.
"Hello, Sev.", greeted Lily cheerfully and seemed to have something in her hands.
It had been ages since the two had a conversation. Severus greeted her with a smile and was still paralyzed by her beautiful eyes.
"I have a message to bring you.", whispered Lily and handed him a folded piece of parchment.
"A message?", The Slytherin stuttered, his heart pounding faster and faster as the girl's fingertips touched his hand. Shyly, he took the message and read the text which was written with dark red ink on the parchment:

Today at 10pm in the Artifact Room.
It's important.
I'm counting on you.

-L

Severus read the message several times. Was it really important, or was it just a childish joke from James?
"Who wrote the message?", he asked, staring at the mysterious L.
L.
L?
He didn’t know anyone named L.
But Lily did not answer him and winked at Slytherin with her emerald green eyes.
"I’m sure you’ll be able to help him.", she whispered and gently kissed Severus' cheek.
Before he could say anything, Lily ran up the stairs and left the dungeons.
Completely perplexed by what had just happened, Severus looked at her.
Slowly, he put the palm of his hand on his cheek, which Lily had kissed a few seconds ago. His heart felt like it would just explode every moment.
"Oh, Lily..."

Severus made his way to the artifact room a few minutes before 10pm. Students were not allowed to be outside their common rooms when it was this late. But he didn’t want to abandon the stranger, who seemed to be in desperate need of his help. However, he was a bit worried, as Severus did not know who or what he would meet in the Artifact Room. He was carrying his bag with lots of books about potion making with him just in case he would need them.

After a few moments, he reached the Artifact Room. The door was barely visible, as there were no torches or candles around him.
"Lumos.", Severus whispered, his voice echoing through the long corridor.
Carefully, he pushed down the door handle. It opened a smidge, which meant the stranger must already be there.
With a deep breath and all his courage Severus entered the room.