Truce

6

Gene-

There are moments in life where Gene felt unlucky. Now, he could get into the orphanage and how he never had a family but that wouldn't be true. He had Jacob, Reggie, and his Panda to keep him company and now he had Loki. Or he could describe the feeling of being one of having the lowest scores in Ravenclaw and having to feel the disapproval in everyone's eyes. But then again he could always look at Pandora and allow her pride burn everyone's disappointment. Or maybe, he could mention, just for a few seconds, that he was partnered with Lily Evans to complete a love potion. Yes. You read that right. Gene was being forced to interact with the Lily Evans. When he heard the news he thought he had smoked something. The familiar taste of black licorice filled his mouth as he swapped confused looks with Pandora.

"But Pandora and I-,"

"Pandora will work with Mr. Lovegood for this project." Pandora blushed, attempting to keep a disappointed front as she glanced back at Gene.

"Professor, I don't understand. They're a year above me." Slughorn merely smiled.

"I've asked Evans if she would be willing to tutor you. You're grades are not exactly what I would call a love potion." His peers giggled as Gene felt the familiar shame paint across his cheek. He could feel the worry resonating from his friends but he ignored it. He would have to deal with this by himself. 

When the fateful day came Gene entered the potions classroom in silent anguish. Pandora made him promise to leave if he got too uncomfortable. Gene had agreed in order to stop Pandora from worrying but they both knew he needed to fix his potions grade. Besides, as long as James was still trying to act the golden child Gene had no reason to fear actual retaliation. Lily had already started cutting the ingredients and the cauldron bubbled pathetically. Gene had only been ten minutes late but guilt began to fester. He cautiously approached the desk, glancing to make sure no spare Marauders were hidden anywhere. Lily caught sight of Gene and smiled.

"They're setting up a prank against the Hufflepuffs." Gene nodded, clutching his hands respectfully. "So, you're Gene?"

"The one and only." It was meant to sound confident but Gene's voice had cracked in the middle which made his face turn bright red. Lily smiled sweetly, immediately making Gene suspicious of the entire situation, and gestured for Gene to approach her.

"Here, you can start cutting the peppermint."  Gene nodded mutely, carefully picking up a knife. The two worked silently, both seeming to want this lesson to end as soon as possible. Lily always seemed seconds from interjection but bit her tongue, focusing back on the potion. After an hour of working, Lily finally spoke up. "So, you're friends with baby Potter, right?" Gene had been checking the fire intensity and had stilled at the question. Suspicious? Yes. Gene fixed the heat before sitting on the desk. Lily would usually scold against such behavior but resisted the urge. James had begged her to get any information about his brother. He had even promised Lily that he would stop asking her out if she told him how Jacob was doing. She would never be one to take up such bribes but James had been annoying her more frequently and Lily assumed it was because he needed a distraction. Lily was always willing to distract James. So she had signed up to tutor Gene. It was almost like a stroke of good luck. Severus was about to agree before Lily loudly volunteered herself. She glanced at Gene again, noting his sudden coldness. "I was just wondering, James and Jacob do look alike."

"No they don't." Gene's nose crinkled in disgust. God, the thought alone made him barf. "They look nothing alike, Evans." Lily scanned Gene. He wasn't much. Scrawny, glasses, his hair turned every which way. His sleeves were uneven, his tie was on wrong, his face was smudges with dirt, his nails were too long for Lily's liking. His entire demeanor seemed pathetic. But why was James so interested in him? And why was she feeling jealous that James wanted her to use Gene instead of going to Jacob directly? Lily forced a smile which was an obvious red flag for Gene. She stirred the potion two times before tapping the ladle against the cauldron. "Do you have nail polish?" 

"Nail polish?" Gene nodded enthusiastically, glancing down at his own nails. 

"Yeah, like green and blue?" Lily thought for a moment. She did have those exact colors sitting by her desk but she didn't want to give them to Gene for free.

"Yeah, I have them. Would you want to come with me to get them?" Gene immediately shook his head.

"I would rather die than look at-," He stopped himself before he could finish his sentence, glancing at the potion. "Is it done?" Lily smiled innocently, glancing at the clock located by the door.

"Has the clock gone slow?" Gene glanced behind him and Lily turned down the heat. It wasn't a drastic move, it would just make brewing a little bit slow. Gene shrugged.

"Don't think so." He turned back to see less steam coming from the pot. Lily was standing over it, pretending to be calculating the time.

"We have to wait until it turns dark pink," Gene nodded.

"Ah yes, the color of love." The two waited silently, the awkwardness between them only growing.

"Are you gay?" The questions came out before Lily could stop herself. Gene narrowed his eyes before leaning towards Lily. 

"Why do you care?" Lily blinked, unsure of how to respond. Luckily, she didn't have to. Jacob had somehow timed his entrance perfectly. With narrowed, suspicious eyes, he crossed to Gene with a sense of power. Lily nearly choked on her own spit. Well, if she wanted information about Jacob, she might as well ask now.

"You're James' little brother, right?" Jacob narrowed his eyes at Lily before tugging on Gene's sleeve. Gene smiled.

"Can't go yet, Jacob, have to finish this love potion. Maybe I'll put it in your tea tomorrow, ey? Make you fall in love with Reggie." Reggie was Regulus Black. The second brother. Lily applauded herself for putting it together so fast.

"How long until it's done?" Gene motioned his chin towards Lily who had been waiting as patiently as possible. Jacob glanced at Lily who had subtly turned the heat back to high. She glanced inside the cauldron.

"Maybe ten more minutes?" She offered, knowing that it would be done sooner. Jacob gave a sigh before giving Gene two hair bands. Gene scoffed and attempted to give the hairbands back but Jacob ignored him, sitting on the chair below him. 

"I'm not braiding your fucking hair, mate." Jacob pushed against Gene's knee and Gene sighed. "Last time this happened you punched me."

"And last time you had scissors on you and you were trying to cut my hair." 

"And 'last time' was two days ago, mind you. And there's a knife five inches away." Jacob didn't let up and Gene sighed. Rolling his eyes, he slowly began parting Jacob's hair. Lily watched the two in fascination. She had never seen little Potter so relaxed. Usually he was glaring at James which caused his face to wrinkle. Now, even in the softly lit classroom, she could take not of the few freckles littered underneath his left eye and how his chin was bristled with the start of a beard. 

"So how did you two become friends?" Her question fell on deaf ears and she watched as Gene pulled the other half of Jacob's hair into the second ponytail. She took the moment of distraction to add in an extra pinch of rose pollen. The potion suddenly turned dark purple, the smell becoming too strong for what a love potion should be. Lily quickly distanced herself from the cauldron, forcing her face into one of shock and disbelief. Jacob quickly turned off the flame, not wanting an exploding cauldron to be the reason for a detention. "I guess we added too much pollen." Gene narrowed his eyes.

"I thought you were in charge of-," Lily shrugged carelessly, a sweet smile forged on her face.

"Guess we'll have to meet tomorrow!" Gene and Jacob glanced at each other and sighed.