love, lupin

fourty-six

January 12th, 1977
Wednesday

"You all have your NEWTs next year so unlike before Christmas I really need you all go start paying more attention and being more serious in this lesson." Slughorn told them all and Jack rolled her eyes beside Remus. They all had been paying attention last year, well that was up until Potter and Remus were paired up. The whole room had been waiting for an explosion from the both and instead many pairs received explosions from their cauldrons.

"The next potion we'll be brewing is Veritaserum. Can anyone tell me what that does? Miss Coldrag?"

Jack grimaced at the wrong name but answered nonetheless,
"Its a truth potion, whoever drinks it is subject to tell the truth until the effects wear off or a counter potions is brewed."
"And how long does it take to brew?"
"One Lunar phase." Remus responded and Slughorn nodded.

"Correct." The man smiled and he wandered back to his desk and picked up a sheet of parchment. "Normally this would be a potion you brew individually but we have a shortage of supplies until April so I'll be pairing you up again." The room groaned, "Most of you will have different partners again."

That helped nothing but Remus just slumped in his stall.

"He said most of us right? So that means that maybe we can get the same partner right?" Jack asked Remus and the werewolf shrugged.
"Maybe you'll get Snape and you won't fail it this time."
"True, hey Snape?" Jack leaned back in her chair to look over at Snape who was on the table beside them with Avery.

"Yeah?" She asked as Snape tugged at his sleeve. Unlike the rest of them, Snape had also received the Dark Mark. None of them were sure why but he had.
"Can I just leech off you if we get partnered?" Snape rolled his eyes and looked away, not giving her an answer and Remus laughed lowly. Jack had also been the only one to really make an effort with Snape at the meetings, the other three weren't keen on him still.

"Alright, Potter and Mulciber." Remus watched Pettigrew give his friend a sad pat on the back.
"Conbey and Pettigrew." Remus also launched out of his seat from the fright Jack gave him when she shot out of her chair and away from Remus without a goodbye. He took a couple deep breaths to collect himself.

"King and Avery. Snape and Grittlebee. Black and Greyback. Meadowes and Mckinnon.."

Remus' eyes flashed over to Black who was already watching him. The werewold held his gaze challenging him. Both had free spaces beside them and it was a challenge of who would move first.

Remus almost moved first, he hadn't seen Black since the stupid move they both pulled at the Ministry. One that almost got Black killed and one that got Remus in alot of trouble with the Dark Lord at the next meeting, but he saw Black stand and so he stayed put. He said something to Potter before he gathered his belongings and walked towards Remus where he dumped his stuff and slid into Jack's old chair.

"How was your Christmas Greyback?" Black asked and Remus looked over at him,
"I am not making small talk with you."
"Understood."

"So for the next month you are, in lesson time and outside of lesson, expected to work with your partner to not only make a the potion but draft up a report of your progress with times and dates that you do things and by who, this will make up 25% of your grade on the Veritaserum. This partner will also be be the person you work with during the other potions you'll be tasked to make while we wait for the lunar cycle to go over. A report is expected for these potions aswell." Slughorn informed them, "Now we're going to walk through the process and then I want you and your partners to go through the guidebooks and start on your potions."

After the walk through Remus opened up his guidebook and slid it over to Black,
"You do it." He said as Black said,
"I'll do it."

They both stared at eachother before Black nodded slowly before getting up with the guidebook and walking to the ingredients cupboard. Remus started to set up the cauldron and all the other equipment they needed for the potion.