"You know he's taking the role of her father, don't you?" Sirius said, reaching around James to do up a bow-tie at his neck.

James met Sirius's eyes in the mirror they stood before in the dormitory, preparing for the tea. "Thanks, you're making me feel loads better about this."

"Don't let him scare you," Remus said. He was laying on his stomach on the bed, half watching Sirius prepare James for the tea with Slughorn, and half actually studying, breaking off bits of chocolate from a bar that laid at his elbow. "You'll be fine. Slughorn's been a big supporter of you and Evans getting together."

"Big supporter?" James asked, his voice squeaking as Sirius did the tie a little too tight before loosening it up a tad with a muttered apology. "How do you figure that, Moony?"

"Because he's put the two of you together as potions partners, hasn't he? Like three years running."

"So?"

"So he could've put you with me, or put her with Marlene or Emmaline or Snape or --"

"He had her with Snape for awhile," Sirius intoned.

"Poor thing probably couldn't take a breath for the stench," Peter said, not even looking up from the tarot he was dealing on his bed.

"Good one, Pete," Sirius grinned.

Peter looked up, pink in the face, but quite happy for the comment.

Remus said, "My point is, he stuck her with you. And everyone in that potions room knew what was happening last term when you were arguing over that ruddy amortentia. Including ol' Sluggy."

James laughed and covered his eyes, "Bloody hell, we really were thick, weren't we? Both of us."

"To be fair, you've always been thick," Sirius said, "It's really Evans's fault." He folded the collar of James's shirt down to cover the strap of the tie and nodded his approval. "Very good, you look almost like a gentleman now."

"Brilliant." James looked down, "Also like a bit of a wanker, but that's alright, I s'pose."

"Slughorns looks like the sort that might appreciate a good wanker," Sirius smirked.

James said, "Well... let's not take it too far now, Pads, I've got my limitations." He looked toward the other two. "What do you lot think?"

"Don't forget your jumper," Remus replied.

Peter nodded enthusiastically, "You look quite distinguished, honestly."

"Thanks, Pete." James grabbed the jumper Sirius was holding out, per Remus's recommendation, and shrugged it onto his shoulders. "I mean - it isn't as though Slughorn's opinion really matters, yeah?"

Sirius shrugged.

"This is the part," James said accusingly, "Where you say anything you've got to make me feel better."

"Oh - right." Sirius nodded, then, "Yeah, his opinion's about as worthless as a scab on a flobberworm living under the dung of a hippogriff on Mars."

Remus mouthed the words Sirius had just said in disbelief of what he'd heard.

Peter said, "Wow, that's pretty worthless."

James rolled his eyes, "Alright, you lot. I'm off."

"Bye," Sirius sing-songed, and promptly flung himself upon Remus. He glanced at Peter. "Might want to go downstairs to study that, Pete."

"RULE. NUMBER. ONE." James pointed at the list on the door, even as Peter hastened to gather up his tarot deck and Divination book. "What's it say, Padfoot?"

Sirius squinted up at it. "Says that rule's about to be torn off and chucked in the rubbish, once Evans is up for it, is what it says."

James said, "It's not!"

Remus, Peter, and Sirius all chorused at the same time - "It is."

James said, "You lot have no faith in me..." and headed out the door.

Peter looked 'round at Remus and Sirius, "I'm the only one that it doesn't ruddy apply to ever..." and he ducked out the door.

Remus looked up at Sirius. "Aw, poor Pete. I wish there was something we could do to help him out."

"Shall we invite him to join us then?" Sirius asked, a wicked grin in his eyes -- joking, of course.

Remus shook his head, "Wouldn't you shite yourself if I said yes?" and he hurriedly flipped Sirius onto his back when Sirius was laughing unguardedly.

Severus watched as Horace Slughorn's shaking hand stripped the Monkshood plant of its leaves over the bubbling cauldron. As the leaves fluttered to the surface, the liquid began to pale into a brown and then, as they sank, a brilliant blue hue like a robin's egg. Slughorn smiled at the success he'd had and he gently stirred the potion counter-clockwise, counting off the turns of his wrist with a low, quivering voice. "Four... five... six..."

Severus wrote a note in his worn out textbook of how many turns Slughorn had given the concoction, and circled the number carefully. When Slughorn had completed the count of stirs, he withdrew the spoon, tapped it on the edge to be sure every last drop of the potion was contained, and then withdrew, drawing a deep, satisfied breath.

"Well," he said, joyfully, "That looks marvelous, doesn't it?" He looked up at Severus. "Thank you for helping me once again, my boy!"

"Of course," Severus replied lowly. He stared at the perfect colour of the Wolfsbane potion for several long moments. "Professor," he said, looking up at Slughorn, "What do you suppose that the Headmaster is doing with so much of this... very rare... and... expensive... potion?"

Slughorn shrugged, "Well my boy, I reckon he's probably got some use for it... only Dumbledore knows all of what Dumbledore does, eh?" He smiled and with drew a tray of vials, and with a flick of his wand, the ladle slowly began to deposit the potion into them. He filled fifteen vials and when he'd finished, he corked and waxed each one closed, and looked over them carefully. He chuckled and looked at Severus, "Of course, Dumbledore won't mind if I just... store... the extra..." and he took the fifteenth vial out of the tray, slipping it into his pocket, leaving just fourteen in the tray.

Severus had a very good feeling that Slughorn had a good buyer in mind for that vial. The Wolfsbane Potion was still under the Ministry of Magic's regulation testing - not yet approved, and therefore yet to be officially accepted as a treatment for the symptoms of Lycanthropy. Indeed, several wizards and muggles that were registered werewolves had been transferred to a testing clinic for the week before and after the full moon, where they were given doses of the Wolfsbane Potion to see if they could keep their wits about them. Thus far, official results had not yet been released - but Severus knew something must've been going right, for there'd been a good deal of talk among Fenrir Greyback's packs. Surely a vial or two of Wolfsbane would go for a fair amount of galleons.

He also was fairly certain he had a good idea of what Dumbledore was doing with the potion here at Hogwarts... and he hated being a part of anything that would benefit any of the Marauders in anyway. He glowered at the box of the vials as Slughorn closed them up and sealed the latch, and turned to put the box on his desk.

Suddenly there came a knocking and Slughorn smiled as he turned, grabbing his wand, and waving it toward the door. "They're a tad early, but that's perfectly acceptable," Slughorn said, smiling and nodding, "Better than late! Better than late..."

Severus looked about to see who Slughorn had visiting - expecting to find Dumbledore or one of the other staff members - but he was surprised that when door of the office opened tentatively, it was Lily Evans that stepped inside. His breath caught just a bit in his throat - she looked particularly lovely, dressed in grey dress and several silver chains about her neck. Her eyes were wide and she'd used her make-up to accentuate them even more than usual. Severus felt his palms pool with sweat, and he glanced at Slughorn questioningly. Had the old Potions professor remembered Severus's desire to get closer to Lily Evans? Was this something he'd set up?

But then the door creaked again and through the door on her heels came James Potter.

Severus felt as though he'd been stabbed in the back.

Slughorn's smile was wide - "Good evening!" he said, hurrying over to greet his guests.

"Hullo Professor!" said Lily, smiling and greeting Slughorn with a hug, which he accepted awkwardly, patting her on the back and drawing away much quicker than she did.

"Good evening, Professor," James said, offering his hand to shake with Slughorn. "Thank you for having us to tea." His eyes landed on Severus and he lost his train of thought - holding onto Slughorn's hand too long so that the professor had to unhinge his fingers to be released.

"Yes, good evening, my pleasure," Slughorn said, extracting his hand from James's. He glanced at Severus. "You're dismissed, my boy. Same time Monday?"

"Yes professor," Severus said slowly, but he made no moves toward the door, hoping that Slughorn might extend him an invitation to stay for tea... but none came, and he finally reluctantly started forward, James Potter's eyes following him as he moved. Lily never looked at him at all, keeping her eyes carefully diverted to the floor so as not to make eye contact accidentally.

Severus paused, "Have a... lovely... tea, then." He spoke to the back of Lily's head.

"Good night, Severus," Slughorn said, and he turned to put the water for the tea on the fire with a flick of his wand, accio-ing over a bottle of mead.

Severus had hesitated as long as he dared and he finally ducked out of the room, leaving Lily and James with Slughorn. The moment the door closed behind him, he stood in the corridor, the anger stewing in his veins. He walked away until he'd gotten to the boys' toilets and went inside quickly. He ducked to see if there was anybody in there - and was relieved to see he was alone. He fell against the sink basins and turned on the faucet, letting the water pour out, and waved his wand to lock the door.

The tears that fell over Severus Snape's cheeks were warm. He could feel them as they rolled slowly from his aqueducts to his chin, leaving damp trails as his hands shook, clutching the sides of the sink basin.

He remembered Lily sitting in the grass overlooking the playground where they'd met, the way her eyes matched the green of the nature that surrounded them... He remembered her wide-eyed excitement learning about the Wizarding World from him, and how she had made him feel.

"Will you be with me?" Lily had asked him, "At Hogwarts?"

"Always," Severus had promised, and he could feel her fingers in his hand.

But this time, the memory was tainted.

This time, instead of it being Severus who answered her inquiry, it was James Potter, stepping between them, and taking Lily's hands and leading her away...

Wrong.

It was all wrong.

Everything he'd done had been wrong.