The Marauders Begin (I)

Beginning Potions

September 3, 1971

In the Potions room, HORACE prepares to welcome his first-year class to their beginning Potions class. Once everybody is in the room and chatting anxiously, HORACE enters from the back and closes the door.

HORACE: Settle down, everyone! Settle down!

JAMES and SIRIUS take seats near the back, while REMUS and PETER sit in front of them. In the next row, MARLENE and MARY take their seats while SEVERUS and LILY sit together near the front.

HORACE: Welcome to your first-ever Potions class at Hogwarts. My name is Horace Slughorn, and I am the Potions Master at this institution. Within this class, you will find that there is a very precise and perfected magical skill that is required in order to begin practicing the profound and sophisticated art that is potion-making. Now, usually I will have you create Potions individually, but as this is your first class, I am going to separate you into pairs and have each team concoct a Forgetfulness Potion, directions of which can be found on page forty-nine of your text. For the sake of time, I have already divided you into pairs, which can be found on the board- (he waves his wand, and a list of the class in two columns appears). Ingredients can be found in the store cupboard if needed, and each member of the winning team will receive twenty points to their respective House. So carry on!

JAMES and SIRIUS, paired together by HORACE, high-five each other and take out their Potions kits. LILY, to her disappointment, is paired with REMUS, while SEVERUS is paired with AVERY.

LILY: Sorry, Sev. I'll catch up with you at the end of class. (She reluctantly heads over to the back, and sits down in the empty seat next to REMUS, frowning at him).

JAMES: There she is!

SIRIUS: Little Miss Willow!

JAMES and SIRIUS laugh, while LILY scowls at them.

REMUS: Shut up, you two. (To LILY) I don't think we met. I'm Remus. Remus Lupin. (He holds out a hand for her to shake).

LILY: (surprised, taking his hand) Lily Evans.

REMUS: (opening his textbook) So, I hope you know what you're doing, because I'm starting to think I'm dead awful at Potions.

LILY: I don't think this one is particularly hard. I mean, I saw some much more complicated mixtures in the book.

REMUS: You already read the book? That's impressive.

LILY: (smiling) I just didn't want to get left behind. My family's not magical or anything, so I felt like some people might know all this stuff and I wouldn't.

REMUS: Oh. So you're Muggle-born?

LILY: (defensively) Do you think that's a bad thing?

REMUS: No! Not at all. My mum's a Muggle, in fact.

LILY: Really?

REMUS: Yeah. And my dad said that all the smartest people that he knew when he was in school were Muggle-borns. And as you can see, some people are purebloods and haven't the faintest clue what they're doing. (He points to JAMES and SIRIUS, who continue fumbling with their cauldron, trying to get it to light. LILY lets out a laugh).

JAMES: (smiling) Shut it, Remus! We'll see who gets those points by the end of the class!

REMUS: We're in the same House, James.

LILY: (laughing again) Should we get started?

REMUS: Your canvas is empty.

The potions begin brewing, and HORACE begins to walk around the classroom, silently observing the first-years and occasionally giving a remark or two.

HORACE: This one seems too strong, try less mistletoe berries... That powder is far too coarse, continue grinding it...

JAMES: (whispering) What color is it supposed to get now?

SIRIUS: I think it's supposed to get darker.

LILY: (to REMUS) Did you get the standard ingredient from the cupboard?

REMUS: Yeah, I have it measured out. (He points to the herb-like substance, which LILY adds to the pot).

HORACE: Ten minutes left!

LILY: Is that all the ingredients that we need?

REMUS: Yep. Now we have to stir it five times, counter-clockwise.

LILY obeys, and the cauldron begins to smoke slightly. JAMES and SIRIUS are having some difficulties.

SIRIUS: How many pinches of the powder did you put in?

JAMES: Four.

SIRIUS: I said two!

JAMES: Oh damn-

HORACE: And time's... up! Ingredients and tools down, please! Let's see how we did. Ah, Severus, this looks very fine indeed, very fine... Miss McKinnon, I see that a skill in potion-brewing is something that runs in the family... Mr. Pettigrew, this seems a bit weak to me, did you stir it as directed?

Finally, he approaches the back, and observes JAMES and SIRIUS'S cauldron.

HORACE: Hmm... perhaps better next time, boys... and last but not least. (He bends down to observe LILY and REMUS'S potion, but quickly recoils as soon as the steam reaches his nose) Oho! Incredible! I've nearly forgotten where I am, just smelling the sample! I believe we have a clear winning team! Twenty points to Gryffindor, for Miss...?

LILY: (proudly) Lily Evans, sir.

HORACE: To Miss Evans and to Mr....?

REMUS: Remus Lupin.

HORACE: Very good! That's forty points total for Gryffindor! Well done, you two, well done.

Just then, the bell rings, and the students begin to pack up their bags.

REMUS: You should've gotten all forty yourself. You were brilliant.

LILY: (smiling) Thanks. Like I said, it was a pretty easy Potion.

JAMES: Hope I get you next time, Evans! (He and SIRIUS laugh again before they sprint out of the room. LILY loses her smile).

REMUS: I'm sorry about those two. They can be a bit difficult.

LILY: Or outright rude.

REMUS: They've got good hearts deep down, though.

LILY: Debatable. Are you going to lunch? Do you wanna walk together?

REMUS: Oh, no, I'm sorry, but I've got to head up to the hospital wing to ask the nurse about a- a sleeping draught. I haven't been sleeping very well, you see.

LILY: Oh, okay. I'll see you around then. (She leaves to catch up with SEVERUS as he walks down the corridor with MULCIBER and AVERY, and REMUS, looking after her, walks alone to the hospital wing).