Let It Be Slytherin ⟶ A Harry Potter Time Travel Fic

Potions Catastrophe

1 4 

The moment Harry walked into potions class, he knew he should have skipped it.

The potions dungeon was filled with students standing at their tables, chatting and waiting for class to start. James stood at the front of the room, sitting on his table flanked by Sirius, Remus, and Peter. Sirius was talking animatedly, grinning. James said something and they all started laughing. Harry's gaze shifted to Lily, who stood a few feet from James, talking to a Hufflepuff blonde girl at the next table. James leaned over to wrap an arm around her shoulder and grinned at her like everything was fine in the world.

But the world was not fine. James and Sirius were acting like nothing had happened. Like Harry's world hadn't just shattered into a million pieces.

Harry cemented his expression as he approached the table, ignoring the stares as he approached. Remus and Peter glanced his way as he passed. Harry struggled to ignore them. He accidentally glanced up and, as his luck would have it, met Sirius' eye. His godfather gave him the middle finger under the table and Harry clenched his jaw, struggling to reign in his temper.

In front of him, Snape sat silent and alone at their table and Harry exhaled as he arrived at the table and took a seat. James looked over at him and Harry looked over, daring James to do or say something, but James only smiled.

Smiled.

Harry shot him a disappointed glare before turning to stare straight forward at the chalkboard.

Did Lily know, Harry wondered? If she knew what a jerk James was, would she date him? Did she know James and Sirius picked on first years in their spare time?

To Harry's right, Snape gave Harry a long calculated look. Harry only stared forward, refusing to look anywhere but the chalkboard and his text book.

At long last, Slughorn arrived and gave them another pairs assignment. Harry must have radiated bad vibes, because Snape was unusually quiet as they made their potion and his sarcasm was less cutting than normal.

Class slowly edged by until eventually Harry glanced at the clock: only five minutes left of class. Harry glanced at their cauldron, which held a pink simmering liquid in its depths. It was perfect, of course. Harry got the feeling every potion he made in this class would be perfect so long as he was partnered with Severus Snape.

To Harry's right, Lily stood up and walked over to the potions cupboard. Harry watched her for a moment. Her red hair was tied up in a bun today, and Harry glanced back at James in annoyance. His mother was literally in front of him, but Harry suddenly felt disenchanted. Instead, Harry reached down to put his textbook into his bag.

When he looked up, something caught his eye.

Something brown was floating towards Harry and Snape's cauldron. Uncrushed porcupine quills, Harry guessed, and suddenly he spotted James' wand pointed his direction.

Before Harry could react, the quills plunged into the smooth liquid of Snape's potion and the viscous surface began to bubble.

Snape jerked his eyes up from his textbook in alarm. He glanced back and forth from the potion to the textbook, certain he did nothing wrong. The bubbles were getting bigger and Harry had a sudden moment of epiphany. He dove under the table.

"Duck!!" He exclaimed loudly.

BOOM.

The potion exploded.