It was late—the kind of late distinguished by its silence more than anything else. Sprawled on the cool stone floor of a spacious room hidden behind a third-floor mirror, fifth-year Lily Evans could almost imagine she could hear the torch flames whispering. She set down her quill on one of the many books spread around her, and blinked at the torch on the wall, the fire growing hazy before her tired eyes.
A nap would be nice, she thought, feeling herself drifting. I only need a few minutes… she almost had herself convinced when a ghostly wolverine Patronus burst through the wall. She shrieked, sitting up hastily and upending her ink bottle. The wolverine stopped before her, regarding her with one silver eye, before saying in a familiar voice, “Sorry I’m late. Be there soon.”
Lily sighed, frazzled, reaching up to smooth back her auburn hair, as the wolverine faded. Moments later, the mirror that was the door to the cavern swung open, and her best friend, Severus Snape, clambered in.
Lily sighed again, this time in exasperation. “Sev,” she chided, “I know you’re really proud of the fact that we’ve learned how to communicate with Patronuses, but do you have to summon yours every five minutes?”
He grinned impishly at her. “I’m sorry,” he said. “Did I wake you up?”
“Well, almost,” she grumbled, “I hadn’t quite fallen asleep. Which wouldn’t be a problem if we didn’t have to wait until three in the morning to study together for the O.W.Ls!”
He sighed heavily, his black eyes not meeting her green ones. “We don’t share a common room,” he pointed out. “And the library’s long closed by now. And you know what happens when we try to study in public.”
“Yeah,” she admitted. “The Slytherins call me names and those stupid Gryffindor boys play pranks on you. I don’t understand why it’s such a big deal for people from two different houses to be friends!”
Severus rolled his eyes. “It’s not, it’s just a big deal for anyone from Slytherin to be friends with anyone outside of it—especially from Gryffindor, and especially a mud—a Muggle-born. Besides, most of the reason those berks pull pranks on me is because James Potter fancies you.”
Lily threw her hands in the air. “Yes, you’ve mentioned that theory before! And I’m telling you now, like I told you then, you’re daft! James Potter doesn’t know me one way or the other, and if he did, he’d know I’m the one girl in Gryffindor Tower who can’t stand him and his stupid, arrogant friends. Besides, Sev, since when have you ever given me good boy information?”
“Hey!” he said indignantly. “I was the one who told you that Mark Nelson in Ravenclaw liked you!”
“Yes, you were,” she conceded, before smirking and adding “And wasn’t that a total disaster!”
“What?” cried Severus. “No it wasn’t!”
“Please, Sev!” Lily exclaimed. “The minute I agreed to go out with him he started following me around like a puppy. And he kept thanking me for agreeing to go out with him! Not to mention,” she mused, “he kissed like a lizard.”
“When have you ever kissed a lizard?”
“Oh, you know what I mean. He kept…darting his tongue at me.” She stuck out her own to demonstrate, and Severus laughed. Lily yawned, and poked him in the arm. “Come earlier next time,” she said.
He glanced at her and raised his eyebrows, saying “You know, I don’t think you’re tired at all. I think you’re just sore because I make a better Patronus.”
“What!” she yelped. “Not true!”
“Is! Yours are all wibbly.”
She put a hand on her hip, looked directly into his eyes and flung out her wand arm, shouting “Expecto Patronum!” A silvery fox burst from her wand tip and dropped to the floor, winding around her legs. “Ha!” she said triumphantly.
“Fine, fine!” he said, sitting in defeat. She joined him, and they watched as the silver fox faded into the dark. “You know,” he said thoughtfully, “I read somewhere that Patronuses can change shape.”
“What?” Lily asked. “Why would that happen?”
“Oh, you know,” Severus said. “If you suffered a big emotional change or like, trauma. It changes with you.”
“Well, I hope mine never does,” said Lily. “I like it the way it is.”
For a moment, they both gazed silently at the torch flames. Finally, Severus broke the silence, saying “So I was looking at that Potion to Induce Euphoria—we haven’t done it in class yet, but I’m thinking it might be on the test. Anyway, you’re the best Potions student of the year, I was thinking I’d ask your opinion.”
“I am not the best Potions student in our year, you are!”
“Well, it’s pretty close. Anyway, it seems like there’s these side effects—nose-tweaking and singing mostly—and I’m trying to figure out what would get rid of those.”
“Hmm,” said Lily thoughtfully, pulling her Potions book towards her. “Well, peppermint is generally known to be soothing—maybe a small sprig of that would counteract that?”
“You’re brilliant. See, I told you you’re brilliant!”
“Relax, you would have figured it out eventually.”
“Please, I would be worthless without you.”
Still bickering playfully, they bent over their books, quills scratching the parchment, as the night crept closer to dawn.
--
At the same time, the Gryffindor common room was not quite empty—it was occupied by four sprawling boys.
“This,” said Sirius Black adamantly, holding up a gleaming Transfiguration book, “Is pointless.” He chucked it across the Gryffindor common room, where it hit a dozing Peter Pettigrew on the head. Peter yelped and sat up. “Sorry mate!” called Sirius. “I was aiming for the fireplace.”
Peter eyed the blazing fire dolefully. “Don’t worry about it,” he said, rubbing his head and wincing. He picked up the book, raising his eyebrows as the spine cracked when he opened it. “Sirius,” he asked, “Have you ever actually opened this book before?”
Sirius gave a doglike snort, running his hands through his hair and flopping onto his back. “No need,” he boasted loftily. “I’ve got all that stuff in the bag. We figured out how to be Animagi—that’s top Transfiguration! What do I need to worry about O.W.L.s for?” He rolled onto his stomach, glancing at the only other two people in the common room, seated at a far table. “Oi! Prongs, Moony! What are you two doing over there?”
The two boys, one peaky-looking and sandy-haired, the other lanky with unruly dark hair, looked up. “Oh, just studying for Charms,” the latter said breezily.
Sirius sat up, looking affronted. “I expect that sort of behavior from Remus,” he said, shaking his head. “But you, James? How could you? I thought I knew you better than this!”
He flung himself on the ground again dramatically, while Peter giggled and Remus looked vaguely annoyed.
James stood up, walked over to where Sirius was now rolling around on the floor, and sat on him. “What would you rather do?” he asked. “Since you’re so above studying.”
“Let’s go for a run!” Sirius squeaked, wiggling free and bounding to his feet.
“Not full moon yet,” Remus called from his corner.
“Killjoy,” scowled Sirius. “We could always go without you.”
“No fair!” Remus cried indignantly.
“Besides,” added James, “It’s probably not a good idea to do it this close to exams.”
“Where is your sense of adventure man?” asked Sirius, pummeling him in the arm.
“We could sneak down to the kitchens again!” James said enthusiastically. “You could see how long you can annoy the house elves again before they kick you out.”
“Yes! Good plan, I’m starving,” Sirius grinned wolfishly. “I’ll get the cloak. Still in your pillow?”
“Yep,” said James.
Sirius looked around for a minute, and sure that there was no one else in the room, he transformed into a giant black dog, and leapt up the stairs.
Remus looked after him, disapproving. Peter had fallen asleep again. James laughed, shaking his head, saying, “It would have taken him maybe five extra seconds to walk up as himself.”
Remus shrugged, grinning crookedly. “Well, you know Sirius.”
James nodded and sat down at the table again. “So are you coming with us?”
“I really wanted to get through this book tonight,” Remus said reluctantly. “But bring me back an éclair, would you?”
“Absolutely!” James said, chuckling. Then he paused. “Hey Moony…” he said, then stopped.
“Yeah?”
“Um, don’t tell Sirius this. He’ll never let me live it down. But I’ve actually been having trouble with some of the higher level Potions stuff, and, well, do you think you could help me out?”
Remus put down his quill and glanced at James thoughtfully. “I could try,” he said. “But if you really want help, I would recommend asking Lily Evans.”
“Evans?” James asked, swallowing slightly. “Why?”
“Well, she and Severus Snape are the best our year at Potions, and I don’t think you want to ask him.”
“No,” said James, his upper lip curling, “No, I’d rather not. Like Snivellus would help me anyway.”
“Ask Lily,” said Remus, turning back to his book. Then he hesitated and looked up. “You’ll be ok with that?” he asked slowly. “I know you fancy her.”
James jerked uncontrollably. “What?” he yelped, “Who told you that? I’ve never said anything about that, I’ve barely even spoken to her!”
Remus laughed, cutting him off. “James, that’s because you act like a giant idiot every time she walks into the room. I can put two and two together, you know. The fact that you can’t speak sense around her and you jinx Snape—her best friend—every chance you get pretty much points to that.”
James looked at him, openmouthed. He started to speak, but at that moment, Sirius came sprinting, human again, down the stairs towards him, brandishing the Invisibility Cloak. “This, my dear Prongs,” he berated, “was not in your pillow. I had to look everywhere before I finally found it shoved, quite unceremoniously, under your bed! If this is how you take care of your things young man, I may have to confiscate this.”
James laughed and tackled him. The rolled around on the floor for a few minutes, fighting for possession of the cloak, before finally rolling into Peter, who woke with a start.
“C’mon Wormtail!” cried James, hoisting him to his feet. “We’re adventuring to the kitchen!”
“Mkay,” said Peter sleepily, rubbing his eyes and yawning. “I’m ready.”
“Good!” said Sirius, shaking out the cloak. “Get under here!”
James grinned and started towards them, then stopped for a moment where Remus was sitting. “I’ll ask her tomorrow,” he said in an undertone, and Remus nodded imperceptibly. Louder, James added, “And we’ll bring you a whole plateful of éclairs!”
Remus thumped him playfully on the head, smiling softly to himself, as James slipped under the cloak with Sirius and Peter, and disappeared out of the portrait hole, into the early morning darkness.
Trickster by Willow Rosenberg
Story Notes:
November 1st, 2010: I just found out that "Trickster" won a QSQ for Best Canon Romance this year!! Thank you so much for everyone who's read this story, I'm so excited :) The sequel, "Stars Apart," is now up!
Chapter Notes: The first three chapters are the end of fifth year--kind of a backplot, introduction set up thing. You get the idea.--Note about the Patronuses--
I know that both Lily and Snape have doe Patronuses, but I think that while this story is taking place, they're both totally different people than who they ultimately become. And I know it was mentioned in book 6 that Patronuses can change shape if the caster has like, an emotional or significant change in their life, the way Tonks did when she fell in love with Remus. And I think that Lily's eventual falling in love with James as well as the effect her death had on Snape would change them both pretty significantly, and through that, their Patronuses. Hope that helps clear things up!