The Turn, Part One
Sirius hurried to the Great Hall, trying not to rush in his gleeful anticipation of what was soon to come. He wanted to get there before James, so he could spike his juice without appearing suspicious. It was April 1st, after all: James was bound to have his guard up, unless he was too preoccupied with his job, his game, and his classes to remember. Which was possible, given how focused he had been lately.
Peter caught up with him, grinning like a cat. "So you're really going through with it, then?" he asked.
"No thanks to you," Sirius grumbled, but good-naturedly. He hadn't really needed Peter's help to brew the potion; he just liked having a confidant who wouldn't turn him in.
"I'll provide the moral support," Peter replied, not bothered in the least.
"Right," laughed Sirius. "You provide--" He stopped short as he entered the hall. "Bollocks!"
"What's wrong?" asked Peter, glancing around. "Oh."
James was already sitting at the Gryffindor table, laughing with Remus. Sirius swore again. "We'll never get it into his drink now."
"How much does he have to drink?" whispered Peter as they continued.
"A few drops should do it," Sirius replied under his breath. "It's pretty potent, from what I understand."
"Then just spill it."
"What?"
"Spill it on him," said Peter hurriedly as they came to the Gryffindor table. "If it's that potent, maybe it will work through his skin. Or use a charm under the table to really get it into his system."
Sirius stared at him in surprise. "Sometimes you're a real genius, you know."
Peter shrugged it off, but looked pleased anyway. "Just don't tell him it was my idea. I want nothing to do with it."
"Too late," Sirius murmured as they sat down across from James and Remus. "Game time."
"Afternoon, Padfoot," said James conversationally. He had cleared his plate and was helping himself to a biscuit and another glass of pumpkin juice. Sirius acted quickly and refilled it for him, taking advantage of the opportunity to discreetly slip in some of the potion from the vial tucked up his sleeve. Then he casually offered it to James, who narrowed his eyes.
"Thanks," he said, then pushed a glass toward Sirius's place. "I already poured you some."
Sirius knew immediately that James had done exactly the same thing to his juice. So it was to be that sort of game, then. He grinned and gave Remus a look that said he knew what was going on. Remus rolled his eyes and sipped his own drink as if defying them both. Peter stared at them all, waiting for something to happen, until Sirius stepped on his foot under the table, and he started filling his plate.
"Thanks, Prongs." Sirius helped himself to some food. "So how was practice this morning?"
James made a face. "Brutal. Kirke had Cynthia in tears. I had half a mind to punch him for pushing her so hard."
Peter coughed on a hunk of bread and grabbed a glass of water to clear it. James gave him a funny look, but Sirius knew what Peter was thinking: the first thing James would likely do after the spell took effect was to go after Kirke. But that was why Sirius had always planned to keep an eye on him, to make sure he didn't get into too much trouble with his inhibitions leveled by the potion.
"How's your Charms essay coming?" asked James. He was swirling his glass in his hand, but he had not taken a sip.
"Two feet," replied Sirius. "Good enough for me and good enough for Flitwick."
James and Remus exchanged the barest of looks. So Remus was in on it too. Sirius watched James lift his glass toward his lips. Peter leaned forward, but James grinned and put it down.
"Hey, what are we doing tonight? Anything?"
Sirius lifted his own glass to his lips, enjoying the game with his best friend. At the last minute, he put it down as well, but James was good: he didn't even blink in disappointment.
"We could head out to the village, toss some dungbombs around at Madam Puddifoot's."
"Not sure sneaking out is the best idea, it's looking like rain," said James, leaning back. "I was thinking something more local anyway."
"You're Head Boy," said Peter, frowning. "Aren't you worried about getting caught this year?"
James just grinned and picked up his glass again. This time Sirius couldn't help but lean forward. Remus glanced sideways at James and then at Sirius again, clearly aware of what was going on. Sirius forced himself to sit back and take a casual bite of roasted potatoes, but again James put down the glass and grinned.
"I'm not going to give myself a detention on our last April Fool's in the castle, Wormy. Especially if it's a good one." Remus rolled his eyes, and James bumped him with his shoulder. "Although I can't speak for Moony here."
"Of course I won't," Remus murmured, sounding disappointed with himself. "But Lily might."
"Lily might what?" said a voice behind him. Sirius took advantage of the distraction and pretended to be startled, dropping his fork with a clatter and clumsily reaching across the table for it. He bumped into James's glass and knocked it all over the table so that it dribbled down onto his lap. James frowned as he started to mop it up with a napkin, getting it all over his hands.
"Relax, Padfoot--she hasn't given us detention yet." Sirius just nodded and mumbled an apology, his right hand under the table, wand out. He cast a silent spell to enhance the potion and hoped James just had enough of the liquid on his skin to activate its inhibitive properties. He pulled his hand back up and started to help sop up the mess. Remus cleared the rest with his wand.
"I haven't given you what yet?" asked Lily, arms crossed over her chest. James stopped cleaning and glanced up at her. A series of increasingly strange looks crossed his face: surprise, fear, anger, panic. He looked like he was about to vomit.
Standing quickly, he excused himself and dashed from the Great Hall without another word. It was all Sirius could do to keep from laughing as he pictured James wrestling with his innermost desires already. That Evans had been there to help trigger them had been perfect. The potion worked. Lily watched him go with a funny look on her face.
"What happened?" she asked. Peter stared after James, looking slightly stunned at how quickly it had worked. Remus raised his eyebrows at Sirius as he waved his wand one last time and set it down on the table. He nodded in appreciation.
"He didn't even have to drink it. Very good, Padfoot."
"What's very good?" asked Lily, sounding annoyed. "What's going on?"
Sirius picked up his glass and raised it in a toast. "I have just given my best friend a day off from all responsibility." He laughed and took a sip of the juice James had poured him…realizing too late that it was likely just as enchanted as the one he had given James.
The amused look on Remus's face told him it was probably too late. He started to swear…but stopped. What was he upset about anyway? He'd managed to get James his potion. James was probably already off enjoying himself, free of the constraints of conscience. Sirius had planned on following him and keeping him out of trouble for the day, but he suddenly realized that a mere two feet of Charms wasn't going to be enough.
He also had to study for a Potions exam, a Defense Against the Dark Arts practical, and Transfiguration. James would have to spend the day on his own: Sirius had too much work to do. Even dessert didn't matter anymore.
As if to confirm his thoughts, an owl suddenly fluttered down next him, dropping a letter into his lap. He opened it quickly, scanning the contents with an increasing sense of apprehension. It was from Professor Wenlock, informing him that the Arithmancy charts he'd handed in the previous week had been some of the weakest of the year. He must redo them or risk failing the class, regardless of how he did on the N.E.W.T.s.
Standing abruptly, Sirius turned and ran straight into Lily Evans, who was still standing behind him, a puzzled look on her face. "Excuse me, Lily," he said. "I've got a lot of work to do today. I need to get started." His words sounded strange to his ears, but the thought was gone almost as soon as it had come. Really, he was surprised he wasn't more flustered: he'd never failed an assignment in his life, let alone a class. What had gone wrong? Lily just stared at him.
"Excuse me, Lily? What the hell is wrong with you, Black? You never call me Lily, and you never study." She shook her head in wonder. "Especially on a Saturday."
Remus and Peter were sniggering at him, which seemed terribly unfair, considering they both needed to work on their own essays and practicals as well. Not to mention they weren't failing Arithmancy. Why were they laughing at him just because he was getting started early instead of waiting until the last minute? It wasn't like he was required to muck about on the weekend; it was actually an incredible opportunity to catch up with everything he couldn't get done during the week and get ahead a bit for the next.
Lily was looking at Remus, who mouthed something that caused her to bite her lip and nod. "Nice one," she said, obviously holding back a laugh. "And James?"
Peter started to tell her about the potion, but Sirius was already walking away, determined to get to back to his dorm as quickly as he could. He needed to grab his things and head to the library to get started. He had all day and still not enough time. A hundred ideas for improving his Arithmancy charts were bursting in his brain. Then he'd add another six feet to his Charms essay, spend the night in the Potions lab, and see if Remus or Peter wouldn't let him have a go at some of the Defense Against the Dark Arts spells they were learning. If he had time, he'd read up on Transfiguration and practice Transfiguring teapots into toads again.
It was going to be a long, long day.
* * *
Six hours later, Sirius put down his quill and rubbed bleary eyes. He'd worked clear through dinner, but oddly enough, the thought didn't bother him. He wasn't even hungry: he just wanted to keep studying. He had redone every Arithmancy chart from the entire year, and they were the best he'd ever done. He had even cast another on his post-Hogwarts life for extra credit, something he'd never done in his entire life. Never mind it was rubbish; it was brilliantly executed, even if it was the most damn depressing future he could imagine.
He'd then added the entire history of the Priori Incantatem spell to his essay, giving him more than ten feet of parchment to hand in to Flitwick on Monday. He would have never thought it so interesting and had reluctantly put down his quill only for fear that Flitwick wouldn't bother reading all of it.
As he started to roll up his essay, someone sat down across from him, causing him to jump in his seat and drop the scroll, which promptly unraveled. "Hello, Sirius," said a soft, warm voice. "That's a quite a large…essay you have there." Not one of his mates then. He glanced up to find Anastasia Harrison eyeing him, blue eyes flashing in a very inviting way. She was a seventh-year Ravenclaw, and instead of admiring her ample cleavage, he wondered what it would be like to be a Ravenclaw and be able to study all the time, without having to worry about stupid things like pranks and being brave.
"It's for Charms," he replied, rolling up his parchment once more. He needed to get to the Potions lab before Slughorn locked up for the night. He felt a foot under the table, however, that rubbed suggestively against his leg. Anastasia was clearly not there to talk about Charms.
"Where are you off to so quick?" she practically purred. "I just got here."
"I'm heading to the dungeons to work on Potions," Sirius replied. He registered her meaning, and yet he wasn't interested. Which was odd in itself, because Anastasia had been a good shag back in the fall, before she'd moved on to the rest of the seventh-year. It seemed fairly obvious she was back for more, but now he didn't care. All that mattered was his work.
"Maybe I'll join you in the Potions lab then," she murmured. She had removed her shoes, and both of her feet were running up and down his legs. She licked her lips, pink tongue sliding over perfect white teeth. "Unless you'd like to study in the Restricted Section first."
Sirius stood up and coughed. Schoolwork rarely trumped a night with a beautiful girl, but for some reason he felt almost unnaturally focused and determined. He gathered his things and turned to leave. "Some other time, Harrison. I've got work to do."
He could picture her full lips pouting at his back, but was only vaguely disappointed in what he might be missing. "I'll hold you to that, Black!" she called after him. He waved his hand over his shoulder at her. Maybe he'd take her up on it when he finished his work. If he finished his work.
It felt odd to walk away from a girl propositioning him in the library of all places; he had never done it in the library. He wondered again what had got into him--something had happened at lunch, if he recalled--but as he passed the Great Hall on his way to the dungeons, his thoughts were interrupted by Professor McGonagall.
"Mr. Black!" she called after him. "A moment, please."
Sirius turned toward her with a frown, impatient to get to the Potions classroom. She seemed to sense this immediately. "In a hurry, Mr. Black?"
"Yes, Professor. I'm on my way to the dungeons."
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "That's an unusual place for Gryffindor."
"Potions, Professor. I've got to practice the Memory Potion for next week."
If possible, her frown deepened. "Really, Mr. Black? On a Saturday night? On April 1st, no less? Have you forgotten what day it is?"
"No, Professor," Sirius replied, wondering what the problem was. "I mean, yes, I'm working on my schoolwork."
"Do you perhaps have something planned for later that requires your presence in the dungeons?" She sounded so skeptical Sirius wasn't sure whether to be disappointed or proud of his reputation. He was definitely annoyed at her presumption that he was up to no good; people could change.
"Nothing, Professor. I've been working all day." He sounded earnest to his own ears and hoped she believed him. "Professor Wenlock said I'm failing his class, so I've redone all my charts from the entire year, plus extra credit. I've finished my Charms essay, and now I'm off to keep my Potions grade up."
"Failing Arithmancy?" she repeated. "Are you quite sure? Professor Wenlock hasn't said anything to me about anyone failing. I hardly thought he kept track of grades." She coughed indelicately. "I mean, Arithmancy seems like it would suit you just fine, Mr. Black. You've always done well."
"Not this year," Sirius replied, still annoyed with her continued skepticism. "I really must go, Professor. I haven't got all night."
"Right." She nodded slowly. "Have you seen Mr. Potter, by chance? He failed to show up for supper as well. I was certain I would find you two together."
"The last time I saw him he looked ready to be sick." Sirius frowned as he vaguely remembered the look on James's face at lunch. That's right, he had given James a potion to release his inhibitions. He was probably out having fun, while Sirius was stuck in the castle catching up on schoolwork. Prat.
McGonagall's frown deepened. "Mr. Lupin and Mr. Pettigrew assured me he was all right."
"Then I'm sure he is--probably off enjoying a good snog in the prefect's lounge." McGonagall's eyebrows almost flew off her face. "Sorry, Professor. That's not what I meant. I--"
"Mr. Black," she began. "I am watching you--all of you. I know full well what you are capable of, but I do hope that Mr. Potter's badge will deter you from any mischief you might be planning. Am I clear?"
"Yes, ma'am," Sirius murmured. He debated telling her the deed was already done, but decided he needed to be working on Potions more than sitting in detention, especially since James was probably fine--wherever he was.
"Be sure to tell Mr. Potter when you see him. Mr. Lupin and Mr. Pettigrew are looking for him as well, but I suspect you'll run into him first."
"Yes ma'am," he repeated. He had no idea where James might be--hopefully some broom closet with an attractive sixth-year--but he'd certainly have a good laugh with his friend once the night was and he told him about old McGonagall accosting him without reason.
When he arrived at the Potions classroom, Sirius was surprised to see Professor Slughorn cleaning up, grumbling under his breath. "Good evening, sir," he said, hesitating at the doorway. "Do you mind if I come in? I'd like a bit of extra practice."
Slughorn glanced up in surprise. "Mr. Black? Whatever are you doing here on a Saturday night?"
Sirius stepped into the room and flashed him his best smile. "I want to be sure I'm ready for next week's exam, sir. I thought I'd work on the Memory Potion tonight."
"You did, did you?" Slughorn narrowed his eyes as he waved his wand at the cupboards, slamming them shut. "All by yourself? On April 1st?"
"Yes, sir," said Sirius. "Every little bit helps." He started to set out his belongings, starting with his Potions book. Slughorn looked taken aback by his assertiveness.
"It is April Fool's, Mr. Black," Slughorn replied. "I'm not entirely sure I can trust you, given how out of character it is for you to seek out extra work."
"I'm not planning anything," Sirius said. "I've already given McGonagall--Professor McGonagall my word."
"And she took it?" Slughorn asked, sounding amazed.
Sirius sighed and nodded. What had he done to deserve such a difficult time? He was just trying to be a good student, after all.
"Have you perhaps been the victim of a prank, Sirius?" Slughorn asked, frowning as he walked over to Sirius's table. He looked him in the eyes, studying him closely. "You could be under the influence of a potion or spell and not even know it."
"It's possible, sir," said Sirius with a shrug. "You know my mates. But I do want to take advantage and get this done tonight. I still have Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration to get on with."
Slughorn nodded slowly. "How odd. Well, Mr. Black, go ahead and start your cauldron. But if anything suspicious happens tonight involving love potions or any other such nonsense, I'll know exactly who to come to first."
Sirius rejected the urge to roll his eyes. He just nodded politely as he set to work, excited to be brewing the complicated potion on his own. "Yes, sir. Can I leave you a sample when I'm finished?"
Slughorn looked completely gobsmacked. "Of course. I'd be delighted. And just be sure to clean up after yourself. My Slytherins left a dreadful mess this afternoon, I was most disappointed." He turned to leave, then stopped. "Are you quite certain you're all right?"
"Never better, Professor. Have a good night." Sirius set to work, and Slughorn left the dungeon, shaking his head.
As he began to gather his ingredients, Sirius thought about how both McGonagall and Slughorn had been so suspicious of him. He was only trying to get ahead, and yet they had both seemed certain he was up to something, simply because it was April 1st and yes, he had pulled some good pranks over the years. He decided he would just have to change his reputation by making an 'O' in each of his N.E.W.T.s. Maybe he could even take extra ones, if he studied hard enough. James and the others could play around, but it was time for him to live up to his name and get serious about school.
Two hours later, Sirius checked his potion and stretched. He thought about working on Defense against the Dark Arts, but he really needed a partner to try out the spells. He had just pulled out his Transfiguration book when the door burst open, and Remus came running into the room, out of breath and obviously angry.
"Where the hell have you been all night?" he demanded. "James took off with the map, and we've searching for both of you for hours."
"I've been working," Sirius replied, strangely calm. "What's got your wand in a wank?"
"You," snapped Remus. "Let's go. Now."
"My potion isn't done," Sirius protested. "I need to finish. I'm glad you're here, though--maybe we can practice some Defense spells while it steeps."
"No," said Remus, starting to put away the ingredients scatted around the table. "We need to get to the hospital wing. James is in trouble."
"Remus," Sirius replied, grating his teeth as his friend put out the fire beneath his cauldron. "James is fine. The potion will wear off by morning. Now, if you don't mind, I really have to finish this potion and get back to my Transfiguration reading."
Remus actually growled and pushed him against the table. "I'm not talking about the potion, you bloody idiot! James is in the hospital wing because of your little prank, and he may never play Quidditch again. Get your face out of that damn cauldron and go see him!"
Sirius stared at him, frowning in confusion. "What do you mean? He's hurt?"
Remus turned him around, flicked his wand at Sirius's bag so that it flew toward them, and marched him out of the room and down the corridor. One or two Slytherins nearby stared at them, whispering and pointing.
"What the hell, Moony?" Sirius protested his friend's rough treatment. "Are you going to tell me what happened or just fuss about it? Otherwise I need to get back to my potion."
"James tried to fly his broom off the top of the Astronomy Tower. He fell and just about killed himself."
"What?" Sirius finally threw him off, slinging his bag over his shoulder as they walked. "That's impossible. He's too good to fall."
"In case you hadn't noticed, holed up underground with your nose in your cauldron, it's storming out." Remus paused and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. As if on cue, a rumble of thunder shook the castle. "His broom was hit by lightning. He lost control and plunged to the ground."
"Bloody hell." Sirius swore as they crossed the Entrance Hall. "What was he thinking?"
"He wasn't!" snapped Remus. They hurried up the stairs, practically running toward the hospital wing now. "Thanks to your sodding potion. What were you thinking?"
Sirius felt both guilty and defensive. "I was thinking he needed to relax, have some fun, and not be so uptight."
"What, that he needed a good shag?"
"Well, maybe," Sirius muttered, and then put it together. "Pete told you."
"He told Madam Pomfrey so she could treat him. And he told me that you would watch over him."
They burst into the hospital wing. Peter had his arm around Lily's shoulders. She was sitting at James bedside, her shoulders shaking. James was still and pale, his arm and leg wrapped up in an old-fashioned splint. He must have broken them both so badly they needed to remain still to regrow. His head was wrapped in bandages, his face covered in bruises. Sirius frowned, thoroughly confused.
"I don't understand," he whispered. "This wasn't supposed to happen."
Lily glanced up at him, her eyes clear and bright. She looked ready to slap him.
"Black." James opened one eye; the other was swollen shut. He coughed and Lily held a glass of water to his dry lips. "Get your arse over here."
Sirius walked slowly to his side. Lily and Peter backed off to stand with Remus while Sirius knelt next to the bed. James looked worse than he had ever seen him, and it suddenly occurred to Sirius that his harmless prank might have backfired--at the cost of his best friend's life.
* * *