Some Day | Wolfstar

Twelve

"You sneaked into Slytherin all by yourself?" Peter gasped, eyes comically wide. Sirius nodded, not ready to look any of them in the eye. The three of them had different reactions.

Peter - unable to believe it, but rendered mindless in awe.

James - proud (and relieved) that he'd done it somehow.

Remus - not ready to hear a word of it. Do you not know how incredibly risky that is? You could've at least told us, Sirius!

Once the initial shock had worn off, the four friends set to discussing their next step.

Sirius went to open the book at once, but Remus stopped him. "We need to make sure it's not been tampered with. It might be charmed," he frowned.

Impatient, Sirius cast the levitating charm on the book again, and directed it far away from them. They were in an empty classroom, the door enchanted shut behind them. Once the book was at the far end of the room, Sirius carefully guided it open. The four boys flinched in anticipation, but nothing happened.

The book was promptly pulled back. Sirius gripped it tightly, and flipped it open to the first page, where it was signed in large purple letters.

R.A.B.

He turned to the next page.

Then the next.

His fingers moved faster with each page he passed, curling around the paper and turning it over as he tried not to tear up at the sight of his brother's flowing cursive script, almost identical to his own. Even their handwriting had an elite look to it.

Remus and James exchanged anxious glances all the while, not missing the tremble in Sirius' fingers.

Sirius made a noise which sounded like it fell somewhere between a choke and a gasp. His long finger traced an intricate drawing of a man. Perfectly proportionate. It had been cut out from somewhere else, but blank ink had been used to draw on it. There were tendrils running down the man's arms, and they concentrated into a dark mass at his heart.

Underneath it, written in Regulus' handwriting was, Nigrae radicae.

Inflicted by casting the lighting spell on an individual who has consumed Blackroot potion. Most effective within an hour of consumption. No effect other than that of the spell after six hours.

"Blackroot potion?" James frowned.

"A spell and a potion combined?" Remus marvelled. He had never heard of anything like that before.

"There's an antidote!" Peter cried, pointing at the writing.

Below the small description of Nigrae radicae was a list. The handwriting was messier, but no doubt belonged to Regulus. It wss scribbled in some places, and marked with arrows and small notes on the side.
Wiggenweld potion : no effect

Salamander Blood : no effect

Bloodroot : black marks fade, but presents drastic burning effect on skin.
(Combine with Nightshade?)

Mandrake Root : victim gains consciousness - only briefly.

Mandrake Root with Octopus Powder : gains consciousness for around one hour. Complaints of excruciating pain.

"He never found the antidote," Sirius said softly. He kept staring at the page, hoping for a miracle, but the untidy scrawl stayed the same.

"We should tell McGonagall." Remus said. Both James and Sirius cried NO! simultaneously.