Nah, She Didn't

~ Part 38 ~ I'll Just Take A Walk ~

Rock And Roll All Nite - KISS

-Lily POV-

I take a seat at the desk in the common room of the Head dorms after dinner and pull out my book bag. I asked Professor Slughorn what we had learned in the lesson when Sirius, James, and Remus pulled me out, and Slughorn had said he was just teaching about Veritaserum. I know plenty about Veritaserum having already read all about it, and Slughorn knows that, so he gave me an extra credit assignment; to make the truth serum. It takes about a month to make, and it's very complex, and has many odd ingredients but... I'll try.

Besides, Potions is a way to relax myself. Maybe making this potion can be my treatment for what happened in the closet. If I'm feeling overwhelmed, I can simply come into the dorms and add more of the ingredients needed, stir it up a bit, and take a deep breath to calm myself.

You see, Potions makes sense. It is logical. Almost like in science, how when you add the reactants, the product is, well, the product. You mix the ingredients, you get a nice and full blown potion. Nothing can go haywire, and if it does, there is always a simple solution as to why; perhaps you stirred one too many times, or added rose thorns instead of rose petals.

And thus I take out my Advanced Potions textbook and flip to the Veritaserum page, and begin to read.

Arguably the most potent truth serum in the world, Veritaserum is a substance that is to be handled carefully and professionally. Three drops is said to induce the drinker to spill even the darkest and most well-guarded secrets.

There are methods of resistance which vary in degrees of success, such as utilizing its antidote or Occlumency. It is most effective when used on one who is unaware and unprepared to attempt resistance.

Despite its efficacy, Veritaserum is not used to coerce confessions of guilt or innocence in trial as it is considered to be unreliable and unfair - much the same as Muggle Polygraph test results.

Only an advanced potion maker should attempt to brew Veritaserum. The process is complex, and the finished product must mature over the course of one full lunar cycle (approximately twenty-eight days.) If done correctly, the potion will be odourless, colourless, and almost indistinguishable from water.

When-

"Hey Lils, whatcha doin?" James asks as he comes skipping in.

"Extra credit assignment," I answer. James comes and looks over my shoulder and sees what I'm reading.

"Veritaserum?" He asks with a raised eyebrow.

"It was what Slughorn talked about it in potions today, while we were gone," I explain. "But I already know about Veritaserum, so Slughorn said I could try brewing it for extra credit. Right now I'm just reviewing."

James looks bewildered. "But that's like... hard for even an adult to brew, right?"

"Well, I'm almost of age. I'm almost an adult," I respond.

James just raises his eyebrows. "Well... if you need any help I'll be here... Doubt I'll be able to help, but I'll still be here."

I just chuckle.

"Wait," James says before I can turn back to the book. "We haven't really had a chance to... you know, talk, erm... alone... about what happened, so, I just... wanted to... are you alright? After all that's happened? Wait, that's an awful question, of course you're not alright. Just... okay, I'll ask it anyways, are you alright?"

I chuckle lightly. "Course I am."

James stares at me with a stubborn and firm expression. "Lily," he says, his tone low and serious. "I'm serious. You know that we all care about you, right? You can tell me if you aren't okay. It's okay not to be okay."