April 1972
January, was a month full of less excitement as students had just came back from the holidays and so there was little to hold on to, as the final exams were drawing closer. Adelaide hardly saw Elizabeth as she was busy studying for her OWLs. Contrasting her was Victoria, who was enjoying her last few months at school claiming that since it was the last «easy» year she can have as much as fun as she wanted to.
February and March were not the best moths as winter in Hogwarts was cold and dark. And the last three moths were full of stress and excitement, as all the students were preparing for their exams or projects.
Adelaide was in potions class when professor Slughorn announced: "For your only project this year i have teamed you up with someone from another house, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor together and Hufflepuff and Slytherin together. I want you to work together and write an essay about all of the potions we learned so far, leaving nothing behind. The winners will have 10 percents added to their final exam. You have approximately 3 weeks for this project. Now please go to your partner when i read your names."
Adelaide prayed so hard that she would not be paired up with Somerset and her prayers were answered when Somerset teamed up with a boy from her house and she was paired up with Remus. She walked up to him: "Hi." "Hello."
After some awkward silence she said: "Even though i was not paired with one of my friends, i am glad that it is you."
"Yeah, i am glad too."
"So let's divide our work, shall we?"
They divided the potions equally. Adelaide saw that Alice was teamed up with Frank and Sarah was teamed up with Lily.
"Can you prepare your part on antidote for common poisons in 3 days?" Adelaide asked Remus, he fidgeted and glance around nervously.
"M-my mother is sick, i need to go vi-visit her. I am sorry, but i can bring it next week?"
Adelaide saw how Remus missed his classes one or two days per month, though she wasn't curious and really didn't care, she never thought what was the reasons of those absences. But hearing Remus made her sad, as she herself had an ill mother and knew the pains of it.
"It's alright. Bring me that next week. No pressure."
"Thank you. Don't worry I'll bring you two potions of my part." He said earnestly. "Bye, Adelaide." He said hurriedly.
"Bye."
........................
Remus was absent from all the classes on 2 days, which was expected, though when he came back his face had some gashes. Perhaps it's because he fell or something.
Adelaide was in the library at night, studying and finishing her homework, when Remus appeared, sitting beside her.
"Hi Adelaide, i brought you those two parts I promised." "Excellent. Let me look at them."
Adelaide looked at his papers, the handwriting was neat and thankfully there were no crosses on the papers.
"Potions is not my best subject, so please have a look and see if there are any mistakes."
Adelaide read all of his writings. "I read all of it, it has no mistakes. You wrote a very well-written piece. I write mine too, we need to write the conclusion together. If you have nothing to do, we can do it now."
"Yeah. Sure."
Working with Remus, was quite ideal. He was a calm and peaceful person, not upholding to his friends' reputation. He made a few jokes and witty comments here and there, but he was serious and helpful too.
"Wow, you are so good ! I knew you were quite clever and all, but really, you don't need anyone's help, let alone mine, to finish something." Remus said being awestruck by her.
"Thanks, but you being my partner for this project was a nice experience. You were most certainly helpful."
Remus blushed at her comment. "Thanks."
He glanced at his watch, "I need to go."
"Remus, if you need any help on potions, or any other subject, you can ask me. I will be glad to help. Most nights i am here."
"Thank you for your offer. I think i'll be using it. Good night." He smiled.
"Good night."
.......................
A few days later, they had given their essays to Slughorn for grading. He would loudly comment on the essays and grade them.
"Well done, Lily, Sarah." He smiled at them as he handed their essay back. "Lily, may i ask your blood-status?"
Everyone, especially Lily, tensed. "I am a muggle born."
"Wow, my dear. I wasn't expecting that. Don't think of me as a prejudiced person. In fact, i am no such thing. But you, my dear, have an extraordinary natural instinct in potions. Bravo."
Lily beamed at his comment. "Great job, you two." Adelaide mouthed to Lily and Sarah, and squeezed Lily's hand.
"Stephan and Lucas. You write quite a detailed essay, it is fantastic. The best i have read so far."
"Thank you, sir." Somerset said smugly, shooting a well-meaning look at Adelaide. Wait, now Somerset. He hasn't read mine yet. It's too soon for victory.
"The last but not least. Adelaide and Remus." After reading their essay, he was quiet for a few minutes.
Then he opened his mouth.
"My, this essay, was brilliant. You not only were detailed in everything about them, but wrote different theories on them and the potions similar to them."
"It was Adelaide's idea, sir" Remus said.
"It was a clever idea. Really. The best essay. Fantastic. You are the clear winners to me. If it wasn't for this idea, there might have been a tie."
He kept talking about their essay and read it once for the class to hear. Adelaide looked at Somerset's face. He was rather surprised and at first angry and disappointed a bit. But he let out an expression of awe and appreciation after Slughorn started reading the essay. After he finished, he quickly masked it with a neutral expression that didn't let anything out.
After class finished he went to them and said : "Congratulations. I am happy for you Remus." He said earnestly, though when he turned to Adelaide his expression was like always: neutrality and annoyance. "Though, Winchester, your idea was out of the box. He didn't say it was allowed to even write those things. If it was not for that, i think your essay wouldn't be anything worthy or special."
Sarah and Lily, were glaring daggers at him, putting their hands around Adelaide, for support and warning.
"Should you always be such a brat and downplay my hard work. Besides, you are somehow downplaying Remus's work too. So watch what you're saying." She snapped and turned to Remus, who was grabbing Somerset's arm and pulling him away attempting to take him outside, "why don't you say something to this idiot?"
Somerset glared at her and after Remus's tugs, he went away with him.
"Don't worry. He is just burnt by your win." Lily soothed her.
"Oh, i hate him so much."
"Let's go to the orchard, shall we?" All of the girls followed them.
They spent their time in the orchard, talking and laughing at Mary's gossip and Marlene' goody faces. Dorcas had plenty of funny stories to tell too. Afterwards they had dinner, when Adelaide saw Severus with Mulciber. She furrowed her brows. Mama warned me against Mulciber, i need to warn Severus myself, in person about him. After seeing Mulciber leave Severus, she went to Severus.
"Hi, how are you doing?" She asked him.
"Fine thanks. How are you?" He asked her happily.
"Severus, i don't think you know, but even if you do please do listen to my advice."
He frowned not knowing what she was going to say.
"It's about Mulciber. He is not a good person."
"He is a cool person to hang out with. He has helped me in my classes and against Potter and his goons." Severus argued against her opinion.
"Ok. Well, news flash, he is a bully. He is mean and vicious. Imagine what kind of a menace he will be in the future. My mother was schoolmates with his father. Not a nice person either."
"What do you mean?"
"Seriously hasn't he said anything that you'd understand what kind of a person he is. He is prejudiced. I am sure you're nothing like that. You're friends with Lily for god's sake. You are friends with me, someone who can be labelled a blood traitor."
"Well, he is a bit opinionated..."
"Come on now, he is like this now, there is no chance that he will let you continue these friendships. I literally stopped him from bullying someone, and guess what was his reason for bullying that poor student? Because he was a muggle born. And he said it in that awful word, I wouldn't even want to say that out loud."
"Well, there are lots of people like that in school."
"I know, particularly in your house. But not many are foolish or hateful to act on it." She looked at him, putting a hand on his shoulder, "Please watch who you're befriending. It can be a bad influence. For me and Lily's sake, as she is quite worried, watch it. It might become a problem in the future."
"Ok, i will." He promised.
She smiled at him and said goodbye.
She wanted to believe his promise. She really wanted to try, but deep down, she knew it was not true.
Please be careful.