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1978, 19 March- Sunday

He was quite surprised Severus Snape, said yes. The older Slytherin was always walking around like he had a stick up his ass, Polaris wouldn't be surprised if he actually did. He never really saw the older Slyhreirn conversing with others and wondered if he actually had friends.

It seemed as though his brother Regulus was friends with him, but Polaris found himself questioning how often they call each other 'Black' and 'Snape'.

From what everyone had said, Servus Snape was not to be messed with when it came to potions. Apparently, he was the best of the best, even their house head boasted about how efficient he was in brewing, that he was an outstanding student in potions. He had to ask his brother this one favour of convincing the older Slytherin to tutor him.

At first, Polaris hadn't been too sure about asking for it, seeing as Snape was in his final year, and would probably be busy, but it didn't seem to be such a bad idea as it would be good for his resumé and the fact Polaris knew h didn't need that much tutoring only a few things.

Just as he was about to leave the common room to head to the Potions his name was called.

"Polaris." He sighed as he turned his head to see Elora. She frowned, before rolling her eyes, walking out the door with Polaris holding it. He stared at her as she walked out for a few seconds before closing it behind him.

"I'll go with you." she told him and he gave her a questioning look, "Do you even know where I'm going?" he had to ask, and she shrugged. She hand-picked a strand on her long hair, rolling it around her finger, "Aren't you getting tutored by Snape, now?" she responded.

"Yeah, I suppose, I am. I doubt he'll be happy with someone else joining." Polaris commented, looking at her as they were walking. "I'm not going in. I'm just walking you there. I felt like going for a small walk, and didn't feel like going alone, everyone else is studying for an exam, which I've already studied for yesterday."

An exam? Perhaps she meant the Transfiguration exam, which will be Monday.

"Do you know-" before Elora could continue, she was cut off by Corvus who just rounded the corner.

His lips thinned, staring at them both. "Oh, would you look at that! Corvus coming back from the library, are you?" Polaris spoke first. Corvus gave him a look, knowing damn well Polaris knew he hadn't been to the library in a month.

"Since when does he go to the library? The library is for people that aren't intellectually disabled." Elora announced, obviously making it clear she was talking about Corvus. Corvus didn't bother answering not feeling up to insulting her back.

"… Look, I'm going to head now. Corvus you can take Elora for a walk since she was needing one. Perhaps to the lake." Polaris said, all the while he was already walking away from them. As he finished speaking he picked up his pace not bothering to wait for their response, though he had no doubt that they parted ways.

Finally, he reached the potion room, which he slowly opened, peeking in, hoping he didn't get the time wrong.

"Get in already!"

Sometimes Polaris hated Snape. His teeth clenched in annoyance as he pushed the door open and walked in, making sure to close it after himself.

Snape seemed to have been waiting for a while. "Did I get the time wrong?" Polaris asked as he walked towards the desk Snape was sitting at. "No." was all he got in response.

Behind him was a blackboard, written in white chalk 'The Draught of Living Death'.

"Isn't that a sixth-year NEWT, potion?" Polaris said slightly confused. When he had asked for help, he had never specified what he needed help with, so he assumed that Snape would go through all the third-year material, but here he was skipping to sixth-year material, while he was still in his third year. He wasn't complaining, per se, just didn't expect it.

"Are you complaining, already? If you going to do that, you must know I have better things to do than, listening to it. Perhaps you have no faith to be able to brew a perfect Draught of the Living Death?"

No wonder, people didn't like Snape. Here Polaris was, getting a first-hand lesson on why to find Snape annoying.

"I wasn't complaining. Perhaps I lack the mental capacity to understand from your view of things why you assumed I was 'complaining' when I merely asked a simple question." Polaris replied as he moved towards the cabinets which held the ingredients.

He knew what a few of the ingredients were but not all. Snape moved away towards the shelves of books, while Polaris scanned the table that was in front of the blackboard, hoping that Snape had left instructions, but there wasn't anything there. He huffed turning back to the cabinets, deciding to get what one already knew was needed before bothering Snape knowing he would probably get annoyed.

"Snape? What are the other ingredients? I've already gotten most of them."

He was surprised that Snape didn't complain, with him marching over to him, to get the rest of the ingredients. As he did so, he arranged them into different sections, in order of what to use first, to what was to be used last. As he finished it up, he took out a folded parchment from his pocket and handed it to Polaris.

"Those are the instructions. Your brother has given me a reason to believe you'll be able to complete this brew with no problems, with instructions."

Polaris nodded, "I'll be able to do it." He simply told the older Slytherin as his gaze set on the parchment that was now in his hands, scanning through the instructions. He found himself interested in memorising it all and trying to do it without having to glance at the sheet at every given moment.

Though it seemed there were a few things missing such as the quantities for a few ingredients. There was something that needs one extra or perhaps one less. There was also something else that was on the list that hadn't been taken out, perhaps Severus wasn't paying attention. Instead of bothering him, not wanting Severus to think He was calling him 'forgetful' or anything else, he decided to correct the ingredients.

With that, he began the process.

"What are you doing here."

Looking up Polaris found himself looking at a red-haired girl, who was standing at the open door staring at Snape. It was Evans, wasn't it?

"I've reserved the room. Professor Slughorn said it was okay since I needed it for tutoring." Snape replied. He seemed rather tense, while Evans seemed confused.

"Tutoring? I thought you hated 'incompetent fools'?" she jested.

"I'm rather competent thank you very much," Polaris responded to her comment. She looked at him, flushing slightly, "Oh? Sorry, I didn't notice you there. You're Sirius' younger brother, I'm surprised Snape is tutoring you but from what I've heard you're one of the best in your year, why do you need tutoring?"

"Why are you asking questions? Now you know Snape booked the room, I don't really see any more need for your presence here. I'm not trying to be rude or anything, but I'm asking you to leave, Miss Evans." Polaris told her. She frowned, but it only lasted for a second, before she smiled apologetically.

"My bad. Though, you did sound rather rude, Black. I was merely curious." She said looking at Polaris before her gaze shifted to Snape, "I suppose I've disturbed your tutoring lesson with, Sirius' brother, Snape. Sorry about that, I honestly thought it was free, Professor McGonagall had said it was."

Snape opened his mouth to speak, but it seemed Polaris beat him to it. "You can be curious somewhere else and stop calling me Sirius' brother, it's degrading, I have a name, which you aren't permitted to use, so you can call me Black, as you did before, Miss Evans. Next time you want to use the Potions room, perhaps you should ask the head of Potions himself rather than asking the Transfiguration Professor." Polaris spoke again, without thinking, allowing the words to flow out of his mouth without a care.

"Bloody hell! You are just as annoying as Sirius! I wasn't even talking to you in the first place, Black. I was talking to Severus! If you think I'm going to let you talk to me like that, then you're wrong. You're what? Fourteen? I'm literally eighteen, what happened to 'respect your elders?' Aren't purebloods all high and mighty about traditions?" she snapped, and Polaris raised his brows, holding his hands up defensively.

Snape seemed more distracted at the fact she had called him by his first name, something she hadn't done in ages after that incident.

"Ah… interesting." Polaris slowly responded, seeing how annoyed she was. "Well, technically I'm not fourteen until another six days, Miss Evans. Perhaps I was in the wrong, you were right about you referring to Snape at first, so I apologise for that, since you apologised earlier… and isn't respecting your elders amongst the traditions of all cultures? Adults think themselves high ad mighty, to want respect without giving it, you know?" Polaris spoke, "You know what? People say your smart, I'm guessing you're just as good at Potions as Snape, here is." Polaris said, looking at her, and Snape snapped his gaze to Polaris confused.

"Well, I wouldn't say I'm as good as Snape, but I can hold my own. If Snape isn't pulling its work then perhaps I can tutor you, only if you aren't going to be a pain as you were just a second ago." She said confidently.

"You know what? You're just as strange as Sirius too… I think I'll get going now, sorry for the interruption and perhaps you should be watching the brew?" she continued, looking at Polaris and then Snape before leaving without Snape being able to get a word in.

Polaris decide to ignore her comment and didn't say anything.

"You know what? She isn't that bad. I heard you like her, and from the way you're staring at where she was standing, I would say you still like her. Sure, I just said she's not that bad, but really? You could totally do well, better. No offence to her or anything. Didn't you call her a mudblood too? no wonder you were so akwa-"

Before he knew it, a book was hurdled in his direction, and he quickly ducked, but the book ended up in the cauldron and he groaned. "Bloody hell, what was that for? If you wanted me to shut up, all you had to do was say so! What was it that tripped you up? The mudblood part or the part of you liking her, cause it's not my fault you called her a mudblood nor is it my fault you like h-"

"Would you shut up! You insufferable-" Snape was once again cut off.

"-Alright, alright. It was uncalled for, but you really need to get your anger issues in check." Polaris told him, as he pressed his hands on the edge of the desk rising up, to look in the caldron. "I don't think you're fit for teaching…" Polaris mumbled mostly to himself, as he watched the book dissolve, which warranted a raise of his brow.

"What is wrong with you! my business is my business for a reason, so don't talk to me like you know me!" Snape snapped at him, "Ah, okay. So, anyway, what happens if a book is dropped in the cauldron before it's finished brewing?" Polaris asked.

"Did you even listen to what I said? Did you even apologise!?" Snape snapped, and Polaris sighed at his scolding tone. No wonder his mother liked him.

"I'm sure I did." No, he wasn't, maybe he did? Maybe he didn't… but if he did, he didn't want to apologise again, so he decided to just claim that he did. "You didn't!" Snape snapped, "Why are you even angry? You're not even on good terms with her, are you? why even bother with the Gryffindor, she's not going to give you the light of day, especially with that attitude, besides isn't she dating The Potter head."

"Just stop talking." That was what Snape told him, and Polaris decided best to shut up, seeing as his mouth wasn't really helping with anything. To think Snape would be sensitive about some redhead.

Polaris' fingers tapped the edge of the desk as he shifted his attention back to the potion which had turned into a dark green. He had barely been in the room with Snape for twenty minutes and he managed to piss the bloke off. It didn't help that his brother had invited the grouch to their house for the Easter holidays, that they would be given a week off. He doubted that Snape would tutor him again.

It was like a headache was already forming from her loud screeching voice. It was Either take Evans up on the offer and face the consequences of his not-so-kind mother. Seeing as now he was older, he doubted his mother would go easy on him, especially with this whole stupid situation of her supporting the Dark Lord. He doubted she would like to have her youngest associating with a muggle-born. She would think him the second coming of Sirius and become even more strict. It was ridiculous- everything, really.

Now, that or he could just find some other Halfblood or pureblood to prevent any long-lasting headaches.

…Perhaps taking Evans' offer wouldn't be soo bad. He could simply get rid of the howler if she does indeed hear word of it and just not go home for Easter break even if she is persistent about it.

After several moments of silence, with Snape slouched on a chair in the other half of the room, Polaris looked at him, finally deciding to ask again. "The book you threw, went into the brew, what's the best way to get rid of it? It's not going to explode right?" Polaris asked as he decided to take a few steps back with that thought appearing of it exploding.

Snape huffed in annoyance as he finally stood to his feet, "No, it will not explode! What a stupid question, anyone would know if a book of all things had ended up in the caldron nothing will happen, it practically does nothing, you can even continue on with the potion without a worry, but the colour won't be the same, and it will probably be thicker than needed but it would still be a working potion, but not one of the best." Snape went on. Polaris rolled his eyes as he moved back to the cauldron and began to mix it.

"Anyone would know if a book of all things had ended up in the caldron nothing will happen." Polaris mocked him under his breath.

"What did you say?"

Polaris mixed it again, for the second stir.

"I said you were a decent teacher, I was planning on ways to beg you to teach me again since you've really shown me how amazing you are at brewing."

Then for the third time, which quickly moved the four stirs, nearly completing the seven anti-clockwise stirs which were needed for the potion.

"I'm so glad you gave me clear instructions, just as I am with you giving a presentation of what to do and not to do. Oh my, how can I forget how you so gracefully threw a book at me." Polaris finished speaking in a much more obvious sarcastic tone.

Then he stirred again, then again and then for the final-

He stopped stirring when he saw how it began to bubble something wasn't said to happen when completing the potion. Before anything else could happen, he barely had enough time to duck as he saw the Cauldron itself shake followed by a big boom. Polaris was crouched down, his hands over his head behind the desk he was using to brew the sixth-year potion.

"FUCK!" Polaris cursed in pain, as the contents of the potion splashed all over him, just as it did the ceiling and the surrounding areas.

"Shit! You're a fucking terrible tutor! What the fuck was that!" Polaris snapped in an angry fit, standing to his feet, shaking his body as he did so the itchiness became more unbearable by the second and he could stop himself from rubbing where the potion had splashed.

"Merlin's beard! You said nothing would happen because of the bloody book!" Polaris snapped, the itching becoming on bearable, his breathing becoming faster as he tried taking deep breaths to calm himself but it didn't seem to work. His body seemed to be getting hotter by the second. He tugged the shirt undoing the first and then second buttons.

"Nothing was supposed to happen! You obviously did the potion, wrong!" Snape defended himself, "I did not do the potion wrong! The only wrong thing about the potion is the fucking book you threw you fucking idiot! AHH" Polaris fell to the floor, unable to stop himself from scratching, the itch was too much for him to ignore, for him to prevent himself from scratching.

Snape couldn't take his eyes away, the scene in front of him was gruesome to watch yet he couldn't turn away, his eyes set on Polaris, and then his gaze snapped away as he saw how his skin was tearing away resulting in blood splashing to the floor.

"You have to stop scratching, you're making it worse!" Snape shouted, but Polaris couldn't hear him, no he was more concentrated on making it stop itching!

It felt like the world around him was collapsing with his vision blurring, the objects around him morphing, to the point he wasn't able to decipher what things were without remembering where they had been before his vision began to blur. Yet it didn't stop him from scratching, it honestly felt slightly better scratching it, even if there was blood.

Snape found himself panicking as he rushed to the cabinets before taking out a potion. As he got it he undid the top and forced it down Polaris' throat. It was the Sleeping draught, which quickly worked, with Poalris' eyes drooping and the scratching slowing down before it completely stopped with him falling to his side, as sleep took him.

Snape wasted no time it trying to carry Polaris in his arms as he rushed out of the Potions room, no one in sight as he rushed down towards the infirmary. Since they were in the dungeons there weren't many people around with people either in the great all, outside or in the common rooms, not to mention the other places, as he rounded the corner, he found his steps haunting and he was faced with a particular group.

"Bloody hell! Is that your brother Sirius? Bleeding?! Bloody hell, Snape killed your brother!"

It was James Potter that decided to shout, drawing the attention of the others in the hall while Sirius was frozen in shock.

"Just get out of my way, he needs to see Madam Pomfrey!" Snape yelled back, which snapped Sirius out of his gaze, "Like you are, get your slimy hands off him, you fucking snake! What did you do to him!"

"Nothing!"

"Give him to me, I'll take him!" Sirius shouted as he took Polaris from his grip, Snape let him and stood there as Sirius rushed off, while James stood there staring at him. " Lils said you were tutoring him. Did you do that to him, because of what Sirius did last week? Because you're going to regret being born once we know his brother is alright." James threatened him, Snape said nothing, his hands tight in a fist.

James neared him, and whispered, "Your lucky, there are people here, otherwise you would have been pissin' your pants like you did that day you decided to call Lils the M-word."

"I didn't do anything!" Snape gritted out. James didn't respond, only taking a few steps back as he glared at the Slytherin and then turned to walk off, before rushing after Sirius. He hated the stares he was getting as he muttered again, "I didn't do anything," he said as he turned around moving quickly back to the Potion Room.

He hadn't gotten the ingredients wrong. That was a fact, he check it twice- no thrice! Before he brought it to the Potion room with him, for Regulus' brother to use. When he arrived in the room.

He saw what he didn't expect to see on the list of ingredients… the sheet was wrong. Why was it wrong?! He checked it three times! He had never seen some of the things that were written there, he found himself getting nervous now realising that it was his fault. He frowned slightly at the sheet, before taking his wand out, just as he did he whispered something as he tapped the page and he stared blankly at the sheet that began to change back to its original form.

Then he found himself remembering when he was on the way to the potions room. He had bumped into Black and Pettigrew. Was it their doing? He wouldn't put it past them, though now he was curious what the potion was supposed to do.

⪧⪦⪧⪦⪧⪦⪧⪦

Barging into the infirmary, Regulus looked around, to meet Madam Pomfrey's eyes, "Ah, I see you're here to visit your brother as well." She said and he raised a brow, "Oh? As well?" he responded and she turned to look down the room and he followed her gaze to see Sirius and his friend, James sitting at Polaris' bed.

He nodded his head at Madam Pomfrey respectfully as he walked towards them.

"What are you doing here?" was the first thing Regulus said when he reached them. Sirius groaned in annoyance seeing Regulus standing there, "What do you mean what am I doing here? Polaris is my brother, and I happened to be the one to bring him here! Would you rather I have left him?"

Regulus glared at his brother, "You don't get to call Polaris your brother" he snapped. "Besides, when he wakes up I doubt he'd want you here." He continued.

"Well, then. We can wait until he wakes up, if he wants me gone, then I'll be gone. So stop being all snappy with me, because I'm not going anywhere for now." Sirius responded as James sat silently watching knowing he shouldn't involve himself as the brothers spoke.

Regulus stayed silent as Sirius looked away. Finally he spoke again, "Fine, but I don't see any reason for him being here." Regulus said as he loked at James, who seemed offended. "Oh please, not this shit again. I'm Sirius' friend, of course I'm going to be here, I'm definitely better than that snake you call a friend, he's literally the reason your brother is here in the first place." James said as he was annoyed with the looked Regulus had given him.

Regulus seemed surprised, as he narrowed his eyes, "Severus? What do you mean it's his fault? He was supposed to have a tutoring lesson with Servus, I doubt this happened with Severus there."

"Well, it did. I mean look at him! Your friend could have killed Polaris!" Sirius snapped.

"Kill? Now you're being dramatic, you hate Severus. Of course, you're trying to blame him for this!" Regulus snapped.

"Now, boys, if you are going to argue in my infirmary, I will kindly ask the three of you to leave." Madam Pomfrey called out to them. They all looked at her, "Sorry!" James said loudly and she shook her head.

"Look, we ended up bumping into Lily, and she said she saw Snape, and he was tutoring your brother, so we decided to go check it out before we even get there we see Snivellus carrying him here, so we took over before he could do more damage. We've already told the Headmaster. I hope he gets expelled, it'll really brighten up the school with his departure." James told him and Regulus just didn't sense any lies in this apparent truth.

"I'm sure there's more to it… I'll ask Severus about it" Regulus told them and Sirius snorted, "Of course, you will. You don't even care about Polaris."

"What?! What do you mean I don't care, say that again, Sirius. Don't try to act all high and mighty because you did one thing. Just one thing Sirius, it's funny you call me a coward when you're the one who decided to run away when I stayed. So don't tell me I don't care."

"Are you seriously still hung up about that? Look, I did what I had-" Sirius was cut off by Regulus, "Look, I don't care nor will I ever care," he did care, but he wished he didn't. "I'll be back, if he wakes up tell him I was here." He said as he walked off not waiting for a response.