ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴏᴜʀᴛʜ ᴡᴀʟʟ | ᴍᴀʀᴀᴜᴅᴇʀꜱ ᴇʀᴀ

special chapter. trick or treat

WARNING: IMPULSIVE CHAPTER (Please bear with me)

A/N: This is an impulsive special chapter. I just thought why not write one to celebrate Jily because they all lived happily ever after here! I am a firm non-believer in canon compliance. Canon is a social construct. So, here ya go!

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Potions was one of Regulus' favourite subjects in Hogwarts. He could make something physically changing by just mixing a few magical items, making sure every step was intricately made, just how he liked to do things. He was even at the top of Slughorn's class, almost the same level as Severus Snape if one would compare.

He had read so many books about Potions solely because he liked it. Other than the Astronomy, of course.

However, the subject was starting to annoy him now. Well, technically it wasn't Potions that actually annoyed him. More like the people who were "helping" him finish one homework Slughorn gave.

"I almost got a perfect grade from Slughorn when we were making this Draught of Living Dead," Sirius insisted, pointing to Regulus' book. "So, trust your brother, Regulus. I know what I'm telling you," he added patting Regulus' shoulder.

"Yeah, after you almost blew up the whole room as well—"

Sirius interrupted the snickering James by tackling him down on the bed, causing the both of them to fall to the ground with a loud thud.

"Hush, the both of you!" Regulus hissed in exasperation. "If anyone finds out you four snuck into my room, you do realise you won't get the detention this time, do you?!"

It had been a year since everything happened. It was the Halloween of 1978, well, the night before. Regulus was finishing Slughorn's given homework that he couldn't perfect. He needed to for the sake of an Outstanding in their exam. And yet not a single one of all of his potions worked. One cauldron even exploded.

He tried everything. He made sure to follow the book. When that didn't work, he altered some ingredients. Still nothing. He searched for the other books, but still nothing.

Being a perfectionist must be in his skin. He couldn't just get rid of it despite slowly healing his trauma. It was as though etched in him to achieve the best.

Hence when he couldn't figure out why his dozens of batches of the Draught of Living Dead, he owled his brother. And being the best brother, Sirius came to the rescue. With three more backups.

Regulus only expected his brother in his animagus form to break into Hogwarts to help him. But of course, why was he even surprised to find the three other Marauders with Sirius? Peter was in his rat form whilst James and Remus his in the invisibility cloak.

He couldn't shoo them away either. It was risky enough to have graduated students in his room, it would be even riskier to have them wandering around the castle, trying to recount their good old days (that just ended, like, four months ago). At least, he would have them confined in his room.

And besides, Remus was there as well. At least he would be an actual help.

"Let's be honest, Snape was the one who perfected this potion," said Remus, flipping the page of Regulus' book while leaning against the poster of the bed. "No one else was able to do so except him."

"Yeah, but it's Snivellus. I am his brother," Sirius argued, sitting on the floor after wrestling with James.

"Why don't you ask Callie?" Peter suggested, snuggling on the edge of the bed. "She probably knows how."