The Turns of Time- James Potter Love Story

Chapter 11- An Unexpected Help

Frannie grinned in amusement as she saw the cloaked figure of her future Potions professor waiting impatiently at the end of the corridor, shifting on his feet in discomfort as he looked around to make sure no one was watching.

"Hey Sev," she trotted up to the Slytherin, adjusting her shoulder bag. "Ready to break a few dozen school rules?"

Severus rolled his dark gaze, seeming rather pale as he looked down the corridor for the millionth time. "Shut up and take us to your safe place. If I get expelled for this, I will murder you, Smith." He grumbled as Frannie shrugged, taking off towards the seventh floor at a brisk pace. "And don't call me that."

"What, Sev?" Frannie shrugged, stopping in front of a blank wall after she made sure no one was watching. "You're my mate, its my job to annoy you."

Severus stiffened, an unreadable expression crossing his face as he looked at the floor. "We're not friends, Smith."

"Too late," Frannie shrugged again, her tone simple as she stared at the wall, remembering all the times she and Draco had come here their sixth year. She shuddered. It was one of the few times she didn't miss the past—well future. "Stand back." She closed her eyes, ignoring Severus's questioning stare as she began to pace in front of the wall. "We need a place to brew a secret potion," she murmured, turning three times.

Opening her eyes, she let out a frustrated growl as no door appeared.

"Have you brought me here as some elaborate prank?" Severus snapped, looking extremely irritated. "Because, I assure you, I—"

"Oh, hush," Frannie sighed, closing her gaze once more and pulling her hair into a small plait to focus. "I just need to be more specific." She turned on her heel once more. "We need a place to help a friend by brewing a potion that no one will ever find."

She heard Severus's sharp intake of breath and she grinned, opening her eyes in satisfaction as a door appeared from within the cobblestone wall, its iron details glittering in the torchlight. "Impressed, Sevvy?" she teased.

"Never call me that again," Severus scowled, looking as if he had eaten a rather sour jellybean. "How did you even find this place?" he looked at her in suspicion.

Frannie paused, silently cursing herself for not thinking that far. "I needed the loo," she replied, trying to sound casual.

Severus's breath caught as she pushed upon the doors, revealing a room that only exited in potions master's dreams. Rows of shelves lined each corner, bursting with random vials and jars of disturbing substances. The only light was at the very back, illuminating an enormous cauldron under a sickly green glow.

Frannie wrinkled her nose. "Lumos Solem!" A burst of light emerged from the tip of her wand, bathing the room in a warm yellow glaze.

"Now you just ruined it," Severus complained, shrinking into one of the darker corners. "What is this place?"

"The Room of Requirement," Frannie replied, setting down her bag and pulling out a few flasks. "To my understanding, it appears to those who ask in whichever form they need the most." She bit her lip. She had tried to summon the Room of Hidden Things from which she had traveled back in time, but the door refused to appear. She didn't know if she could find the cupboard again anyways.

Severus was distracted as his gaze caught on a clump of greenery in Frannie's hand. "How did you get that?" He leaned closer. "Those are from Slughorn's private stores."

Frannie smiled mischievously, pulling out her advanced Potions textbook. "I have my ways."

Severus let out a sigh as he set his own book on the table, thumbing through the pages. "You are going to get us expelled."

Frannie's eyes caught on the pages of the boy's textbook, which were covered in scribbles and added notes. She could barely read the original text. She sucked in a sharp breath as she remembered how Harry had clung to a book his sixth year, making him unreasonably successful in Potions. An image of Draco lying the bathroom, soaked in his own blood and covered in gashes appeared in her mind. She should have known it was Snape's work.

Severus shifted away from her, unnerved by her staring. "Don't get any idea, Smith," he snapped, covering his writing with the sleeves of his robes. "Try and take my work and you'll end up in Azkaban."

Frannie shook her head, trying to shake her lingering memories. "Trust me, I've never fancied potions. You have nothing to worry about."

The Slytherin ignored her, already focused on the vial of aconite, examining it closely as he skimmed over a passage in his book.

"What can I do to help?" Frannie broke the silence after several minutes, feeling rather impatient.

"Go and brush your hair," Severus waved her away, his tongue between his teeth as he begin to add a few ingredients to the cauldron, stirring furiously. "Merlin knows you need it."

Frannie patted her head with a scowl, resisting the urge to insult the boy's own locks. Seeing as Severus wasn't going to respond to her anytime soon, she sighed and got up from the table. "Well, I guess I'll leave you to it, potions master." She eyed the boy's slouched form hopefully. "Unless there's something I could do to help—"

"I wouldn't ask you even if I was alone in the Forbidden Forest being hunted by a werewolf," Severus muttered, hissing in frustration as he added too many drops of a silvery powder.

"That was disturbingly specific," Frannie joked, watching the boy for a reaction. As he continued to work silently, she sighed. He was harder to crack than Percy Weasley. "Do let me know if there's anything I can do."

She left the Room of Requirement, looking over her shoulder to make sure she wasn't being followed. Taking the stairs two at a time, she burst into a smile as she saw Alice sitting on a bench near the courtyard, examining a few purple leaves.

"Hey!" She grinned as she settled in next to the dark-haired Gryffindor, looking over her shoulder. "What're you doing?"

Alice looked up, her cheeks pink in the chill wind as her blue gaze sparkled with excitement. "I'm identifying properties of the Egyptian—"

Frannie was rather sorry she asked, although she tried her best to pay attention as Alice went on a long explanation of her research.

After a few minutes, the girl paused, looking rather embarrassed. "I'm sorry!" she cried, smoothing the leaves carefully back into a small pouch. "I just rarely have someone who listens. Marlene would have run away ages ago. And Lily means well, but she is so busy with her own life sometimes."

Frannie smiled, trying to hide the sorrow she felt as she once more thought of Neville. She would make sure the kind boy had his parents, even if it was the only thing she could change. "I don't mind. I just hate plants," she shuddered, thinking of Sprout's greenhouses. "Sprout despises me, I always fall asleep in her class. That and Divination are the only classes I've—" she cut herself off abruptly as Alice sent her a curious glance. "I'm just rotten at Herbology," she covered, hoping the girl wouldn't ask too many questions.

Alice frowned momentarily, her gaze growing distant before she shook her head, smoothing her skirt as she stood. "Well, I can change that," she extended a delicate hand to Frannie, a gentle smile on her face. "To the greenhouses?"

Frannie nodded her head slowly, taking her hand as a grin spread on her face. "Brilliant." She watched as Alice turned her face upwards towards the sun, basking in its warmth. Neville, your mum is an absolute doll.