14: A Half Step between Rungs Six and Seven

Disclaimer: Not mine. No money. Special thanks go to JKR for sanctioning HP fanfic.

Gobs of thanks go to my beta Southern Witch 69 and to my Brit-picker the amazing Saracen77.

14: A Half Step between Rungs Six and Seven

September 30th, 3:05 pm

I hurry down one of the less traveled corridors that links my classroom and the library, muttering to myself. "First off, grade the third years' essays. Then review the sixth years' lesson plans – they're fidgeting more than I'd like – must be a bit bored."

Actually, teaching is settling into a comfortable routine far more quickly than I'd expected, although Minerva smiles knowingly anytime I mention it. If I'm honest with myself, it might be me who's becoming bored – I'm busy, but I miss the challenge of graduate work, my theoretical discussions with Professor Santiago.

Unexpectedly, a tall figure steps from a shadowed alcove to block my way. I stop abruptly. My wand is in my hand before I even think of it.

"Professor Granger, if you could spare me a few moments of your time, I would appreciate your advice."

That voice – Snape.

"Why, Professor Snape, you startled me." Especially since I've been avoiding him for the last month and he's gone along with it until now.

"I apologize –"

"No, no. It's quite all right. What was it you wished to discuss?"

Please not sex. Don't talk about sex.

He makes no move to approach any closer. "As you may well know, I am endeavoring to improve the Wolfsbane Potion. I have run across some difficulty in my attempts to alter the amount of any particular ingredient. I am hoping that Arithmancy may prove useful."

Goddess, Snape is asking me to work with him on his most important research!

My trepidation fades as enthusiasm takes over. "I'm sure it will. What have you tried so far?" I pocket my wand, hoping he doesn't see the clandestine movement.

"Shall we retire to the staffroom? If you have time, it may be more appropriate to discuss this with a modicum of comfort."

"Certainly."

He continues as we walk down the hallway side-by-side. "In fact, this project may require ongoing collaboration. With due credit, of course."

"Of course."

"Would you be amenable to weekly meetings at this time?"

This type of interdisciplinary work could make my reputation!

Fighting to keep my voice as professional sounding as his, I answer, "I'll put forth every effort to work you into my schedule."

~~~

November 30th, 3:05 pm

She devours the parchment I handed her only a few minutes ago, eyes moving rapidly. Her shoulders are relaxed as she sits directly across from me even though we have relocated our meetings to my office due to the distractions of the staff room.

My patience appears to have produced the desired result.

Each week, our sessions grow in length. As I imagined, once her mind is engaged, she is insatiable.

"No, no, look. The reason this equation never solves for you is that you've left out too many variables." Her eyes snap as she points to a specific section of the long parchment spread in front of us. "Wolfsbane Potion is complex both in terms of the ingredient interactions and the brewing process. We'll have to take every one of those into account."

"But that is preposterous. It would be unwieldy in the extreme – unsolvable."

"If we used only one equation, yes. But what I'm proposing is a series of equations – one for each step of the process."

Does she have any idea how beautiful she is when she is passionate about something?

"And then?"

"And then, I correlate all of the equations using a variation on Iselda Marchwood's work. She pioneered the simultaneous solution of up to four equations at one time. I may need to increase that number to twenty."

I do not doubt her – her mind is brilliant. But I cannot pass by the opportunity to spark a bit more fire in her eyes. My expression neutral, tone slightly bored, I ask, "Do you think you can accomplish such?"

"Of course!" Her cheeks flush.

Beautiful. My plan is working perfectly.

"Tell me."

She leans over the parchment and begins explaining variables.

~~~

January 30th, 3:05 pm

"I think it most reasonable at first to maintain the amount of aconite dictated by Damocles Belby. From there, I thought we might alter the amounts of the ginger and hellebore. Or is it even possible to affect two variables at this point?"

"Oh, yes. The system I've developed may not be very sophisticated yet, but we can nonetheless alter three variables at this point."

"Three." A note of amazement enters his voice, and I think this may be the first time I've seen him look pleasantly surprised. "That should prove to accelerate matters significantly."

My cheeks glow with embarrassed pride, and I'm reminded once again of how much I missed our weekly research meetings over Christmas hols.

"I've been thinking." I hesitate, but he spurs me on with his eyebrow. "What if we consider adding some of the other ingredients of Wit-Sharpening Potion? I mean, we try running the equations with larger amounts of ginger first, but perhaps we could also look into adding armadillo bile or scarab beetles."

He's silent, but since he's raised his right hand to repeatedly tap his lips with his index finger, I recognize it as the silence of serious thought.

My eyes focus on lips reddening slightly as the finger's onslaught continues.

Mmm, remember how he snogs?

A mental shake, and a quick look at the parchments in front of me, prevents me from going further down that path. Besides, he's made no untoward advances in all of the months we've been working together.

He must truly want to put both incidents behind him.

An odd feeling twists through my gut – relief or disappointment?

I look up at him again and see his finger has stilled – he's almost come to a decision.

"Indeed." He finally stirs and catches my eyes with his. "I believe your idea merits a great deal of further research and development."

"Really?" Any attempt at maintaining a somber, professional tone is lost in the rising note excitement gives my voice.

He smirks. "Yes, really." There's the amused eyebrow. "Must I begin repeating myself for you, Professor Granger?"

He's teasing.

I shake my head.

And I like it.

A quick glance at my hands hides my blush, and I shuffle the pile of parchment, pretending to look for the piece I actually know is three up from the bottom. My hand quivers slightly as I pass it to him.

"First off then, I'll need for you to catalogue all known properties of the new ingredients so that I can construct best-fit variables for them." At least my voice sounds professional again.

He nods, and his long fingers absentmindedly stroke the sheet I've just handed him.

Circe!

~~~

March 30th, 3:05 pm

"Okay, now that we know the equations indicate that replacing the ginger altogether with crushed scarab beetles improves mental acuity, what would you like to focus on next?"

I refrain from replying until she looks up at me – I find the more often I can maneuver her into staring at me, the greater the time she spends flustered.

"I have given it due consideration and propose that we repeat your concept of substituting ingredients with the constituents that originate from the Memory Potion."

The original idea was most insightful on her part. Such intelligence!

I pause for long moments, allowing my finger to tap my lips, and her eyes follow. While I cannot recall ever having had such a physical tic previously in my life, it is one I currently cultivate quite actively.

"In fact," my voice startles her from her reverie, "we should attempt to determine the effect of substituting the hellebore with Jabberknoll feathers prepared in a variety of ways."

"All right." Her bottom lip plumps as she releases it from the torture inflicted by her teeth. "How many different preparation types would you like to consider?"

Merlin, her mouth!

Patience, old man, patience.

I stroke the parchment in front of me, watching as her eyes track the movement. "If possible, I propose we run the calculations on feathers that have been chopped, shredded, or simply halved. Will such be possible?"

Her eyes flash at the challenge. "As long as you help me construct the correct variables, I can run any equations you need."

Such spirit!

"Shall we begin then?"

At her nod of acquiescence, I rise from my seat and advance around the desk to settle next to her. Turning slightly, I meet her gaze with an enquiring quirk of my eyebrow.

She flushes faintly and turns her attention to the parchments in front of her.

Perfect.

AN: I'm making very liberal use of the following quotation in how I'm imagining Arithmancy can be used: "Arithmancy is predicting the future using numbers." – JKR interview, Royal Albert Hall, 2003. I also thank the HP Lexicon, where I researched the potions ingredients discussed here.

On to act three.