Chapter 23
Chapter 23 of 46
debjunkThe first part of Hermione's third year.
ReviewedDisclaimer: Anything that seems vaguely familiar in this chapter or the next has been quoted, paraphrased, or just plain old summarized from the Prisoner of Azkaban. If you don't see it, it happened the way it did in canon.
Chapter 23
Hermione's third year part 1:
"Oh, dear!" cried Petunia as they stood on Platform nine and three-quarters. The Hogwarts Express was just rounding the bend and disappearing out of sight.
"This is not good," she murmured to herself.
"Shall we use a flying car like Harry did last year?" cried Dudley.
Petunia frowned at him. "Of course not, Dudders, that would be silly. Where would we find another flying car anyway?"
"Maybe we can enchant one?" Harry piped in.
Petunia smiled at him. "No, Harry, there are other modes of transportation, but we'll have to leave the train station."
Petunia smiled and hurried along. "Come, children. I need to get to work."
When Vernon had left, Petunia had sought employment outside of the home. She had worked in a bank for a year, but found the job tedious. Now that she had embraced her magical side, she wanted to be involved in something magical.
When she had dropped off Harry at the Burrow the summer before, Arthur Weasley had taken a quick liking to her. He had spirited her away to his garage to proudly show her his collection of all things Muggle. She had expressed an interest in helping wizards understand Muggle technology, and before she knew it, Arthur had suggested she take a job at the Ministry. He explained that most wizards had no interest in Muggle technology, but her expertise might be useful in other areas.
Petunia was now part of the Muggle-Worthy Excuse Committee. She helped the committee make up excuses for Wizarding catastrophes. She had been a great asset to the committee as she had helped them to see what would be believable excuses among Muggles. Sometimes the committee would come up with the most outlandish reasons for something happening. Petunia helped them to see their folly. Usually, it was a simple excuse that worked the best.
When an older witch had messed up a potion, causing her entire house to explode, the Ministry had chosen not to Obliviate the neighbors. If a sensible excuse could be found, Obliviating was always avoided. Petunia had sat and watched the committee argue about how to explain away such a thing. The newest member of the committee suggested a story which involved a dragon flying overhead and sneezing at an inopportune moment. He was quickly reminded that Muggles didn't believe in dragons. Petunia had almost fallen to the floor, she had laughed so heartily. She then suggested a furnace explosion. She had been met with blank stares. Although the committee had heard of gas leaks, they were at a loss as to what a furnace was. She explained to them how Muggles used furnaces to heat their homes and the committee embraced her idea with great enthusiasm. The committee wasn't always so obtuse. They understood more about Muggles than your average witch or wizard, but this incident would forever be cemented in her mind as an example of the great chasm between her two worlds.
Petunia was brought back to reality by her two boys' bickering. She listened to them as they emerged from the station and headed for the street.
"I told you, Harry, you shouldn't have let Hedwig make that last hunt," Dudley chided. "It's her fault we're late."
"It's not like she wears a watch, Dudley. It's not her fault," Harry said crossly.
Dudley harrumphed.
Soon they were on the curb beside the street. Petunia thought of what she needed and extended her wand hand. Suddenly a bright purple Double-Decker bus appeared from nowhere. The door swung open, and a thin wizard with pimples all over his face smiled at them.
"Hi, I'm Stan. Stan Shunpike. Welcome to the Knight Bus."
Harry and Dudley stared in amazement as Petunia stepped closer to the door of the bus.
"These two young wizards missed the Hogwarts Express and need a lift to Hogwarts."
"Eleven sickles each, please," Stan said by rote.
Petunia dug in her bag and brought out the money, placing it in Shunpike's awaiting hand. She turned and gave a quick hug to each boy.
"Now you two be good and learn a lot."
Dudley turned red at the show of affection, but Harry hugged Petunia back enthusiastically.
"Take care, Aunt Petunia. We'll see you at Holiday," he told her.
She watched as they got onto the bus and waved to them. The bus disappeared in an instant. Petunia looked around her to see if she was alone. She saw nothing but a big black dog sitting across the street, watching her. She gave the animal no further thought, turned and Apparated to the Ministry.
oooOOOooo
After what only seemed like minutes, Dudley and Harry were dropped off at the Hogwarts gates. In the time that they had entered the bus until the time they had arrived at the gates of Hogwarts, they had discussed Sirius Black in full with Shunpike, the bus driver, and the shrunken head that had hung from the mirror. Harry and Dudley had been keeping up on the news about Black's escape since it had happened. Harry had asked Aunt Petunia about the things that the paper had written about Black, but she had not known what the truth was. She had informed Harry that all she knew about his parents' deaths was that they occurred at the hands of Voldemort. She had not been involved in the Wizarding world at the time of their murders.
The three on the Knight Bus, however, had seemed to have all of the answers. They had confirmed the disgusting story of how Sirius Black had betrayed his friends to Voldemort and had been the cause of their deaths. Shunpike had even gone on to say that Black deserved nothing less than to receive the Dementor's Kiss for what he had done.
"What's the Dementor's Kiss?" Dudley asked curiously.
"Why it's the most horrible thing that can happen to a person!" cried the bus driver.
"You get your soul sucked right out of you!" remarked the shrunken head.
"When they're done with you, there's nothing left but an empty shell." This came from Shunpike, who had gotten very close to Dudley and Harry as he uttered the horrid result of the Kiss.
Harry and Dudley grimaced at the thought of losing one's soul.
"Black deserves it!" Stan had continued while nodding his head vigorously.
"He's a real maniac, that one,' said the shrunken head. "He'd kill his own mother if he saw her in the streets!"
The two boys had mumbled agreements but had been relieved when the bus had pulled up at Hogwarts seconds later. They hadn't wanted to hear anymore about the crazed lunatic murderer or kisses that stole your soul.
Harry and Dudley dragged their chests and the rest of their belongings up to the door and dropped them inside of it. They vowed never to miss the train again, thinking of how the luggage usually just unloaded itself. As they set their trunks down, a voice interrupted them.
"You're a little early, gentlemen."
They wheeled around and saw Dumbledore standing there with his hands behind his back, his eyes twinkling.
Harry could have sworn that Dumbledore was not surprised to see them at all.
"We missed the train, sir," Dudley explained. "My mum sent us on the Knight Bus."
"Ah!" exclaimed Dumbledore. "A much better solution than last year, eh, Harry?"
Harry blushed. Would he never live down that incident?
"Yes, sir," he finally said.
"Why don't you boys go up to your rooms? The rest of the students won't be here for several hours. Just don't forget to come down for the feast."
"Yes, sir," the two boys chimed together.
"All right, off with you," Dumbledore said, waving his hands to get them to move along.
He watched them ascend the stairs as Severus came up behind him.
"How do you know everything?" Severus asked.
"What do you mean, Severus?" Albus returned.
"You said we had guests and turned and left in the middle of our conversation. How did you know they were here?"
"Why, I just heard the door slam, Severus. Didn't you?" Albus turned to Severus with a curious look on his face.
Severus just rolled his eyes. "Never mind," he said in frustration. "You never give a straight answer anyway."
Severus turned and went back into the Great Hall to finish the final preparations for the feast. He missed Albus' Cheshire-cat-like grin.
oooOOOooo
Harry rifled through his belongings, searching for his overcoat. It was nowhere to be seen. Dudley and he had been hanging around in the Hufflepuff common room for the last couple of hours, but Harry had wanted to come up to his room before the feast. He was just about to go down to the Great Hall when he noticed his coat was missing. He must have dropped it on the way in to the castle. He bounded out of his room and began the long descent to the grounds, hoping he would find it before it got trampled on by the students.
Harry finally made it out to the grounds and followed the path down to the gate. He was sure he would find his coat lying on the ground somewhere between here and there. Lighting his wand, he began to search. After a few minutes, he noticed the coat lying just outside of the Hogwarts gates. He sighed in frustration, as the coat was lying in a puddle of mud. He went beyond the gates and lifted the coat from the ground. It dripped with goo. Harry waved his wand, uttered Evanesco, and watched the mud disappear from the coat.
Harry looked over his surroundings. He could see the line of carriages off in the distance, heading for the school. They would be here in a matter of minutes. But something was not right. He felt a chill run down his spine. He noticed that things around him were beginning to be covered in frost. He shot a few glances around him but saw nothing out of the ordinary, save the frost. Then out of nowhere a creature descended in front of him. It wore a large black cloak, and its face was invisible behind a great hood. Harry could not pull his eyes away from the creature as it floated in front of him. He felt a great despair sink over him as he looked to where the creature's eyes should be. Harry could not move. He felt himself becoming more despondent as his knees buckled underneath him. The last thing he heard was a woman's scream before he lost consciousness.
Not a second later there was a loud pop, and a man appeared out of nowhere. He saw a student passed out on the ground and a Dementor hovering over him.
Quickly the man extracted his wand and cried, "Expecto Patronum"
The Dementor shot away quickly, and the man rushed up to the wounded boy on the ground. He lifted him up and noticed the scar on his forehead. He looked over the boy carefully, making sure there were no visible injuries. After a minute, Harry began to stir. He opened his eyes and found a man he didn't recognize staring down at him.
"What happened?" Harry asked weakly.
"You were attacked by a Dementor," the man said.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a chocolate bar as Harry sat up and rubbed his eyes.
"Eat this," the man ordered, "it will help."
Harry looked at the chocolate skeptically, then at the man.
"Who are you?" he asked suspiciously.
"I'm Remus Lupin, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Take the chocolate, Harry, as I said before, it will help."
Harry took the chocolate and nibbled a piece off of the bar. He looked at the man again. He appeared to be haggard. There were great long scars running down the side of his face, and his eyes looking like they had seen too much for a man his age.
"How do you know my name?" Harry asked him.
"The scar," Lupin said as he pointed to Harry's head.
Harry rubbed the scar and smirked. "It's a dead giveaway, huh?"
Remus nodded.
"It's a good thing I decided to Apparate to the gates instead of taking the carriages," Lupin remarked as the first carriage pulled up to the gates. "You would certainly be nothing more than a shell by now had I not come along when I did."
"What was that thing that attacked me, sir?"
"That, my boy, was a Dementor."
Harry looked at Professor Lupin with fear. "Does that have anything to do with a Dementor's Kiss?"
"Yes, Harry. Dementors are the beings who give the kiss. How did you hear about the Dementor's Kiss?"
Harry explained his strange but brief ride on the Knight Bus. Professor Lupin helped Harry up, and they made their way to the school doors. Lupin explained more about Dementors and how they were the guards at Azkaban. The whole thing thoroughly gave Harry the creeps. Lupin quickly led Harry through the Great Hall and over to Madam Pomfrey, who took the boy into the Trophy room and examined him quickly. Declaring him fit, she released him, and he joined his friends, who were by now seated at the Gryffindor table. He quickly gave them a rundown of the events that had happened up until his arrival at their side.
"Those Dementors searched the train too!" Ron exclaimed.
"No one passed out, though," Hermione said thoughtfully.
Harry's eyebrows furrowed. Why had he collapsed if no one else had?
Dumbledore's voice echoed in the Hall, and all eyes turned to him. He explained about the Dementors and how the children should give them a wide berth. He apologized for the one which attacked Harry, as the Dementors had been told to stay away from the gates that evening, but the one had not followed orders. He emphasized the need for caution, as Sirius Black was on the loose, and even though the school was quite safe, no one could be too careful. He then clapped his hands, and the feast appeared.
Harry ate in silence, turning over in his mind all of the things that had happened in the last hour. Black wouldn't make an appearance here. There was no reason for him to come to Hogwarts. Or was there? Harry had visited the Weasleys for a week near the end of summer break. They had been excited about their recent trip to Egypt, and they had filled him with stories about the trip. The family had even made the front page of The Prophet.
At one point he had caught Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Weasley talking about him secretly. They had said that Black would target him because he wanted revenge for what Harry had done to Voldemort. Hearing that had sent a shiver down Harry's spine, but he was not one to cower in the face of danger. If Black sought him out, Harry would not be held responsible for what he did to the man who led Voldemort to his parents.
oooOOOooo
Harry knocked on the door to the Potions classroom. He heard a voice asking him to enter, so he swung the door open and walked in. He found the room to be empty.
"In the back!" the voice called again.
Harry walked to the door at the back of the classroom and peered into the private lab of Severus Snape. He had not seen it before, and his eyes widened as he surveyed it. It was just the right size for there to be two tables parallel to one another. On the back table was a cauldron being stirred by his Potions Professor. The other table was empty. Along the wall and in front of the table were shelves that held several different cauldrons, a few stirring rods, and many beakers and flasks. It looked like a Muggle chemistry room.
Harry turned his attention to Professor Snape, who was still stirring the cauldron with an unusual stirring rod. It looked like it was made of glass and had the head of a snake on it. The snake's head seemed to be looking at Snape as he stirred the draught vigorously.
"You wanted to see me, Professor?" Harry asked.
Severus took a second to look up. "I'll be with you in two minutes, Harry," he said and went back to his work.
The two minutes having elapsed, Severus removed the rod from the mixture and set it beside the cauldron. He walked over to Harry and motioned him to a set of chairs in the corner that Harry had failed to notice before. He sat in one and watched his professor do the same.
"I didn't get a chance to speak with you after the events that transpired at the end of last year. I take it you were able to recover fully?" Severus asked him.
Harry nodded his head.
"And you're feeling better after the Dementor attack?"
Harry screwed his face up but nodded.
"What is it, Harry?"
"Hermione and Ron told me that Dementors searched the train too, but no one passed out. I was wondering why I was so weak that I couldn't fight them off."
Severus looked Harry directly in the eyes. "Collapsing from a Dementor attack is not a sign of weakness, Harry."
"Then why am I the only one who fainted like a little girl?"
Severus smirked at his reference. "Harry, did Professor Lupin tell you what the Dementors feed on?"
Harry shook his head. "Yes, they suck all of the happiness out of a soul."
"I would think that very few people in this school have worse memories than you do. When all the happy parts of your life are taken from you, the horrors that are left are much more than anyone else your age would have to deal with. The intensity of the memories increases the Dementors control. It's no wonder you collapsed."
"I think I heard my mum screaming my name before I passed out."
Severus' jaw tightened as a picture of what that scene must have looked like was brought to the forefront of his mind.
"It seems that even at that young age, her death was horrible enough for you to have a memory of it."
"I had never thought of it before then."
Severus nodded his head. "The Dementors are artisans at bringing out memories that have been forgotten or repressed."
Harry shrugged, not wanting to talk about it any more. "You asked me after class to come by tonight. What's up?"
Severus arched an eyebrow at his forwardness. "I was wondering why you chose to go to that buffoon Lockhart instead of coming to me when you realized the truth about the Chamber of Secrets."
Harry watched Severus closely. Snape evidently had felt slighted by his oversight. That hadn't been Harry's intent at all.
"I would have come to you, but he was so adamant about knowing where the entry to the Chamber was when you were all gathered on the second floor. Ron and I thought that if we told him what we knew, he would be able to get Ginny out quicker."
"I see."
"By the time we realized he was just a big phony, it was too late. We had to take him with us. We were lucky Ron's wand backfired, or we'd both be babbling idiots."
"I hope you now realize the folly of your actions."
Harry looked up at Severus. "Of course, sir."
Severus sighed. "Harry, you have this tendency to go off half-cocked when you have an idea in your head. You will do yourself a grave disservice if you continue along this path. One day you will walk into a trap that you cannot extricate yourself from."
Harry looked down, duly chastised. "I know, sir. I've been thinking about that a lot this summer."
"I hope you have set some rules for yourself as to your conduct in the future," Severus advised.
"I have, sir. I won't let myself get so deeply involved in something that I don't think about the possible repercussions."
"You know, Harry, you can always come to me in such situations. I would be happy to help you sort things out if need be."
Harry glanced up at Severus. His face was impassive, but Harry could tell that his words were heartfelt.
"Thank you, sir. I will do so in the future."
Severus nodded and stood, signaling the end of their 'talk'. He wandered back to his potion.
"What's that you're working on, Professor?" Harry asked with interest.
""It's a Strengthening Solution," Severus told him.
"Doesn't that use snake skin in it?" Harry asked.
Severus looked up at Harry as he picked up his stirring rod. "Yes, it does."
Harry got a gleam in his eye. "Have you ever thought of substituting Basilisk skin?"
Severus harrumphed. "I would think that such an addition would make an incredibly potent potion. Unfortunately, because there are no Basilisks from which to get skin, it is a theory that shall remain untested."
"I know where you can find a Basilisk skin, sir." Harry said eagerly, trying to make up for not involving his Professor at the end of the last year.
Severus' head popped up as what Harry was saying dawned on him. "The Basilisk in the Chamber!" he cried in amazement.
Harry nodded and smiled conspiratorially. "Do you want to get some?" he asked Severus.
Severus' eyes lit up. Then he had second thoughts. Hadn't he just admonished Harry for going off half-cocked? He was an adult. He couldn't just go sliding down into the Chamber of Secrets just to prove a theory.
"Harry, it's not safe to go down there again. Didn't half of the Chamber collapse?"
"Oh, it's nothing a little wand work won't fix. Besides, the skin is located before the collapse. Come on. This could be an enormous breakthrough!"
"It's only a temporary one. There's only so much Basilisk skin available."
"So, what? They'll be talking about you for centuries to come, Professor!"
Severus groaned. "I am not in the potions business for fame."
"Then what's all that stuff you spout to the first-years on the first day of class every year?"
Severus gave Harry a caustic look. "Young man, I need not remind you who is the superior in this room."
"At least I'm not afraid to try something new."
Severus raised an eyebrow at that. The boy was an insufferable prat, trying to goad him into going down into the Chamber.
"I swear, sir. I killed the big, bad Basilisk already. There's really nothing to fear."
Severus harrumphed. "I am not fearful, Mr. Potter, just cautious. Remember, you try and get yourself killed at least once a year? That is the kind of thing I'm trying to avoid."
Harry laughed finally. "Oh, come on! The skin is just sitting there. It's near the entrance. It won't take any time at all to get some."
Severus thought about it and then chided himself for even giving the idea any credence. He then decided that he probably would never forgive himself if he didn't at least try to get the skin.
"All right, we'll go," he said finally.
"I knew you'd see things my way, sir," Harry beamed at him.
"Don't press your luck, Potter."
oooOOOooo
They were standing in the girls' bathroom, and Harry was fiddling with the sink. Finally he muttered something, and the entire sink fixture split apart, revealing a deep hole that led how far down, Severus didn't want to know.
"It's down there," Harry said.
Severus gave him a caustic look. "Really? I thought we'd have to go up into the ceiling and crawl through the rafters to get there." His sarcastic remark was emphasized by a wave at the ceiling.
Not catching his sarcasm, Harry just went on. "No, it's down there, alright."
Severus muttered to himself as he extracted his wand and waved it over the hole. A rope ladder attached itself to the edge of the hole and dropped down silently into it. It would descend until it reached the bottom.
"Well, now you've taken all the fun out of it," Harry murmured.
Severus looked at him in incredulity.
"No, really, you can't imagine how much fun it was to fall down that hole blindly. I thought I would have a heart attack before I reached the bottom."
Severus smiled at him. "After you, Mr. Potter."
Harry swung his legs onto the ladder and began his descent, closely followed by Severus. Down, down they went for quite some time. At times the tunnel almost leveled out, which made ladder climbing a bit difficult, but it would eventually head downward again, and they would find the traveling easier. Finally, Harry felt the familiar crunch of a thousand skeletons under his feet. He left the ladder and made room for Severus to find a spot on the floor. Extracting his wand, he said "Lumos," and a small part of the chamber was lit up so they could see.
By this time Severus had reached the ground and was surveying his surroundings with a grimace on his face. The skeletons of small animals were strewn about everywhere. There was no space left clean on the floor.
"The skin is this way," Harry said as he pointed his wand and started for the Basilisk's shed skin.
Severus followed closely behind, his own wand lit. They didn't have to go far before they came upon the skin. Severus' eyes widened as he examined the large skin. He had known that the creature was huge, but actually seeing the size of the skin made him appreciate its grandeur even more.
"It's gigantic," he muttered.
"It even looks bigger when it's on the Basilisk," Harry quipped.
"It's a miracle you survived, Harry."
"I had a little help from a Phoenix."
"Indeed," Severus replied.
Severus took a tiny bag from his pocket and enlarged it. Going up to the Basilisk skin, he used his wand like a surgeon's scalpel and sliced a two foot part of the skin away from the rest of the remains. He levitated the sample into the bag and closed it up. He shrunk it back down to its original size and placed it into his pocket.
"All right," he said, "I think that's all I'll need."
"Did you want to take a look around?" Harry asked.
Severus regarded Harry with disdain. "Not really. What's to see anyway, some huge, dead snake?"
"The stonework is rather intricate," Harry mused.
"Ah... stonework... sounds fascinating."
"You're really a party pooper, you know that?" Harry told him blatantly.
"Yes, I've been known to destroy a party or two in my day. Let's just go. I can feel the Dark Lord's presence lingering, and I want to be nowhere near it."
Harry's eyes grew wide. "You can feel Voldemort? But Riddle was destroyed, and his spirit, or whatever, wasn't even in this part of the Chamber."
"Perhaps it's not Voldemort, per se, just evil in general. Can you not feel it?"
Harry stood still for a moment and tried to get in touch with his inner self. He tried to feel the evil but only got a sense of fear.
"I'm just creeped out by this place. I don't really feel any evil. It is somewhat frightening, I guess."
Severus nodded. Perhaps it was the fact that he was older and more experienced with evil. Perhaps it was because he had made evil a close friend, but it was unmistakable to him, whether Harry could feel it or not.
"Maybe places like this just exude evil because of their very nature," Severus mused as Harry looked at him curiously.
"Come," Severus ordered. "We have gotten what we came for. Let us leave this place."
Harry nodded and followed him back to the pipe that would lead to their freedom.
oooOOOooo
Back in his lab, Severus removed the bag from his pocket again and returned it to its original size. Donning gloves, he picked up the skin and examined it closely. It was very thick and leathery. He knew that on the Basilisk itself, the skin would be as hard as dragon hide, but this seemed quite a bit suppler. He could still see the scale pattern pressed into it. It was remarkably beautiful for something so hideous. He debated on how much to use in the potion. He knew Basilisk fangs were fatally poisonous, but the skin was not reputed to be dangerous to ingest. He used his wand and cut a tiny piece off of the skin. It was no bigger than a stick of gum. Taking his knife, he sliced it thinly as he would the snake skin that was used in this potion. He gathered the slices and then diced them evenly. Harry sat in the chair in the corner and watched him work. Finally Severus had scooped the diced skins up into his gloved hand and looked up to Harry.
"Here it goes. If the cauldron explodes, please see that I get a decent funeral."
"I didn't know bats got funerals when they died," Harry quipped. A huge smirk covered his face.
Severus' only response was a raised eyebrow. He was concentrating on the potion too seriously to continue the banter.
Harry smirked at him again as he watched Severus drop the skins into the cauldron, lift his rod, and begin the tedious task of stirring the potion. It would need to be stirred for fifteen minutes in a clockwise direction, then another fifteen minutes counterclockwise.
There was no immediate explosion, although quite a bit of smoke rose from the cauldron with the addition of the Basilisk skin. Severus seemed to stir forever, and Harry's mind wandered as his gaze became blurry, and he began to think of other things. Finally, Severus stopped stirring and removed the rod from the cauldron. Harry rose and went up to him.
"Well, you're still alive so far. Do you think it worked?"
"I'll have to test it to be sure."
"Do you really want to try it? What if the Basilisk skin is poisonous?"
Severus didn't say anything but went into the main classroom. He took a cage off of a shelf and brought it back into the lab. Harry saw that there were three white mice in the cage.
"Our test subjects," Severus offered as he pulled one mouse from the cage and made it drink some of the potion from a spoon.
He placed the mouse back in the cage and watched it carefully for adverse reactions. The mouse seemed to be fine.
"How long will the potion take to work?" Harry asked.
"It should be effective within one minute, if not sooner."
They watched together in rapt attention as the mouse wandered in the cage with its friends. Suddenly the mouse began to run. It ran circles around the edge of the cage. Every lap around it the mouse seemed to run faster. Soon it was almost a blur, ringing the cage speedily.
"Wow," Harry muttered.
"Wow, indeed," Severus repeated.
"Let's see what else this little guy can do," Severus said as he lifted the cage door and tried to catch the mouse.
It proved impossible as the mouse was too fast for him. But they really didn't need to come up with a different solution as the mouse stopped for a minute and then made a mad dash for the cage wall. It burst through the metal bars as if they were made of paper and scurried away, breaking a hole through the door as it ran off.
"I think Dumbledore is going to be angry with you that you let Mighty Mouse off on his own."
"It's not like I had a choice!" Severus retorted.
Harry laughed at his professor's clipped tone. "How long will the potion last?"
Severus sighed. "An hour. I hope that rat doesn't destroy the whole castle by then."
"Maybe it will just find a nice hole in the wall and fall asleep."
"We can only hope."
oooOOOooo
Of course, the mouse didn't find a hole and fall asleep. It decided to torture the Slytherin girls' dorm. Somehow it found its way in there, and Pansy Parkinson was the first to see it. She screamed like a banshee and jumped onto a chair. The mouse got skittery after the shriek and rushed at the chair, knocking a leg off of it and sending Pansy crashing to the floor. The other girls in the room began to scream too as they saw Pansy tumble to the ground. Pansy scurried off the floor in an instant, and they all jumped on their beds. It wasn't until Severus came in almost half an hour later and caught the creature that they finally got down and stopped screaming.
"For Merlin's sake, girls, it's just a mouse! Quit screaming!" he bellowed as he entered the room, closely followed by Draco Malfoy, who had alerted Severus to where the mouse had gone.
"Have you seen where it went?" he asked the shrieking girls.
Lucinda Wright stopped screaming for a minute and pointed to a corner of the room behind one of the girl's trunks. Severus slinked over and levitated the trunk out of the way. There sat the tiny mouse, looking scared. Severus had come prepared with a titanium box. He doubted that even Mighty Mouse, as Harry had dubbed him, would be able to break free from that trap.
Flicking his wand, he said, "Accio mouse."
The mouse sailed through the air and landed in the box. Severus shut the lid with a clang. The four girls stopped screaming and gasped for air. Slowly, they each got off their beds.
"Now, I hope you all can have a quiet rest of the night," Severus chided them. "I do not want to be bothered with reports of other four legged creatures tormenting you. If they appear, ignore them!"
With that, Severus stalked out of the room, metal box and mouse in hand.
oooOOOooo
Severus was back in his lab, and Harry was eyeing the Titanium box with unease.
"Are you sure it can't escape from there?"
Severus eyed him with contempt. "Of course not, it's made of Titanium."
The mouse had been still up until now, but it began to move again, making dents in the box as it rammed itself against the sides in an attempt to escape. Severus regarded it curiously, now wondering with Harry if the small creature was fully contained.
"I think we should forgo the experiments on the other two," Harry mused. His eyes never left the box.
"Yes, I believe you're right." Severus muttered. "I suppose it is time for a human trial. Would you like to volunteer?"
Harry looked to Severus nervously. "Now wait a minute! I never said I was going to be your guinea pig, Professor. I just had the idea."
Severus gave him a wicked smile. "All the more reason for you to be the test subject."
Harry's eyes grew wide, and he took a step back. "What if part of that potion makes me crazy like that mouse? What if it's not just the mouse's personality? What if the potion never wears off?"
"Harry," Severus said more seriously. "I was just kidding about you trying it. I want to bring a sample to Albus first to get his feelings on having a human try it out."
Harry visibly relaxed. "Oh, okay," he said softly.
Severus laughed. "You are easily duped, Mr. Potter. I suppose that gets us even for you calling me a bat earlier."
Harry laughed too.
oooOOOooo
Albus eyed the vial filled with greenish-yellow fluid. He then looked to the box on his desk, which held the mouse test subject. Small dents peppered the box, but the mouse had not escaped its prison. He looked up at Severus.
"So, you decided to go down into the Chamber of Secrets, take some Basilisk skin, make a potion with it, and administer it to a mouse. I suppose I should be happy you didn't just go ahead and knock back a flask yourself."
Severus raised an eyebrow at Albus.
"Headmaster, I'm sure you'll agree that if this potion works, it could be a new era in Strengthening Solutions."
"Yes, and will probably instill a great desire to illegally raise Basilisks by some less than honorable Potions masters, yourself excluded, of course."
"Albus, do you think the potion is safe to be tried on a human subject?" Severus asked while ignoring Dumbledore's comment.
"Has the potion worn off the mouse yet?" Albus questioned.
Severus checked his watch. "If it works like normal Strengthening Solution, it should have stopped working fifteen minutes ago."
"Ah, then it should be safe to open the box?" Albus asked.
Severus nodded.
Albus took the box and unlocked and lifted the lid. The mouse was cowering in a corner but looked no worse for wear. Albus tentatively put his hand into the box and lifted the small creature out. He examined it fully and then placed the mouse on his desk. The little animal began to move slowly around the desk sniffing at its surroundings.
"It seems to be okay," Harry said.
Albus took a lemon drop and placed it in front of the mouse. It began to lick at it. He studied the mouse for several minutes. There seemed to be no adverse reactions on the mouse's part. He looked up to Severus.
"There's no chance it will fall over dead in a few hours?" he asked him.
Severus arched an eyebrow. "There's always a chance, but the possibility is slim."
Albus crossed his arms in front of him. "So, who do you have in mind to test it?"
"Well, I was just going to..."
"No, Severus, you can't test it on yourself. You're the only one who can save whoever takes it if it winds up being harmful. I will try it."
"Albus, I didn't come here to force you to take an untested potion," Severus bellowed.
"Nonsense! I am eager to see how it works. Now monitor my vitals in case something goes awry."
With that, he unstoppered the bottle and downed the potion without further argument. Severus pulled his wand out and began to wave it to monitor Albus. Everything seemed to be alright when suddenly Albus' face turned purple. There were no other signs of distress, but the odd color was worrisome enough.
"Are you alright, Professor?" Harry asked.
"It's a strange feeling, but I feel that I am in no danger." He looked around his office until his eyes fell on the titanium box. His face had finally returned to its original color.
"Perhaps a little test of strength?" he uttered.
Severus nodded as he looked to the box also. Dumbledore picked it up in both hands and looked at it for a minute. Then he crumpled it up into a ball as if it were a piece of paper. He looked down at the box in surprise.
"Well, well, well, it would seem that your new addition has worked wonders for this potion, Severus. I used little effort to crush that box."
Severus' only response was the lifting of his eyebrow.
"Let's go to the Defense classroom and try some hand to hand fighting," Albus suggested.
"Harry," Severus looked to the boy. "Get Madam Pomfrey, and ask her to meet us in the Defense classroom. Have her bring any healing draughts, some Skele-gro, and anything else she might deem necessary to heal someone wounded in a fistfight."
Harry gave a quick nod and left the room.
oooOOOooo
A little while later, Severus lay in a bed in the infirmary. Albus had gone lightly, but he still had broken three of Severus' ribs. He had managed to blacken both of Severus' eyes, and there had been bruises all over his body. Poppy had patched him up in the Defense classroom, and his face was now back to normal, but she insisted that he spend the night in the infirmary. It seemed that the potion had worked better than anyone had expected.
Severus pondered the meaning of that. With a few more experiments behind him, he would have a marketable potion. Of course, being the only one with access to the main ingredient of the potion, Severus could become a very rich man. With the small amount of Basilisk skin needed, Severus figured he could brew the potion far into the next century without worry of running out of skin.
oooOOOooo
After a few more experiments, Severus had gotten the potion to a state that was safe for the person ingesting it. He had ultimately reduced the amount of Basilisk skin by half, which kept the subject from turning purple as the potion went into effect. The level of strength had diminished. No one would be crushing titanium boxes when under its influence, but it was still extremely potent. Someone ingesting it would never lose a fight. It did not increase magical ability, nor did it decrease it, but Severus found that taking it too often left him lightheaded for days afterward. Like the Felix Felicis Potion, it was a potion that could not be taken on a regular basis.
He had submitted his findings to the Ministry of Magic, and they had readily approved his request to market the potion. They, in fact, created a Contract of Exclusivity with him immediately, which meant that he would be distributing the potion to the Ministry and the Ministry alone. Minister Fudge thought it would be a great asset for his Aurors and didn't want the stuff leaking out to the public. The fee they settled on had made Severus quite a rich man. Bottle fame, brew glory, and stopper death indeed!
A/N: Next up: Is the Werewolf helping the Dog?
Hope you liked it. There have been quite a few questions about Lucius. Yes, he's still a Death Eater. He just doesn't hate Muggle-borns like he did before, and he's not quite as snobby because of it. He has no interest in going against anything Voldemort preached. He loves his status as a Death Eater. It makes him feel powerful.
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Latest 25 Reviews for Time's Treasure
695 Reviews | 5.71/10 Average
My very first thought about your faniction was, Severus Snape which get Ooc? This is difficult, but you mastered this challenge really wonderful, without getting Severus too fluffy. :D And of course you formed a very good plot, it holds on everything I like. Excitement, humor, romance, some difficulties and Hermione and Severus getting in a relationship in a conceivable way. Your story is marvelous and I loved to read every line. Thanks for writing and sharing.Best wishes
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
Thanks so much! Yes, the OOC-ness can be challenging. I tried to keep him where I think he might have been given a different chance at life. I'm so glad you liked this! Thanks so much for your review.
yay! I've been waiting for that engagement for a while now!
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
~does a jig~ Yep, it was a long time coming.
Oh man, that stinks. I hope something in the paradox makes it so they can really be together. I hate to think of Snape going through all that torture (physical and mental) just to end up dead anyway. and just when they got back together! (darn ol Dumbledore anyway, it's all his fault)
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
Yes, just about everything is Dumbledore's fault. :) An that truly would be a terrible tragedy.
I have to wonder if Hermione is changing the future she knows by divulging so much or if the future she knows is because she's divulged so much and we get to hear an alternative explanation for it...I can't wait to find out! Reading on...
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
Thank you! We'll find out that even small things do change things somewhat.
I really enjoy a good time travel fic. Thanks for all your hard work writing this one. It was a joy to read!!
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
Thanks so much! I obviously love time turner fics too.
This is a great story!!!! Thank you!
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
Aw, gee thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
Good job! this was a really good story
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
i think Hermione's being responsible.
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
She does too! Thanks!
I think that Hermione starting a relationship with Severus at this point would be opening a huge can of worms that might result in more pain than it's worth. On the other hand, it would make Severus happy :)
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
*Grins* It would definitely make Severus happy, but IS it the right thing to do?
Yay! A good ending. It's nice to see Harry and Severus getting along, as well as their respective offspring. And how Snape responds to Hermione being pregnant again, despite all his comments at the picnic, great job.Looking forward to your future stories. =)
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed this. It's nice to see Severus happy, and I think he'd think that another little bundle of happiness would be quite nice.
I like how both the bride and groom think the other is going to leave them at the altar. Nerves nerves nerves. I hope I don't have them when I get married. Yay for them finally ending up together, I'm glad. I'm looking forward to seeing what's in the epilogue.
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
Well, I'm sure everyone is a little nervous. Hopefully, by the time you get married you'll be pretty sure of your future spouse's intentions. But then again, those nerves can do funny things.
A good fluffy proposal which suits the new Snape. I loved his behavior in Hogsmeade about breaking up the snogging couples at Madam Puddifoots.Off to read more
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
He may be fluffy, but he loves seeing those students in trouble.
Poor Snape, a bad excuse is no reason to blow up at Hermione, especially when it obviously not the truth. Plus he shouldn't have called her out of her class, should have waited till they both had a break, and then maybe he would have realized he was being an idiot. But it seems they've worked it out and Hermione's realized that this Severus Snape is not her original Severus Snape. Off to read some more.
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
He really blew it here. I think if he hadn't been so exhausted he would have done just what you've outlined. But sometimes we act without thinking. At least Hermione realizes the difference.
It would have been fun to see Severus hex Ron, but I think he made his point awfully clear. Ron deserved it anyway. And good for him for reassuring Hermione that she is in fact not plain and is beautiful. Boyfriends should do that.
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
Boyfriends definitely should do that. Even when their loves aren't feeling particularly down.
Yay lots of Babies! I want one!!!! What a wonderful ending to a fabulous story. I'm so happy that I've been along for the ride since the beginning and what a wonderful ride its been. Fabulous Job! Much Love Always. ~ Karen
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
Thanks, Karen! Glad you got on and rode all the way. It's been a long journey, but I think that Severus and Hermione are finally happy and Severus doesn't need to pine away for his lost love any longer. She's right there in front of him.
Wow. Amazing job hon! Seriously the detail you put in was just perfect! The RoR sounded breathtakingly beautiful and their ceremony was nice and simple. The kissing the bride scene reminded me of my wedding... of course I would think about how gusy I am over my honey in times like this. Thanks for letting them get married! Talk to you soon. Much Love ~ Karen
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
They were destined for marriage. And I'm glad I brought up good memories for you. That's part of the point of this chapter.
Four kids... know ALL about that! :)
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
LOL. I have three myself. And with summer here, I wish the fighting would just stop!
What a great wedding....and I am reading this on my 10th anniversary. I remember my wedding. I couldn't take my eyes off my husband much like Severus couldn't take his eyes off Hermione. Thanks for letting me remember that....
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
Aw, I'm glad I brought back such lovely memories. It's fun to reminisce about such a happy occasion.
That was a really great chapter....
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
Thank you!
that was disappointing. i was so happy to see ron but yo u totall went the route i thought you might.
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
I did. Sorry. I don't always make him evil incarnate like he is here. But, when dabbling in this AU fic, not everything turns out peachy.
Such a sweet ending. Brilliant my dear.
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
Thanks so much!
hermione better go to ron and try to find fix their friendship . otherwise she is a terribly crappy friend to just accept that as it is without even trying to fight for it like she fights for everything else. especially if she talked about how close her and ron were in her timeline.
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
She wouldn't just abandon Ron. She remembers how he was, so will give him a chance. What he does with it... now that's a different story.
oh yeah, im still “Yes, time travel, as in I told you not to wait for me.”pset that neveille didnt to be as cool here as he was in the original time line. but oooo i cant wait to see all the things that will occur with hermione trying to fit in with this timeline. and will she confront lucius. and good for him for taking over the ministry. oh and “Yes, time travel, as in I told you not to wait for me.” ^______^ i smiled so wide there with that line.
Response from debjunk (Author of Time's Treasure)
Hermione will have a lot of catching up to do! It will boggle her mind for a while.