Chapter 9
Before Hogwarts could open to students the repairs needed to be finished, but supplies also needed to be bought. The house elves will supply everything for the kitchens, Argus Filch has been going out daily to buy all the cleaning supplies. Filius Flitwick has been given the job of buying everything students would need in their classes, feathers so the first years can learn levitation, matches so the transfiguration first years can learn to change the match into a needle, cushions so they could learn summoning and banishing charms. Horace Slughorn had to leave for an extended period to buy all the different ingredients needed to make potions and some ingredients were rare and hard to find, so he would need to travel to other countries to get everything he needed. Harry offered to go with him, but Severus Snape thought if Harry wanted to help then he could spend his time setting up the potions rooms, making sure all the burners worked, checking to see if there were enough stirring rods, ladles and the vials, from glass to crystal. Snape did allow Harry to go buy all the cauldrons that Slughorn would need for his own potions that he will make to show students what any particular potion looked and smelled like. So Harry got the list of all the cauldrons and headed to Diagon Alley, but while he was in the apothecary Harry bought ingredients for himself along with all his equipment he would need for potions, so he bought himself a couple of cauldrons and everything else he might need. Harry thought he could try making a few potions while he had time alone, so he bought a lot of books on potions, from first year basics up to seventh year but also some advanced potions books.
Harry had finished checking everything in the potions room after he put everything away, then he set about making a simple potion to remove pimples. He had his book propped up in front of him while he got ready to slice, dice, shred or grind his ingredients. He decided to get all the ingredients done first, so he took his knife, took one eels eye from the jar then slowly and carefully sliced it into even lengths. Next he took one of the tentacular pods and was about to cut it to release the juices when he remembered Snape’s book, so he used the flat side of his knife and pressed down to allow the juices to leak out.
‘You remembered.’
Harry looked up to see Snape, ‘Yeah, it was one of your instructions even though it wasn’t for a tentacular pod that day, I thought I would try to see if it worked.’
‘Sometimes that is what you need to do, experiment. Now by the look of those ingredients you are making a potion to remove pimples. If you don’t mind me asking, why that potion?’
‘Since it’s been a while, I wanted to start with something simple that wouldn’t take more than an hour before it would be ready. That way I can see if I did it right and get used to doing everything involved in potions.’
‘A good idea, I asked because you do not have pimples,’ Severus stepped up to Harry, ‘The bat fang next, I know the book tells you to grind roughly, but I found it worked better if you grind it into a fine power, but you do it gently, let me show you,’ Severus reached around so he ended up with an arm on either side of the raven haired young man, ‘You very gently twist your wrist as you push down which grinds the fang more evenly and it doesn’t bruise while turning it to powder.’
Harry couldn’t believe Snape had his arms around him even though he was demonstrating, but Harry could feel his body, Snape’s body was up against his back and every twist of his wrist twisted his hips which rubbed against Harry’s arse and Harry had to use all his control not to groan.
‘Do you see Potter?’
‘Um, yes,’ Harry squeaked then swallowed, ‘Yes, it’s a fine powder now.’
‘When you stir this through do it slowly and your potion will work better and last longer,’ Severus moved back, ‘But you seem to be taking this seriously, I was not sure if you would or not.’
‘This is what I want to do, but you don’t mind me practicing while I’ve got time?’
‘No, as long as you do not try anything too complicated without Horace supervising.’
‘I won’t sir, I just wanted to get used to doing this again. I remember how you said that taking your time when slicing an ingredient will make your potion work better than if you sliced it quickly and not make it the same length.’
‘So some of what I said did penetrate your…mind?’
Harry swallowed and to him it sounded loud, ‘More than you probably realised.’
‘Good, then I’ll leave you to it Potter. Don’t hesitate to ask if you require assistance.’
Harry watched as Snape turns on his heels and strolled out of the room with his long black robes billowing behind him.
‘Holy shit, did he do that deliberately and his voice, it was different, low,’ Harry thought it was sexy but he would never admit that to anyone or say it out loud. Harry shook his head and tried to get Snape out of his mind so he could concentrate on his potion.
Minerva was working outside, checking with Hagrid to make sure all rubbish or debris had been moved so students and staff do not trip or injure themselves. Once Hagrid moved it into a pile, Minerva or one of the other staff would vanish it.
‘Grawp has been a great help Hagrid, you have done wonders with him. When Albus first told us he was allowing Grawp to stay in the forest I was worried, mainly for the students, but they seem to like your brother.’
‘He’s a good boy Minerva, he just has to remember his own strength and that Hermione is not the girl for him.’
Minerva sniggered, ‘Yes, I do not believe a relationship between those two would work.
‘Minerva.’
Minerva turned to see who had spoken to her, ‘Whoever you are I do not find you are amusing in any way. You should be ashamed of yourselves to do that to a young man who has suffered enough.’
‘Do you want me to get rid of them Minerva, before he comes out and sees them?’ Hagrid growled angrily.
‘We’re not playing some joke Minerva, it’s really us and we expect you to perform any revealing charm over us you wish.’
‘You expect me to believe that you are really James and Lily Potter. Albus removed your bodies, this is cruel, too cruel and I won’t allow you to upset Harry.’
‘It’s really us Minerva, please, just do your charms, you’ll see it’s us then we’ll explain,’ Lily begged, ‘We don’t want to hurt Harry, but there was a very good reason why we stayed away.’
‘You are not to see Harry at all until this gets verified, Hagrid, could you make sure Harry stays in the dungeons working on his potions until we find out what is going on?’
‘Yes Minerva, I’ll go now,’ Hagrid stared at the people who looked like the Potters before hurrying into the castle.
‘Follow me,’ Minerva said but with a very hard edge to her voice.
She led the way inside, straight up to the headmasters office, knocking once before opening the door and leading her guests inside. Severus looked up and instantly snarled as he stood from behind his desk.