Thanks a lot to my wonderful beta, saiyanwizardgurl, for correcting my story and improving it.
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to J.K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.
Dear readers,
That's the sequel to "Christmas at Hogwarts" and so the third part of my "Taking Care" series! Voldemort is dead now. I know, I wasn't sure if I would write the battle scene and I decided against it; at least for now. The story works even without it in my opinion, and I hate Voldemort. Maybe I will write the missing 'Voldemort defeat' part later and just change the order of this series then. That wouldn't be a problem. I really hope that all these, who liked "Taking Care" and "Christmas at Hogwarts" will read this story as well and enjoy it. Please let me know!
By Sunny
The Potions Master's Assistant
"Merlin, Severus, the second year's girls are really the worst. Can you believe that they keep pestering me about showing them how to brew a love potion?" Charlie asked as he sat down, exhausted, on one of the work tables in Severus' private potion lab.
"As my assistant, Mr. Weasley, you should know better than to sit on my work table. Maybe the girls would not be so interested in love potions if their object of desire has etched off his most private parts after sitting on spilled potion ingredients," Severus said, annoyed by his assistant's lax behavior.
"It's Charlie, remember? We agreed to that last week, over a fine bottle of fire whiskey," he said, not at all affected by what Severus said. He had learned to read between the lines and look under the mask Severus so often wears in front of other people. "And I would never fear for my private parts while sitting on one of your work tables because I have never met a Potions Master that cleans more thoroughly than you."
Severus rolled his eyes. "Shall I speak with the girls?"
"Oh, yes, father, please rescue me from them," Charlie said sarcastically and jumped from the table. He went over to the cauldron in front of Severus. "What are you brewing?"
"Wolfsbane. It is time for our flea-bitten Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher to take it," Severus spat, but not with enough venom to convince Charlie that his abhorrence was real.
"Oh, you are awful, Severus. I will tell Minerva," Charlie said as he walked around the table. "Shall I help you? I have free time to pass."
"Has Poppy sent you? I am fine. I can manage without help," said Severus, going into defense mode.
"No, she hasn't. I'm just bored, that's all." Charlie tried to calm the suspicious Potions Master. Why does he always have to be so edgy? he thought.
"Bored?" Severus asked, a little harsh. "You took over my first, second, third, and fourth years, you brew half of the hospital wing's potions, and you have organized a Magical Creature Club for the children, and you are still bored?"
"Yes," Charlie said innocently. "I'm young and eager, you know!" He patted Severus on his back so hard that he almost lost his balance.
"And I am old and unused to your teenager way of showing affection, or did you just try to push me into my cauldron to take over all my duties, Weasley?"
"Charlie!"
"What?" Severus asked, bewildered.
"It's Charlie, remember? The fire whiskey…your private quarters…Minerva and Poppy away at their coffee party with Pomona?"
Severus rolled his eyes. "Yes, I remember. But could you please remember that I am not one of your dragons and refrain from patting my back?"
"Sure," Charlie said sadly and sighed.
Severus realized his mistake and tried to rescue the situation. "I apologize, Charlie. I did not mean to remind you of Romania."
"Don't worry; I am glad to be here. It's just hard sometimes to leave it behind me. But it was an episode of my life, and I have to move on. It's not a job you can do for a lifetime, and I really like brewing potions. Learning under you is the best thing that could have happened to me. And I love teaching." He smiled at Severus, who was glad that he had prevented Charlie from another bout of homesickness.
"You could help me cut the – " He did not even finish the sentence before Charlie grabbed one of the knives and started to chop the moon fern.
Severus shook his head. "You really are an eager brat, Charlie."
He said 'Charlie,' he thought and could not stop grinning, satisfied.
For some time they were working side by side in silence. The potion was almost at the point were they would have to place a Stasis Charm on it to let it simmer for a few hours. "Alastor asked if we would come by to play poker this evening. Are you interested?" Severus asked. He enjoyed the men's nights they were having from time to time. For someone who does not know us, we must look like an odd combination of men. I still cannot believe how well we work together and even spend free time together. Now that the Dark Lord is no more, we do not have to worry about anything. It is so good to know that I do not have to fear the unbearable burning pain in my arm anymore. We can just sit and play cards and drink and talk. Yes, the defeat of the Dark Lord has made all people more relaxed. Except for Poppy. Merlin, that woman never relaxes. Tomorrow I have another one of those damn check-ups again. I am sure she will find something and if not, she will make something up. And then Minerva will not let me touch her tonight because she fears Poppy will find out when she checks me. Ridiculous! Okay, I do not really want to think about that possibility. So what better way to spend the evening than by having a few rounds of poker?
"Oh, that sounds great. Will Albus join us, too?"
"Yes, I think so. Alastor wanted to ask him. I think Filius and Lupin may join us as well," said Severus, already cleaning the work bench.
"It's Remus. You really hurt him by calling him by his last name all the time." Charlie tried to make Severus realize how hard he often was on others around him.
"Not everyone has a problem with being called by their last name, Mr. Weasley," Severus said dryly.
"Doesn't moon fern," Charlie held up the remaining parts of the plant he had just cut, "combined with slug essence," this time he picked up the small bottle that Severus had just been about to put back on the shelf, "cause itchiness and boils when it is comes in contact with skin? And isn't your casual examination tomorrow, Severus?"
Severus' eyebrows knit together as he looked angrily at Charlie. "You wouldn't dare."
"Try me," retorted Charlie.
"I am warning you, Mr. Weasley," Severus said, growling dangerously.
"I hate it when you call me that," Charlie said with such a sad undertone that Severus immediately wished he had not used this weapon against his assistant again. Charlie placed the bottle on the working bench, so that Severus could take it.
"Do not be such a baby, Charlie," Severus said, snatching the bottle and turning fast so that Charlie could not see the regretful expression on his face.
"Do you really think Remus doesn't take it personally when you call him Lupin or werewolf?" Charlie asked curiously.
"Don't push it Charlie," Severus said warningly. "I will not discuss with you what I think about Lupin. It is none of your concern."
Charlie sighed loudly in frustration.
"We will meet at seven in Alastor's quarters." With that, Severus left the lab.
Charlie leaned against the work bench and pondered Severus and his strange behavior. I can't figure out why he is so harsh with Remus when Remus tries so hard to be polite and friendly to him.
He was still deep in thought when Albus came in. "Ah, Charlie, it's nice to see you. I was looking for Severus."
"He left a few minutes ago, Headmaster," Charlie said, still not completely out of his thoughts.
Albus knitted his eyebrows. Normally, Charlie did not call him by his formal title. "Everything all right, Charlie?"
Charlie shook his head to clear it and tried a half-hearted smile. "No, no, it's nothing."
"If you ask me, it looks as if something is troubling you. Stress with Severus?" He pulled a chair over from one of the work tables and sat down.
"Kind of, but he wouldn't be happy if I were to talk with you about it." Charlie sighed and sat again on the work bench.
"If there is a problem between my teachers, then it is quite natural that I would have to intervene, Charlie," Albus tried a stricter voice to get Charlie to speak.
"No, it's more a personal problem. Something Severus doesn't want to talk about with me, but what bothers me a lot."
"And that is?"
"Really headmaster, I can't. Severus will kill me if he finds out." Charlie shifted nervously on the work table.
"I'm not going to tell him. You are a very emotional young man, and it will eat you up from inside if you don't get it off your chest."
Again Charlie sighed and let his head hang. "It's Remus."
"Oh," Albus said. This will be very complicated.
Charlie's head jerked up. "Oh?"
This time, it was Albus who sighed. "Yes, 'oh,' Charlie. Severus and Remus is a very difficult subject."
"But I don't understand. Severus brews the Wolfsbane for Remus, and he tries hard to find a better recipe for it. He buys every book he can get about it, reads even the smallest articles about it, and reads everything he can get about werewolves and Wolfsbane. Why would he do all that if he doesn't care? He often mocks me with my surname, so I see that he doesn't mean it as harshly as he says it when he speaks to Remus, but sometimes it is different. Sometimes, there is something in his eyes; I can't describe it. And I can see in Remus' eyes that he is hurt by what Severus says. I am confused, and it hurts me to see this." Charlie had spoken this all to the floor, and so he could not see Albus' face becoming more and more sad and weathered.
"As I said, it is very complicated, Charlie. Unfortunately, I also have played a bad role in this circumstance. It is partly my fault that the situation is as it is right now. It hurts me to see that it is affecting you so much. I wish you could oversee their problems, but you are different. I am not the right person to talk about this with. There is too much guilt from my side. The only person I could suggest to you is Minerva." Albus stood up and laid a comforting hand on Charlie's shoulder. "Those two would not accept help from you, Charlie. You cannot do anything. But if you wish to try to understand their problems, then you should talk with Minerva."
Charlie looked up and saw, for the first time since Voldemort's defeat, that Albus' eyes were not twinkling. "I will try, Albus. Thank you."
"I wish I could help you more." With one last squeeze of Charlie's shoulder, he left the lab.
Please review and set this story on your alert because there will come more chapters if you are interested!
