Ch 3

"Severus, again I am going to ask something of you. I want you and Sinead to work together. She is close to developing a cure to lycanthropy. I read over her work when I heard from the elders she worked with."

"A cure? How? When?" He said turning to the young women who was studying him as well.

"I've been working on a wolfsbane potion that is long lasting now I've found a way to slow the symptoms with one potion. A second potion is a powerful supplement to the wolfsbane potion which stops the change. I'm publishing my work in the next issue of Potions Quarterly. You and Albus are the only two people outside of my coven who know about my work." Severus nodded. He had so many questions to ask but it was clear Albus needed to continue to talk to them. Sinead excused herself to check on dinner as Bill looked at Severus.

"Sinead went through a rough-" Sinead opened the door.

"Bill, leave it. Don't you dare start about my personal life."

Dumbledore looked at the pair and smiled.

"How long have you two been together?"

Sinead's cheeks drained of color as Bill grinned.

"We are not a couple. Just friends." Sinead said quickly.

"Not from lack of trying." Bill muttered.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend." Dumbledore said noticing how tense Sinead was.

"It's not the first time someone has assumed that. This one gives off such strong vibes it's hard not to think that. Maybe he will find someone while we're here and can move on from this." Sinead said as Bill frowned. "Anyway... dinner will be ready shortly."

"Miss O'Neil, I am most interested in helping you break the family curse. Kathleen tracked down the name of the witch who cursed the family. I'm sure you want the curse broken?"

"You can call me Sinead and yes I want it broken. All the witches in my family either loose the man they love or they end up with some miserable man."

"Excellent, we can set up a time to go over what I know and I can point you in the right direction to start researching." Dumbledore went over what the elders had told him and both Sinead and Bill demonstrated some spells.

Dinner went by smoothly. Dumbledore was impressed with Sinead's potion work that he had received from the elders along with the copy of her article that was to be published. Bill was a record keeper and Dumbledore arranged for a job for him at Flourish and Blotts as an assistant manager. He originally wanted to post him at the Daily Prophet but because of Fudge turning on Dumbledore that was out of the question. Since Sinead was a healer and potion maker Dumbledore arranged for her to work at St. Mungos on a very flexible schedule so she could continue to work on her wolfsbane potion.

Within a week of their arrival Sinead and Bill were busy at work. Sinead was working 3 days a week, 1 as a healer, and 2 making potions that were needed. Bill was working 6 days a week since the shop was busy with back to school shoppers. Dumbledore met with Sinead two weeks later to talk about Kathleen and what he knew of her and also brought with him a witch who was good friends with her. Carmine was a year younger than Kathleen but they had grown up together. She was a great help with family history and pointed out that a few distant relatives were still living in the area and one was a historian. Sinead spent her weekends traveling back and forth between London and Ireland finding what information she could. Dumbledore also arranged for her to come to Hogwarts for to work with Severus on her potion.

"I don't think he likes me much." Sinead said as Dumbledore chuckled.

"Severus does give that impression. He was most interested in your work. He sent me an owl to tell me the date when your article would be available."

Sinead nodded.

"I guess it just surprises me that he is a teacher."

"He is one of the only two Potions masters in England. Severus is good at what he does."

Severus lay awake in his bed at his house. Sinead O`Neil was on his mind. He walked into the meeting thinking it would be a waste of time but the young witch made quite an impression on both he and Dumbledore. Sinead had somehow found a way to brew a possible cure to lycanthropy. The potions were groundbreaking since nothing new had been discovered about treating lycanthropy in over a century. Sinead's goal was to find a cure since one of her best friends had been infected while in high school. Albus had invited her to Hogwarts in a few days to use the Potions lab since it was July and no students were at school. As much as Severus disliked being at Hogwarts when he didn't need to be he was curious to see how she brewed and see this potion for himself.