Chapter Four: Muggles and Magic

Megan spent an enjoyable afternoon with Ron, Hermione, and Harry. After they ate lunch, they gave her a tour of the castle and then took her out on the grounds to visit Hagrid in his hut. After an hour of good conversation and nearly breaking a tooth on one of his rock biscuits, she reluctantly returned to the dungeons after the kids grudgingly departed to the library to start on homework.

She knocked on Snape's office door and walked in without an invitation. He was seated at his desk writing and didn't look up when she entered but said, "Back so soon? Did Potter get tired of you?"

"No, as a matter of fact, they had leave to get started on that ridiculously long essay that you assigned."

Snape snorted.

"What are you doing?" she asked curiously.

"I am endeavoring to grade the latest pitiful attempt at my previously assigned, how did you put it?... ridiculous essay."

Snape made a large slash across the parchment with his quill, most likely signaling defeat for some poor unlucky student, and then stood up and walked over to his cauldron in the corner. Megan noticed that it was still bubbling, but now also emitting beautiful, emerald-green columns of vapor and letting off a smell of clover and sage. She thought it smelled gorgeous, like a blooming field after the rain.

"What is it that you are making?" she asked inquisitively.

"A potion."

"Yeah, I can see that, thanks. I mean, what is it for? From its look and smell, it must be something very impressive. Is it a love potion?"

"It is a potion used to combat the leeches growing in the school pumpkin patch. Hagrid requested I brew it for him, as he himself lacks the necessary skills."

"You're kidding, right?" she asked doubtfully.

He raised an eyebrow and replied, "I do not 'kid', Miss Jones, nor do I squander my invaluable time preparing love potions."

"Maybe you should rethink that position; I don't see to many ladies knocking at your door," she mumbled under her breath, but Snape either ignored her comment or did not hear. Instead, he pulled out his wand and waved it at the cauldron, and instantly the flames lighting the pot went out.

"It is so amazing," Megan said excitedly, "that you can just wave that wand and have all sorts of miraculous things happen!"

"As you should know by now, having attended a few classes here at Hogwarts yourself, there is much more to magic than merely waving a wand and expecting miracles to occur," Snape lectured in his stern professor voice. "Each spell has a unique theory behind its usage, and requires the proper technique and execution in order to achieve the desired result."

"Well, it looks like wand waving to me," she retorted.

"An assessment I would expect from one with non-magical capabilities," he spat.

"How do you know I don't have any?" she questioned hotly.

"Miss Jones, have we not already thoroughly discussed this topic? Do I need to issue your new trio of friends an additional detention for failing to adequately inform you?" he sneered.

"Don't blame them, they explained to me about Muggles and all that. But I still think I could do magic if I tried. I used to do a neat trick with invisible string when I was a kid."

Snape rolled his eyes.

"Look, I know what you guys do is real magic," she continued, "not trick stuff like what David Copperfield does…wait, he's not a real wizard is he? Anyways, won't you just let me try?"

"What do you mean, let you try?" he asked suspiciously.

"Teach me something, and let me see if I can do it!"

He regarded her closely for a moment through narrowed eyes. "And why would I want to do that?"

"I'm sure you'll take great amusement at my expense if I am not able to do it, and you can remind me for the rest of my stay here all about how I was wrong and you were right," she offered.

"It would be highly unorthodox to teach a Muggle a spell," Snape said slowly, "however, I can recall no law forbidding it. Very well, Miss Jones, I am in need of some entertainment after the dreadful past couple of days." Megan grinned excitedly. "Here, take my wand."

He handed her his wand. Megan had never seen one up close before. It was a little over a foot long, was a smooth, shiny, dark brown color, and looked to be well used.

Before Snape could say anything, she twirled it around and yelled, "Abra Cadabra!"

Nothing magical happened, but Snape suddenly looked stricken and immediately snatched the wand out of her hand.

"Who put you up to this?" he barked furiously. "Did Potter think it amusing to suggest you find a way to attempt an Unforgiveable Curse on me?"

"What are you talking about?" she pleaded. She felt a little afraid; Snape seemed really upset. "No one put me up to anything; I don't even know any spells, much less any Unforgiveable whatevers!"

"Then who taught you those words?" he demanded.

"I thought those were magic words! I mean, everyone knows them, you hear that phrase all the time on TV, at movies, in books... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you!"

Snape stared at her for a moment distrustfully before recomposing his features into an expression of indifference.

"You should choose your words carefully, Miss Jones. Your little Muggle magic phrase is very similar to Avada Kedavra, the killing curse, and one which would land you a life sentence in Azkaban prison should you ever attempt to perform it."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know!" Megan felt her face flush with shame.

She turned to head back out the door and return to her lodging when Snape said, "Here, try again."

She turned back around to see him extending out his wand.

"Let's try a real spell this time, shall we?" he said with a smirk.

"Agreed!" she said, feeling slightly cheered up. "Give me something easy!"

He led her over to his desk and pointed at a drawer on the bottom.

"That drawer is locked. To unlock it, flick the wand like so (he demonstrated the motion with his hand and wrist) and clearly say 'Alohomora'."

"Alohomora!" she said, flicking the wand. "Did it work?" she asked excitedly.

"Clearly not. Try again."

She repeated it again, but to no avail. And then again and again.

"Why isn't this working? And don't say it's because I have no magical capabilities, we haven't totally proven that yet."

Snape exhaled noisly.

"It is... possible... that the wand is not the right fit for you. Or, you could just need a great deal more of practice, like most of the dim-witted students here at Hogwarts."

She handed him back his wand and he proceeded to say "Alohomora".

The drawer lock instantly clicked open.

"Show off!" she said and noticed a slight smile flicker at the corners of his mouth. He's kind of cute when he doesn't look so pissed off, she thought.

"Let me try something else, like making a potion. I got an 'A' in chemistry in college, soit shouldn't be too hard."

"An 'A' is not a grade one should brag about, Miss Jones."

"Oh, I suppose you got 'A' pluses?" she asked.

"No, I myself received an 'O' in potion-making throughout the duration of my educational career."

"Tomatoe, tomato," she answered. "Let's make a potion!"

Snape reluctantly assisted her in setting up a cauldron and ignited the magical flame underneath the bottom. He set her to make a simple sleeping draught, which he assured her was a very basic and simple potion to produce. He laid out all the ingredients for her, and handed her the instructions before returning to grade his papers. Megan followed the steps closely, and added the ingredients at exactly the right times and in the right amounts, making sure to stir in the proper direction.

An hour and a half later, exhausted from concentration and sweaty from standing in the heat and steam of the potion, she pronounced, "I think it's done!"

Snape set down his paper and walked over to inspect. He peered at the brew, observing its dark blue color and smooth texture, and then took a ladle and dipped it in the potion, pouring out some of the substance.

"Well," he said with a sigh, "I have seen worse first attempts. You have outperformed Mr. Longbottom, although I don't know if that is saying much, and you at least did not melt my cauldron."

"All right!" she said enthusiastically, thinking that coming from Snape, this was high praise indeed.

"There remains just one more test, Miss Jones, to see if your potion has succeeded," he interjected.

"What's that?"

"You must test it, of course."

"Huh? You want me to drink it? What if I botched it?"

"Don't you have any faith in your potion-making abilities?" he mocked.

"Fine. If I'm poisoned and die, it is on your hands," she retorted.

"While I may wish that," he said carefully, "I am certain the Headmaster wishes to keep you alive. Therefore, should you show any signs of being poisoned, I shall ensure you receive an antidote in a timely manner."

"Oh thanks, that's very reassuring!"

And with that, she suddenly scooped up the ladle and took a long swig while Snape looked on with wide eyes.

"Miss Jones, that is too much! One only needs take six drops for a sufficient night's sleep. You will..." but before Megan could hear the rest of his sentence, she crumpled down onto the floor fast asleep.

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When Megan regained her senses, she found herself lying back in her own bed. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she saw it was four p.m., meaning, she thought groggily as she shook the cobwebs out of her head, that she had been asleep for nearly a full day. Wondering how she ended up back in her own bed, she pulled the covers back and abruptly noticed that she was now wearing her pajamas. Horrified, she jumped out of bed and saw the suit that she had been wearing yesterday, along with the Slytherin scarf, were laid neatly across a chair next the fire.

Snape did this! she thought angrily as she ran out of her room. He broke into my room and undressed me while I was unconscious! How dare he!

Megan strode down the dungeon hall and upon reaching his office door did not even bother knock but shoved aside the heavy door with a loud bang and barged inside. Much to her sudden embarrassment, she realized that Snape was not alone, but was speaking with a group of students crowded around his desk who all turned around immediately to gape at her.

"Ah, Miss Jones," sneered Snape, "I see you have finally decided to rejoin the living! Though, forgive me for saying, your choice in apparel does confound me."

The students snickered loudly and Megan could feel their eyes moving up her wrinkled blue flannel pajama pants and top featuring fuzzy pink lambs and bright yellow moons.

"May I speak to you for a moment, Professor?" she asked heatedly. "Alone?"

Snape regarded her silently for a moment with slight amusement in his eyes before addressing his students: "We shall continue this discussion tomorrow after class. Dismissed."

The students filed out of his office but not without giving a final rude passing glance at Megan.

When they had all exited and closed the office door she demanded, "So what is this all about?"

"What is what about, Miss Jones?" asked Snape bemusedly.

"Well, for starters, why didn't you wake me up?" she shot at him, getting red in the face. "How did you get into my room, hmm? I changed the password! And I can't believe the nerve of you, undressing me while I was unconscious! Did you have fun sneaking a peak at me?"

Snape said nothing but suddenly laughed, which served only to infuriate Megan even more.

"I'm glad you think it's funny, ha ha, laugh at the funny, stupid, Muggle!" she yelled, not even noticing that this was the first time she had ever caught Snape fully expressing an emotion other than fury.

Snape immediately composed himself and said dryly, "You should try to calm yourself, Miss Jones, your fondness for dramatics is really quite unhealthy."

At this, Megan gave a huff and shot him a scathing look. Ignoring it, he continued, "If you recall, the amount of the potion you ingested vastly exceeded the suggested normal dosage. As such, you were in a deep sleep and it would have been to no avail to try to wake you until the effects of the potion wore off late this afternoon."

"Ok, maybe so," she sputtered, "but as you keep touting to me, you are the Potions master here, couldn't you give me some antidote or something?"

"Yes, I certainly could have, but I did not think you would have appreciated me forcing substances down your throat when you were in no danger. Judging from your own current reaction, I believe my initial instincts were quite correct."

"Fine! Whatever! But how did you get into my room? I changed the password on my first night here to something only I would know. Were you spying on me?" she queried hotly.

"I assure you that I have more important things to do than sneak about the castle trying to obtain your password. As you yourself just mentioned, I am the Potions master at this school. Therefore, I have the authority to order the opening of certain doors in this school without need for the password."

"Oh, that's just great, I'm not even safe in my own room," she snarled. "So you didn't want to slip me an antidote while I was asleep, but you had no qualms with taking off my clothes and putting on my pajamas?"

"I do apologize, Miss Jones, in my attempt to make your sleep more comfortable by placing you in the privacy of your own bed wearing your night clothes rather than leaving you to slumber on my office floor. I shall be sure to remember this should the situation ever present itself again. If it reassures you though, the thought of undressing you pains me even more than you. I merely performed a simple switching spell on your clothes."

Megan stood silently for a second, ingesting this new information.

"Prove it!" she challenged. "Switch the clothes that I am wearing now with the clean ones on the chair in my room."

"You don't believe me?" he mocked. "I am utterly devastated!"

He whipped out his wand and muttered a word, and Megan suddenly felt a rush of air around her body and looked down to see herself dressed neatly in her grey slacks and white button-down blouse.

Damn it! she cursed to herself. Why does he always have to be right?

"Look," she said calming down slightly, "I'm sorry if I overreacted. It's just, how would you feel if you suddenly woke up in bed wearing different clothes, and couldn't remember how you got there?"

"I can not imagine it, as I don't believe I would ever allow myself to enter into a situation where that might occur, Miss Jones," he replied.

"Anyways," she continued, choosing to ignore his last remark, "I just want you to know that I appreciate you looking out for me. That was nice of you not to leave me on the floor."

He merely nodded, and turned back to his desk and sat down.

"Well, I guess we know that my potion worked after all, huh?" she joked.

"Indeed."

"So I guess I do have some magical capabilities after all, right?" she asked.

"As I so often am forced to remind my students, the art of potion-making does not generally require the use of silly incantations or foolish wand-waving. It is the ingredients themselves, in conjunction with the proper dosage and stirring technique, which produce the magical effect. At any rate, as I informed you last night, the sleeping draught is one of the easiest and most basic potions to create, which incidentally, is why it is assigned to eleven year old first-year students."

"So what," she said smugly, "My potion still worked, and no matter how hard you try, you are not going to make me feel any less proud of it!"

He curled his lip at her but said nothing. Megan smiled at him, feeling much happier than when she had first woken up. She found that she was actually beginning to enjoy the time she spent with Snape. Granted, he was not friendly to be around, in fact, he worked rather hard at distancing himself from everyone around him and presenting a terrifying image of himself. He also kept her on her toes at all times with his sarcastic and insulting conversations. Still, after spending time with him the past couple of days, she began to sense that maybe some of this was an act. After all, he had looked after her and kept her safe on not one, but two occasions, when he could have really made things worse or somehow taken advantage of her. He also did allow her to try her hand at magic, and lent her his own personal scarf. Yes, she decided, she was starting to grow quite fond of Snape. Unfortunately, she strongly believed that he did not return the feeling, and she felt a twinge of disappointment after she reminded herself that he was only humoring her and tolerating her presence on Dumbledore's orders.

The sound of her stomach rumbling brought her out of her reverie.

"Do you want to go to dinner?" she asked. "I'm starving!"

Snape glanced at a large stack of parchment rolls piled on his desk. "I still have much work to complete, therefore, if you don't mind..."

"I do mind!" she said, cutting him off. "Come on, it'll be fun! I'll help you grade papers afterwards."

He looked at her skeptically.

"I'm sure I don't need any magic to do that, right?" she continued. "According to all the students I've talked to, you give failing grades to ninety percent of the class, so assigning grades should be easy enough."

"Ninety-five percent would be a more accurate assessment," he replied.

He thought for a moment and then stood up from his desk.

"Very well, as it appears you will not take no for an answer, let us go and get this over with quickly."

She grinned and they set off together for the Great Hall.