A/N

The Houses Competition

Round Six

House: Hufflepuff

Student: Year 5

Category: Standard (750-1500 Words)

Prompt(s): [Object] Cracked cauldron

Word count: 759 (Per Google Docs)

Beta(s): Aya

Notes:

Cracked

As the lab safety spells activated to protect the room from imminent destruction, Severus Snape just stood in shock. He had not exploded a cauldron in over twelve years.

He watched the resulting explosion from behind the safety spells with growing horror. He swiftly brought up his wand to add several more layers to the safety spells after firing off a Patronus to the Headmistress to get everyone cleared from the section of the castle he was in. Luckily, it was the summer break so he should only be endangering a handful of elves and one other professor.

He winced as the explosion strained against his shields.

"Come on, come on, come on! What had such an adverse reaction to cause an expounding explosion? This should have already started to dissipate!"

"Severus?" Minerva crept into the lab and immediately added her own shields to the weakening ones already in place. "What happened?"

"I don't know, Minerva! Nothing should have caused this reaction! We need a third to help us vanish the concoction and hopefully I won't be the cause of the destruction of Hogwarts."

Minerva grunted and called an elf to grab Filius.

When the elf popped Filius into the room, he took one look at the mess and used a goblin spell to cancel out everything on the inside of the shield. The resulting release on the inside of the shield made Severus and Minerva stumble and fall into each other.

"So," Filius stated mildly, "Why did you use damaged equipment to work a potion, Severus?"

Severus tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean damaged equipment? I never use damaged equipment when creating a potion."

"Really." Filius' tone was flat as he moved to dispel the remaining shields and stepped up to the mostly undamaged table. "What do you call this?"

Severus stepped up to Filius' side and surveyed the item that he was indicating.

"Wha- How- Someone sabotaged my lab!" Severus snarled as he took in the cracked cauldron that had started the whole mess to begin with.

Minerva jumped at the sudden shout and looked at the cauldron in question. "How would anyone sabotage your lab, though, Severus? Don't you have advanced security spells to keep people out without your permission to enter?"

"Well, yes, but- I always check my equipment the day before I attempt a new potion, and lock down the room so no one can ruin my set-up. This particular potion needed sterilized equipment with neutral properties. I don't understand…"

Severus ran his hands over the several small cracks running the bottom of the cauldron with calloused fingers. "This should have never been possible."

"Well, let us try to narrow down the suspects for attempting your murder, Severus."

Severus flinched violently and looked at Filius with wide eyes. "Murder?"

"If I hadn't had a goblin spell to dispel the explosion, the entirety of Hogwarts could have been shaken to its' foundations. You, in particular, would have been reduced to ashes."

Severus blanched. "Only the Professors and three apprentices have access to my personal labs, Filius. The apprentices are home for the holidays and the only new professor is the Muggle Studies Professor. Why would he want to kill me?"

Filius eyes the younger man thoughtfully. "Maybe we should ask him."

"Filius," Minerva gasped. "Surely, you don't think that he would try to kill Severus like that!"

Filius shrugged. "Only one way to find out, and that is to question the man and see what he says. I am sure I can get a vial of Veritaserum to help the questioning along."

Severus clenched his hands as he surveyed the damage done to his labs. "I keep a stock of Veritaserum in my private stores in my room."

Filius nodded. "My password still works?"

"Yes."

"I'll be back, then." Filius turned to the Headmistress. "Minerva, it needs to be done. I won't allow someone to get away with attempted murder."

Minerva wrung her hands, then nodded. "Do what you need to, Filius. I will back you if the Aurors come calling."

Filius nodded sharply and left the room. It was time to put his goblin training to the test. It had been a while - since he had trained with the goblin warriors at Gringotts, actually - since he had to use cunning and wiles to save one co-worker from another. He grinned viciously as he marched to Severus' rooms. "No one is going to kill my favorites. Not on my watch, and definitely not because of cracked cauldrons and poorly thought out plans."