The Gift Power by EnchantedUnicorn
Chapter 9
The Potions Apprentice
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
"Armadillo Bile Mixture," Professor Snape repeated surprisingly. "Though I have the ingredients in storage, the potion is extremely difficult to brew." He paused, and at Harry's disappointed look, he hastily added, "However, considering your level of potions, I suppose you can try it out."
Harry grinned. "Bat wings, armadillo bile, wormwood, armotentia, acromantula venom, and aconite," he rattled off.
Professor Snape's eyebrows shot up at his apprentice's memory. "Correct, Mr. Potter. Retrieve the ingredients from that cupboard," he pointed.
Harry hurried to gather the required ingredients and gently placed them on the table. "Sir, what is Armadillo Bile Mixture used for?"
"It is a tasteless potion used to cause discomfort to the stomach," Professor Snape informed him smoothly.
Harry gaped at the professor. Sounded like a prank potion to mix into a drink. "What?" he exclaimed. "Sir."
"It was invented by two pranksters," Professor Snape smirked, amused.
Harry frowned. That sounded like something the Weasley twins would do. "I see, professor." But what really puzzled Harry was why his professor had the main ingredient of something like that as his password. "But why do you have the main ingredient of that as your password?" he could not stop himself from asking curiously.
Professor Snape tensed, and Harry feared he may have asked a very sensitive question. "It was… used on me many times."
Harry nodded in understanding as he thought, He must have been bullied a lot when he was younger.
"Start on your potion. The instructions are here," Professor Snape instructed. With a wave of his hand, a sheet of parchment appeared, covered by the professor's neat handwriting.
Focusing on the potion, he filled up the cauldron with water and began to work on the potion.
Professor Snape watched as his apprentice smoothly diced the ingredients and dropping them in the cauldron, never once skipping a beat or making a mistake.
Harry's face was masked with pure determination and concentration, and when he placed the final ingredient, he announced, "Finished, professor. The potion needs to simmer for two hours."
"Well done," Professor Snape praised the laudable boy. "I am hoping you can make it to become the youngest Potions Master in the world."
Harry blushed embarrassingly. "Now who was the youngest person to ever become a Potions Master?"
"Guess."
Harry scratched his chin thoughtfully for a moment. "Dumbledore?"
"That senile old coot who doesn't know anything about Potions?" Professor Snape scoffed, reaching out and forcefully grabbing Harry.
Harry froze for a moment, but when Professor Snape's long fingers started delightfully tickling his sides, he could not contain his laughter and begged, "You! You! YOU!"
Professor Snape released Harry mercifully. "Correct," he drawled evilly.
Harry sighed, relieved, at the sudden freedom. "Sir, what do we do now?"
Professor Snape stared at Harry, as if the question was really obscure. "Why, eat, of course? Are you not hungry?"
Harry shook his head. "No, sir. May I please brew another potion? Or can you teach me one?" He looked at the intimidating professor with his puppy-dog eyes.
Professor Snape sighed. Those eyes always worked on him. "Very well. After you eat, though."
Harry grinned and exited the lab excitedly. "Thank you, sir!"
Professor Snape followed at a decent pace behind. "What would you like to eat?"
Harry halted, and without turning, replied uncertainly, "Anything is fine, sir."
"Very well. Willy!" Professor Snape called.
The house elf appeared a few moments later. "Yes, Master, what may Willy do for Master Severus and Master Harry Potter?"
"Get Harry and I each a bowl of spaghetti and salad," Professor Snape requested. "And bring him one glass of pumpkin juice and a cup of black tea, usual amount of sugar, for me."
"Yes Master," Willy nodded eagerly, and waited for further instructions.
"That would be all, thank you," Professor Snape excused.
Willy popped away, and a second later the food popped on the table. "Sit," Professor Snape gestured.
Harry obeyed, and asked curiously, "Does elven time run differently from human time?"
Professor Snape shrugged. "Perhaps," he answered. "Now eat."
Harry ravenously dug into his food, unable to wait for brewing the next potion. This food is the best I had eaten in a long time, he mused.
"Sir, can I brew the potion now?" Harry asked impatiently.
Professor Snape swallowed the food in his mouth. "Not yet, wait for me, unless you don't want me to teach you a new potion." He looked pointedly at his own plate, which he had only eaten half of the food from. "Drink your pumpkin juice."
Harry mouth formed into an O, and he obeyed and waited patiently for his Master to finish his food and teach him how to brew a new potion.
Harry decided to live in Professor Snape's quarters for the rest of the term. He snuggled deeply into his covers of his bed, welcoming the warmth, and quickly fell into a deep sleep. The next day, he woke up, and prepared to go to his classes.
At the Great Hall, the headmaster stood to announce something. Professor Snape's eyes widened, and he inwardly begged, Dear sweet Merlin, please no, no.
Professor Dumbledore shot the Potions Master an innocent smile, and declared, "Good morning, students! This morning, I have a couple of new announcements to make. First of all, Quirrell has… left this school, unfortunately. The new DADA professor will be Professor Peter Row."
A tall, thin man, with a beard, yet he was only in his thirties, stood and bowed, while whispers broke down in the audience.
Harry winced as he overheard some of the girls' conversations beside him.
"Merlin, he is so hot!"
"Look at his slim, sexy, shape…"
Professor Snape, up on the staff table, sighed in relief. But who was this "Peter Row" person? Sounded like a Muggleborn.
"Also, one of our professors have recently obtained a new apprentice," Headmaster Dumbledore acclaimed, his eyes twinkling madly.
Professor Snape groaned. God DAMN you, Albus! he swore.
"Professor Snape and Harry Potter!"
Silence filled the Great Hall, and Professor Snape and Harry found hundreds of eyes turned towards them. Finally, Ron and Professor McGonagall began to clap, and the others soon began to join the applause.
"Congratulations, Severus!" Professor McGonagall beamed. "And pleasure meeting you, Peter," she inclined her head politely.
"Thank you," Professor Snape and Professor Row both muttered.
They both turned to stare at each other, and Professor Snape sensed that there was some sort of similarity between them two which he could not place.
"What was your profession before you came to Hogwarts?" Professor Sprout asked warmly.
Professor Row, his face as always blank and serious, raised an eyebrow. "It does not matter what my profession was."
Professor Snape's lips thinned. He liked this guy. He seemed like a no-nonsense and very serious professor. From the outside at least. "Would you kindly inform us which house you are in?"
Professor Row's unwavering eyes met Professor Snape's cold, obsidian ones, before he uninterestedly replied, "Slytherin."
Somehow, talking to this man opened him up a bit, and Professor Snape spilled out his questions. "Who is your father?" he drawled.
"Why does it concern you?"
"It doesn't."
Professor Row stared at the daring man before him. "Very well. My father was Timothy Prince."
Professor Snape jolted upright. "Prince? Prince?!" He took a deep breath. "Who was your grandfather?"
"Augustus Prince," Professor Row shrugged.
Professor Snape's eyes widened, showing the sheer surprise he felt. "Augustus Prince was my grandfather!"
Professor Row merely stiffened. "I don't take jokes very lightly," he frowned.
"This is not a joke! I am serious! You know that Eileen Prince married to a Muggle named Tobias Snape!" Professor Snape snapped.
"You are that Severus Snape?" Professor Row finally gasped.
"Yes, of course," Professor Snape rolled his eyes sarcastically.
"I never knew that he worked here," Professor Row muttered disappointedly.
"Well, I never knew that you would work here either." Professor Snape added, "My mother died when I was very young, and my Muggle father-" He stopped, not wanting to talk about his abusive father.
"Is your father dead?" Professor Row asked his cousin.
"Yes. Overdose of alcohol," he muttered angrily.
"My mother was a Muggle," Professor Row explained, sneering the word 'mother'. "I do not know why they decided to go by the name 'Row' and not 'Prince'. Shame."
"Did you like your mother?"
"No."
"Oh," came Professor's Snape's short response to the answer. It was very peculiar how Professor Row did not like his mother and Professor Snape did not like his father. "Knock on the door of my quarters at seven sharp. It is located in the dungeons."
"I will."
"Harry, would you like to brew any healing potion while I am talking to Professor Row?" Professor Snape asked.
Harry frowned. It was five minutes till seven. There must have been something he wanted to keep from him, or else he would not have requested privacy. Deciding to come out when he finished the potion, he obeyed. "Yes sir," and hurried into the lab.
At seven sharp, Professor Snape, who was currently reading, heard a knock on the door. With a wave of his hand, the door opened, and Professor Row walked in.
He looked around. "Wow. It's so bare here."
Professor Snape shrugged uncaringly. "Sit," he gestured to the couch.
Professor Row nodded and did so. As he passed the wall, though, he frowned. "What's behind the wall?" he inquired after he was seated.
Professor Snape's eyebrows shot up above hairline. "My library."
"Inherited from your mother," Professor Row stated.
"Exactly."
"My father married a Muggle, and he was… kicked out from the family," Professor Row informed him bitterly.
"My mother married a Muggle too… but she was not 'kicked out', as you so formally put it," Professor Snape sneered.
"It's the tradition. Pureblood families don't kick out their oldest child," Professor Row clucked his tongue.
Professor Snape shook his head sadly. "Where do you live?"
"Small house in a small Muggle neighborhood," came the acrimonious reply.
"You can come live in Prince Manor if you like," the offer was out before Professor Snape could stop it.
"Err…." Professor Row seemed at a loss for words.
"Professor?" a voice called.
"Harry," Professor Snape returned. "You have finished?"
"Yes, sir," Harry replied.
"Go fetch me the Hogwarts book, please," Professor Snape requested.
Harry hurried away, Professor Row watched in shock and fascination as Harry just disappeared right through the wall. "What?" he asked, befuddled.
"That was the magic you felt," Professor Snape explained. "The wall has many wards on it that only allow Harry and me to go in."
Professor Row nodded in understanding, and Harry returned seconds later. "Here, sir," he breathed, and flipped to the correct page. "And pleasure meeting you, Professor Row." Suddenly, something hit him like a wooden club. His fifth grade teacher was called Peter Row!
"Sit, Harry," Professor Row commanded.
Harry sat. The voice sounded very familiar, too.
"Harry, Professor Row is my cousin," Professor Snape smirked.
Harry's mouth fell open and he gasped. "You have a cousin?"
"I never knew until now," Professor Snape added. "Harry, be frank, would you mind if Professor Row lived with us in Prince Manor?"
"Prince Manor?" Harry repeated. "Oh, the manor you inherited. Of course I wouldn't, considering that he is your family, sir."
Professor Snape turned to Professor Row. "Now, here is something I want to show you, but please don't spread it around." Professor Snape handed his cousin the thick book and pointed to the section.
"Impossible," Professor Row breathed. "Imagine what Dumbledore would think, knowing that Harry Potter had more control over Hogwarts than him."
Harry shrugged, embarrassed. Professor Snape asked Harry, "Which potion did you brew?"
"Wolfsbane."
"Wolfsbane?!" Professor Row exclaimed. "How? Only the best Potions Masters can accomplish that!" He paused. "I would like to see you brew."
Harry grinned, another excuse to brew, and looked at Professor Snape with imploring eyes.
"Fine," Professor Snape ground out. "Come on." He led them to the wall.
"Will I be able to pass, Severus?" Professor Row asked emotionlessly.
"Yes, Peter," Professor Snape scoffed.
They all strode through the solid wall, and Harry and Professor Snape were greeted by the familiar aroma of potions.
"People would die for these ingredients!" Professor Row gasped, his head swiveling around.
"I have even rarer ones locked up," Professor Snape sighed bluntly. Seriously, what did he expect? The Prince family traced back to Merlin. They had many priceless items.
"How about in Prince Manor?"
"Even more."
"Amazing."
"Do you take my offer?" Professor Snape questioned.
Professor Row shrugged half-heartedly. "Why not?"
"Class, my name is Peter Row, but you may address me as Professor Row or sir," Professor Row drawled, the words rolling over his tongue.
"Row? Is that a Mudblood surname?" Gregory sneered distastefully, and Professor Row's lips thinned.
Draco elbowed his former friend sharply. "Shut up, Goyle." Ever since Professor Snape and the Gryffindors had been part of his life, he had changed his prejudiced beliefs immensely.
"Thank you… Mr. Malfoy?" Professor Row nodded curtly.
"Yes sir," Draco responded respectfully.
Professor Row stared at the boy before him. Obviously pureblood, with that fine clothes, but no hint of arrogance. "Very well. Today, we will be learning the Full Body-Bind curse, Petrificus Totalus. Does anyone know what that translates to?"
Harry's hand shot up, while Hermione put her head in her hands, attempting to remember. Well, Professor Row decided to first test Harry. "Yes, Mr. Potter?"
"Petrificus Totalus translates to 'petrify total'?" Harry guessed.
"Correct. Five points to Gryffindor," Professor Row awarded.
"Now, does anyone know what the curse does?" Professor Row continued.
Draco, Harry, and Hermione's hand flew up.
"Mr. Malfoy?"
"It paralyses," he stated simply.
"Very good. 5 points to Slytherin," Professor Row rewarded the boy proudly. "Last question: what is the counter to this curse?"
Again, the three of their hands were raised, and Professor Row frowned. "No one else knows?" he tried.
Several murmurs of no's rang through the room. "Fine. Ms. Granger, kindly inform your peers here about the counter-curse."
Harry fought to laugh out loud; Professor Row sounded a lot like his Potions Master at the moment. Apparently, Hermione and Draco realized that too, and their eyes widened with shock, and time seemed to freeze for a moment. Finally, Hermione managed to recite, "The counter-curse is the General Counter-Spell, Finite Incantatem. The wand movement is in the shape of a shield, and the light is red. It terminates all spell effects."
Professor Row's eyebrows shot up. And why isn't this girl in Ravenclaw? "5 points to Gryffindor again," Professor Row declared, and several Slytherins groaned in protest.
"The incantation is Petrificus Totalus, the wand movement is this." Mr. Row waved his wand in a complicated pattern, leaving a trail of visible smoke behind. "The counter is Finite Incantatem, and the wand movement is this." He waved his wand in the shape of a shield, leaving wisps of mist behind.
Most students nodded in understanding. "Last thing is, I will have to partner you up. Weasley with Granger, Malfoy with Potter, Goyle with Parkinson…. Please be sure to perform the counter-curse immediately after you paralyses them. If you are unable to do so, then call me."
Nods and "Yes, sir!"s were heard as the students spread out around the room.
The gazes of Draco and Harry met. "You go first," Draco invited.
Harry frowned thoughtfully as he recalled Professor Row's words. "Do you trust me?"
Draco's pale eyebrows shot up with confusion. "What do you mean?"
"This is also a lesson about trust," Harry started slowly. "You have to trust that your partner would perform the counter-curse after he curses you."
"Precisely, Mr. Potter," a voice behind both of them drawled.
Harry and Draco spun around, thinking it was Professor Snape, until they reminded themselves that that was Professor Row.
"Do continue," Professor Row allowed them silkily.
Harry and Draco turned back to eachother disbelievingly. "He sounded very much like Professor Snape at that moment!" Draco hissed.
"You'll have to ask Professor Snape about that," Harry smirked, knowing very clearly why that was true. Professor Snape's mother and Professor Row's father grew up together and talked very similarly, and then they passed it on to their heirs. "But for now, do you trust me?"
"Yes," Draco replied hesitantly. "Even though I would have screamed no a few weeks ago."
Harry grinned. "Fine." His wand was in his hand before Draco could blink. Twirling his wand, he incanted, "Petrificus Totalus!" He received the desired result when Draco froze and started to topple over. Harry quickly performed a Cushioning Charm to break the fall. Even though Draco was paralyzed, he could still feel, think, hear, and see. Then, he cast the counter-curse. "Finite Incantatem!" while doing the correct wand movement. Draco stood up and brushed the dust of his robes
"Very nice, Mr. Potter!" Professor Row praised. Harry was the first to succeed in casting the curse. Furthermore, he casted the Cushioning Charm (How had he known about it?) and also the counter-curse. "Ten points to Gryffindor."
"It's not fair!" A Slytherin cried.
"It is," Professor Row corrected him smoothly. "If it were a Slytherin who accomplished what Mr. Potter had just did then I assure you I would have awarded him the same amount of points." At the Slytherin's ashamed look, he added, "Just to let you know, I am a Slytherin."
The Slytherin's mouth fell open, and Professor Row smirked triumphantly. Being a professor was far better than his previous job.
The school year moved very smoothly, and before Harry knew it, it was over. Professor Row was certainly a better professor than Quirrel, and he learned many more things than if Quirrell were the professor. Draco, Harry, Hermione, and Ron remained friends, regardless of houses, as time moved very quickly.
Headmaster Dumbledore stood, and his stance made the whole Great Hall grow silent. He cleared his throat. "I want to announce that this term has finally come to an end! The house standings are the following: Gryffindor with 815 points, Slytherin following close behind with 790 points, Ravenclaw with 650 points, and Hufflepuff with 640 points," Headmaster Dumbledore acclaimed. "Congratulations! We will be waiting for you after the summer is over."
The headmaster paused, and Harry saw him turn his head ever so slightly. Curious, he sharpened his hearing, and heard Headmaster Dumbledore indistinctly question, "When does the train leave again?" and someone irritably reply, "Noon."
Headmaster Dumbledore's eyes diverted back to the audience. "But for now, the train will be leaving at noon!" He bowed and sat back down again, his eyes sparkling, as if no hesitation took place, in the bright light.
The Hufflepuffs groaned, disappointed that they came in last regardless of their hard work. All of them vowed to do better the next year.
"Exam results!" Harry gasped as thousands of millions of owls soared into the Great Hall, each carrying an individual letter. Cries erupted from all around them as one by one, the students noticed the proud, yet humble, raptors.
Hermione shivered as she inwardly prayed for good grades. "Oh no," she gulped nervously.
Ron snorted uncaringly. "Chillax, Hermione. I'm sure you have good grades."
Harry watched as a letter swiftly floated down into his trembling lap. Please be good grades, he thought. I want to please Professor Snape. Shakily, his fingers slowly unsealed the letter, and his eyes snapped close. Saying one last prayer, he unwillingly forced his eyes open and took a peek.
Charms- O
Harry couldn't look any further. It was terrifying, discovering what his end-of-the-term grades were.
"Harry?" Ron asked worriedly. When he received no response, he peered over at Harry's exam results. "Holy Merlin, Harry!" he exclaimed.
Harry looked at Ron confusedly, and Ron cried, "Look at your results!"
At Ron's enthusiastic look, Harry convinced himself that that was good news, and finally set his gaze on the parchment.
Astronomy- O
Charms- O
Defense against the Dark Arts- O
Divination- E
Herbology- O
History of Magic- O
Potions- O
Transfiguration- O
Harry frowned at his E, disappointed he had not managed to get the highest grade, but instantly brightened. The reason why he did not get an O was because he did not have the Gift, which most wizards and witches did not. He sighed, anxious to tell his professor about his results.
"Professor Snape!" Harry greeted excitedly.
Professor Snape turned around once he realized it was his apprentice, he politely inclined his head. "Harry. Now, what have you been up to?"
Harry smiled broadly. "Nothing, sir." He drew out a sheet of parchment. "Sir, look at my results!"
Professor Snape, At Harry's joyous look, accepted it, and scanned over it. "Good grades, Harry. But an E in Divination? Really?"
Harry flinched disappointedly when he did not extract the expected praise. "Sorry, sir, I will do better next time."
Professor Snape looked up in surprise. Apparently, Harry had received the wrong message. "No, Harry, what I meant is that you have done exceptionally well, receiving an E in Divination. Not many without the Gift can manage to do that."
At the praise, his sadness was washed away, and Harry beamed again. "Thank you, sir," and took the parchment back.
Professor Snape nodded curtly. "Now, pack your school belongings up and we will go retrieve Professor Row."
Harry snickered uncontrollably at the word 'retrieve'. "Yes, sir, but will we take the train?"
Professor Snape raised his eyebrows. "No, we will apparate. Though later on, though, you have no need to apparate, you can just teleport, am I correct, yourself. But for now, since you do not know how our destination looks like, you can apparate with us."
"Sounds good to me!" Harry exclaimed happily, but when he realized that he was talking a bit too casually, he added cheekily, "Very well, sir."
"Err… Peter, hold my hand, and Harry, you too," Professor Snape commanded as he stumbled over his words.
Professor Row and Harry each took a hand, and Professor Snape sighed. He felt very much like a toddler holding hands with his parents at that moment.
Professor Snape waited for a few seconds. "I will apparate now," he announced suddenly, and before the other two had a chance to brace themselves, they were whisked away to the welcoming arms of Prince Manor.
A/N: I promise the part where Severus and Harry try to defeat Lord Hojas will come! A good story always ascends in a slope, reaches the climax, and descends again.
Please review politely! Thank you to all who have read so far!
