Hidden Tales From The Chamber Of Secrets - 10 - Potions Lesson
by Polydicta
The now obligatory selection of plot-bunnies, orphaned scenes, omakes and idiocy that sometimes bring my mind to a grinding halt. Ongoing warnings for smut, language, character death, bashing, torture, mutilation and reader brain-damage. Brain bleach recommended.
Disclaimer:
All fiction is derivative and fan fiction doubly so. I make no claim to own any part of any of the following, all I have done is an attempt to put together the elements in a novel fashion, using words and ideas like Lego ™ bricks.
There is no money involved – all I do is to share what I do for my own amusement.
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Hidden Tales From The Chamber Of Secrets - 10 - Potions Lesson
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"Bone of the father unknowingly taken, you will restore your son …
"Flesh of the servant, willingly given , you will restore your master …
"Blood of the enemy, drawn in battle, you will restore your enemy …"
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"Umm, Peter?"
Pettigrew looked at the teen currently bound on the gravestone.
"You got that bit wrong. You cut my arm, yes, but I wasn't fighting you because I'm all tied up. Now, what does Snape always say about following instructions exactly?"
"Er, umm …"
"I'll tell you what, the potion has to simmer for a few minutes yet, so let me down and we can fix it."
Wormtail, desperate to get something right in his life agreed while Voldemort lay cursing loudly but ineffectually.
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"Tom, shuttup! This is advanced necromancy here. If we don't get this right, the magical backlash will turn this boneyard into a hundred-foot deep crater. And that means you, me and Wormtail here."
The foetus-like Voldemort was dumbstruck.
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"Right, let's see …. "
Harry sniffed the potion and winced.
"It's well off. We need to stir six times anticlockwise while adding …" He thought for a moment, "Thymus serpyllum and then six-times clockwise while adding Oreganum majorum. I have both here …"
The two ingredients were added and a rich, herbal smell arose in place of the graveyard fetor that had risen from the simmering cauldron. Harry sniffed again.
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"Better," he said, "but not yet there. A resurrection from this would be rather weak. We need Gareem-assala and a crushed …" He considered the cauldron.
"… make that three crushed cloves of garlic, fresh-harvested, and a flower head, too. There are a few plants over there."
Wormtail ran over to harvest the indicated herbs.
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"Potter, why garlic?"
"Simple, Tom, it's for the antiseptic properties. You don't want the whole of your new body rotting out from under you now, do you?"
Voldemort considered this and remained silent, wondering why the boy was suddenly aiding him. Perhaps he had discovered an interest in necromancy, maybe he could be convinced to join the dark side …
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The garlic was added followed by the spicy smelling herbs and a few chef's pinches of other things that happened to include cumin, dried jalapeno peppers and ground cloves.
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"How come you know this? And why do you have the materials with you?"
Harry smiled. "I discovered an interesting book on Voodoo this year, the necromantic rituals and the on-the-fly methods of potion-brewing … using a range of makeshift recipes. now …"
He looked in the cauldron and sniffed.
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"Yup, it's ready. The process is a bit slower this way, it'll take about a half hour, but you'll find the results more than acceptable. The potion will be a little hot at first, but just brass it out and it'll be fine.
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Wormtail reverently placed his master in the cauldron. Voldemort let out a small yelp of shock, the stuff really was painfully hot, but he decided to show no weakness.
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Voldemort's last living thought was that Potter said something about there being enough gumbo to go around, but they really needed some vegetables and rice before the other guests arrived.
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Notes:
Thymus serpyllum – The herb known as Thyme
Oreganum majorum – The herb known as Marjorum
Gareem-assala is really Garam masala – a blend of spices used in Indian cuisine.
A type of Garlic commonly grows wild in Britain. The whole plant can be used as a herb. Garlic buds are used as protection from vampires.
A chef's pinch is about a teaspoon-full