Chapter 9:
Minerva McGonagal was actually beginning to fear that Hades Black's attitude was going to last all six years she was going to have to suffer him. She'd hoped that his distant attitude would ease with the cessation of warfare, but it seemed merely to have intensified as the year passed. Her regular interviews with him achieved nothing, and a recent attempt by Miss Granger to integrate the boy had been rudely rejected. Minerva had decided to try and find out why Black refused to study potions with his fellow house-members. It had been nearly a month since the initial foray had been rejected and Minerva felt the time was good for investigating the situation without disturbing volatile tempers.
"I wish to..." Minerva stopped with a frown because her fire had just given a preparatory roar.
"Minerva." Poppy Pomfrey was not a usual user of the floos.
"Poppy?"
"I'm after young Mr Black...Severus is too busy and he said young Black would do for the consult."
"Wha..." Minerva blinked and then shook her head.
"Miss Granger is in the infirmary...I need a potions consult."
"Well..." Minerva hesitated.
"I'm on my way, Madame Pomfrey." Black had stepped forward. "Do I need to bring anything?"
"Not at this point, Mr Black."
"I'll be there in a couple of minutes...unless Professor McGonagal...?" It hovered patiently.
"Go." Minerva waved the boy off and settled down to ty and think through her own thoughts. Poppy would keep the boy in line and she needed to think...though perhaps speaking to Severus might be a good starting point, though not right now.
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"Minerva." Snape's tone was rather repressing as he half-glanced up from his collection of steaming cauldrons.
"You put Poppy on a second year student for a potions consult?" Minerva was trying not to frown.
"Black would hold Master status if he were allowed to test yet...since he can't we've instead chosen to persue medi-potions, and he's already got his journeyman status in that field. That aside, I am busy and that wretched goody-two-shoes is with-holding information."
"How do..." Minerva hesitated, one had to word such questions carefully for Severus was awfully fast to take insult if he felt his potions knowledge challenged...as evidenced by the poor fool who'd dared to question the potions master concerning Zabini last year. Minerva had a feeling the man was still wetting himself if Snape's name was only mentioned.
"How do I know she's with-holding information?" Snape's lip wrinkled. "She claims to have simply woken up with the head and tail of a cat. Having seen Poppy's initial assessment I know she injested polyjuice potion...and given that is lumpy pond-scum when brewed properly and can only get worse with errors, I know she can't have accidentally imbibed it...which leaves you with intentional consumption, but lying because she thinks the penalty will be worse if she tells the truth."
"You think Miss Granger brewed and then drank polyjuice potion?" Minerva was outraged.
"No think about it...she totally lost interest in studying potions with Hades when he made it clear that he was only allowed to brew under my direct supervision...and then there was Green Harry seeing young Mr Weasley walking around in Goyle's school robes shortly before Miss Granger arrived in the infirmary."
"Why do you consider procedure more punishment than the detentions of telling the truth?" Minerva was feeling uncomfortable and verging on the worried.
"Procedure was actually written for situations when there is no analysis available but a non-lethal potion must be counter-acted...and Hades will adhere to the letter of Ministry Procedure given Miss Granger's treatment of him these past three months. For your information, Miss Granger has made a point of loudly pointing out any deviation from Ministry prescribed potions procedure...and considering that Hades Black is currently engaged in specific bit of private research which involves a lot of explosions I can promise you he is required to regularly deviate from ministry procedure...however, under the circumstances he will acknowledge her preference for adherence to Ministry procedure and abide by them. I suggest you tell her to 'fess-up and take it like a Gryffindor."
"You set her up as a target for vengeance?" Discomfort was heading towards outrage, fast.
"Minerva, I am currently brewing stocks for our infirmary and St Mungo's. I am the only Medi-potions trained Potions Master in this country...do you really want me to turn these potions over to a journeyman with no training in palate balance so I can pour pointless potions into your lying lion?" Snape took a moment to stir one of his cauldrons. "All Miss Granger needs to do is tell the truth and she can duck the entire mess. If she'd held her tongue for the past three months I've no doubt he'd simply redesign the treatment around the stomach and blood analysis and give her the three specific tests required to prove it's polyjuice...however, under the circumstances you cannot fault his course of action...there's also the fact that someone needs to scare her arrogance into not brewing what she is not qualified to brew."
"She was apparently successful in brewing for Mr Weasley."
"Thus proving herself to be a hack cook out of her depth, since she didn't recognise that her dose was contaminated...my point, she could have poisoned them all and not known a thing until far too late. She is not to be rewarded for her stupidity."
"Severus..."
"I would also advise you to investigate what bonehead gave her access to the restricted section since that potion is not specified in the general library. WHAT?" The last was directed to the quiet knock on the door.
"Journeyman Black with the preliminary plan approved by Madame Pomfrey, Medi-witch, Master Snape."
"Enter." Snape gave one cauldron a final stir and bottled it swiftly before taking the parchment Black held and giving it a swift once over. "Add anti-nausea draught to the list to brew...you'll need it."
"Yes, sir." Black moved to a small work station near the far wall, braided his hair back and switched from his schoolrobes to a plain robe, dragonhide apron and gloves before he began pulling out the books, cauldrons and ingredients he required.
"Last thing Minerva, ask the ghosts if anyone knows where the brewing occured...there may be other complications from the actual brewing which may affect the others."
"Green Harry reports the girls bathroom on the 2nd floor." Black was working with speed and skill while he delivered the news. "I spoke to Myrtle after I left the infirmary, and deem that the complications are not relevent or sufficient to require treatment...though I would suggest testing Weasley and Finnegan for no other reason than to make them aware of the perils of drinking potions provided by the non-certified."
"Is Miss Granger likely to experiment again?"
"Probably not, she was eaves-dropping on my discussion with Madame Pomfrey about the possible courses of action and I don't think she liked the options too much."
"Madame Pomfrey usual discusses consults in her office." Minerva was frowning, unable to balance her instinct of respect for a professional against her knowledge that authoritative character was a twelve year-old boy with attitude.
"Madame Pomfrey does not make a practice of silencing her room and Miss Granger left her bed."
"But..."
"Miss Ganger adhere's to the rules at her own convenience and otherwise ignores both the rules and good manners." Black was frowning at his work station. "Master Snape, my white ginger is less than my station record accounts for...have my scales been adjusted?"
"No, I took some and couldn't find your station record to adjust. How much do you need?"
"Another three pinches than I've got...anti-nausea draught is the only potion currently using it."
"Use mine and I'll order immediately." Snape moved across to add white ginger to his list while Black annexed the small jar from Snape's work station. "Leave your station record on your station stocks in future."
"Yes, Master Snape."
"I think I'll be going now." Minerva headed out without waiting for a response and decided to visit Poppy. Another perspective would be good under the circumstances.
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"Headmaster said to say if Black Elf Kreacher said anything interesting to Happy?" Tippy was twisting her tea-towel uneasily.
"Kreacher has visited?" Dumbledore blinked and studied the little elf carefully.
"Yes...Kreacher often visits, and always after being called by one of the young masters."
"A young master had called Kreacher?"
"Master Hades Black wished for some ingredients from his private potions laboratory and so called for Kreacher...they has been brewing very busily for weeks now."
"I take it that the visits usually aren't interesting?" Dumbledore was feeling slightly confused.
"Elf talk not interest Headmaster." Tippy switched her tea-towel for an ear.
"Something came up?"
"Kreacher apparently was passing messages...Malfoy Elf Dobby has been researching Hogwarts legislature concerning boards and staff. Is interesting?"
"Thankyou." Dumbledore sank back in his seat and pondered the potential ramifications of a Malfoy House Elf researching board and staff. With the basilisk matter still unresolved Dumbledore considered such a field of research worrying when it came to Lucius Malfoy...all Malfoy needed was a temporary stooge put in over the Headmaster's head and he would get his hands on that wretched book. Worrying thoughts and not much he could do to prevent it if Lucius Malfoy chose to act.
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"I do believe that you've failed...again." Snape's expression was rather distainful as he waved away drifting smoke. The class were actually pretty good at the evacuation these days, though as ever there were a few peering through the door to see what could be seen through the smoke.
"Possibly." Hades Black was scowling venomously at the cauldron.
"Another two points to Mr Longbottom for defeating your attempt...minus five points from Mr Black for failing." Snape was silent for a moment, then waved the class to return to their seats. "Three more points for Mr Longbottom...for not upsetting the cauldron by his terrified quivering...Black might just figure out how he messed up this time."
"Oh dear, they broke even...please take a few more points off Black, sir." Malfoy's dry observation, as he resumed his seat and assessed the state of his potion, darkened Snape's scowl significantly.
"Perhaps next lesson, Mr Malfoy." Snape swept away to growl at someone else as the last of the smoke was drawn from the classroom. He trusted that Black would have kept hold of this last effort, that explosion should have plastered the contents of the cauldron all over the room as well as fragmenting the cauldron...that the external effects had been nothing more than a loud bang and a fair bit of smoke of the least toxic variety...useful to say the least. Definite progress at last.
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"Christmas to Easter and three months of no attacks at all. Father's somewhat intrigued it worked so well and probably lying fit to make even our ancestors turn, but he also says they'll probably resume soon so he's warning Hades in particular to up his study wards since whenever the basilisk next hits, you won't get much warning before someone attempts a retaliatory killing."
"Daiyati mentioned your father was hoping to eject Dumbledore so he could initiate another search and lay claim to that damnable volume."
"I'm not certain what he plans...everyone knows about the volume now and the fact that Dumbledore blocked my father...which also means that the Dark Lord knows what's happening. I am quite certain my father does not intend to hand that little volume over."
"Then I hope he's discarded the plot to depose Dumbledore...let him know that Green Harry thinks he knows who will have the diary if it goes back into use again. We'll deal with it if it surfaces again."
"I'll pass that on...but to be honest father rather dislikes Dumbledore and wouldn't mind disturbing him."
"Valid point and whatever...Gryffindor verse Hufflepuff...I think I'll get my extra reading done tomorrow, one of you maniacs can fill me in on the Quidditch results."
"Ooh, don't we feel special." Draco gathered the assorted Slytherins and departed, they had essays which required attention and there was talk of a Herbology project which they needed to prepare for. Busy, busy, busy...but with a little luck their peace wasn't going to end too soon.
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