Disclaimer in Chapter 1
Author's Note: And another resolution to another cliffhanger. Though we cannot promise that it was our last, as a matter of fact, we can guarantee that it was not. :::Ducks flying object::: At least now you can find out what the title really means. Read on.
Chapter 21: The Potion of Fernifendice
"Potter is under the influence of the potion of Fernifendice."
"And?" asked Ron impatiently, with a desperate look at Hermione to see if she knew what that meant.
Hermione looked just as confused as Ron did, "What does that mean, Professor?"
"That means, Miss Granger, that Potter has not yet been condemned-" there was a sigh of relief from the four students, "-though he would be had you taken any longer to inform me. The process of eradicating the potion from the system is extremely painful both physically and mentally. We must act quickly if we are to succeed, the potion has already spread to the bloodstream and the effects have been steadily increasing. Ganet, go and get a sample of the potion, we will need to know the strength of the doses that Potter has been ingesting." Lubode nodded, apparently not having a problem getting a sample. "Weasley, go and alert the headmaster, the password is Blushing bon-bons. After that," Snape's face twisted vindictively, "Go and fetch Mr. Malfoy from his astronomy class. You may... use any means necessary, within reason, to persuade him to come with you." Ron's face lit up for the first time since the beginning of Care of Magical Creatures, he obviously had a few ideas about how to get Malfoy to follow him.
The two left the room quickly and Snape moved over to a large bookcase next to the door to his office and waved his wand. The bookcase moved to reveal a door.
"In order for me to brew the antidote most efficiently, you will need to assist me Miss Granger. Potter I need another blood sample."
Harry obediently lifted his arm and Snape used the dagger to draw blood into the crystal bowl.
"Both of you follow me," Snape commanded; Harry and Hermione entered Snape's hidden laboratory.
Snape flicked his wand at a stool and instantly transfigured it into a much more comfortable chair then Harry would had ever expected from the man.
"Potter, sit down and wait while we work."
Harry obliged, his head was spinning a bit from the loss of blood. He silently watched Snape work, issuing commands to Hermione as he did.
Snape pulled his greasy hair into a loose ponytail and lit a fire under two cauldrons- the first was gold the other was silver. He then summoned two dozen bottles and jars from a nearby shelf onto a large oak table.
He waved his wand in a different direction and thee razor sharp spotless daggers with emerald green handles flew through the air and landed on the table.
"Granger: Altelli root, minced, four point six grams." Snape gave the command without slowing his pace or raising his eyes. Hermione obeyed instantly. She opened a jar and began mincing the roots with the speed and precision of a surgeon.
Snape, meanwhile, had divided the blood sample between the cauldrons and was adding liquids into each cauldron in turn. He seemed almost superhuman in his ability to manage the ingredients and stirring of both cauldrons so exactly. If Harry hadn't been starring directly at the man, he would have sworn Snape had six arms.
"Pastol berries, ten, juiced, seeds in," Snape said, continuing his work.
Hermione pushed the minced roots to the potions master and counted ten large orange berries onto the table and proceeded with her instructions.
"Professor?" The words came from the other side of the secret entrance, in the potions classroom.
"Potter, bring Mr. Ganet." Snape said, never lifting his eyes from his work. Harry left and returned and an instant later with Lubode right beside him. The Slytherin set the bottle on the table, which Snape quickly snatched up and poured it into the gold cauldron.
Snape then swept to where the root pieces had been set and nimbly scooped them into a lead bowl. He reached his lanky fingers into another bottle and added a bit of powder, mixing the concoction with a glass spoon.
"Ganet, count out loud to twenty seven."
Lubode, who now stood against a wall out of the way of the potions master and the furiously working Gryffindor, began to count out loud.
"One…two…three…" Snape added a blue liquid to the gold cauldron.
"Four…five…six…" He stirred it with a wooden shaft.
"Seven…eight…" he pulled the silver cauldron off the burner and set in on the table.
"Nine…ten…eleven…" Hermione placed the bowl of juice and seeds next to Snape.
"Twelve…thirteen…fourteen…" He added the contents of the bowl to the roots and powder.
"Fifteen…sixteen…seventeen…" he scraped the root mixture into the silver cauldron.
"Granger, three 2 millimeter strips of Corridon Bark," She began stripping a large shoot.
"Eighteen…nineteen…" Snape grabbed a phial of silver misty liquid and poured it into the silver cauldron as he stirred the gold one carefully.
"Twenty…twenty-one…" he grabbed the bark strips from Hermione and doused them with a thin brown potion.
"Twenty- two…twenty- three….twenty-four…" He dropped the bark into the gold cauldron, they melted instantly, causing the cauldron to spit great white sparks four feet into the air.
"Twenty-five...twenty-six…" He picked up the silver cauldron.
"Twenty-seven." He poured it into the gold cauldron. A loud crack sounded, then the whole mixture turned instantly into a solid. Snape pulled it off the heat and set it on the table. Hermione wiped he sweat from her forehead.
The potions master used a syringe to pull a clear liquid from a thus far unopened bottle. He dropped a single drop into the cauldron, the contents of which instantly liquefied.
Snape allowed his greasy curtain of hair to again fall to his shoulders. He summoned five bottles from a shelf, and divided the contents of the cauldron into them, allowing not even a single drop of the potion to be wasted. He corked them all and left four on the table, the fifth he held in his hand.
"Potter, my office. You too Miss Granger, Mr. Ganet."
The students walked into Snape's office, followed closely by their professor.
"Mr. Potter, lie on my desk. You will need to swallow the draught in a single shot if it is to be effective."
Harry crossed smoothly and lay down upon the large mahogany desk, briefly thinking back to Snape saying this would painful and wondering if he should feel nervous. As Snape was handing him the phial, Dumbledore entered.
The Headmaster nodded at Snape, showing that he approved of how the professor had handled the situation and allowed him to remain in charge of the procedure.
"Severus, Mr. Weasley informed me that Mr. Potter has been suffering from the effects of the Potion of Fernifendice."
Snape nodded in acknowledgement, but the conversation was interrupted by the appearance of Malfoy being lead into the office by Ron at wandpoint, the red-head held Malfoy's wand in his other hand. The Slytherin had a bloodied nose and a quickly swelling black eye.
Snape sneered in their direction.
"Move into the corner, out of the way." The potions master turned his attention back to the headmaster. "Indeed, headmaster, I have been able to create an antidote that will release the emotions that have been repressed over these last months. However, as you are aware, they will all return at once, and quite magnified."
Dumbledore nodded, the twinkle in his eyes gone. Ron and Hermione exchanged worried looks with each other, both noticing the bleak expressions their professors wore. Harry retained his usual blank expression.
Snape motioned to Harry, and Harry raised the phial to his lips and downed it in one swallow. It was by far the foulest thing he had ever tasted, ten times worse the Polyjuice potion he had taken in his second year.
The taste, however, was nothing was nothing compared to the crashing waves of pain that hit him after he swallowed the antidote. Every nerve in his body pulsated with agony as fire burned through his veins sending him into involuntary convulsions. Despite his greatest efforts he began to scream from the torture of the cure. Somewhere in the background he could hear crying but he couldn't remember who was around him.
Slowly, the anguish subsided and Harry stopped flailing on the hard desk, but as the pain subsided, his mind began to reel. His head was pounding and suddenly the feeling of emptiness that he had had for so long was replaced with crash of emotion.
All at once there was anger, betrayal, happiness, excitement, anticipation, joy, sadness, pain, love and hate fighting to be released at the same time. Memories of the last months flashed before him, delayed reactions finally prepared to be released.
He began to sit up slowly and his eyes fell on Lubode, anger, magnified far beyond anything he had ever felt before, welled up inside him.
"How could you!" he yelled at his once trusted friend, lunging at him in fury. Snape and Ron used all of their strength to restrain the enraged Gryffindor, though Ron was shooting a look at Lubode that was almost pleading with him to give Ron a reason to let Harry give the Slytherin exactly what he deserved. "I trusted you! I gave you a chance to prove yourself as more then a Death eater and-"
Harry abruptly stopped struggling and was suddenly hit with an extreme feeling of stupidity. "Oh God! I should have known better. How could have been so stupid? Couldn't I have learned anything from Moody? Constant Vigilance!" His head fell dejectedly his hands.
Harry abruptly thought of Krum's death and tears welled in his eyes. "Oh no, Krum's dead!" he cried in grief which only reminded him of Sirius, which caused him to start sobbing.
For the first time, Harry noticed the presence of Draco Malfoy. Once again he lunged at him, fighting with everything he had to reach the Slytherin. "You know, it almost serves me right," Harry unexpectedly broke into semi-hysterical laughter. "I always did underestimate you! Can you believe it, I hated Snape more then you, he was the one I swore I'd never forgive. You! I thought you were worthless, and now you're one who's been poisoning me, and Snape saves me." He said, his furious voice laden with irony.
His eyes then caught the concerned gazes of Ron and Hermione and he remembered that the two were finally a couple after so many years. He instantly forgot Malfoy. "Ron, Hermione! I never told you both how happy I am you guys are together!" Harry said brightly, as though it was the greatest thing to ever happen within the walls of Hogwarts. "You guys are perfect for each other! You must be so happy!"
Harry unexpectedly cut off mid-sentence, his eyes growing wide in horror. "Oh no! Oh god no! How could I let this happen! What was I thinking!?!" Harry screamed in panic, the people in the room looked at him in alarm.
"What Harry? What happened?" asked Ron.
Harry shook his head back and forth, the horror too much to bear, "We lost! The Quidditch Cup Ron! We lost to Slytherin! This is horrible!" Harry moaned.
Ron and Hermione desperately tried to keep up with Harry's flood of emotions, taking turns comforting him and nodding at him in shock and confusion.
Through his haze, Harry managed to look past his friends to the faces of the two professors, who were exchanging words.
Abruptly, Harry stopped speaking, and began thrashing his body in physical torment. He screamed in agony. Snape brushed past Ron and Hermione, who had both recoiled in horror when Harry began to convulse.
Snape reached his hands forward and grabbed Harry's flailing ankles. He applied all of his strength against Harry's feet, over powering the sixteen year old and effectively stilling his legs.
"Weasley, his arms," Snape hissed. Ron shook off his shock and ran to the side of the table where Harry's arms were beating the air around him. After a vicious struggle, Ron managed to restrain his friend who was still thrashing violently against his captors.
Hermione drew her wand, but Snape snarled through clenched teeth.
"Miss Granger, sheath your wand, you cannot use magic on Potter until the purging process is complete. You will render the antidote null."
Hermione returned her wand to her robes and nodded at Snape, who grunted with the effort of suppressing the Gryffindor.
Then, as suddenly as it began, Harry's attack ended. His body slackened and his screams stopped.
As Harry struggled to catch his breath, he could hear the silky voice of his potions professor address the rest of the people in the room. "Potter will not be sane or coherent for several hours. These attacks will continue, he must be subdued only physically, magic can not be used." Snape commanded to the room at large. "He will not have conscious and intentional use of his body or his mind. Any emotions or thoughts that he expresses, however, are genuine, but amplified many times over. He will be unable to guard any feeling or thought from others. There is no more that can be done for him now. He must be moved to the hospital wing before he is taken by another seizure," Snape moved to the side of the desk opposite Ron. Together, they lifted Harry to a standing position.
"Ron? My friend Ron…oh God Sirius...Snape you disgusting, greasy, sadistic bastard!" Harry wailed in delirium.
Ron pulled Harry's right arm over his shoulder, Snape did the same on his left, together, they dragged the still screaming boy from the room.
"Granger, bring the four bottles of antidote. Mr. Ganet, Mr. Malfoy, you are both to remain in my sight at all times," Snape growled as he left the room. The students did as they were told, Dumbledore walked silently beside the five men, he looked at each in turn, when his eyes landed on Lubode, the Slytherin shuddered involuntarily. When his eyes rested on Malfoy, the boy stared defiantly back, no remorse showing in his expression or movement.
When Harry realized they were nearing the hospital wing he began to struggle against Ron and Snape, causing them to grab him roughly by the arms. "No, I'm fine, I don't have to go to the Hospital Wing!" he cried as he fought to free himself.
Snape and Ron dragged Harry kicking and screaming into the empty infirmary where a shocked Madame Pomfrey greeted them.
"Get off me!" he yelled. "Ron, I thought you were my friend!" Harry cried in desperation.
Ron grimaced at the insult, but kept hold of his friend.
"What on earth happened?" yelled Madame Pomfrey, as Harry abruptly broke into tears and apologized for insulting Ron- saying over and over again that he didn't mean it and that Ron should know that he was his best friend.
Dumbledore pulled the medi-witch aside to explain the situation, the headmaster also locked both Lubode and Malfoy in her office, confiscating both of their wands for the time being (he already had Malfoy's as Ron had handed it to him in Snape's office). Ron and Snape then attempted to put the now blissfully happily Harry into a bed as he recalled a series of pranks the twins had pulled over Christmas.
"…and everything just exploded into fireworks just like the ones they used on Umbridge!" Harry's face clouded with rage at the mention of the toad woman. "I can't stand that women, she got off way too easy for everything she did last year. Can you believe she could call Cedric's death an accident? Like it was his fault! He was murdered by Voldemort himself- saying anything else is an insult to his memory!" he shouted. "She's just like the Dursleys!" Harry roared, but then suddenly smiled as he was reminded of being invited to the Burrow over the summer. "Ron, did I ever tell you how much I love staying at your house?"
Out of the corner of his eye, Harry noticed Snape glance at his watch and nod. He couldn't imagine what it could be time for, so he continued to talk to Ron and Hermione as Snape walked over to the table with the four remaining phials and picked one of them up. Harry was in such a good mood he didn't register what the rather amused smirk the potions master gave him could mean as he handed Harry the phial. Without giving it a second thought, or even pausing in his narrative of reliving one of their more impressive Quidditch victories over Slytherin, he downed the small bottle in one swallow.
In an instant, Snape and Ron were attempting to restrain him as he flailed against spasms of agony which racked his body.
Harry finally stilled and moaned from the ached that seemed to reach his bones. Unable to sit up from exhaustion, he once again heard the voice of the head of Slytherin, though it now sounded oddly far away.
"With each administration of the draught his mind will clear slightly," Snape explained as he caught his breath from subduing Harry. "His emotions will still be unbalanced and enhanced, but he should begin to slowly regain his conscious mind."
"Should?" he heard a worried Ron ask.
Snape gave his signature cruel smirk and said coldly, "Nothing is ever certain."
Harry wasn't sure how much time passed, confusion clouded his mind, as conflicting emotions swirled within him. It felt so odd to actually feel again. For so long he had felt dead inside- devoid of all feeling.
His world appeared a constant dull grey, but now it was as though all the color had returned in full force. So bright was this color that Harry found it painful, his every thought, observation or memory brought with it a flood of emotion that Harry was unprepared to handle.
Fortunately, with each dose of the vile potion, his mood swings would lessen, so that he still swayed to extremes, but would remain on one feeling for a longer period of time. He was still swept up in sporadic waves of agony, which were beginning to take their toll. His voice was growing hoarse from his cries of pain, and muscles he hadn't know he had had felt strained. He was covered in sweat and Madame Pomfrey was forcing him to hold a wet cloth to his head in attempt to prevent his fever from reaching too high. She could offer no medicines due to the antidote that he had not yet completed taking.
Harry was in a foul mood when Snape announced it was time for the fourth administration. Harry was already fit to lose his temper, and to hear he had to endure yet another torturous 'treatment' was simply too much. He was beginning to think this was all a conspiracy. He truly wasn't sure if he could endure any more pain then he already felt, and it suddenly became imperative that he get as far way from the hospital wing as possible. He made to get out of the bed, but Snape was deftly pushed him back down. He then began to struggle harder then he ever had in his entire life, the more he struggled the more convinced that he became that nothing but disastrous results could come from his swallowing the potion.
It took the combined strength of Ron, Hermione and Madame Pomfrey to restrain the struggling boy as he thrashed, wildly spewing long lines of profanities against his captors that made the medi-witch blush and Snape's face turn white with suppressed anger. Snape held Harry' nose until Harry was forced to gasp for air. Timing it perfectly, he poured the antidote down the Gryffindors throat, clamping his hand over his mouth quickly to avoid him spitting it out again.
Once he swallowed the potion, Harry realized he had been right, he couldn't take any more torment, and his body collapsed from sheer exhaustion and agony.
His mind spiraling in confusion, his every bone, muscle and nerve trembling in aguish and sweat pouring from his fevered brow, Harry fell limply from the hands that held him onto the hospital bed, already in a deep sleep.
It was mere seconds later that Harry found himself in the graveyard with the echoes of his parents and Cedric who were now joined by Sirius. Voldemort was oblivious to the echoes as he rallied his Death Eaters and prepared to duel with Harry. Voldemort raised his wand to Harry's heart, and Harry heard the words that sent chills down his spine every time they were repeated.
"Bow to death."
Harry raised his head, prepared to die bravely, when the picture abruptly changed. He was standing in a large room before hundreds of masked figures. The feeling of excited anticipation in the room was almost palpable, and Harry felt happier then he had felt in ages.
"Soon the world will know the fear it once felt. Glory will be mine and the rewards will be great for my most loyal servants," Harry said in a hideous voice that made him want to reach down his throat and tear out his own vocal chords. "The time is almost ripe. The enemies of the dark lord will taste death." Harry surveyed the room.
He could tell that although the hooded masses were stone silent, their excitement was unmistakable.
"The day of reckoning has come!" Harry cried. "Be grateful that on this fateful day you have the privilege of proving your loyalties. On this day, when I shall take my place again as lord of all the world!"
Harry raised his arms above his head and at his final word, and as he did the subservient Death Eaters before him broke into ravenous cheers.
As they did, Harry sat bolt upright, blood slowly trickled down his cheek from his scar which was now an open, lightening shaped wound.
Harry screamed, and Snape and Ron again moved in to restrain him, obviously assuming that he was struck with another seizure.
They abruptly stopped moving forward when Harry didn't continue to flail, and both looked surprised to see the blood leaking from Harry's scar.
Harry's scar was throbbing so viciously that he was struggling not pass out from the pain, in addition to the pain from his scar, the effects of the antidote had left him struggling to remain sitting up straight. However, he now realized what his 'dream' had meant so many months ago. Hopefully it wasn't too late. Gritting his teeth through his agony he looked into Snape's eyes so the man could see how important what he had to say was and hoarsely said, "Voldemort's going to attack the Ministry Ball."
Author's Note: :::Dramatic music plays in the background::: I'm sure many of you saw that coming, knew back when Harry dismissed the dream the first time that it was more than he believed it to be. Well done to those of you who caught on. Also, well done to the many of you who reviewed, saying that you had suspected Lubode of mischief from the beginning. Some of you may still be confused about the potion itself, don't worry, it'll be explained further in later chapters. We also wanted to answer cantfindagoodname's question: Fernifendice is pronounced "Fern" (as in the plant you used in your seventh grade science project "Will a Fern grow if I plant it in Marshmallow Fluff?" (answer- no)) "if" (as in "if I threaten JK enough will she release HBP early?" (answer-no)) "N" (as in "N"-with the emphasis of the word on this syllable) "Dice" (As in the thing you always seem to lose, so when you want to play Monopoly, you have to steal it from Risk, but always forget to put it back, and now have no dice for Risk.) Now, we must say that we are impressed with the creativity of our reviewers. You are all quite gifted in thinking of new and different ways to deal in pain and deathSo the prize for best threat to us goes to Viskii, with her plan to allow Fluffy to destroy our apartment, force our computers to misspell Gryifindor (damn it) and Snaape (freakin virus) then to bury us in purple jello. The prize for best threat to Lubode is awarded to Mystical036 for her intention to chop him into tiny bits with a medieval torture device, after systematically and painfully removing his toes. Let us know when you post your fics, you have your first two reviewers right here. As for you ShadowedHand… we don't look favourably upon broken promises… we are still awaiting that update. Also, thanks to everyone who joined our Yahoo Group, and a reminder to the rest of you to come… join us… mwahaha… Um. Yeah.