I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
The Family that Chooses You
Chapter 131 – Clearly He Liked It
Snape cleared his throat. He almost need not bother. Despite his mellowing the last few years, his presence still tolerated no back-talk nor disrespect. The seventh year N.E.W.T.s Potions class immediately fell silent. "There will be something a little different this year. I will be having a mastery student as a student instructor from time to time to guest lecture. They are a graduate of the school and obtained an Outstanding on their N.E.W.T. and I have no qualms about their competence."
He looked at each student. "I expect you to treat them as you would me, as a Potions professor. They are in charge of their classes and any sort of deliberate disrespect will be dealt with harshly. Do I make myself clear?" He waited for them all to nod. "Good." Without another word, he left the classroom, leaving them to mutter about who the student instructor would be.
A click of heels could be heard, someone walking to the classroom with a steady pace. When the door opened and Alicia walked in, Harry's eyes opened and he smiled wide while Hermione and Daphne looked astonished.
She was dressed in navy blue robes so dark they appeared almost black. Her long brown hair was done up in a tight bun and she looked severely at the students, many of whom stiffened or straightened under her piercing eyes. She walked in slowly, inspecting each student as she passed.
"You, Scruffy." She gave a Ravenclaw boy a sharp look. "Tuck your shirt in and tighten up your tie properly. Button up your sleeves."
"What?!" The student looked incensed.
"If your clothes are a mess then your station is a mess, look at it." She looked at his very messy workspace. "Your sleeves are open and you will drag your ingredients left and right and mix things incorrectly. Clean up, now." She stared at him until he started to sheepishly do up his buttons.
"You, what's that scent?" she asked a Hufflepuff girl.
"Vanilla and orange blossom," the girl said.
"It's pretty." Alicia flicked her wand, deodorizing the girl. "And it's too much. Too much perfume can throw off your ingredients. Not to mention that it renders your nose ineffective. You need to be able to smell your materials and the potion that you are brewing."
"I can smell with my perfume on!" the girl protested.
"You might, but your classmates probably cannot. Will anyone disagree with me?" No one did and the girl looked away, embarrassed.
Alicia walked past another Hufflepuff and stopped, turning slowly. She glared up at him. "Are you eating during Potions?"
He shook his head, mouth shut.
She stared at him. He started to sweat, face turning red. He started to cough with his mouth closed.
"I am waiting," Alicia said. "You can either swallow and admit fault or be stubborn and choke and we watch."
The boy finally swallowed, coughing and hacking. "You would have watched me choke?!"
"There is a Medic in class, you would have been fine, aside from the fact that you are eating during Potions! You do know that saliva is an ingredient and can have drastic effects on your potion?! Not to mention whatever you spray about otherwise!" She sighed and shook her head, walking away from a very red-faced student.
By the time she reached Harry, Hermione, and Daphne, they had surreptitiously cleaned their table and straightened themselves up. She inspected them critically, eyes never still. She took her time and the rest of the class took the hint to do what the trio had done while Alicia had inspected the first three students. She finally reached out and straightened Harry's tie before leaving with a smirk and without a word. The rest of the class had managed to avoid her ire aside from small comments to tie up hair and to clean their kit better.
"Right then." She stood at the front of the class. "My name is Alicia Spinnet and some of you know me and others do not. I am here to help you learn for your test at the end of the year and I will not tolerate any failures. Your failure is a direct reflection on my competency and I will not allow you to impact my reputation." Everyone shuddered at that, even Harry.
"Today you will be learning how to make a Strengthening Solution." She cast a writing spell on the chalk and it began to write out the ingredients and the procedures on the board. "Now, a Strengthening Solution is a valuable part of many potions because, as it sounds, its addition to a potion will make it stronger. However, remember the more you add to a potion, the greater chance of making a mistake. A potion is only as good as all of its ingredients.
"The Strengthening Solution is even more important to get right because it requires a few days of maturation before it is considered finished. If you make a mistake before you set it aside to mature, then you will not know until minimum three days later, wasting all that effort and time and material. Can someone tell me what is an ingredient that all maturation potions share?"
"Tentacula leaves," Hermione said when Alicia pointed at her raised hand.
"Exactly. If you see that as an ingredient in a potion, assume that it requires some time to mature. Does changing the state of the leaf change things?"
"It changes how long you need to mature it for," Harry said when she pointed at him. "Dried leaves mature faster, fresh leaves mature slower, and powdered leaves mature fastest?"
"Correct. Even slicing or dicing the leaves can change the timing but on a smaller scale than how fresh the leaf is." She lectured for a few more minutes, pointing out the tricker parts of the process, and then set them off to work.
"You really need to be more organized," she said to the first student she spoke to. "You set things down all at random. I've seen you take longer to hunt for your tools than you actually brewing them. Put things down in the same place every time and you will be a lot more efficient Scruffy."
"I have a name," he said petulantly.
"I know. It's Scruffy. If and when you no longer are Scruffy, then I will bother learning your name."
She walked on, looking at the girl with the strong perfume. The student was smelling the ingredients and had the grace to look abashed at Alicia's attention. Alicia only nodded however and kept moving.
Blaise looked nervous when Alicia stopped in front of him but he continued to prepare his ingredients. "For someone so well dressed, you do not seem to care for your equipment nearly as well," Alicia remarked.
"What do you mean?" Blaise asked, frowning.
"That knife of yours is so dull, it looks like it only talks about Quidditch." She ignored Harry looking at her indignantly. "A dull knife is a hazard. More force to cut means when your hand slips, you will hurt yourself a lot worse than a sharp knife." She took the knife from him and ran her wand tip over the edge, then handed it back.
His eyebrows rose as he cut through his leaves with far less effort. "Oh, well, yeah that makes a difference. Thank you."
She homed in on someone humming. "What are you doing?"
"Hu-humming?" the student replied, afraid.
"Do not do that. Humming and whistling and singing eliminate a very valuable resource." Alicia tapped her ear. "The more senses you use, the better your work."
"Really?" the student asked incredulously.
Alicia pointed. "That person has their fire too high; their potion is bubbling rapidly instead of simmering. That one just added pepperpods, you can hear them snap and pop in the potion. He's chopping the ginger roots because they are more fibrous and cut with a specific snap." She pointed to the one she caught eating. "And that's Instructor Bitch to you Sir Eats-Inappropriately."
He choked at her words and shrank away from her pointing finger.
At the end of class, she had everyone bring their vials up. "Well done overall. Now, we wait for them to mature and the next class period we will use this as our base to continue. By then we will see if you were successful or not in making a proper base. I also expect a twelve-inch essay on the properties of Strengthening Solutions including how they strengthen another potion."
"When is it due?"
"The next time I teach."
"When is that?"
Alicia's smile was all teeth. "The next time you see me here instead of Professor Snape." The bell rang and every student except for Harry, Daphne, and Hermione rushed to clean their stations and ran, though Blaise was more sedate than the rest. The other three took their time and soon it was just them and Alicia in the classroom. When the last of the running footsteps faded, Alicia cackled.
"That wasn't very nice," Hermione said but she was giggling too. She hugged the girl fondly.
"No it wasn't," Alicia laughed. "But it was funny and I'm not wrong."
"And I thought Professor Snape as he was before was cruel," Daphne said almost admiringly.
"Oh I wasn't cruel. Next time when I see some poorly made bases, I'll be cruel. I was merely unpleasant and blunt today." Alicia's smile turned soft and she hugged Harry tightly. "How's my baby bird?"
"Happy to see you," Harry said and hugged her hard. He ignored Daphne's delighted look at the nickname. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming and guest teaching?"
"I wanted it to be a surprise," Alicia said. "I'm glad all the years I tutored you didn't go to waste."
"She taught you like that for years?" Daphne asked, mildly horrified.
"She was nicer to me the first couple years," Harry said, "before I got used to her."
"I'm always nice to you," she sniffed. "Nicer than how I treat most people anyways. How does the rest of your day look?"
"I'm pretty much done. Need to drop a few things off at the Prefects' offices and double check a schedule but done."
"Good! You can entertain me then."
"I'll drop the things off for you," Hermione said. "It's on the way to Professor Vector's office anyways. Daphne and I need to talk to her about a few Arithmancy things. You spend time with Alicia but I want to chat with her later."
"I'm not leaving until tomorrow and like I said, I'll be back in three days so we'll visit tonight if not then too."
"You said you would be back in three days?" Daphne asked.
"I did say in the beginning that the solution base needs three days to mature."
Daphne laughed. "You are diabolical."
Alicia buffed her fingernails. "I make it look good."
Harry and Alicia walked down the hall, her arm tucked into his, and he led her towards his shared dorm. "Where are you staying?" he asked.
"I'll get a room at the Three Broomsticks. I could Floo back and forth but I figured I can be lazy and stay overnight and teach the sixth years tomorrow morning before leaving."
"Want to stay with me and Hermione? I can ask Professor McGonagall. You can sleep in my bed and I'll take the couch or something."
"I would love that! Plus you can feed me. I'm so jealous you have a kitchen and a private dorm." Her eyes softened. "You don't mind?"
"I want you to. It'll be fun to chat and catch up and you and Hermione can chat too."
She squeezed his arm. "Good. I've missed you Harry. Letters are all fine and good of course but still, it's nice to see you." They walked on for a bit before she hesitated. "I have something I want to tell you anyways. Not many know this so do feel flattered that I'm telling you."
Harry looked down at her. "Aww, thanks. Is it a boy or a girl?"
Alicia stopped and stared up at him. He could see the gears working in her head and her face drained of color.
"Wait. Seriously?" he said after a moment of awkward silence.
Alicia counted off on her fingers, muttering. "No, I didn't miss the potion or the charm." She looked at him sharply. "Cast a diagnostic on me."
"Really?!"
"Yes, now. You're better at them and I need to be sure."
Feeling incredibly awkward with a flaming red face, he complied. He breathed a deep sigh of relief. "No, you're not pregnant."
"Are you sure?"
He cast it again. "Yup, I'm sure."
Alicia too breathed a deep sigh of relief, her whole body almost slumping with escaped tension. Then her face was the picture of wrath and she stomped hard on Harry's foot. She grabbed his arm and started punching his shoulder as he yelped. "You. Absolute. ARSE! HARRY JAMES POTTER I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
Harry danced in place, trying to escape the iron-hard grip she had on his arm. "I was kidding!" he yelled. "It was a joke!"
"Dare I ask what is going on?"
They turned in place to look at a deeply amused McGonagall standing there, not even trying to hide her faint smile. "I hope this is not some form of punishment for not performing well in class."
"No Professor," Harry said, his face still red, his arm and foot throbbing. "I, uh, made a joke that was poorly received."
"Harry somehow convinced me that there was a chance that I was…pregnant," Alicia said, her own face scarlet.
McGonagall let out a sudden burst of laughter before turning it into a cough. "Mister Potter!" she scolded unconvincingly. "You never make that kind of joke at a lady's expense!"
"Yeah, learned that lesson," Harry muttered. "Oh, Professor, is it okay if Alicia stays in the castle tonight as a guest? We wanted to ask your permission."
"Staying in your shared dorm?" McGonagall chuckled. "And you feel brave enough to ask after your faux pas?"
"It'll give her a chance to get her revenge," Harry said weakly.
"Indeed. Well, I suppose I should allow it so she can properly educate you. I do hope you learned your lesson Mister Potter. Good to see you, Miss Spinnet. I am excited to hear more of your time as a Student Instructor." Her mouth was trembling and McGonagall made a hasty retreat. As she disappeared around the corner, Harry and Alicia could hear her whoop with laughter, loudly and merrily.
"I've never heard her laugh like that before," Harry said, his pain momentarily forgotten.
Alicia nodded, also surprised. Then she growled and poked him deeply in the side. "You are going to make me so much food tonight. You prat!"
He limped, hugging Alicia and grunting at her elbow pokes and shin kicks. "I was going to anyways! I'm really sorry but I mean, I didn't think you'd take me seriously."
"You and your stupid honest face," she griped. "Made me actually consider the possibility. You're terrible. Awful. You're worse than the twins!"
"Hey, that's not true."
"Okay fine, you're not. I hate you."
"But I love you," he said plaintively, batting his eyes at her.
She sniffed. "Okay fine, maybe I love you too but I hate you."
"You know damn well if I did that to Angelina you'd be rolling on the ground laughing and suggesting baby names."
Alicia sighed. "Yeah, you're right. Dash it all." She glared at him. "I'm not telling you the actual secret then."
"Hold that thought," he said when they reached the Heads' dorm and he led her inside. Alicia wandered about the kitchen and the large common room, admiring the space and the view out the window, inspecting the bookshelves. She gleefully rummaged through Harry's room and wrote Katie a message on the candle.
"This is very nice," she said as she flopped on the couch, after unshrinking her luggage and changing into more comfortable clothing. "Too bad Katie's not here to enjoy it with you."
"Yeah," Harry agreed with a chuckle. He sat beside her and looked at her inquisitively.
"No, not telling, you lost your chance."
He gave her the look.
She looked away. "Nope, not telling."
"Luckily Angelina told me a way to get you to talk."
"You wouldn't," she said and then squeaked when Harry flopped down on her. "Get off me!" she laughed, slapping at his arms and back.
"She said you'd cave eventually," Harry said as he wriggled down, smushing her into the couch.
"Alright get off! I'll tell!" She pushed him off, laughing. She brushed her hair back. "You don't deserve to know, you brute." She sighed and fished a thin gold chain from around her neck, revealing a ring on the end of it.
Harry gasped with delight as he watched her take it off the chain and slip it on her left ring finger. "Congratulations!" he cheered loudly, pulling her into a hug. "That's so exciting!"
Alicia teared up and blushed but her smile was huge. "I knew you'd be like this," she said happily. "That's why I wanted to tell you!" She frowned. "Did Oliver tell you?"
He shook his head. "He told me he knew you were the one a while ago but never told me more." He held her hand and looked at the ring. It was a slim silver band with a brilliant diamond set in the middle, flanked by two small sapphires. "It's beautiful," he said in wonder.
"It was one of his mother's rings actually," Alicia said. "When I was little, I said it was the prettiest ring she had. She let me wear it whenever I visited their home. Once she tried to give it to me but I felt like I didn't deserve it. She told me I did but one day it will be even better and I sort of forgot about it until he proposed."
"That's so romantic," Harry said dreamily.
"It is, isn't it?" Alicia said, her face shining. "Apparently Oliver remembered and he asked his mum for the ring, saying he'd buy it from her. She gave it to him and said she wanted me to have it and that she'd be honored. He had it resized for me and had the gems polished and everything."
"Have you two decided on a date?" Harry asked eagerly.
"Not for a while yet. I still have another year or two before I complete my mastery. He proposed to me because he wanted to and to get his teammates off his back about carousing and whoring about. Plus now he can avoid his more amorous fans." Alicia looked down at the sparkling ring.
"I think it's wonderful," Harry said sincerely.
"I know, and I wanted you to know soonest because you helped me realize what I wanted all those years ago. Without you and talking to you, I would have done what my family wanted, not what I wanted. So, I guess, I have you to thank for this being possible."
He hugged her to him and she wrapped her arms around his chest as she snuggled close. "You would have gotten there without me," he said.
"I don't think so. I think I would have ignored what I wanted to be that proper Spinnet. I would have done my duty and been miserable." She sniffled slightly. "My life would have been so different and I doubt better than what it is now, what it could be."
"May I ask how your family is taking it?"
She snorted. "Tyler doesn't care really and I don't care what he thinks. Mother is unhappy, complaining about lost opportunities. She keeps thinking I'll change my mind." She resisted the urge to spit and felt better when Harry hugged her tighter. "Father's fine with it. He gave Oliver his blessing when he asked, and well, that's all that matters. I will make my own way in the world and that's fine." She smiled grimly. "Actually, I already have a little. Mistress Castor denied Tyler a spot in her program. Apparently, he was the wrong kind of Spinnet when he interviewed and she rejected him. When she interviewed me, she said she liked me and accepting me was her way of telling Tyler and Mother to shove off."
"You're my favorite Spinnet," Harry said firmly.
Alicia felt warm. "I'm the only Spinnet you know," she grumbled.
"Doesn't mean you're not my favorite."
She sighed happily, snuggling closer.
"Am I really one of the first to know?" Harry asked with delight.
"Yup! Oliver wanted to tell you but I said I wanted to. I'm writing to Angelina later and Katie. Oliver is telling the twins and Percy. I'll tell Hermione tonight." She squeezed him. "You'll be a part of the bridal party of course."
"I will?!"
"You better be! If you're not a groomsman you'll be a bridesman or however that works."
"I'll wear witch dress robes," he said without hesitation.
Alicia laughed and laughed. "You're the best, baby bird."
"I'm so happy for you two," Harry said. "You two are just wonderful together."
She snorted. "I spent years trying to think he wasn't who I wanted. His mother knew of course, said she knew from the moment we first met."
"You're so cute."
She poked him. "You take that back."
"You two are so adorable!"
The portrait door opened and Hermione walked in, stopping when she saw Alicia smothering Harry with a pillow. "What did he do now?" she asked, amused.
"He said I was cute and adorable," Alicia growled, leaning down on the pillow. "Oh, I'm staying for the night by the way."
"Lovely! It'll be nice to catch up," Hermione said and sat across from them, making no effort to stop the smothering. "Are you okay Harry?"
Harry lifted his thumb up.
"Clearly I am doing a poor job," Alicia said and redoubled her efforts.
-0-0-0-
DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - No, he's just being a Worrier as per usual. He won't do anything about it but worry. Maybe that'll be a fun bonus chapter, Harry going mad with power as Captain. In a few chapters I show a different side of him that I hope will be well received.
yogibears - Thank you, I thought that would be a fun dichotomy between Katie's moment and Harry's. Hedwig always steals the chapter if she's in it. As she should. I think Harry is one of those people that will miic the good qualities of the people he knows, hence being a combined form of those that he admires and looks up to.
alix33 - Hedwig mooning is always funny.
Thespianpoet - Thank you so much. I always enjoy seeing your binge reviews. Really helps me through the day. A fun fact for you, I just finished my next project today, a whole new fanfic that is contained in 5 lengthy chapters so do look forward to that. I thought it would be fun for Katie to be the forgetful one as a twist on the usual trope. And Luna licking and giving Harry the look was one of my favorite ideas for a long time. And I always liked the idea of her being an artist and magical art showing would be so cool.
I'm glad you enjoyed Katie's prank. I was cackling while writing it. Bailey is such a fun character too. I had her in the pocket ever since that throwaway comment way back in the first Christmas chapter and decided to flesh her out a little. I'll never get tired of writing for Dora. I have another short fic idea with her and it'll be a bit of a crack but I'll have to see if I can execute it well.
I really am glad people liked Daphne and Tracy learning about his past like that. I had hoped keeping them in the dark and then revealing things in this way would be really touching and satisfying to see. I didn't want to drench the end of this fic in misery, but it felt right to show him grow and to show him see his past from another angle. Glad you liked it too.
slytherinsal - I've never heard of cheese dreams before today, had to look them up, and want to try them.
hypnoticageregression - Thank you.
Urgwaew - Thank you so much. Hope you can keep up the pace and do well and I'm glad to help in my small way.
I think the idea of Magicals not knowing a lot of Muggle foods to be really funny. It seems silly but it's one of those touches of surreal realism that I think people can identify with. We will have to see if your guess sense is accurate or not. I'm glad you find Ron reasonable. I tried my hardest to not bash people in this fic, wanted things to feel plausible enough. I'm glad it shows.
Poor Papa Professor Potter.
Best of luck to you.