The Best Ferret Ever!
Chapter One
Saiyan Princess
This is sort of a rushed first chapter. It will get better...hopefully.
"Look! Another threat!" called George merrily, pointing to the "sky" of the
dining room.
Magical words had appeared. They read:
"Slytherin, Slytherin, you shall pay for every sin."
It was the third threat to Slytherin in the past two weeks. Harry glanced
over at the Slytherin table. They all looked very nervous. Everyone else
looked amused. Snape was smoldering with ire, whispering angrily to
Dumbledore, who did not look particularly worried. Ron nudged Harry in the
ribs and nodded towards the Slytherin table. Draco Malfoy was pointing at
Harry while talking with the students around him.
"Great," muttered Harry. "Just what I need."
"This is the only class the Slytherins seem relaxed in," Ron whispered to
Harry one day in Potions. "I guess they figure Snape is the only teacher
who would be willing to protect them if they were attacked. Can you imagine
any other teacher truly trying to save Draco?"
Harry giggled, imagining McGonagall languidly raising her wand to save Draco
from the clutches of some horrible monster. Ten points were taken from
Gryffindor. When the class ended, the Gryffindors hurried out while the
Slytherins took their time. Snape stood in the doorway and watched them
until they disappeared down the hallway.
The next morning, Fred and George scurried over to Harry, Ron, and Hermione,
laughing.
"Did you hear about what happened in Slytherin last night?" asked Fred, his
eyes gleeful.
"No. Was there another threat?" asked Ron hopefully.
George laughed.
"A few Slytherin first-year boys woke up the entire house screaming at one
in the morning. They were so upset Snape had to come over. He searched their
room for half an hour and found..." George paused dramatically, and gave
Fred the floor.
"A cricket," announced Fred.
Ron and Harry laughed, but Hermione gave them a disdainful look.
"Even if they are Slytherins," she said, "They're still only first-years.
Wouldn't you be scared?"
"Aw Hermione," sighed Fred. "You're no fun."
"Where's Hermione?" asked Ron as they entered the dining room.
"I don't know," replied Harry. "She might be in the library."
Everyone sat down, ready to eat, but nervous whispers were heard from the
Slytherin table.
"Why are they upset now?" moaned Ron. "There isn't even a threat today."
Just then, at the teachers' table, Snape stood.
"Does anyone know the whereabouts of Mr. Malfoy?" he asked gravely.
Everyone's eyes darted toward the empty chair at the Slytherins' table.
Pansy Parkinson seemed close to tears.
"We just saw him Professor," said Goyle. "We were in the owlery. He was
sending out his owl, but its foot was tangled in some string, and he just
said he'd be on his way."
Snape glanced at Dumbledore, who nodded. The Potions Master started to leave
the table, but Hermione came rushing in.
"I found this ferret!" she cried, approaching the teachers. "I think it's
injured."
The little white ferret in Hermione's hands was trembling stiffly, and its
eyes were clenched shut. The room became very silent.
"Miss Granger," began Professor McGonagall. "Where exactly did you find this
ferret?"
Hermione glanced around her, confused by the tension in the room.
"It was near the owlery."
The room exploded into whispers, but they stopped when Snape reached out and
took the distraught animal from the bewildered girl. He placed it between
himself and McGonagall. Haltingly, the little while ferret crawled over to
McGonagall's plate, raised a paw, and carved "D M" into her mashed potatoes.
"It is him, Severus," said the Transfiguration expert, her voice loud in the
hushed room. "I'd bet anything it's Animalis."
"I'd bet anything it's Animalis-Doloris," Snape replied tersely.
"Oh no. You're probably right."
Snape lifted the ferret and left the table, McGonagall in tow.
"Someone get Poppy," he called over his shoulder. "Tell her we'll need
blood work done."
"I'll get her," offered Flitwick, scurrying off.
"And tell her to hurry," added Snape. "We probably have a Doloris case
here."
"Will do. And you have the stuff for that?"
"Yes. Tell her just to bring the needles and such. Thin needles."
With that, the three house leaders were gone.
Draco lay trembling in Snape's arms. He had never been in such extreme pain
before. Agony shot down his four legs and his chest burned with every
tortured breath. He managed to open one gray eye to see where they were
going: the dungeon. We're going to Snape's office, he realized.
"How is he doing, Severus?"
"Not good. He's starting to hyperventilate."
Soon they were in the Potions classroom and he was placed on Snape's desk.
Madam Pomfrey ran in. The pain was getting worse and soon he was gasping
fruitlessly for air.
"Breathe boy," ordered Madam Pomfrey, preparing a syringe. "In...out..."
Snape was gathering various bottles.
"Minerva," asked the nurse, "would you hold him? Thanks."
Draco squeaked as a needle stabbed him.
"I know that hurts. Severus, is that enough blood?" called Madam Pomfrey.
"That's fine."
The nurse pulled out the needled and handed the vial to Snape, who put a few
drops in one concoction and a few in another. After watching for a few
moments, he sighed.
"Well, it was obvious anyway, but it is definitely Animalis-Doloris."
"I guess we should tell him what that means," said Madam Pomfrey.
The three adults turned towards the ferret on the desk. The women looked at
Snape.
"He's your student," McGonagall pointed out.
Sighing, Snape stepped forward. He had never spoken to a ferret before.
"Mr. Malfoy, you were given a mixture of two potions. The Animalis potion
is what turned you into a ferret, and the Doloris potion is causing the
pain. I have the potions that can cure both of these. However, there is one
problem. Anti-Animalis and the Anti-Doloris potions counteract each other.
They have to be taken two weeks apart. It's just a matter of which to give
you first. I can end the pain, with you staying as a ferret, or I can turn
you back into a human, with the pain remaining. I think we'd better end the
pain."
The ferret nodded weakly. Snape turned away to prepare the Anti-Doloris
potion.
"Could one of you weigh him?" he asked.
McGonagall lifted the ferret and placed him on a cold brass scale. Draco
whimpered, hating to be moved. While Snape quickly but steadily created the
potion, Madam Pomfrey retrieved some rags from a nearby supply closest and
wrapped the shivering ferret in them. Draco hoped the potion would be ready
soon. The agony was making his head spin. Finally, Snape measured out the
correct amount of Anti-Doloris in an eyedropper. Madam Pomfrey fed it the
shaking ferret. The relief was immediate. It felt so good that Draco wanted
to cry. He took several deep breaths, but when he tried to stand his legs
gave out.
"Not so fast," scolded Madam Pomfrey. "Leg weakness is an effect of
Doloris." She turned to the two house leaders. "Let's take him up to
hospital ward. I'll tape his legs."
Draco was carried again, this time to the infirmary. On the way Snape
explained that he would have attacks of pain randomly in the next two weeks,
but the pain would become less intense over time.
"They're like little polo wraps," commented McGonagall once Madam Pomfrey
had finished bandaging Draco's legs.
"Severus, he's going to need constant supervision. An attack could come at
any time. I can't do that during the day with all the patients I get. If
you and your students watch him all day, at least during these first days,
I can keep him here at night."
"That's fine."
"Good. Right now, however, he needs sleep."
Snape and McGonagall entered the dining hall just as dessert was being
served. Immediately, talk flared up again. Dumbledore silenced the students,
who looked at the two professors expectantly.
"Well?" cried a tearful Pansy. "Is he all right?"
"He'll be fine," replied Snape firmly.
"Who did it?" called another student.
McGonagall and Snape looked at each other. They had been so preoccupied with
Draco that they hadn't even thought about that.
"We don't know," answered McGonagall.
More to come!
Chapter One
Saiyan Princess
This is sort of a rushed first chapter. It will get better...hopefully.
"Look! Another threat!" called George merrily, pointing to the "sky" of the
dining room.
Magical words had appeared. They read:
"Slytherin, Slytherin, you shall pay for every sin."
It was the third threat to Slytherin in the past two weeks. Harry glanced
over at the Slytherin table. They all looked very nervous. Everyone else
looked amused. Snape was smoldering with ire, whispering angrily to
Dumbledore, who did not look particularly worried. Ron nudged Harry in the
ribs and nodded towards the Slytherin table. Draco Malfoy was pointing at
Harry while talking with the students around him.
"Great," muttered Harry. "Just what I need."
"This is the only class the Slytherins seem relaxed in," Ron whispered to
Harry one day in Potions. "I guess they figure Snape is the only teacher
who would be willing to protect them if they were attacked. Can you imagine
any other teacher truly trying to save Draco?"
Harry giggled, imagining McGonagall languidly raising her wand to save Draco
from the clutches of some horrible monster. Ten points were taken from
Gryffindor. When the class ended, the Gryffindors hurried out while the
Slytherins took their time. Snape stood in the doorway and watched them
until they disappeared down the hallway.
The next morning, Fred and George scurried over to Harry, Ron, and Hermione,
laughing.
"Did you hear about what happened in Slytherin last night?" asked Fred, his
eyes gleeful.
"No. Was there another threat?" asked Ron hopefully.
George laughed.
"A few Slytherin first-year boys woke up the entire house screaming at one
in the morning. They were so upset Snape had to come over. He searched their
room for half an hour and found..." George paused dramatically, and gave
Fred the floor.
"A cricket," announced Fred.
Ron and Harry laughed, but Hermione gave them a disdainful look.
"Even if they are Slytherins," she said, "They're still only first-years.
Wouldn't you be scared?"
"Aw Hermione," sighed Fred. "You're no fun."
"Where's Hermione?" asked Ron as they entered the dining room.
"I don't know," replied Harry. "She might be in the library."
Everyone sat down, ready to eat, but nervous whispers were heard from the
Slytherin table.
"Why are they upset now?" moaned Ron. "There isn't even a threat today."
Just then, at the teachers' table, Snape stood.
"Does anyone know the whereabouts of Mr. Malfoy?" he asked gravely.
Everyone's eyes darted toward the empty chair at the Slytherins' table.
Pansy Parkinson seemed close to tears.
"We just saw him Professor," said Goyle. "We were in the owlery. He was
sending out his owl, but its foot was tangled in some string, and he just
said he'd be on his way."
Snape glanced at Dumbledore, who nodded. The Potions Master started to leave
the table, but Hermione came rushing in.
"I found this ferret!" she cried, approaching the teachers. "I think it's
injured."
The little white ferret in Hermione's hands was trembling stiffly, and its
eyes were clenched shut. The room became very silent.
"Miss Granger," began Professor McGonagall. "Where exactly did you find this
ferret?"
Hermione glanced around her, confused by the tension in the room.
"It was near the owlery."
The room exploded into whispers, but they stopped when Snape reached out and
took the distraught animal from the bewildered girl. He placed it between
himself and McGonagall. Haltingly, the little while ferret crawled over to
McGonagall's plate, raised a paw, and carved "D M" into her mashed potatoes.
"It is him, Severus," said the Transfiguration expert, her voice loud in the
hushed room. "I'd bet anything it's Animalis."
"I'd bet anything it's Animalis-Doloris," Snape replied tersely.
"Oh no. You're probably right."
Snape lifted the ferret and left the table, McGonagall in tow.
"Someone get Poppy," he called over his shoulder. "Tell her we'll need
blood work done."
"I'll get her," offered Flitwick, scurrying off.
"And tell her to hurry," added Snape. "We probably have a Doloris case
here."
"Will do. And you have the stuff for that?"
"Yes. Tell her just to bring the needles and such. Thin needles."
With that, the three house leaders were gone.
Draco lay trembling in Snape's arms. He had never been in such extreme pain
before. Agony shot down his four legs and his chest burned with every
tortured breath. He managed to open one gray eye to see where they were
going: the dungeon. We're going to Snape's office, he realized.
"How is he doing, Severus?"
"Not good. He's starting to hyperventilate."
Soon they were in the Potions classroom and he was placed on Snape's desk.
Madam Pomfrey ran in. The pain was getting worse and soon he was gasping
fruitlessly for air.
"Breathe boy," ordered Madam Pomfrey, preparing a syringe. "In...out..."
Snape was gathering various bottles.
"Minerva," asked the nurse, "would you hold him? Thanks."
Draco squeaked as a needle stabbed him.
"I know that hurts. Severus, is that enough blood?" called Madam Pomfrey.
"That's fine."
The nurse pulled out the needled and handed the vial to Snape, who put a few
drops in one concoction and a few in another. After watching for a few
moments, he sighed.
"Well, it was obvious anyway, but it is definitely Animalis-Doloris."
"I guess we should tell him what that means," said Madam Pomfrey.
The three adults turned towards the ferret on the desk. The women looked at
Snape.
"He's your student," McGonagall pointed out.
Sighing, Snape stepped forward. He had never spoken to a ferret before.
"Mr. Malfoy, you were given a mixture of two potions. The Animalis potion
is what turned you into a ferret, and the Doloris potion is causing the
pain. I have the potions that can cure both of these. However, there is one
problem. Anti-Animalis and the Anti-Doloris potions counteract each other.
They have to be taken two weeks apart. It's just a matter of which to give
you first. I can end the pain, with you staying as a ferret, or I can turn
you back into a human, with the pain remaining. I think we'd better end the
pain."
The ferret nodded weakly. Snape turned away to prepare the Anti-Doloris
potion.
"Could one of you weigh him?" he asked.
McGonagall lifted the ferret and placed him on a cold brass scale. Draco
whimpered, hating to be moved. While Snape quickly but steadily created the
potion, Madam Pomfrey retrieved some rags from a nearby supply closest and
wrapped the shivering ferret in them. Draco hoped the potion would be ready
soon. The agony was making his head spin. Finally, Snape measured out the
correct amount of Anti-Doloris in an eyedropper. Madam Pomfrey fed it the
shaking ferret. The relief was immediate. It felt so good that Draco wanted
to cry. He took several deep breaths, but when he tried to stand his legs
gave out.
"Not so fast," scolded Madam Pomfrey. "Leg weakness is an effect of
Doloris." She turned to the two house leaders. "Let's take him up to
hospital ward. I'll tape his legs."
Draco was carried again, this time to the infirmary. On the way Snape
explained that he would have attacks of pain randomly in the next two weeks,
but the pain would become less intense over time.
"They're like little polo wraps," commented McGonagall once Madam Pomfrey
had finished bandaging Draco's legs.
"Severus, he's going to need constant supervision. An attack could come at
any time. I can't do that during the day with all the patients I get. If
you and your students watch him all day, at least during these first days,
I can keep him here at night."
"That's fine."
"Good. Right now, however, he needs sleep."
Snape and McGonagall entered the dining hall just as dessert was being
served. Immediately, talk flared up again. Dumbledore silenced the students,
who looked at the two professors expectantly.
"Well?" cried a tearful Pansy. "Is he all right?"
"He'll be fine," replied Snape firmly.
"Who did it?" called another student.
McGonagall and Snape looked at each other. They had been so preoccupied with
Draco that they hadn't even thought about that.
"We don't know," answered McGonagall.
More to come!