"If you want to view paradise, simply look around and view it. Anything you want to do it. Want to change the world? There's nothing to it."
-Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Chapter Fourteen
The days passed to weeks and the weeks to months and soon it was nearing the end of the school year. Sixth years and seventh years were cramming in their last few weeks of studying before the OWLS and NEWTS tests while the younger grades hurried to complete their end of the year assignments and study for their end of the year testing. My mornings were spent attending classes, my afternoons working with Professor Snape and our experiments, and my nights were reserved specifically for Draco Malfoy.
Every Friday night around midnight, Draco was forced to leave the security of Hogwarts where upon he would meet his father and fellow Death Eaters. Although Draco would not tell me exactly the things forced upon him, I knew that whatever Lucius was making him do, it was draining the life out of him. Often times he would stop in my room early in the morning hurt and physically exhausted. My roommates never asked questions as to why there was a Slytherin passed out on my bed almost every Saturday morning and for that I am very grateful. When Draco would arise a few hours later his eyes were often glazed over and he avoided my questions about where he was and what they were doing to him. He never wanted to talk about the awful things they made him do and deep down I wasn't sure I wanted to know either.
Sometime after the fourth weekend I talked to Professor Snape about the conditions as to which Draco was returning from. He was very helpful and gave me a few potions that would ease some of Draco's pain, for I was sure at some points they were using the Cruciatus Curse on him, and some sleep draughts so that he wouldn't be plagued with nightmares of the past. Speaking of Death Eaters, Voldemort has now exceeded his full power and war between 'good' and 'evil' has officially been called. Thousands of Aurors, Muggles, Muggle-born witches and wizards, and even regular Witch and Wizard families have died in the crossfire. Snape's act as a double agent for Dumbledore is more strained now than ever before. One small mess up on his part could cost him his life and possibly the lives of others that are helping him.
"Professor? Where is the lacewig? Cauldron two is almost ready for it and I still can't figure out your filing technique." I asked the dark haired professor. It was Thursday and tomorrow Draco would be leaving again to go on his 'trip' to see his father. I hated Thursday's because it was always a reminder that tomorrow something awful was going to happen at Draco's hands and yet there was nothing he nor I could do about it.
"Second cabinet on your left, fourth shelf, near the back. It should be in a small clear bottle with a green tag on it." Came the reply from Snape's office. While I watched the potions, he was busy going through possible ingredients in his private storage area.
"The potion in cauldron 5, if the results go correctly, what color should it be? The book says it should turn red but our research and papers say that it should become a dark blue?" I yelled just as he was entering the room carrying three medium sized white bottles.
"I trust our discoveries more so than a book written ten years ago. It should be a dark blue and very...potent." He added as a last comment.
"What are in the bottles, Professor?" I asked him.
"They're the ingredients I need for the Wolfsbane potion for Professor Lupin. Now I trust that while I start his potion you will continue to look after the five cauldrons?" He asked. I nodded my head yes, and added a small sigh just for effect. He knew I was capable of watching and working with his equipment and ingredients, he just liked to threaten me for kicks I imagine.
As I was stirring cauldron two I glanced at today's article for the Daily Prophet. I gasped as I read the first line of the front page.
"Professor!" I shrieked as loud as I could.
"You have to see this." I added, not in the same tone as the first though.
"What is it?" He came rushing back as fast as he could while carrying one of the small white bottles without the lid on top.
"Look." I nearly whispered as I pointed to the front page.
Pettigrew killed by Ministry officials. Black pardoned.
"Sirius is free..." I commented, more so to myself than to Snape.
I glanced over but I could not read the expression on his face. It was totally void of any emotion whatsoever. Having overheard a conversation between my brother and his friends, I found out about Severus's and Sirius's past history. I knew Black was innocent and was on the run from the Ministry since my second year of Hogwarts, and I know how he is Harry's godfather and that for the past few years they have been conversing via owl post. He was supposedly last stationed in Swiss Alps and has been there for the last year and a half now.
"I wonder if Harry knows?" I said a few moments later.
"I'm sure Mr. Potter was sent an immediate owl post regarding his godfathers current situation. I would not be surprised if Black was on his way to Hogwarts right this instant to see him. Now, we must get back to work Miss Weasley." He said while turning to go in the direction of his office once again.
"Professor?" I called out thinking he was already a good few feet away, however I miscalculated and as I whipped around my arm collided with Snape's elbow and the contents of the small white bottle he was carrying fell silently into the nearest cauldron.
"Fool! Miss Weasley do you know what you have done! That was the last of that particular species of dragon's blood in the country! Now I'm going to have to special order another case in time to finish Lupins potion!" He shouted angrily at me. However my mind was not in his insults or the rant he was giving. It was on the cauldron where the dragons blood was dropped in to.
Just then there was a knocking on the dungeon doors. Snape, in his fowl mood, strolled over to the door and yanked it open.
"Headmaster." Snape said as Dumbledore strode quickly into the room.
"Severus there is an emergency. Classes are to be canceled at least for the remainder of the week and a meeting is to be called for the staff tonight after dinner."
"What about Sirius, I'm sure you have heard the news of his recent pardoned?" He asked his advisor. I glanced over for just a split second to smile an acknowledgement to the Headmaster before returning to the bubbling cauldron before me.
"He is here and safe for now. I must be gone now, I will see you soon enough." And with that the Headmaster left in a flurry of blue robes and long gray hair.
"Now Miss Weasley, as I was saying..."
"Professor...what color was cauldron five supposed to turn into again?" I asked, not even recognizing my own voice for a moment.
"Dark blue Miss Weasley...now...wait, why?" He asked.
"Sir...the dragons blood...it turned the contents of cauldron five...a dark blue..." I replied in a low voice.
"What curse are we testing for cauldron five, Virginia?" He asked in a bit of shock.
"It's the Avada Kedavra Curse sir..."
