Chapter Seven
The secret, well, missing ingredient
The double-potions' class had been going on for sometime. Some of the more advanced students were working on their end of term projects, including, Snape observed, Harry Potter, who had finally begun to take the art of potion-making seriously. He looked at the ingredients on Harry's table where he was working alone: lacewing, belladonna, and unicorn saliva. A few more ingredients, most of them rather exotic, were near at hand too. Severus shook his head sadly. Potter was trying to recreate Peacemaker's Oil by experimentation. He had never told him the final ingredient of the rarely used variant of the potion. A part of him was touched by the gesture, not to mention the effort, which was substantial, and the care that Potter was exercising in brewing the aromatic substance.
As the other students filed out at the end of the period, including Ron and Hermoine, who did not fully understand their friend's recent potion obsession, Snape left his desk and watched Harry as he continued to work, oblivious of the fact that the class had ended. The young man was dedicated, Severus admitted grudgingly.
"Have you no other classes this afternoon, Mister Potter?" he inquired. His tone was not without a certain disguised warmth. It wasn't everyday that a student stayed willingly after class.
Harry looked up slowly from the simmering cauldron and glanced around. The time had gone quickly for him, too quickly, it seemed.
"Professor ... I'm so close. I can feel it."
"Can you now?" asked Snape with a trifle of annoyance in his voice. The boy was still so arrogant.
"I believe I can ..."
Severus looked at the potion and sighed softly to himself. The boy was right: only one thing was missing from the masterfully brewed concoction.
"Ground black pearl, Mister Potter. It is in the pantry, on the top shelf. But do be careful with it. You will recall the effect the potion had upon the stone floor just over there." said Snape, nodding toward a fine groove in the floor of the dungeon.
"Of course, Professor." Harry nodded.
"Bottle a sample for me when you have completed this project." he instructed, turning to leave.
"You won't stay?"
"No, Potter. I dare say I won't."
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A/N: In case, anyone's curious, just one more chapter to go. Thanks for reviewing, snapefan51, SilverWolf, Zardiphillian Beryllix, and What's in a name! Just as a note ... I like nice, neat endings (when I can get them) ...
The secret, well, missing ingredient
The double-potions' class had been going on for sometime. Some of the more advanced students were working on their end of term projects, including, Snape observed, Harry Potter, who had finally begun to take the art of potion-making seriously. He looked at the ingredients on Harry's table where he was working alone: lacewing, belladonna, and unicorn saliva. A few more ingredients, most of them rather exotic, were near at hand too. Severus shook his head sadly. Potter was trying to recreate Peacemaker's Oil by experimentation. He had never told him the final ingredient of the rarely used variant of the potion. A part of him was touched by the gesture, not to mention the effort, which was substantial, and the care that Potter was exercising in brewing the aromatic substance.
As the other students filed out at the end of the period, including Ron and Hermoine, who did not fully understand their friend's recent potion obsession, Snape left his desk and watched Harry as he continued to work, oblivious of the fact that the class had ended. The young man was dedicated, Severus admitted grudgingly.
"Have you no other classes this afternoon, Mister Potter?" he inquired. His tone was not without a certain disguised warmth. It wasn't everyday that a student stayed willingly after class.
Harry looked up slowly from the simmering cauldron and glanced around. The time had gone quickly for him, too quickly, it seemed.
"Professor ... I'm so close. I can feel it."
"Can you now?" asked Snape with a trifle of annoyance in his voice. The boy was still so arrogant.
"I believe I can ..."
Severus looked at the potion and sighed softly to himself. The boy was right: only one thing was missing from the masterfully brewed concoction.
"Ground black pearl, Mister Potter. It is in the pantry, on the top shelf. But do be careful with it. You will recall the effect the potion had upon the stone floor just over there." said Snape, nodding toward a fine groove in the floor of the dungeon.
"Of course, Professor." Harry nodded.
"Bottle a sample for me when you have completed this project." he instructed, turning to leave.
"You won't stay?"
"No, Potter. I dare say I won't."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: In case, anyone's curious, just one more chapter to go. Thanks for reviewing, snapefan51, SilverWolf, Zardiphillian Beryllix, and What's in a name! Just as a note ... I like nice, neat endings (when I can get them) ...