Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the Harry Potter-verse, even the apprenticeship thing isn't mine; I first read it in The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Jacquez. The story is really good, so I strongly suggest you go read it: http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=687280
Chapter 3: Answers Never Come Easy, Part I
"Poppy!" I ordered rather than asked as I ran into the hospital wing. As always, Poppy was by my side in an instant, though this was one of the few times I was glad about it. I was also glad that she didn't notice the look of worry on my face, before I covered it with indifference and annoyance.
"Again? I thought I wouldn't have to treat him anymore now that you-know-who is gone!" She exclaimed as she motioned me to set him on the nearest bed. After doing so she started to mumble some spells and her eyes flicked around at different charts that appeared in the air. "Humph." She exhaled after a short time, putting her hands on her hips as she looked over all the charts again. "Severus…"
"Oh, come now! Does it really take that much brain power to finish a question?" I snapped.
"It's just- well- Severus, what happened?" She was obviously confused, and obviously was loosing her touch.
"So now you can't even tell when someone's unconscious? Tsk, tsk, Poppy, I expected more." She turned at my malediction, and started with a huff.
"Well, maybe you can help explain his symptoms then, Sevreus? His esophagus is a wreck, I would be surprised if he could have eaten at all with it so raw like that, and since he is moderately under weight I assume he didn't. His life energy levels are quite depleted which must be why he blacked out. The thing I'm most worried about is that the toxin levels in his blood are much too high, and his liver is not at all what it should be."
"A potion, probably a poison." I responded simply.
"Well, of course I thought of that," I scoffed, 'how clever of you' "but who would poison him? He doesn't have any enemies left, does he?" 'One. Himself.' I concluded, but instead of wasting my time going into Potter's pathetic life story, I shrugged indifferently.
"How much of that can you heal?" I asked casually, motioning at the floating charts behind her. She turned around and once again studied the multicoloured lines and graphs.
"I can fix his esophagus, mostly, but he will probably be on soft foods for a week. The weight and energy will have to be regained naturally, but it shouldn't be too much of a problem. The toxins on the other hand…" she waved away all except one chart, enlarged it, and resumed reading. "I'm sorry to say, but I don't know. It depends on the type, but these are being very stubborn little things and just won't let me identify them. I won't know how to deal with them until I can get a sample of the poison. If an antidote was made, then it would be even simpler." She implied, trying to be subtle but, of course, failing miserably.
"Are you asking me to go through Potter's things, looking for a trace of the potion, and then waste my free time making an antidote?" I asked annoyed.
"Under the circumstances, yes." She replied firmly.
"Gladly." I sneered and then promptly left to go to my chambers.
"Oh, and Severus, don't worry, I'll inform you as soon as he wakes up." She added cheekily as I slammed the door behind me. 'Infernal woman.'
"So, where do you keep your supply?" I asked the air in Potter's chambers, I wasn't at all concerned by the fact that I was going to go through his things without permission, being an apprentice's master did have its …perks. I walked over to the desk in the corner of the dark little room (that's the only way they came in the dungeons), set my wand down, and went about looking for the potion I had seen Potter drink. All I found was a small leather-bound note book which, at a glance, looked to be a journal of sorts. 'What are you, Potter, a twelve year old girl?' I cast the thing aside and strolled over to his wardrobe next to the bed. I didn't expect to find anything of interest in there, so I wasn't surprised when all I found was a pink scarf. 'Did I say twelve? Make it ten.' The trunk at the end of his bed was the last thing to check in the dank room. No surprise, it was locked. Potter enjoyed his privacy almost as much as I did. After a quick inspection I assumed the trunk was password protected. 'No matter, there's more then one way to skin a cat.'
"Accio Wand." To my surprise at my words not only did my wand come to me, but the trunk popped open. 'So you do have a brain after all, Potter. You certainly hide it very well.' Only someone capable of wandless magic would bother calling for their wand, and since Potter had to come to me for training in that area (as well as DADA), it must be a dying talent. The trunk was mostly full of old school things, but at the bottom there was a box. 'A wonderful hiding spot, Potter, really, how clever.' I scorned as I removed the box and laid it on the stone floor. The contents were more or less what I had figured. Tens of little corked vials in a stand, all containing the same fluid I saw Potter drink. I plucked one out of the case and studied it while walking over to my private lab.
Just like before, I didn't recognize the potion. It was a watery, translucent lime-green liquid which stung my nostrils. Still stumped, I decided to use a newly discovered spell which told the caster the exact components of a substance. I pointed my wand at the potion, and said,
"patefacio elementum." A long thin black line emerged from my wand and started writing a long list of ingredients in the air while I copied them down, my mood quickly spiraling downwards with almost every word. Not only could I still not identify the potion, but now that I realized exactly what Potter was using I also knew that the gravity of the situation was much worse then I had thought. The list included all sorts of ingredients, some healing, many extremely powerful, and what scared me the most, some very dark.
I took the completed list to my office and sat down heavily at my desk. I started at once summoning books, cross-referencing and jotting down notes about the ingredients. An hour later all I had written down was rubbish I already knew and all I had concluded was that Potter was a nut case. I leaned back in my chair sighing as I rubbed ever-present words from in front of my eyes. I was getting nowhere and wasting too much time. If Potter had indeed concocted this potion on his own, then he must have written the process down, 'but where?' As soon as I had asked it, I answered it,
"Accio Potter's journal." The book came flying over to me and landed in my lap. "Well, Potter, let's find some incriminating evidence, shall we?" I opened it to the first page, half expecting it to have hearts all over it. Instead it had a simple phrase written in neat handwriting on the middle of the other wise cream coloured page:
Do what you must
"Indeed?" The phrase showed Potter was desperate, not a good sign. This was probably not a journal but a work log, 'We'll see.' I flipped through the pages, each had a potion on it that I recognized, and at the bottom of the page Potter had written little notes either about the potency, the volatility or other aspects of one ingredient or another. I skipped to the back as the beginning was of no use since he obviously wasn't using those potions. The further along in the book I got, the more complex and powerful the potions got, but still all were recognizable. Finally on the last page all the right ingredients were present, and I didn't recognize the potion. I had found it. I settled down to examine the process just when I heard Poppy's voice from the fire.
"Severus! You must bring me some dreamless sleep and calming potions, now! I didn't restock for the summer! Quickly, Severus! Severus?"
"Accio Dreamless Sleep Potion! Accio Placidus Potion!" I commanded, not even breaking stride to catch them or blast the doors open before me.
AN: Okay a short and boring chap… sorry! But I had to! Darn plot… *grumble grumble* I also didn't like this much; I found it was clumsy and kind of choppy. Plus it wasn't coming easy, I could see the story in my head but the words just wouldn't find me … oh well : P The next chap should be out soon… erm… unfortunately there'll be more…dun dun DUNN plot! *ducks behind desk to avoid rotten tomatoes* But the chap after that! Ooo! *grins really evilly* is going to be soo much fun! Mwahahahahahah- *throws her head back in evil laughter, but manages to hit it on the wall behind her* ow. Darn wall. Watch where you're going! Erm… where was I…? Oh right, -ahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!!!! Anyway… review? Please? Pretty please? With Snape on top? (how can you refuse?) Thanks! Now I'm off to go write the next chap…or maybe I'll skip right to the chap after that…*cackles and flies away on her broom stick with little flying platypi following her and that music (da dum da dum da duum dum) in the background*
Thanks for reviewing!:
LegacyLady: Wow! Thank you! Hope this and the next chap don't dowse that dynamite… although the chap after that should still be able to light it… I hope! Also…dun de dun daaa you get a cookie for being the most enthusiastic reviewer this chap!! Yay! *grin*
Lady FoxFire: Sorry… I kinda had to though… erm you see *thinks how to say this with out giving too much away…* well, even if Snape is the only person Potter knows who can do wandless magic d'you think he would ask to be his apprentice if he had a choice? I'm thinking the only way Potter would voluntarily hang around Snape would be if he was the only one left from his past (before Voldemort's rebirth) life… so that means I've got to kill everyone off … which isn't easy to do*sigh* About your wolf… well you see… umm… I could have him just be … away… umm and want to be left alone or something… *sigh* The point is he can't be around. He's gotta be gone, out of the picture. So, I give you the privilege of choosing why, where, etc. … unless you want him to be dead. So just review this chap and tell me, and I'll put it in especially for you? K? ^_^
Deity: *grins* I did? Why thank you! (I absolutely love proving people wrong *evil grin*) Waiting's over!
Charzy: You are? Yay! *grin* Here you go!
Hermionegranger: Thanks! *grin* I should? Okay then, here you are! ^_^
Nicky: Thank you! *grin* I wasn't planning on continuing, but rather developing it in different ways… I might continue though… is there something you had in mind for me to continue on?
Mistress Cresacre: Really? Yay! Okay, it was 'I knew he felt guilty for sending Potter on his first and- his first mission' what happened was that usually that phrase goes 'first and last' right? Well he was going to say that but he was in denial that Potter was dead for Albus' sake so he censored himself and kept it to his first mission. Okay? If not just ask me again… I'm not so great at explaining things, but if there is anything you don't get, anything at all, I'd be more then happy to try to explain it to you ^_^ … as long as it's not a spoiler for the rest of the fic, but then I just won't answer it. Thanks for askin'! *grin* an here's your short-sooner-then-later chap!
Kelzery: Two 'really's!? wow! Thank you! *grin* here you are, as requested!
Otonopaz: Thanks! *grin* .. glad I didn't cut of half way to… *backs up slowly* (he he) Well of course another cliffie! How else am I supposed to end it? As for your questions… thy should be answered soon… if not by the chap 6, ask again an I'll tell (maybe *evil grin*)! Well, here's the chap! Hope your nails didn't get too short! (eep! And I hope this chap is good enough to keep peeves away!)
Warewolf Cub: really? Thank you! In that case, here's more!
Saavik: Sadly yes, I have to, I know I like the old fart too (doesn't everyone?). But he must die (for why read my response to Lady FoxFire) Wow! You can ignore those plot bunnies! Now that's will power! Here's the chap (short and boring as it is *sigh*) and I agree about speculation! It's all part of the fanfic experience!! ^_^
Wink at J00: Of course I like your story! Its really good! I just wish I you could update more… I know! *Sevrin sends her flying platypi to break down Wink at J00's writers block!* Go my pretties! Go! *blink blink* You cried!!! O_O … WOW!!! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!! *dances around and jumps up and down waving her arms frantically in glee* Yeah! Go Sev an Harry fics!!! (I agree about the slash… I mean Sev's old enough to be harry's father(and he usually is anyways)… its kinda creepy) OMG!!! I'm going on your fav story list!!! That is sooooo awesome!!!!!!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Thank you!!! Yippee!! *squeals and does a happy dance* I hope LagcyLady doesn't mind, but you are defiantly getting two, count 'em, TWO
Cookies for that wonderful review!!! THANK YOU!!! *posts review on wall next to other one*
Pinkmoon: I thought so. You're a bit late for chap 3… but how bout chap 4?