I've had this done for a few days, but I had problems with my internet
connection!! Grr! But all better now! Read on!
AN: Thanks for all the reviews! Thanks to Pleiades for the constructive
criticism (- you'll notice though (from the beginning of the story) that
Rori does not seem to like her name either-in fact I hate it, too. At first
I didn't, but now it's getting on my nerves. I might change it once I'm
finished with the story.
This is quite a long chapter, but it was one of my favorites to write (so far).
The definitions of Wormwood, aconite, etc. are all thanks to Roger Highfield, author of "The Science of Harry Potter: How Magic Really Works." I recommend it because it provides insight to J.K. Rowlings story of our favorite little wizard.
And don't worry fuscia! More Lucius to come! Oh, and I never mentioned Rori's age-mwah hahha. You will find out very soon!
*This goes out to my new friend Blaise Snape! Read her story: A Shadow's Apprentice (under her fanfic name Blaise A. H. Snape).Tell her cranberry sent you!
Rori woke up the next morning with an immense headache. Groggy and swollen- eyed, she rolled out of bed and shuffled her way over to her potion supplies sitting on her desk.
"Now what were the ingredients again? I need to get rid of this hangover! I can't teach in this state!" Rori gasped, "I'm going to be late!" she said, as she looked at the unique clock on the wall: one of the hands was inching its way closer and closer to a slot labeled "You are late!"
"Think fast Rori, think! Ummm, oh that's it! 2 parts bat saliva, 1 part wolfsbane...there we go," she gulped the vile liquid and ran out of her room with her books. She got all the way her entrance when she realized she wasn't dressed.
She burst through the door to her classroom out of breath and disheveled.
"I apologize for my tardiness! It is inexcusable and I had better not find any of you following my example. It will cost you a detention," she said as she plopped her books on her desk and quickly brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. She opened her notebook to her list of students and their houses for that period. It was a class of Slytherin and Gryffindor fifth years.
After role was called, and after Rori flinched at the sound of Draco Malfoy's name, class began. Butterflies sped around in her stomach before she asked her first class her first question:
"Can anyone tell me anything about the legendary potion that goes by the name 'The Draft of Living Death?'"
One girls hand shot up; Rori recognized her as the girl on the Hogwarts Express, watching (and attempting to stop) the fight between Harry and Draco.
"Yes, ehh, what was your name again?"
"Hermione Granger," exclaimed the bushy red-haired girl.
"Alright, Hermione, go ahead and tell me and your classmates about 'The Draft of Living Death.'"
Hermione cleared her throat and her classmates groaned. "'Draft of Living Death' is a sleeping potion created by mixing large quantities of wormwood and asphodel," she finished with a perfect smile.
"Excellent, five points for Gryffindor. Now, can anyone tell me what wormwood and asphodel are?"
Hermione's hand shot up again, as well as Draco's and another student's. Rori ignored Draco and Hermione and instead, chose to call on the owner of the other hand, leaving a look of utter disappointment on Hermione's face.
"Yes, you," Rori said, pointing at him, "What is your name, again?"
"N-Neville Longbottom," he said timidly, as all of his classmates whipped themselves around to look at him in utter disbelief.
"Wormwood," he began, looking down at his hands, "is the b-bitter ingredient of the l-liqueur absinthe that also contains th-thujone, which s- stimulates the nervous system. But w-what Hermione did not mention is th- the fact that if it is consumed in large quantities, it can cause brain damage and e-even d-death, causing the p-potion to be ineffective." At this comment Neville stopped when he looked up at Hermione, whose jaw had dropped; and all of the classmates looked shell-shocked.
"Continue Neville," Rori said, smiling, realizing that this student was not exactly the outspoken one of the class.
"Asphodel is a m-member of the lily family with clusters of white flowers that was as-ssociated by Greek legend with the underworld," Neville finished, going back to a normal breathing pattern.
"Excellent Neville, excellent! Exactly what I was looking for. Ten points to Gryffindor."
"Now, who can tell me about aconite? Anyone? Hermoine?"
"Well, I'm not sure actually. I read about it a long time ago, but isn't that poison a bit....advanced for fifth years?"
"Certainly not. I found out-*ahem*- was TAUGHT -about it when I was younger than you all are now. But...if you don't think you can handle merely RESEARCHING the subject...."
"No! We are! We can handle it!"
Rori's lips curled into a smirk when she saw Hermione's enthusiasm to do the assignment against her classmates' violent shaking heads, wanting to skip over the work.
"Very well. You are all to write me two and a half parchments on the history of aconite. I would also like you to include the history of various other poisons and their ingredients. You may begin now and work on it for the remainder of class."
The moaned as they opened up their books and began to scribble down notes; Rori opened her own book and pretended to write notes as well. She figured this was a perfect opportunity to learn what her first class of students thought about her. But when she read their minds she found that not all of them were thinking about her.
"How on EARTH did Neville know that? He would have never opened his mouth if Snape were standing up there! And with Malfoy here? What's gotten into him?" came Hermione's voice.
"Who does she think she is? Wait until father hears about how much work she's given us on the first day!" Rori didn't even have to look to see who was thinking that because it sounded oddly familiar, kind of like Lucius Malfoy.
"Well, at least she's no Snape, we can be grateful for that. Neville is probably the most thankful, I've never heard him open his mouth in any class, especially potions!" came, surprisingly, Harry Potter's voice.
Class ended and the students nearly toppled over each other trying to get out. Rori didn't have another class for a while, so she decided to practice her wand waving skills (or lack thereof). She opened up a book of simple spells and began to read:
"Wingardium Leviosa!" she shouted just as a voice was heard at the door. It was Snape. He stepped into the room and was lifted off his feet.
"Whoops," Rori said with a sly smile, but Snape did not look pleased.
"Put me down, immediately," he growled.
"Hmmmm, I. don't. think. I. know. how," Rori said slowly and sarcastically, forcing herself to go slightly cross eyed.
"Don't be a twit. Let me down or I will make you wish that you-"
"Alright! Alright!"
Rori lowered her wand quickly and Snape hit the floor hard-she made sure it was on his back. Snape composed himself and stormed up to Rori, his eyes were glistening and his jaw pulsing.
"I said I was sorry, take a joke, will you?" Rori said as she stood up and walked to behind her to a table full of potion bottles.
"What's this I hear about you assigning fifth years a paper about poison?"
"What about it?" she said, turning around.
"You did not follow the guidelines I gave you for class," he said through gritted teeth.
"Well, I did not think that the students would feel that studying a potion that cures hiccoughs would be the least bit interesting or helpful!" she said pompously, "Besides, don't you think it would be better to teach about a topic I understand well? A topic to which I can answer any and all of the students' questions thoroughly?"
"Just FOLLOW the guidelines. It is NOT that DIFFCULT," Snape said, seething, and poorly attempting to keep his composure.
"I am in charge of this class now. I will make sure I teach the students all that you have outlined for me in due time. Let me do my job, you do yours. I don't tell you how to teach your students, do I?"
"You would not be here had it not been for Dumbledore's good graces. So be thankful and do what is asked of you!"
"Good graces?? I never asked for any of this! I'm just a pawn who has no other choice, and if I did not join both sides quietly I would likely find myself as-as," irate, Rori stumbled over what to say, "We'll let's just say I'd be the recipient of a brand new toe-tag!"
Snape raised an eyebrow and looked at her as though he had never seen anyone act so strange. She was not like a bomb waiting to explode, as Snape once thought; instead, he saw her as a line of fire crackers, constantly going off whenever it was lit.
"That reminds me. Here," said Snape, producing a piece of parchment from his pocket, a bit more calm after seeing her surpass him in anger "I was going to give this to you this morning, before your class, but for *some* reason... You were not there," he said, handing the parchment to Rori, which she recognized as the blood stained note from last night. "I did my studies and found that the blood is that of human and canine."
"Dog?" just then, it began to dawn on her. "W-what kind of dog, Severus?"
"I'm not quite sure," his eyes narrowed, "And do not address me by my first name. You are to call me Professor Snape."
Now Rori's heart was racing. It couldn't be what she thought it was, could it? "It's not possible," she thought, "He cannot possibly be that cruel."
"Who could not possibly be that cruel?" Snape sneered at her.
"Stop reading my mind, will you?!" she snapped. She walked over to her desk and violently flipped open a book called "Hogwarts: Travel and Trek." "And I WILL call you by your first name, we are colleagues. You are not my professor (thank god)," she snapped back, muttering the last part.
"Excuse me?" Snape said, approaching her desk, but stopped upon finally seeing what she was looking through. "Is that what I think it is?" Rori ignored him, consumed by the contents of the book. "You cannot leave the premises of this school except for," Snape looked behind him to make sure no students were present, "the purpose of a mission designated to us by either Dumbledore or Voldomort!" he hushed with ferocity.
"I am perfectly aware of that."
"Lunch is in ten minutes, even if I did not know about your *departure*, Dumbledore will notice an empty seat at the table!"
"Which is why I am sure that you will pass my absence onto Dumbledore for me," she said as she ran her finger along the book, making sure she read every line.
"You are not going anywhere. Whatever your issue is it can wait for official permission from Dumbledore."
Again ignoring him, Rori strode over to the fireplace. She went to reach into a pot on the mantle but was stopped when Snape violently grabbed her arm. Rori turned at looked at Snape with almost as much -if not more-hatred as he was staring her down with.
"I said you are not going anywhere," he said in menacing tone.
"If what is on this piece of paper what I think it is, then a situation requires my immediate attention. Explaining it all to Dumbledore would take up too much of my time, just as you are."
With that, Rori used all of the strength she could gather and pushed Snape away from her. In the second that Snape was on the ground, Rori pulled out her wand.
"Petrificus Totalus!" she shouted. "I'm sorry, but this is much more important than my own fate. You understand. I'll be back later. Hopefully."
Rori reached in the pot and threw its contents into the fire. The flames flashed bright green and she cautiously stepped in. Snape was twisting on the ground, attempting to override the spell. Rori looked at him apologetically but snapped back to her task when she had seen Snape's legs separate.
"King's Cross Station!" she shouted and a vision of Snape running towards her, arms glued to his sides, disappeared.
This is quite a long chapter, but it was one of my favorites to write (so far).
The definitions of Wormwood, aconite, etc. are all thanks to Roger Highfield, author of "The Science of Harry Potter: How Magic Really Works." I recommend it because it provides insight to J.K. Rowlings story of our favorite little wizard.
And don't worry fuscia! More Lucius to come! Oh, and I never mentioned Rori's age-mwah hahha. You will find out very soon!
*This goes out to my new friend Blaise Snape! Read her story: A Shadow's Apprentice (under her fanfic name Blaise A. H. Snape).Tell her cranberry sent you!
Rori woke up the next morning with an immense headache. Groggy and swollen- eyed, she rolled out of bed and shuffled her way over to her potion supplies sitting on her desk.
"Now what were the ingredients again? I need to get rid of this hangover! I can't teach in this state!" Rori gasped, "I'm going to be late!" she said, as she looked at the unique clock on the wall: one of the hands was inching its way closer and closer to a slot labeled "You are late!"
"Think fast Rori, think! Ummm, oh that's it! 2 parts bat saliva, 1 part wolfsbane...there we go," she gulped the vile liquid and ran out of her room with her books. She got all the way her entrance when she realized she wasn't dressed.
She burst through the door to her classroom out of breath and disheveled.
"I apologize for my tardiness! It is inexcusable and I had better not find any of you following my example. It will cost you a detention," she said as she plopped her books on her desk and quickly brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. She opened her notebook to her list of students and their houses for that period. It was a class of Slytherin and Gryffindor fifth years.
After role was called, and after Rori flinched at the sound of Draco Malfoy's name, class began. Butterflies sped around in her stomach before she asked her first class her first question:
"Can anyone tell me anything about the legendary potion that goes by the name 'The Draft of Living Death?'"
One girls hand shot up; Rori recognized her as the girl on the Hogwarts Express, watching (and attempting to stop) the fight between Harry and Draco.
"Yes, ehh, what was your name again?"
"Hermione Granger," exclaimed the bushy red-haired girl.
"Alright, Hermione, go ahead and tell me and your classmates about 'The Draft of Living Death.'"
Hermione cleared her throat and her classmates groaned. "'Draft of Living Death' is a sleeping potion created by mixing large quantities of wormwood and asphodel," she finished with a perfect smile.
"Excellent, five points for Gryffindor. Now, can anyone tell me what wormwood and asphodel are?"
Hermione's hand shot up again, as well as Draco's and another student's. Rori ignored Draco and Hermione and instead, chose to call on the owner of the other hand, leaving a look of utter disappointment on Hermione's face.
"Yes, you," Rori said, pointing at him, "What is your name, again?"
"N-Neville Longbottom," he said timidly, as all of his classmates whipped themselves around to look at him in utter disbelief.
"Wormwood," he began, looking down at his hands, "is the b-bitter ingredient of the l-liqueur absinthe that also contains th-thujone, which s- stimulates the nervous system. But w-what Hermione did not mention is th- the fact that if it is consumed in large quantities, it can cause brain damage and e-even d-death, causing the p-potion to be ineffective." At this comment Neville stopped when he looked up at Hermione, whose jaw had dropped; and all of the classmates looked shell-shocked.
"Continue Neville," Rori said, smiling, realizing that this student was not exactly the outspoken one of the class.
"Asphodel is a m-member of the lily family with clusters of white flowers that was as-ssociated by Greek legend with the underworld," Neville finished, going back to a normal breathing pattern.
"Excellent Neville, excellent! Exactly what I was looking for. Ten points to Gryffindor."
"Now, who can tell me about aconite? Anyone? Hermoine?"
"Well, I'm not sure actually. I read about it a long time ago, but isn't that poison a bit....advanced for fifth years?"
"Certainly not. I found out-*ahem*- was TAUGHT -about it when I was younger than you all are now. But...if you don't think you can handle merely RESEARCHING the subject...."
"No! We are! We can handle it!"
Rori's lips curled into a smirk when she saw Hermione's enthusiasm to do the assignment against her classmates' violent shaking heads, wanting to skip over the work.
"Very well. You are all to write me two and a half parchments on the history of aconite. I would also like you to include the history of various other poisons and their ingredients. You may begin now and work on it for the remainder of class."
The moaned as they opened up their books and began to scribble down notes; Rori opened her own book and pretended to write notes as well. She figured this was a perfect opportunity to learn what her first class of students thought about her. But when she read their minds she found that not all of them were thinking about her.
"How on EARTH did Neville know that? He would have never opened his mouth if Snape were standing up there! And with Malfoy here? What's gotten into him?" came Hermione's voice.
"Who does she think she is? Wait until father hears about how much work she's given us on the first day!" Rori didn't even have to look to see who was thinking that because it sounded oddly familiar, kind of like Lucius Malfoy.
"Well, at least she's no Snape, we can be grateful for that. Neville is probably the most thankful, I've never heard him open his mouth in any class, especially potions!" came, surprisingly, Harry Potter's voice.
Class ended and the students nearly toppled over each other trying to get out. Rori didn't have another class for a while, so she decided to practice her wand waving skills (or lack thereof). She opened up a book of simple spells and began to read:
"Wingardium Leviosa!" she shouted just as a voice was heard at the door. It was Snape. He stepped into the room and was lifted off his feet.
"Whoops," Rori said with a sly smile, but Snape did not look pleased.
"Put me down, immediately," he growled.
"Hmmmm, I. don't. think. I. know. how," Rori said slowly and sarcastically, forcing herself to go slightly cross eyed.
"Don't be a twit. Let me down or I will make you wish that you-"
"Alright! Alright!"
Rori lowered her wand quickly and Snape hit the floor hard-she made sure it was on his back. Snape composed himself and stormed up to Rori, his eyes were glistening and his jaw pulsing.
"I said I was sorry, take a joke, will you?" Rori said as she stood up and walked to behind her to a table full of potion bottles.
"What's this I hear about you assigning fifth years a paper about poison?"
"What about it?" she said, turning around.
"You did not follow the guidelines I gave you for class," he said through gritted teeth.
"Well, I did not think that the students would feel that studying a potion that cures hiccoughs would be the least bit interesting or helpful!" she said pompously, "Besides, don't you think it would be better to teach about a topic I understand well? A topic to which I can answer any and all of the students' questions thoroughly?"
"Just FOLLOW the guidelines. It is NOT that DIFFCULT," Snape said, seething, and poorly attempting to keep his composure.
"I am in charge of this class now. I will make sure I teach the students all that you have outlined for me in due time. Let me do my job, you do yours. I don't tell you how to teach your students, do I?"
"You would not be here had it not been for Dumbledore's good graces. So be thankful and do what is asked of you!"
"Good graces?? I never asked for any of this! I'm just a pawn who has no other choice, and if I did not join both sides quietly I would likely find myself as-as," irate, Rori stumbled over what to say, "We'll let's just say I'd be the recipient of a brand new toe-tag!"
Snape raised an eyebrow and looked at her as though he had never seen anyone act so strange. She was not like a bomb waiting to explode, as Snape once thought; instead, he saw her as a line of fire crackers, constantly going off whenever it was lit.
"That reminds me. Here," said Snape, producing a piece of parchment from his pocket, a bit more calm after seeing her surpass him in anger "I was going to give this to you this morning, before your class, but for *some* reason... You were not there," he said, handing the parchment to Rori, which she recognized as the blood stained note from last night. "I did my studies and found that the blood is that of human and canine."
"Dog?" just then, it began to dawn on her. "W-what kind of dog, Severus?"
"I'm not quite sure," his eyes narrowed, "And do not address me by my first name. You are to call me Professor Snape."
Now Rori's heart was racing. It couldn't be what she thought it was, could it? "It's not possible," she thought, "He cannot possibly be that cruel."
"Who could not possibly be that cruel?" Snape sneered at her.
"Stop reading my mind, will you?!" she snapped. She walked over to her desk and violently flipped open a book called "Hogwarts: Travel and Trek." "And I WILL call you by your first name, we are colleagues. You are not my professor (thank god)," she snapped back, muttering the last part.
"Excuse me?" Snape said, approaching her desk, but stopped upon finally seeing what she was looking through. "Is that what I think it is?" Rori ignored him, consumed by the contents of the book. "You cannot leave the premises of this school except for," Snape looked behind him to make sure no students were present, "the purpose of a mission designated to us by either Dumbledore or Voldomort!" he hushed with ferocity.
"I am perfectly aware of that."
"Lunch is in ten minutes, even if I did not know about your *departure*, Dumbledore will notice an empty seat at the table!"
"Which is why I am sure that you will pass my absence onto Dumbledore for me," she said as she ran her finger along the book, making sure she read every line.
"You are not going anywhere. Whatever your issue is it can wait for official permission from Dumbledore."
Again ignoring him, Rori strode over to the fireplace. She went to reach into a pot on the mantle but was stopped when Snape violently grabbed her arm. Rori turned at looked at Snape with almost as much -if not more-hatred as he was staring her down with.
"I said you are not going anywhere," he said in menacing tone.
"If what is on this piece of paper what I think it is, then a situation requires my immediate attention. Explaining it all to Dumbledore would take up too much of my time, just as you are."
With that, Rori used all of the strength she could gather and pushed Snape away from her. In the second that Snape was on the ground, Rori pulled out her wand.
"Petrificus Totalus!" she shouted. "I'm sorry, but this is much more important than my own fate. You understand. I'll be back later. Hopefully."
Rori reached in the pot and threw its contents into the fire. The flames flashed bright green and she cautiously stepped in. Snape was twisting on the ground, attempting to override the spell. Rori looked at him apologetically but snapped back to her task when she had seen Snape's legs separate.
"King's Cross Station!" she shouted and a vision of Snape running towards her, arms glued to his sides, disappeared.