Chapter Nineteen

Unanswered Questions

It was nearly the end of their week off when Jennifer finally broke out Janus Craw's journal, sitting near the top of the basement stairs while Severus brewed potions in the lab below.

"I still want to know who sent you that book. First anonymously bought, now anonymously sent," Severus brooded as he carefully added powdered Grimlin toenails to the writhing cauldron in front of him.

"Dumbledore believes it's the genuine article, and... I don't know, it feels right to me, somehow. The style of writing is Craw all over, filled with plenty of 'I'm right and everyone else is wrong' statements."

"Yes, that definitely sounds like your side of the family," Severus said almost tauntingly. "Still, whoever owned the book before us has already gleaned all the information they can out of there before passing it on. Which means it's also a possibility that not only is someone already ahead of us in the search, but they may try to sabotage our own attempts to find it. For all we know, someone already has the Cauldron."

"Well, it's not as if they could use it for any ill use. I mean, how can anyone possibly cause trouble with a pot of endless food?"

"Any item can be abused, Jennifer, you of all people should have realized that by now," Severus said calmly, putting the phial in a clamp over an open flame. "Even though that's the reported use of the Cauldron by legend, we don't know for certain that was its only use. Especially considering it came to be the symbol of Dark Magic, there must be a reason for it. And there must have been a reason also that it had been taken away and hidden. Have you found that passage yet?"

"I'm looking. I'm sure it's here near the back," Jennifer said, gingerly turning the paper of the old journal. "Here it is," she said, muttering a soft translation spell to put it in the modern tongue. "'It is time that I finished what we started those many years ago, although I can only hope that Caprica can keep things together while I'm gone. Now that O'Laren is ailing, I fear that she'll soon lose her only other prudent adviser. However, I have little intention of dishonoring my vow and will continue on to find that which was wrongfully taken from the school. If I am right in my assumption, there could only have been one place it could have been taken. I am then off to Connacht to charter a seacraft to cross into the waters to the Westernmost Isle. With any luck, I will be able to retrieve it and find my way back before the Guardians of the Isle are even aware that I came. Still, I do not fear them, for those who protected the accursed surely also protect me.'"

"The Westernmost Isle…" Severus repeated in an ominous tone, nearly forgetting to turn off the mixture he had started. "Where Callum's Seal was made. Where priestesses watch over the remains of kings that failed to cross into Tir Na Nog. The way there has been lost for hundreds of years…" Severus said thoughtfully, stirring up the crystallizing mixture so it wouldn't clump together. "And off of Connacht Province in Ireland…Connaught, rather, now. I don't suppose there are any maps or other nautical references?"

"No, and the rest of the pages have to do with personal experimentation with manipulation of basic elements with animated dark magic… golems and the like, nothing at all about the trip," Jennifer said, flipping through them.

"He must have then realized there was a possibility that he wasn't returning" Severus nodded gravely. "He wanted to make sure his work was passed on. Anything else? A set of numbers that might be navigational directions, or even a due heading or a town name? There are a lot of islands off that coast," Severus frowned.

"Nothing at all like that, at least not from what I've read so far," Jennifer sighed.

"Well, keep looking…if he actually did know the location of that island, it wouldn't be something he'd write about openly."

"But that's good then, isn't it? Perhaps the previous owner never found it if it is hidden somehow," Jennifer suggested.

"Perhaps, but we can't count on that," Severus said. "And there is something else that they may know that we do not yet."

"What's that?"

"What might have caused Gryffindor and Slytherin to have fought over the Cauldron to begin with," Severus said, walking over to the stairs thoughtfully. "One thing is certain; they were not simply fighting over a never-ending food supply. If the Cauldron was taken away from the school by whichever founder, there must have been some sort of real threat to the school else it wouldn't have left the castle at all." Jennifer contemplated that and looked over the journal again. Well, there was little doubt at least where they would be able to find the answers to that, and it was with that in mind that Jennifer packed her bags the next day and checked over her paperwork as the two of them went back to Hogwarts.

Corey floated his quill in the air out of boredom, glancing over to where Danny and Taylor were leaning over a Wizard's Chessboard, a half-finished essay on dispelling mass curses sitting in front of him as he filled in tiny ink blots caused by his floating pen.

"What is taking Doug so long? His silly study dates are starting to cut into our practice time now," Corey complained.

"Oh, come on, Corey, we do practice nearly every day," Danny said.

"Yeah, and I have the scabs to prove it," Taylor said, showing his bandaged fingertips. "Let's face it, Corey. Danny and Doug sound all right, I guess, but there's no way we're going to possibly be ready for the spring dance. It's just too soon."

"Well, we have to be ready," Corey said, taking the pen back out of the air. "Because I already signed us up for it." Taylor and Danny turned and stared at him.

"Well, that's that! I'll never be able to face my housemates again," Taylor said.

"The only way I'll be able to is if I pay them off," Danny agreed.

"Hey, we're not that bad!" Corey protested. "Besides, we still have nearly three months!"

"It's going to take a miracle to get us ready by then," Taylor grumbled.

"Or," said Doug from behind them, pushing his way between Taylor and Corey and putting a book down, "one good potion," he grinned smugly.

"A potion?" Danny repeated, tilting her head to see the book from her side of the table.

"I happened to glance at one of the advance potion books Carla pulled out when Madame Granger came around the corner… almost caught me kissing her too," Doug said.

"I don't suppose it'd never occur to you to actually study on a study date?" Danny said sternly. Doug smirked at her.

"What, and you two do?" he challenged them.

"Yes, actually," Taylor said defensively.

"Never mind that," Corey said getting excited. "Look at what he found!" The four of them hovered over the book while Corey read out of it. "Liquid Inspiration: to be used sparingly by aspiring artisans of all sorts. One dose of this draught will leave its imbiber with unerring mastery in a field of the potion maker's desire, be it painting, acting, dancing, music, or other artistic expressions! Music…this might be just what we've been looking for!"

"Wait a minute, doesn't that make it a mind enhancing potion? We're not allowed to use those in Hogwarts," Taylor hissed.

"We're not allowed to use them for schoolwork, but I doubt this would count," Doug said.

"I distinctly remember McGonagall saying no mind enhancing potions are allowed to be used on school property period," Taylor insisted.

"That's because people are banned from using them in Quidditch as well, but we're not using it for a sport," Danny said.

"We have nearly four months," Corey pointed out, looking over the formula. "This is pretty complicated, but I think I might be able to get all the ingredients if need be. Let's make a deal. If we've not improved enough to suit us by then, we'll vote on whether or not we'll use it…if we all agree, we'll do it."

"Sounds good to me," Doug nodded, and then Danny. Taylor sighed and nodded as well. Just then, Gail and Katie walked over and Corey quickly closed the book, waving at them.

"Is that all you've gotten done of your essay?" Katie said, looking over Corey's shoulder, shaking her head.

"So what? I got until tomorrow," Corey said, cleaning off one of the smudges.

"Perry said he saw your parents come in an hour ago," Gail put in, "so you'd better be prepared."

"They're back? Uh oh, maybe I'd better straighten up my potion kit before my next class and Professor Craw sees it," Taylor said getting up.

"Hang on, what about practice?" Corey protested as Danny got up as well.

"Why don't you two practice together? We'll all practice tomorrow night for sure, but I need to get back to Slytherin house if Snape's back, I'm sure he'll be wanting to see us," Danny said, heading over to her own table.

"If I knew that was going to happen, I would have stayed on my date," Doug complained. "I really like Carla… those Hufflepuff girls may be a bit shy at first, but overall I seem to have more luck with them."

"Doug," Corey said with an exasperated sigh, getting up. "Come on."

The two of them went down the back hall and down the stairs to see if Corey's Mom was in her office, but McGonagall was there with her, and after only the briefest of greetings they were shooed away with a stern suggestion that he should be finishing his homework. Instead, the two boys decided to then head up to the abandoned classroom where Caprica Dusthorn was already waiting for them.

Danny, on the other hand, had returned to find Professor Snape in the Slytherin Common Room, speaking to Amadeus and several other students, glancing up long enough to nod to Danny when she came in. He walked over to where she sat a few moments later when he finished up his conversation.

"Miss Nelson, are you quite sure you don't want to rejoin the Sparring Club?" Professor Snape said with a slight frown when he walked up, Amadeus not far behind. "The tournament will be starting soon, and Mr. Longbottom informs me that Gryffindor seems to have picked up a leading edge since I've been… detained."

"It was favoritism, pure and simple," Amadeus insisted. "I swear, every time a Gryffindor had a smart aleck remark, Madame Belle would give them points for it."

"Well, she did give Corey a lot of points for asking questions, if that's what you mean," Danny admitted. "And she did deduct points from Amadeus for refusing to help her with a demonstration."

"I'm not stupid enough to try and take on a slime fiend on my own, especially when she just goes and tells us to have at it without teaching us the proper procedures first."

"She was trying to get you to use your brain for a change, nitwit," Danny said.

"Miss Nelson, please."

"Sorry, Professor, but he is one," Danny said, ignoring the glare from Amadeus.

"Professor, we really don't need her to win the sparring tournament. I am more than capable of making sure we get a victory. I'll even help train the younger years if you want," Amadeus said.

"That's one way to insure Gryffindor this years victory," Danny smirked. Amadeus glared at her again.

"At this point I don't exactly have much of a choice, do I?" Snape said, his lip twitching slightly. Danny sighed.

"All right, I'll do it, just to spare myself the humiliation of watching us get smeared if Amadeus tries to take over," Danny said.

"Perhaps that'll give you a chance to get caught up on your Transfiguration Studies now that you are free to do so," Snape suggested to Amadeus. Danny smirked slightly, knowing it was his worst subject, and nobody was willing to do his homework in that topic. The last time someone had tried, McGonagall had caught it in an instant, and no one was willing to risk her wrath again. "I should be preparing for class now, and so should you, although I'm quite sure there will be no further sudden point gains…at least, not for the other houses," he added with a thin sinister smile before turning away.

Danny looked after him thoughtfully, wondering if she should tell him something that had been on her mind since Christmas, but then decided against it. After all, he might not approve of how she had done it, she mused. Glancing over to see Amadeus still watching her. she frowned at him.

"You know, I've half a mind to tell Draco you're being a pain again," Danny threatened.

"I'm not the one who's spending more and more time with a band of mixed losers who couldn't put two notes together that didn't shatter glass. I can't wait until the dance so I can laugh at you making a fool out of yourself and your cousin can see what a total washout you've become," Amadeus smiled at her mockingly before heading off to his room. Danny sighed in annoyance, realizing her mind had already been made up on whether to use the potion or not.

It wasn't until early the next morning that Severus and Jennifer finally had time to see Anna. She had just gotten in and was having coffee with Sirius in her office when they arrived, and she greeted them warmly.

"Welcome back! Did you have a good week?" Anna asked, offering them something to drink.

"Splendid, we actually spent part of it abroad, in Villahexen in the Alps," Jennifer said cheerfully. "It was quite lovely there!"

"I've been to Villahexen before, fantastic little village, best Wizard skiing in Europe," Sirius grinned. "But it looks like you brought him back all in one piece. Oh well, better luck next time," he taunted, earning a dark look from Severus.

"They had skiing?" Jennifer asked, sounding quite surprised. "I knew we should have left the room for a bit and done a bit of touring." Sirius suddenly blanched and shuddered, earning a dirty look from his wife.

"I thought perhaps you might want to have lunch with me later to talk over some things," Severus suggested to Anna.

"Love to, if you feel you're caught up," Anna agreed.

"Audi may not have been much of a disciplinarian, but she did follow my schedule fairly close," Severus replied.

"Careful, Severus, that almost sounded like a complement, you might spoil your sour reputation if you keep that up," Sirius taunted again.

"Well that's enough dogged jibes from Sirius for one day. I think I'll go get ready for my first class. And so should you, Jennifer, yours starts before mine." Severus said, getting up.

"Don't remind me," Jennifer grinned, accepting Severus hand to get back on her feet. "I still have to get suited up in my gloves and fume mask for today's lab. Makes me feel like I'm performing a major operation every time I go in there," she chuckled, waving as they left.

"Do you believe they spent three days in a resort and didn't leave the room? That's the scariest thing I've ever heard in my life," Sirius said.

"Like you have room to talk! You sound like a ten year old who just found out what his parents had to do to have a kid. Good grief, Sirius, grow up!" Anna said, obviously annoyed with him.

"Well, I knew they were married and all but I didn't think she actually liked it."

"Oh, good grief," Anna said, rolling her eyes and tossing their cups back on the tray which instantly disappeared, reappearing a moment later clean and back in its place. "I swear sometimes you are just as bad as my brother is when it comes to missing the obvious. Severus and Jennifer are one of those rare couples where the honeymoon just doesn't end. You should be happy for them, I know I am."

"What would you know about honeymoons ending?" Sirius challenged her.

"Quite a bit actually, I've a degree in psychology, remember?" Anna said evenly, looking over the notes for her next class.

"And what about us, do you think our honeymoon has ended?" Sirius asked, leaning over her desk.

"What do you think?" she asked him expressionlessly. He blinked at her, but before he could react any further she had gotten up and kissed him quickly, heading out to her classroom.

"What do I think?" Sirius repeated, staring at the open door with a blank expression on his face.