(A/N) Before I started this chapter, I just wanted to thank Frankie for a great line. I just couldn't resist putting it in this chapter!! It was priceless, but I don't think I played it up as much as it deserved and for that I am sorry.
Whew. Another long chapter with lots of dialogue. I would like to apologize if this story seems to be moving too slowly. I have been accused of being too detail oriented, but I seem to be having a hard time moving away from it. I have this deep seated need to dot every I and cross every T I come across. Hence, this chapter was needed to make a couple of things that come in future chapters make sense.
Chapter 9 or Madame – er – Miss Hooch!
"We are so dead." Moaned Pavarti to a whimpering Lavender.
The two Gryffindors had just drenched their Flying Instructor in what they had thought was a Amour Potion, but was now quickly showing itself to be some kind of a youth potion. Lavender had stopped her whimpering and seemed to be transfixed by the changes occurring before her. She could not take her eyes off of Madame Hooch as the teacher's weathered countenance became smoother and her face softened to take on a younger, more pixie-ish look.
This transformation went on for several more minutes and then – just as suddenly as it had started – it stopped. Complete silence surrounded the two frightened girls as they wondered if their teacher was still alive or not. Pavarti bent and leaned towards the prone figure on the floor and let out a sigh of relief upon noticing her chest rising and falling as she breathed. Lavender came out of the trance she had been in and turned towards her friend.
"What are we going to do?" Her eyes widened in dismay as Pavarti shrugged her shoulders and stated matter-of-factly.
"There is only one thing we can do, Lavender. We have to take her to the infirmary. Pavarti reached into her robe and retrieved her wand, but before she could perform the levitating spell on Madame Hooch, she felt a hand grab her arm.
"Are you crazy, Pavarti? We will most certainly be expelled for this!" Lavender started to sob as she thought of the humiliation that was bound to come from all of this. "This never would have happened if you had just retrieved the correct potion. I can't believe you stole the wrong bottle!" She wailed loudly while Pavarti's face turned red.
"Well, excuse me!" She snapped. "What do you want from me, huh?" Before Lavender could reply she went on. "It was dark in there and I was in rather a hurry, so I wouldn't get caught!" Lavender was now crying heavily and Pavarti was starting to get annoyed with her friend. It had been her idea, after all, to get that potion in the first place. Sighing, she turned to the now hysterical girl and took her shoulders in her hands and shook her.
"Lavender! Get hold of yourself!" She gave another shake as the girl just kept on crying. "Lavender, we have got to get Madame Hooch out of the hall before anyone comes along!" At this revelation, Lavender stopped sobbing and got a panicked look in her eyes. "Now, come with me." Pavarti spoke softly to the traumatized girl. "We are going to levitate her to the infirmary." Lavender nodded her head in ascent and watched as Pavarti performed the levitation spell and followed as the darker girl began to walk towards the hospital wing.
The strange trio met no-one on their trip to the infirmary and Pavarti sighed in relief as the stopped before the huge double doors. She had just put a hand out to open the door, when to her surprise it opened on its own. She raised her eyes up towards the person before her, and saw mostly black - black shoes, black pants and robes – her eyes skimmed over a hooked nose and took in long greasy hair until her gaze rested upon and met familiar beetle black eyes.
"What is the meaning of this, Miss Patil, Miss Brown?" Drawled the silky soft voice of Severus Snape.
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Professor Snape sent for the Headmaster and for their Head of House, Professor McGonnagal, while Poppy Pomfrey bustled around the unconscious Flying Instructor to be. Both girls eyed the greasy Potions Professor while they nervously thought about their fates. They had themselves so worked up over it, that it was almost a relief to see Professors Dumbledore and McGonnagal walk into the hospital wing.
After Albus had spoken to Madame Pomfrey about the condition of her patient, he sighed and entered the nurse's office so that they could have some privacy. Professor Snape took hold of one of each girl's arms and marched them into Madame Pomfrey's office after the two instructors. He guided the girls into chairs by giving a little push as he released his hold upon them and the two girls sat down and looked guiltily towards a glowering Potions Professor, a stern Head of House and a grave but patient looking Headmaster.
"This is most grave indeed." Started a worried looking Albus Dumbledore. "Have you been able to determine what exactly happened, Severus?' The Headmaster sat down behind the desk and folded his hands, waiting patiently while the Potion Professor sneered at the two frightened girls.
"I have been unable to find out anything, Albus. As soon as I started questioning them, they both started sniveling like first years." His tone made it more than clear to everyone in the room how pathetic he thought the two miscreants were. Minerva McGonnagal huffed at this statement.
"Surely, Severus, you do not expect them to tell you the truth when you stand over them like a giant bat and shooting daggers at them." The girls sighed in relief as Professor McGonnagal came to their rescue. She sat down by the two girls and giving them a maternal look, she gently started to question them.
"Now, now, girls. What could possibly have you in such a state as this?" Lavender took a deep breath and started sobbing, leaving the explanations to the other girl. Pavarti flashed Lavender a disgusted look and turned back to her Head of House.
"It was an accident, Professor." She started timidly and cringed at the snort of disbelief that came from Professor Snape. McGonnagal turned a glare on the surly professor and he quickly subsided into his chair to her command. Pavarti gulped and searched for the courage to go on.
"La-Lavender wanted Harry to no-"She started to explain, but was again cut off by a hasty expletetive from Professor Snape.
"Potter!" He spat. "We should have known that he would have something to do with this." He narrowed his eyes and was about to get into the lengthy debate over having the boy stay in the school.
"Now, Now, Severus." The Headmaster interrupted his tirade. "Let the girl continue." Severus sneered and sat back in his chair. Pavarti looked towards the Headmaster who nodded for her to continue.
"Well, Lavender is desperately in love with Harry, and wanted him to notice her." She looked at her sobbing friend, as did the rest of the people in the room. "We had heard that the Seventh years were brewing the Amour Potion in Professor Snape's class." Lavender sniffed and looked towards Professor McGonnagal for sympathy.
"I just wanted him to notice me." She whispered mournfully while Professor Snape sneered and mumbled to himself about ditzy Gryffindors. Pavarti patted Lavender on the back in sympathy and turned back towards the room.
"See, Lavender was desperate." She looked at the professors with a hopeless look on her face. "Well, I am her best friend, and I just could not say no when she asked me to go and get a batch of that potion." Lavender turned a teary eyed look towards her friend and sniffed again.
"The only thing is….It was dark in there, and I was scared I was going to get caught. I grabbed a bottle that was pink." She turned beseeching eyes towards Professor McGonnagal, who could only shake her head in wonder at their daring. "It was pink. You would think that an Amour Potion would be pink, wouldn't you Professor?" Severus could not contain himself one more moment and jumped up from his seat.
"Why on earth would you two girls think I would store something that dangerous in my private stores? I have no need of it!" Professor McGonagall could not help herself. At his Severus' outburst, she started shaking in laughter.
"Oh. Oh.' She tried to catch her breath. "Of course you would not need it, you stud you! Why you have all the women panting after you don't you?' She clutched her stomach as another wave of laughter overcame her.
Albus stood up and pointed looked at the two professors. "Minerva! I cannot believe you! And in front of students none the less." He gently rebuked. "Please. Try to contain yourself. And as for you." He turned towards the glowering and sneering man. "One more peep out of you, Severus, and I shall have to ask you to leave!" Severus scowled at the old man and sat back down in his chair. The Headmaster sat back down and looked at both girls over his steepled fingers.
"Minerva." He turned towards his oldest friend. "It is not often that I interfere in student discipline, and I do not intend to do so now." He smiled at the older witch and turned towards both of the girls. "However, I must impress upon you both the seriousness of this situation." He looked between both girls. "Stealing any potion, but especially a potion that you do not recognize is very dangerous." He paused for affect. "What if Madame Hooch had died as a result of your attempting to use this potion?" Both girls looked at each other guiltily. "You have shown a severe lack in judgment today ladies, but it is not my place to determine your punishments." Pavarti sat quietly, while Lavender gave another sniff and blew her nose. "It is your Head of House's duty, and I am sure whatever detentions she has in store for you will be far worse and for longer than any I would hand out."
With that he stood up and motioned a stunned Severus to follow him out of the room, thus, leaving the two girls alone with their Head of House. "Severus." Albus leaned towards the surly professor as they exited the room. "See what you can do about finding an antidote for Madame Hooch." Severus pursed his lips but nodded his head and he watched as the older wizard walked back towards his office.
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While Professor McGonnagal was handing out detentions and Professor Snape was busy finding and antidote for Madame Hooch's condition, Ginny Weasley was avidly reading every romance book she could come across. She was more than determined that she would end up with Harry.
She was at a disadvantage though in more than one way. First of all, Harry did not seem to notice her as more than Ron's little sister; Second, He was infatuated with Pansy and she had to find a way to turn his attention towards her; Third, she had no experience. And since no one could find out why she needed this experience, she had to gain it the hard way ….through any romance book she could find.
She had scoured the school library and had even asked a couple of her Hufflepuff friends if she could read some of their books and was now firmly ensconced within her bed with the hangings enspelled so that no-one could disturb her. Going through every book was a tedious process, but she was determined to get through them all so that she could be experienced enough to release her inner vixen and win Harry's heart.
She thought of the first lesson from her new book Madame X's Release Your Inner Vixen and smiled. She was sure that she could get to Harry with Sexy Talk. She went back to anxiously scanning the books in front of her. Now, she thought. If I could just figure out what Sexy Talk is all about.
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(A/N) I just wanted to let you all know about a new story that I found last night. It was written in 2002, and I really do not understand why it was not more popular with the reviewers. Appassionata by Dommi-Chan is a fun little story about Seamus Finnigan. It is sort of like Harry Potter and the Amorae Potion meets Seamus is Seamus and is quite hilarious. Much snorting and giggling took place during the reading of this story. *Lisa's family nods head in testimonial*. I would recommend this as a good read, if anyone is so inclined to take up recommendations from another person.
I also had a reviewer that was insistent upon the fact that Blaise Zambini is a girl. I know that I have read dozens and dozens of stories where the author's have had Blaise's gender as a girl, but then other author's have had him be a boy. I looked through the books and could not find anything that stated whether Blaise was a girl or a boy, so I took it upon myself to use whatever artistic license I had and made him a boy. I hope that this does not offend too many of you out there.
John, there are no worries about this story turning into a slash story. I do not write it and only read very, very mild and humorous slash stories myself. I am intrigued and mystified as to why so many writers portray Hogwarts as one big homosexual orgy palace. Still, to each their own, and I do enjoy the humorous ones.
NengSki. Thank you for the great review. I am so very happy that my story made you laugh that much. You have a way with words girl! I had to grin when I read your review.
Thank you to all my reviewers!! You guys are great!! Don't forget to Read and Review though, you never know when one of your reviews will inspire my little gray cells to incorporate something you suggest or say within the story. Just ask Frankie and John. Anyways, let me know what you think. Is this too long, too slow, so boring that I should not go on, or what?
Love Lisa