"Damn. My ingredients are too low. I can't mix the potion." Bitters sits
down heavily in her armchair. This is definitely not good. I know I should
have bought more before I came. Well, there's nothing for it. I'll have to
ask for some.
Getting slowly to her feet she walks out of her office and down the corridor to the stairs.
Tap tap. Is there never ANY peace in this place? Snape throws back the door. "Come to return the rat spleens?" He sneers.
"Oh get over it. I did not steal them. I've come to...to ask for some ingredients." She finishes quietly.
"What was that? Say it louder."
"You heard what I said. I want to ask for some ingredients." Bitters reluctantly repeats.
"Ah, I thought that's what you said." Snape's eyes glint maliciously in the light of the blazing fire place. "Do come in."
"If you'd be so kind," Her voice wavers sarcastically on the last word,"~as to allow me to have six scarab wings, blue essence of vermin branch, and some peacock feathers."
"Bitters, these are very expensive and rare ingredients. Why on earth would you need them?" Snape asks with calm coldness.
"Because I'm teaching students how to defend themselves against dark arts. It's my job remember?"
You just had to rub it in, didn't you? "Yes, of course." He sneers. "But I still don't know what you need them for."
"A potion, what else?" He would have to make it difficult.
"In case you had forgotten, my job is to teach Potions. I am the Potions Master in the school, therefore if anyone should be making potions it should be me."
"This is important for my class. I am trying to demonstrate how various potions can help reduce symptoms from dark curses." Bitters coldly explains with relish.
"If there are potions to be shown, I should present them to the students." Snape angrily does not back down.
"Well, if you could possibly try to swallow your pride and give me the ingredients I would appreciate it. The whole world does not revolve around you."
"I realize that Bitters. If you would be so kind as to tell me why you are suddenly mixing potions in a class that, if I recall correctly, does not require that in it's curriculum?" At this he sneers knowing he is right and has cornered Bitters.
"Special permission." Bitters smartly steps sideways and avoids the corner Snape was so anxious to back her into.
Bullocks. She's too good. "Oh, so the regular class isn't good enough for the 'special' professor Bitters? She must make up her own lessons. I don't see any reason why I should oblige."
Snape and Bitters stare at each other in resentment and don't wish to back down.
"Look, it's important okay? So just try and forget your egotistical manners and hand over the ingredients."
"So now you're ordering me? I have the rights to refuse. Unless Dumbledore himself tells me to or you have a signed note, which I see you lack, I'm not going to."
Bitters, knowing that fighting is only waking her worse, decides to muster up all her strength for one last attempt. Every minute is costing her dearly.
"Snape, I'm not playing games. This is very important and I don't have all afternoon. So just shut your mouth and give them to me!" Bitters yells at him with all the built up rage from the past months.
Snape is stunned into silence. She had never gotten this mad before. He gives her a quizzical look and turns around to fetch the ingredients.
Bitters take the opportunity to lean on the wall and take a few deep breaths. She knows that wasn't smart considering she needs to save what little energy she has.
"Here." Snape turns around and reluctantly hands her the bottles.
Bitters takes them, turns on her heal, her cloak billowing, and walks down the hallway. Finally, she sighs. Suddenly she is stopped in her tracks as Snape yells at her retreating back.
"Bitters, don't be upset if you can't make that anti-symptoms potion. They are extremely difficult ones to mix and even take immense effort from skilled professionals such as myself." With that spiteful comment he turns back into his office and slams the door. Bitters, making a potion like that. She'll come running to me for help before long. Her indeed!
****
An hour later when Snape is on his way to the school supply classroom to pick up more rat spleens, he deliberately passes Bitters' classroom to peak in and see how the potion is coming along. As he passes and quickly looks in, Bitters calls out to him. He stops walking and turns back to her door.
"Snape, I'm glad you were passing. I'm, well, having-"
"-a little trouble?" Snape finishes for her, a smug smile playing across his mouth.
"Well, to be honest, yes. Would you, um, help?"
"Too difficult for you was it? Couldn't handle it?"
"No, I've made this potion a dozen times before but I'm not feeling too well and I've done something wrong." She leads him over to the simmering cauldron.
"Oh my God! It's purple! How on earth did you mange to make it purple? You'd have to be a real idiot to do that." Snape stares in utter disbelief.
Bitters, pushing her body's resistance to the limit, waits patiently for him to stop talking and get to work. "Snape, you really don't understand how quickly I need this. Please fix it." She utters, on the verge of tears.
"Please? Never thought I'd hear you say that!"
"Yeah, well, don't expect to hear it again."
"Okay, I'll need some barking tree leaves, some wormwood. As Snape continues to list ingredients to use to fix the potion, Bitters grabs the bottles from the cupboards and hands them to him. After nearly an hour the potion is at last a beige color and is ready to be used.
"Snape, you're a lifesaver." The words slip out before she can stop them. Oh no, what the hell did I just say? I really am weak.
Snape looks up at stares at her. "Yes, well. I have to go now." He walks quickly out of the room very surprised and confused.
Bitters shakes her head and tries to forget what she just said by gathering the potion into various bottles. The longer she kept from having the potion, the weaker she felt. Pouring some into a goblet she sinks into her chair and takes a grateful sip. She leans back and closes her eyes as the warm liquid flows through her tired and weak body.
****
Getting slowly to her feet she walks out of her office and down the corridor to the stairs.
Tap tap. Is there never ANY peace in this place? Snape throws back the door. "Come to return the rat spleens?" He sneers.
"Oh get over it. I did not steal them. I've come to...to ask for some ingredients." She finishes quietly.
"What was that? Say it louder."
"You heard what I said. I want to ask for some ingredients." Bitters reluctantly repeats.
"Ah, I thought that's what you said." Snape's eyes glint maliciously in the light of the blazing fire place. "Do come in."
"If you'd be so kind," Her voice wavers sarcastically on the last word,"~as to allow me to have six scarab wings, blue essence of vermin branch, and some peacock feathers."
"Bitters, these are very expensive and rare ingredients. Why on earth would you need them?" Snape asks with calm coldness.
"Because I'm teaching students how to defend themselves against dark arts. It's my job remember?"
You just had to rub it in, didn't you? "Yes, of course." He sneers. "But I still don't know what you need them for."
"A potion, what else?" He would have to make it difficult.
"In case you had forgotten, my job is to teach Potions. I am the Potions Master in the school, therefore if anyone should be making potions it should be me."
"This is important for my class. I am trying to demonstrate how various potions can help reduce symptoms from dark curses." Bitters coldly explains with relish.
"If there are potions to be shown, I should present them to the students." Snape angrily does not back down.
"Well, if you could possibly try to swallow your pride and give me the ingredients I would appreciate it. The whole world does not revolve around you."
"I realize that Bitters. If you would be so kind as to tell me why you are suddenly mixing potions in a class that, if I recall correctly, does not require that in it's curriculum?" At this he sneers knowing he is right and has cornered Bitters.
"Special permission." Bitters smartly steps sideways and avoids the corner Snape was so anxious to back her into.
Bullocks. She's too good. "Oh, so the regular class isn't good enough for the 'special' professor Bitters? She must make up her own lessons. I don't see any reason why I should oblige."
Snape and Bitters stare at each other in resentment and don't wish to back down.
"Look, it's important okay? So just try and forget your egotistical manners and hand over the ingredients."
"So now you're ordering me? I have the rights to refuse. Unless Dumbledore himself tells me to or you have a signed note, which I see you lack, I'm not going to."
Bitters, knowing that fighting is only waking her worse, decides to muster up all her strength for one last attempt. Every minute is costing her dearly.
"Snape, I'm not playing games. This is very important and I don't have all afternoon. So just shut your mouth and give them to me!" Bitters yells at him with all the built up rage from the past months.
Snape is stunned into silence. She had never gotten this mad before. He gives her a quizzical look and turns around to fetch the ingredients.
Bitters take the opportunity to lean on the wall and take a few deep breaths. She knows that wasn't smart considering she needs to save what little energy she has.
"Here." Snape turns around and reluctantly hands her the bottles.
Bitters takes them, turns on her heal, her cloak billowing, and walks down the hallway. Finally, she sighs. Suddenly she is stopped in her tracks as Snape yells at her retreating back.
"Bitters, don't be upset if you can't make that anti-symptoms potion. They are extremely difficult ones to mix and even take immense effort from skilled professionals such as myself." With that spiteful comment he turns back into his office and slams the door. Bitters, making a potion like that. She'll come running to me for help before long. Her indeed!
****
An hour later when Snape is on his way to the school supply classroom to pick up more rat spleens, he deliberately passes Bitters' classroom to peak in and see how the potion is coming along. As he passes and quickly looks in, Bitters calls out to him. He stops walking and turns back to her door.
"Snape, I'm glad you were passing. I'm, well, having-"
"-a little trouble?" Snape finishes for her, a smug smile playing across his mouth.
"Well, to be honest, yes. Would you, um, help?"
"Too difficult for you was it? Couldn't handle it?"
"No, I've made this potion a dozen times before but I'm not feeling too well and I've done something wrong." She leads him over to the simmering cauldron.
"Oh my God! It's purple! How on earth did you mange to make it purple? You'd have to be a real idiot to do that." Snape stares in utter disbelief.
Bitters, pushing her body's resistance to the limit, waits patiently for him to stop talking and get to work. "Snape, you really don't understand how quickly I need this. Please fix it." She utters, on the verge of tears.
"Please? Never thought I'd hear you say that!"
"Yeah, well, don't expect to hear it again."
"Okay, I'll need some barking tree leaves, some wormwood. As Snape continues to list ingredients to use to fix the potion, Bitters grabs the bottles from the cupboards and hands them to him. After nearly an hour the potion is at last a beige color and is ready to be used.
"Snape, you're a lifesaver." The words slip out before she can stop them. Oh no, what the hell did I just say? I really am weak.
Snape looks up at stares at her. "Yes, well. I have to go now." He walks quickly out of the room very surprised and confused.
Bitters shakes her head and tries to forget what she just said by gathering the potion into various bottles. The longer she kept from having the potion, the weaker she felt. Pouring some into a goblet she sinks into her chair and takes a grateful sip. She leans back and closes her eyes as the warm liquid flows through her tired and weak body.
****