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Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst
Voices of the Past Part I
Written March 2002 onwards, pre Order of the Phoenix.
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Chapter One
The Labor Herb
I put down my quill after finishing copying out a potion for improving impaired eyesight. Beside the potions work was my essay on Numerology. The Slytherin dungeon common room was quiet, a snowstorm blowing wildly above. The usual group of Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were sitting by the main fire in carved chairs, their silhouettes dark against the flames. Occasionally I'd catch words like "Potter" and "My father" coming from Malfoy. We all know who his father is, and how he flaunts it. The three of them are always plotting something, and normally, as my suspicions were tonight, it was against the famous Gryffindor, Harry Potter. I gave a slight sigh, still watching them from the dim light of the tables towards the left wall. Potter seems a likeable person if he was treated in the same way as everyone else. I can see why he is unpopular with a lot of Slytherins... it's only Potter who gets away with breaking rules. For this reason I can see why Draco Malfoy hates him so much, and Malfoy isn't too bad looking, but he's a bit young for me even to consider. The thought makes me smile, and Crabbe notices I'm watching them. Malfoy looks round.
"What are you looking at Amethyst?"
"Something that I would gladly pickle if you talk to me like that again." I replied sharply. As I spoke, the hidden door to the common room opened and the head of Slytherin, Professor Severus Snape entered the room. A couple of heads turned. Snape glanced between me and Malfoy, probably aware of exactly what was going on. Both of us looked away, noticing Snape. The professor cast his dark gaze around the room in the dim light from the green circular lamps. I looked down again at the parchment beneath my fingers, knowing that I'd probably be reprimanded for my cheek.
"Glad to see you are on top of your work, and petty cheek Miss Amethyst." A dark voice addressed. My head snapped up. Snape stood before the table I sat at, his arms folded and his long black robes settling from his silent crossing of the room.
"Thank you Sir." I replied, unsure whether I should be thanking him if he was actually remarking on me being wrong. My tone also indicated my surprise at his approach without so much as a footstep. One long fingered hand reached down and plucked the potions parchment from beneath my hand and quill. I watched as Snape's eyes darted quickly over what I had written. He seemed to approve, although it was hard to find any emotion in his black eyes.
"Your observation, comparing this potion with the improvement of impaired hearing potion is true, but I would not have expected you to know that, since it is a more complex potion." I felt myself blush slightly with the praise.
"I looked it up to make sure Sir... I didn't want to make assumptions..." He nodded, still holding the parchment. His eyes looked from it into mine, which caused discomfort. It had often been rumoured that Snape could read minds, and I understood where they came from now.
"Your ambition is to be a field mediwizard, Miss Amethyst, is that not true?" I nodded.
"Yes.., Professor that is true." He was still staring into my eyes.
"If you feel it would aid in your ambition, and your current studies, I would be willing to assist you in producing some of the lenimentus audio potion." He watched my reaction.
"Professor, I feel it would greatly interest my target career interest, and I would be honoured."
It was a short walk to the potion laboratory. Snape instructed me to prepare my cauldron and potions supplies and swept off in the direction of his office. As I unpacked and prepared, I noticed that the lab smelt musty almost. It was unusual, but I wondered if it was just because there was normally the smell of the previous class' potion to cover it up. The smell was of books mingling with the scent of what muggles call formaldehyde, which the professor had picked many specimens. I smiled slightly, remembering my comment to Malfoy. I felt something brush the back of my neck and froze. I thought to put my hand up to my neck, but slowly looked round, and then upwards. To my relief it was just a strand of herbs that had dropped from where they were hung on the ceiling. They were not usually present in the room, I thought, frowning. I picked the piece that had touched me up from the floor. Before my eyes it turned black and wilted, then fell into a black powder, slipping through my fingers. My eyes widened.
"You must not take Professor Moody's advice of 'constant vigilance' to heart Miss Amethyst." A voice spoke from Snape's desk. It unnerved me how he managed to travel so silently.
"On occasions, no Sir..." I was still staring at the powder on the floor. Snape crossed over less silently towards the bench, and looked down at what I was looking at. I realised, and hurried to apologise.
"I'm sorry Professor, it fell down onto me, and when I picked it up to put it back up it-." I suddenly felt choked for words.
"Sit down Elixa." I stepped back, fumbling for a stool, my legs feeling unsteady with the seriousness in Snape's voice.
"This herb is the labor herb... it is a herb with medicinal properties, it reacts to deep distress in whoever touches it, wilting and as you have seen, reducing to a useless powder if the individual is in a distressed state..." He paused, I was still staring at the powder, which the edge of Snape's robes were almost touching.
"But personally I wouldn't observe you to be in any kind of distressed state..." I looked up.
"Perhaps it was just the remark from Draco..." I suggested. Snape shook his head.
"If that was the case, everyone would have that affect on the herb." I thought he was trying to be sarcastic, but his face stayed serious.
"I don't think tonight is the right time to attempt the lenimentus audio potion, Miss Amethyst." Snape took out his wand and removed the powder in a slight wave of his wand. I nodded, collecting my equipment together. Snape watched me go.
"Tomorrow night Elixa..." Then he followed it with something I wouldn't think he would...
"...And take care..."