Disclaimer: I am a starving college student - I own nothing.
xikum: Glad you're enjoying. Yes, Snape will soon come to some realizations, I just didn't want to rush the change in sentiment overmuch. Snape harbors a lot of pent-up frustrations, and it will take him time to overcome them. Besides, old habits die hard. He is an adult, though I'm not sure I would call him 'mature' (or at least Rowling didn't really portray him as such in Order of the Phoenix). I think Snape is afraid and, to a certain extent, unable to see himself in Harry. Snape doesn't fear Voldemort, but he does fear himself.
Chapter 8: Potions and Poisons
Harry didn't know whether to laugh or hide. There was no way Snape wasn't going to blame this on him.
Just as Harry had this thought, Snape turned to face him, in all his gooey glory.
Snape glared at Harry, his eyes burning brightly.
Somehow, though, the Fear-Inspiring Potions Master didn't inspire so much fear in his current ridiculous state.
"Are you alright, Professor?" Harry asked, attempting to hide his amusement at his professor's predicament.
"Lovely," Snape responded icily.
Harry ignored his professor's sarcastic remark and retrieved a towel from the cupboard at the back of the room, which he threw to Snape.
"Thank you, Potter." Harry was surprised for an instant, then realized that Snape's expression of gratitude must have been intended to confuse him. Well, what other explanation is there?
"You're welcome, Professor." Harry assumed caution was advisable with Snape in his current condition. Explosions weren't unlikely with Snape in a particularly foul mood, even if Neville wasn't around.
Snape sighed and wiped off the brunt of the mess. This was the closest to human Harry had ever seen Snape act.
"Quit gawking Potter, it's not becoming." Potter shut his mouth, which, much to Harry's dismay, had been hanging open.
"I am going to go wash up. We will resume this lesson in half an hour's time. Please refrain from destroying the dungeons in my absence." Snape's voice sounded oddly resigned as he spoke this last request. "Here, read this." Snape handed Harry a book that had been laying on his desk before leaving the classroom.
Harry was a bit perturbed by his professor's behavior. Why hadn't Snape exploded? Why wasn't Gryffindor set to negative house points for the next millennium? And why did Snape allow me to stay in his classroom unsupervised? Harry wondered as the mischievous part of his mind flew into overdrive.
Fred and George would be horrified, Harry mused as he set aside thoughts of possible pranks and looked instead at the book Snape had handed him. The front cover was blank. Harry expected the book to be about potions. Harry was thus surprised to see that the gold lettering on the spine read: Dark Arts for Dark Times.
Harry wondered why Snape had given him a book about the Dark Arts to read, but his curiosity overcame his doubts, and he started reading the introduction.
Harry looked up from the book when he heard someone enter the classroom. How can his hair still be greasy? He just showered!
"Do you know why I gave you that book to read, Potter?" Snape's voice was oddly devoid of malice.
"No, sir," Harry responded.
"Think, Potter. Assuming you are capable of such a feat, of course." Ah, there was the snarkiness Harry had become so accustomed to in his potions professor. Harry had begun to become worried about his professor's health.
Harry honestly hadn't a clue why Snape would assign him such a book to read.
"I really don't know, Sir," Harry responded truthfully.
Snape then changed tacks. "What do you think of the quality of this discourse?"
Harry wasn't quite sure how to answer that. The book seemed a popular one: not scholarly in the least. Would Snape be insulted if Harry said he thought the book was poorly written?
"The author seems to cater to the general public," Harry ventured. That has to be safe, thought Harry.
"He does," Severus affirmed. "I want you to finish reading that book... or as much of it as you can abide... and write me a three foot essay on your thoughts regarding the disposition of the author as well as the intended audience."
Wow, he must really want the Dark Arts professorship, Harry reflected, if he's voluntarily giving me lessons on this. I wonder if Dumbledore knows about this.
"Yes, Professor." If nothing else, this assignment should prove interesting. Damn it, I'm starting to sound like Hermione. No, Harry amended, Hermione would never be interested in anything related to the Dark Arts. And since when the hell am I!?
"Good." Snape then went into lecture mode, describing the properties of the various ingredients that would go into and the steps involved in the creation of the potion that Harry would be brewing that night. Harry didn't know why Snape had suddenly decided to act as more than a disinterested observer, especially after the Dobby Fiasco, but he wasn't about to call attention to the fact.
To Harry's surprise, Snape was actually good at explaining the subtle art of potions-making when he wasn't too preoccupied with being a Snarky Bastard to ensure that his students actually learned anything. Perhaps he doesn't want the Defense Against the Dark Arts position, Harry thought.
"You may begin. You should not require assistance with this potion, though if you do Merlin help us all. I don't know what the Headmaster was thinking placing you in N.E.W.T. level potions, you're liable to annihilate the entire class," Snape sneered. Ah so that's the reason: self-preservation. I'm really not as bad as all that.
Harry refrained from rising to Snape's bait: it just wasn't worth it. Instead, Harry resolved to complete this potion perfectly. There was no point in giving Snape extra ammunition, after all.
Harry began working methodically, picking up again where he had left off, slicing his shrivelfigs.
Just as Harry was about to add the last ingredient, he heard Snape's silky voice right behind him. "I wouldn't do that, Potter."
Harry had to bite back a snappy retort as he put down the vial he was holding. Harry's eyes widened as he realized what he had almost added to his potion.
Snape smirked. "I thought I quite clearly told you to brew a Truth Potion, Potter." Snape's eyes then glittered evilly, "It would not serve you well to produce a poison instead, Potter, as I do intend to test your... concoction at the end of this lesson."
Harry shivered.
There was simply no way that this was going to turn out well for him. If he brewed a poison... well, he'd be killed. And if he brewed a Truth Potion... well, he'd be killed. Damn.
Neutralize it, Harry thought. I have to find a way to neutralize it.
Harry was disappointed. He'd worked hard on this potion, and now he was going to have to ruin it! Purposefully! Damn that Evil Man!
Harry looked at the ingredients he had on his table. Snape would become suspicious if he went to the storeroom for ingredients: he would have to make do with what was available to him.
Snape glared at Harry as he thought that. Blasted Old Bat can probably read minds, Harry thought. Shit! Harry quickly cleared his mind, banishing his emotions. Harry could have kicked himself, he could feel Snape subtly probing at his mind.
Harry tried to maintain this vacuous state while working on his potion. It proved a difficult task.
As Harry continued to push aside his emotions, it became progressively easier to devote all of his concentration to the task at hand. And then Harry had it! If he increased the proportion of powdered snake skin in the potion, while holding the amount of centaur blood constant, the truth-extracting effects of the potion should be nullified, without changing its color or texture. Harry idly wondered how Snape had managed to get hold of centaur blood, given the current animosity of the creatures toward the people at the school and their general antipathy toward the idea of assisting humans. Couldn't have been fun for Hagrid, that's for sure, thought Harry.
"Finished, Potter?" came a threatening voice from behind Harry.
"Yes, Sir," stated Harry, somewhat hesitantly.
Snape smirked at Harry's worried tone. .
"Good. Ladle a sample into a vial," Snape ordered.
Harry did as he was told, then handed the vial to Snape. He held his breath as he watched Snape examine his creation.
Snape conjured a glass of water, then added a few drops of Harry's creation to the glass.
"Drink," commanded Snape.
Harry steeled his nerves, and did as he was told.
Snape watched closely as his student followed his directions.
"What do you think of me, Potter." Snape smirked as a look of fear flitted across Harry's face.
Harry blanched as words that he did not intend to speak came tumbling forth from out of his mouth.
"I think you're really grand, Professor. You're caring and compassionate, and have and infinite store of patience." Harry nearly gagged at his own words. What the hell is going on? Harry wondered.
"Really, Potter? You don't say." Snape's voice was cold and calculating, though Harry thought he saw a ghost of a smile tug at the Snarky Bastard's lips.
"What did you do to your potion, Potter?" Snape sounded genuinely interested.
"I added frog legs and marshmallows," Harry answered, his face straight.
Snape arched an eyebrow. "Did you, now?" Snape asked. "Tell me, what is your name?"
"Mujutto Annan," Harry deadpanned.
"Get out, Mujutto," Snape said as he rubbed at his temples.
* * * * *
Pointless ramblings: I suppose I used the wrong term heretofore as regards the potion Snape is trying to brew. It's not actually an antidote he's searching for, it's a potion that can immunize him against the effects that he's trying to create.
Kizna2: No worries. Thank you, and I'm glad you're enjoying the story, romance really isn't my forte though. Good luck on your exams! Mine are approaching too. Bloody hell... I should probably be revising for those rather than writing this, but this is oh so much more fun! And a Happy Christmas to you too (I celebrate Chanukah though).
Grahhamm: Glad you're enjoying... snarkiness is so much fun to write.
xikum: Snape put out the ingredients for Harry to use... Harry should have automatically been suspicious. Snape isn't actually teaching Harry Dark Arts per se, he's rather teaching Harry about the Dark Arts. Snape made a promise to Dumbledore, and he intends to keep his word. Protecting Harry from 'going Dark,' so to speak, requires that Harry know something about the Dark Arts. My take on Snape and the Dark Arts position is that Snape is a potions master, he doesn't want the Dark Arts job. I think that's a rumour that he has encouraged for political reasons.
Bakachan17: Oops... where's I imply that there's another spy. That wasn't intentional. Dobby's always been one of my favorite characters. : )
ennui deMorte: ooh I like your pen name! Thanks for reviewing, and I'm glad you're enjoying!
Wynjara: I haven't the foggiest notion why Potter would be at all worried. Snape's always been so kind to him. Oh, I wish I could study potions though... and sleep with the professor. ; )
Mikito: Thank you, glad you're enjoying. Here's your chapter.
Andromedaantigon: Sorry, I didn't mean to be so evil. whacks little devil perched on right shoulder: "I told you they'd be mad!" Here's my excuse: I posted some corrections, which showed up as an update, so I figured I'd give you guys something in the meantime.