Inverted Enemy
Chapter Five: Annoyances
*****
Disclaimer: Uh… JK Rowlings is the genius behind Harry Potter. I am an insignificant fan. Severitus provided the focus through her challenge.
demonic angel – thank you
t.a.g – I mix my own herbal teas like that. I especially like spearmint, rosemary, raspberry leaves and chamomile. Although I do not read the leaves when I am done.
Kitala – *grins* Sirius is back. He will be around. The snake won't say much for a while. It is a baby, after all.
sparrow – I'm glad you like it.
sadilou – *big hug* Thanks for the reassurance.
A/N – I find that the scenes from Snape's point of view are harder to write. I hope that this lives up to your expectations.
*****
Severus Snape scowled at the mess he had just made of the potion he was brewing. He had been adding small slivers of fillet of a fenny snake carefully, one at a time. Then, the mark on his arm had flamed hot for just a moment. The small silver plate holding them had jumped in his hand.
Naturally, the contrary bits had all jumped into the brew together. He consulted his notes. Perhaps if…
No, that had not worked. The evidence was the noxious smoke rising. Snape held his breath and closed his eyes while he pulled out his wand.
"Aerateus" He said, careful not to inhale. He felt the rush of clean air as the ventilation charm did its work.
He opened his eyes and sighed. An afternoons work completely ruined. He covered the cauldron with a gas collecting apparatus and made a note that what he had tried had not worked.
Snape went to the washroom connected to his private workroom and stripped off his contaminated robes. There was no point taking chances with an unknown substance; especially one he had concocted himself.
When he was sufficiently decontaminated, he returned to the workroom. The day's planned potion would have to wait till another day. He made notes on where he had been in the process and what he had done differently than he had planned.
Then he settled in to do a detailed analysis of the potion he had just created. Some of the most important discoveries in the history of alchemy had been accidents.
Two hours later he set down his quill and shook his head in disgust. A simple toxic substance that would probably cause burns or boils, and a gas that turned out to be far less dangerous than his caution had warranted.
Snape washed his hands carefully and left the workroom. His stomach informed him loudly that it must be nearly dinner time. He left the dungeon and made his way to the Great Hall.
As unsociable as he was by nature and by reputation, he preferred the dinner table to a solitary meal in his rooms. The kitchens always went to too much trouble when he ate alone.
Snape glanced around as he entered. Most of his colleagues took advantage of the summer holidays to leave the castle. Flitwick, for one had only just left for a Charms conference in France.
He was the first one in the room. The table was set with four settings, not the three he had expected. He wondered who had returned, but he was not left to wonder long.
"Lupin!" He snarled as the werewolf entered the room.
"A pleasure, as always, Snape." Lupin said with a wry half smile.
Snape's nostrils flared and he suppressed a sneer. "Have you been invited to dinner?"
"Actually, I have been invited to teach again." Lupin said. "I am considering it. Especially since I have received many letters from others encouraging me to take the position. I am allowing Dumbledore to have his complete say before I accept or refuse."
"Well, you know I am against it," Snape glared at him. "and you know why."
"Yes." Lupin agreed. "Although half of your reasons are based on misconceptions."
"I do not believe that I wish to continue this conversation." Snape said. "It will not be in any way productive."
"Sirius Black has never killed anyone." Lupin said. "Peter is alive and once again in the service of Voldemort."
"Black came very close to murder once." Snape's voice was low. "Although, I am almost convinced of Pettigrew's part in later events." He changed the subject. "The full moon is in three days. Do you have enough Wolfsbane potion to see you through it? Or shall I brew you some?"
"If you wouldn't mind doing it, I would be grateful." Lupin said. "I have been purchasing the potion, but the commercial potion is inferior to your brew."
Snape raised his eyebrows. "I believe that was a compliment, Lupin."
"Well, yes. It was intended to be. Hogwarts is fortunate to employ so accomplished an alchemist as Potions Master."
Snape did not have a chance to replay, as Dumbledore and Mcgonagall entered at that moment.
"Ah, Severus," Dumbledore said. "You must help me convince Remus here to rejoin the faculty."
"Headmaster, I must protest, that I would rather see him anywhere but here." Snape replied. "A werewolf is a danger to our students."
Mcgonagall shook her head and took her seat, determined to stay out of the conversation if she could.
"Never mind him, Remus. Minerva…" Dumbledore began.
"Why don't we drop the subject and eat our dinner instead." She offered. "I believe it will be better for the digestion if we find another topic."
The three men sat and their dinner appeared before them.
*****
Aerateus – I took this from the word aerate (1. verb: expose to fresh air, as of old clothing 2. verb: impregnate, combine, or supply with oxygen)
Chapter Five: Annoyances
*****
Disclaimer: Uh… JK Rowlings is the genius behind Harry Potter. I am an insignificant fan. Severitus provided the focus through her challenge.
demonic angel – thank you
t.a.g – I mix my own herbal teas like that. I especially like spearmint, rosemary, raspberry leaves and chamomile. Although I do not read the leaves when I am done.
Kitala – *grins* Sirius is back. He will be around. The snake won't say much for a while. It is a baby, after all.
sparrow – I'm glad you like it.
sadilou – *big hug* Thanks for the reassurance.
A/N – I find that the scenes from Snape's point of view are harder to write. I hope that this lives up to your expectations.
*****
Severus Snape scowled at the mess he had just made of the potion he was brewing. He had been adding small slivers of fillet of a fenny snake carefully, one at a time. Then, the mark on his arm had flamed hot for just a moment. The small silver plate holding them had jumped in his hand.
Naturally, the contrary bits had all jumped into the brew together. He consulted his notes. Perhaps if…
No, that had not worked. The evidence was the noxious smoke rising. Snape held his breath and closed his eyes while he pulled out his wand.
"Aerateus" He said, careful not to inhale. He felt the rush of clean air as the ventilation charm did its work.
He opened his eyes and sighed. An afternoons work completely ruined. He covered the cauldron with a gas collecting apparatus and made a note that what he had tried had not worked.
Snape went to the washroom connected to his private workroom and stripped off his contaminated robes. There was no point taking chances with an unknown substance; especially one he had concocted himself.
When he was sufficiently decontaminated, he returned to the workroom. The day's planned potion would have to wait till another day. He made notes on where he had been in the process and what he had done differently than he had planned.
Then he settled in to do a detailed analysis of the potion he had just created. Some of the most important discoveries in the history of alchemy had been accidents.
Two hours later he set down his quill and shook his head in disgust. A simple toxic substance that would probably cause burns or boils, and a gas that turned out to be far less dangerous than his caution had warranted.
Snape washed his hands carefully and left the workroom. His stomach informed him loudly that it must be nearly dinner time. He left the dungeon and made his way to the Great Hall.
As unsociable as he was by nature and by reputation, he preferred the dinner table to a solitary meal in his rooms. The kitchens always went to too much trouble when he ate alone.
Snape glanced around as he entered. Most of his colleagues took advantage of the summer holidays to leave the castle. Flitwick, for one had only just left for a Charms conference in France.
He was the first one in the room. The table was set with four settings, not the three he had expected. He wondered who had returned, but he was not left to wonder long.
"Lupin!" He snarled as the werewolf entered the room.
"A pleasure, as always, Snape." Lupin said with a wry half smile.
Snape's nostrils flared and he suppressed a sneer. "Have you been invited to dinner?"
"Actually, I have been invited to teach again." Lupin said. "I am considering it. Especially since I have received many letters from others encouraging me to take the position. I am allowing Dumbledore to have his complete say before I accept or refuse."
"Well, you know I am against it," Snape glared at him. "and you know why."
"Yes." Lupin agreed. "Although half of your reasons are based on misconceptions."
"I do not believe that I wish to continue this conversation." Snape said. "It will not be in any way productive."
"Sirius Black has never killed anyone." Lupin said. "Peter is alive and once again in the service of Voldemort."
"Black came very close to murder once." Snape's voice was low. "Although, I am almost convinced of Pettigrew's part in later events." He changed the subject. "The full moon is in three days. Do you have enough Wolfsbane potion to see you through it? Or shall I brew you some?"
"If you wouldn't mind doing it, I would be grateful." Lupin said. "I have been purchasing the potion, but the commercial potion is inferior to your brew."
Snape raised his eyebrows. "I believe that was a compliment, Lupin."
"Well, yes. It was intended to be. Hogwarts is fortunate to employ so accomplished an alchemist as Potions Master."
Snape did not have a chance to replay, as Dumbledore and Mcgonagall entered at that moment.
"Ah, Severus," Dumbledore said. "You must help me convince Remus here to rejoin the faculty."
"Headmaster, I must protest, that I would rather see him anywhere but here." Snape replied. "A werewolf is a danger to our students."
Mcgonagall shook her head and took her seat, determined to stay out of the conversation if she could.
"Never mind him, Remus. Minerva…" Dumbledore began.
"Why don't we drop the subject and eat our dinner instead." She offered. "I believe it will be better for the digestion if we find another topic."
The three men sat and their dinner appeared before them.
*****
Aerateus – I took this from the word aerate (1. verb: expose to fresh air, as of old clothing 2. verb: impregnate, combine, or supply with oxygen)