Disclaimer: *taps fingers on desk* exactly how many people here think that I own anything recognizable in this fic? *several people raise hands* *glares at them while twirling wand* *several hands immediatly drop* *curses them anyway* I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!
Voldemort walked into the small group of Death Eaters and eyed each one. He then took a seat and motioned for the others to do the same.
"I am sure you all know why I have called you here." The masked group nodded. "Now we must figure out what we will do. I am not completely sure that my implications are true, and that is what I want to find out. Remove your masks." The group hesitated, this was a thing never asked of them before. "Now!" With that the masks nearly flew off. "I want you to take a good look at each other. You are the most loyal out of all my followers, and I would like you to know the identity of each other. I have tested nearly all of my followers now, and Severus's test will be the last. Your job is to spy on him, watch every move he makes. Lucius, your son is one of his students, you will enlist his help as well. Also, the last few Death Eaters to test I will test together. I will have them raid Devon. As for Severus's test, I have a few things in mind, but I do not know what we will do with him if he is found a traitor. Death will not do, I want him to suffer, and then I will think about killing him. But, until that time comes, I want you to watch him, and update me on your findings. Should he give you any reason to doubt his loyalty, I am to be contacted immediatly." Voldemort rose and left the room, clearly ending the meeting.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the first to arrive to the potions class. They took the seats in the far back and waited. None of them wanted to be there that early, but with Harry's hurt ankle they had no choice; better early than late. After a few minutes, the other students began to trinkle in. After the class was full, Snape made his entrance.
"I am very dissapointed in the lack of work you put into your last papers." He dropped a large stack of parchments on his desk and went to the blackboard. "Today, we will begin a potion that will not be finished until Christmas. The potion will be a class assignment, but there is plently of work to go around. It is called the Parentale Vetias Retegere, does anybody know what it is used for?" No one, not even Hermione, raised their hand. "No, then that is your homework for tonight. Now we will begin with the first ingredient. The Eternal Blossom of Truth originated in the Sahara desert and was brought to various parts of the world by wizards. What makes this plant so interesting is that muggles cannot see it. It is often used in the most powerful of truth potions. It blooms only once a year, but the bloom never wilts. If magnified, you would be able to see that each fiber on a petal is a different color and there are no two colors that are the same. Wizards throughout the ages have tried to name the colors, but there are colors which have never been seen before. Each petal is exactly like the one beside it, down the smallest of holes. When looked at without being magnified, it is said that one can tell the future. When I hand you the flower, do not touch any of the petals with you fingers. Hold it in the palm of your hand and note the color." He paused to delicatley hand out the flowers to each person. Harry looked down at his flower in amazement. It didn't have a color, but it wasn't black and white either. The closest way to describe it was that it was a visible clear color. After a moment it faded into a crimson. Harry wrote the color down on a peice of spare parchment and looked up to await the rest of directions. Slowly the rest of the class did the same. "Now, set it in the bottom of your cauldron." Harry set his in his cauldron and nearly gasped in surprise. The petals began to curl up and it became a dull, gray color. "As soon as your flowers finish wilting, pour one cup of water on it and sprinkle that with the rose petals on your table cut up finely. You only need three of them." The class did so. "Each of your mixtures will now be added to this cauldron." He jestured to a large cauldron beside him. "For your homework assignment. You will look up the prophecy and write a report on why your flower turned the color it turned. Put your flower in the cauldron and you are dismissed. Ms. Granger and Mr. Longbottom need to stay after class."
Immediatly after supper, Hermione drug both Harry and Ron into the library to work on the potions assignment. She set them to work hunting down the book with the prophecy in it.
"So," Ron said, searching through a stack of books on how to make your own potions. "What did Snape keep you after class for?" She kept flipping through the pages of a rather large book.
"To see if I could tutor Neville." Ron dropped the book he was holding.
"You mean he actually wants to help Neville?" This earned him an impatient sigh.
"He is a Professor and, despite your paranoid dillusions, is not out to fail everyone in his classes."
"Well, he is a very good actor then, don't you agree, Harry?" Harry peaked around the corner from where he was browsing through titles.
"You can leave me out of this one." After about thirty minutes of looking, Hermione found the correct book. She set it on the table and read the prophecy aloud.
Harry checked the parchment to make sure he remembered the right color. He thought for a moment, 'you do not know this lie goes deep, what lie?' he looked at Ron and Hermione, and found Hermione to be blushing.
"What is it?" She shook her head.
"Nothing, what was your color?"
"Crimson. I wonder what the lie is."
"Prophecies are not always accurate. What did you get Ron?" He thought for a second.
"Aqua. Your adventure is yet to be seen. I have had plenty of adventures, thank you, I do not need another. What did you get, Hermione." Again she blushed.
"Oh, I have to go." With that she rushed out of the library. The two boys stared after her.
"What was that all about?" Harry shrugged, wrote down his prediction, and flipped through the book Hermione had. He stopped about halfway through it.
"Hey, Ron, here is the potion. It is used to determine the biological parents of someone. I wonder why he had us making this potion?" Ron just shrugged and Harry thought no more about it, Snape's business was something he would rather stay out of.
Severus entered Dumbledore's office, book in hand.
"Good evening, Severus."
"Good evening. I need to discuss something with you." Dumbledore motioned for him the sit down. "Thank you. It is about Neville Longbottom. I did a little research and I think I have figured out why he does badly with work." Severus handed him the book. "I think he is dyslexic." Dumbledore turned to the page that was marked and read.
"Yes, it looks to be so. I trust you have a theory about what can be done." Severus nodded.
"If you will inform his other teachers, Hermione has agreed to tutor him." The Headmaster nodded.
"I will let them know before breakfast tommorow morning." Severus stood to leave. "Also, there will be a meeting tommorow night. I will summon you when it is time." Severus nodded, knowing full well what meeting that was. The Order of the Pheonix meetings took place in Dumbledore's office, and there was no doubt who would be the topic of this meeting. He sighed, Dumbledore was just too stubborn for his own good. "And, Draco is to meet his father at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade, if you will accompany him."
Lucius threw his cloak on and kicked the house elf that was trying to straighten it.
"Go tell Narcissa I am leaving!" He went to his fireplace and flooed to The Three Broomsticks. He had sent a letter to Draco earlier telling him to meet him there after dinner. After wiping the dust off his robes, he looked around the shop, but saw no signs of Draco. Sneering, he selected a table at the back to wait. 'That boy will get a sound lashing if he doesn't have a good reason for being late' Lucius had to wait about five minutes before Draco entered with Severus at his side. They walked up the the table and Lucius stood to greet them.
"Severus, good to see you." Severus nodded. "Draco, you are five minutes late."
"I had a meeting that ran late. Draco, I will meet you here in about thirty minutes." With that Severus left and Draco sat down.
"Listen to everything I say and rememeber it. My boss needs you to keep an eye on Severus. I want to know everything that happens at that school, no matter how small a matter. I expect a letter every week, and no later. Also, we need to discuss your initiation. After the final tests are over, he will then recieve new members, and I will expect you to be there." Lucius whispered all that was said from that time to the time Draco left. When Severus came to get him, Draco had a smirk on his face, but let on nothing of what he knew. After all, he had trained his whole life for this.
tidbit of info: for those of you who didn't figure it out *looks at Ankha* Lucius refers to Voldemort as 'my boss' because he was sitting in the middle of The Three Broomsticks and if he said 'Voldemort', it would probably attract some attention. He didn't refer to him at 'master' either because I am the author and I said so! *sticks tongue out at no one in particular*
FireSenshi, Angel, snickerdoodle: Thanks for the reviews!!!
Kitala:*beams* thank you! I will!
Gil-Celeb: There will be more Seri to come, I can assure you. And no, I am not a Neville tormentor, I just wanted to put out my idea about why he is so bad at potions, and the tutorials he will be in might be important later.
The Kuro no Tenshi: Well, Lupin does, but you will see more of him later.
Footmonster: Yes, Thank you! I finally found out what a teacake is!!! They sound delicious, I will have to find a recipe...
Sela, Lee Lee Potter, silver-girl: Thanks for the reviews!!!
Saavik: Harry will not tell anyone...yet. That will come later.
Gil-Celeb: Don't worry, Voldemort will not know what hit him when...well. you'll find out later.
It is Neville who is Dyslexic. Severus is concerned because that is one of his students. My Sev is not that evil!
Footmonster: Yes, I tend to go a little crazy when writing the disclaimers. They are so annoying so I like to spice them up. :)
Hehehe, I hope you don't fail on my account! After all, I do learn from the best (Ankha), and because of all she has taught me, there will be even bigger cliffies to come!