Segment 6

"Two pinches of this, a handful of that, and six drops of something else"

By Old Scout

The procession of students into the dungeons had the air of a death march. Dawn didn't get it. Sure Professor Snape was arrogant, overbearing, pompous, grouchy and had really bad breath but he was still just a teacher. Of course she wasn't real pleased that she had him for her first class on her first day. If she'd known she'd be spending two hours with him the first thing in the morning, she probably wouldn't have been bratty with him in Dumbledore's office last night, probably.

Dawn was dressed in the school uniform and robes. She really didn't want to but knew it was easier to fit in with her new school mates plus the robes would protect her regular clothes from any mishaps in the potions lab. All the students were dressed in black Wizarding robes with the Hogwarts crest. The only splash of color was Fred. Her robes were a mixture of dark red and black with just a shimmer of blue. Dawn recognized the color scheme from Illyria's normal body suit.

"I always feel like we're walking into hell when we come down here." One of the boys from her class commented.

"Walking into hell doesn't feel anything like this." Dawn mumbled under her breath.

"Did you hear?" One of the Slytherin girls said. "There's a new ghost in the castle."

"What kind of ghost?" Ron asked from several paces behind.

"Don't know." Another of the girls said quietly. "Some of us were out last night and saw it pass by on the upper landings."

The discussion stopped when they entered the potions class room. The room was large with walls made of huge dark granite blocks. Being in the lower parts of the castle, the foundation walls were generally made of larger stones to support the weight of the building above. The ceiling was arched and supported with wood and stone beams stained with years of soot and chemicals from the classes. The room was filled with large table size desks all about the same size but varying in design and age. The newer tables had cabinets beneath for supplies and granite tops while the older were just well made sturdy tables. All had years of stains, burns and discolorations from the activities of hundreds of students. Professor Snape sat at the front desk reading a scroll as the students filtered in.

"Please take your time, we only have two hours." He growled at the class as they jockeyed to find a seat always assuming it would be theirs for the term.

"Miss Burkle." Snape looked at Fred. She stopped in front of him and smiled.

"Yes, Severus." Fred said sweetly then blushed. "May I call you that?"

"You may call me Professor Snape, Miss Burkle." He replied.

"Yes of course, in the class room in front of the students and all." Fred agreed with a smile. "We must stay professional."

This was the creature Illyria Dumbledore was so concerned about? Snape looked the young woman over. Dark rimmed muggle glasses on a thin face. Wavy brown hair held away from her face with a couple of clips. She was short and thin almost a wisp of a girl who didn't look much older then the students. The red and black robes where an odd mix of style and color he'd never seen before. The Wizarding world had a bad preference for either black or bright obnoxious colors they never seemed find a middle ground. He wondered where she found these robes. "And why is she flirting with me like we're old friends." He thought. "She must be evil."

"Professor Dumbledore mentioned you wished to audit some classes." Snape said coldly. "I have arranged a desk for you so you can attend if you wish but not be a distraction to the students." As he spoke, Snape looked toward a smaller table in the front far corner of the room.

Fred looked to Dawn who nodded then turned back to Snape. "Okey dokey." She walked across the room and sat down at the table.

Dawn was looking at the tables for a place to sit. She saw Harry, Ron and Hermione in the middle of the room. Ron and Hermione were already at a table together with Harry behind them. "Hey, Harry. Mind if I sit with you?"

"Hey Harry." One of the Slytherins said mocking Dawn. "How's princess Hermione going to carry you, Ron and a muggle through class? You and Ron barely passed last year?"

"Don't worry about the muggle." Draco said from the back row. "Her grades have probably already been set by the Ministry."

"Wow, bitter much?" Dawn looked back at Draco. "How's your nose?"

Draco started to stand but was interrupted.

"CHILDREN!" Snape yelled. "There will be no fighting in my classroom! Now sit down and pay attention. This is advanced potions. If anybody is in the wrong class leave now before you humiliate yourself with extreme incompetence. I will be teaching remedial potions at this time tomorrow for those of you who are not capable of maintaining a certain level of performance in this section." As he spoke he looked directly at Dawn, Harry and Ron.

"Now, we have a new student with us this year. I believe most of you were introduced to her at dinner last night or perhaps on the train yesterday." Snape glared back at Draco who returned with a glare of his own. "As you must know by now, Miss Summers is a muggle with some magical experience that as of yet has to be demonstrated."

Snape looked at Dawn. "I am told, Miss Summers, that you have had experience in potion making. Would you care to enlighten this class of students, who have been training for many years, how it is that you believe you are qualified to come in off the muggle streets and join them in Advanced Potions?"

"Well," Dawn smiled as she bit the inside of her mouth trying not tell this grease ball what she thought of him for putting her on the spot like that. He was deliberately trying to alienate her from the rest of the students and she didn't like it. She had to live here for the next nine months and having a professor point out things for the students to hate was not of the helping. "I had two and a half years of honors chemistry."

"Oh, yes." Snape replied. "Muggle chemistry has so much in common with potion making. Anything else?"

"And a year of advanced chemistry in school in Rome last year." Dawn continued. "Plus I've been researching and practicing Wicca spells on and off for the past three years. I think I should be able to keep up and participate in this class." She glanced over at the Slytherin side of the room. "Particularly considering some of the students you will have to be teaching down to."

Snape wanted to bite her head off for the last remark but didn't. He had seen her transcripts and asked Albus about the book she'd been holding the night before. It was the "Prophesies of Sigmesh" and he said he knew of only a handful of people at the most six who could translate that title without using any references. Dawn Summers was intelligent or she wouldn't be here, no matter her connections. She was probably smarter then Hermione or any other student currently attending Hogwarts. She was also arrogant, had a chip on her shoulders about Wizards and had a mouth that did not know when to stay closed. Plus she had the backing of Ministry Of Magic, the Headmaster and some kind of creature immune to magic able to protect her from the nasty Wizards. This was a powder keg waiting for a spark. Today was not the day to ignite it.

Pointing to the black board Snape said. "To begin we'll brew a liquid light potion. The instructions for the first half are on the board." He looked around the room. "I hope you all like the student you are sitting next to because that is your lab partner for the year. All potions, assignments, home work, extra credit, detention and any other work related to this class will be shared equally between partners."

"Everything?" Ron asked smiling and looking at a frowning Hermione. "Even test grades?"

"Tests will be averaged and the partners will share the grade." He frowned at Ron for speaking without raising his hand. "It also includes any extra work for things such as speaking out of turn. So the scroll Mister Weasley has to turn in tomorrow on the uses the Liquid Light potion will be accompanied by one from his lab partner on its history.

"Now, retrieve your cauldrons, gather your ingredients and let's see what you remember from last term." Snape sat back down at his desk and waited for the students to get settled into working on the potion before starting to proctor the class.

--

"How much is a pinch?" Dawn asked Harry as she started reading the instructions.

"What?"

"Much as in quantity. Pinch as in some obscure unit of measure."

"It's just a pinch." Harry replied as he searched the cabinet beneath their table and started pulling out supplies.

"Yea, but your pinch is probably bigger then my pinch." Dawn continued. "Some of those ingredients are pretty powerful you wouldn't want to put too much in."

"Don't worry." Harry said looking up at Dawn. "I'll do all the measuring so we're consistent; how about that?" He handed her a cauldron. "Here, we'll use my cauldron for the first half and yours for the catalyst. Where's yours at?"

"My stuff's in that leather case back there." Dawn pointed at a shelf in the back of the room. The house elves delivered her supplies from Fred's room that morning. She rubbed her fingers on the inside of the cauldron. "This thing's contaminated."

"No it's not." Harry said defensively. "I cleaned it myself last week before coming here."

"Look." She held up two fingers covered with black residue from the inside of the pot.

"Of course, all cauldrons get like that." Harry said. "It's just well seasoned. I thought you had experience with this stuff."

"But the potion doesn't call for black soot or what ever this thing is 'seasoned' with."

"Don't worry. I'm sure the potions account for the condition of a seasoned cauldron."

"Miss Summers, is there a problem?" Snape had approached seeing Dawn and Harry discussing something about the supplies.

"No, Sir." Harry said quickly trying get on with the project.

"Miss Summers, you seemed to have some questions, perhaps I can help with any fundamentals you may be lacking. That is my job after all."

"Oh, I was just asking Harry about the care and feeding of cauldrons." Dawn smiled. "Nasty little creatures you know."

"Ah, and your supplies are where?"

"Back there." Dawn pointed to the shelf where her case sat with other student equipment.

"Don't you think it's kind of hard to use it when it's all the way in the back of the room?" Snape drawled. "Perhaps you could go fetch it and show me what a muggle uses to make potions."

"Why sure." Dawn spun on her stool, jumped off, marched to the back of the classroom, retrieved the oversized leather case and marched back to the table placing it on the granite top with a solid thunk. She twisted a latch on the top, folded the front open and flipped the top back. Securely strapped in a lower compartment was a shiny, brand new cauldron. Squeezed in next to the obviously out of place cauldron where two large glass beakers. On the shelf above the cauldron were a scale and another large beaker. The front flap that folded open was lined with test tubes, and an array of long thin glass pipes. Everything was secured in place with leather straps and padding. Other chem. Lab supplies where packed throughout the case.

Snape stared at the professional chemistry set. "You will need the cauldron for this exercise." He turned heal and stalked off.

Once they were settled into a routine, Harry found that Dawn was quite good with potions, just needed to learn to measure the different ingredients. A pinch of the stringy Hazel weed has different than a pinch of fine Luminescence powder. By the end of the class they had one of Dawns test tubes filled with complete potion and glowing brightly and two clay jugs filled; one with the inert potion and one with the catalyst.

"Place your activated potions on top shelf." Snape indicated a shelf in the back of the room. "If anybody's potion is still glowing in the morning, they get an extra ten points. Class dismissed."

All teams had created a glowing potion. The shelf was lined with capped vials and one test tube in a rack. Some were brighter than others, some were different shades of white and there were a few that weren't white. One was even orange. Dawn smiled. She knew why everything was different. Even by their what, 6th year, these students did not understand the importance of measuring accurately and decontaminating their equipment. She wondered if Professor Snape did.

"Miss Burkle," Snape said looking up from his work as Fred passed by. "Would you stay for a few minutes? I'd like to talk to you."

"Sure, Professor Snape." Fred smiled sweetly at him.

Dawn stopped at the door and waited inside the class room.

"Dismissed, Miss Summers." Snape nearly growled. "I'm sure Miss Burkle can find her way to your next class without you. And close the door."

Dawn looked at Fred who smiled back and said. "Go on sweetie, I'll catch up to you in few minutes."

As soon as the door closed, Severus pointed his wand at it and said. "securus."

Turning his back on Fred, Snape cast a charm on the black board to clean it.

"What can I do for you, Professor Snape?" Fred asked. Her voice was not the flip almost flirty voice she was using earlier but a more professional business like tone.

Snape looked back at the young woman. "Professor Dumbledore has told the Heads of Houses who and what you really are." Snape said.

"I'm aware of the threat." Fred said. This time her voice was different again, deeper, hollower. "It does not concern me." Her demeanor changed, she seemed to stiffen up and her eyes squinted slightly.

Snape turned to write on the board. He could do it with magic, but he knew turning his back on somebody was offensive, and insulting in a confrontation. It was just a little jab since he obviously had to prepare for his next class anyway. "I heard stories this morning that students saw a strange person or apparition in the halls last night. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

"I did not interact with any of the spawn living in this hive last night." A cold voice said from behind Snape. "I do not know, or care, if they noticed me last night."

Snape turned around at the sound of the deep, hollow voice and the tone of disdain for the students she spoke of. Fred was gone and something else stood in her place. Fred's smooth wavy dark hair was replaced by long course hair with blue streaks around her face. Her face was framed with blue stripes laced with dark blue and black veins and her lips had a faint blue shimmer while her eyes glowed ice blue. The red and black robes were gone replaced by a strange leather body suit the color or dried blood with black highlights. Her arms were wrapped with brown leather cord ending with black gloves. Illyria cocked her head to one side and looked at the Snape.

At the slight movement from the creature, Snape took an unconscious step backwards and backed into the chalkboard.

"It seems surprised to see me." Illyria stated. "Though it said it knew of me."

"What are you?" Snape demanded as he pointed his wand at her.

"I am Illyria, God-King of the universes from a time when humans were but the muck at my feet." As she spoke, Illyria lifted one of her feet and showed him the sole.

"What are you doing here?" Snape took a step sideways trying to get some distance between himself and the creature.

"Studying the ways of the wizard creatures."

"No, I mean in the world, now."

"I was summoned. I should have been left to my slumber. The shell, though worthy as any, was still too weak for my power. I should not have been woken." She took a step forward as Snape asked his next question.

"Shell?"

"The Burkle shell was chosen by my misguided acolytes. It resisted my rising but was only human."

"You mean Winifred Burkle was real?"

Holding her hand up slightly, sparks jumped between her fingers as she spoke in Fred's voice. "Of course Severus. Illyria needed a body for her essence."

"Stop it!" Snape said pointing his wand at her fingers. "Did Dawn and her people do this to….Miss Burkle, are they responsible."

"They knew the shell's friends. They accepted me after the others died fighting a great battle of demons. It was a most invigorating battle." Illyria stepped towards Snape. "You remind me of my last guide. He hated me for taking the shell and he stank of self loathing for not being able to stop it."

"What happened to the people that resurrected you?"

Taking another step forward as Snape took another sideways Illyria said. "The shell's friends and lovers killed them in retribution for the loss of the shell. I would have eventually if they hadn't. The time had passed eons ago for my rising." She sniffed at Snape. "You also remind me of the wizard that killed my last guide."

"Who was your last guide?"

"Wesley was to be the shell's lover before I was called." Illyria replied. "He agreed to be my guide to teach me about being human because I still looked like the shell."

"He was killed by a Wizard?" Snape asked. "Why?"

"We were to kill the Circle of the Black Thorn." Illyria started walking around Snape studying him. "He was to kill the Wizard Vale, while I was to kill a demon and his associates. I killed mine, but Wesley failed. I sometimes wonder if he would have failed if he had not lost the Burkle."

"What happened to Vale?" Snape asked as she stepped back in front of him.

Illyria reached under a section of her body suit and removed something flat that fit in the palm of her hand. She held up a piece of bone with some dried flesh still on it. "I crushed the wizard's skull and hung the remains of his corpse from a chandelier." She replaced the bone fragment and stepped away.

There was a knocking on the door. "Professor Snape, are you in there? Class was supposed to start five minutes ago." A young student asked from the hallway.

Snape glanced at the door with the pounding then back at Illyria. The creature was gone and Winifred Burkle stood in her place. "Gee Severus, I think you'd better let your students in or the children will start talking about us." Fred said in her lovely cheerful voice.

To Be Continued……