Chapter 2

Harry and Ron watched Hermione with big eyes as she told them everything about the last one and a half hour at dinner. Unbelieving, Ron shook his head.

"Honestly, Hermione, how can you be actually happy to spend even more time with Snape?! I thought the lessons were far enough, no need to see that git any minute more, thank you!"

"At first, the work with him will be an excellent addition to my final report; have you any idea how impressive it will be to employers if I can say of myself that I have helped Britains most competent Potions Master with his researches?"

Ron and Harry exchanged a quick glance.

"And how do you know he is Britains most competent Potions Master? If you ask me, he might be quite good, but that doesn't make him the best.", Harry retorted.

Hermione turned to him a bit annoyed.

"Simple: If you ever would read something else than Quidditch-reports, you would have come across Snape's articles in "Ars Alchemica"; and half a year ago there was a report about Snape in "Present Potions" that made really clear that among potion brewers and alchemists, he is regarded as the best on this subject in this century. You see, this assistance-job will be more than a career-booster, no matter what you two think of Snape."

Ron looked quite stunned, and Harry smiled slyly to her.

"I never knew that you are that interested in our dear Potions Master..." Hermione snorted. "Really! No, I'm interested in potions, you know that. That I've come across his articles is just a consequence."

"Whatever", Ron cut in. "Hey, if you assist him in his office, you could sneak out the next term paper questions for us!"

"Yeah, and change some of our marks in his notebook!"

"No, better: We write the next term paper as usual, and afterwards Hermione gives us the correct answers. Then we write the paper again and Hermione changes the scrolls in Snape's office!" With excitement Harry and Ron played through some ways of cheating, all including a big deal of Hermione's help so close to Snape's notes. Only a short time later the three of them laughed helplessly at their bizarr plans, being only too aware of the fact that Hermione would never play along. Whiping some tears out of her eyes, Hermione rised finally.

"Alright guys, just dream along. I still have some work to do, I'll see you later in the common room." Harry and Ron waved grinning, then stucked their heads together again, undoubtly plotting some other prangs. Happy and proud Hermione walked into the Gryffindor common room and upstairs into her private room. She felt a fluttering sensation every time she thought about the next Tuesday; the first day as Snape's assistant... She really had to force her thoughts back to her Arithmancy essay, and it took a while before she was able to concentrate properly. What would she have to do to assist him? Hopefuly he wasn't as bad as in class to her; but why would he have chosen her if he was going to terrorize her? Hermione became very impatient and couldn't wait the next Tuesday to arrive.

The first "lesson" as assistant was rather ordinary. Hermione arrived at Snape's office ten minutes earlier to find him busy in detention with a close-to-tears second year. "Great", Hermione thought, "just what I ever wanted: Watching Snape while he's scaring the wits out of other people." The Potions Master indicated the door to his private lab to her without a word and turned to his victim again.

"Mr. Weedle, those cauldrons will not become clean by just stroking them! Hurry up, you've wasted my time long enough!"

Quickly Hermione closed the labdoor; she had no desire to witness a scared boy whimpering under Snape's stare. She walked a little around the lab, doing a kind of sightseeing of Snape's sanctuary and tried to read the lables on the jars above the heavy desk. Just when she stepped closer the door swung open and Snape strode in.

"Curiosity can become dangerous, Miss Granger... In your case it will if you don't step back from that liquid on the right next to you."

Hermione took a step backwards at once, eyeing the dark violet potion in its small, already opened vial on the desk she hadn't noticed until now.

"What is it?"

"That is something I have to figure out now. I only know that it has caused a heart attack on the last person who got a drop on his skin."

Hermione moved back some more steps.

"I see, you are learning fast!"

Snape smirked and picked up a pair of black dragonhide gloves. When he settled down behind his desk and reached for the vial, Hermione finally found her speech again.

"Ah, Sir... Aren't you wearing safety glasses? I mean, if this is an highly dangerous potion it would be better to..."

"Would you really like to tell me how I have to do my job?"; Snape interrupted her with a dangerously sweet and silky voice. His eyes bored into hers and Hermione felt herself blush.

"Of course not. But I think..."

"Well, turn your thinking to your task then. On the desk behind you are some healing potions, antidotes and blood cures which need to be tested. Number the vials and write down the test results. All results and possible upcoming effects, I have to grade the potions later."

Hermione had turned eagerly to the desk behind her, noticing that it stood now with its side to Snape, and examined the different sized vials closely. On the first look she could tell that a lot of the healing potions would do more damage than healing up properly, and the antidotes looked... interesting. The other potions seemed to be alright and Hermione concluded that they must come from an already advanced class, fourth or fifth maybe. She began to work and decided to start with the antidotes. Out of the corner of her eye she could see how Snape extremely carefully poured out a thin line of the violet potion into a test-tube. He held the potion to his eye-level and swirled it around before putting it back, leaving the small vial opened next to him. Hermione's stomach dropped suddenly when he turned abruptly, his elbow missing the vial very closely. Hermione noticed that his motions were precisely and, although fast, never hastily or uncontrolled. Not really calmed she forced her attention back to the antidotes, but with every further movement Snape made she nearly jumped and glanced over to him quickly. After twenty minutes, Snape had enough.

"Miss Granger, would you be so keen and stop staring at me while I'm handling this? I thought that your tests would keep you busy but it seems that you aren't occupied with it."

He sounded strangely annoyed. "So, he doesn't like to be watched; can't stand his own medicine, eh?", Hermione thought amused. Out loud she answered

"Sorry, Professor, but it makes me nervous if you keep investigating that potion without any safety measures."

She wanted to go on but again he interrupted her.

"Alright, for your sake... I don't want to trouble you more than neccessary!"

Snape retorted with a sneer, sarcasm dripping out of his voice. Hermione turned to her potions, rolling her eyes. Alright, may he poison himself! She wouldn't run for Madame Pomfrey if he killed himself accidently. She heard him rumaging in a drawer, then shutting it loudly. After a few minutes she risked a glance over her shoulder and had to bite back a laugh: Snape had drawn his shoulder-length hair back with a ribbon and was wearing oval safety-glasses with airy thin crystal plates in a silvery frame. At the moment he dripped some clear liquid in one of the test-tubes, not being aware that he was watched once more. "Hmm, unusual look, but somehow it suits him!" Hermione grinned to herself and went on with her work. Two hours later (they hadn't exchanged a single word after Snape had given in) Hermione was finished. She wrote down the last remarks about the potions she had tested and rolled up the scroll. With a quick glance and a short nod, Snape showed her that he had recognized her, and she was dismissed. Carefuly Hermione closed the door behind her after she ad had stepped out into the classroom and went off. On her way back to the commom room she wondered if she would ever know what Snape would work out about the violet potion, and decided to try the way of innocent asking the next time. "Well, not really eventful, this assistance; I hope there will be more interesting tasks the next time..."

There was, by the meaning of it. The next day already Snape called her to stay behind after the potions class, and curios she went towards his desk.

"I need some of those articles for next week. I don't have the time to read them by myself again, so I want you to write down the most important thesises and keywords, listed by author and year the article was published. It will take some time, so start as early as possible. Don't be surprised, it has nothing to do with potions, but I need it for research."

With that he handed her a list of sixteen titles, some of them marked.

"The marked ones have to be ordered, as far as I know. Madam Pinch is informed."

Hermione looked over the paper, brows furrowed.

"How To Do Things With Words, by Austin? Generative Grammar, by Chomsky; Susan Roumaine, Bilingualism; Shana Poplack, Code-Switching; Dimensions of Bilingualism, by Li Wei; Sir, what - "

"Later. It's for a project I'm working on. I'll tell you more the moment I'm sure my idea will work. Till then - just read those papers and collect the most important information."

"And when shall I bring you the results?"

"Next Tuesday. Today I have some complex tests to do, therefore your presence is not acquired." "Am I not allowed to watch and learn from your tests?" Hermione asked with a slightly provocative voice. Snape looked up at her, the first time during their talk, and raised an eyebrow. "Under normal circumstances you would have to do them on your own but the potion is complex and is needed in St. Mungo's, so I do it myself."

Hermione felt strangely hurt and retorted:

"Alright; but if you think I'm not up to my job, I have to fail you. I'm quite able to do an analysis, and even if it is an unusual potion -"

When she drew new breath to continue, she noticed the small smile in the corner of Snape's mouth. It came to her that he knew exactly what she was capable of, and had provoked her into standing against him. Now he seemed to read the new thoughts in her mind.

"Believe me, if it were possible, I wouldn't let you miss it. But it is not possible, so no further discussions."

Hermione heard the honesty in his voice and knew it made no sense to argue. With a nod, she left the classroom, not aware of Snape's eyes following her.

In the evening, Snape prepared the dangerous test in his chambers behind his office. The small vial on his desk held a water clear potion, glimmering innocently in the candle light. The problem was that this potion couldn't been tested in a tube; it was the famous posion known as "Black Sleep". It held the body in a quasi-dead state; heart beat and breath stopped, the whole body became paralized. The poisoned person would be aware of every action around him but not able to move, speak, or even open his eyes. The benefit was the medical effect: Dangerously hurt persons, treated with the potion, would "survive" in that state for a couple of hours. Life-saving, if it was dosed correctly. Otherwise it was deadly; slowly killing, making the victim aware of every body function stopping to work one by one. The process could go on over hours. Snape loved the potion. Only few people were able to brew it right; and even less people were willing to test it. Snape could be counted to both, and he was the only one. Now he had to test one potion of his own, something he liked better to do; if it was flailed, or too strong, it would be at least his own fault if he died. He hated the thought of his fate in the hand of a face-less foreigner. With a sigh he settled down behind his desk and took a spoon out of a drawer. He picked up the tiny bottle and spilled two drops on the spoon; if his calculations were right (and they were always right), the dose would paralyze him for two hours. He stopped before drinking the potion; it could become very uncomfortable if he took it while sitting behind his desk. On the way to his bed he felt the thrilling excitement which came every time with an experiment on his own body. He settled down on his bed, carefully balancing the liquid on the spoon. He watched the tiny drop glittering in the light of his fireplace, a great heat floating from his stomach through his whole body. He had to calm his breath before taking the potion; yes, he couldn't wait to feel the velvet and warming influence it hold. He felt a smile crinkling the corner of his mouth, and he decided to go on. After skipping off his shoes, Snape laid down and in the same time drank the drops. In an instance he felt light-headed, his visions became soft and blurry, and a velvet darkness settled upon him. Heavily he sunk in the pillows, every muscle relaxed. So far, the potion worked as expected. After a while, Snape noticed that the darkness became thicker; he felt more and more sleepy, but sleep would mean certain death. Against better knowledge he tried to move, to prevent himself falling asleep, but of course he wasn't able to. He tried to remember as much potion receipes as possible, but even that didn't last long to keep him awake. A strange sensation crept through his throat; it was a kind of panic, but more because he wondered how long it would take someone to find his body; and who would find him. Snape felt the comfortable, heavy curtain of sleep dragging his mind into darkness, and in the same time he felt that he wasn't strong enough to fight it any longer. "How many time has past yet? Maybe I can survive an half an hour of sleep; fourty minutes? Would that be possible?" With that, he drifted away.