Very few potions glowed let alone shone in a multitude of twinkling colors as this one did. Each vial seemed to contain a cloudy substance that alternated between purple, red, gold, white, gray and blue percolating and shifting very like the Northern Lights captured and bottled. If a potion could be called beautiful, then this one would easily qualify as such. It even smelled good - sweet and floral. A few Hogwarts staff members held one in their hand.
For all the potion's outer beauty and appeal, none of holders could mistake the lingering presence of dark magic nor ignore the almost overpowering sensation of raw magical energy. Eyes followed the potions master as he finished giving individually labeled vials to each of the volunteers - McGonagal, Flitwick, Trelawney, Filch, Sinistra, Pomfrey, Dumbledore, Sprout, Vector and Pince. Hooch, Hagrid and the rest of the staff looked on curious but also somewhat relieved that they had not been called upon to volunteer.
"Before we begin I would like to fully disclose what it is that you are all being asked to commit to. First, Severus will explain the exact nature of the potion and its long-term effects. Then I will ask each of the volunteers in turn if they wish to continue."
Dumbledore looked at all the volunteers one by one before motioning to Snape to begin. "Severus?"
Snape stood up and walked to the front of the room in front of the hearth. Hands behind his back, he seemed lost in thought for some time before beginning. "Consula Econtra is a potion that is widely known in the modern world as a useless, ancient curiosity. An ancient Egyptian alchemist devised this potion, however, he never finished his notes completely and only a partial description of the potion was ever found. The alchemist mysteriously disappeared. Its effect is to make the recipient do the absolute opposite of whatever the recipient is instructed to do. For example, if the request goes against the morality and ethics of the intended, then the potion finds an action or response that is not against that person's nature and carries out that action. No one has ever found a way to use it for any practical purpose or discovered its true purpose until now.
Snape took a deep breath before continuing. "Some time ago, I came into possession of some additional research into this potion. It was discovered that this potion in its most elementary form had been used as part of ancient incantations to bind demons to inanimate objects. These objects were imbued with all the evil and power of whatever hellspawn was bound to it. The reflective nature of the potion prevented the demon's escape by forcing it to want to stay within the object. In this way was the demon transformed into a willing, cooperative slave." At hearing this several of the volunteers placed their vials carefully and respectfully back onto the table
"For some time now, I have worked to find ways to prepare for Voldemort's eventual attack on Hogwarts. He is coming and it is only a matter of time." Snape swept a glance at all in the room. "I was ... was intrigued by the research and began to study the Consula Econtra. I altered the original version of Consula Econtra combining it with a new potion using dopple berries. I then pieced together the ancient incantations and ritual. I made the alteration such that a demon would not be permanently bound, instead, the demon's energy would be channeled into a more benign, artifical construct. In effect, the demon would lend some of its life energy and this energy would be used to endow the construct with energy and minimal sentience. This construct, while tainted by the demon's aura, would be magically resistant to dark magic and curses.
His audience watched spellbound as soul-damning word after soul-damning word fell from his lips. He had just admitted that he had invoked and used dark magic of his own free will and volition. They all knew that even dabbling casually with the dark forces had a price and many negative after effects. No one wanted to think about what it must have cost Snape to create this potion or what it was still costing him.
Perspiration began to bead on Snape's face but he continued in a voice gone hoarse and tremulous. "About two weeks ago, I succeeded in summoning a demon. However, my potion was not completely stable. The demon was transformed and imprisoned in my ... my chosen object accidentally and, I believe, permanently. Fortunately, the transformation was successful and the … the entity no longer harbors any evil intent or aura. It is quite innocent and childlike actually."
"Severus, you have killed a demon. If I remember my ancient magic texts correctly, it could not have been just any ordinary demon. Am I right?" asked Sinistra looking Snape straight in the eye. "And where is this demon now?"
Snape placed both hands against the fireplace mantel as if trying to garner strength and support from the stone hearth. He gazed unwaveringly at the leaping flames. "I felt it necessary to duplicate the same ancient incantation and ritual as well as have the most energy and power available. Therefore, I had no choice but to summon a demon that was nearly as old or older than the original Consula Econtra - a thousand year old demon, to be exact. And, yes, I wiped its presence out of existence and will likely be paying for that transgression for whatever is left of my life. As to where it is - "
Dumbledore interrupted Snape with a voice that was steel encased in raspy velvet. "Where it is, is irrelevant believe me. The demon is in no position or condition to harm anyone here nor does it pose a threat to Hogwarts in any way. It is no longer even a demon per se. Continue, Severus."
The potions master had not changed position. He stared at the flames as if hypnotized. He continued in a more distant voice. "I have stabilized and refined the potion as well as the mechanism to summon the necessary demon. This morning another demon was summoned. I took most of its life energy and transferred that energy into a potion. A few hours ago, I conjured the elemental constructs and joined them with the potion. With Poppy's help, we decanted individual potions for each of the volunteers using the personal items donated last week. In effect, ingesting the potion will transfer the construct to your own bodies. This construct and the potion will give you two things - a living, intelligent shield against most spells, hexes and curses including limiting the effects of Imperius and Cruciatus, and, secondly, you will have available to you at least three times the normal amount of magical energy that you normally have. This will cause your spells, even the simplest ones, to be too powerful and unstable until you adjust and learn to control."
Dumbledore held up his own vial and said, "This is the best weapon we have against Voldemort. You were chosen based on your psychological balance and strength of identity. You are now being asked to share your life with a completely alien entity for which you must change your behavior and life. Each volunteer's partner will be responsible in helping the volunteer during the adjustment period. A partner's role and responsibility is not secondary to the volunteer's; never think that. Both the volunteer and the partner must work together to achieve success. Based on what I know of Severus' experiences, it will not be easy and may often times be dangerous as we are dealing with very old and primitive magicks. I want all of you, volunteers and partners, to take some time to think about your choices. We will all reconvene in thirty minutes."
Several staff members left the staff room to think and decide in solitude. But some stayed where they were their decision already made - Dumbledore, McGonagall, Filch, Trelawney, Hagrid and Sinistra. Snape finally took a seat sinking gratefully into an armchair by the fire. He closed his eyes and rested his head in his hands. Sinistra came over with a cup of tea and offered it to him. He accepted and asked, "You're not afraid?"
"Excited actually. Of what use am I just gazing at the stars every night? He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named isn't going to come down from the skies. This way I can make a difference and gain a lifetime companion as well. Two for the price of one, I can't lose." Sinistra joked but her eyes had an intense light that he had never seen before. "I take it you're not taking a potion?"
"Why ask when you already know or suspect the answer already," Snape looked at her with new respect taking a careful sip of his tea. "It is not unpleasant. In fact, it feels as if I had a second self. My better half you might say."
"And you let it out to play now and then." Sinistra looked back at him over the rim of her teacup. "That wasn't really you in the Great Hall making the girls swoon over a few lines of poetry, was it?"
"I don't know what was me and wasn't me. The construct is not a different entity. I believe that it adapts itself to the host taking some of its qualities and sensibilities from the host. I was aware of what I was doing, yet, I couldn't help myself. I had to stop Weasley's iambic butchering."
Snape and Sinistra shared a quiet laugh just as the others were coming back in and getting to their seats. At the head of the table Dumbledore stood up. "I will call out every volunteer's name and each volunteer will look at me and say Yay or Nay. Let us begin. Professor McGonagall!"
The deputy headmistress responded with a firm "Yay!"
"Professor Flitwick!"
The charms professor rubbed his hands in anticipation "Yes, let's get on with it."
"Professor Trelawney!"
The diviner answered with a soft but firm "Yay!"
"Mr. Filch!"
The caretaker looked nervous but his voice came out with a strong "I will!"
"Professor Sinistra!"
The astromer, eyes shining, said, "Oh, absolutely!"
"Madam Pomfrey!"
The nurse's eyes were rimmed with red but she said "Yes!"
"Professor Sprout!"
The herbology professor looked lost in thought and said quietly "I'm in."
"Professor Vector!"
The Arithmancy teacher simply said "Have no fear, Vector is here."
"Madam Pince!"
The librarian answered in a shaking but defiant voice "We must win. Yes."
"Thank you all. I ... I don't know how better to express my thanks and admiration of you all," Dumbledore's voice caught. He sniffed then breathed deeply regaining his composure once more. "Severus, please instruct us on the next steps."
Snape got up and stood behind Professor McGonagall's chair. "Each one of you will take the potion one at a time. The headmaster and I will watch over you. The headmaster will take his only after the rest of you have done so. The initial reaction will vary by person. However, you can expect a warm heat enveloping you followed by a state of relaxation and calm then you will feel a tingling or pulsing sensation as the construct settles down and you begin to feel its power. Minerva, you're first."
Both Dumbledore and Snape had their wands at the ready as Professor McGonagall removed the vial's stopper. As soon as the potion was exposed to air, its glow increased until McGonagall seemed to be holding a torch in her hand. She drank the potion, closed her eyes and leaned back. The others watched her with great interest. A radiant smile transformed her face. She gasped in happiness. "Oh, Albus, I'm flying, flying!" McGonagall kept her eyes closed and could not stop smiling.
Seeing McGonagall's apparent happiness, Professor Flitwick needed no prompting. As Severus moved to stand next to him, Flitwick opened his bottle. Instead of a torch of light, Flitwick's vial was a fountain shooting large streaming fireworks into the room. With a loud "Hah!", he drank it greedily. Suddenly, he grabbed Snape's arm yelling "Severus! You were right.." He began to glide through the air bouncing against the walls laughing like a small happy boy. "It's not evil, do you hear me, don't be afraid any of you!"
Trelawney caught Snape's eye and he moved to her position. She opened her vial. The vial didn't light up but it started to vibrate and then out came music, beautiful, heavenly music. She drank draining the vial quickly. At first, she just sat there unmoving but suddenly she stood up and threw her arms around Snape. Her body shook with tears and she just said "I never thought.. I just never thought. Thank you." Snape held her until her sobs became less violent she sat back down with her head in her hands shaking with tears of joy.
Filch looked at his vial dubiously. Dumbledore patted him on the shoulder and said "Go ahead, Argus, you might be surprised." Filch opened his vial and it immediately blew out gold, blue and green smoke circles each one bigger than the last one. Filch looked down at his vial and then at a beaming Dumbledore before he drank it. His body jerked once and he was propelled forward in his chair with a pained expression on his face. But his expression soon turned to amazement. He said nothing just rubbed his fingers together. He pointed at the pitcher of pumpkin juice at the center of the table. The pitcher glowed once. Splinters appeared one by one on its surface. The pitcher exploded with a loud bang spilling juice all over the table. Filch smiled. "Heh, try calling me a squib now ... heh heh."
Sinistra yelled for Snape to get over to her so she could drink her potion and share in the fun. She had opened her vial before Snape could get to her. Her vial didn't spew out light or smoke circles nor did it vibrate noticeably. Instead, the contents writhed inside and hummed quietly. Sinistra drank it quickly. After a few seconds, she shrieked as she fell to her knees. Wild waves of energy began to pour out of her body. Lightning streaked out of the sky from a clear, cloudless sky bathing the room in an eerie flash of electricity. As suddenly as the energy display began it stopped. Sinistra bounced up to her feet as if she was all ready to climb mountains. "This … this feels incredible! As the muggles say - wow!"
Dumbledore watched as Madam Pomfrey opened her vial. The moment it was opened it began to spread rainbow beams of light to all corners of the room. Pomfrey smiled and drank her vial. The nurse began to laugh hysterically tears running down her cheeks doubling over as if in pain. Dumbledore moved to aid her. "I'm all right, Albus. It … it tickles, is all. Severus, you didn't say these things could have a sense of humor!"
Snape stood by Professor Sprout whose vial was sending into the air wildly colored energy bubbles of varying sizes. With a delighted smile, she drank her potion. Her body sagged then straightened again. Then she started to transfigure into a series of things - a statue, a bird, a venus flytrap, a chair, a bear then finally a pot of flowers. She collapsed into her chair looking exultant but exhausted at the same time.
Vector stood up, opened his vial and before it could do anything downed the contents. After a few seconds his face grew brick red and his arms began to flail helplessly. Snape and Dumbledore rushed to his side ready to assist. Vector hiccupped. A plant in the room exploded. Vector looked embarrassed. Another hiccup and several glasses broke. He hiccuped again. One of the inner doors burst into flames. " Some hero I am - hiccups!"
Madam Pince's vial was still on the table. She had never picked it up. With a reassuring nod, Dumbledore picked it up and handed it to the librarian. Pince opened it warily. The room was rocked by one powerful tremor. Pince looked at the vial in her hand flabbergasted and disbelieving. "That couldn't have been from me." She drank the vial. Her entire body began to vibrate and sparks of electricity came streaming from her fingertips. Pince could only look upon her tingling fingers with wonder.
"I always knew you had it in you, my dear." Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Minerva, Severus, please come and assist me in my quarters. Everyone, please remain here and wait for our return."
The three of them left. The room's occupants hardly noticed their departure as they were too busy experiencing, exploring and meeting their new companions and the non-volunteers were agog at all that was happening. The trio returned after fifteen minutes. Dumbledore had a rather rosy afterglow about him. "Everyone, please, there is one more thing to do tonight and then all can retire. Everyone, please return to their seats."
Snape got up in front of the group once again. "Now, the only thing that remains is the ritual that will bind the volunteers together as well as form bonds with their partners. Because the vials you drank came from the same base potion, anyone taking the potion will have the ability to share the energy amongst themselves thus strengthening each other even more. Additionally, a minimal communication bond will be established between partner and volunteer. This bond will allow the volunteer and the partner to summon each other at need and it will also provide a limited but constant level of protection from dark spells upon the partner. For some of you, your partners will be arriving over the course of the next few days. The communication bond will be performed once they are present. Everyone please remain seated as still as you can be. Partners, think of your volunteer and volunteers think about your partner while I cast the spell."
The room was still and silent. Snape raised his hands in the air and wild lines of silver, gray and dark blue magical energy came up from the floor below his feet forming pulsating, crackling bands of energy about him. The crackling static grew louder still. It soon obliterated all other sounds in the room. Snape's voice could not be heard. After he uttered the last word, everyone but Snape slumped over into unconsciousness. The light around him grew to blinding intensity. The floor trembled under them. Then, the room was pitched into an all-consuming darkness. Snape wearily uttered "Lumos." The candles in the room lit and slowly everyone regained consciousness.
Anyone peering into the staff room at that moment in time would have declared that all the staff had gone crazy or were under the Imperious curse. Some of them were on the floor unable to get up. Some tottered on shaky legs. Others were leaning heavily on walls or tables. But all of them, even Snape, was laughing with unfettered joy.