Author's Notes: School has gotten off to a rocky start for our beloved
Potions master. He's been pushed beyond his limits and finally reaches the
end of his rope. The venting of his anger at Draco Malfoy was only the tip
of the iceberg. The rage, fear, and frustration that has been building up
and boiling away inside of him is about to explode.
The Gryffindor trio decides to do what they do best. Snoop around in affairs that don't really concern them, and find out something that they really didn't need to know. And one of them comes out of the adventure with a little more empathy towards a bitter adversary.
Disclaimer: None of the characters from the books and movies belong to me
Chapter 18: The Breaking Point.
Word got around the school that Malfoy owled his parents about the detention punishment he had been given in Potions class, and his father sent a howler to Dumbledore demanding that Draco be excused from serving detention because he was allergic to cleaning potions. Dumbledore refused to intervene with the punishment and wrote back that Draco would be allowed to wear protective gloves and a mask to protect him from the fumes.
The first evening of detention, Draco complained of feeling ill from exposure to the cleaning potions and asked to be excused to the hospital ward. Madame Hooch excused the three of them from their task and sent them on to Madame Pomfrey to be checked out.
Just as Pomfrey was finishing up examining the boys, Professor Snape entered the hospital wing.
"Shit" said Draco under his breath to Crabbe and Goyle. "The bastard's already is checking up on us,"
The professor was walking towards a screened off part of the hospital wing and skidded to a halt when he saw the three Slytherins sitting on cots, being attended by Madame Pomfrey.
"You three had better have a very good excuse as to why you're here and not on your knees scrubbing the floor of the locker room."
Pomfrey looked up at the professor. "Hooch sent them down to be checked out, mister Malfoy was complaining of feeling ill from the cleaning potions they were using despite protective gear. He claims to be quite allergic to them, but I can detect no negative reaction whatsoever."
"Are they fit to return to their task?"
"Why yes, there's nothing wrong with them."
"Very well, I will escort them back to the locker rooms myself."
The boys sighed and grumbled and got to their feet and shuffled towards the door.
"By the way, has there been any change?"
"No, professor, I'm afraid not yet."
"Thank you, I'll be back just as soon as I ensure that these three make it back to their detention."
Malfoy looked back over his shoulder with a puzzled look on his face, and then turned and sauntered off down the hallway, flanked by his friends, with the professor stalking after them.
A few days later, when most of the students were in their dormitories after supper, Hermione tripped over a book left on the stairs of the Gryffindor common room. She twisted her ankle badly, and the female prefect asked Ron and Harry to help her to the hospital wing. Ron and Harry sat on the edge of a cot as the assistant nurse, Mademoiselle Lowrey, rubbed a sprain healing salve onto Hermione's ankle and wrapped it in a bandage.
The assistant nurse left the room to get a painkilling draught from the supply cupboard, when Professor Snape and Madame Pomfrey emerged from a screened off area of the hospital wing. They were talking in hushed voices. The professor had his arms crossed over his chest and his head down. Pomfrey gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder, and he turned to leave. He saw the trio sitting and staring at him, stopped, and shot them a look that could freeze fire. They quickly looked away, and he turned and stalked off out the door and back down the hallway. Lowrey came back into the ward with the potion for Hermione and was stopped by Madame Pomfrey. Pomfrey said something to her and pointed at the screened off area. Lowrey handed the potion to Pomfrey, and disappeared behind the partition. Madame Pomfrey administered the potion to Hermione and instructed the boys to help her back to her dormitory. She should be fine in the morning, but would have to take it easy for a few days to make sure the ankle had healed up properly.
Hermione put an arm around each of their shoulders, and they supported her in the middle and helped her back down the corridor. When they were out of earshot of the hospital wing, Hermione turned to Harry and asked; "What do you suppose that was all about?"
"What do you mean?"
"That screened off area, and Professor Snape. What were he and Pomfrey talking about? And why did she pat him on the shoulder like that?"
"Maybe he's sick or something?" Replied Ron. "It'd certainly explain why he's been so much more of a prick lately."
"I'd sure like to know what's behind that curtain Harry." Said Hermione. "I know, one of you two can have a minor accident, and do a little snooping when Pomfrey and Lowery aren't looking."
"I don't think so!" Said Ron.
"Yeah, Hermione, I'm curious too, but not curious enough to stage an accident just so I can go snooping." Said Harry.
"Whatever." Quipped Hermione. "I just thought that you two might be up for a little adventure."
The next day in Potions class, the students were sitting and copying the ingredient list for a potion that would render the drinker impervious to freezing weather, when there was a knock at the classroom door. Professor Snape looked up with a perturbed look on his face.
"ENTER!"
Mademoiselle Lowrey, the young assistant in the hospital wing, approached his desk apprehensively, and bent over to whisper something in his ear. He looked at her with a very strange look on his face. She said loudly enough for the first couple of rows of seats to hear: "You better come with me, Pomfrey wants you there."
Snape pushed his chair back loudly and turned to the class.
"You will finish copying the ingredient list, and once finished, place your scrolls on my desk, then you may be dismissed."
Without another word, he swept out the door of the Potions classroom, and broke into a run down the corridor to the stairs. A surprised Mademoiselle Lowrey hurried after him.
The class was filled with speculative whispers. Had there been a Death Eater attack? Was a special potion needed to heal a student? Hermione, Ron, and Harry, leaned in very close to each other.
"Okay, now I'm convinced something's up with Professor Snape and whatever's behind that screen." Said Hermione.
"I have to agree." Said Harry. "How can we get a look to see what's back there?"
"I'll stage an accident this afternoon." Said Ron. I'll do something in Herbology to get sent to the hospital wing."
Snape ran through the corridors of the school, taking the shortest route to the hospital wing. Classes were in session, so there were very few people out and about in the hallways, but a few startled students had to move out of his way as he ran past.
He found the door of the hospital ward barred by Hagrid, who stepped out of the way when the professor came running around the corner and towards him. Snape was intercepted by Headmaster Dumbledore, as he exited the partitioned off corner of the infirmary.
Snape nearly collided with the older wizard, and struggled to find his voice as he caught his breath.
"What's happening Albus? Lowrey told me that her fever had peaked and she was having seizures."
"Calm down Severus, she'll be fine. Poppy tells me that this is a good thing. Her body is fighting the negative curse energy, forcing it out of her cells."
"Can I see her?"
"No, not just yet, Poppy is attending to her, she gave her a sedative to settle her down. She's still unconscious, but the fever has broken. She has apparently made it through the hardest part and it should just be a matter of time until she regains consciousness. Sit, they will let you see her when they finish."
The professor sat on the edge of a cot, and ran his fingers through his hair, rested his head in his hand, and finished catching his breath. Lowrey finally arrived, not having run all the way from the potions dungeon. She looked at the two wizards and hurried over to the partition where Mira was being treated. Dumbledore sat down beside Snape and put a fatherly hand on his shoulder.
A few moments later, Poppy and Lowrey emerged from behind the screens, and walked over to where the two men sat.
"She's resting peacefully again. The motionless sleep draught settled her down. This was the worst of it, and I'm happy to say that she pulled through with flying colors. You can go see her now Professor, but remember she's heavily sedated. Oh, after the potion wears off, she will not be in as deep of a state of unconsciousness. If you wish, you may talk to her, read to her, play music for her, whatever you choose. She'll be a state of semi-awareness. Her mind is fine, but her body is using all of its reserves to force the curse energy out of her cells."
"Thank you Poppy." Said Snape as he stood up and entered the private area where Mira was lying on her cot. The signs of the internal struggle were evident. A faint sheen of perspiration glazed her forehead, and her hair was damp and matted. Her face was flushed pink and no longer had a ghostly pallor. She had a strange smell about her, like overripe fruit. Snape assumed it was a side effect of her body expelling the curse energy from its cells. He smoothed her hair with his hand, and tucked the sheet over her shoulders so that she wouldn't get a draft. He would ask Mademoiselle Lowrey to clean and comb out Mira's hair so that it didn't become badly tangled. Satisfied that she was resting soundly and out of danger, he stroked her cheek, and returned to his classroom. The students had all left, their papers sitting neatly in a stack on the corner of his desk. He didn't have class again until later in the afternoon, so he retired to his chambers for a long lunch, punctuated by a large cup of heavily brandied tea.
Later in the afternoon, the Gryffindor fifth year students had Herbology with Professor Sprout in the school gardens. The assignment that day was to prune the branches of the Fairy Alder hedges that formed a natural wall for the formal gardens. Fairy Alders formed blossoms that were attractive to garden fairies, and they would flit around in the branches on nights the flowers were in full bloom.
Ron gave Harry and Hermione a knowing glance and nicked his hand with the pruning shears.
"Ow! Ow! Ow! Professor Sprout! I cut my hand!"
The plump and rosy-cheeked witch hurried to see what had happened.
"Oh dear, let's have a look at it Mr. Weasley."
Ron held out his hand, which had a nasty little cut just below the thumb.
"My goodness. You'll have to go to the hospital ward for this, and let Madame Pomfrey or her assistant take a look. You'll need a Tetanus potion for sure. Now, go straight to the infirmary Mr. Weasley, don't mess about in the corridors."
"Yes m'aam Professor Sprout." Replied Ron as he headed towards the castle, looking back over his shoulder at his two friends, giving them a thumbs up and a wink.
Ron entered the infirmary, and called out for Madame Pomfrey. Her assistant Lowrey came out of the back room.
"How can I help you dear?" The younger witch asked.
"I cut my hand in Herbology, and Professor Sprout sent me to get checked out by Madame Pomfrey."
"Oh my. She's not here right now; she went to meet with the headmaster about something. I can take a look though, let me see your hand."
Ron sheepishly held out his hand for the young woman. She was quite pretty, and he blushed as she took his hand to see the cut.
"Yes, you sure did get a nasty cut. You'll need to have it cleaned, bandaged, and also take a Tetanus potion I'm afraid."
"Whatever you think Mademoiselle Lowrey."
"Well, just sit right there and I'll be back with the potion and bandages."
Lowrey disappeared into the supply room. As soon as she was out of sight, Ron leapt up from his cot and ran to the screened off partition in the corner of the room. He heard footsteps in the hallway outside the hospital wing and only got a quick peek at the patient on the cot. It was a woman, but not one of the professors. Her face looked familiar, but he couldn't place it. He barely made it back to his cot when Madame Pomfrey entered the infirmary.
"Mister Weasley, what are you doing here?"
"I cut my hand in Herbology, Mademoiselle Lowrey went to fetch a potion and some bandages for me."
Pomfrey took his hand and gave it a close inspection.
"Yes, a nasty little cut. But within her abilities to treat. Please excuse me, I have something to attend to."
Pomfrey entered the screened off area, and Mademoiselle Lowrey returned with the supplies needed to tend to Ron's wound. He made a brave face, even when the stinging cleansing tincture was applied to the cut. Lowrey broke a piece of chocolate off of a large bar, handed it to him, and sent him on his way.
"Here, this will take the nasty taste of the Tetanus potion away."
Ron blushed again and hurried off to the Gryffindor common rooms, where he was to meet with Harry and Hermione to let them know what he found in the hospital wing.
The other two must have ran straight from Herbology, because they were the first ones back to the common rooms following afternoon classes.
"Harry, Hermione, I got a chance to peek behind the partition. It's a woman. But she's not a teacher. And I don't think she works at the school at all."
"What was she doing there?" Asked Hermione.
"How should I know, she was just lying there, like she was sleeping."
"We've got to go get a closer look. Harry, do you have your invisibility cloak with you this term?"
"Yes, it's in my trunk."
"Good. You, Ron, and I will meet downstairs in the common room at 10 o' clock, just after lights out, and we'll go see what we can find out about her."
Other students started trickling in to get ready for supper, and the trio returned to their respective dormitories to prepare as well.
They didn't speak a word about their plan during supper. And returned to the common rooms and went through the motions of finishing their evening routines and getting ready for bed.
At the appointed hour, Harry crept soundlessly from his bed, taking the cloak he had stashed under his pillow. He pulled back the curtains on Ron's bed, and pointed at his watch. Ron nodded in understanding and silently slipped his shoes on and crept out of his bed. The boys pulled the invisibility cloak over them, and crept down the stairs to the common room. Hermione was hiding behind a chair in a darkened corner, out of sight from house prefects who did a sweep of the common rooms just after lights out to make sure any stragglers were sent straight up to bed. She crept across the room to where Harry was motioning with his hand, and pulled the cloak over her as well.
They silently exited their house quarters, and made their way through the sleeping castle to the hospital wing. They passed Mr. Filch in the hallway, but his cat was not with him, and he paid them no notice. The hospital wing was empty, only a faint glow of dimmed torches on the wall and the glow of a lamp shining from inside the screened area. They heard a muffled voice coming from the area of the partition. As they approached more closely, they recognized it as belonging to Professor Snape. They exchanged puzzled looks as they peered around the edge of the partition. The professor was sitting on a chair at the head of the bed, reading to the sleeping woman from an old leather bound book. They moved back out of earshot, and Hermione performed a silencing charm on the cloak, rendering the cloak soundproof. They slowly returned to the edge of the partition and peered around again.
"What's he reading to her?" Asked Ron. "It's nothing I've ever heard before."
"It's from Shakespeare." Replied Hermione. "A muggle poet and playwright from several centuries ago."
"I know who Shakespeare is Hermione, give me some credit." Snapped Ron.
"Quiet you two!" said Harry.
They watched as he continued to read to the sleeping woman. He finished and put the book on the bedside table. He reached up and stroked her hair gently, smoothing it off of her forehead. The trio exchanged very puzzled looks and watched in silence as the professor leaned over and rested his elbows on his knees, and his head in his hands. He sat back up, with a very distant and sad look on his face, and wiped tears from the corners of his eyes. He stood to leave, turned back to the woman, and reached out to touch her cheek. He took a deep breath, ran his fingers through his stringy black hair, turned and stalked out of the hospital wing with his robes trailing behind him.
"Come on!" Said Harry. "Let's follow him!"
The trio had to run to keep pace with the professor who was moving quickly through the corridors, back towards his dungeon chambers. He nearly slammed the door right off the hinges when he reached the potions classroom. The trio crept through the open door into the classroom, and hid behind the professor's desk as he passed through the classroom into his potions laboratory.
Hermione let out a gasp as they began to hear crashing and breaking glass combined with unintelligible swearing and screaming. Professor Snape was on a rampage, tearing up the potions lab. Overturning tables, throwing chairs across the room, and smashing cauldrons and jars against the walls.
Harry turned to Ron and Hermione. "Come on, we should go get Dumbledore."
"No WAY Harry!" Replied Ron. "We're not supposed to be out of our beds at this hour, we can't do that!"
Hermione was about to speak when they heard a thunderous crash followed by a howling roar that sent shivers down their spine.
They looked at each other with horrified looks on their faces.
"Oh NO! Snape's turning into a werewolf!" Cried Ron.
"Come on, let's see what's happening." Said Harry.
They got up from their hiding place behind the professor's desk and cautiously approached the door to his potions laboratory. In the dim torchlight, they could barely make out the details of a scene of destruction. Broken glass and shattered tables and chairs everywhere. Dented and cracked cauldrons lay here and there on the ground. Sitting on the ground, against the upturned main workbench, was Professor Snape, his knees drawn up to his chest, arms clasped around his legs, chest heaving with hoarse gasping breaths.
"Come on you two, this is seriously not right. We shouldn't be seeing this." Said Hermione, as she got up and started backing away from the doorway, underneath the cloak. The boys jumped up and they all three ran out of the potions classroom.
Peeves the poltergeist was bouncing off the dungeon walls, cackling with maniacal laughter, calling out with a taunting voice into the potions dungeons: "Poor prince charming can't wake his sleeping beauty with a kiss. What a shame. Maybe he's just a warty old toad after all!"
Undetected by Peeves, they ran all the way back to the common room and huddled in the corner, under the soundproofed invisibility cloak to try and understand what they had just witnessed. Hermione was shaking, Harry was very pale, and Ron's eyes were as big as saucers.
"I don't know what we just saw, but it's definitely not good." Said Hermione.
"Did you hear him, did you hear that sound he made?" Asked Ron with a shudder.
"He's lost it." Said Harry.
"What should we do?" Asked Hermione.
"Nothing." Replied Harry "I mean, what can we do?".
"Who do you suppose she is? Snape's not married, is he? I mean, she can't be his wife can she?" Asked Ron.
"No, I don't think he has any family, that's probably why he lives in the castle." Replied Harry.
"Then she must be his girlfriend." Said Hermione.
"Yeah, but Hermione, you're forgetting one thing. What woman in her right mind would fancy somebody like him?" Replied Ron.
The trio decided to return to their dormitories, removed the cloak and crept up the staircase to their respective quarters. None of them slept the rest of the night, Ron especially kept shuddering whenever he thought of the noise the professor had made. "Not good." He said to himself. "Not good at all."
The Gryffindor trio decides to do what they do best. Snoop around in affairs that don't really concern them, and find out something that they really didn't need to know. And one of them comes out of the adventure with a little more empathy towards a bitter adversary.
Disclaimer: None of the characters from the books and movies belong to me
Chapter 18: The Breaking Point.
Word got around the school that Malfoy owled his parents about the detention punishment he had been given in Potions class, and his father sent a howler to Dumbledore demanding that Draco be excused from serving detention because he was allergic to cleaning potions. Dumbledore refused to intervene with the punishment and wrote back that Draco would be allowed to wear protective gloves and a mask to protect him from the fumes.
The first evening of detention, Draco complained of feeling ill from exposure to the cleaning potions and asked to be excused to the hospital ward. Madame Hooch excused the three of them from their task and sent them on to Madame Pomfrey to be checked out.
Just as Pomfrey was finishing up examining the boys, Professor Snape entered the hospital wing.
"Shit" said Draco under his breath to Crabbe and Goyle. "The bastard's already is checking up on us,"
The professor was walking towards a screened off part of the hospital wing and skidded to a halt when he saw the three Slytherins sitting on cots, being attended by Madame Pomfrey.
"You three had better have a very good excuse as to why you're here and not on your knees scrubbing the floor of the locker room."
Pomfrey looked up at the professor. "Hooch sent them down to be checked out, mister Malfoy was complaining of feeling ill from the cleaning potions they were using despite protective gear. He claims to be quite allergic to them, but I can detect no negative reaction whatsoever."
"Are they fit to return to their task?"
"Why yes, there's nothing wrong with them."
"Very well, I will escort them back to the locker rooms myself."
The boys sighed and grumbled and got to their feet and shuffled towards the door.
"By the way, has there been any change?"
"No, professor, I'm afraid not yet."
"Thank you, I'll be back just as soon as I ensure that these three make it back to their detention."
Malfoy looked back over his shoulder with a puzzled look on his face, and then turned and sauntered off down the hallway, flanked by his friends, with the professor stalking after them.
A few days later, when most of the students were in their dormitories after supper, Hermione tripped over a book left on the stairs of the Gryffindor common room. She twisted her ankle badly, and the female prefect asked Ron and Harry to help her to the hospital wing. Ron and Harry sat on the edge of a cot as the assistant nurse, Mademoiselle Lowrey, rubbed a sprain healing salve onto Hermione's ankle and wrapped it in a bandage.
The assistant nurse left the room to get a painkilling draught from the supply cupboard, when Professor Snape and Madame Pomfrey emerged from a screened off area of the hospital wing. They were talking in hushed voices. The professor had his arms crossed over his chest and his head down. Pomfrey gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder, and he turned to leave. He saw the trio sitting and staring at him, stopped, and shot them a look that could freeze fire. They quickly looked away, and he turned and stalked off out the door and back down the hallway. Lowrey came back into the ward with the potion for Hermione and was stopped by Madame Pomfrey. Pomfrey said something to her and pointed at the screened off area. Lowrey handed the potion to Pomfrey, and disappeared behind the partition. Madame Pomfrey administered the potion to Hermione and instructed the boys to help her back to her dormitory. She should be fine in the morning, but would have to take it easy for a few days to make sure the ankle had healed up properly.
Hermione put an arm around each of their shoulders, and they supported her in the middle and helped her back down the corridor. When they were out of earshot of the hospital wing, Hermione turned to Harry and asked; "What do you suppose that was all about?"
"What do you mean?"
"That screened off area, and Professor Snape. What were he and Pomfrey talking about? And why did she pat him on the shoulder like that?"
"Maybe he's sick or something?" Replied Ron. "It'd certainly explain why he's been so much more of a prick lately."
"I'd sure like to know what's behind that curtain Harry." Said Hermione. "I know, one of you two can have a minor accident, and do a little snooping when Pomfrey and Lowery aren't looking."
"I don't think so!" Said Ron.
"Yeah, Hermione, I'm curious too, but not curious enough to stage an accident just so I can go snooping." Said Harry.
"Whatever." Quipped Hermione. "I just thought that you two might be up for a little adventure."
The next day in Potions class, the students were sitting and copying the ingredient list for a potion that would render the drinker impervious to freezing weather, when there was a knock at the classroom door. Professor Snape looked up with a perturbed look on his face.
"ENTER!"
Mademoiselle Lowrey, the young assistant in the hospital wing, approached his desk apprehensively, and bent over to whisper something in his ear. He looked at her with a very strange look on his face. She said loudly enough for the first couple of rows of seats to hear: "You better come with me, Pomfrey wants you there."
Snape pushed his chair back loudly and turned to the class.
"You will finish copying the ingredient list, and once finished, place your scrolls on my desk, then you may be dismissed."
Without another word, he swept out the door of the Potions classroom, and broke into a run down the corridor to the stairs. A surprised Mademoiselle Lowrey hurried after him.
The class was filled with speculative whispers. Had there been a Death Eater attack? Was a special potion needed to heal a student? Hermione, Ron, and Harry, leaned in very close to each other.
"Okay, now I'm convinced something's up with Professor Snape and whatever's behind that screen." Said Hermione.
"I have to agree." Said Harry. "How can we get a look to see what's back there?"
"I'll stage an accident this afternoon." Said Ron. I'll do something in Herbology to get sent to the hospital wing."
Snape ran through the corridors of the school, taking the shortest route to the hospital wing. Classes were in session, so there were very few people out and about in the hallways, but a few startled students had to move out of his way as he ran past.
He found the door of the hospital ward barred by Hagrid, who stepped out of the way when the professor came running around the corner and towards him. Snape was intercepted by Headmaster Dumbledore, as he exited the partitioned off corner of the infirmary.
Snape nearly collided with the older wizard, and struggled to find his voice as he caught his breath.
"What's happening Albus? Lowrey told me that her fever had peaked and she was having seizures."
"Calm down Severus, she'll be fine. Poppy tells me that this is a good thing. Her body is fighting the negative curse energy, forcing it out of her cells."
"Can I see her?"
"No, not just yet, Poppy is attending to her, she gave her a sedative to settle her down. She's still unconscious, but the fever has broken. She has apparently made it through the hardest part and it should just be a matter of time until she regains consciousness. Sit, they will let you see her when they finish."
The professor sat on the edge of a cot, and ran his fingers through his hair, rested his head in his hand, and finished catching his breath. Lowrey finally arrived, not having run all the way from the potions dungeon. She looked at the two wizards and hurried over to the partition where Mira was being treated. Dumbledore sat down beside Snape and put a fatherly hand on his shoulder.
A few moments later, Poppy and Lowrey emerged from behind the screens, and walked over to where the two men sat.
"She's resting peacefully again. The motionless sleep draught settled her down. This was the worst of it, and I'm happy to say that she pulled through with flying colors. You can go see her now Professor, but remember she's heavily sedated. Oh, after the potion wears off, she will not be in as deep of a state of unconsciousness. If you wish, you may talk to her, read to her, play music for her, whatever you choose. She'll be a state of semi-awareness. Her mind is fine, but her body is using all of its reserves to force the curse energy out of her cells."
"Thank you Poppy." Said Snape as he stood up and entered the private area where Mira was lying on her cot. The signs of the internal struggle were evident. A faint sheen of perspiration glazed her forehead, and her hair was damp and matted. Her face was flushed pink and no longer had a ghostly pallor. She had a strange smell about her, like overripe fruit. Snape assumed it was a side effect of her body expelling the curse energy from its cells. He smoothed her hair with his hand, and tucked the sheet over her shoulders so that she wouldn't get a draft. He would ask Mademoiselle Lowrey to clean and comb out Mira's hair so that it didn't become badly tangled. Satisfied that she was resting soundly and out of danger, he stroked her cheek, and returned to his classroom. The students had all left, their papers sitting neatly in a stack on the corner of his desk. He didn't have class again until later in the afternoon, so he retired to his chambers for a long lunch, punctuated by a large cup of heavily brandied tea.
Later in the afternoon, the Gryffindor fifth year students had Herbology with Professor Sprout in the school gardens. The assignment that day was to prune the branches of the Fairy Alder hedges that formed a natural wall for the formal gardens. Fairy Alders formed blossoms that were attractive to garden fairies, and they would flit around in the branches on nights the flowers were in full bloom.
Ron gave Harry and Hermione a knowing glance and nicked his hand with the pruning shears.
"Ow! Ow! Ow! Professor Sprout! I cut my hand!"
The plump and rosy-cheeked witch hurried to see what had happened.
"Oh dear, let's have a look at it Mr. Weasley."
Ron held out his hand, which had a nasty little cut just below the thumb.
"My goodness. You'll have to go to the hospital ward for this, and let Madame Pomfrey or her assistant take a look. You'll need a Tetanus potion for sure. Now, go straight to the infirmary Mr. Weasley, don't mess about in the corridors."
"Yes m'aam Professor Sprout." Replied Ron as he headed towards the castle, looking back over his shoulder at his two friends, giving them a thumbs up and a wink.
Ron entered the infirmary, and called out for Madame Pomfrey. Her assistant Lowrey came out of the back room.
"How can I help you dear?" The younger witch asked.
"I cut my hand in Herbology, and Professor Sprout sent me to get checked out by Madame Pomfrey."
"Oh my. She's not here right now; she went to meet with the headmaster about something. I can take a look though, let me see your hand."
Ron sheepishly held out his hand for the young woman. She was quite pretty, and he blushed as she took his hand to see the cut.
"Yes, you sure did get a nasty cut. You'll need to have it cleaned, bandaged, and also take a Tetanus potion I'm afraid."
"Whatever you think Mademoiselle Lowrey."
"Well, just sit right there and I'll be back with the potion and bandages."
Lowrey disappeared into the supply room. As soon as she was out of sight, Ron leapt up from his cot and ran to the screened off partition in the corner of the room. He heard footsteps in the hallway outside the hospital wing and only got a quick peek at the patient on the cot. It was a woman, but not one of the professors. Her face looked familiar, but he couldn't place it. He barely made it back to his cot when Madame Pomfrey entered the infirmary.
"Mister Weasley, what are you doing here?"
"I cut my hand in Herbology, Mademoiselle Lowrey went to fetch a potion and some bandages for me."
Pomfrey took his hand and gave it a close inspection.
"Yes, a nasty little cut. But within her abilities to treat. Please excuse me, I have something to attend to."
Pomfrey entered the screened off area, and Mademoiselle Lowrey returned with the supplies needed to tend to Ron's wound. He made a brave face, even when the stinging cleansing tincture was applied to the cut. Lowrey broke a piece of chocolate off of a large bar, handed it to him, and sent him on his way.
"Here, this will take the nasty taste of the Tetanus potion away."
Ron blushed again and hurried off to the Gryffindor common rooms, where he was to meet with Harry and Hermione to let them know what he found in the hospital wing.
The other two must have ran straight from Herbology, because they were the first ones back to the common rooms following afternoon classes.
"Harry, Hermione, I got a chance to peek behind the partition. It's a woman. But she's not a teacher. And I don't think she works at the school at all."
"What was she doing there?" Asked Hermione.
"How should I know, she was just lying there, like she was sleeping."
"We've got to go get a closer look. Harry, do you have your invisibility cloak with you this term?"
"Yes, it's in my trunk."
"Good. You, Ron, and I will meet downstairs in the common room at 10 o' clock, just after lights out, and we'll go see what we can find out about her."
Other students started trickling in to get ready for supper, and the trio returned to their respective dormitories to prepare as well.
They didn't speak a word about their plan during supper. And returned to the common rooms and went through the motions of finishing their evening routines and getting ready for bed.
At the appointed hour, Harry crept soundlessly from his bed, taking the cloak he had stashed under his pillow. He pulled back the curtains on Ron's bed, and pointed at his watch. Ron nodded in understanding and silently slipped his shoes on and crept out of his bed. The boys pulled the invisibility cloak over them, and crept down the stairs to the common room. Hermione was hiding behind a chair in a darkened corner, out of sight from house prefects who did a sweep of the common rooms just after lights out to make sure any stragglers were sent straight up to bed. She crept across the room to where Harry was motioning with his hand, and pulled the cloak over her as well.
They silently exited their house quarters, and made their way through the sleeping castle to the hospital wing. They passed Mr. Filch in the hallway, but his cat was not with him, and he paid them no notice. The hospital wing was empty, only a faint glow of dimmed torches on the wall and the glow of a lamp shining from inside the screened area. They heard a muffled voice coming from the area of the partition. As they approached more closely, they recognized it as belonging to Professor Snape. They exchanged puzzled looks as they peered around the edge of the partition. The professor was sitting on a chair at the head of the bed, reading to the sleeping woman from an old leather bound book. They moved back out of earshot, and Hermione performed a silencing charm on the cloak, rendering the cloak soundproof. They slowly returned to the edge of the partition and peered around again.
"What's he reading to her?" Asked Ron. "It's nothing I've ever heard before."
"It's from Shakespeare." Replied Hermione. "A muggle poet and playwright from several centuries ago."
"I know who Shakespeare is Hermione, give me some credit." Snapped Ron.
"Quiet you two!" said Harry.
They watched as he continued to read to the sleeping woman. He finished and put the book on the bedside table. He reached up and stroked her hair gently, smoothing it off of her forehead. The trio exchanged very puzzled looks and watched in silence as the professor leaned over and rested his elbows on his knees, and his head in his hands. He sat back up, with a very distant and sad look on his face, and wiped tears from the corners of his eyes. He stood to leave, turned back to the woman, and reached out to touch her cheek. He took a deep breath, ran his fingers through his stringy black hair, turned and stalked out of the hospital wing with his robes trailing behind him.
"Come on!" Said Harry. "Let's follow him!"
The trio had to run to keep pace with the professor who was moving quickly through the corridors, back towards his dungeon chambers. He nearly slammed the door right off the hinges when he reached the potions classroom. The trio crept through the open door into the classroom, and hid behind the professor's desk as he passed through the classroom into his potions laboratory.
Hermione let out a gasp as they began to hear crashing and breaking glass combined with unintelligible swearing and screaming. Professor Snape was on a rampage, tearing up the potions lab. Overturning tables, throwing chairs across the room, and smashing cauldrons and jars against the walls.
Harry turned to Ron and Hermione. "Come on, we should go get Dumbledore."
"No WAY Harry!" Replied Ron. "We're not supposed to be out of our beds at this hour, we can't do that!"
Hermione was about to speak when they heard a thunderous crash followed by a howling roar that sent shivers down their spine.
They looked at each other with horrified looks on their faces.
"Oh NO! Snape's turning into a werewolf!" Cried Ron.
"Come on, let's see what's happening." Said Harry.
They got up from their hiding place behind the professor's desk and cautiously approached the door to his potions laboratory. In the dim torchlight, they could barely make out the details of a scene of destruction. Broken glass and shattered tables and chairs everywhere. Dented and cracked cauldrons lay here and there on the ground. Sitting on the ground, against the upturned main workbench, was Professor Snape, his knees drawn up to his chest, arms clasped around his legs, chest heaving with hoarse gasping breaths.
"Come on you two, this is seriously not right. We shouldn't be seeing this." Said Hermione, as she got up and started backing away from the doorway, underneath the cloak. The boys jumped up and they all three ran out of the potions classroom.
Peeves the poltergeist was bouncing off the dungeon walls, cackling with maniacal laughter, calling out with a taunting voice into the potions dungeons: "Poor prince charming can't wake his sleeping beauty with a kiss. What a shame. Maybe he's just a warty old toad after all!"
Undetected by Peeves, they ran all the way back to the common room and huddled in the corner, under the soundproofed invisibility cloak to try and understand what they had just witnessed. Hermione was shaking, Harry was very pale, and Ron's eyes were as big as saucers.
"I don't know what we just saw, but it's definitely not good." Said Hermione.
"Did you hear him, did you hear that sound he made?" Asked Ron with a shudder.
"He's lost it." Said Harry.
"What should we do?" Asked Hermione.
"Nothing." Replied Harry "I mean, what can we do?".
"Who do you suppose she is? Snape's not married, is he? I mean, she can't be his wife can she?" Asked Ron.
"No, I don't think he has any family, that's probably why he lives in the castle." Replied Harry.
"Then she must be his girlfriend." Said Hermione.
"Yeah, but Hermione, you're forgetting one thing. What woman in her right mind would fancy somebody like him?" Replied Ron.
The trio decided to return to their dormitories, removed the cloak and crept up the staircase to their respective quarters. None of them slept the rest of the night, Ron especially kept shuddering whenever he thought of the noise the professor had made. "Not good." He said to himself. "Not good at all."