Chapter 18

By the time Andi woke up the next morning Severus was gone and there was a note on the pillow beside her.

Andraste. I went to breakfast, thought you could use some more sleep. Severus.

Stretching, she walked into the living room to find out what time it was. 8:25. Class was starting in five minutes. Suddenly very awake, and grateful that getting ready only took the energy of waving her hand, she materialized a cup of coffee and headed out the door. When she walked into his office, Severus was just standing up from his desk. "Good morning, sleepyhead." He said, leaning in to kiss her.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she lied. "I've been up for ages."

"Well then, shall we go attempt to teach the little prats something?" He laughed, deciding not to mention that he had checked on her only minutes before.

"Of course." She watched as the smile on his face was replaced by the cold look that the students were accustomed to, and followed him out the door. As they had discussed, Andraste began the class.

"Professor Snape has kindly agreed to allow me to try something new with the class today, a review of sorts. Don't be happy yet," she added in response to the smiles that had broken out across the class room. "Each of you will find that you are beginning to exhibit symptoms of an illness. Your partner should have the same symptoms." There was a small screech as two of the third year ravenclaws broke out in purple dots. "Your maladies can be easily cured by one of the simple potions that you should have memorized. You assignment is to figure out which one, and to cure yourselves... preferably before Madam Pompfrey has to do it for you. Enjoy." The professors looked on in amusement as the students dove for their potions books, almost in unison. Ten minutes later, all but one of the groups were concentrating over a cauldron. Professor Snape was the first to approach them. What seems to be the problem?" he asked, his voice icy and his eyes hard.

"Sir," one of the boys started, "we can't figure out what's wrong with us."

"I had truly hoped you weren't going to say that. Have you looked at your hands?" The boys looked down to discover that they each had 12 fingers now. "10 points from Hufflepuff for sheer stupidity," Snape said, and then strode back to the front of the class.

One by one, groups began to approach the professors to ensure that their potion was done correctly, and then drink the concoctions to heal themselves. Soon, every student in the class was better, and Andraste began to speak again. "I realize that many of you feel that the lesson today was a bit harsh. I would like you, however, to notice that each of you have successfully brewed a potion that you failed miserably at before." A soft murmur raised across the classroom. "Please, do continue to pay attention. As I was saying, you succeeded today because necessity breeds ability, and what's more, is each and every one of you have the ability to do this right, every time. I expect the grade of every student here to improve dramatically, and that means both your practical applications and your homework; because incidentally Mr. Joseph and Miss Warrington, we would not assign a essay on a plant whose primary use is to make alcohol." The two students faces turned red and the rest of the class snickered. "If your grades do not improve, you will find yourselves ill in this class very frequently, as well as earning an extra study session each time you receive below a C. In addition, I would like one foot on every potion you have botched – and for some of you that is quite a few – but one foot on each, concentrating on what you think you did wrong, due next Monday. Class dismissed."

The students gathered their things, may of them groaning in displeasure. They had naturally assumed that Professor Andraste's presence was going to make the class easier, but their assumption had proven very wrong. Many of the students failed to notice that their self-confidence levels had risen. They knew they could do it now, but they were mostly concerned with the extra work 'doing it' entailed.

The third year Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw class filed out and was quickly replaced by the third year Gryffindor/Slytherin. The second class went much the same as the first, only this time it was a pair of shocked Slytherins that had 10 points deducted. The two boys had set themselves on discussing quiddich while Professor Andraste was talking, apparently assuming that they could ignore her and their head of house would protect them. They were very much surprised when Professor Snape didn't immediately give them back the points Andraste had deducted. Still pushing their luck, they continued to talk in hushed tones, only to discover a very angry Professor Snape towering over them. "Mr. Wills, Mr. Bransen; when Professor Andraste is speaking you will give her the same respect that I have always expected of you. Both of you will spend the evening in detention... with Mr. Filch." Severus turned back away from the students, ignoring the looks of total disbelief that he had actually yelled at them.

"That was fun." Andraste said as they made their way to the Great Hall for lunch after class.

"You seem to have a knack for teaching."

"Not really. I just had a great potions professor during the short time I went to school. He knew that potions was the only class I had any actual ability in, so he gave me a lot of extra tutoring sessions. I did his first five years worth of studies while I was there."

"And you were only there six months? That's quite impressive. Who was the professor?"

"Jeremy Montgomery, I guess he's the Headmaster now."

"That explains why he tried so hard to find you."

"Yeah, he was the closest thing to a...hmmm, I'm not sure what. We were very close, though." Seeing that Andraste had obviously lost herself in her own thoughts, Severus allowed silence to drift over them. Lunch passed quickly; as did the third and final class of the day, first year Ravenclaw/Hufflepuff. Andraste had chosen to skip the lab altogether, instead leading the students in a discussion on theory and technique.

By the time class had ended, Andraste had a long list of mental notes on which students she thought would naturally succeed, and which may need extra attention. They sat in his office and she shared her thoughts with Severus while they waited the 15 minutes until "detention" was supposed to start. At 6:03 Ron, Hermione, and Harry rushed in, out of breath.