Disclaimers: See the first chapter.

Snippets From the Potterverse

Chapter 86 - Snape's Bubbling Cauldron of DOOM

Potions class was exceptionally boring, as always. Harry and Ron had to keep from falling asleep as they stirred their potion to cure measles. Hermione was at full attention as always, and her potion was perfect - again, as always.

Harry jerked his head up from a particularly long doze to see a strange orange light reflecting on the ceiling. He didn't know what it could be, but figured it was somebody's potion.

"Bring your samples up to me," Snape's harsh voice cut through the haze of drowsiness and multicoloured potion fumes. Harry wearily corked a flask of potion and put it on Snape's desk. Then he began to clean up, as the others did the same.

The bell rang for lunch. Snape swept out of the classroom, mumbling something under his breath. Harry was prepared to followed Ron and Hermione out of the room when he noticed that the strange orange light was still on the ceiling. He stopped, befuddled, and stared at it.

"Harry? What are you staring at?" Hermione asked.

"Look." Harry pointed. He looked 'round. "It's coming from that cupboard over there."

"Don't open it!" Ron cried. "It's Snape's, after all! It could be dangerous!"

Too late. Harry had already wrenched open the door.

Inside the cupboard was a large cauldron, filled with a bubbling, frothing liquid. Harry peered at it. It was giving off the eerie orange light.

"What is it?" Ron and Hermione asked, interested despite themselves.

"I don't know," Harry frowned. "It looks like... there's something in here... Ron, hand me that ladle."

Ron handed Harry a ladle with an extra-long handle, which had been hanging on the wall. Harry dipped it into the potion to fish out whatever was in there.

His first ladle-full revealed several burnt, bubbled, soggy photographs. The trio stared at them.

"Is that me, or is that Professor Lockhart ?" Hermione asked.

Harry dipped the ladle in again. This time, he came up with a charred piece of paper. On it was scrawled, in Snape's handwriting, "SECRET CRUSHES. 1. Remus Lupin. 2. James Potter. 3. Sirius Black. 4. Gilderoy Lockhart..."

"Ewwwww," all three teenagers said in disgust. Harry put the ladle in again. This scoop revealed a handful of small dolls, each with a name inscribed on them!

"Potter... Weasley... Black... Lupin... Granger..." Harry's eyes widened as he read the names off the dolls. "Oh, God! Snape's making VOODOO DOLLS of us all!"

"ARRRGH!" screamed Hermione and Ron.

"ARRRGH!" screamed Harry.

"ARRRGH!" screamed Snape, striding into the room. "My Bubbling Cauldron of DOOM! How dare you! Get out!"

Harry and his friends were all too happy to oblige. They tore out the door and didn't stop running until they reached the safety of the common room, where they hid under the sofa.

Snape closed the door of the cupboard. "Silly me," he chuckled. "i have got to be more careful about closing that door properly!"

And with that, he headed off to lunch.