Chapter Twenty Nine: New Potions' Professors
"Have you found the list of ingredients for Homogoinofae, …, Hell, for freezing potion? Why do they make up such unpronounceable names, can't they just call it by its purpose?" asked Draco stirring a potion in one cauldron and putting another one on the fire.
"Well, maybe because there are many different freezing potions, don't you think?" said Ginny, giving him a piece of parchment with a list of ingredients.
"How many?"
"I don't exactly remember, somewhere around fifteen."
"Merlin, you can…" But we won't know how Draco wanted to comment on this fact, because he was interrupted by a loud 'pop' and then 'thud'.
Draco and Ginny both looked for the source of the noise - near the door lay a mass of black robes, Draco was there in an instant falling on one knee near the figure. Before he could do anything, Draco heard a choked whisper, "The 8th of May," and then silence. Ginny finally reached Draco and opened her mouth to ask what's going on, but when she saw his face, white as a chalk, the question died in her throat.
"Anne, it is Snape. Bring Dumbledore and Halflife, I'll take him to his chambers," Draco said mechanically. He stood up, cast a levitating spell on Snape and walked out.
Ginny was still standing, struck with shock. Thousands of questions came to her head. Why? When? Who? But of course the answers weren't in sight. Climbing the stairs to Dumbledore's office, she thought about the whole situation.
'What will happen now? He must be dead; no one can survive the apparition to Hogwarts because it's impossible to apparate here. But why did he leave in the first place? When Dumbledore announces it tomorrow, all the students will dance from joy. No more potions with greasy Snape and his foolish essays,' Ginny sighed. 'How can they? He worked as a spy, he was doing everything to save their lives, but they don't know it, they don't know anything about him.'
Luck was on her side that day, because she only reached the second floor when she bumped right into a very worried Headmaster. "What are you doing up so late, Miss Weasley?"
"It may sound unbelievable, but I was looking for you."
"Excuse me, but I don't have time for your matters now. Someone has apparated on the territory; it can be a very dangerous situation."
"You are quite right, professor. But it's the other way around. You must go with me," Ginny pleaded. "It was professor Snape who apparated. You can understand what condition he can be in. You must go with me to professor Snape's chambers, it's urgent!"
"Oh, it is even worse than I expected. I must go and take one thing from my office, you go and find professor Halflife. I am sure she is in her office right now. I'll meet you in the dungeons."
Dumbledore hurried towards his office and Ginny after a tired sigh, continued with her mission.
Half an hour later Dumbledore, Halflife, Draco and Ginny gathered in Snape's chambers. The sight that opened to their eyes was far from pleasant. Snape was lying in his bed covered with black sheets to his neck, so only his head was visible. His face looked like a stone: grey and lifeless.
"Has he left a message before he…he…?" Dumbledore couldn't say the word. It was too hard to accept such loss. He knew it could happen one day taking into account his duties, but still one can't get yourself ready for the death of your colleague, for someone you cared for.
"With all due respect, professor, can you think only about Voldemort and his plans? Professor Snape apparated here for Slytherin's sake! Can't you understand what risk he has taken!" Draco exclaimed with reproach. "Only for you to have that bloody message! That bloody date! It will be very bloody, I am sure about it! You want it, you get it, it is eight of May. Are you satisfied now?" Draco was trembling from shock and hopelessness, which came with the knowledge that he was again losing somebody who he cared for, who was his support and favorite teacher. And the Headmaster speaks about some useless things like date of Voldemort's attack.
"Yes, I am quite satisfied, thank you," Dumbledore said firmly, but with understanding. "But I still have some business to finish." Saying this, he took an envelope out of his robes and gave it to Draco.
"What is it?" Draco asked doubtfully.
"It's the last will of professor Severus Snape."
"But he isn't dead yet!"
Three pair of eyes stared at Draco. "Thank Merlin!" exclaimed Halflife and fell into an armchair crying and laughing at the same time.
Now everybody was looking at her, but nobody commented. "Yes, he is still alive and I'll do anything to heal him," Draco said closing the topic.
"But there is one clause in the will, that we must deal with right now," said Dumbledore, taking a parchment with neat black handwriting from the envelope. Dumbledore looked around the room to be sure that he got everyone's attention, and he surely had, even Ginny was looking at him attentively.
With a twinkle in his eyes he began, "I appoint my successor in teaching Potions in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to be my best student and godson Sir Draco Markonius de Malfoy. Everything he needs can be found in two left drawers of my desk. So what do you think?" Dumbledore asked looking pointedly at Draco.
But Draco didn't hear him; he seemed to be in some another world, the word 'godson' echoing again and again in his mind. He was taken out of it by Ginny's hand on his shoulder.
"If it's time for Draco Malfoy to return, I'll be honored to do it like this. I'll take the place, but only on one condition." Dumbledore looked at him expectantly.
"Virginia will take first, second and third years, I can't take all of them due to my … other responsibilities." 'Virginia… What a beautiful name she has.'
Dumbledore smiled. "Do you accept this proposition, Miss Weasley?"
Ginny was, of course, not in a good condition. She wasn't sure about her abilities, knowledge in potions and, well, it wasn't just a matter of putting everything in the right places, she must teach other people, children of small age, but then she had six brothers. They were all older than her, but in their case, she dares to say that they still are children.
At last she answered, "It will be a pleasure."
The Headmaster smiled again, but then his face turned serious. "Now we established all technical things, I assume we must return to more serious matters at hand," he said, looking at Snape. "Professor Malfoy, can you tell what happened to him?"
Draco was a bit surprised by the form of address; he'd already forgotten that he was a Malfoy.
"As you already know," Draco began in a businesslike tone, "Professor Snape apparated to non-apparitional territory and you know what consequences it may lead to. This case is absolutely unique because no one could survive in such circumstances. The results of the first inspection are the following: his current condition is a coma, and only his heart is working. There is a strange and very deep cut on his left arm, so it's half cut off. Now I can do a more detailed check up."
Draco came to the bed and did a few deep breaths then his eyes turned white and he scanned the body (it looked so, but you know that he was looking at his aura). Not more than thirty seconds after, Draco sank to his knees, moaning and clenching his head with his hands.
Ginny was by his side in an instant. "Draco! Draco, what is it? Are you all right?" 'Draco. I've never called him Draco before and now it came out so easily. As if I've been doing it all the time. It feels so right to call him by his real name and to hug him for comfort.'
"Pain, so much pain," Draco muttered.
Ginny hugged him even tighter, rocking him back and forth. Her mother always did this to ease her children's small sufferings. After a couple of minutes Draco stood up and leaned on a bedpost, breathing heavily. "He was tortured ruthlessly, with a curse worse than Crucio and it could be only one man who dared to do so. And now he is trying to kill him," Draco said with hate towards the man who did it.
"All organs are in disorder, some bones also. The whole body is a complete mess, the only stable part is the head," Draco said hopelessly. For the first time in his life, he didn't know what to do, it was a very serious problem and the solution to it won't be classical, or simply written in a book.
"Professor, we will try to do it, whatever we can to save the life of Professor Snape, we aren't his assistants for nothing," Ginny proclaimed, then looked at Draco, waiting for confirmation. Draco shortly nodded.
"Blood clotting, blood refilling potions, bandages, potions for bones' knitting and then … I'll come up with something." Draco ordered, but not as firmly as he intended.
"We'll leave you then," said Dumbledore, taking Halflife's hand, almost dragging her out of there. "Do you have any requests?"
"Would you, please, make a door between the chambers and the laboratory so it'll be easier to move around?" Ginny asked.
"Always the practical one, aren't you, Miss Weasley?"
A flip of a wand and a big arch appeared. Now they could freely run back and forth without bothering with doors. After Dumbledore and Halflife left, Draco collapsed into a nearby armchair and closed his eyes. "I don't know what to do, Virginia," Draco breathed out.
"What do you mean you don't know what to do?" Ginny asked, arranging the things he asked for. "What is this stuff for then?"
"It's mostly for the arm, but you yourself know it's a drop in the sea. We must practically build him a new. It isn't just a swollen eye or a broken ankle, it's the whole body of a human being and we don't have a second chance."
"Are you afraid, Draco?" Ginny asked with concern.
"Yes, I am. I don't want to face it, but I'm scared of the possible outcome. He is the only family I have, he is my Godfather. I can't lose him because of Voldemort, especially Voldemort. He might succeed once, but it was more than enough."
"Well don't just sit, do something! You are said to be his best student, then justify Snape's faith in you!"
"How can you be so collected?" Draco asked. It was visible that he himself started to collect himself, to gather his nerves, leaving a cold and calculating brain.
"I don't know," she shrugged, "Probably, runs in the family."
Draco rolled his eyes, knowing Ron's high speed for losing his temper. They started to examine the cut arm and by the first glance Draco was taken aback, dumbfounded.
"What is it?" Ginny asked, noticing Draco's motionless figure.
"The Mark…there is no mark on the cut off part," he stammered.
Ginny looked at the ugly skull on the forearm and stared at it for a while. "As if he wanted to get rid of the Dark Mark by cutting off his arm," Ginny said, not believing her own words.
"If yes, then this decision saved his live," Draco stated. "Voldemort can't kill him through the Mark, because it isn't complete."
"But we can't leave it this way! Snape will bleed to death!"
"Well, we have a dilemma: to finish the job and amputate the arm, or heal it, liquidating the cut at the same time and returning the Mark into place which will lead to Snape's death."
"You know, Draco, I am not that stupid. There is no need to explain all this to me, but none of these options suit us."
"Do you have any suggestions?"
"We bandage the cut separately."
"What?"
"Watch and learn." Ginny skillfully bandaged the arm and the shoulder so they weren't touching, using some blood-clotting potion in the process.
"You did it like a professional," Draco said with admiration.
"Had a lot of practice with six crazy brothers running around," Ginny said with a smile. Draco returned the smile, but it was pretty weak, he didn't have anyone to heal his wounds.
"Ok, this is done, but what about the rest of the injuries? I think we need about six potions. It sounds like we must bring him back from death," thought Draco aloud.
"Draco! You're a genius!" Ginny yelled, ran to the desk in the laboratory and started to look for something in the papers.
"I know that I am genius, but I am not sure in this situation," Draco responded with a bit of his famous arrogance.
"Here it is," Ginny gave him a piece of parchment. "I came across it the other day. I think it can help us, but the ingredients are really weird."
Draco scanned the description of the potion and for the first time during this awful day his face lit up like a lamp was switched on in his head. His eyes were full with hope and fascination. "Has anybody told you that you are a brilliant researcher?"
"Well, you tell me about it every day," Ginny answered playfully.
"We are saved, Snape is saved," Draco whispered. "'Bringing From Death'. What a laconic name for a potion."
"Look at the ingredients and you won't be so happy about the whole ordeal."
"I'll go to Hell and back just to get them whatever they are."
The list was the following:
A root of a mandrake
A fern in blossom
A fang of a werewolf
A horn of a unicorn
A liver of a wild boar
Three tears of a Phoenix
A tear of loss
A tear of respect
A tear of fear
A tear of hate
A tear of love
"So what do you think?"
"Yes, they are more than weird. Especially the part about tears. I've never come across any tears apart from Phoenix's as ingredients. But all of them are quite reachable. We have mandrake and a bit of a unicorn horn, but it must still be refilled. As for the tears, I'll give mine for loss, yours for respect, I am sure tears of fear could be got from Longbottom, they will be just pure fear. And you know the perfect candidate for hate."
"Who can that be?"
"Your brother Ronald, of course," Draco stated.
"Ron?"
"The most furious hater of Potions and Snape in the whole school, and he still needs to pay for his mistakes."
"What do you mean?"
"Ronald is an indirect cause of Snape's current condition. Only from his girlfriend Voldemort was able to get the information that Snape is a spy and do this to him. Don't you think so?"
"I think Ron's mistake will have a long tail of problems caused by it," Ginny said with shame. "I'll try to get them out of him. It will be one Hell of a scene, believe me," she paused for a second. "But what about love?"
Silence greeted her. "We won't find it," Draco stated unconditionally and happiness began to fade from his glance.
"Why?"
"Because he is… well, Snape, nobody loves Snape."
"Poor man," Ginny said with concern.
"Yes, poor man," said Draco with a sigh, but he wasn't referring only to Snape at that moment.
"I am sure we'll get something, maybe a substitution. This potion is our only hope. I'll do a research, maybe there is something else there that can help…"
Draco stopped her babbling by touching her hand. "I'll start on this potion; I know the way to get the other ingredients. I won't go to sleep tonight. Think everything over, but you need to go to sleep, you have classes to teach tomorrow," he finished with wry grin.
"Merlin, I completely forgot about it! Why have you put me in this mess too!"
"Why not? It's so much fun! Tell me about the look of The Dream Team when they find out."
"I can assure you that you will be able to hear Ron's yelling even in the dungeons," Ginny said chuckling. Draco smirked.
Ginny started walking towards the door and turned around to say a final good-bye, when she saw Draco's preoccupied face. "Something's bothering you?"
"One thought, actually," he answered with a frown, "That Snape knew that it would happen to him, he foresaw everything."
"You mean he understood that he could die at some point?"
"Well, yes. He was a spy, and their lifetime isn't long, but I am talking about teaching us. He wanted to leave somebody after him, wanted that the potions' science wouldn't die with him, he even left a will. He was ready for everything," Draco said with pain in his voice.
"A man who is ready to die any day. What a life," she looked at Snape's form with sympathy.
"I feel so honored that he chose me as his successor, but I am not sure if I am capable of teaching already," Draco said looking at the floor.
"Draco, that's complete nonsense. You love potions, right?" Draco nodded. "Then you don't need anything else. Go and show him what Potions really are," Ginny encouraged.
"Tomorrow will be a long day," Draco said smirking.
"You can't even imagine."
Gryffindor Common Room
"Professor," a second year asked Ginny who was busy with her Charms' homework and made no reaction to the kid. "Professor Weasley".
"Huh?" Ginny at last paid attention to the second year. She still wasn't used to children calling her that.
"I wanted to ask about the essay you assigned."
"Right, do you have any questions?"
"Well, I wanted to clarify the topic of the essay."
"You should describe the uses of the potion which liquidates wood fungus, and the pros and cons of wax as an ingredient in it. Is it understandable now?" Ginny asked with a smile. She had Gryffindor and Ravenclaw second years and Gryffindors first years today and loved it. Her motherly instincts kicked in, looking at all those children, wanting something from her.
It could not be Potions, but still she was fairly strict with them, but at the same time awarded with points for right answers. Draco was right; it was fun, but still a lot of responsibility because she was responsible for those kids, for their level of knowledge: they must know everything that is in the curriculum for use in their independent lives.
"Thank you, professor Weasley."
"Any time," Ginny answered, smiling her big, reassuring smile.
At the end of the conversation The Dream Team stepped through the Portrait Hole, returning probably from some secret meeting of theirs. "Professor Weasley? What the Hell is going on?" asked Ron with a frown, looking around to find the guilty one, or just someone to blame for his confusion.
"I think it is quite understandable who that can be," Ginny said, finishing her Charms homework.
"You mean you are a Professor?" Ron yelled with huge eyes, which threatened to pop out of his head.
"Yes, I am. Do you have any problems with it?"
"Well, Ginny, you see, it is a very unusual situation. You are a sixth year and there is practically no legal basis for you to be a professor," Hermione said in her lecture tone.
"Maybe there isn't. But if you have any doubts, you can visit the Headmaster Dumbledore," Ginny said in a final tone, which left no room for discussion.
Harry stared at Ginny as if he'd never seen her before. But as the most rational of the three, he asked right to the point, "What subject are you teaching?"
"Thanks that you asked. Professor Snape is ill, so I was asked to substitute for him."
"Potions? You mean my baby sister will teach me Potions?" Ron asked with indignation and unbelieving.
"Oh, no, I won't have such a pleasure, but you'll find out in-" she checked on her watch, "Thirty minutes. And don't be late you know what trouble you can get in being late for Potions." The last phrase she yelled to their backs already. 'Their looks were definitely priceless. But their reaction to Draco is surely worth watching.' Ginny smirked and returned to her homework.
The Potion's classroom was abuzz. The rumors flew as a lightening in Hogwarts and everybody knew that Professor Snape wouldn't teach them today. But who? It was a question of the day and seventh year gryffindors knew that they would be the first to learn the answer.
"Good day, Ladies and Gentlemen. I think we already know each other, but if not, I should introduce myself. I am Professor Malfoy and I will teach you the subject of Potions during the absence of professor Snape," Draco greeted the class, speaking so quickly that nobody could say a word. But it wasn't needed; everyone was in shock because Draco Malfoy was the last one they expected.
The reaction of the Dream Team members was diametrically different. Hermione thought, 'How could he be a professor! He is a drop out! Not older than we are!'
Harry's reaction was neutral, 'And who else? Who is crazier about Potions than Malfoy?'
Ron being Ron wasn't going to keep his opinion to himself. "What is that bloody Death-"Ron screamed, but the rest of his sentence didn't leave his mouth, because it was covered with Harry's hand.
"I am sorry, Professor. It won't happen again," Harry said.
"It better not, Mister Potter," Draco said sternly. "Now back to the class." He looked around the classroom. "Ladies, please cut that out because we are here to fill the cauldrons with potions not your drools."
And he was quite right; all the girls in the room were drooling, staring at him. He was still one of the hottest guys at school, especially in the black robes he was currently wearing, which made his silver hair stand out even more. Boys were enraged about the fact, when he disappeared they got the chance and now…
"Today we'll study the stabilizing potion. Who except Granger knows what it is?" Everyone looked at Hermione, but she couldn't master a word, she was just gaping as a fish. "What happened, Miss Granger, you don't know anything about this potion?" Draco asked with raised eyebrows.
"I…I …it's not in the curriculum," she mumbled.
"War isn't in the curriculum," Draco said seriously, but at the same time like scolding a small child. "But I am following the exact orders of Professor Snape." 'Ok, that was a complete lie. I need it for stabilizing Snape's system, but the potion is still quite useful never the less.'
"I am sure somebody must know about it. Common guys," he encouraged with mischief in his eyes. "You must know that this potion is used for stabilizing some… personal issues." Some of the boys blushed and girls giggled (AN: I hope, you understood, what could be stabilized).
"But I can assure you, we won't use it that way. This potion is not very complicated for brewing and very useful in extreme circumstances. I want to say that if given in the right time, it could save someone from a clinical death. It is also used in hospitals for keeping patients alive if he is unconscious or some organs are disfunctioning.
At the end of the lesson you'll take a vial and take some of the potion with you. You don't want your friends to die, this will give you a good stimuli to make your potions right. The instructions are on the board, ingredients - in front of you. You may begin," Draco finished his lecture, sat down beneath the desk and started looking through some papers. "You better hurry, I'll be checking on your work in half an hour. Any questions?"
Dean Thomas raised a hand. Draco nodded, letting him ask, "You said that we didn't want our friends to die. You meant that we should poison our friends to try our potions on them?"
"I am known to be evil, but this is a bit too much," Draco said with a chuckle. "No, you'll use your potions on the battle field," he said matter-of-factly as if speaking about a bathroom.
The class stared at him for some time as if digesting the information, then maybe agreeing or only from fear that points will be deducted, started to prepare ingredients and put cauldrons on fire.
"How can you obey him so easily?" Ron whispered, ashamed of his friend.
"Oh, I am quite used to it," answered Harry under his breath.
"What!" Ron and Hermione asked simultaneously.
"It's a very long story, guys. I'll tell you some other time."
Half and hour later Draco stood up and went towards the first desk to the right. He put his wand to the bottom of the cauldron of a girl who sat there, and slowly followed the outline of the cauldron to the top. When the wand reached the top Draco nodded and went to the next cauldron repeating the procedure. He went from cauldron to cauldron until he reached Neville Longbottom.
Everybody took their heads from their potions to look at what would happen. All knew that Neville was infamous for blowing something every time and Draco Malfoy despised him for it. As with all other cauldrons, Draco put his wand to the bottom of Neville's cauldron and started to take it to the top, when he stopped somewhere in the middle.
"You put three hedgehog's needles instead of two," Draco said calmly, looking right into Neville's eyes. Then he touched the cauldron with his wand, muttered something and half of the liquid disappeared and the ingredients used for it reappeared in front of Neville.
"When did they teach that? How could I miss it?" Neville asked sadly.
"It isn't in the curriculum yet," answered Draco.
"I wish I knew it. It'd make my life so much easier," Neville sounded completely hopeless.
"Yes, it is a good spell, saves a lot of ingredients from being wasted," Draco said conversationally. "But thank you for the compliment," he said with a slight bow.
"What compliment?" Neville asked confused.
"You liked the spell, didn't you?"
"Well, yes," Neville answered, still not understanding where Draco was leading.
"Well, I made it myself," he stated and went to the next desk like nothing happened.
After a few minutes Draco reached the desk of the Dream Team. He tensed a bit, out of habit, but calmed himself down. 'I am a teacher, I'm in control here. Nothing can happen that I can't handle. They are just a Boy-Who-Lived, a seer and Ronald Weasley, whom I can't harm, not to hurt Virginia. Splendid! But I am higher than physical violence. He called me a bloody Death Eater and I saved his life. What for? Only for her, for keeping Virginia happy. I can handle them.'
He wordlessly checked on Ron's cauldron, after a nod, looked at Harry's, then started to walk away when Ron's hateful whisper stopped him. "Is Hermione's cauldron too dirty for your pure Malfoy blood?"
"Don't be afraid, Weasley, you won't die. The potion in Granger's cauldron is a perfect color, so there is no need to check on it, it is made right," Draco answered him in the same whisper then walked away with his black robes flying behind him.
Ron still muttered about how arrogant and stupid Malfoys were, but Harry was bothered by another thought, 'His wand is the same as Ginny's: one half is black, the other – brown. Definitely something is going on.'
"Fill your vials with potions and you may go. Mister Longbottom, stay for a minute, please," Draco ordered. Neville shakily went to the desk.
"Let's wait behind the door. There is something wrong with Snape's illness, we must ask about it," Hermione suggested.
"Yes, there is something strange about it. It must be really serious, Snape never missed a lesson and now they asked two people to substitute him," Harry remarked.
"And they've chosen Malfoy of all people," Ron hissed with malice.
Meanwhile in the classroom
"You are said to be good in Herbology, Longbottom?"
"Well, yeah," Neville said, shifting from one foot to another.
"What do you know about a fern in blossom?"
"Well, fern is a usual plant which could be found in any forest in our country. There is a legend that fern blossoms in the end of the June, but …"
"Longbottom, when and where?" Draco roughly interrupted.
Neville was a bit startled, but still answered, "During the full Moon, the flowers are in the bottom between leaves. A Fern blossoms in spring, not in summer, that's why nobody's seen it." (A/N: That's a theory made up).
"Thank you, Longbottom. Only one more question. Are you still afraid of professor Snape?" Draco asked with an intense glance that penetrated into Neville's soul.
"I…I…am, "Neville stammered.
"I talked with him the other day. He is so disappointed in you. He thinks about asking you to stay during summer," Draco said conversationally, but with a shade of doom so Neville could understand the perspective.
"All summer? With Snape?" Neville began to tremble.
"Yes, making potions during the whole day and maybe at night, again and again until you'll do it correctly".
"It's awful! I'll die!"
"From what?"
"From fear! I am afraid of the bare presence of the man!" Neville cried and covered his face with his hands, trying to hide tears that started to fell.
Right at that moment Draco came to him and took his hands away, "Stay still." Neville looked at him with surprise. Draco carefully touched the corner of Neville's eye with the tip of his wand and slowly put a tear in a small bottle. "Now calm down, Snape will never leave somebody for summer school, he is tired of all you during the school year as it is," Draco said with a smirk.
"But what the Hell was that all about!"
"Forget it, but if you want a compensation for your breakdown, I'll give you ten points, ok?"
"Ten points?"
"Yes, ten points."
"I've never received points at Potions."
"Well, today is your lucky day. Now go, I have work to do."
"Now is our chance," whispered Hermione.
"Wait a second," Harry stopped her with a hand. He unfolded a note that he'd found near his cauldron.
Potter,
Meet me tomorrow at 9 o'clock behind Hagrid's hut. Don't forget your wand. Put Quiddich robes on for protection.
Without a signature Harry understood whom it was from. But what was it about? And Quiddich robes? "Common guys," Harry said, "We'll find out everything tomorrow."
"But we don't have Potions tomorrow!" Ron exclaimed.
"I'll … I'll find a way," answered Harry.
"Hey! He didn't give us homework!" Of course, only Ron could mention that.
"Don't be so happy about it. He'll give a double amount next time. He is a copy of Snape," Harry said knowingly.
Ron and Hermione looked at him questioningly, but said nothing.