The disclaimer is in the first chapter.
This story is rated M+18 Adult themes and Language.
A big thank you to the Higher Power. To my Mom and my son all my love for being cheerleaders.
A hug and kiss to my friends and betas Marc the Unruly, Noppoh, and my Alpha SlytherinSal.
I don't feed the trolls.
Reviews are welcome.
Enjoy!
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Chapter 9. Secret doors, friends, and monsters.
Hermione stood still as she listened to the voice of Potion Master Snape describe the subtle and dangerous effect of Potion brewing, it could ensnare the senses and put a stopper to death. She kept looking at his pale skin in contrast with his lustrous black-blue hair, and she loved his voice. She remembered hearing the term "Hypnotic" and she agreed with the description; the man was a performer so, when Professor Snape began reading the last names of everyone, he stopped and said, "Ah, Mr. Simmons, your mother wrote a letter this summer saying that you are taking potions as a hobby, so if I was to ask you where you could locate a bezoar, what would your answer be?"
"Um, an apothecary is one place, sir, after it's removed from a goat's bladder, according to the Shopper's Guide. It's a very useful item to avoid most poisons; you place it in your mouth."
"Ah, yes, excellent guide, and what can you tell me about the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
"The name sir, it's the same thing. It's also known as aconite," answered Andy.
"One last thing: what would I get if I added powdered root of Asphodel to an infusion of Wormwood?"
"Yes, uh, a sleeping potion, sir, the drought of the living dead, and my gratitude since I would feed it to my dog before boarding the train, come next September the 1st," answered Andy.
It was then that Severus T. Snape smiled and said, "Stay after class Mr. Simmons, those questions were to test if you could in fact skip a couple of years, and the rest of you, did you take notes? If not, Mr. Simmons here can repeat himself. As for now, we are going to learn the basic steps on how to avoid accidents, before, during, and after brewing a potion."
He moved to the blackboard and flipped his hand. A set of steps on safety while brewing appeared in neat chalk lettering. A protective cap, safety gloves, and glasses appeared in front of each of the students.
After going through the steps, he assigned a set of questions on the use of all the safety measures as homework, as well as making a list of all the volatile substances in their beginner's kit and what could happen if they were misused.
After class, Andy stayed behind as everyone filed out, and Hermione waited at the door. The young potions master struck her silly, and she was certain that several other girls were, like her, going to develop a slight crush. It was then that she heard someone call her.
"He is quite amazing, isn't he?" asked Draco Malfoy.
"Professor Snape?" asked Hermione. At Draco's nod she added, "Oh yes, I'm going to write to my mother and ask her if she can send me more books on the subject."
"Funny enough, he began changing his ways and attitude only a couple of years ago. Before I could see how he paid lip service to several adults and how he threw a blindfold at my father, but my mother noticed the change and she became less glacial towards him. He is my godfather, and I can't wait to apprentice with him," said Draco.
"I understand, Mr. Malfoy, godfathers are pivotal in our lives. Mine is Lord Longbottom. He is brilliant too. That's why I know Neville. Lady Alice and the grand Damme Augusta have their own definition of amazing. I, too, want to see if I could apprentice from Madame Augusta; she is a brilliant Wizengamot member," added Hermione.
"Me, I just want to have fun, being an adult can wait," said Andy.
"Goodness! Andy, you scared me," said Hermione.
"Hey Malfoy, thanks for welcoming Hermione here to the dungeons. We are about to go to lunch, would you like to join us?" said Andy.
"Uh, I ah, sure. You don't mind if Vince and Gregg tag along?" asked Draco.
"Nah, there's plenty of food and space for everyone. Did you believe the nonsense, that you are to stick only to your house table at the great hall? That's bullshit!" said Andy.
Hermione laughed at Andy's language and said, "You really are incorrigible, aren't you? But if that's the mouth you used to kiss your mom..." added Hermione while shaking her head.
"Yeah, okay, I shouldn't swear, but you won't tell my mom, will you? And Mr. Malfoy here doesn't even know her, plus, what happens in Hogwarts, stays in Hogwarts, right lads?"
He turned to Vince and Gregg, who nodded. Once the lot was at Gryffindor's table, a round of weird looks fell upon all.
Neville just came close, sat down next to Andy and said to Gregg, "Hey Crabbe, pass on the sweet rolls, and Goyle, stop hogging the potato salad."
Minerva McGonagall thought she would burst with pride. Professor Snape had mentioned that Mr. Simmons had the potential to be a decent student, but so did Miss Granger, and that he was impressed with the human relations between the lion cubs and his snakes. Then he had nodded to the Gryffindor table, which now was hosting three of his young snakes.
If Albus Dumbledore was taken aback by the current seating at the Gryffindor table, he hid it well. Acknowledging the newest child couple were making a stand by having Slytherins, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs on one table, was interesting. Albus didn't care who the Simmons boy was, or the Granger girl, the boy clearly was an outsider, a foreneigher to the house tradition. Still, he had other things to keep him busy, and, for now, he would sit and wait. It wasn't the first time that relations like these were struck, only to be dissolved as soon as hormones and confusion showed their ugly face. Hogwarts was keen on keeping the houses separated, and to him, that was the norm.
Sally-Anne Perks, a first year muggle-born Gryffindor, noticed how the new king and queen of popularity (Andy and Hermione) declared their presence at the great hall. As the pretty girl from Slytherin, Daphne Greengrass, noticed the three green and silver housemates sitting with the Gryffindor's, Daphne walked up to the table and sat in front of the perfect witch Granger, soon enough two more witches, one from Hufflepuff Susan Bones and one from Ravenclaw, Sue Li joined the meal and it became a celebration, as even the ghosts from all the houses came and complemented the seating arrangement.
Sally really missed her home. She felt more like an outsider than everyone else. It was then that she felt someone looking at her. She raised her eyes to find Mr. Simmons gazing at her. Sally blinked and wondered if he was looking at someone behind her, so she turned to her right, then left, and then behind her. Andy smiled and Sally wondered if he was weird or if she had food stuck between her teeth. She shrugged and got up; she had a letter to write.
Andy noticed the girl walk away and deduced that muggle-borns really had it rough. He would write home and ask the only person with brains in his family, his mother, and see if there was something she could suggest helping a girl to get over being away from home.
Professor Quirrell stood in quiet contemplation. His master was certain that the Potter brat would be part of this year's class, but now, after Dumbledore's blunder, out in the open, no Harry Potter on the sorting feast, he wasn't so certain. Quirrell looked at the table at which students from all houses shared a meal, relaxed, and wondered out loud if their next teacher was going to be as good as Professor Snape.
'Innocent souls,' Quirrell thought to himself: 'All of them expendable, ideal for Horcruxes, but there was something unique about Mr. Simmons and if no one had caught up to that uniqueness, that was not his problem. He was not Potter, and yes, he would just have to keep a close eye on this year's lot.'
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Hermione and Andy were making their way back from the library when they noticed in the Marauder's Map that Sally was on the third floor, near a heavy wooden door. The young couple changed their path and Andy got near Sally and asked. "What are you doing Sally?"
"Bloody hell, you scared me, Simmons. I wanted to go back to the great hall after coming from the library but the staircases just wouldn't budge and I've been stuck here for ages," said Sally.
"Um, I don't think it's a good idea going through that door, if anything. This castle is already crazy as it is," added Hermione.
"I only wanted to go through the door because I was getting desperate," said Sally.
"Well, since we are here, why don't we find out?" asked Andy.
"I feel like this is a bad idea, but hey, if I say don't, you are still going to do it, so go on, step through mystery door number 2?" said Hermione.
"Yeah, okay," said Andy.
Andy did a silent "Alohomora." The door clicked open and, once Andy took a couple of steps in, Hermione and Sally behind him, three pairs of additional eyes woke up. One enormous body and a reverberating growl surprised everyone. Andy just seemed more curious, while Sally was trembling and Hermione's eyes had gone owl-sized. Andy figured the monster dog was angry at being captive, so he just said, "Boy it sucks to be you." He looked into one of his pockets and brought out a red ball, which he enlarged to the size of a watermelon. He began bouncing the ball, not caring that the dog with a triple set of fangs kept growling. Andy began bouncing the ball to the wall, then said to Hermione, 'Come on, Hermione, Sally, the big doggie doesn't want to play. We'll take our ball with us.'
The dog began whining at their retreat. Andy stopped and said, "You promise not to scare Sally or Hermione again, or no ball for you, mister 'I'm a triple bully on a dog chain'?" said Andy to the dog, while tapping his foot, just like Mrs. Simmons.
Sally could hardly believe this. Simmons was brilliant. But she kept her counsel and Hermione put a hand on her mouth to stop from laughing out loud. Andy nodded and threw the ball, which bounced around. After the dog caught it, it reappeared and bounced on the other extreme, making all the heads trying to reach for the red bouncy sphere. Andy pushed the girls gently and then added to the dog as he stepped out, "Have fun boys."
The Gryffindor housemates walked out of the third floor and to their common room at the tower. Andy asked Hermione, "Hermione, why did you say that I was walking into mystery door number two. I mean, where was door number one?" asked Andy.
Hermione noticed Sally's belly rumble of hunger and said, "Oh, because, just before the start of term, there was an assault on a Gringotts vault that made the news. The article said that the breach offended the goblins, however, it was a bad day to rob that vault, since someone had emptied it earlier that day. So I thought of mystery door number two."
"You weren't afraid, were you Simmons?" asked Sally.
"As a matter of fact I was afraid for the both of you. But of that dog? I don't know; it somehow reminded me that dogs hate being captive without their toys and a vast playground. I too would be grouchy if I was in a small space, so I remembered I had a magical chew toy I ordered from Zonkos and you saw the rest. You noticed the trap door underneath the bored animal, didn't you?" asked Andy.
Hermione nodded and then said,"Yes, I did. The dog has a reason for being there; he's guarding whatever is beneath the door,"
Hermione then went to sit on the couch and said to Sally, "Sally, if you are feeling unwell, sit and wait a moment: I'll see if I can get you a cup of tea. That huge dog scared me, and if he killed me, I would have been put off. I mean, no more Hogwarts or magic, what a waste."
"Hey Andy, I was looking for you. Hedwig brought a gift basket from home," said Neville.
"That's great. I was wondering if I would ever get the peanut butter brownies and the raspberry jam. Here, would you like some?" Andy offered everyone at the table a plate.
"Is there a thermos with soup and a teapot too?" asked Hermione.
"Yes, and don't look at me like that, Neville. I'm a growing lad and I need my sustenance. Now, Sally, please join us. If it wasn't for the stairs, you would have made it to dinner, wouldn't you?" said Andy.
"Yeah?" asked Sally unsure.
"Yes," said Andy. He then added, "This place feels like a zoo most of the time. Having something that reminds me of my family zoo, I mean home, is welcomed."
Minerva walked into the Gryffindor common room and noticed Andy changing pieces of paper to plates, cups, and cutlery silently as he got food from a basket and fed the missing cub Sally, who, according to the portraits, became stranded on the forbidden corridor for a couple of hours. Following the portrait newsreel, Mr. Simmons and Miss Granger had accompanied the girl to the common room. The saviors in question were busy feeding not only her, but Neville and the Weasley twins as well. It was a fun gathering, and the Perks girl was at long last more at ease than before.
"Mr. Weasley, is that the girl you couldn't locate, Miss Perks?" asked Minerva.
"Yes, Professor McGonagall," answered Percy with a cringe.
"Yes, I see. I will talk to the first years. Kindly tell your housemates to clear the room. I need to speak to the cubs, alone, just like Miss Perks was for hours, even though she made it here before curfew in order to avoid being late, missing her meal."
Minerva reached the table and said, "Good evening Mr. Simmons, Miss Granger, and Miss Perks."
Andy got up and replied, "Good evening, Professor McGonagall. Would you like to join us?"
Minerva wanted to laugh at the change in attitude and manners Mr. Simmons displayed, followed by Mr. Longbottom and Miss Granger. Their parents had educated their children well. Minerva nodded, took a cup, and examined the transfiguration. It was a replica of a Chinese pottery teacup and the tea was aromatic. She added, "Please sit down. I came here to investigate if Miss Perks was alright. I didn't see her or you two, Mr. Simmons and Miss Granger, at dinner?"
"The staircases led us to the third floor and, after that wrong turn, we all came back in time for curfew. Neville said he received a care basket from his mom and he was sharing. He's such a good bloke, he deserves a medal. Now, Nev, don't deny it, you are," said Andy.
"That he is. And none of you tried to open the locked door on the third floor?" asked Minerva as she took a sip of her beverage.
Sally felt her mouth go dry. Then she saw Hermione discretely kick Andy, and she answered, "I tried, but I thought about the robbery on Gringotts and how it offended the goblins, and, if I opened the door, I might offend the school and that would be worse than death, wouldn't it? Because they would expel me."
Everyone gaped at Hermione. As tears covered her eyes, she continued, "It was what the Headmaster said at the starting feast, wasn't it? 'Please avoid the door on the 3rd floor unless you want a painful death.' I don't want to die, but I don't want to be expelled either," said Hermione in anguish as fat tears rolled over her face.
"Oh, Miss Granger, they will not expel you, and the Headmaster also said 'Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment, and Tweak,' and nobody understood a word of that either. You did, however, bring Sally back, and for that, you are going to get 10 points each and another 10 for this perfect transfiguration on the china tea set and 5 points for Mr. Longbottom for sharing a meal. Now, eat up and go to bed, alright?" said McGonagall. She got up and left.
Once gone, the rest of the boys turned to Hermione and said, "We are not worthy!" Andy noticed how his girl dried her eyes and smiled while adding, "I promised, didn't I? That one day I would save you too?"
Andy never thought his girl could be more amazing. He was wrong. He took her in a hug and kissed her forehead, and said, "That's right boys, you are not worthy. I don't understand it yet, but she likes me, and she's my girl."
"Wow, did you just lie to her?" asked Sally to Hermione and Andy.
"No, but I didn't tell her all the truth either. And before you pass judgement on us, do you have younger siblings, Sally?" asked Andy.
"Yeah, a sister, and I think she's magical too," answered Sally.
"Okay, just for a moment imagine you wanted to hide your diary, and you put it on your nightstand and you place an electric stinger and while you're eating dinner, you say 'I want to go to a concert of Take That' and you warn your kid sister 'don't go near the nightstand unless you want a shock' What would your baby sister do, besides protest that she wants to go to the concert with you?" asked Andy.
"She would get a shock trying to get to my diary," answered a deflated Sally.
"Exactly. This is a trap, and we almost fell for it. The adults know it and I don't trust them. I don't feel the same way about all of them. When something looks too good to be true, there is usually a catch. Fred said something very important recently." Pointed Andy to the twin in question.
Fred arched an eyebrow and said, "Your mom is hot?"
Neville whacked his head and added, "No dumbass! You said and I quote, 'Worry not Susie, there are a lot of hateful characters in Hogwarts,' remember?"
"Ouch, oh, yeah, I remember. So why would the Headmaster do something like this?"
"Because he's baiting someone, but that's dangerous. This is a school full of kids. Andy, if it wasn't for Hermione and you, I," Sally started crying and Hermione and Andy held her in a hug.
Hermione added, "You are not alone Sally. We stick together, okay?"
"Okay, do you think we'll figure out who the trap is for?" asked Neville.
"Yeah, the trap is big, so it must be someone just as big, which tells us that we should alert the adults we do trust," said Andy.
"You mean the old guard and your mom?" asked Fred.
"Yep, the old guard and the moms," said Neville.
"They need a reason to be here. Halloween can be a pretty social event, plus your mom can give the Headmaster a piece of her mind regarding the sugar ingestion of the average pre-teens and teens," said Andy.
"You know, that's not a bad idea," said Hermione.
"Why is that?" asked Sally.
"My mom is a dentist," answered Hermione.
"A what?" asked the twins in stereo.
"Your mom is a muggle?" asked Sally.
"She's just above a Squib, and so is my dad. I inherited the magic as my sisters did," said Hermione.
"My gran can invite your mom as a potential School Governor, and the sensible adults will ask the questions and can get a guided tour, finally arriving at the 3rd floor in question," said Neville.
"Well, I think we have a plan," said Andy.
"Aren't you afraid that the plan will leak?" asked Sally. Andy turned to face Sally and began shouting in the common room as though he was crazy and the twins followed in the noise wreckage. The room remained undisturbed.
Hermione added, "We always place a do not disturb and mute spell bubble when we get together. Once Professor McGonagall left, I placed the spells. So unless you plan on telling anyone, everything stays within our circle."
"Alright, within our circle then," said, Sally
"Now, I have a slumber party coming up, would you like to attend?" asked Hermione to Sally.
"Sure," said Sally.
"And that's our cue to say good night," said George. Fred just asked, "What is a dentist?"
"It's a healer that specializes on the mouth, without magic," answered Sally.
"The Headmaster is screwed; the moms are bringing back the Spanish inquisition," said the twins.
"And, you know what they say?" asked Neville.
"Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!" answered Andy, Hermione, Neville, and Sally in stereo and then, they laughed out loud.
Fred and George just shook their heads, "Well, we got the sense from the start they were not normal," said George. "And that's just fine," said Fred.
They parted for the night.
((((~o~))))
14 September 1991
Potter Glen, Wales UK
10 AM.
Letter from Molly Weasley to Mary Simmons.
Dear Mrs. Mary Simmons.
Although your first letter came as a surprise since we haven't met before, I am, however, glad to have made your acquaintance. Ron sent a letter a day later in which he said that his pet rat got eaten by your son's post owl on a night hunt. I thought it tragic, really, but like Arthur, my husband, said, post owls are still hunters and rats are prey. We also got your gift certificate for the pet menagerie in Diagon Alley. Ron got permission to leave the castle today and my husband and I thank you for your sensible offer to get my son a new pet after the passing of the last one. Please don't be a stranger, Mrs. Simmons. From the letters I received from Fred and George, your son Andy and Neville Longbottom seemed to be a starting success with those two, and that is a scary thought. If you ever are near Devonshire, please come visit us at the Burrow.
Kind Regards.
Molly and Arthur Weasley.
End of Letter from Molly Weasley to Mrs. Simmons.
Mirror call from Andy to Mrs. Simmons.
"Hi mom. Uh, the headmaster put a Cerberus on guard on the third floor and a girl got trapped. Her name is Sally-Anne Perks. She couldn't leave until someone else came to pick her up, which happened when Hermione and I noticed her name on the Marauder's Map. Please give Luz a huge thank you for that amazing home basket, and can you rally the moms to visit the castle on Halloween?" said Andy.
"Okay, slow down, son. Luz has already given me the details of what happened on that fateful day in which you went in and played ball with Fluffy the three-headed dog. Yes, there will be consequences for those actions, but you made a new friend, and that reduced your punishment. Don't worry about that corrective action until I name it, and Neville is brilliant. Gussie will visit today and I will let her know about the Spanish Inquisition maneuver. Oh, before I forget, be kind to Hagrid. Yes, he's Dumbledore's man, but he has no malice," said Mary.
"Oh..." said Andy and queried. "You mean no malice at all?"
"No natural malice," said Mary with a hint of sadness.
"That conniving son of a…" said Andy with a flushed face and his gaze became emerald fire. "He just takes advantage of those who cannot defend themselves, and then, when he helps them, they all feel indebted to him?"
"Bullseye," answered Mary.
"Alright mom, how should I approach him?" asked Andy.
"Oh, I think you two share a lot of things in common: baking, raising animals which are a handful, getting into mischief, Quidditch, being gold and red?" said Mary
"Hagrid was in Gryffindor? Wow, how do you know this mom?" inquired Andy.
"The Hat visits regularly. Oh, Mrs. Weasley invited us to the Burrow if we are ever near Devonshire."
"The Burrow?" asked Andy.
"Yes, that's what they call their abode. And I know what your punishment is going to be now. I'll take the Marauder's Map back. That way I can keep a close eye on you. I'll ask the remaining Marauders to see if they can come up with version 2.0 of the map. Until then, be wary of the usual suspects and keep your friends close," added Mary.
"And how am I to keep my enemies closer if you are taking the map away, mom?" asked a miffed Andy.
"Like the Villainess in the Disney version of The Little Mermaid sang. 'You'll have your eyes, your pretty brain, and don't underestimate the power of their body language?' Alright?" asked Mary.
"You will never let it go, right mom? It was my Disney phase," asked a tomato red Andy.
"Nope, I'll cherish the memories until my dying day. I love you, my darling scamp. Write to your brothers, they are on the 'I don't want to practice my reading phase' and I am getting ready for a counter maneuver. So be a good elder brother and write to them," said Mary.
"Okay mom, I will," said Andy.
End of Mirror call between Marry and Andy Simmons.
Jules got near Mary and added, "Mistress, the guests are here."
"Just in time, come, my friend, we have a lot of things to organize," said Mary.
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