Disclaimer: See Chapter One
-CHAPTER TEN-
The Amulet of Sekhmet
Professor Snape's absence at breakfast on Monday morning had convinced Hermione that the real purpose of his sudden trip to London, was to procure the necessary ingredients to brew the Assassin Draft. This suspicion was only made all the more concrete, when, walking towards the Charms classroom, they spotted Snape hurrying towards the dungeons with several large black paper shopping bags in his arms. As he caught them watching him Snape returned with a menacingly but slightly guilty expression on his sallow face, this in itself wasn't particularly unusual or suspicious but that fact that Snape quickly tried to hide the bags under the folds of his robe was enough to convince them all he was up to no good.
After Charms in which they had been learning Sealing charms, starting with simple ones used to close up parchments to be delivered by the Owl mail or to keep nosy parents from reading diaries and then moving on more complex charms for securing dangerous spell books from the underage and locking doors, Harry, Hermione and Ron slowly climbed the seven staircases that lead up to the Study of Magical Artefacts. It wasn't that they didn't want to go to Professor Planchette's lesson, in fact they were all looking forward to it and Wednesdays morning was probably their favourite. It was just that they had to get pass the obnoxious Professor Bane, whose portrait was becoming more and more enraged that Snape hadn't been to see him.
"We've passed on Bane's message twice now," huffed Hermione as they reached the top of the fifth staircase and steadied their nerves, ready to face the portrait. "Snape obviously doesn't want to speak with his old Potions Masters."
"I don't blame him," said Ron catching his breath. "He's even nastier than Snape and that is saying something."
To everyone's relief the portrait was empty; the vile Professor Bane was nowhere to be seen.
"Maybe he's trying to find a way down to the dungeons?" shivered Ron.
"Quick, lets get pass before he comes back," Hermione suggested anxiously.
"Wait a second," Harry said staring up at the portrait, something had caught his eye.
"Harry…Are you crazy? Bane could come back any minute."
But Harry ignored Ron's warning stepping up to the canvas to get a closer look.
"That's interesting…very interesting," Harry said darkly.
"What interesting?" questioned Ron in a worried, shrill voice; he had just spotted Professor Bane, making his way through a portrait of the ugliest witch he had ever seen on the staircase below.
"Look," Harry pointed at the small, black leather bound notebook that lay upon the table in the painting. "It's the Grimorium Necromanum. Bane must have got his hands on Lord Eldritch's original manuscript, hoping he could discover a way to cure himself."
"I guess," mused Hermione looking grim. "You don't think he succeeded, that it is Professor Bane that is the anonymous seller?"
"Why don't you stick around and ask him," Ron squeaked, glancing down the staircase as Professor Bane moved swiftly through the other portraits. They all scurried up the last staircase, nearly knocking over Professor Snape, who was talking to Professor Planchette.
"What the…Potter, Weasley, Granger I might have known…pity your enthusiasm doesn't extended to arriving for my lesson early," Snape sneered angrily, glaring at Harry.
"Mon dieu…is zat ze time already?" Planchette smiled. "Well Severus I better get to class, as to our earlier discussion, zat is about all I can suggest, charms are tricky zings as you know, to be truthful in most cases zeir power is only as strong as ze belief of ze person using zem." Snape just nodded surly and swept down the staircase looking thoughtful.
"Severus, Severus wait," called Professor Bane as Snape hurried pass the portrait, not even giving his former mentor a second glance. "I must speak with you."
Professor Planchette stood in front of the class and waited for everyone to settle down into their seats.
"Today I zought we would discuss Protection Charms. By zat, I am meaning ze objects zat we use to ward off ze Evil or Dark Eye or bring us good fortune, rather zan ze rituals perform, I wouldn't want to encroach upon Professor Flickwit's subject, fascinating zought it is. So can anyone give me an example?"
"Me mam's got a four-leaf clover and a rabbit's foot she swears by," said Seamus Finnigan, to which Lavender Brown gave him a disapproving look having a pet rabbit herself.
"Very good, zese are usually kept to bring good luck," replied Planchette.
"Didn't bring the rabbit much luck though, sir," Ron couldn't help pointing out with a grin.
"Zank you Monsieur Weasley, anyone else?"
"The Agate stone, which was mostly likely so called after the river in Sicily where it is found, is said to turn the possessor invisible and to offer protection in battle," said Hermione with her usual, precise regurgitated text book definition.
"Excellent, Mademoiselle Granger, ten point Gryffindor," cried Planchette clasping his hand together with a flurry of dark chocolate velvet, obviously impressed.
"Monsieur Longbottom?"
"Garlic, is used to ward off vampires?" Neville answered a little unsure of himself, the accident with Snape had knocked his confidence.
"Yes, zat is quite correct, take a point for Gryffindor," Planchette smiled encouragingly. "Zere are 'undreds of protection charms, one for every fear you can imagine."
"Maybe we could get one for Neville then," chuckled Ron. "To ward off Professor Snape."
"Zat's enough zank you Monsieur Weasley, you are forgetting zat Professor Snape is a good friend of mine…no?" Planchette frowned.
Yes, Harry thought , those two seem to have got as thick as thieves lately.
"To continue, ze main talismans or amulets are intended to ward off ze Evil Eye. Zey can be crafted from almost anything, but zose worn as jewellery are usually made from metal in a magical shape or set with semi-precious stones."
"You mean like the funny, cross that Professor Raven wears?" asked Ron, trying not to blush.
"Zat funny cross as you put it is actually ze ancient Egyptian symbol for life, zey worn amulets to keep harm and sickness at bay, zough I zink Professor Raven wears 'ers more for fashion or sentimental reasons zen protection. In fact ze most famous amulet is also Egyptian, ze Wedjat or Eye of 'Orus…if you turn to page twenty seven in your books, you see a fine example zat my father discover on 'is first ever dig."
There was a rustle of pages as everybody searched through their copies of Adventures into our Magical Past to find the picture. Harry gazed down at the large coloured photograph of the golden amulet, inlayed with lapis lazuli in the stylised eye of the falcon-headed solar and sky god Horus.
"Ze Eye of 'Orus is associated with regeneration, 'ealth and prosperity. According to myth 'Orus lost his left eye to 'is evil brother Seth, whom 'e fought to avenge Seth's murder of Osiris, 'is father. Seth tore out ze eye but lost ze fight. Ze eye was reassembled by magic by Zoth, ze god of writing, ze moon and magic. Ze amulets were worn to ensure safety, preserve 'ealth, and give ze wearer wisdom and prosperity."
"I better get myself one of those then," Ron grinned at Harry who was looking down at a photograph of Professor Planchette's father, taken not in the deserts of Egypt but in what appeared to be a library or perhaps his study. He was standing; stern faced staring at the camera holding what reminded Harry a little of the Golden Snitch, only this object with golden wings had a large glittering red stone at its centre. Harry frowned and nudged Hermione who was sitting, with Neville at the table on his right. Hermione glanced up her face looked thoughtfully but not surprised as if she had almost expected to see what looked like the Amulet of Sekhmet in Professor Planchette's hand.
The rest of the lesson was mainly dedicated to lively, intriguing tales about the various amulets, talismans and charms that had been discovered by Professor Planchette senior. It was so easy to drift off and imagine yourself stumbling along, torch burning in your hand down a dark, cobwebbed tunnel in search of some rare and ancient magical artefact. As the lesson seemed to come all too quickly to an end and Harry was concerning what other subjects he should concentrate on if was going to be a famous a relic hunter when he left Hogwarts, Hermione's voice interpreted his thoughts.
"Professor?" Hermione asked as everybody began packing away their books and parchments in readiness for the lunch bell, Professor Planchette always impatient to get away himself never minded if his class packed a bit early.
"Yes, Mademoiselle Granger?" Planchette replied distractedly, his mind already wondering if that delicious chocolate fudge cake would be on the menu again.
"I was wondering if you could tell me something about the Amulet of Sekhmet? I'm sure I came across it while reading a biography about your father," Hermione said glancing nervously at Harry.
"Er…did you?" Professor Planchette sounded a bit hesitant. "I am not too familiar with zat one myself, my father did discover an awful lot of amulets but at a guess I would say zat ze amulet is ancient Egyptian in origin, possibly another protection charm…"
Saved by the bell Harry thought as a dull chime announced the end of the lesson, followed by the scraping of numerous eager chairs.
"Yes…yes you may all go," Planchette shouted over the noise, gathering up his own bag. "You better leave zat one with me Mademoiselle Granger, until our next lesson and I'll see what I can find out for you," Planchette said hurriedly as he almost bolted out the classroom door.
"That's odd," Hermione said darkly with suspicious frown as they quickly followed the rest of the class down the staircase.
"What?" asked Harry relieved to discover that Professor Bane's portrait was empty again, he guessed the Potions Master had chased Snape through the other portraits and was probably still trying to find a way down to the dungeons.
"It's odd that Professor Planchette doesn't know about the Amulet of Sekhmet," replied Hermione. "I mean, I wouldn't have been so certain that was the Amulet of Sekhmet Louis Planchette was holding in that photograph if I hadn't also read in that biography…"
"You mean you've actually read a biography on Planchette's fatherI just thought you were trying to catch Planchette off guard," Ron scoffed in disgust.
"And it was a good job too," Hermione retorted back angrily. "Perhaps if you read a little more books Ron…"
"What did it say?" Harry tactfully interrupted.
"Well, it's not very complimentary biography, the author lists various artefacts claimed to be discovered by Louis Planchette that seemed to have got lost or mislaid in transit…"
"They mean Planchette Snr. pocketed some of the artefacts," said Ron.
"Er…yes, and there is also a rumour that Louis Planchette responsible for smuggling the several very rare and valuable amulets, from some temple out of Egypt, including the Amulet of Sekhmet about twenty-five years ago, and although this was hushed up by the Egyptian Ministry of Magic at the time, Planchette's father was forbidden to enter the country again, not that mattered as he died in mysterious circumstances three months after returning from Egypt."
"Bloody hell," gulped Ron. "No wonder Planchette was cagey about it, do you think the Egyptian Ministry had him killed?"
"I don't know Ron the biography could only speculate on that," Hermione said looking grim.
"That's what he meant about his family having skeletons in their closet," Harry said quietly. "I wonder how the amulet came to be in Professor Dumbledore's possession?"
"More importantly, does our Professor Planchette know Professor Dumbledore had the amulet and does he know that Professor Raven is suspected of stealing it five years ago?"
"It could explain why Planchette never strays from Professor Raven's side for long," said Ron bitterly not caring how jealously he sounded. "He's hoping she'll tell where the amulet is, that is if she did steal it, which I don't believe for one minute." Hermione gave Ron a withering look although she really liked Professor Raven the evidence that she may well have taken the amulet was slowly mounting and it didn't matter how many times Ron defended Raven, Hermione was beginning to wonder if Snape was justified in accusing her.
"Nor does Snape," Harry observed, looking anxious.
"Harry's right, and if it isn't Snape himself lurking in the shadows watching her then it is that horrible raven of his, like its reporting back to him or something, it gives me the creeps," Hermione agreed.
"Maybe they're in on it together?" suggested Ron. "Snape and Planchette…I mean."
It was late but Harry couldn't sleep, the night was heavy and oppressive, Harry longed for a storm, thunder and lightening to clear the air. He had crept down to the common room to make a start on Snape's essay, but after an hour of staring at the blank parchment that lay before him, Harry concluded that he wasn't going to make much progress and gave up. His mind kept wandering from The application of Aconite in poison making, he was still thinking about what Professor Planchette had said to Snape, something about charms only really being as powerful as the belief of the person wearing them. Could this have something to do with the Assassin Draft, was Snape trying to check that there was no charm against it? Harry shuddered, he knew Planchette was Snape's friend but he just couldn't believe that he would willing help Snape commit murder, Harry hoped not, he like Professor Planchette very much.
Harry climbed the steps to the boy's dormitory; he could hear Neville snuffling in his sleep, while Ron lay on his front, his quilt wrapped tightly about him cuddling his pillow. Harry smiled to himself, poor Ron his crush upon Professor Raven saw no signs of abating. Harry still wasn't sleepy, his mind still buzzing so he decided to sit on the window sill a while hoping that silent, expanse of darkness would numb his brain. Harry pressed his forehead against the cool glass first peering up at the night sky; it was starless, velvet black. He then gazed down into a grassy courtyard; everywhere seemed draped in thick shadows, broken up in places with patches of shimmering golden from the torches that were still burning long into the night. A shadowy dark shape moving from somewhere below the window suddenly caught Harry's eye. Harry felt a strange prickling upon the back of his neck as he watched a figure clad in a black hooded cloak prowled sinisterly across the courtyard. Harry gasped, his heart almost missing a beat as the ashen face of Professor Snape glanced up at him. Harry sprang back from the window unsure if Snape could see him, he gave it a few seconds and then slowly inched front only to see that Snape had reassumed his journey back towards the Slytherin side of the castle.
Harry polished off his last spoonful of his porridge as the morning owl mail swooped into the great hall. Hermione received a letter from her parents which she tore open and tried to read while munching on a chocolate muffin, of which Harry had observed Professor Planchette, had eaten at least four. He was now chatting to Professor Raven, who sat on his right. She had just finished a bowl of muesli and was listening to him, nodding in agreement as she sipped her goblet of pumpkin juice. Professor Snape sat on Planchette's left, looking even more cantankerous and morose than usual, especially when Madam Hooch had asked him to pass her a jig of milk. Snape had smothered several slices of toast in butter and blackcurrant jam, but then must have thought better of it as he hadn't touch them and just drank his black coffee. Harry observed that Snape looked tired, there were slight patches of shadow under his eyes and his face was drawn and tense. Harry guessed that if Snape was attempting to brew the Assassin Draft in secret that he would have to do it somewhere away from the castle, maybe in the Dark Forest, but then that doesn't explain why Snape was lurking around Gryffindor Tower late at night.
A rasping squawk echoed about the great hall interrupted Harry's thoughts as Professor Snape's raven woven through the owls baring a small parcel tied with string in her beak. Bryon landed on the end of the teachers table in a flurry of glossy black feathers; she hopped up to Snape and dropped the parcel with a loud caw. Snape greeted the bird with a smile, scratching her on the head and then gesturing for Byron to perch up onto his shoulder, much to the disgust of Madam Hooch. Snape then torn off a corner of his uneaten breakfast and offered it to Bryon, the raven squawked approvingly and gently took the morsel from Snape's hand. As Snape fed Bryon several pieces of toast, he shot a side-ways glance along the table, his black, glittering eyes falling upon Professor Raven. Bryon stretched her wings with a throaty caw and after affectionately nibbling Snape on the ear flew off, Harry presumed back to Snape's chamber at the top of Slytherin's Tower. Snape sat for a while looking down at the parcel, not bothering with the remains of his toast he finished his coffee. Snape glanced up as Professor Raven rose to leave the table; he snatched up the parcel and tucking it into a pocket under his robe, hurried after her.
"I wonder what was in that parcel?" said Ron, who had also been watching the teachers table, naturally his initially interest had been in Professor Raven but the rarity of Snape receiving mail had sparked his curiosity.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Harry shrugged as he rose from the table.
"Probably the last of the ingredient he needs to finish brewing the Assassin Draft," muttered Hermione, who was still reading her letter.
"I hope not," said Harry. "but if Snape is brewing an Assassin Draft, then we've got to get the proof to stop him."
As Harry walked in to the Potions classroom the absence of Malfoy and Pansy was clearly evidence and highly suspicious, Crabbe and Goyle were sitting subdued at the front bench and to Harry's surprise Crabbe was reading from his text book. Lucy was leaning back against the bench talking to Seamus from her place next to Millicent Bulstrode, both of them looked much happier now they were finally going out together. Harry had been surprised that it was only really Malfoy and his cronies that had made nasty comment about the couple, there had been a few astonished looks from other people in their year as they walked hand in hand down the corridor but after about two days they were old news.
"Where are Malfoy and Parkinson?" Harry asked as he sat down next to Hermione, not that he really cared but he was curious.
"Oh," said Lucy spinning around on her stool so that she now faced Harry. "He's in the hospital wing with Pansy, they've both got a nasty rash."
"Really…how did they get that then?" asked Hermione raising an eyebrow, she wasn't too sure if she actually wanted to know the gory details but like Harry she was now burning with curiosity.
"Well…" Lucy lent forward, speaking in a low hushed voice. "Apparently Draco sneaked into greenhouse three last night to get some Dragon's Breath Orchids, to impress Pansy no doubt," Lucy's voice had taken on a harsh, mocking tone. "My father grows orchids and the Dragon's Breath are among the most beautiful…"
"I remember Professor Sprout telling us that she was rather fond of them herself," recalled Hermione.
"Anyway, I told Pansy that the Dragon's Breath would be coming into bloom around now," Lucy suddenly broke into a wide grin. "Only it must have momentary slipped my mind to tell her that in the first three weeks of flowering the orchid plant develops a defence to protect its magnificent blooms until the pollen has matured, it squirts a scolding substance that on leaves the skin burning with an unsightly red rash, hence the name Dragon's Breath…" Lucy shrugged. "But I guess the two love birds must have discovered that for themselves…but I don't think giving Pansy a rash was quite the romantic gesture Draco was intending…do you?" chuckled Lucy.
Harry grinned, he was starting to see why Seamus liked her Lucy had a wicked sense of humour and was quite pretty when she laughed, not as pretty as Cho but still pretty all the same.
The door of the dungeon was flung open and in stormed Professor Snape, Lucy shot a glance at Seamus before returning to face the front of the class. Harry felt a twinge of panic grip his stomach as Snape stood by his desk with a furtive, almost smug smile upon his lips.
"Today," said Snape drawing the long sleeves of his robes together as he folded his arms like the dark wings of a huge vampire bat. "We are going to…" but Snape was interrupted as the door of the dungeon was flung open and a flustered looking Professor Planchette hurried in his dark chocolate robes flapping almost as wildly as he was.
"Severus I must speak with you," said Planchette; his voice was anxious and pleading.
"I am about to start a class, can't it wait?"
"No it can't…Je en grosses diffiulté, Je devoir persons beaucoup de argent, désagreable persons…" cried Planchette hysterically reverting back to his native tongue.
"Stop babbling in French, you idiot frog," Snape snapped irritably striding over from his desk. "You know I can't understand a word your saying…take a deep breath and tell me what is wrong."
"Severus…" Planchette gasped still awfully flustered. "I don't know what to do, you've got to 'elp me."
"Follow me," snarled Snape as he swept pass the benches. "Get out your books and start reading chapter thirty nine and there will be a detention for someone foolish enough to get caught out of their seats." Snape pushed Planchette out of the classroom into the corridor.
"What was all that about?" asked Ron glancing over to Harry who was sitting next to Hermione.
"Planchette owes someone a lot of money, someone not very pleasant," Hermione returned. "Unlike Snape I can understand French."
"I wonder who?" frowned Harry.
There were raised but muffled voices outside of the dungeon door, it seemed that Snape hadn't taken Planchette far and was now arguing bitterly with him.
"Harry, no!" Hermione hissed as Harry got out of his seat. "You heard what Snape said,"
"Yes, but this could be important."
Harry crept up to the door, with Draco and his cronies still in the hospital wing none of the other Slytherins seemed that bothered, if Potter wanted to get a detention that that was up to him.
"Curiositus!" Harry whispered, pointing his wand at the door and pressing his ear against it, he might not be able to see what was going on behind the thick oak door but with the aid of the Eavesdropping spell now he could listen in just as clearly as if he was standing in the corridor.
"So," hissed Snape. "Where exactly are these men to whom you owe money?"
"Er…I zink zey are coming down the steps now," Planchette said weakly.
Harry heard heavy footsteps, it sounded like two people but he could be sure, one of the men could have had a limp.
"Excuse me but which one of you gentlemen is Leon Planchette?" asked a man, his educated, polite tone was tainted with a patronising drawl reminding Harry a little of Lucius Malfoy.
"Yeah…" snapped another deeper, nastier voice followed by the cracking of knuckles "We've come to collect what he owes us…one way or the other."
There was a nervous whimper from Planchette, who Harry imagined was now cowering behind Snape.
"He is…"Snape replied with defiant coolness, if Snape was intimidated by these threats he wasn't showing it.
"Then I suggest you stand aside, we've no quarrel with you Mr…Mr…" it was the polite gentleman again, it was obvious he was the brains of the partnership, the other man was just the muscle.
"Snape and Mr Planchette is a very old friend of mine, quarrel with him and you also quarrel with me," Snape said calmly as he stood his ground.
"I see…you're loyal is commendable Mr Snape but may I suggest perhaps a little foolish under the circumstances," the gentleman replied still courteously but Harry could sense a note of irritability creeping into his voice. "You look like an intelligent man, not someone who would wish to dirty his hands with the grubby little deals of this worthless…."
"And how exactly did you gentleman…sorry I didn't catch the names…get into Hogwarts." Snape asked coldly, Harry was surprised and relieved to hear that Snape's loyalty to Planchette wasn't going to be swayed by threats or flattery.
"Alexander Filch and this is Letch,"
"Ahh that explains it, I will have to have a quiet little word with our caretaker," Snape mused silkily.
"That pathetic little frog sold us what he claimed to be the Angelical Stone only it turned out to be nothing more a lump of crystal," spat the other man, cracking his knuckles again, Planchette gave a little frighten gasp, unlike Snape he sounded quite petrified.
"I 'ad no idea it was a fake, my father told me ze one in ze muggle museum was ze fake, Severus you've got to believe me," Planchette stammered weakly in his defence.
"I don't care, I want my money back," growled Letch.
"But…but…" shrieked Planchette.
"Freezemus! …Now gentlemen, if you've quite finished…" Snape remained composed his voice unperturbed and smooth as he tried to calm the situation. "Actually the true Angelical Stone is held in safe keeping at the Ministry of Magic, I thought everyone knew that, obviously not but I am quite sure that Mr Planchette sold you that item believing it to be genuine…"
"Yes, yes," Planchette piped up feeling a little braver now that Snape had pacified the men.
"But in the interest of settling this matter without the need to resort any more unpleasantness may I suggest that Mr Planchette pays you back the purchase price of the item plus say fifty Gallons for the inconvenience," Snape offered silkily.
"But…but…" Planchette protested over the sound of the pacifying spell being removed.
"Shall we make it a round hundred and you have my word that Mr Planchette will not be troubled again," replied Alexander Filch seeming most satisfied with the arrangement.
"But...but… Severus I 'aven't got ze money," Planchette groaned weakly.
"What?" asked Snape with curt surprise.
"I…I used it to pay a few little gambling debts," Planchette explained sheepishly.
"Exactly how much did you sell this Angelical Stone for Leon?" Snape rounded on his friend; his composure faulting slightly.
"Er…four hundred Galleons."
"Four hundred Galleons?" repeated Snape in a strained voice as if he was hoping that he misheard Professor Planchette.
"Plus the hundred to keep us sweet makes five hundred Gallons in total," reminded Letch.
"Yes," snarled Snape suddenly losing his temper. "There is nothing wrong with my arithmetic."
"I'll pay you back Severus, I promise, right down to ze last Knut," begged Planchette.
"Shut up Planchette…get out of my sight before I come to my senses," Harry could hear Planchette scurrying up the steps.
"Now gentlemen," Snape's voice was no longer silky, in fact it was sharp and angry. "My lesson does not finish for another forty-five minutes so I suggest that you go and wait for me in the caretaker's office, I take it you need no directions from me to find it…and I assume you'll be okay with a Gringotts cheque."
"Of course," returned Alexander Filch Harry could almost picture him with an elated, conceited smile. "I am so sorry that you have been put out like this Mr Snape…under more agreeable circumstances I would have very much liked to have made your acquaintance…I am sure that we have a lot in common."
"I doubt it…" Snape muttered under his breath as the sound of heavy footsteps slowly died away.
Harry just managed to sprint back to his seat as the handle of the door turned and Professor Snape strode into the dungeon, his face fixed in an angry scowl. He let door slam shut behind him with a strangely dull thud, turning to look at it with a frown before storming over to his desk.
"You will get out your copies of Magical Drafts and Potions and read…in silence," growled Snape still seething with rage over the stupidity of Planchette as he sat down at his desk to write the cheque. Bryon gave a startled squawk; she hopped down from where she had been perched among a shelf of dusty potion books behind Snape's desk and flew on to his shoulder. The raven cawed softly nibbling at Snape's ear as if in an attempt to console him.
The whole class reminded in a deathly silence, each nervously turning the pages of their books as quietly as possible, fearful of drawing attention to themselves lest they incur Snape's wrath. Harry stared blankly down at the first page, skimming his eyes of the neat black print but none of it seemed to be going in. He's knows whispered a voice in his head, He's knows you were out of your seat. Harry glanced up at the clock, counting off the seconds in is head until the end of class, willing time to go just that little bit faster.
"And Potter," Snape suddenly snapped just before the bell, making the whole class jump; Neville slipped backwards off his stool landing on the stone floor of the dungeon with a painful thud while Lavender buried her face in her bag.
"I shall expect you for a double-detention this evening; eight o'clock sharp…you were warned."
"How did that greasy git know?" grumbled Ron as they made their way up the staircase to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. "It's like he can read your mind or something."
"You're just getting paranoid isn't it more likely that horrible raven told him," muttered Hermione.
"Now who's getting paranoid? Anyway Bryon was asleep for most of the lesson," Ron retorted.
"Or it could just be that I forgot to take the Eavesdropping Charm off the classroom door," Harry interrupted before Hermione and Ron had yet another argument. They walked into the classroom only to find Professor Planchette sitting at the desk with a large mug of tea in his hand and munching on a flapjack, he looked up at them with a sheepish grin like a naughty child that been found with his hand in the biscuit jar. Professor Raven was perched on the edge of the desk and also drinking from a small, black mug.
"Ahh, Mr Weasley, I was hoping to catch you before class," Professor Raven smiled putting down her mug. "I've got something for you," Ron's ears were already turning pink. Professor Raven rose gracefully from the desk and walked around to where Planchette was sitting. "Sorry Leon, if I could just get into my drawer."
"Of course," Planchette leaping up from the chair, nearly spilling tea all down his robe.
"Don't worry there's nothing too exciting in there, just an old note book, couple of quills and other rubbish…ah here it is," Professor Raven smiled banishing an extremely tattered and weighty volume," She walked over to Ron and handed him the book that she had asked her uncle to send her.
"It's a book," gulped Ron.
"Well that's a start," Raven smiled teasingly.
"It's a huge book," squeaked Ron.
"You said that muggles have never written a decent story about wizards, I want you to read The Lord of the Rings then we might be able to have a proper debate about the subject…by the way it has always been thought that my grandmother was the inspiration behind one of the characters."
"Well I should go Morwenna, thank you for the tea," said Planchette sneaking another flapjack under the sleeve of his robe.
"That's quite alright Leon; you know that you're welcome anytime."
"Do you zink I should be ze one to speak to Severus…I would, but…" Planchette asked popping his head back around the door trying to stem the tide of students trying to squeeze past him. "Only I'm not exactly his favourite person right now…I really zink…"
"Okay, okay I'll speak to him but I can't promise that I will have any more success in persuading him than you," she replied looking sad and wistful. Professor Raven sighed heavily and then focused her attention upon the class who were all now seated and staring up intently at her.
To everyone surprise and protests from all of the boys the lesson was about faeries. Professor Raven ignored the groans and proceeded to explain that Faerie was the name given to a wide variety of supernatural beings that either help or hinder mankind, although they do not commonly practise the dark arts, like there are those among the wizarding world that choose to draw their powers from dark magic there are also fairy folk who are to be considered of a dubious nature. Professor Raven told them in glorious gory detail that almost rivalled Professor Planchette's stories about the Redcap, a brutish faerie that thrived on carnage and that received their name from ancient times when they delighted in dripping their caps in the blood of freshly fallen victims. And the Screaming Banshee, which Seamus claimed with a wicked glint in his eyes that his mother was one especially if his father happened to get in late from the pub, that were said to wail at the death of a family member.
Harry reached Snape's dungeon for his detention with time to spare; he was just concerning a quick nose around Snape's office when he heard Professor Raven voice carrying down the stone steps. Something made Harry duck down behind the bench moments before Snape followed by Professor Raven stepped into the classroom.
"That was really kind of you to help Leon like that, he told me all about it," said Professor Raven her hand hovered close to his arm as if she wanted to touch him.
"There is no need to sound so surprised Morwenna," Snape snapped turning from her to lift the heavy lid of the glass tank housing the Golden Nile viper. "Planchette maybe an irritating, excitable fool at times, in fact most of the time but even he doesn't deserve to be beaten to a pulp, he is my friend after all."
"Well maybe you could treat him a bit more like one, he looks up to you Severus and I really like him…"
"You do?" Snape questioned as he seemed to conjure a small white mouse from nowhere and gently dropped it into the tank. Professor Raven shuddered, her pale hand reached up to her black lace collar of her gown as she watched the snake sink its long, glistening yellow fangs into the unfortunate rodent. "I suppose it because he's so handsome or that he makes you laugh or maybe…" Snape paused and arched a dark eyebrow, "it's because you think he'll be able to tell you something more about the Amulet of Sekhmet. And you being so well read, you disappoint me, Morwenna. I thought you would know all there is about that particular amulet. So…what did he tell you then…that the Amulet of Sekhmet is believed to have been created by the goddess of that name, the daughter of the sun god Ra. That the amulet was created to protect him from his eternal enemy Apophis who was the snake god of darkness and evil, that Apophis had to be defeat every night or the sun wouldn't rise?"
"Something along those lines…yes," said Professor Raven.
"Did he also tell you that the amulet is thought to be the very first object created to protect against Dark magic, although most people foolish assume that because of the connection with Apophis the amulet is a protection against serpents…" he regarded her shrewdly for a moment, his dark eyes glinted in the torchlight. "Of course you would have been among the few astute enough to realise that the amulet is more than a simple charm that it possess a power so ancient and great that even the darkest magic wheeled by the Dark Lord himself would not be able to harm the wearer."
Professor Raven didn't answer and Harry couldn't see her face but he had seen her stiffen slight at the mention of Lord Voldemort, so Hermione had been right the first time, the amulet did protect against Dark magic, then had Professor Raven had taken it to protect herself against the followers of Lord Voldemort. Harry felt a sickening knot of panic in the pit of his stomach, could Professor Raven have been planning to hunt down the Death Eaters that killed her family using the amulet as protection. Harry felt his throat go awfully dry and tight as the true realization of Snape's words slowly sunk in, the amulet possess such a power that even the Dark Lord himself would not be able to harm the wearer…surely Professor Raven wasn't that blinded by the desire for revenge to think she could go after Lord Voldemort himself!
"But I guess Leon neglected to tell you that his father died not soon after smuggling the amulet out of Egypt some twenty five years ago."
"Oh my god," Professor Raven shuddered, her voice suddenly full of alarm.
"It was just before Planchette and I were due to take our O.W.Ls. Planchette's father was on a dig in Alexandria, the Egyptian Ministry of Magic fearing that the amulet would fall into the hands of Kamose, the head of the newly reformed Cult of Apophis persuaded him to smuggle it out of the country, Planchette senior was very skilled in that sort of thing. Kamose believed if he possessed the amulet he would be untouchable and aimed to bend every wizard and witch in Egypt his will. Of course the Egyptian Ministry neglected to tell Planchette's father the danger he was in so when he was attacked three months later by a member of the cult using a Golden Nile viper they had to hush the whole affair up. Fortunately Planchette's father gave the amulet to Professor Dumbledore just before he was murdered who kept the amulet safely hidden until I foolishly mentioned it to you…"
"You seem to know an awful lot about the amulet, Severus?" Professor Raven questioned.
"Snake cults are a particular interest of mine…you should know that Morwenna." A conceited smile flickered across Snape's face making Professor Raven nervously touched the lace collar at her throat again.
"Zere you are Morwenna," the cheery voice of Professor Planchette filling the gloom of the dungeon as he jumped the last few steps. "So 'ave you asked him yet?"
"Asked me what?" Snape returned slowly in an icy voice.
"Oh really Morwenna," Planchette scolded playfully. "I zought you said zat…"
"Will one of you spit it out", snapped Snape as he glanced up at the clock on the dungeon wall. "I've got a detention to oversee…damn, where is Potter?"
"We just wanted to invite you to ze zree Broomsticks tomorrow evening, zere is a really great band playing and…"
"I don't think so," Snape cut him off sharply. "I've got several essays to mark."
"Oh, come on Severus, don't be such a bore…all work and no play…besides it will be your last opportunity to get a costume for ze 'Alloween Ball. I zought about going as Merlin but I zink Dumbledore got in before me. I did suggest zat Morwenna should go as Queen Cleopatra but zen realised zat was probably in bad taste considering…Who did you settle on again?"
"For the last time Leon, you'll have to wait until the ball, Professor Raven replied quietly.
"And you Severus, who are you going to go as?" Professor Raven asked.
"Yes, Professor Dumbledore expects ze entire staff to join in," Planchette added.
"Costumes," Snape returned haughtily. "I haven't had time to go trying on silly costumes."
"Zen zat settles it, I am not taking no for an answer you'll just 'ave to come to 'Omeads with us tomorrow."
"Okay, okay," snapped Snape looked again at the clock. Professor Raven took that as their queue to leave and ushered Planchette who was still pestering her about her costume up the stone steps.
Snape muttered something under his breath, that Harry took to be about him being late for detention but he dare not move from his hiding place until he was sure that Snape wouldn't see him.
Please go into your office…please Harry willed Snape, he was beginning to get awful pins and needles in his legs from crouching in such an awkward position. Snape gave the clock another look and then with a disgusted snort carefully lifted the snake from the tank and stroking it on the head hurried into his office.
Thank you Harry sighed as slowly he rose to his feet and rubbed his aching legs. He waited a few minutes and once the stabbing sensation had subsided crept up to the heavy wooden door, which Snape had left ajar and squinted through the crack. In the gloomy firelight of the cold, dank chamber Harry watched as Snape placed the snake on the desk, his stomach twisted sickeningly as he spotted the bulge in the smooth, golden body of the snake. Professor Snape took a large silver key that was hanging from a chain hidden beneath the dark folds of his robe and unlocked a tall mahogany cupboard that stood in the far corner of the office. With a sharp click the doors swung open to reveal several deep shelves upon which were several leather bound books and glass storage jars containing ingredient that Harry could only guess was too dangerous or rare, only to be used in the advance potion making classes. Snape took a small black cauldron from the middle shelf, next to this was one of the bags that Snape must have brought back from Knockturn Alley. After placing the cauldron on the desk Snape took a long glass stirring rod and plunged it into the mixture which to Harry's astonishment started to bubble violently. Snape's sallow face was aglow with a look of conceited satisfaction; he smiled and poured a little of the dark red liquid into a tall glass vessel. Snape held the beaker his cold, black eyes squinting in the bright light as he examined the solution more closely which Harry could see now appeared very cloudy. Snape swilled the blood-coloured liquid around for a few moments before bringing the beaker up to his hooked-nose. Cleo had slithered across the polished surface of the desk and was now investigating the still steaming mixture in the cauldron.
"No Cleo," Snape scolded pushing the snake away from the cauldron. "It's not ready yet…we must be patience. I have laboured too long and hard, just a few more days and it will be ready my sweet…and then we'll show her." Harry felt his stomach tightened with fear, Hermione had been right; Snape was brewing the Assassin Draft. He staggered backward hitting the corner of the bench.
"Who's there?" Snape hissed angrily.
"Harry…Harry Potter," Harry just managed to squeak hoarsely his throat suddenly tight and dry. "I've come from my detention."
"You're late Potter. Twenty minutes late to be exact."
"I know…I'm sorry Professor Snape," Harry replied trying desperately not to look in the direction the office. "I lost track of time."
"Well then Potter," Snape leered so close that his hooked nose was inches away from Harry's small one. "We will have help that terrible memory of yours so in addition to the essay on the potions of the medieval period you will also write me an essay on the important of timing when brewing potions, each essay is to be at least two foot in length and I shall expect them handed in to me at our next lesson which is on Tuesday I believe."
"Yes Professor Snape," said Harry.
"You may go now…Oh and Potter if you should fail to handed both essays in on time…then you can forget going to the Halloween Ball, do I make myself clear?"
"Yes."
"You better get to it then."
"So?" asked Ron who was feeding Scabbers the remains of his sandwich as Harry finally returned to the Gryffindor Common Room. "What did the miserable old git give you then?"
"I've got to write an essay, on potions of medieval period," Harry sighed as he slumped into the chair opposite. "By Tuesday or he's going to stop me going to the ball."
"Well that's not too bad mate, Hermione has a huge book on that out from the library I am sure she'll lend it to you."
"Yeah, it's in my trunk I'll going and get it once I've finished this fiddly bit," Hermione mumbled through a mouth full of pins.
"But that's just the detention…I've another essay on top of that about the importance of timing in potion brewing."
"What's that for?" Ron questioned.
"Snape gave it to me for arriving late."
"But you left the common room in good time you couldn't have been late Harry?" Hermione looked up for her sewing.
"I wasn't," Harry bit his lip. "In fact I got to the classroom early hoping to have a nose around when I heard Snape and Professor Raven coming down the steps, so I hid behind the bench at the back.
"So I was right the first time," said Hermione after Harry had told them all that he had overheard. "If Professor Raven took the Amulet of Sekhmet then it must have been to protect herself from Dark magic used by the Death Eaters…"
"I hope she's still the amulet then," said Ron, Hermione and Harry both looked at him as he was crazy. "Well if the amulet protects against dark magic then Snape's isn't going to be able to kill her."
"But that is just it Ron," cried Hermione. "Snape knows about the amulet's power! That's why he has been trying to kill her without using spells or curses…that's why he's using the Golden Nile Viper."
TBC
R&R!
AN: Thanks for your reviews!