Chapter 2: Potions

Authoress: Dodge-This

Based on idea by: PookaSeraph

%%%

Disclaimer: Not mine, JK Rowling and WB.

%%%

Hermione paced the cold stone floor of the potion room. Her eyes scanned the classroom before her. Cauldrons were lain out at each work station, all the day's ingredients were at the front table. She was nervous. She returned to pacing back and forth across the room as her thoughts returned to her earlier conversation with the Headmaster. She had been summoned to her chambers the moment she arrived. Two days before anyone else of course.

            "Miss Granger." The Headmaster scanned the student he had seen grow through the years. She was so different from the nervous bushy haired first year. "As you know, as result of Voldemort's fall, all those bearing the Dark Mark were returned to the age they were marked at."

            She nodded as she kept her gaze trained on the man she had respected since learning of him in Hogwarts, A History. He seemed so frail, but she could never truly think that again, after witnessing him in the final battle.

            "What you may not know is that their memories past that date were erased as well." Once again he paused until she nodded her understanding. "As a younger member of the Order, you, as well as Messers Potter and Weasley, were privy to more than a little confidential information."

            "Yessir." Her mind was running circles trying to figure what this was about.

            "If memory serves, you knew the identity of one double agent of mine." His eyes sparkled behind his half moon glasses as he watched the gears grinding behind her eyes.

            " Snape, sir. We figured it in fourth year, Harry saw his—" Her eyes widened. "He was de-aged as well?"

            "Yes, Miss Granger. Your potions Professor shall be returning, aged 17 years, for his final year at Hogwarts."

              Hermione kept her mouth shut as she considered the repercussions. Snape would be in their year. Snape would be in their classes. Snape would not remember a damn thing he had done to them. " I've wandered into the Weasleys, Tonks, and Cunningham, did I miss someone? We still need a Potions Professor."

            "A minor hurdle we have come to. With Snape in his current—condition—he will be in no state to teach." Dumbledore walked around his desk to go stand before a bookshelf. "As such, after conversing with the other professors, we have seen fit to assign you the task, temporarily if not permanently."

            Hermione fell back in the dark red chair. "You want me to be Potions Master?"

            Dumbledore smiled.

            "But what about my classes?" Hermione questioned, she did not want to fall behind in her studies.

            "Well, the staff agrees that you already have the abilities to pass you NEWTs right now. You already memorized this years course books, have you not?"

            "I have," she whispered.

            "Well then, that settles it," he clapped and house elves came in, bearing NEWT papers and tests to qualify her for the position.

            Three hours later she walked out of his office, dazed and qualified to teach.

            Hermione forced herself to stop pacing and settle into the menacing stone chair behind her desk. She rubbed her temples, sunk in and closed her eyes. Honestly, it was more comfortable than it appeared. She smiled to herself. She stared at the large grandfather clock in the corner. Five minutes until class.

            Students began to filter into her classroom. She waved at the to find their own seats as her gaze rested on her itinerary. Seventh year students first. Grand. The class filed in and the students looked up. No doubt wondering what she was doing there, she thought. She glanced at the clock again. Class time had begun. She rose from her seat and scanned the crowd. Since it was no longer a required class after 5th year, the number of students was so small that each 6th and 7th year class was all in one. She cleared her throat and the chatter came to a halt.

            "Most of you know me," she started, "and are no doubt wondering what I am doing here." She stopped pacing and settled her lower back against her desk. "The Headmaster administered my NEWTs early, and some qualifying tests for the position. So I will be your teacher until Dumbledore can find a replacement. Until then, I do expect respect from all of you." Her gaze stopped on Malfoy. "As it is, begin, for the first week we will be working on a base to much of what we will be working on this year. Do try to get it right the first time." She waved her wand at the board and the directions for the appeared.

            The students seemed skeptical of the teaching arrangement, but they paired off and gathered ingredients. The class divide was obvious, each House stuck together in a corner of the room, averaging about five of each House. There was little interaction between the groups at the supplies table as well.

            Hermione sighed and sank back into her chair, surveying the classroom. Harry had paired up with Neville, since Ron was no longer around. The usual pairings, evident in the earlier years, were forming again. There were noticeable holes due to losses in battle, but compensations were made and the class milled about their work.

            In the Slytherin corner there was a full class. The majority of those resorted due to the age reduction had been resorted into Slytherin, flushing out that House more than the others. Reminded of this she scanned the Slytherin corner to take note of the new additions. Lucius had monopolized his offspring as a partner. They were talking quietly amongst themselves. There were a few other Death Eaters that she recognized from various brushes with death. Oh goddess, Antonin Dolohov. That man almost killed her in the Department of Mysteries. She let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

            She tore her eyes away to scan the rest of the class. She knew all of the Gryffindors, and recognized most of the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. There, on the edge of the Slytherin sector, Severus, he was at a desk without a partner. Hermione watched and compared him to his older self. She was still attracted to him. She had 'fancied' him since the end of fifth year. Still had large hands and long fingers, not quite the same dexterity he exhibited when older. Same intense concentration. On her. Shit. The look on his face said he had been watching her observing him for more than a few minutes. She tore her gaze off him.

She returned to her class and wandered around the room. When she noted an off color potion she would move in to tell them how to fix it. She continued down the second row making it to Harry and Neville. She held her breath and counted to three.

"Purple?" She asked simply.

"Sorry, Mione—" Harry started. Hermione glared at him. "Sorry, Professor Granger."

She nodded. "You added far too much of the boomslang, seeing as we are only this far into the potion, you should start over as opposed to trying to fix it. Pay mind to the directions please." She began to walk away, "Please sit up front next time as well."

Harry only nodded as he dumped their potion as Neville went to gather more ingredients.

She nodded and moved on reminding herself to check back with them. She wandered past the rest of the Griffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws, making changes when needed. Soon she passed the easy part of the class and started for the front of the Slytherin corner. She sighed and walked up the aisle, at least the majority of the Slytherins knew what they were doing, she mused. She paused to remind Zabini that the directions read shred, not powder. As she made her way past the Malfoys, she looked in the cauldron. As she raised her gaze she was internally shocked to see something other than total mind consuming hate in Draco's eyes. It seemed like…respect? I had hoped, but never expected any respect, from him in particular. At the meeting of their eyes he nodded.

She nodded acknowledgement to the boy, wondering how much he could have changed as a result of the war. She looked to his father who was engrossed in stirring the concoction and watching the colors come to form the right color.

She finished the rounds, coming to face Severus. He had watched as she had moseyed the classroom and fixed potions. At least the woman knew what she was doing, he conceded. He kept his eyes on hers as she glanced at his perfect baby blue potion. Goddess, those eyes. She smiled and nodded, keeping her thoughts to herself.

"That is as farthest step you will be able to complete today, place a stasis charm and read chapter one in your book." Hermione turned back to the front of the classroom to revisit Harry and Neville.

            The two were doing better this time. She told Neville to keep stirring until the coloring was consistent. He bowed to her expertise as she returned to her desk. She looked to the clock. Five minutes left. "All of you, pack up, place stasis charms and leave your cauldrons in the back room. Read and take notes on chapter one in your books, quiz next week on the properties of the base potion we are making."

            She settled back into her chair. Not bad, if I do say so myself. Wish there was more class unity, still. She could feel the heat from the proverbial light bulb above her head.

            "One last announcement." The class quieted in their seats. "There will be a party in my room starting at 6:30, open invitation to all sixth and seventh years, in this room. Extra credit will be offered to all those that attend and stay the night. Even without point incentive I wish for all of you to attend." She lingered a moment, "Dismissed. Mr. Malfoy, stay after a moment." She returned to her papers. The class cleared out.

            She heard a throat clear and raised her gaze again, Draco and Lucius were standing at her desk. "I'm sorry, Draco Malfoy. Lucius you may wait outside if you wish to wait for Draco."

            The teen nodded and casually made his way out of the room. She shook her head at the thought of one of the most feared and influential wizards of their time in her class.

            "Draco, I am under the impression that you have at least a little sway in your House," Hermione said. At his slow nod she continued. "I would be very appreciative if you could drag even a few of the Slytherins to my gathering."

            Draco genuinely smiled, "Anything for the Head of House."

            She nodded him out. She contemplated his words and stormed off to Dumbledore's.

%%%

THE PARTY IS NOT NEXT CHAP sorry, didn't want you to get your hopes up, but we still have to do more classes.

Authoresses Notes: Alright! This chapter was fun to write. I'd just noticed I was using some funky half first half third point of view. One may debate it would be proper to call half of 1 and 3 to be 2, and yet this is something totally different. In any matter, please tell me what you think of my writing style.

Reviewer Thanks:

trinaa: Potions will be more fun, I assure.

bookwyrm: Sorry you feel that way

alicat999: I'm trying to keep the wait down, so here you are!

CassandraTheEvil: Yeah, Ron was a little prat, disgrace to all red heads. Me being one of them decided that he should die. Glad you like the absence of Ron.

beth: thanks

Silverthreads: Yeah, I know. I didn't really like the first chapter myself, but intro must be made, that's why it's so short.

Larna Mandrea: Quite brutal indeed.

ThereIsNoSp00n: My imagination is one to be feared, to be sure.