Ashitaka Jodiki (Ah-she-ta-ka) (Show-di-kie)

If you didn't recognize it; Ashitaka is from the movie Princess Monanoke. All other names do belong to me.

Updating may slow down in the future. Quarter exams are coming up in school and I need to do some major studying. (I'm looking into Harvard for collage)

Chapter 17

A Liquid Memory

Severus was late, he was never late, but today he was late. This was bad. He was tortured for hours after the meeting last night, and after apparating to Hogwarts gates, he some how found himself in the Hospital Wing, and now he was late. He slowed down as he finally reached his classroom door (it hurt walking that fast), taking a deep breath, he stalked in (trying to hide his limp, and only half succeeding.)

"Quiet," he hissed (his head was pounding. Dumbledore tried to convince him to get a sub, but Severus wouldn't hear of it.)

Not even bothering to take out his wand, he waved his hand at the board behind him (and much to his annoyance an issue of murmurs and small gasps circulated around the classroom) and the instructions appeared on the board. It's not as if they never saw wandless magic before…

After he knew the class was busy working (he didn't have the energy to quiet them from their 'sneaky' whispering) he got busy on his own potion.

……….

The potion was not that difficult, for Hermione anyway. She had it finished half way though the class (it was a double class) and after carefully bottling the potion she turned her attention to the Potions Master who was working on a project of his own. She never really saw Snape do what he was good at; actually it was a very graceful art. His eyes expertly roamed the shelves of bottles of ingredients, then confidently sliding one of the shelf, not even a slight hesitation of whether it was the right one or not.

Hermione couldn't tell what potion he was making, but from the looks of it, he made it a lot. With a freeze of the hand or a bat of an eye he dumped the ingredients slowly and stopped it at a precise moment, not adding any more if he was unsure (which there was a hint of doubt or uncertainty in his eyes.)

After he wandlessly had the spoon stir the mixture a soft puff of blue smoke rose and twirled around his hand. Waving it away, he pointed to the bottles on his desk and they automatically bottled themselves.

Hermione smiled sadly, Snape was such a hero, and no one seemed to notice. Not even Harry, and he was the one that was supposed to be heroic, but (no offense to Harry, of course) he wasn't the one risking his life day after day just to get what ever little information he could out of Voldemort to give to Dumbledore.

Contrary to the belief, she knew most of what happened to Snape. Three days ago when Hagrid brought him to the Hospital Wing, he looked dead. Dumbledore found her crouched behind a statue outside the infirmary, listening intently to everything that was said. With nothing, but the pathetic excuse that she was worried, Dumbledore just told her that he would be alright and here he is, alive and semi-alright, making a potion (a brilliantly done potion), teaching a class and sarcastic as ever.

…………

Albus Dumbledore sighed; he had not received as much information as he wanted from Severus. Yes, he knew the boy was punished for the late potion, but he expected something. After that thought had entered his brain, he was immediately ashamed of himself for thinking such a thought as that.

Severus was lucky to be alive, contrary to what he told Ms. Granger. Voldemort, (or was it Malfoy Senior? he couldn't remember which...Severus was very vague), damn near killed him.

Placing his fingertips together he pursed his lips and thought, listening to the stone gargoyle rotate, signaling someone's entrance. A soft knock (one that he did not recognize) soon followed, confirming his predictions.

"Come in," he called softly, straightening in his chair. The person that entered sent a chill of surprise down his spine. He was a tall pale man, with a greenish, bluish hue to his skin. Long face, small noise, silver eyes that turned black every time he blinked, and…if he was presuming correctly….closed gills behind his ears, if he was brushed up on his races enough, he was a Demon.

"Hello, what can I do for you?"

The stranger, dressed in black plants and a watery blue robe that rustled like water in the river, dropped to a formal bow, "Lord Dumbledore, I come to seek your council,"

Albus practically jumped out of his skin….lord?

"Please, stand, my friend, I am not a lord nor of royal blood, what council is it that you seek?"

The stranger stood, his long blonde hair falling into his face, "Not a Lord? You are master of this council; does that not make you noble?"

Albus smiled, "Maybe on your world, friend, but not here. Please, have a seat….I'm afraid I didn't catch your name."

The strange smiled, revealing sharp pointed teeth, like a fishes, "my name is Tal Koral Aquae, I am a Water Demon of the Four Worlds, the land of my people, and please tell me, Headmaster Dumbledore, you know of a Severus Snape?"

"Severus Snape? Yes, of course," why is he speaking of Severus, "he is Potions Master and Professor here at Hogwarts. You know him?"

"Yes, Headmaster, and I am afraid to speak of this, but I know I must, he is not on your side,"

Albus smiled, "I see, you have misjudged our Potions Master, Lord Aquae, he is a spy for the Order of the Phoenix, he is no longer loyal to the Dark Lord."

Tal smiled, "I know you to believe that true, but please, watch this," Tal pulled out a bottle and after popping the cork out of the top, poured it out, but instead of hitting the carpet it formed a circle in mid-air, like a muggle movie projector.

On the screen was Severus….

"My lord," Severus said, "the muggles are killed, the trap awaits Dumbledore also, he will no longer be a nuisance to your plans,"

"Well done, Severus, well done….what is this trap of your though? I do wonder if you can fool ol' Dumbledore, but you are a sly one,"

Severus straightened from where he stood in front of the Dark Lord, "in his pensive, a killing potion, kills at the touch, even the slightest brush of the essence of the potion will kill him,"

Albus looked away, "Merely an act, Lord Aquae, now if you will excuse me…" Albus stood, he would not listen to any more of this rubbish, and he trusted Severus with his life.

Tal replaced the liquid memory back into its bottle, "I am sorry you have so much trust in him, Headmaster, it may just cost you your life,"

Albus smiled, "Thank you for your concern," he waved his hand and the door opened, the unsaid command to leave was left hanging in the air.

Before Tal closed the door he turned to Albus, "Headmaster, think about what you saw. Can someone put on act on such hatred?" Tal placed the bottle on the ground at the door, "Goodbye Headmaster, though in myworld Goodbye means we will never meet again. In this case, that may be so." And he closed the door and was gone.

End Chapter 17

TBC

Shorter than the last one I know, but I could break such a beautiful cliff hanger like that. Don't worry, more in the future.

Hoped you like, sorry it took so long, my computer went a little nuts. Thanks for being patient.

And as a reminder this book will NOT follow HBP, just to let you know. According to this story, that book never existed (which I know it did…I cryed.)

Koral is pronounced (cor-al) and Aquae is pronounced like aqua but with an extra a sound on the end, like aqua-eh.