Chapter 11

Investigations

The Minister and head Auror flooed back to the ministry in a foul mood and then proceeded to the lower level and Arthur Weasley's Office. They marched in and Fudge snapped: "Arthur, where were last Tuesday?"

"Huh"?

"Quickly, man, last Tuesday, where were you," demanded Rufus Scrimgeour.

"Oh just a moment, let me get my diary out;" said Arthur as he flipped pages and ran his fingers down a page. "Yes, here it is. I visited muggles with the Auror Obliviator squad at a coffee shop in Lancashire. It seems some witch or wizard had spelled the coffee machine to sing "La De Dah and Ha Ha to you sir" every time the clerk tried to pour a cuppa."

"No you idiot! Where were you Tuesday night, blazes," Screamed Rufus!

"Now Rufus, you have no call to say such things to me! You asked me where I was Tuesday! Not Tuesday night. And why would you ask me anything about outside of work as you've never even bothered to say hello to me in the morning even though my department reports up to you. So Mr. Scrimgeour, what is this about?"

"Just tell me where you were on Tuesday night. We are checking facts in an investigation."

Arthur looked at the Auror and the minister. "Are you investigating me? What are the charges? Should I call my solicitor now?"

"I apologize Arthur;" said the head Auror. You're right; I am out of line. I have been rude. No you are not being investigated. We are trying to verify the where abouts of someone and they said they saw you. So please where were you Tuesday night?"

"Ok Rufus, apology accepted. Molly, that's my wife, and I had dinner in Hogsmead with Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape in the Three Broomsticks pub. Albus is a longtime friend and we went out to dinner to discuss potential teachers. Several people who are applying for openings used me as a reference."

"Plausible Alibi. Did Snape ever leave?"

"No, except to use the men's loo and he was only gone a minute or too. We were there for a long time. We stayed till closing."

"Have you seen Harry Potter?"

"What? Hasn't he been hidden away?"

"I guess he's resurfaced and Dumbledore has hidden him again."

"Oh"?

"Do you mind if we talk to your wife?"

"About what?"

"Don't be obtuse! About Tuesday night."

"Oh, no problem go right ahead."

"I'll send a patronous right now to announce you so you can floo right into the kitchen."

Fudge and Scrimgeour left as Arthur sent word to Molly. They arrived in the kitchen of the Burrow to find Molly putting teacups on the table with a plate of biscuits.

"Oh hello Minister, Rufus, welcome to my home, please sit down, Tea? What brings you here?"

"Just some questions. Where were you last Tuesday?"

"Here, I spend my days here caring for the children."

Scrimgeour put his head in his hands. "Fudge, let me ask the questions!"

Molly looked from one to the other with a look of total bewilderment.

Scrimgeour looked at Molly. "We are trying to verify the whereabouts of several parties. The minister meant Tuesday night."

"Oh right, Arthur and I had dinner out with Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape at a pub in Hogsmead."

"Is Harry Potter hiding here?"

"You can't be serious? Go have a look around. He's not here;" said Molly, and thought to herself; at least not now so I'm not lying."

Just then Ginny and Ron ran into the kitchen, yelling; "Mom can we have a snack," and came to an abrupt halt when they saw that Molly had visitors? "Oh sorry mom," they said in unison.

"Hello children. I'm Rufus Scrimgeour, head of the Auror department. Have you had anyone staying with here at the Burrow with you? Perhaps someone your age?"

Ron and Ginny looked at each other and nodded. Rufus and Fudge leaned forward in anticipation. Molly's face remained unchanged but she was furious with Scrimgeour for asking her children anything.

Ron answered: "Yes sir, our cousin from America was here for a few days a while ago but he's gone now. Mom can we have that snack?"

Molly handed them biscuits and told them; "Run along now and play."

"Fudge stood up, obviously deflated by what he heard. "Thank you Mrs. Weasley. There is no need to search. We will be on our way now. Let's go Rufus."

Molly sat and stared into the fireplace after they had left. Just then Ron and Ginny stepped back into the kitchen.

"Did we do OK Mom" asked Ron?"

"Yes dear you both did fine protecting Harry. I just hope it's enough."

o0o0o0o

"Potter, our day has been disrupted but I think we will start with your first potions lesson anyway," stated Professor Snape. "The first lesson in brewing is cleanliness. We will be cleaning our cauldrons and implements today. I'll show you the proper way."

Potter thought, "How bad can it be, cleaning a few old pots and pans? He'd had to do far worse at the Durselys."

He led Potter over to a large wooden table that had a large exhaust hood over a tile surface. On the table were four cauldrons, two cast iron, one brass and a gold plated one. "I usually have a class Potter, not a single student of such a young age. I also usually have the students in detention clean the cauldrons," said the professor with a sneer.

"Yes Sir Mr. Professor Snape sir, thank you for trying to teach me;" answered Potter. Its funny thought Harry, his voice sounds like he dislikes me but his emotions are all over the place, with a deep sadness.

The professor looked at Potter with his piercing black eyes. I give a speech saying what Potions can and cannot do, explaining the subtle art of brewing. Most first years have a difficult time. And you are three years younger than most that have my class, I must impress upon you for your own safety, and mine, that if you do not understand something, anything at all, you are to ask me. Brewing is an art, much like baking. AN-Exact-Science. You must always pay attention. Do you understand Potter?"

"Yes sir Mr. Professor Snape sir".

"Now a practical demonstration on why a clean cauldron is a must before you put any ingredient in a cauldron and start any brewing. I assume you can read?"

"Yes Sir Mr. Professor Snape sir."

The professor looked at him and shook his head. "Please put these goggles on over your glasses. Now watch, the first cauldron had a simple pain reliever brewed in it. I did a cursory wash. I'm going to add a small amount of dried bat spleen to the cauldron using this long spoon. Now watch closely."

The professor turned the spoon over and as soon as the dried spleen hit the pot it flashed with a pop and a noxious brown smoke curled up the vent.

"What did you see and hear Potter, and tell me what would could have happened?"

"Harry thought for a moment. The dirty cauldron reacted with the bat spleen. The pop was an explosion. If it was full you could have been splashed and it could have hurt you. It also produced a gas. It went up the hood but I could smell something nasty."

Snape went through the exercise with the remaining cauldrons demonstrating the effects a dirty cauldron could have. "So Potter what have you learned?"

Harry looked at the professor and answered; "A clean cauldron is a must to start for safety of the brewer and those around him and the end potion. Residues, even slight ones will change a potion and could, at the least ruin the brew, or at the worst, produce a poison. Did I get that right sir, Mr. Professor Snape sir?"

"Potter, why do you address me with four honorifics? One will suffice. "Professor Snape" will do.

Harry hung his head and talked to his shoes. He could not look the professor in the eyes. "Sir, Mr. Professor Snape sir, it's the way I learned from my uncle. He would introduce me to someone and say: 'This is Mr. Snape boy,' and then you would come to the house again and I'd address you as 'Mr. Snape' and uncle would cuff me on the ear and say: 'He's a professor boy. Mind you manners,' and then he'd slap me again. You would come again and I'd say 'Mr. Professor Snape,' and uncle would hit me again. "You call him 'SIR boy, ungrateful freak.' So now I just use all of them hoping I get it right and don't get slapped again."

"Harry, look at me. You don't have to worry, I won't strike you. Please call me Professor Snape."

Harry cringed slightly as he said: "Yes-Pr-pr-professor Snape."

But the black clad professor smiled and said: Come over here and I'll show you the proper way to wash a cauldron for brewing. Professor Snape waved his wand and a platform appeared. Harry stepped up on the platform so he could reach the top of the sink. Now, you need these rubber gloves, steel wool, course and fine and this amazing muggle product called Scouring Powder with pumice made by a firm called Bon Ami which of course is French for Good Friend. You will see that this product, is a good friend when teamed with a little elbow grease and hot water and you can be ready to brew in a few minutes. Now after you clean one you take your wand, point say "flouresco" and this blue light shines on the pot. If you have a clean pot it will stay blue, if not it will show green where there is any residue. Let's begin with the small pot."

But Harry stood there looking at the gloves. "Professor Snape?"

"Yes Potter what is the issue, why are you crying?"

"I'm sorry but the gloves. This is not a trick is it? You're not going to hit me if I put them on?"

"Snape looked at Harry with shock. "No of course not. One must always wear the rubber gloves to clean a cauldron as you don't know what caustic's are on them. It's to protect your hands. Why would I hit you?"

"My, my, my Uncle" stuttered Harry. If I put on gloves to wash the dishes he'd get angry and hit me. He would tell me: "Boy, no gloves for Freaks!"

Snape kneeled down and pulled Harry into his arms. Harry gasped as he did so. Snape hugged him. Harry I would never hurt you intentionally. Your mother would never forgive me."

"You knew my mother Professor?"

Snape stood up and placed Harry on the table so they were nearly eye level. "Yes Harry. I knew your mother. We were here at Hogwarts together. She was a very good potions student. I think she may have been even better than I was at the time. You know Harry, you have her eyes, the same emerald green eyes. But enough of this, we have Cauldrons to wash so best we get at it. We have time to finish enough for your lessons tomorrow. And also next time we will go out to the green houses to harvest and prepare magical plants for brewing. Let's clean a few pots Harry and then we can go up to lunch."

Harry felt strange emotions form the Professor. He was fighting very hard to control himself and keep things bottled up. The overwhelming feeling Harry got from him was of remorse, deep and very painful remorse. The professor was hurting and far more than he was willing to let on.

o0o0o0o

After lunch, Kaddy the house elf escorted Harry to the Burrow. Since it was so warm and sunny, Ron, Ginny and Harry went out to the yard to play. After running around playing tag for while they were all winded and collapsed under the largest apple tree in the orchard. Harry was sweating, and he pulled his shirt off to help fan himself cool. Ginny gasped when she saw his back, covered in welts and scars. She reached out and touched his back. "Harry what happened to you?"

"Oh I forgot about the scars;" said a heavily blushing Harry. "I got them from my Uncle. Your mom puts a potion on them every night and they are getting smaller."

Ginny threw her arms around Harry and hugged him fiercely.

Harry was confused by her emotions. He did like the hug; it was just like Molly's. And he always felt better when they hugged him. But he did not understand what he sensed from her. Ron was easy, he was angry and felt sorry and wanted to help. Ginny's feelings were very different. Angry to be sure but he did not know what the rest of the confusing jumble of emotions that boiled off a very intense Ginny meant.

After a few minutes things settled down. Harry answered questions from the Weasley children. He noticed that they looked at each other and nodded ever so slightly. He was relieved they did not ask questions about his time on Privet Drive but focused on his experience with Professor Snape.

"Yes we washed cauldrons after he demonstrated what happens when you put dried bat spleens, among other nasty stuff in a dirty cauldron."

"Blimey Harry, Snape made you scrub cauldrons? All my brothers at school say he's a real git and tough professor. And his detentions are usually to scrub Cauldrons;" said Ron.

"He was nice to me."

"He was nice to you?"

"Yes, he's OK."

"Charlie says he's never seen him smile or be nice to anyone."

"Well maybe it's because it not regular school. He even told me he knew my mother but no matter how I tried he'd not answer any questions about her."

"I don't know Harry, be careful around him. At least you don't go back next until Monday."