Several members of staff gaped as Severus sat down in the full staff room. Remus looked at him over his teacup with amusement. Arse.

"I… I have a request." he voiced wondering why the fuck he sounded so bloody unsure. He wasn't. He was really fucking sure that this was the way to go. So why the fuck did he sound more like his teenage self than he had in fucking years?

"Oh?" Minerva raised her eyebrows as the room went silent.

"I….I wish you all to refuse if Hermione approaches you and asks you to supervise her practising the Patronus charm."

There were several beats of silence. "You want us to refuse to help a student?" Filius squeaked, although if the mischievous glint in his eye was anything to go by he was fucking enjoying this.

"No. I want you to refuse to help her with this."

"Why is she learning the Patronus charm? It's not taught until seventh year."

"She wanted to learn because of her experience with dementors on the train. Remus and I agreed to attempt to teach her and Harry."

"And have they managed anything?" Fuck. Now Filius looked fucking interested. Why couldn't things be simple? Where were the "Yes, Severus, of course. You are her parent after all, of course, we'll abide by your wishes"?

Why the fuck was he now playing twenty fucking questions with Filius while everyone else fucking listened in?

"White mist." he admitted, suppressing his growl, "However she has a full schedule and I'd like not to be visiting my daughter in the hospital wing because she's fucking exhausted herself."

"White mist." Filius repeated, "They're third years!"

"I know."

"I'll agree. As long as I can come and see this for myself. Have they given any thoughts to their masteries?"

"For fucks sake," Severus muttered, rapidly losing his fight with his patience. "Saul already has his claws in my daughter and Harry hasn't thought past the end of the week."

Remus snorted. "Better than Ron who hasn't thought past his next meal," he muttered.

Filius looked thoughtful. "Charms is a solid foundation for the work the Unpeakables do you know."

"No! For fucks sake, she's a third year!"

"An exceptionally bright third year." Filius corrected, "And I'm not meaning now, I mean later…..after NEWTS. I've been considering it, you know I like to keep an eye on the bright ones. Young Mr Malfoy, little Luna Lovegood and the Weasley twins, if I could get them to sit still long enough, are all on my radar, along with a couple of others."

"Good luck with that. The Weasley twins don't sit still for anyone."

"True enough." Filius sighed. "They have so much potential too. A bit like your Mr Potter. He just tends to lack the focus."

"We're working on it," Severus muttered.

"Aye, there's been an improvement." Minerva agreed. "He's a wee bit less prone to…half arsing it now he knows you're watching."

Severus snorted, "Wonderful. At least we're managing something."

"I'd say you're managing more than something if the boy is producing a non-corporeal Patronus at thirteen," Filius interjected. "And we've seen them, practising with that ball. Something for defence?"

"Yes." Remus agreed, not sure who knew about Moody, "I'm considering suggesting we implement it for everyone. Muggles do it, you know, insist on physical exercise at school. It helps their stamina which in turn helps their wand work and their duelling abilities."

"Interesting." Minerva mused, "And it can be anything?"

"As far as I know. Muggles tend to give children a wide variety of sports to try, mainly because not everyone likes everything."

"I'll put it to the Headmaster. Along with pushing for the Duelling club, it had slipped my mind. Filius, I was going to request your assistance."

"Oh! Yes of course!" The man looked delighted. "Wonderful. So I have your assurance that none of you are going to assist my daughter in putting herself in the hospital wing?"

"Very well, Severus." Minerva sighed, "However in return, I want a list of muggle sports you think would work."

He glowered at her, "Don't I have enough to do?"

She shrugged, "Probably but I find I struggle to say no to students wanting to further their learning."

"Manipulative harpy," he grumbled, ignoring her grin. "Fine. Expect it on Monday."

"How kind of you, my boy. Of course, you and Remus will be on board with helping set up some clubs now won't you?"

"For fucks sake. I want the good whiskey for this Minerva," he growled, knowing he was fucking beat. When would she realise that he didn't fucking like children? And he was busy! He had classes and marking and patrols and Hermione's Mastery and the children's defence lessons and that fucking Mind Healer and Hermione and Harrys Mind Healer aftermath and Amelia and Horcuruxes and fucking Saul and that bloody dog. Fuck. That really was rather a lot. Where the fuck had his peace gone? Perhaps he needed to drop something. Although what he could drop he had no idea. If he had his way it'd be the Mind Healer but no one was going to let him do that were they? And the children would fucking murder him if he suggested getting rid of the dog. He was reasonably sure they loved it more than him. Saul, maybe? Although it wasn't like he invited him, he just turned up. And Hermione loved the irritating twat. So he would be staying clearly. Damn it. Apparently, he wasn't getting rid of anything. He was just going to have to take really long, quiet holidays when school was off. Quiet and peaceful….with his children and Amelia and Susan and the fucking dog and Jean and Richard and Cissa and Lucius and Draco and all the fucking children that seemed to now invade his fucking house and fuck! Fucking hell. He was never going to have peace again was he?

"Of course, my boy." Minerva was soothing with a grin, completely oblivious to his internal breakdown.

"I think it's time to discuss your school years, Severus." Severus blanched taking in the serene face of Marilynn Travers. Fuck she was not going to back down was she?

"If we must," he replied cautiously, his hand tightening reflexively on the scruff of Thanatos' neck. The dog whined lowly but made no move to shift from his place on the sofa.

"I think we should. You're avoiding it. I wish to know why."

Steeling his spine Severus sighed. This was not what he wanted to be doing. It was a fucking good job he loved his daughter or he'd have left already. As it was, he was going to have to be fucking honest because the annoying fucking witch appeared to know when he was lying. Were all Healers like that? Thinking of Andy, he conceded that perhaps it was part of the job requirement. "I…I was not well-liked." he began. "As you know we had little money, my robes, my books, all of them were shabby and second hand. Separate shampoo was a luxury my mother could not afford. I had soap, that had to be enough. And perhaps with anyone without my hair type, it would have been." his mouth twisted wryly, "But natural greasiness combined with potion fumes and it was a recipe for disaster. Add in my…..wariness of people and I was perceived as difficult and unapproachable. It is….hard in Slytherin to fit in as anything less than a Pureblood. You learn, quickly, to mask how you really feel and find something that makes you an asset to protect yourself from the worst of it because for all Slytherin looks after their own in public, it is a very different scene in private. I was lucky Lucius saw something in me that protected me slightly."

"I see." Marilynn hummed, "So your friendship with Lucius is built on a debt you feel?"

"Once." he acknowledged, "Not now. Infuriating though he is, the man is family."

"I see. You feel the power imbalance is no longer there?"

"Yes, because I no longer care about it. Lucius is wealthier than I will ever be, however, money is no longer my focus. It once was. I hated being without means and I desperately hated feeling powerless. I was powerless at home while my father was in one of his drunken rampages and I was powerless here because I was only a half-blood. A poor half-blood at that. The only thing to recommend me was my affinity with the Dark Arts and later potions. I traded on that to survive."

"At what cost?"

Severus sighed, "You are aware I lost my only friend." he replied shortly. "Although it would have happened regardless."

"What makes you say that?"

"I….she was all I had. The only person to see me as a person, the only one to treat me with any sort of kindness. I….clung too hard. I am….naturally a possessive individual. I am aware now but I was unable to modulate that as a teenager. I thought myself in love with her and I was… jealous and unreasonable."

The witch hummed. "So it was all your fault?"

"No." he admitted slowly, "Although mainly, she was not responsible for my emotional wellbeing and I tried to make her so. I must confess that it still hurts that she chose one of the people who made my life a living hell. The only one worse would have been Black. Perhaps as we got older I would have understood, I do not know. What I do know, is that at the time it was devastating."

"Let's discuss that. What happened to make you hate James Potter and Sirius Black so much?"

"They were relentless," he said softly. "I was one, admittedly unpleasant, person…child and they….there were always at least two of them. They had a knack for finding me when I was alone. I still have no idea how they did it. It did not matter if I had not uttered a word, they took great delight in hexing or just humiliating me. It was….like a game for them. Pettigrew egged them on and Lupin….I don't know if he ever raised his wand, I confess I cannot remember but he was often there. And of course, Black did try to kill me."

Marilynn paused, clearly working through that statement. "You've made peace with Mr Lupin though have you not?"

"Yes. We….are…friendly I suppose. He apologised."

"What made you accept it?"

"Hermione wanted me to give him a chance. The lecture I'd have gotten for ignoring her would not have been worth it," he replied dryly. "He…he also reminded me that he lived in fear too. That he'd never expected to have friends and would have done anything to keep them. It….it made sense."

"I see. You retaliated?"

"With Potter and Black? Yes. I have never claimed to be blameless. I did not often start it though. I cannot say never. I do not claim I was always intelligent nor can I claim that I wasn't angry. I was. Often."

"You wanted to hurt them?"

"Frequently. I spent many years fantasising of the ways I'd murder them both."

"And now?"

"And now," he sighed. "James Potter died at twenty-one and it is at least partially my fault. I didn't feel joy when he died or even relief I felt…I feel guilty. I could still happily tear Sirius Black limb from limb, although I wonder whether twelve years in Azkaban is punishment enough. However, if I'm wrong about my hunch, I will end him if he comes near Harry."

"Your hunch?"

"No one who knew Potter and Black could seriously believe that Black betrayed him. I might despise the man but he was disgustingly loyal to Potter. Add in the vows you take as godfather…it makes no sense. He would have to sever his bond with Harry and it would fucking hurt."

"I…I see. I had not thought of it like that...Although Harry, he's an interesting topic is he not?"

"In what way?"

"He is the son of the man you hated, by all accounts he looks rather like him."

"He does and in some ways, he reminds me of his father but he is also not. I understand it seems strange but I no longer look at him and see James Potter."

"Is he aware of your feelings in regards to his parents?

"Yes."

Marilynn blinked, having clearly not expected that answer. "All of it?"

"All of it. I refused to lie to him after he asked me to be his guardian. I am not unaware of the trust he placed in me and I refuse to abuse it."

"Oh my. How did he take it?"

"He was….upset, understandably. But he…he offered his forgiveness." Severus frowned, "I still don't understand how he could."

"He lives with you now, does he not?"

"Yes. He….he requested I apply for adoption once the year is up."

"That's a large step, Severus. Adopting the boy of your childhood best friend and bully."

"I meant it when I said I no longer look at him and see that….see them. I am not unaware he looks like James Potter but I am aware enough to know he's not him."

"And what do you see when you look at him?"

"He is as much my child as Hermione is."

The witch looked startled, "Is your daughter aware?"

"Yes."

"And she's alright with that?"

"Harry is her brother, the sibling bond would not have been sealed otherwise. I imagine it seems natural."

"You share your time with Hermione with the Grangers though do you not? She doesn't mind that Harry gets more time with you?"

Severus snorted, "He does not. He goes wherever Hermione goes, the Grangers are as much his parents as I am."

"That's….actually rather encouraging." the witch smiled, "I wasn't expecting that answer. I am glad that all the adults involved are putting the children first. " Severus shrugged, "No, Severus. Take the praise, it's due. Not many families would have adapted as yours has and it's to all of your credit. Now, tell me about your earlier statement about Sirius Black?"

"His attempted murder?"

"Yes."

Severus sighed, running a hand through his hair. He almost thought he felt Thanatos tense next to him. "I do not know if he truly intended to murder me. Teenage boys are not known for their forward planning but he allowed me to hear information that I should have had enough sense to ignore. I ended up face to face with a werewolf. Potter stepped in."

"Oh my." the Healer whispered, Severus wondered whether it was crass to gloat that he seemed to have shocked the usually stoic woman more than once today. Probably. But he was going to take his wins where he could get them quite frankly. "What happened?"

"I got away. Albus threatened me with expulsion should I reveal Lupin's condition and Black got a week's detention."

"Pardon?" she barked.

"I do not know what was unclear?"

"All of it!" The woman stated indignantly. "You mean there was no aftercare? No punishment?"

Severus snorted, "I was a Slytherin written off as likely to be a Death Eater. Black was the anomaly, proof that the Old Families could be progressive in the ways Albus wanted. A beacon for Albus to cling to. Of course, there was no punishment. I barely warranted a five-minute discussion." Thanatos whined, startling him out of his self-pity. "Hush you ridiculous dog." he soothed, barely containing his yelp as Thanatos moved the entirety of his giant bulk onto Severus' lap, propping his paws over his shoulder, laying his head on top of his. "What are you doing! Get off, you're far too heavy!" True to form, Thanatos ignored him. "Oh for the love of fucking Merlin! Get down!" Thanatos stayed firm even as Sirius shoved at him.

"Would you like some help, Severus?" Marilynn enquired lightly, attempting to hide her smile.

"You can try." he huffed, "He generally only listens to the children.

If anything that seemed to amuse Marilynn more. Raising her wand, she levitated a panicked looking Thanatos off of his knee. "Stay," she commanded sharply.

Promptly ignoring her Thanatos scrambled back up onto the sofa, dropping his paws and head onto Severus' lap. "At least he's not sitting on me," he remarked drily. "That's as close to him listening as we've gotten."

"You're welcome," she replied pointedly.

Rolling his eyes, Severus plastered on a smile she saw right through, "Thank you for your assistance Healer Travers."

She beamed back at him. Patronising witch.

"Gregor! My darling little protege! Mr Potter!" all three occupants of the lab jumped at the sound of Saul's voice. Severus almost laughed out loud at the indignant look on Hermione's face. Perhaps behind Saul was not the best place to stand, she looked ready to hex him.

"Uncle Saul!" Hermione scolded, "I almost dropped too much venom into the cauldron!"

"Sorry darling girl," Saul replied, not looking sorry at all. "What are you up to?"

"Rechecking results."

"Of?"

"We think that the components of basilisk venom are similar to the venom of the Inland taipan with more acid. The closest we can find is a mix of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid. Although there are five additional components that we haven't figured out yet."

Saul blinked. "That's….surprising. Have you worked out how that will help us?"

Hermione snorted, "Give us a chance Uncle Saul! Gregor was just going over the results to make sure we hadn't gone wrong somewhere, it took so long to identify some of them."

"I see." Saul mused. "Very well do carry on! I'll just pull up a stool and watch from here."

"You don't want to help?"

"Nope!" Saul grinned, "I want to see how you work."

Despite himself, Severus was impressed. If nothing else it had huge ramifications for potion making, basilisk venom was practically impossible to get and if they could create a substitute…. Well, the possibilities were endless. Perhaps he could persuade her to write up her results sooner rather than later and submit an article anonymously. It wouldn't do for people to question how a third year had gotten their hands on basilisk venom. Nor would it do for people to realise how clever she truly was. Albus would have a conniption if he had any idea Hermione was working her way through a Mastery. It was best to avoid uncomfortable questions.

He watched with interest as Gregor cast a bubblehead charm on himself, indicating that Harry and Hermione follow suit. He was yet again grateful he had the forethought to insist they both learn it before they began playing with sodding basilisk venom. Although he was going to have to be careful, at this rate they'd be bored witless with the curriculum in a year or two.

After checking quickly that he and Saul had copied them, Hermione lit the flame under the cauldron. All at once, she began casting furiously, with Harry levitating various substances into test tubes as she did. Gregory watched them both with an unwavering stare.

Two hours later with Hermione resembling her pre-Narcissa self, they finally extinguished the flame leaving dozens of test tubes littering the workbench.

"Good work!" Gregor grinned. "Looks like you were right, although those five are still a conundrum." he pointed to five test tubes he'd set aside.

Hermione sighed, "I know. I have no idea what they are."

"Then that's where we start. We know what all this lot is, write it up, work out the percentages and then…and this is meant to be the fun bit, we start experimenting with those."

Harry winced, "Maybe we'll find the fun when we're not so tired. Who knew potions were so exhausting."

Hermione shot him an incredulous look. "Anyone who's worked with potions." she deadpanned.

Saul laughed, moving off his stool to look over the components they managed to extract, casting over the five unnamed substances. "How interesting," he murmured.

"Now if you'll allow it I'd like to be here once you start experimenting with those five?" Gregor asked, looking between Harry and Hermione.

Shooting Severus a look, Hermione shrugged, "I have no objections."

Gregor grinned, "You need to work on your excitement levels! This is groundbreaking! No one has ever broken down basilisk venom! And we have five new substances to play with! They could be anything!"

Reluctantly, Hermione smiled, "Fine. It's exciting. It'll take me a day or two to write everything else up and work out the percentages so…Thursday?"

"Thursday's good for me! After class or after dinner?

"Um…dinner. I don't think groundbreaking research is going to get me out of homework."

"Definitely not," Severus interjected, not at all sure how he felt about his lab being invaded by this overly perky unspeakable.

"After dinner it is! Find your excitement before then children!" he grinned as he bounded out of the lab and into the floo.

Severus swivelled to look at Saul. "Tell me we can cut his caffeine and he'll be normal?"

Refusing to answer him, Saul merely grinned back, turning his attention to Harry and Hermione as they began tidying up the lab.

"What is the meaning of this, you absolute arsehole!" Lucius screamed, exiting the floo two days later. Minerva almost dropped her drink in surprise. "I know it was you!"

Not daring to speak, Severus let his eyes travel over his clearly furious friend. Usually immaculate, he was covered, head to toe in rainbow glitter, a small trail of it falling behind him showing the path he had taken when he had stormed from the floo to stand in front of them like sparkly little breadcrumbs. It was clinging to his eyebrows for Salazar's sake! Fuck, he couldn't…he really shouldn't….but fuck it all! Knowing it was utterly useless, he silently summoned Lucius' wand as he began laughing so hard he was crying. At his feet, Thanatos watched him like he'd gone insane.

"You appear to have….." Minerva began, gesturing at Lucius before trailing off helplessly, her lip twitching as she fought not to laugh at the man who was becoming more irate by the second.

With a look of icy fury that would have been far more effective if he hadn't been sparkling, Lucius stared down at him. "Narcissa is going to murder you." he threatened.

Waving him away, Severus fought to get himself back under control, just as a furious Cissa stepped into his living room. "Tell me you did not send that abomination?"

Gasping, Severus stared at her for several long moments as he fought to get himself back under control. "Calm yourself, it has a timed engorgement charm on it, you'll be able to vanish it."

"So it was you arsehole!" Lucius howled.

"I needed a trial run," Severus replied unrepentantly, keeping an eye on Narcissa's wand.

"Why?" Narcissa questioned far too calmly.

"Because I intend to send one with the non-vanishable kind to Ella. The Weasley twins have been working on it for me and I needed to know that the glitter would be…effective."

Narcissa's lip twitched. "It can definitely be vanished?" she checked.

"I am not suicidal Narcissa, of course, it can be vanished. If I was unsure I would have sent it to Albus first," he replied with an arch of his brow. Really, did they think he was insane? Cissa would have made his death long and slow if he'd dared to send glitter to her house without a contingency plan.

At his confirmation, Narcissa howled, clutching her sides as she stared at her glittering husband."Oh, thank the gods, I've wanted to laugh since it exploded but I needed to know if I needed to murder you first."

"Cissa!" Lucius gaped.

"Oh….oh gods you should see yourself!"

Snarling, Lucius stormed back towards the floo. "Uncle…Uncle Lucius?" Hermione queried from her place at the door, Draco gaping beside her.

Lucius froze, seeming to debate with himself what was the best course of action. "Yes?" He bit out, not turning to face them.

"Why….why do you look like a fairy?"

At that Lucius whirled round. "Your father is is fucking arsehole!"

Hermione and Dracos' jaws dropped as their eyes scanned Lucius in all his glittering glory. "Oh….oh my gods." Hermione breathed, biting her lip hard to stop herself from laughing. She felt Draco take her hand, squeezing it tightly.

"You have um…." Draco choked, wincing as Hermione's nails dug into the back of his hand.

"You're all fucking arseholes!" Lucius thundered, before he twirled, releasing a cloud of glitter and disappeared back into the floo. The moment he was gone, Minerva, Hermione and Draco stopped fighting their laughter.

"Oh my gods, Father, was that really you?" Hermione asked once she had gotten herself back under control.

"Yes. It was a test run of the Weasley twins' new product I believe you helped with. It's vanishable."

"Maybe don't tell Grandmother about that." Hermine voiced hesitantly, still fighting a smile. "Lord Fawley will end up permanently sparkly."

Severus gave her a slow, slightly sinister grin. "So he would."

"What are the twins calling these?" Narcissa asked, looking more interested than Severus was comfortable with. The last thing he fucking needed was for Narcissa to return the favour. Maybe he'd need to have a word with the twins. Ensure that any directed his way got….redirected.

"I don't think they have a name yet. They were toying with Glitter Bombs, Shimmering Howlers, Hate you Howlers and Revenge Sparkles, the last I heard."

Narcissa hummed, "Interesting. Draco why are you here?"

"I was with Hermione and the Weaselette appeared and started flirting with Harry. I decided to leave before I vomited."

Severus hid his smile at his godson's disgusted look. "So you just abandoned him?" he asked, frowning at his daughter.

"Not exactly, Ron turned up too and they all began talking about quidditch."

"Ah."

"However we can see you're busy so we'll just go….." Draco shot Hermione a look that Severus couldn't interpret, however she appeared to understand.

"Right. See you later!"

Both of them had disappeared before anyone had figured out what was going on.

"What….what was that?" Narcissa asked, looking at the door her son had just vanished through.

"They're bloody up to something."

"Yes, I'd managed to work that out for myself. What are they up to?"

"I have no idea." Severus sighed.

"As long as it doesn't involve those bloody glittering Howlers." Minerva bit out. "The entirety of Gryffindor tower was covered. It reduced the elves to tears!"

Severus hid his smirk in his glass. It wouldn't do to laugh at Minerva, the bottle was at her side of the table after all.

"Right! All the paperwork written up?" Gregor checked with a grin.

"Yes, I've got it here, I assume you want a copy to take with you?"

"Ooh! Yes please! What was the main component?"

"One of those mystery ingredients." Hermione admitted, "The largest identifiable percentage was nitric acid but whatever is in vials one and two come first."

"Interesting. So let's start there then. We've two vials of each so we're going to reduce down half of one of them and take it from there. Let's see if we can break it down further."

Hermione nodded, lifting the first vial and tipping half of it into the cauldron before lighting it. Half an hour later Severus watched with interest as she finally extinguished the flame.

"None of that makes sense." She stated looking over the list that was now hovering over the ingredients. Gregor looked at her thoughtfully. "I've seen it before. I know I have. Damned if I know where. That one has the same properties as boomslang skin." he said pointing at the last test tube….but the rest. I've seen it, damn it. Can you send for Saul?"

Severus jumped, having not expected to be addressed. "Yes. You think he'll know what this is?"

"I don't know." Gregor responded frankly, "but I can't imagine I've seen this combination anywhere other than work. I don't tend to break down random potions at home."

Rolling his eyes, Severus conjured his Patronus and waited on Saul to appear while Gregor and the children continued to theorise what the mystery ingredients could be, each suggestion becoming more and more outlandish. Harry had just suggested the first tear of a newborn chimaera when Saul came bounding into the lab. "What's the issue?" he asked, his eyes roaming the room.

"I've seen this before but I don't know where," Gregor confessed looking more than frustrated. Interesting, apparently the exciting bit wasn't so exciting when you weren't getting anywhere. At least he'd calmed down now though. He was much more tolerable when he was sulking in Severus' opinion.

Saul frowned, his eyes scanning the ingredients. "Nundu breath," he said slowly several tense minutes later. "That is the exact components of nundu breath." Frowning, he waved his wand over the test tubes. "Different concentrations though….and…boomslang skin? That's absurd."

"So…basilisk venom has all that other stuff and the properties of Nundu breath?" Hermione asked looking bewildered.

"So it would seem." Saul mused. "I'd like to take some for my other unspeakables to test if that's alright?"

"I…yes?"

Saul snorted, "This is a monumental breakthrough Hermione, I would understand if you wanted to keep it to yourself until you were published."

"Published? What?"

Saul shot Severus a look, "Have you not discussed this yet?"

"I was getting there," he muttered. "It seemed prudent to work out the rest first." And figure out how the fuck they were keeping this quiet. Or at least quiet enough that they weren't leading the entire fucking potions community to Hermione.

Saul hummed. "Fine. Perhaps we should discuss a contract then."

"I don't understand."

"This was your idea, Hermione." Severus began, choosing his words carefully. "No one, to our knowledge, has ever attempted this before. It is groundbreaking and it has huge implications for potion making, not just for existing potions but from an experimental point of view. If you identify all of these ingredients, you could perhaps replicate the venom. And as you know it's almost impossible to find so no one knows if it may be beneficial. As part of your mastery, you will need to be published, this guarantees your acceptance once you've mastered the syllabus. Allowing Saul to experiment before you are published could jeopardise your claim to the knowledge without a contract stating your current rights. Of course, once you're published it's fair game, but up until that point you want to protect your discoveries."

"Oh." she said softly, "But…the Unspeakables aren't likely to claim it as theirs are they?"

Saul shrugged, "I do not want to take that chance, Hermione. Nor should you." he turned to Severus, "Create a contract. Gregor will need to be mentioned as he has become more involved but the idea still belongs to Hermione. I'll ensure it's signed before I take anything."

"Very well. I will need to discuss it with Lucius, he has more experience than I do. I imagine it'll take at least a week."

"Fine. We have four other tubes to look at do we not?" Saul grinned.

"We're doing them all tonight?" Harry asked, looking confused.

"That one didn't take too long, we might as well." Hermione shrugged, already reaching for a new cauldron.

Three hours later all of them sat in stunned silence, the ingredient list hovering in front of them.

"That was…unexpected." Gregor voiced softly, "The implications…."

"Indeed," Saul said softly.

"Uncle Saul?"

"Yes?"

"I….if….could the aconite and chamomile be recombined to help modify wolfsbane? Maybe….maybe with the hawthorn? It's an anti-inflammatory isn't it?"

Saul looked momentarily stunned. Severus felt it. That thought alone was….fucking hell. He had shown her how to brew wolfsbane once and had her analyse the ingredients. How the fuck had she got there so fucking quickly? He realised then and there that his daughter had just chosen her mastery project. That she could have it fucking done by the end of the year and spend the next few just perfecting the syllabus. It was fucking insane. Unfortunately, it also meant he could kiss Albus not finding out about the Mastery goodbye. This was too big, all of it and he was damned if she was publishing anonymously. They'd just have to figure it out. And work out how to explain the basilisk. Maybe Saul could help with that. It wasn't like he could claim they just happened across one. Even if they sort of…had.

"It's anti-ageing too," Saul murmured. "To counteract the strain…..Sweet Helga."

"I suggest that perhaps you experiment." Severus cut in. "Masteries require either a new or an improvement on an existing potion. I think you may have found your subject."

"I…what? Me?"

"Yes, you! You made the connection, not us. You asked the question. So next you need to work out the answer."

"Oh," she said softly looking, quite frankly terrified.

Saul seemed to breathe deeply, shoving down his urge to experiment, an urge Severus wholeheartedly sympathised with. "Your father is right. I desperately want to see the results of this but it's your idea, your potion. Gods, I knew you'd be fucking brilliant. I think I might have underestimated how much."

"I…its not…it was just there…and….I've been looking at the ingredients over the last few weeks…..and….."

Severus snorted, "Two potions masters and the Head Unspeakable didn't ask the question. I don't doubt we would have eventually but you got there first. Take the praise, my girl."

She flushed while Harry laughed. "Remember me when you're all big and important won't you." he teased. "My big sister, the genius. Gods I'm going to up my game!"

She laughed, shoving him. "Yes because you're so insignificant. And let's not pretend you didn't help. Your name will be on that sodding paper too you know."

"Will it?" he looked surprised.

"You helped as much as Gregor, why wouldn't it be?"

"Oh….I just sort of wanted to be nosy." Harry confessed. "I wasn't expecting…."

"Tough. If I have to put my name to this, so do you."

"Oh…I ah….right. You know that the twins were talking about getting their hands on doxy venom to experiment with. Maybe we should give that one to them if there's any left."

"Why?"

"I have no idea. I overheard them whispering with Lee Jordan so I think it's for one of their inventions. It seemed wiser not to ask. I would definitely make sure that the alcohol is separated though, can you imagine?"

Hermione laughed, "I think alcohol laced with the same properties as doxy venom might be a step too far, even for the twins!"

"I don't know," Severus muttered, "I wouldn't put anything past those two."

Hermione and Harry laughed, "Fair point."

Severus,

I hope you are well, give my love to my grandchildren and do let them know I'll be up to visit them soon. The next governor's meeting is on Halloween, Albus has invited us all to the feast.

In light of that, I thought it might be prudent to ask if you had heard anything about a new variation of howler? It would seem someone sent one anonymously to Simon, there was no message….just a cloud of glitter that we now cannot get rid of. The elves are most upset that it keeps appearing in places they're sure they've cleaned. I would hate to accuse someone who was not guilty.

Do let me know if you find anything out,

Annalise.