Chapter 117: Acquisition Of Ingredients
{A/N: Here's Another Update...late post}
My Thanks To All My Readers And Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S
Broken Neck Falls, Wizarding World...
High winds had made for rather unfavorable climbing conditions as Hermione Granger-Snape gripped the edge of a rocky cliff side. She had a satchel filled with acquired the Canis Roots and had been on her fifth harvest when she lost her footing and nearly plunged into the rocky depths below. Her good fortune in not ending up at the bottom of those depths had been due to her Potions Master husband catching her as she slipped. His arms around her as he propelled forward via a flight spell left over from his death eater days. The bushy haired witch had just enough time to gather the root and pull it as they went. Snape landed on the flat surface above the cliff and they both looked up at the overcast sky.
"Looks like were due for rain." said Snape trying to catch his breath.
Hermione agreed but had been too busy getting her nerves under control.
"I-It certainly looks that way." she said breathing just as raggedly as he had been.
"Be more careful." said Snape with his obsidian eyes narrowed. "It's not worth your life to gather every ingredient you see."
"I'll work on that next time." replied Hermione looking down at the satchel.
Snape sighed. She was as stubborn as a muggle mule. It was one of the reasons why he often gave her lower marks when she attended his Potions class.
This was turning out to be quite the project.
Hermione smiled noting that she had managed to acquire five Canis roots, two more than Phaeron initially needed to make this Dreamstride potion of his.
Snape inspected the roots in true Potions Master fashion running his fingers along them and peeling off the unnecessary stems. They had been prickly things when one left the stems on and the root had been poisonous when directly entered into the bloodstream. To utilize the full effects of the root and it possible healing powers, one simply had to boil it, softening the protective foreskin that held the poison and depending on the amount of heat, neutralizing the poisonous aspect of the plant.
Hermione had been pleased that this little hunt put a bit of spring back in her ailing husband's step. He had never been more in his element than when he had been brewing a potion of some sort.
"So..." said The Potions Master returning the Canis Roots to his wife's satchel. "What's next on your little potions ingredients list?"
The Forbidden Forest, Wizarding World...
Scorpius Malfoy had been running as fast as his legs could carry him from the strange cave that he had found in his quest to acquire the much needed Imp Stool. Phaeron, and Albus Severus had covered a significant amount of forest searching for the elusive mushroom on the forest floor. Even Lily Potter had tagged along and taken up the search. Not long into the search, Albus Severus happened upon a good deal of imp stool beneath an old log. He quickly collected it much to the younger Malfoy's chagrin.
Phaeron had stumbled upon a few as well after some quiet searching for several minutes.
Lily came bouncing up to the raven haired wizard with her find moments later.
Annoyed Scorpius made his way toward this untouched cave believing it to be the perfect spot for such a find. He had been right of course but his discovery had come at a terrible price, the cave had been inhabited by a strange manner of forest creature and he had begun to run for his very life clutching the imp stool in his hands rather than the satchel he had thrown in his hasty escape.
"Hey Scorpius where are you going?" asked Albus Severus smiling at the rushing blond wizard.
"Sod you Potter!" shouted Scorpius jumping over logs and ducking into a rain dug trench.
Albus Severus burst out laughing unable to ignore the spectical that the younger Malfoy had put on.
"What's so funny?" asked Phaeron making his way toward the group with Lily trailing behind him.
"Malfoy's scared shitless." replied Albus Severus between bouts of laughter.
"I hate you Potter." muttered Scorpius annoyed.
He handed Phaeron his collection of imp stool pushing their numbers to about twelve.
The Evidence Room, The Ministry Of Magic Offices, Wizarding World...
Lucius Malfoy had dreaded coming back to this place more than anyone would have ever thought as he ventured the sleek polished halls of The Ministry Department Of Magical Artifacts wing. This had been the dreadful place where he had battled Harry Potter and his merry band of misfits in a bid to get a hold of the stupid prophecy for the dark lord. The handsome albino blond nearly spat at the thought of the pompous snake-faced moron spouting all that nonsense about a Pureblood utopia but all the while tearing down the very Purebloods he claimed to ally with.
The senior Malfoy had tried hard not to think of his folly in this place leading to him being thrown in Azkaban. If it had not been for Severus gaining the despot's favor and requesting his release, the bastard would surely have let him rot there. Lucius had owed a great deal to his "little brother" it seemed. If not for Severus taking the weight of Dumbledore's supposed murder off Draco, then the boy would surely have been killed by the Order of Phoenix or possibly the Minister Of Magic in a bid to save face.
That Merlin awful night in The Fortress of Solitude had not left the handsome blond wizard in all these years. Most night he still found himself awakening in a cold sweat knowing all too well that it could very well have been Draco suffering from that damnable curse from Potter's wand. Now here he was back in the place he dreaded most in search of a rare ingredient in a bid to save the life of the very wizard who had given his life to protect two innocent boys from a snake-faced monster's wrath.
The shelves had been compact and the organization had been off somewhat.
Lucius moved about as swiftly as he could manage looking through each shelf carefully until his gray eyes caught sight of a rather reddish plant that looked kind of like antlers on a small deer. He moved briskly toward the section that contained the mysterious plant and he smiled noting his stroke of luck.
"One Jarrin Root plant coming right up." he said sounding very pleased with himself.
With gloved hands, Lucius removed the plant gingerly from the shelf and cast a re-sizing charm it to fit into his pocket. He made sure that there had been absolutely no way that anyone could trace his visit to this dreadful place and took off the first chance he got.
He had nearly made it out of the door when a geeky little clerk spotted him and made his way over toward him.
"Governor Malfoy..." he said elated. "It's so good to see you...what brings you to the office...this is a rare visit."
Lucius rolled his eyes and masked his disgust behind a veneer of charm. He had apparently been a natural born politician.
"Augustus good to see you too and my you are looking well this week." he said pouring on the drivel. "How are Estella and the children?"
"Very well Governor, how are Narcissa and Draco?" asked the giddy clerk.
"Very well...Draco's work at Hogwarts keeps him busy and Narcissa has her hands full with our grandson." replied Lucius.
"I couldn't help but notice you were lingering around the Magical Artifacts room." said Augustus. "Anything I can help you with?"
Lucius had been caught off guard by the annoying imp's comment but weathered it like a true Slytherin.
"Not at all...I was simply taking a stroll down memory lane." he replied. "Nothing more than old ghosts I suppose."
"I'll say given what happened there." said Augustus.
"Yes..." said Lucius annoyed but still making conversation.
The Snape Residence, Muggle London, England...
Hermione and Snape returned home after a successful mission and they had only just entered the flat when they noted that Phaeron had been there as well along with four guests, well three guests and one Malfoy. The bushy haired witch smiled when she saw her son and his friends, although it had been clear that they had raided the fridge.
"Just what are you doing here young man?" she asked.
Phaeron smirked chewing on a toffee nut bar.
Snape's obsidian eyes narrowed as he took in the sight of his son and his guests.
"That better not be mine." he said in a low warning tone.
Phaeron simply smirked.
"It's good to see you father." he said and embraced his father despite the Potions Master's apparent suspicion of him.
Snape quickly patted the teenage wizard on the back and returned to the business at hand.
"That better not be mine." he said again eyeing the half eaten bar.
"Nice to see you too uncle Severus." said Scorpius standing from the sofa and making his way over to the dour wizard. "You too Aunt Mione."
Hermione smirked and took her turn hugging the younger Malfoy. He had looked so much like Lucius and Draco it was just sad. His gray eyes had been bright when he hugged Severus and made his way back to the sofa.
The Potions Master turned his attention to the silent boy resembling Harry Potter but not by much. His hair had certainly been of the same dark messy quality but it had been lengthy and his emerald green eyes were striking. There had been no doubt despite the boy's apparent pale complexion and nature this had been one of Lily Evans-Potter's grandchildren.
"Hello again Professor." said Lily Luna with a sweet smile filed across her angelic face.
"Hello Miss Potter." replied Snape trying not to note how much the girl reminded him of both Lily and Ginny Potter. "A pleasure as always."
She made her way over toward him and he allowed her to embrace him as if she had done it a thousand times. Phaeron had not known that his father had been acquainted with Lily Potter and as such this came as a surprise to him.
Snape turned his attention to the other Potter in the room.
"I don't believe we have been properly introduced." he said. "I am Professor Severus Snape, former Headmaster of Hogwarts."
Albus Severus' emerald eyes widened.
"I-I'm Albus Severus Potter." he replied not taking his eyes off the dour wizard. "M-My father named me after..."
"Myself and that old sod Dumbledore apparently." said Snape saving him the trouble.
Albus Severus nodded.
Scorpius Malfoy found the whole scene amusing.
"Potter's scared shitless." he said pleased at the flush on the other boy's cheeks.
Lily and Phaeron began laughing. Hermione narrowed her eyes at her "nephew". Her attempt to scold the younger Malfoy when Snape suddenly burst out laughing. His baritone voice pleasant in it's amusement. Albus Severus turned red for a moment and then...he too began laughing.
The Snape residence had been filled with a good deal of laughter by the time Lucius Abraxas Malfoy made his way through the floo. A visible sign of his annoyance had been plastered across his handsome face as he turned to face the giddy bunch dusting off his expensive tailored suit.
"You wouldn't believe the day I have been having." he said making his way inside the sitting room.
He caught sight of the rag-tag group and smirked.
"What a merry band of misfits." he remarked.
"And you are just the edition." countered Snape.
"Hello Uncle Lucius." said Phaeron attempting to finish off his toffee nut bar.
"Good evening Phaeron." replied Lucius.
"Hello Grandfather." said Scorpius with a smile.
"Same to you Scorpius." said the senior Malfoy. "Tell me does your father know you've escaped the confines of Hogwarts castle?"
The younger Malfoy looked down at his feet.
"I thought not." he replied. "I won't tell if you don't...and I'm sure you have good reason to be here."
Scorpius nodded.
"Very well." replied the older handsome blond wizard.
He turned his attention to Harry Potter's children.
"I won't even ask why you're here." he replied and sat down on the empty end of the sofa. "I've much too much of a headache already."
Snape smirked.
"I'll second that." he said.
Hermione gathered the clearly visible satchels from Phaeron and Lucius and added them to her own.
"It seems everyone was successful today." she said.
"Indeed." said Lucius looking at the full bags.
"Let's just hope that our luck holds." said Hermione thoughtfully.
"I'll second that." said Lucius looking over his old friend. "You seem well rested."
"Indeed I am." replied Snape sitting in his favorite armchair.
Hermione automatically brought the two older wizards each a glass of firewhiskey.
Snape smiled at her and turned his attention to the satchels.
"I take it everyone is in on this scavenger hunt of yours?" he asked his bushy haired wife.
Hermione and Phaeron looked at each other. Neither had been sure they wanted to tell him the extent of what they had been attempting.
"That's right." interjected Lucius saving them the trouble. "It's a real family affair."
Snape smirked sipping his firewhiskey.
Phaeron walked over toward his father and handed him a toffee nut bar.
"Of course you know that I'll find out of that bar you had eaten was from my collection." said Snape with his obsidian eyes glinting at the sixteen year old wizard.
"I wouldn't expect anything less." replied Phaeron knowing his father all too well.
"Innocent until you are caught then?" asked Snape with an arched eyebrow.
"Most definitely." replied Phaeron.
Snape smirked once more.
"That's my boy." he replied taking the toffee nut bar his son had supplied.
Hermione noted the mischievous glint behind his obsidian gaze and a hint of pride. She would never understand Severus or Phaeron for that matter. Whatever this was appeared to be a purely Slytherin challenge and she was way out of her depth in that regard. Still, it had been nice to see the two of them getting along.