Declaimer : None of this belongs to me. All characters are property of J.K. Rowling
One Sweet Day
Chapter 2 - A Shot In The Dark
"Bloody hell! This is useless!" Ron exclaimed slamming his book down on the table.
"Ron! You can't treat such valuable book like that remember what professor McGonagall told us!" Hermione admonished him. They were in a secluded corner of the deserted library, where they had surrounded themselves with volumes from the Restricted Section that focused on Dark Arts. The books which McGonagall brought were arrayed on the desk near them.They were not much help, many of them made references to werewolves in general, but nothing about cursed bites.
"We've been keeping at it for two days Hermione! Two days and we still haven't found anything!" Ron'd spent the previews night in St Mungo with his mother and Fleur, staring at Bill's mangled face that might never heal. He's been having treatment for three days now without any improvement. In fact, his brother was weakening daily as the curse spread through his whole body. The grim look on the healers' faces proved that Bill's condition was far more serious than they'd thought and it was evident that they were to expect the worse if no cure was found soon.
It was with this knowledge that he, Harry, Hermione, Ginny and Neville worked tirelessly, scouring every text on Dark Arts they could get their hands onto. They even worked through the night without a break. Remus and Tonks would've helped as they promised, hadn't it been for the constant Death Eaters raids against Muggle London.That made the Order members tightened the security in the castle in readiness for any possible attack. Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade were also patrolled around the clock by the auroras.
Ron looked so lost and helpless, Hermione couldn't help but feel guilty about chiding him; she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and waited for him to look at her, his eyes were crazed from his lack of sleep and great agitation.
"Don't worry, Ron, we will not give up until a cure is found." she said softly. He sighed deeply and looked down at the huge collection of books he'd piled to his right. They weren't many tomes left that might actually provide some information, if none could be found there… No. He closed his mind to that thought.
"Everything is going to be just fine" Hermione's consoling voice brought him out of his reverie. His eyes flicked to hers, their chocolate depths were full of determination. He grasped her hands in his and squeezed lightly, for a long moment they sat gazing at one another.
Pulling himself back to the task at hand, Ron stretched his neck over the large number of books in front of him, to see Neville on all fours under a wide shelf that holed an enormous number of folios.
"Neville, did you find anything?" he called making him jump and ..."Owe!" bump his head on the shelf.
Ron winced in sympathy
"Nothing here" Neville said, rubbing at a lump on his head.
Hermione leaned across "what about you Harry?" she called
"Not yet," Harry called back, scanning through book titles on the shelves before him "but there are some good staff here" He looked over at Hermione; there was genuine look of surprise on her face.
"What?"
"I never thought I'd hear you say that" She shook her head in amazement.
"Wonders never cease!" Ron teased him.
"Yeah, you're a fine one to talk!" he retorted, relieved to see a smile on his friend's face again, if even for the moment.
"There's something here that might interest you" Hermione told him and than pulled up a large leather binder from her bag "I've looked through some back copies of The Prophet and..." She opened the file and removed a blue ribbon she used as a bookmark "found this announcement about Eileen Prince"
Ron leaned sideways to look at the eye-catching picture next to the announcement, a gorgeous-looking lady was sitting into a deep armchair by a crackling log fire, smiling. Her skin was smooth, her lashes long and dark. She was wearing Pearl earrings, a beautiful red velvet choker with a central gold locket that blend so well with the black velvet dress, and lustrous, wavy brown hair. "Blimey! She's beaut-" His voice trailed off as he saw the look on Hermione's face
"Yes?" She asked with her eyebrows raised.
"Um... Dresses beautifully?" he gave her a sheepish smile
"Better,"
Harry rolled his eyes. 'Honestly, those two are a lost cause' he thought shaking his head. Heavy leather volumes on the third shelf from the top caught his eye. "So this Eileen what's-her-name - has something to do with R.A.B.?" he asked, climbing a wooden rolling ladder that was parallel with the nearly ten foot high shelves.
"No, actually, She's...well...Snape." she said tentatively.
"What about him?" asked Harry his fingers trailing along dusty spines.
"Well here it says that Eileen Prince married a Muggle called Tobias Snape and gave birth to a-"
"-murderer?" spat Harry, his finger stopped on one particular book, the title read: The Dark Arts of Magic and Dark side Magic Vol.1- 3. He Reached out and pulled it from the shelf. The book was ancient; the binding was made of odd-looking leather covering parchment-like pages that appeared ready to crumble at the merest touch.
"Well...Yes," said Hermione "You see I was right about Eileen Prince once owning the book, she was Snape's mother!" she returned the binder to her bag.
"Right" replied Harry flipping through the texts when a little booklet fell from between the pages. He managed to pin it with his torso against the shelf.
"Severus Snape, aka 'The Half-Blood Prince' " she stated
"Snape is a half-blood?" asked Ginny dumping half a dozen books onto the table beside Ron's pile.
"He's just like Voldemort, Pure-Blood mother, Muggle father...ashamed of his parentage, he persuaded the high society of his worthiness to join the ranks of Death Eaters" Harry said bitterly and was about to shut his book but found a single leaf buried in the back cover of the red text book.
Ron snorted and reached for another weighty tome to read, but his younger sister stopped him "How about a break for lunch?" He opened his mouth to protest but Ginny cut him off "look we can return and search again but a few minutes off will do you good" then she addressed her remark to Harry, "It will probably do us all good to get away for a few minutes"
But Harry was totally oblivious of his surroundings; he was so engrossed in the text that he didn't even notice Ginny talking to him.
"Anything there mate!" Ron called out
"Huh?" He gave him an abstracted glance, and then returned to his book. He read over the ingredient list:
Arakeَ Qasney
Nigella sativa seed powder
Golab
A pinch of Jilnar
Esporghami
Musk sac
Khonَ Mah three drops
Separate Esporghami rhizomes parts out then dice them to a fine white powder. Dilute Arakeَ Qasney with Golab until it is the consistency of milk.Remove from the heat and plunge the base of the flask into a cauldron of Valerian root in a base of Madagascan Ylang Ylang oil and beeswax…
His eyes scanned the booklet again; there he found the rest of the instructions. It was all written down, step-by-step, precisely measuring the ingredients, simmering the mixture for the exact amount of time specified and stirring the required number of turns in the direction indicated. However, an enchantment was combined with the brewing process that's been written in a language he couldn't understand.
Harry knew that in the final form it would be a salve. The author stated that the ointment will be an excellent healer for cursed wounds, 'specially used for bites and scratches sustained from untransformed werewolves!' He had to restrain himself from leaping down the ladder; he couldn't believe that it was so easy. Surly professor Slughorn will know how to brew it, he was after all a potions master long before Snape.
"I think ..." said Harry slowly looking up from his book
"You think what?"
"I found it!" he shouted suddenly
"Thank God!" Ron said with sigh of relief.
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Minerva took a sip of her tea, reading a report in The Daily Prophet of yet another Death Eater's raid in the last few days.Forty-five have been killed and dozens are in hospital after Death Eaters had attacked a Muggle's assembly. The raid took place at the wedding reception of the daughter of one of the Muggle's leading politicians. Many Muggle-born witches and wizards were among the victims.
This incident was the latest in a series of raids towards Muggles and Muggle-borns, whose only sin is the blood that runs through their veins.
Minerva sighed wearily, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Alestor Moody and Tonks were among auroras the ministry sent in the vicinity of the attack. The grim look of determination on their faces -when they came to the Order meeting to fill them in- told of the horrors they had seen in the night's attack. 'I saw one of the Death Eaters levitating their corpse and I'm sure it was Snape! He took them to his lord, to make more Inferis!' Mad-eye had raged. Minerva shook her head 'Oh Albus how could you let him join the order and hire him to teach at Hogwarts after what he did to the poor child's father?' she thought sadly.
The Prophet also reported of three children was taken to St Mungo after being bitten by an untransformed werewolf. Healers say their condition is serious but stable. "Greyback" she muttered bitterly before folding up her paper and putting it away.
Minerva glanced down at the Gryffindor table. Harry was reading aloud from what seemed to be a text book, Neville and Ginny were listening with a lively interest while Hermione was taking notes. Dark circles were under the girl's eyes the others were in no better shape they'd worked tirelessly on the books she gave them, yet all their efforts were for naught. Maybe they'd finally found something. She hoped they would manage to find the solution in time before Weasley's condition became worse.
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"So we will need: Golab, Musk sac, Esporghami, Arakeَ Qasney, Nigella sativa seed powder and a pinch of Jilnar" Hermione read through her notes slowly and carefully.
"Where on earth are we supposed to find Giljar?" asked Ron
"A Jilnar Ron" Ginny corrected him
"Yeah, whatever"
"Don't forget the three drops of Khonَ Mah" Harry reminded her
"Kh..what?"
"Khonَ Mah" Harry repeated
"Of course" Hermione wrote down, "by the way, it means moon blood in Persian" she said looking up from her parchment.
"What's a moon blood?" Neville asked
"It means a Lunar's Blood!" said Hermione proudly.
"Lunar?" Harry asked
"That is just a legend," Ron scoffed
"No it is not!" Hermione exclaimed and Ginny nodded in agreement.
"No one heard of Lunars for ages" Ron insisted
"For your information Ron, a Lunar was last seen in the12 of January in Yorkshire " Hermione argued
"Which year?" he challenged her
"In the late 17th century"
"See what I mean?"
"So, what is this Lunar?" Harry asked, his patience at the lack of forthcoming information beginning to wear thin.
"I'll tell you later, Harry" Ginny told him
"What we do now?" asked Neville
"First things first, I think we should talk to Professor Slughorn" said Harry, then looked up at the Head Table and saw Professor Flitwick was deep in conversation with Horace Slughorn, the latter was leaving to Budleigh Babberton the following night. On his right Remus appeared to be absorbed in opening a large pile of post, while Arthur and McGonagall were talking in low voices, heads together.
Harry cast a glance at Dumbledore's chair, gleaming in the sunlight. He swallowed hard against the lump in his throat that rose at the thought of Albus Dumbledore. He was dead. Never again to offer anyone Lemon drops, never again to twinkle, never again to speak at the start of the year feast-
He jumped to his feet so his thoughts wouldn't start to wander. It did him no good to dwell on what he didn't have. He looked down once more at the small book in his hand. This was their last hope.
Without another word, Harry walked toward the Head Table the other teens follow suit.
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The Headmistress did a double-take when she saw what Harry was holding in his hand. How did it get there? Where did he find it? The library...Of course… Her eyes settled on the empty chair to her left 'even when you are not here, you simply couldn't bear to leave us without any support now could you?' she thought fondly.
"Did you find it?" Arthur asked urgently, breaking Minerva's train of thought.
"Yes!" Ron and Ginny beamed.
Their father let out a breath of relief. "Excellent!"
"We will need your help professor" said Harry placing the open book in front of the potions master.
Slughorn studied with amazement the first page from a fifty-two page booklet, many symbols and runes were so delicately drawn on the four columns that made a frame for what seemed to be a spell or an enchantment, though he couldn't exactly understand the language it was ancient, Babylon or Sumerian maybe?. He then turned the page and froze. It was a potion. A salve with awesome healing powers, the healing powers were provided by the unique ingredient. Slughorn began frantically thumbing through the pages, tracing through the index. The book offered rare, valuable antidotes for all kinds of Dark spells and curses, as well as efficient remedies used on cursed wounds sustained from Dark creatures. He had heard of such potions existing but had given up hope of ever seeing one.
Horace said nothing for so long that Minerva had to finally look up at him. He seemed to be absorbed in the book, his eyes skimming rapidly over the paragraphs. When she took another sip of her tea and coughed slightly, he looked back at her.
"This is the most complicated potion I've ever seen," said Slughorn as he scanned the recipe. "Jilnar, Khonَ Mah, and Arakeَ Qasney," he murmured, running his finger down the list of ingredients.
"When you will start brewing it sir?" Ron asked
"We can help" Ginny offered, Neville, Ron and Hermione noded in agreement.
"Hold on children, it's not possible"
"But professor it says here that we will need freshly harvested Esporghami, and it takes a full night of stirring..." Hermione started reciting her notes but the older wizard's nervous expression made her voice die off.
"I meant the potion itself is not possible for me to make" Slughorn added "Only an exceptional alchemist will invent such a beauty"
"But Why?" Ron asked, a truly puzzled frown crossing her face.
"Because my dear boy, two crucial ingredients are virtually impossible to find, Jilnar is very rare herb. Khon Mah' well it simply never exists," he paused, regarding the now very disappointed teens in front of him as he added," The only consolation for you is that the potion haven't been made since the days of Merlin"
"Excuse me Professor" Remus spoke for the first time "but the potion was brewed eighteen years ago" he thought back to a similar catastrophe eighteen years ago when a group of untransformed werewolves attacked Hogsmeade hundreds of people were seriously hurt. The urgency of finding a cure attracted some of the best minds in potions making. He wondered how he had forgotten such an important thing in the first place.
"No way Remus" Slughorn chuckled "apart from the 'impossible' to find ingredients the language in which the enchanting is written, is in ancient language" he continued in a low voice "a language no one in his right mind would ever use to cast a warming charm, let alone, recite such an extreme complicated magic"
"So it wasn't you who brew it eighteen years ago?" Ginny was almost pleading.
Slughorn sighed and gave a sad shake of his head, then handed the book back to Harry.
Remus looked to Minerva questionably she was after all the one who delivered the potion phials to St Mungo. Hadn't it been for that potion many of the patience would have died because they were so badly injured.
The Headmistress's voice was strangely calm when she said "It was Severus"
All of the blood rushed out of Remus's face, and his mouth gaped open.
"Snape?" shrieked Harry
Slughorn snatched the small book from Harry's' hand and almost shoved it under Minerva's nose showing her the marked page "He invented this, when he was only twenty!" Slughorn hissed
Minerva nodded "Yes this is Severus book"
"Such a brilliant mind, betrayed us to Lord Voldemort." Remus observed
'No wonder Voldemort took him under his wing' thought Harry remembering what Draco told Dumbledore about Snape being Voldemort favorite. He also remembered the vision he had; Snape was praised by Voldemort who was looking at him with understated pride. For neither the first nor last time, he cursed Snape for his unerring ability to screw up his life. "So even if we found the ingredients there will be no way we can brew the potion" said Harry aloud sinking heavily into one of the two chairs facing the Head Table.
Ron sat next to him wrapping his arms around himself.
"In other words there's no cure" Arthur said quietly, a thread of desperation running through his tone.
"There must be something we can do," Ginny said tearfully, Hermione too looked ready to cry.
"I think," Slughorn started hesitantly, "I think there is another cure an effective one at that …" Harry and Ron straight up in their seats.
TBC
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AN: I hope you liked the chapter. Not much action as the first heh? Never fear the action will resume next chapter.
Since I don't speak Latin, I'll use some Old Arabic and Old Persian words and I'll write their meaning at the end of each chapter.
Next Time: A very unexpectd discovery ...