"Without the boat, we'll have to move double-time to keep on schedule. There's far too much to see." Wonka announced as he led the guests down the hallway, though Wonka took no effort to increase his pace.

"Mr. Wonka?" Severus decided he would give the chocolate schizophrenic a final chance to tell the truth.

"Yeah?"

"Why are you now letting others in the factory?"

"So they could see the factory."

Why did you wait so long? Why only five?"

Mike added a question of his own. "What's the special prize and who get's it?"

"The best kind of prize is a sur-prise." Wonka said with an odd laugh.

I knew there was no prize, Severus thought.

Veruca shoved Mike out-of-the-way and waltzed in front of Wonka. "Will Violet always be a blueberry?" she asked hopefully.

"No. Maybe. I don't know," Wonka finally admitted, "but that's what you get from chewing gum all day. It's disgusting."

"If you hate gum so much, why do you make it?" Mike asked.

"Once again, you shouldn't mumble. It's starting to bum me out."

"Can you remember the first candy that you ever ate?" Dumbledore asked.

"No." But despite this, Wonka's was staring into space with that demented look.

"Mr. Wonka?" Dumbledore asked gently. No response.

"Why does he keep doing this?" Severus asked. Severus then clapped his hands loudly in front of Wonka in an attempt to awaken him.

"That's not working." Mr. Salt said in a snobby tone.

"Indeed? I hadn't the faintest idea," Severus snarled, "you truly are an abyss of intellectual depth."

"There is no need for such hostility," Mr. Salt said, "I merely was making a observation in an effort to help, not offending you intellect, which no doubt is great."

"I apologize," Severus said half-heartedly. He turned to Wonka, who still stared at nothing.

"Wonka is crazy." Mr. Teavee said.

"He is rather odd." Mr. Salt agreed.

"He isn't odd," Mr. Teavee argued, "he's insane. At least, partially insane. If he weren't so good with candy, he'd be a danger to the public."

"He's a danger in his own factory," Salt responded, "look at the others."

"He seems to hate children," Dumbledore piped up, "look at how he laughed over the chocolate river."

"Those songs were definitely planned," Veruca agreed.

"Forget the songs," Mike said, "I think he planned everything. He's probably going to try and get rid of all of us."

"I swear I saw him dance when the Oompa-Loompa's sang about Violet being a blueberry." Veruca recalled.

"The brats fates were their own actions," Severus pointed out. As much as he disliked many of Wonka's methods, the man could not receive total blame. "The stupid boy drunk that river and the foolish girl chewed that gum. If those children went to my school, I would expel them."

"I am the one with the power to expel students, Severus," Dumbledore pointed out, "besides, did I not here you tell Scarlett in the boat that you thought he was gleeful over the Augustus Gloop incident?"

"You couldn't have heard anything I said, you were to far away."

Dumbledore smiled. "I assure you, Severus, despite my extreme age my hearing is rather well."

"Well, maybe the person who isn't tempted get's the prize." Severus suggested. He didn't believe their actually was a prize, of course, but it was the only theory he could think up.

"But you said on television you don't believe the prize is real." Mr. Teavee countered with a smug smirk similar to those of his son.

Severus scoffed. "I said there may or may not be a prize and that it was a marketing technique. If you are going to use my words against me, actually use my words."

Mr. Teavee winced.

"I'm sorry, I was having a flashback." Wonka finally awoke from his mental slumber.

Everybody was know looking at Wonka as if he was totally insane.

"I see." Mr. Salt said, pulling Veruca a considerable distance away from Wonka.

"These flashbacks happen often?" Mr. Teavee asked.

"Increasingly... today." Wonka once again began leading them down the hallway.

"Oh, look at this!" Wonka cried as he turned to another hallway. Photographs of brightly colored fruits surrounded the wall. "Guess what it is?"

"It's wallpaper." Veruca answered.

"Yes and no. It's lickable wallpaper."

"Anybody can lick wallpaper if there foolish enough to do so." Severus argued.

"But this wallpaper has taste," Wonka explained,"lick an orange and it taste's like an orange. An apple tastes like an apple. And so on, and so on." Wonka's face brightened up. "Why don't you try it?"

"It is not possible." Severus said firmly.

"Very well. You, the bearded one," Wonka motioned toward Dumbledore, "you try it!"

"Well, all right," Dumbledore slowly walked toward the wall and began licking a watermelon picture. "Oh my! This is excellent!"

"You can taste it?" Severus asked in astonishment.

Dumbledore nodded. "Try it yourself, Severus."

Severus walked up to a picture of a plum. Feeling like he was extremely foolish, Severus reluctantly licked the photograph. If the Gryffindors ever learned about this... he was surprised when he actually tasted plum. "It works." Severus breathed in shock. No magic could do this. Certainly no Muggle could do this either.

Wonka nodded in approval. "Everybody dig in!"

The other four guests all lick the wallpaper. Even Mike had nothing bad to say about this invention, though he refused to praise it.

"Well, I hope you liked that," Wonka said, "anyway, let's go to the next room."

A large circular door had the words Nut Sorting Room.