Disclaimer : J.K.ROWLING
A/U : Sorry about the delay people! Am really sorry... Well, I had some issues that involved a certain review for this story and took time to think about what it had said... but that's settled now. I would like to thank all those who supported me by reading and reviewing my work. I do admit I need help with my fanfic, since I had a lot of ideas for stories and I think a beta could help me out a little or something. : ) But here is the next chapter. Its a little short... he he.
Anonymous Reviewer - Whoever you are, please do tell me what is it that am lacking. You really did get me a little hot headed at first but I understand that being a reader, you do need good quality for a story. So please do give advise or so. : )
notwritten - You have been my first reader, you gave me advise and kept on sticking to it and I thank you for that!
Amber-Jade James - You have not missed on reviewing even one chapter and I looove you for that. You are like my most enthusiastic reader. Thanks!
There were a few more people who had reviewed and gave advised like pstibbons, Inner Self and more, thank you. And I really am happy that some of the jokes I made were noticed and a few people who were really enjoying my fanfic and look forward for the next chapter, thanks again! Okay since that's all, I better had post this now.
Chapter 15 : The Potion
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Ron and Harry both were fighting over the cauldron, debating on what to put in next. They had flooed Poppy but unfortunately most of the Strengthening Potion was out due to the latest Quidditch Match between Slytherin and Gryffindor and Slughorn was on his way to get more ingredients. Snape remembered that Hermione hated St. Mungos to the core and avoided it and thus they tried brewing their very own potion.
Most of the members who were adequate in potions were all involved with the Ministry at that moment and both Harry and Ron were pouring over books to make up the strengthening potion for Hermione. She was weak due to all the stress of finding Snape's cure and also helping both Harry and Ron out that she neglected her own health just for them. And thus both Harry and Ron felt indebted to her.
"Not that one, Ron!" Harry shrieked just before Ron tried to add in Salamander's tail. Ron stopped his hand midway above the cauldron before retreating slowly. Harry shook his head before looking through his potions book. Making Strengthening potion sure is easy... if you still had a potion master by your side. They did try to make Snape remember the ingredients and methods to the Strengthening potion but he couldn't remember any of it. So they had to use their potions book for help and get the ingredients from Diagon Alley.
"Okay... it says here to stir it counter clockwise for about seven times, clockwise three times and then counter clockwise again for three times too. It should be bloodlike color." Harry instructed Ron while reading.
When he peered up into the cauldron, he saw that it was in sickly pink color and Ron was looking at it, confused.
"Ron! What did you do!" Harry yelled.
"I did what you told me to!" Ron yelled back.
"Argh!! It's ruined now! Did you follow my instructions well or did you miss anything??" Harry yelled dejectedly.
"I did follow! You said to stir it counter clockwise for about seven times and I did... then clockwise three times and I did... and then counter clockwise again for three times two and I did!"
Harry went wide eyed.
"Too or Two?"
"What?"
"I said 'Too' as in almost the same definition as 'Also'. What did you hear?"
"I heard two as in number two..." Ron grimaced as Harry yelled at the ceiling.
"RON!! This is the third time we are doing this potion and now it's ruined again!! Oh man..." Harry sat down on the sofa by the cauldron and rubbed his temples, "... Now I know how Snape really feels."
Ron pouted and sat beside Harry, dejected.
"I'm sorry... I'm worried about her too. Don't worry; we can make it right this time." Ron patted reassuringly on Harry's back. Harry gave him a small smile before nodding.
"Okay, let's do this again. This time... it had better work because our ingredients are damn low at this moment."
They got up to get their ingredients ready again when Snape flaunted in through the door in his usual black turtleneck and trousers. Snape stopped halfway when he saw the cauldron being cleaned and filled with clear liquid again.
"What happened?" Snape asked.
"We got the methods wrong and now we are doing it again. This is our final attempt since the ingredients are running really low." Harry frowned before reading the book again. Snape rolled his eyes and groaned.
"Out of my way, you prats." Snape said, pushing both boys aside, rolling his sleeves up to his elbows before peering down on the book beside the cauldron.
"I thought you said you didn't remember anything about making the potion!" Ron stood beside Snape, watching him put ingredients into the cauldron.
"I don't... But this book is not lying here just for nothing, is it?" Snape drawled, concentrating hard on putting the next ingredient.
Ron and Harry frowned at Snape but didn't say anything. They sat down on the sofa, watching Snape do his work without even breaking a sweat. At first Snape kept looking back into the book for help but after a few ingredients, he went on without even looking at it.
It was like watching him dance. Going back and forth to get the ingredients and put it into the cauldron, stirring the rod according to time and setting the heat appropriately. To make a Strengthening Potion mostly takes about the whole day to finish but Snape finished everything in just four hours. Once he set the fire out, Both Ron and Harry jumped onto their feet.
"It's done?" they asked. Snape merely nodded and place the potion into a couple of bottles.
"That fast? How is that possible? You didn't even read the book once you started putting in the third ingredient! How!" Ron asked while looking back from the potion to the Potion Masters' face.
At first Snape scowled at all the questions Ron had asked but at the last question, he frowned.
"Am not... sure." He said, lining the bottles up in a row. "I just did what I felt was right..."
Both Ron and Harry turned to each other, perplexed but they never said anything. They took one of the bottles and went straight up to Hermione's room. They knocked on it before entering. Hermione was up on her bed, leaning against the head board and was smiling at both the boys.
"Hey there..."
"Hey 'Mione. How you feeling?" Ron asked while occupying the chair next to her bed.
"A little better, thanks Ron." Hermione answered. Harry sat down on the edge of the bed and handed her the vial.
"What's this?" She asked, looking at it curiously.
"Strengthening potion for you." Harry said.
Hermiones' eyes went wide.
"You both brewed Strengthening Potion? I thought you both failed during sixth year while doing it?"
"We didn't brew the potion. Well, actually we were suppose to but we ended up with the wrong result for three times in a row... we almost gave up and we only had enough ingredients for only one potion..." Ron said, biting on his fingernails.
"And then what happened?" Hermione smacked Rons' hands away and he set it on his lap.
"Well, we were about to get on with it for the fourth time when Snape came in." Harry continued.
"Severus?" Hermione frowned.
"Yeah... he came in and asked us what were doing and we told him we were brewing a potion for you but we keep on ruining it. He pushed us aside and went on brewing it himself." Ron chimed in.
"What? He knows how to brew the potion?" Hermione asked, frowning deeper.
"Well at first he said that the book wasn't there just for fun and he went on reading it while adding in the ingredients..." Ron frowned, "...but the funny thing was that he stopped reading the book and went on adding like as if he knew what to do."
"Oh my god! Maybe he remembered what ingredients and when to put it in? Maybe he remembered how to brew the potion!" Hermione was sitting upright on the bed by now.
"Well he did say he just did what felt right to him... and you had better take that potion now, otherwise Molly is going to kill us when she finds out you fainted while we were chatting." Harry nudged the vial into her hands, watching her gulp down the potion and grimaced at the taste.
"Somebody remind Severus to improve on the taste or something..." She groaned.
"You do it once when you are up and about. We don't want to end up being the receiving end of his Avada Kedavra Glare." Ron shivered as he said it.
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