Professor Snape approached the Headmaster's door and while frowning, reluctantly gave what he thought was an undignified password. "Ginger Snaps."
Professor Dumbledore was in his study, still dressed, with a number of magical instruments on his desk, churning out different whiffs and puffs of smoke and making a variety of whirring, whizzing and clinking sounds.
"Ah, Severus! I'm sorry to summon you so late. I hope I didn't inconvenience you." Dumbledore extended a hand, motioning Snape to be seated.
Snape looked at the gilded chair with purple upholstery. It was his favorite, and clearly Dumbledore knew that. He slid in the chair, which at first seemed like an ordinary chair. But Professor Snape shifted his weight in the chair in just the right way and the chair adjusted itself, making it a bit more inclined and becoming unbelievably comfortable. The only thing uncomfortable to Snape was he didn't like to appear comfortable.
Professor Dumbledore peered at Snape over his half-moon glasses with a mischievous smile, clearly amused at Snape's response to the chair.
"Not an inconvenience at all, Headmaster," Snape said finally in a voice softer than he intended.
"I understand you have had some excitement with a cauldraunus," Dumbledore stated with a bit of mischievousness in his voice.
Professor Snape nodded and looked at the headmaster, noticing his eyes were twinkling. Snape removed the pendant from his pocket and put it on the table.
Dumbledore clearly knew the story about the cauldraunus. "Harry had this on in his possession?" Dumbledore asked, incredulous. "This is the same one you took from young Malfoy?"
Snape nodded. "Absolutely. It's the same one."
Dumbledore picked up the Cauldraunus to get a better look. "After our discussion, I thought you gave it to…"
Snape cut him off. "Of course, headmaster."
They had clearly already discussed that subject to the point of exhaustion, and neither wanted to revisit that.
After a brief pause, Snape continued. "Shall I return the cauldraunus?"
Dumbledore looked thoughtful and relaxed. "I think so. Let's continue with the plan and see what happens," Dumbledore replied.
Dumbledore seemed lost in thought for moment, but spoke again. "But I heard about a break-in. About a cauldraunus being stolen."
Snape stiffened but his expression didn't change. "That is true. Someone gained access to my office and stole a very old cauldraunus. One I had confiscated many years ago. Very outdated by today's standards. It was an early version of the 'dipping' cauldraunus."
"Ahh, yes. Before Bruno came up with the 'guiding' or 'teaching' cauldraunus! Very ingenious to have a cauldraunus that simply guides the user into doing the right steps" Dumbledore commended.
"What should we do about the missing cauldraunus?" Snape asked.
"Do try to find that one before something bad happens. If my memory serves me, an old dipping cauldraunus can be a bit unpredictable."
Snape nodded again, and having been dismissed, picked up the cauldraunus and stalked out of the Headmaster's office.
o O o
The Potion Master's office was as cold and dark as always, which added to the feeling of dread for Neville. Professor Snape shut the door and told Neville to take a seat as he walked around the desk. As he walked, he placed the cauldraunus in the middle of the desk without explanation.
Neville tried not to look at the object but failed to hide his guilt.
"Take that and put it round your neck, inside your robes," Snape directed in a casual, even voice.
Neville took the cauldraunus and placed it around his neck, careful to tuck the pendant out of sight.
Now standing behind Neville, Professor Snape aimed his wand at Neville and performed a wordless memory charm. While the spell was sinking in, he augmented the spell by giving some verbal suggestions that would guide Neville without him remembering every receiving them. "I did not give you this cauldraunus. You will keep your possession of this item a secret from everyone, even from teachers." Snape paused, wondering if that was sufficient. "Alas, you will not hide this in another student's bag."
o O o
Harry, Hermione, Ron and Neville sat at their group table in potions class, working on the current potions assignment.
For having the cauldraunus found up his sleeve by Snape, Harry's punishment was unbelievably light. Harry could have sworn that Snape had actually believed his story, except he did, in the end, give him a detention with Hagrid. He was assigned one evening of helping Hagrid with variety of small tasks, which really wasn't punishment at all.
Ron looked more confident, and no longer had stray looks at what others were doing. He went about crushing the dried knotgrass pods with a deft touch that Neville had showed him earlier.
Harry still struggled. He looked around the table, and everyone was further along than him, and apparently having better results.
They had served their punishments, but some questions remained. Ron was working harder at potions, which clearly explained his improved results. Hermione did all right. The artful part of potions still seemed to escape her, but she followed instructions to the letter without any additional interpretation or insight. She would get passing, if not good grades, but would never master the art of potions.
Harry would continue to learn as best he could, but he knew he would always struggle simply for the hatred of his teacher. He realized his results wouldn't improve until he had a teacher he could turn to as a mentor. But barring any additional disasters, he, too, would get passing grades.
Harry looked across the classroom at Malfoy, working away at a corner table. He had apparently broken out of his rut of bad potions, and returned to his usual, cocky self, turning out flawless potions and sneering at Harry's unspectacular results. As Malfoy's had taken to sitting with his back to most of the classroom and the teacher's desk, he couldn't see exactly what he was doing, but in this case, the results became very apparent.
Harry noticed purple vapor, and then a cloud developing over Malfoy's cauldron, followed by a rainbow of sparks that seem to sprout from the vapor and race around the room as if they had minds of their own. All of this happened so fast, many of the students barely had time to notice that something was afoot.
Professor Snape had just reentered the classroom from the student cupboard and his timing was fortunate. Than a couple things happened at one.
Malfoy's cauldron erupted explosively. The room was struck by the sound of a thunderclap, and everything in the room became dim as the room instantly filled with a purple light. The bright flash silhouetted Malfoy to the whole room, and he appeared frozen and as if he was being x-rayed. At the same time, Snape reflexively pulled his wand and wordlessly cast a protection charm that countered the purple haze with a flash of brilliant blue light. This spell kept the explosion from affecting most of the class and protected the students. Objects that were being thrown by the blast paused in mid-air before falling harmlessly to the floor. Incredibly, Malfoy was still seated on his stool, although he and his stool had slid several feet from the blast.
Most of the effects seemed to dissipate as quickly as they appeared. The light in the room returned to normal and purple smoke and some remaining sparks only remained in the deep corners of the room. They all peered expectantly at Malfoy who was still frozen his place. His cauldron was flat as a pancake as if it had instantly melted in place. In Malfoy's still frozen grip was the remains of an old cauldraunus he had been dipping in his potion, causing the catastrophe.
Harry nodded grimly. There was the explanation for Malfoy's newfound expertise at potions!
Hermione leaned over towards the others. "You see? I told you that a cauldraunus was dangerous."
Ron briefly laughed out loud before restraining himself. "Oh, yeah!" Ron just remembered that Hermione had tried warning them, but never got to finish telling them why it was dangerous. "I thought you were going to tell us it was dangerous just because it would allow us to make some really cool potions!"
Snape looked absolutely foul, and everyone grew quiet, waiting for his response. "Everyone, pack up your things and head back to your common room and await further instructions. Mr. Crabb, pack up what remains of Mr. Malfoy's belongings. Mr. Goyle, escort Malfoy up see Madam Pomfrey. Tell her I will be along shortly." Malfoy's hearing must have been returned, because he reacted to his name by turning his head and giving a feeble, stupid smile.
They packed up their belongings and headed towards Gryffindor Tower, happy that Malfoy had received his just desserts. "Did you see the look on Malfoy's face?!" Ron asked. "He had the stunned look normally reserved for Crabb and Goyle!" They all laughed at the image.
Harry was happy to see Malfoy get his comeuppance, but something was still bothering him as he looked over at Ron. A brief sideways glance at Hermione made him realize she was thinking along the same lines.
Whereas Harry wasn't sure how to begin, Hermione worked up the courage first.
"Ron, we're sorry we doubted you, but I still have to ask..." Hermione seemed to doubt herself at that moment, but continued. "I just don't understand how you've become so good at potions. And you were acting kind of odd, hardly ever around the common room in the evenings."
Ron raised his chin and smiled as they all walked down the hall, as if amused by an inside joke or perhaps just the whole situation.
"Honestly, I was really just studying hard. I was tired of giving Snape the satisfaction of bullying me. Since remedial potions was only one session a week, Neville and I decided to study together in an unused classroom. Neville actually taught me quite a bit. He really knew his stuff as if it came naturally to him."
Neville was walking with them, and Ron glanced over at him and gave him a smiling nod of gratitude.
Harry and Hermione couldn't help but look over at Neville with a bit of curiosity and the same thought: How does Neville manage to help someone in potions? A natural?
Neville gave Harry and Hermione an embarrassed smile in return while his free hand reflexively adjusted his robes as if his clothes were too tight around his neck.
o O o
Up in the Headmaster's office, Professor Dumbledore felt the castle shake and watched some dust fall from the ceiling. He checked his timepiece and realized that the tremor coincided with the potions class.
"It appears that our final Cauldraunus has resurfaced at last" he said to no one in particular. Fawkes clucked his approval as Dumbledore smiled as if enjoying a private joke.
-The End-