Chapter Ten; The Important Task
Later that morning when Harry, Ron, and Hermione were on their way to potions class they ran into Draco Malfoy in the hallway. "Ah there you are Potter!" he exclaimed with a wide sneer. "Heard you're dating the Weasley girl now." He began as Harry and Ron just angrily glared at him.
"Yeah, what of it!?" Harry snapped.
"Well that's just sad and pathetic, even for a Jesus freak like you." Malfoy told him.
"Don't say a word against Ginny." Harry growled underneath his breath. "Or Jesus." He added.
"I see, still sticking to that God of yours. Well, let's just see how strong of your faith in Him still is after this year is over." He said as Harry watched him turn around and walk away and was glad that he now had God back on his side.
"What the hell was that all about!?" Ron exclaimed. "What did he mean about how strong your faith is after this year is over?" he questioned.
"I dunno, but I don't like it." Harry said. "C'mon we better go." He told them as they continued on their way to class.
"Well if there is a God, Malfoy is going to find himself up in Hell if he's not careful." Ron said as they went into the classroom and took their seats. That's when Professor Slughorn turned to face the class.
"Good morning ladies and gentlemen, for the past few weeks we have been discussing different love potions as well as different luck potions like Felix Felicis." He began before he withdrew a small from his pocket and held it up in the air. Harry gazed at the green substance before his father walked into the room. "Now whoever brews a proper Amortentia love potion will earn this as a reward." He explained before turning over to look at Snape.
"Yes Severus what is it?" he questioned him.
"I'm sorry to interrupt Horace, but after you class is over I wish to see my son as well as Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. Please send them to my office when you are finished." He said as Harry, Ron, and Hermione all exchanged glances.
"Yes Severus, as soon as they're done brewing their potions I'll write them a note and send them straight to you." Slughorn replied with a nod before Snape turned around and left the classroom without another word.
"That was odd." Hermione whispered.
"I wonder what Snape wants with us." Ron whispered back as they started getting out their books and turned them to the proper page. Harry stared at the page with disbelief as he noticed that somebody had written all over the ingredients that he was supposed to be using. Some things were crossed out and others were circled.
"Why would my father give me a crappy old book like this?" he wondered aloud to himself but started following the recipe anyway. He broke apart the ashwinder eggs and cut off the rose thorns like he was supposed to but then he made sure to use the whites of the eggs instead of the yolk and stirred them into a nice creamy mixture like his book had told him to. Hermione gave him a look of disproval while she scrunched up her face with confusion trying to figure out what he was doing.
However Harry continued on with his potion. Crushing the peppermint and sprinkling it inside his cauldron before adding a topping of pearl dust. After a few stirs it turned into a beautiful purple liquid substance. Harry thought that it had the aroma of Ginny's flowery perfume. Slughorn started examining everyone else's potions before he finally reached Harry's. "Well done Harry," he began. "ladies and gentlemen I do believe that we have a winner." He said before he gave Harry the vile of liquid luck.
"Here you go Harry, just as promised. Be sure to use it well." He told him while Harry placed it inside his pocket as the rest of the class started applauding for him. "Now then, I better send you to Professor Snape's office. After all, I'm sure he's busy waiting for you." He said as he wrote them a note and sent them away.
…..
Snape looked up from his quill and at the three of them as they came through the door. "Alright Snape we're here, now what do you want from us?" Ron questioned him.
"Dumbledore sent me to fetch you. He says that he has a very important job for you." He replied.
"Well then why didn't Dumbledore just send for us himself?" Ron asked him.
"The headmaster has been very ill these past few weeks and he asked that I would be the one to prepare you until his return." He explained.
"Prepare us for what?" Harry wondered before Snape glanced over at him.
"For defeating the dark lord. Especially for you Harry. You see since you three found out about the prophecy Dumbledore wants you to get to know him better." He told him.
"I know that he wants to kill me, what else is there to know?" Harry asked him.
"Just exactly what you're dealing with. Bear in mind that although this was Dumbledore's idea, I completely agree with him a hundred percent." He said.
"Agree with what!? You're not making any sense!" Harry exclaimed before Snape stood up and walked over to them.
"Are you familiar with an enchanted object called a pensive?" he questioned him as Harry nodded but Ron and Hermione shook their heads.
"Dumbledore has something that he wants you to see, it'll uncover a lot of truth and answer questions that you've had been wanting to have be answered ever since you were a child." His father told him.
"Alright then, show me." Harry said.
"Follow me then." Snape said as he led them out into the hallways and down to Dumbledore's office. As soon as Harry saw the pensive he knew exactly what to do, and demonstrated by putting his face down inside it before they followed suit.