Draco didn't know it, but his presence in the past already had its effects. Not just was Buckbeak save and Hagrid could continue teaching the way he wanted to teach, which included fewer flobberworms than Draco remembered, but Neville had also gotten better in Potions, which made the next lesson a lot more peaceful, as Neville made an alright potion and did not have to feed it to his toad. Snape then also did not make fun of Neville in front of everyone during Lupin's first DADA lesson.

Neville, however, still put Snape into his grandmother's clothes during the first DADA lesson, which made Snape bully him even more than he already did. It was then that Draco, who had spent a lot of time studying with the boy, decided that it was time for them to pay their potion's master a visit.

Draco, having a reluctant Neville in tow, carefully knocked on the door of said potion's master. "May I come in, godfather?"

Neville stared at him wide eyed. Draco smirked. Perhaps he should have mentioned the relationship he had with their teacher, but it certainly was more fun that way.

"Draco? Of course, come in," he heard the Professor from the other side of the door.

Snape smiled until his eyes fell behind Draco.

"Mr. Longbottom?" he greeted curtly.

Draco shoved Neville in front of him.

"U-uhm, Professor, I came to apologize for ehm, what I did with the boggart. I am sorry and did not mean to embarrass you." It sounded very rehearsed. Probably because it was. Draco had forced Neville to practice his apology a few times.

Draco felt… positively Slytherin. He knew Snape could not refuse to accept the apology. He could not let a 13-year-old be the bigger man. Least of all Neville Longbottom. Especially not in front of someone else.

Grudgingly, he said, "Apology accepted, Mr. Longbottom. Is there anything else you need?"

Snape looked like he wanted to kick Neville out of his office and Neville took the chance and bolted.

Draco started to snicker and then laugh and then he almost started crying because he laughed so hard. Snape's dumbstruck face only made the situation funnier.

"Draco?" Snape sounded menacing.

"Sorry, godfather."

"What, pray tell, was this about?"

"Ahh…" Draco had done it to help Neville out a bit and too make Snape a bit more agreeable. He could use the peace of mind considering what else would happen in the next months and years. But he also knew that he couldn't tell him that, so he had come up with an explanation before he even started to coerce Neville into his apology.

"A bet amongst us Slytherins," he smirked. "After we heard what Longbottom's worst fear was we wanted to make him squirm. Obviously, I won the bet. Might need to borrow your Pensieve later, in case they do not believe me," he said. For good measure he added a "sir," after a few seconds. "Personally, I also think you deserved this apology after the ungrateful and disrespectful way in which he treated you."

"Well, thank you, Draco. But this is really none of your business and I would appreciate it if you could leave me out of such childish behavior in the future."

"Of course, sir."

Snape's features softened. "Do you want to stay for some tea?"

Draco smiled and nodded. He remembered how he would regularly visit him during his first years at Hogwarts. He bitterly regretted how their relationship had deteriorated in the final years the man had had on this planet. He would try to be nicer this time and maybe get to know the man better.

A house elf brought them some tea.

"How are your parents?"

"They are doing fine. Father sends his regards. He is quite busy at the ministry and mother is preparing a dinner party."

He wasn't sure whether this was true, but his father was always busy and sent his regards and his mother was always planning a social gathering of some sort.

Snape did not find anything suspicious in his answers. He seemed to be eager to find out what Draco thought about the new Defense professor.

"He is alright, I guess," Draco shrugged. "For a Gryffindor who lives on the streets and has an unhealthy obsession for the boy who lives to annoy, that is. Nothing compared to how undeniably brilliant the lessons would have been if the old man had allowed you to teach them but at least he seems to know what he's doing."

Severus nodded, not adding much to the conversation.

"Do you know him, sir?"

"Hardly," Snape replied. "We went to school together."

That was all his professor had to offer on this subject and Draco knew that that was all he would get out of him. Not that Draco had expected him to divulge their complicated relationship or what the new professor was doing at certain times of the month.

"Enough about me," Draco muttered after talking about his classes for another five minutes, "have you been working on anything interesting lately? Any new potions or any spells?"

This seemed to surprise Snape. Draco was not usually one to take an interest in things that did not directly involve him himself.

"Actually, I have been working on improving two year 7 potions over the holidays but unfortunately I will not be able to finish them anytime soon. Brewing potions for the school is taking up more of my time this year than it usually does," he did not sound very happy about this, Draco thought.

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Improve potions? Or create your own? It must certainly be very difficult?"

"It is not a skill very many people possess, I admit. But with a bit of hard work, knowledge about different aspects of magical theory and a talent for potions, it is not impossible to learn."

That sounded less daunting than Draco had feared. "Could I learn?"

"You certainly do not lack the talent for potions. I could recommend you some introductory reading if you are interested," Snape offered. He seemed happy enough to share his passion.

"That would be wonderful, sir. How many potions have you created so far?"

"About ten. But I have improved many more."

"That is impressive. Have you thought about publishing a book?"

"I am not doing this for fortune or fame, Mr. Malfoy, and I advise you to find something in life that you enjoy regardless of whether it will bring you either of those things. I also do not have the time for such things."

Draco's face fell a bit. He had never worked in a field just because he liked it. He had just stepped into his father's footsteps and had never even thought about careers that might otherwise interest him. Not that he thought Snape liked his profession. But it had always been obvious that he enjoyed potions, if not the teaching of it.

"So, how does one go about creating their own potion?" Draco asked, his mind back on the original question.

"Well, that depends on what you want to do with it. Do you want to create a certain effect? Or create an antidote? Or create a healing potion? You need to know the problem that you want to solve and then learn everything about it."

"So, when you, for example, created the potions that helps with the aftereffects of the Cruciatus – you have created such a thing, right?"

He could feel more than see Snape growing suspicious. He had to tread carefully.

"That would be correct," he said curtly.

"So first you needed to know everything about the curse?"

"Yes- any particular reason this potion has struck your fancy?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, just the first one that came to mind," Draco lied. It was a good thing he was a natural at Occlumency. It would not stop Snape if he really tried to get information out of Draco, but it sufficed to keep his surface thoughts hidden from more gentle probing.

"Well, yes. I first needed to learn everything about the curse and its effect on the victims…"

Half an hour later Draco knew everything he needed to know about the Cruciatus potion and had gotten a few books about the subject of creating spells and potions.

Before he could leave, however, Snape stopped him with a few questions of his own. Draco had known he wouldn't get off so easily. Severus was generally a rather wary person and he could feel all the questions he had during their conversation and how he had judged Draco's every word.

"Why this sudden interest, Draco?"

"No particular reason," he muttered but Snape would not let him leave this easily.

"You have been acting odd lately."

Draco had decided that if he wanted Snape off his trail he needed something plausible that would be of such a nature that a grown up would leave him alone with it.

"Ehm… err…" he started fidgeting.

"Yes?"

"There… ehm…"

"Out with it, Draco."

"There is this girl I like," he blurted out.

"There… what?"

"A girl. She is not a Slytherin… Please don't tell anyone."

He had practiced this flustered outbreak in front of a mirror the day before. He could see by the look on Snape's face that he had not expected that. He could also see that Snape had no particular interest in learning anymore about this problem.

"I… I want to impress her."

Snape looked at him for a few seconds. Finally, he said, "if you need any help – with the potions that is – come talk to me."

"Thank you, sir." Draco left the room. He felt delighted. Everything had worked according to plan. He had gotten Neville to apologize, improved his relationship with his godfather and had gotten all the information that he needed. Not bad for one day.

TBC

A.N.

That was the chapter I was stuck with. It is not the best but I am a lot happier with it now than I've ever been…

Now the story will run a lot more smoothly I hope.

Anyone else doing a November Writing Challenge?

As always, tell me what you think. The good, the bad and the ugly ;)