The Legend of the Serpent's Tongue

Legend of the Serpent's Tongue

Part 5

Potions and Aurors

Harry had lain awake for a long time tossing and turning after leaving Remus. She was more confused than ever. Remus kiss had been unexpected, but she had not found it unpleasant. Indeed, she had welcomed and enjoyed his embrace. Up until that point, she had only considered her feelings towards Sirius and Severus Snape. While she had admittedly cared for Remus, she had not given serious thought to a romantic relationship with him. Now she had to try to sort out her feelings for each of them, not to mention George Weasley. At least she had made sure George knew she was not in love with him, but they were both young, and knew that could change.

She finally fell asleep sometime around one A.M. but her dreams were jumbled and confused. George was laughing and playing jokes on her while she was trying to mix a love potion. Severus stood over her shoulder glaring, demanding that she hurry up. Padfoot was snuffling and scratching at the door trying to get in while Remus howled in the background. All the while Harry kept trying to disappear beneath her invisibility cloak. When she woke, the sheets were tangled and half on the floor. Phaedra was sitting on the floor by her bed, staring up at her, wide-eyed.

"Good morning, Miss Harry. Did you know you talk in your sleep?"

"I was dreaming."

"Were they bad dreams? I heard you call out."

"Not good or bad. They were just all mixed up. What did I say?"

"You kept mumbling something about not being ready, and tried to pull the sheet over your head."

"Hmm...I was trying to get under my invisibility cloak in the dream. It seems I made a real mess of my sheets," Harry remarked disentangling herself from the bedclothes.

"Are you getting sick?"

"Why would you think that?"

"Sometimes when I'm getting sick I have bad dreams. Mummy says it's cause I have a fever. Do you have a fever?"

"No, I just have a lot on my mind. What time is it?"

"Seven thirty," Phaedra replied smugly, glancing at the clock on the bedside table. Harry had taught her to tell time the previous summer and Phaedra was still proud of her accomplishment.

"Then let's get up now. I'll take a quick shower and then we can get something to eat."

"Umm...I'm hungry," Phaedra grinned rubbing her stomach, which growled loudly in agreement.

"Come on then and get washed and dressed," Harry said climbing out of bed, "we have a busy day ahead. Are you ready for your first Potions Lesson?"

"I can hardly wait, let's go!" Phaedra exclaimed jubilantly, racing for the stairs, Harry following in her wake.

After supervising Phaedra with her morning toilet, Harry took a shower and the two girls got dressed. Although it had been a nice evening the day before, the morning was rainy and damp, so Harry elected to wear her Muggle jeans, with a long sleeve blouse, and her sneakers. Phaedra too had a selection of Muggle attire and chose to emulate Harry. Harry then put their hair up into ponytails and they went down to breakfast. Dobby and Hazel had made sure there was an array of foods prepared and laid out on the kitchen table for the members of the household to select at their convenience.

"Miss Harry, look! We have donuts this morning!"

"I see that. Would you like one with some milk?"

"Yes, please. Is there one with jelly?" she asked, brown eyes sparkling in anticipation.

"There are several. Would you prefer grape jelly or strawberry?"

"Strawberry!"

"Here you go," Harry laughed placing the donut on a small plate and pouring a glass of milk, "as for me, I want this one with the cream inside, and a cup of coffee," she stated, helping herself, as Circe came into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Harry," Circe acknowledged as she kissed her daughter. "I see you helped Phaedra this morning. Thank you so much. I'm running late," the older witch told her grabbing some coffee and a cruller. "I'm due back at the Ministry today by nine and it's already eight thirty."

"Mummy, can't you stay home with me?"

"I'm sorry, baby, but I'm needed at work. I will be taking some more vacation days the end of the month. You want me here for Harry's birthday and graduation don't you?"

"Yes, Mummy, but who is going to watch me today?"

"Uncle Severus and Miss Harry will be here with Mr. Black."

"What about Uncle Tiberius and Mr. Lupin?"

"Uncle Tiberius and Mr. Lupin will be back by lunchtime. They left early this morning on a mission for Dumbledore," Circe explained. She carefully avoided looking at Harry. "Aren't you going to start Potions today?"

"Yes, Mummy, but Miss Harry and Uncle Sev said I can't mix anything. I have to learn safety and equipment first," Phaedra pouted.

"That is how we all started. You don't want to melt down your cauldron do you?"

"I don't have a cauldron."

"Oh I wouldn't say that," Severus Snape's sardonic voice interrupted from the doorway, "what do you call this?" he asked, left brow arched, levitating a child's cauldron with the wand in his free hand while Sirius looked on.

"Uncle Sev, you bought me a cauldron!"

"Unfortunately no, it is a gift from your Uncle Tiberius. He bought us all our first cauldrons."

"You make sure to say thank you when he comes home later," her mother instructed.

"I will, Mummy," Phaedra promised as she got up and took the cauldron.

"Good morning, Mr. Sirius. You look tired. Are you okay? Miss Harry had bad dreams last night."

"I'm fine Phaedra," he assured the little girl. "You were having nightmares, again?" he asked, turning his attention to his goddaughter.

"They weren't nightmares," Harry insisted. "I simply had a lot on my mind so I had a restless night."

"Humph, she was all twisted in the covers and yelling in her sleep," Phaedra tattled.

"Indeed, Harry," Snape eyed her suspiciously, "we will need to have a little talk later."

"No, we will not! I was not having the kind of dreams you are both thinking," she tossed her head in annoyance, "and some things are none of your business. Phaedra it is not nice to tattle," Harry looked over at the little girl crossly.

"I'm sorry, Miss Harry. Please do not be mad at me. Headmaster Mr. Dumbledore asked me to tell them if you have nightmares. He said you don't like them to worry and don't always let them know when you have dreams about the bad wizards."

"I'm not mad at you, Phaedra, but now that you have told me this I will have a word with Dumbledore," Harry glared at Severus and Sirius, who were both red faced with embarrassment.

"Harry, we're only looking out for you. You have been through in seventeen years more than most people go through in a life time." Sirius stated matter of factly, as he sat down beside her, pulling Severus along with a sharp tug.

"Black you need not yank. I had every intention of sitting down too."

"Who was yanking? I was simply giving you a little nudge in the right direction."

"I'll nudge you in the right direction..."

"Enough! You two will never be separated if this keeps up. I said one-week minimum. If you cannot behave like adults, you do not deserve to be treated as such. For two men who are over thirty you both are acting more like you are Phaedra's age."

"Actually, I think my daughter is more mature than either of them," Circe sneered at her younger brother, "but you will see as you become more acquainted with the male sex that they never really grow up," Circe addressed Harry as she prepared to leave for work. "I will see you all tonight. Phaedra, you be a good girl while I'm at work and help Harry to make sure your uncle and Sirius do not kill one another," she sighed kissing Phaedra good-bye

"I will Mummy, don't worry," Phaedra smiled uncertainly as her mother started up the hall towards the front door to disapparate by the front gate. "Miss Harry did Mummy really mean that Uncle Severus and Mr. Sirius would hurt one another?"

"No, she knows they won't," Harry replied glaring at the two men and challenging them to reply. Harry in fact suspected they just might try to curse one another. "Now lets go on down to the cellar and see how your uncles set up the Potions room. I need to familiarize myself with it too," she emphasized with a nod. "I can't teach you if I don't know where everything is myself, now can I?" she asked, not really expecting an answer as Phaedra followed her out of the kitchen.

The two girls made their way downstairs and Harry found that the cellar had been separated into two sections. The front portion was for storage and the potions room was in the back. The set up was similar to the one at Snape's town home and in the same manner as the classroom at Hogwarts. Harry made a mental note to ask the professors if all potions labs were set up in that manner to enable the Potions Masters to have ready access by knowing of the location of each substance.

"Here Phaedra, your uncles have set up a nice little work area for you. Put the cauldron down on the table on the stone slab."

"Why is there a stone slab on the table?"

"So the table won't burn when you light the cauldron. Larger cauldrons are put on a stone floor or in the hearth, like the ones over there on your left."

"How come there are so many kinds?"

"It depends on how much of a potion you are making, the bigger the cauldron the larger the amount. If you needed some medicine for a flu outbreak you would want to make a large enough supply to use for many persons," Harry explained, noting that Severus and Sirius had come into the room and were watching her.

She was used to Snape watching her so she just continued with Phaedra while the two men went over to where Snape had set up a work area for himself. The two wizards sat down, whispering quietly to one another. Harry knew they were talking about her, and had the suspicion they were up to something.

"Will I be using any of the big cauldrons?"

"No, those are for when you are older. Even the students in Hogwarts do not use the large ones until their sixth and seventh year. Besides you aren't making a large enough amount to warrant using one, but if your uncles or I need to use one maybe they will let you watch to see how it is done."

"You do something different?"

"Come here, and I'll show you. You will need to be aware of this for your own safety anyway," Harry told her taking her over to the stone hearth, built into the foundation of the building. "This is a swing arm," she said demonstrating how the cauldron could be swung out of the hearth and away from the fire, "you must always stay to the left of the cauldron as the arm moves to the right. You don't want to be scalded or burned. You must also wear a dragon hide apron and gloves to protect yourself."

"But I don't have those things."

"I have a feeling your uncles got them for you," Harry winked at Severus having seen him put them on his table, and directing Phaedra's attention towards the two men.

"Uncle Sev, did you buy these for me?"

"He sure did, Phaedra. He ordered them the other day and they only just arrived by owl post yesterday," Sirius smiled at the little girl, "and I got you this, he said handing her a box.

"What is it?" she questioned opening the small wooden chest.

"It's a potions kit," Harry remarked pleased that Sirius had thought of the little girl. "It contains all the basic ingredients you will need."

"What is in all the bottles?"

"Different things used in the potions. I'm sure when you run out your uncle will give you more. He has them all in large quantities stored in the jars on that wall," she pointed over at the wall opposite from where they stood. "Now you only will need one more thing, and that is this," Harry smiled taking a small leather case from the pocket of her jeans. Opening it, Phaedra saw that it was a small steel knife.

"Why do you use a knife?"

"How else will you cut the plants you will be using?" Snape asked with a slight twitch of his lip. "Harry bought you the knife, but I will expect you to use it properly and not consider it a toy."

"I will Uncle Sev, I promise. Thank you, Miss Harry and Mr. Sirius for buying me these things so I can mix the potions. Thank you too, uncle," Phaedra beamed hugging him.

"Now put the knife away in the leather case. You won't be using it for awhile," Harry instructed, "and what ever you do, don't forget that promise you just made to your Uncle Severus. If he catches you misusing that knife he will hex me from here to Hogwarts. He didn't want me to give it to you."

"Why?"

"I merely wanted to make sure you knew the proper rules for all the equipment and could demonstrate how to use it without hurting yourself or someone else."

"I will be careful, Uncle Severus."

"I know you will, Phaedra. Now let Harry finish showing you the equipment and then she can start to teach you all the safety rules," Severus nodded to the two girls.

Harry kept her face straight, but both men could see her eyes were sparkling with laughter. They knew she knew Severus safety rules inside out. No student in his classes was allowed to touch anything until they had scored at least a B on his safety test and wrote an essay on the dangers of Potion making. Harry and Phaedra placed her new Dragon hide gloves and apron along with her Potions kit and knife back on her worktable. While Harry took her around the Potions room and showed her the various articles, the two men continued to talk quietly among themselves.

"She will be an excellent teacher," Sirius remarked as he pretended to read a magazine so that Harry would not realize he was watching her.

"Teaching one seven year old is not the same thing as standing in front of a classroom," Severus commented.

"No...However, she will do fine. She has a way with people. I think it is because she is an empath. Even when she shields their emotions I think she can inwardly sense what they are feeling and instinctively reacts to it."

"Perhaps, I have found that when she is interested in something she is a quick learner. Should she dislike something she will ultimately do her best to try and avoid the situation or topic."

"Did she try to avoid your class? You did work with her one on one."

"She took my class because it was required. The one on one was at Albus insistence for her safety and to advance in the Dark Arts training."

"Yes, but you also had to teach her Occlumency."

"She resisted at first, you know that. If she had not been so stubborn, maybe things would have been different that night at the Ministry."

"She would have gone anyway. Harry's greatest asset is that she will always protect the people she loves. You know that. Look what happened last Christmas with Phaedra. She went out of her way to protect her from Voldemort."

"For which I will be eternally grateful. If anything had happened to my niece..." Snape's voice trailed off. He was uncomfortable being so open with Sirius, and directed his attention towards Harry. "Potter, why don't you show Phaedra the various entrails she will have to get used to using. She does not like 'squishy things,' as she so often puts it."

"Professor Snape, I will show her what I think she needs to know in my own way. I am teaching her, so let me do so."

"She told you, Severus," Black chuckled softly. "You just don't want to talk about how you feel towards her. It can't be easy for you. Every time you look at her, you have to be reminded of how we got our jollies off by harassing you when we were kids. Your soul mate is a dead ringer for her father, and my best friend. Don't believe for one minute she was not truly upset when she found out what we were really like. She had this image of James as being a saint."

"And how do you feel about her, Black?" Severus inquired coolly.

"I care for her very deeply, but it will be up to her to choose who she will spend the rest of her life with. What will you do if she chooses someone other than you?"

"The question is what will you do?" Severus asked, as Harry stopped and turned to look over at the two of them, her features arched into a frown. "She can sense our feelings, Black. Perhaps we should continue this conversation later?"

"I think that would be an excellent idea, and Remus should also be a part of it too." Sirius smiled at Harry as she started to come back across the room towards them.

"Is everything all right? I feel the two of you are worried about something?"

"We're fine, Honey. Severus and I were just discussing the upcoming term at Hogwarts," he lied.

"Yes, I will be interested to see how you handle a group of eleven year olds. It will be quite different from doing tutoring with Phaedra," Snape agreed smoothly.

Harry cocked her head, and continued to frown. "What could be so troublesome between you two that you would lie to me?"

"We aren't lying, Honey."

"No, Sirius, you are, so don't compound it with another. I wish you would both just tell me. It doesn't have anything to do with the Deatheaters, does it?"

"No, Potter, we were just talking about you."

"DO NOT CALL ME POTTER!" Harry clenched her teeth enunciating each word. "MY NAME IS HARRY."

"I apologize, Harry," Snape sneered, arching his brow amused. He found he rather enjoyed teasing her about her name. It would really get her to respond to him, and he liked the attention.

"Miss Harry...come on. You said you were going to show me some animal guts and nasty stuff I have to use in some of the potions," Phaedra called from where she was waiting by the storage containers.

"Harry, we'll talk with you later. Please don't be angry with us," Sirius begged using his puppy dog eyes, "we just want you to be happy. You have nothing to worry about right now. Now go and finish up with Phaedra."

"You know, I could learn to hate those big brown eyes of yours. Talk about using them to your advantage. I'm glad I didn't go to Hogwarts when you did. I would have been doomed to become one of your conquests."

"How about now?" he wondered, pleased with her admission.

"Now you have competition. I love Severus air of mystery, and Moony always seems so sad, you just want to make him smile," she grinned dreamy eyed. "Wait a minute, that's what you were discussing...how you both feel about me."

"And if we were?" Snape queried. "Would that disturb you?"

"Only if you were coming to blows over me, then again...it might be rather romantic to let you both duel it out."

"Then would the winner would get the fair maiden's hand in marriage?" Sirius asked using all his charm.

"No."

"No?" they both questioned simultaneously.

"No, the winner would have to take on Remus first," she said throwing back her head and laughing, calling over her shoulder as she walked back to work with Phaedra, "It's nice to know you both really care...my heart and my soul mate."

"You know Black, no matter which of us she chooses, we will all be in her life. She has been bound to us by blood with the Protectorship, and will love each of us in her own special way."

"Sometimes you actually say something worth listening to, Severus. I will tell you this, I know she will always make us happy, and as for me I intend to see that she never wants for anything or anyone ever again."

"Than for once you and I are actually in agreement, and I believe Lupin will feel the same way," Snape acknowledged, turning his attention back to the book he was studying, pretending to concentrate on something other than Harry.

Harry spent over two hours working with Phaedra, and by the time she finished it was mid morning. Phaedra was delighted but protested loudly when Harry gave her some homework to do.

"Miss Harry, it's summer time. I don't like to do homework and I still have all my summer reading to do."

"Phaedra, it is very important for you to memorize these rules and the equipment. I will also give you a test on them before we begin mixing your first potion."

"Uncle Severus, Miss Harry is going to give me homework and quizzes! Tell her that she doesn't have to do that!"

"On the contrary, Phaedra, I intend to commend Harry on her desire to teach you properly. Uncle Tiberius will be impressed."

"Actually, I am," the elder Snape remarked coming into the room. He moved as swiftly and silently as his nephew, and Harry had not heard him come in. "Has Remus returned yet? We had to separate in order to fulfill our respective assignments."

"No, he hasn't come down here anyway," Sirius frowned, "when did you see him last?"

"We parted company about an hour ago, and agreed to meet back here when we had finished gathering the information Albus requested."

"I'm sure he will be along soon then. In the meantime, why don't we set Harry up with a potion to mix? She has completed her work with Phaedra for the day," Snape informed his uncle.

"Wait a minute; I really have to do this homework?" Phaedra pouted.

"Yes, Phaedra, you have to do the homework," Tiberius replied examining the parchment Phaedra had in front of her. "I would not allow you to do any potion making until you can memorize these rules. Harry is wise to have you write each one five times, although I used to have your mother and uncle write them ten."

"Really? Mummy and Uncle Severus had to do this for homework when you taught them Potions?"

"They did," he tussled his great niece's hair, "and I would quiz them daily too. Harry is being very easy with you."

"Then I will do it," she relented. "What can I do while Miss Harry mixes her potion for you?"

"If you will be very good and not move you may come and sit with me and Mr. Black and watch," Severus quietly replied.

"Can I do my homework while Miss Harry works on her potion?"

"Very well, you may do so. I have some extra writing materials in my desk."

"Thank you Uncle Sev," Phaedra responded pleased that she could stay. "Uncle Tiberius, Mummy said not to forget to say thank you for the cauldron. I promise to take very good care of it."

"I know you will," Tiberius nodded at his young niece with the trace of a smile. "Now Harry, I want you to mix a love potion. I know they were not permitted at Hogwarts, and in fact I always disagreed with Albus over that, but he was concerned about the misuse of the potion."

"Is there any one in particular you want me to try? I have never done any of them," she responded, thinking of her dream.

"I want you to do the 'Cupid's Arrow,' it is not the most difficult one, but it can be tricky," Tiberius explained opening a large tome containing the recipe for her to study.

"I'll drink to that," Harry replied looking up from the book. "How will I know if I did it right?"

"I'll know because I have mixed it and so has Severus, but you will also be testing it out."

"And who will I be testing it on?" she asked suspiciously.

"Yourself," Tiberius answered arching his brow, while Severus dark eyes were laughing at her and Sirius chuckled softly.

"I have to drink this stuff? It says I will go head over heels in love for one hour over the first person I see."

"Then I would suggest you look at someone you can trust," Tiberius snickered.

"Just how potent is this potion?"

"There is a very old Rock and Roll song called, 'Love Potion Number Nine,' that is the basis for this potion. Have you ever heard the song?"

"You mean the one where the person starts kissing everything in sight?"

"The same," Tiberius nodded.

"And I thought Severus could be vicious," Harry laughed, and started gathering her ingredients from the stores on the shelves and setting the water to boil in one of the smaller cauldrons.

It was a complex and tricky potion and needed to be mixed slowly. It contained powdered bicorn horn, daisy roots, fluxweed, ginger roots, unicorn tail hair, and ground honeycombs. The animal ingredients were stewed first and then the daisy roots and ginger added. The honeycomb had to be ground into a fine powder the texture of talc, and sprinkled in a thimbleful at a time and then stirred three times clockwise and three times counter every fifteen minutes over the course of an hour. Harry finally completed the potion and removed the cauldron from the fire. She then set it to cool and began pouring it into the bottles she had secured from the storage area.

"Miss Harry that was terrific," Phaedra marveled.

"Thank you, but we still don't know if it will work."

"Then I would suggest you wait a few minutes and test it," Severus remarked looking up from his book.

"I say she did a good job! Look what a pretty shade of purple it is," Phaedra told her uncle Severus pertly.

"At least I know the color is right. The book said it should turn purple during the final stages of brewing."

"That is quite correct. The question is, did you mix it at the right dosage?"

"I followed the directions, so I hope I didn't make any mistakes."

"Well, we shall find out shortly," Tiberius smiled evilly.

"That smile does not bode well," Harry nervously licked her lower lip, looking at the three men.

"Well then, you can just make sure I am the first one you see," Sirius grinned. "I could use some extra cuddling and if it is too strong I promise to be polite."

"Hah!" Harry exclaimed, "you just want the added attention so you can get me to let you loose from Severus. You would tell me how much you cared and beg me to set you free so we could be alone."

"Harry, do you really think I would consider such a thing?"

"If you didn't I'm sure Severus did!" she laughed eyeing the two men suspiciously.

"I must confess it had not occurred to me to do so, but it would be a good idea," Snape remarked looking a Sirius slyly.

"We'll just have to be the first ones she sees after she drinks it."

"Not a prayer, I will look in the mirror when I drink it," Harry sneered smugly.

"You are aware that if you look at yourself you will spend the hour acting like that peacock, Gilderoy Lockhart?" Snape inquired thoughtfully.

"Then maybe you will have a fast antidote handy for me," she grinned back at him.

"Alas, I have none made at the moment," Snape jibed back.

"What kind of antidote?" Lupin's familiar voice came from the door. They had been so preoccupied that only Tiberius had been aware of his return.

"Remus, you're back!" Sirius beamed, unable to disguise the relief in his voice. "I was beginning to get concerned. Tiberius got back well over an hour ago."

"I got on the trail of some new information and was almost able to capture one of the younger Deatheaters. I believe Harry may have known her at Hogwarts, a young woman by the name of Alicia Spinnet."

"She was in Gryffindor, but ahead of me. She was a reserve player on the Quidditch team," Harry responded shocked. "I just can't believe Alicia became a Deatheater. She didn't seem the type to go over to the dark side."

"What is the type then?" Severus questioned menacingly. "Deatheaters are not just Slytherins, as you have pointed out on several occasions."

"No, they aren't. I meant that she always seemed happy with her life. I would not have thought she was a purist, even though she is a pureblood."

"Perhaps she had other motives, we may never know," Remus interrupted calmly, "whatever the case, she escaped me when I was crossing the street and she was able to disapparate in an alley."

"So long as you're back safe and sound," Harry commented, "I could care less. She will be apprehended another time."

"Harry's right," Sirius agreed, "and at least we have been able to identify another of the Deatheaters."

"Has Albus arrived yet?" Remus inquired. "I'd like to give him my report and then have a bite to eat."

"Albus said he will be here by twelve for lunch and we could report our findings then," Tiberius stated soberly. "I think he will be more than interested in what I have discovered. Were you able to find out where the new headquarters were located?"

"No," Remus admitted ruefully, "but I did find out they were somewhere just outside of London."

"I think we should actually discuss this later, and give a full report to Albus first," Tiberius said with authority, nodding towards Harry who had been listening intently along with Phaedra.

"I think we should all go up and have lunch. Harry is quite good in the kitchen and I know I am not the greatest cook," Sirius admitted with a grin, "unless someone else wants to do the honors and prepare lunch?"

"I think Miss Harry should. I've eaten the food both of my Uncles have made and it's yucky," Phaedra told the group of men screwing up her face to show her dislike.

"Then you can help me get the lunch ready so we can eat!"

"What about Dobby and Hazel? Why can't they help?"

"If I know the two of them they are probably way ahead of us. Let's hope they made the lunch so all we have to do is clean up. Helping in the kitchen is on both of our list of chores."

"How come they don't have any chores?" Phaedra asked pointing her thumb at the group of wizards as they all made their way out of the Potions room and up the stairs?"

"They do. I happen to know Sirius and Remus are responsible for the upkeep of the shrubs and flower gardens. Your Uncles take care of the vegetable and herb gardens and your Mum makes sure the house stays clean! We all live here so we need to make sure we all help to maintain the household. The elves help with the cleaning and cooking but can't do everything."

"Who does the laundry?"

"We all are taking turns, Phaedra," Sirius smiled, "why?"

"I was wondering why my new shirt turned pink!"

"That was my fault," Sirius admitted, "I accidentally got a red sock in with the whites. I am afraid all of the underwear are now pink too," he laughed, eyeing Severus for his reaction.

"Obviously you didn't separate our things from the ladies."

"Afraid not, Sev, but no one will know you have on pink beneath your usual black robes unless you want them to," Sirius remarked playfully.

"Black if you so much as tell a soul outside of this room I'll..."

"Laugh if off with everyone else and find a formula to turn the whites back to normal," Harry finished for him, while Sirius had all he could do to restrain himself from laughing with glee at Severus scowl.

"Miss Harry, why is Uncle Severus so upset about his underwear?" Phaedra asked innocently. "I like pink panties."

"Phaedra, men do not wear pink underwear," Harry explained choking on her laughter, while Sirius looked at the ceiling and began to whistle.

"I think we should just drop this subject!" Severus snarled, glaring at Sirius.

"Come now, Severus," Tiberius chided, "there really is no reason to be angry. No one will see your underwear and the undergarments can be replaced. It was an honest mistake."

"You are correct, of course, uncle. I am acting childish. I'm sure Black did not do it deliberately," Severus replied aloud, but his mind was reeling as the thought crept through his brain, 'Like hell he didn't. The nasty bastard knew he would have to explain how our whites were ruined and made sure to embarrass me in front of Harry.'

"Severus, please don't be upset. I'm sure Sirius will be happy to replace our ruined undergarments," Harry nudged her godfather.

"Er...yes, of course I will," Sirius agreed, knowing Harry suspected he really did do it on purpose.

"Good, now can we eat lunch? I am famished and Phaedra has already admitted to being hungry. I see Harry was right, the elves did make us some lunch," Remus stated firmly, reaching for the tray of sandwiches the elves had left.

"What kinds of sandwiches did Hazel make for us, Miss Harry?"

"I see tuna and egg salad, roast beef, ham, and turkey with cheese. There is also a jug of grape juice, some fresh fruit, and some of the cookies and cake we didn't finish last night at Remus' party."

"What about Mr. Headmaster Dumbledore? Is there a piece of cake left for him?"

"Yes, Phaedra," Remus assured her, "I had Dobby set aside a nice big piece for him last night. Now let's eat!"

"Miss Harry can I have some cake and cookies, please?" Phaedra begged cocking her head coquettishly.

"Not until you have at least one sandwich," Harry countered with a smile.

"Oh...all right. I guess I'll have some...egg salad," she decided.

"Here you go," Harry said placing the sandwich on a plate and pouring her a glass of juice.

"I don't like the brown part of the bread," Phaedra pouted.

"It is called the crust, Phaedra," Snape told her quietly.

"Will you cut if off for me, Miss Harry?" she pleaded ignoring her uncle.

"I think you should eat it," Severus remarked sternly. "It is merely the portion of the bread which was baked on the outside."

"But Uncle Sev, it doesn't taste good. Mummy always cuts it off for me."

"Phaedra why don't you taste it, and if you still say you don't like it, I will cut if off for you," Harry commented giving Severus a dirty look.

"I don't see why she should not eat it. It is a waste of bread," Tiberius Snape added in defense of his nephew.

"I can see you were both raised to eat everything that was put in front of you," Harry responded caustically, trying not to lose her temper.

"And you weren't?" Tiberius queried looking down his long aquiline nose at her.

"I either had to eat it or starve, when I got anything at all. I promised myself that if I didn't like the food when I grew up I wouldn't eat it. I think forcing Phaedra to eat something she finds unappetizing is wrong. Most little kids don't eat the bread crusts, anyway. I know Dudley and his friends didn't."

"It's okay, Miss Harry. Please don't fight with my uncles."

"Phaedra, if your Mum cuts off the crust for you then I will too, and your uncles be damned! If they want to make an issue over a piece of bread they can take it up with your mother. As for me, I think they are acting like a pair of cheapskates over something trivial," Harry glared, removing the crusts from the sandwich, while the memory of her Aunt Petunia giving her Dudley's discarded bread crusts for lunch crept through her mind.

"Potter as Phaedra's uncle you have no business overstepping my authority," Severus threatened coldly.

"Oh, and are you going to hex me for it?"

"I don't need to," Snape sneered eyeing his Uncle Tiberius.

"What's the matter, you need your uncle to protect you from the nasty little witch?" she taunted.

"Harry, sit down and eat your lunch. You know better than to taunt Severus like that," Remus interceded trying to maintain a semblance of calm.

"Yes, Honey, you have had a tiring morning and the two of you are just taking out your frustrations on one another," Sirius soothed, inwardly delighted at their bickering, "have something to eat and a glass of juice and you will both feel better."

"Perhaps you are right, Black. I apologize, Harry. I am usually much more forthcoming with Phaedra."

"Apology accepted," she responded suspiciously, biting into a tuna sandwich as a knock came at the back door. "I'll get it," she said taking a big gulp of the grape juice and pulling open the door.

"Harry wait!" Sirius yelled, but it was too late, she was facing the gnarled and scarred figure of Mad Eye Moody.

"Alastor Moody! I have really missed you. I love you!" she shouted throwing herself into his arms, trying to kiss him.

"I see you have had your first lesson in vigilance and failed," the Auror laughed. "I presume you snuck her some of the love potion she mixed?"

"Alastor please, I love your roving blue eye. Please say you care?" Harry moaned as she continued to try and plant kisses on his stubbly face.

"I'm sorry Alastor, we had intended she look at one of her protectors, but she opened the door as the potion took effect," Tiberius grinned.

"Miss Harry you look silly," Phaedra giggled, watching Harry as she held onto Moody."

"It's not silly to be in love. Alastor please don't listen to them. I love you and want you to be mine forever."

"My dear, I'm afraid they are right. You have drunk the love potion Tiberius had you mix. It was a little Auror lesson in vigilance. You did not suspect they would spike your drink because they are your friends. You need to learn not to trust just anyone. Look what happened with Hermione when she betrayed you to Voldemort. She was someone close to you, and it could happen again."

"Alastor, please don't lie to me. I love you. I need you and will do anything for you," Harry pleaded tearfully.

"Harry, honey, please don't cry. Alastor isn't lying. We thought you would look at one of us. We purposely had Severus get you mad to distract you," Sirius remarked in an attempt to pacify her, as he assisted Moody to disentangle himself from her embrace.

"Princess, it will be all right. Try and concentrate and fight the effects of the potion."

"Lupin is right, Harry, you need to keep your wits about you," Severus smooth voice chided. "You are capable of fighting off the effects of the potion. You have an inner strength that is beyond most witches and wizards."

"How could you all do this to me? You're all lying. I love Mad Eye. It isn't fair, you're all just jealous!" Harry hissed, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Miss Harry, Mr. Sirius and Mr. Remus both love you and so does my Uncle Severus. You have to listen to what they are saying. They told me you would laugh about this, but you're crying," Phaedra anxiously looked at the adults, eyes filled with tears. "I didn't mean to trick you with the bread," she sobbed.

Harry looked at the little girl and gritted her teeth angrily; "they made you a part of their stupid little game?" she asked trying to focus her mind on something other then Mad Eye Moody.

"They said it would be fun and you would laugh about it. I'm sorry; please don't be mad at me."

"Mad...Eye...I love...NO!" Harry exclaimed trying to focus again. "I am...under...a love...potion. I am...not...in ...love with...Professor...Moody."

"Good Potter," Tiberius Snape praised looking at his watch, "keep trying to focus on reality."

"Severus...whose idea...was...this?"

"Whom do you think?" he replied grinning evilly at Sirius. "Who do you know that likes to play jokes?" Severus gloated, pleased to be able to get back at his rival for the business involving the underwear.

"Sirius Black...you will...rue...the day," she began, catching sight of Moody out of the corner of her eye. "Professor...please say you...love me too!"

"Constant vigilance, Miss Potter!" his gravelly voice bellowed.

"Professor?" Harry scowled up at him in confusion, a look of intense concentration on her face. "I am...Harry Potter. I am under...a...love potion. I am...going to...kill...my...godfather...when this...wears...off!" she commented furiously, whirling around to look at Sirius, who was trying hard not to laugh. "You are all...in...big...trouble...Mad Eye...Please say you...love ...me," Harry gasped as Moody moved to sit down, blue eye roving about as his brown one studied her in amusement.

"Ah...Harry, my dear girl, you are doing quite well fighting the love potion. Tiberius, how long has it been since the potion took effect?"

"Fifteen minutes, Alastor. The usual time before wearing off is one hour, but she is amazing in her ability to control the negative effects of the mixture," Tiberius stated emphatically. "By the way Harry, you mixed the potion correctly. I am both pleased and surprised since it is so tricky. According to my nephew Potions is not your greatest talent, but I believe you have great potential."

"Thank...you...Mr. Snape. Your...nephew...should emulate you...more...often. Professor Moody, please say....NO! I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH ALASTOR MOODY," Harry fumed fighting the love potion with renewed effort. "Remus...were you aware...of...what...they were...up to?" she asked trying to redirect her attention.

"Princess I didn't realize they were going to make you drink the potion. I just knew Sirius and Alastor were going to do some Auror training to teach you to be on your guard with the people around you," he replied, trying not to smile at her discomfiture every time Moody crept into her field of vision.

"Miss Harry, why do they want to make you afraid of your friends?"

"They...don't. They are trying...to...teach...me...how to be...more...careful about...what I eat...or drink...even in the...company of...friends...and how to...control the...effects of...certain drugs."

"Why? Is someone going to give you a bad potion?"

"You never know, Phaedra," Moody nodded, "Harry will need to be careful when she is around someone suspected of going dark. We only sneaked a love potion into her drink, but it could easily have been a truth drug or even poison."

"Miss Harry is someone going to poison you?" the child asked in alarm.

"No Phaedra, no one is going to poison Harry," Severus calmed his niece. "We merely want her to be aware of possible dangers she may encounter working with Mr. Moody as an Auror."

"But Miss Harry is going to be a teacher at Hogwarts! You all said so. Why would she want to be an Auror too?"

"She wants to help keep us all safe from the dark wizards," Remus responded kindly, putting his hand on her shoulder. "This will help her to learn to be more alert to her surroundings."

"Professor Moody...I apologize for...embarrassing you...but..." Harry started, stopping to close her eyes. I am not...in love...with him. I must control...my...desire to...hug and...kiss him," she spoke aloud to herself. Opening her eyes she looked at her protectors. "I am going...to get...even with...you guys for...this."

"Honey we really didn't mean to embarrass you like this with Alastor," Sirius chuckled, trying to give her a hug but she brushed him aside. "We just thought it would be a good idea to test your potion making ability at the same time as doing some unsuspected Auror training. Alastor felt it would be good to test you unawares, as a lesson in alertness."

"Well...you will all have...plenty of...time to...consider doing such a...mean and stupid trick...on me...again. I hope you...and Severus will...enjoy...staying tied together for...the...rest of...the...summer," she intoned spitefully. "Professor Moody...I apologize for...any embarrassment I may...have caused. Now I am...going to go and...lie down for a while...as the potion...has given me...a...headache. Please feel free...to join...everyone for lunch. I will...see...you all...later," Harry excused herself rising from the table.

"How long has it been now, Tiberius?" Moody asked as she left the room.

"It took her a total of twenty-six minutes to regain control," Tiberius answered studying his watch. "I find that quite remarkable in view of the fact she had no idea we spiked the juice."

Harry merely smiled at them as she left the kitchen, still struggling with the effects of the love potion. She made her way upstairs, and penned a brief note to Hermione and Ron, telling them what happened, and after securing them to Hedwig's leg, she lay down on her bed and closed her eyes. The potion was wearing off rapidly, but she was exhausted from the mental struggle, and rolled over and fell asleep until Phaedra came and woke her up about three hours later. They spent the rest of the afternoon playing with the Monopoly game.

Harry was hoping Dumbledore would come since he did not come for lunch. She wanted talk to him about his continued insistence to know if she was having nightmares, as well as what had happened with the love potion. She suspected he had known what they were planning, and she was disturbed that he would agree to it. However, the Headmaster did not come, and sent a message with Fawkes that he would be there in the morning due to continued problems at Hogwarts, and asked Remus and Tiberius to send their reports back with him. He also reminded them to please save his piece of cake. His affinity for sweets helped to temper her mood somewhat, and they rest of the day was spent peacefully despite the ongoing glares she sent to her protectors for what they had done.