Love Potion HP

Chapter Eight: The Christmas Quiz

Severus vacated his quarters inside the castle and, by the nineteenth, moved in with Sirius. Their cabin was larger than Hagrid's hut, but still quite cozy. The first floor had a separate living room and kitchen, in which Severus installed a special cabinet for his potion ingredients. Upstairs was a single bedchamber and several smaller rooms for storage, all of which Severus claimed. Sirius had very few possessions and he was a bit afraid of several of Severus's trunks, which were enchanted with enough curses to kill half of House Hufflepuff and probably contained objects beyond foul. After unpacking, they employed the bed for the obvious purpose, then fell asleep pleasantly exhausted.

Sirius awoke alone the next morning. The absence of a warm body beside him gave him a start, but he quickly calmed and dressed. Robed and slippered, he padded downstairs, through the living room, into the kitchen, uncertain what- if anything- was stocked in the pantry for breakfast.

He hardly anticipated stumbling upon Severus levitating a frying pan, eggs, butter, toast, some spices, and several small flames above the stove.

"What are you doing?" he asked groggily.

"Cooking," Severus answered sharply, without turning.

Sirius yawned. "Why?"

"Somebody has to and I don't expect you to be able to do it."

Sirius wondered if Severus meant to be snide or only spoke that way because he had forgotten how else to talk.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Not really. Set the table."

Sirius removed plates and utensils for two from the cupboard. "You don't seem like the type of person who would eat eggs," he commented idly.

"I don't," said Severus. "It's part of the diet Pomfrey put me on."

"How much weight did you lose?"

Severus shrugged.

"Really," he prodded.

"Enough so that my robes don't fit anymore- why do you care?" Severus snapped.

Sirius placed his head on his shoulder, embracing him from behind. "I think that should be obvious," he whispered in his ear.

"Oh, don't get mushy," Severus groaned, but Sirius caught the hint of a smile on his face.

Sirius squeezed him, then drew away. "Actually, I need to tell you something. You're not going to like it, but..."

Severus looked over his shoulder, narrowing his eyes. "What?"

He took a deep breath. "I won't be here tonight. I'm going to Gryffindor Tower. I'm going to tell Harry about us."

Two eggs dropped from mid-air and broke on the floor. Severus started trembling.

"That br- that boy has no right-"

"The only reason I'm comfortable with leaving our relationship a secret is that it's dangerous!" Sirius exclaimed. "If I wasn't wanted by the Ministry of Magic, there'd be no excuse-"

"So, why don't you just send a Howler to The Daily Prophet about it!" Severus shouted. "Oh, Rita Skeeter would love that!"

Sirius tried to remain calm as he spoke through gritted teeth, "Harry is my godson and he should know, especially since this could be permanent."

"We've been together less than a month," he scoffed. "How is that permanent?"

"I consider our relationship to have started early October."

"You mean with that kiss that repulsed us so much?" he retorted.

Sirius shrugged uneasily. "It was a start," he said, then spoke firmly, "Severus, I'm telling him tonight."

Severus spun back towards the stove. The flames suddenly extinguished and the plates and pans landed with clank. "Fine. Whatever."

He stormed out of the room. Sirius followed, calling, "Where are you going?"

"Class."

"But you haven't eaten."

Severus opened the front door. "Who cares?"

"I do! Pomfrey warned you! You'll faint!"

"Good!" Severus snapped, and slammed the door behind him.

* * *

Harry let out a long breath as he flopped into an armchair. It had been a difficult day and double Potions in the afternoon had not helped. Every time he looked at Snape, his mind betrayed him, conjuring mental images that completely nauseated him. Something evil was behind his godfather's lust affair; he was certain of it.

Precisely at midnight, the familiar black dog strolled into the common room. Sirius took his human form and stood next to the chair across from Harry, tensely gripping its back.

"Hello, Harry," he said, smiling weakly.

Harry stood up. He did not feel comfortable sitting if Sirius was not. "Hello."

"How were classes today?"

"Oh, the usual," he shrugged. "McGonagall turned Ron into a toad during Transfigurations. And the Divinations teacher still thinks I'm going to be impaled next Tuesday."

Sirius laughed and asked nonchalantly, "How was Potions?"

"It was fine," he said. Actually, it had been anything but fine, but he was no longer sure how to mention Snape to Sirius.

Sirius nodded. "Uh..." he began softly. "Harry, did you hear that Professor Snape moved out of the castle yesterday?"

"Yes. Everyone's wondering why."

"Well...um..." He sighed and turned his eyes askance. "I don't quite know how to tell you this. You see, Sev- Snape and I, we..."

"I know," Harry whispered.

Sirius looked up. "Know what?"

"Well, I-" he began hesitantly, then stopped. There was no point in fumbling. After all, it was still Sirius. "October first, I left my bag in class and when I went to get it I saw you and Snape... err..."

"Ye-es?" Sirius prodded timidly.

Just say it. "Kissing."

Sirius's shoulders slumped. "Oh."

"I'm sorry if I should have said something," he hastily apologized. "I-"

Sirius shook his head. "No, no, it's alright. I'm rather glad you didn't. I wouldn't have known how to explain- I still don't know how to explain..."

"Do you and Snape... uh..." Harry could scarcely believe he was asking the question. "Uh... you know."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Now is that really an appropriate question, Harry?" he admonished, then answered, "Yes."

"Oh," he said. He suddenly felt very ill. It was one thing to watch dots on a map- it was entirely different to have verbal confirmation.

"I just wanted you to know," said Sirius. "I don't expect you to treat Snape any differently... God only knows he wouldn't return the favor."

Harry smiled weakly. At least his godfather still had an accurate estimation of the Potions Master.

"Alright. It's alright."

Sirius patted him on the shoulder. "Thanks for understanding, Harry."

But Harry didn't understand at all and in that moment, felt only guilt.

* * *

Severus hated Christmas. It was a empty holiday that did nothing but lighten his purse purchasing presents for acquaintances unworthy of being called friends and clutter his quarters with useless gifts that only proved how little the sender knew or cared to discover about him.

The students were positively insufferable. The per capita consumption of sugar reached a peak only matched at Halloween, attention spans dwindled by the meter, and more cauldrons melted than at any other time during the year.

A litany of foul thoughts ran its course through his mind as he stalked the classroom. With two days until vacation, only Miss Granger had the patience to watch Rimweld's Remedy simmer; no one else had bothered to note when or how to adjust their burners, resulting in the frothing mess overflowing most of the desks.

The puddles bubbling on the floor fed Severus's ire, but they were not its origin. The source was, as usual and- it seemed- always, Potter. The moment their eyes had met at the start of class, Potter's skin tinged green and his face faintly screwed with what could only be interpreted as nausea.

Goddamn you, Sirius Black! Severus thought with indignant rage. What right did the boy have to judge him or whom he chose to bed? What right did any of these brats have to dismiss him as merely a foul, greasy schoolteacher and assume nothing more to him?

He had a sudden urge to punish them all with a nasty, lengthy assignment due after the holidays, but realized it would only confirm their beliefs.

The glimmer of a thought crept into his mind. Slowly, it expanded and took form, pleasing him the more he pondered it. It was a perfect, sweet revenge that would not only satisfy his inner sadist and induce a lasting paranoia in the children, but also prove they did not know everything about their Potions Master.

"Tomorrow, there will be quiz," he suddenly announced. "When you enter class, you will find several marked, but unlabeled, bottles at your desk along with a parchment of instructions. You are to follow those directions explicitly and then tell me what you have brewed. Do take care not to blow yourselves up- especially you, Potter. Don't think I've forgotten what happened in October."

Potter's cheeks flushed from green to red and Draco Malfoy snickered.

"Five points from Slytherin for that, Malfoy!" Severus snapped. A small Christmas present for himself; he had never really liked the boy and now that the Death Eaters knew he was false, he saw little reason to keep up appearances for Lucius's sake.

Draco let out a sound somewhere between a yelp and peep. Pristine shocked covered his pale, pointed face.

As Potter swerved around to stare, Severus sharply reprimanded, "Potter! Don't gawk- I believe you've been punished the same numerous times before."

Potter gulped, but managed to utter audibly, "Yes, sir."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "How magnanimous of you to say so."

The bell rang.

* * *

"I don't believe it!" Ron exclaimed as he rushed through the halls alongside Harry and Hermione. "Oh, Snape was really mad- he took points from Slytherin!"

"What I can't believe," countered Hermione, "is this quiz tomorrow. The last day of class before vacation! And isn't it awfully dangerous not to tell us what the ingredients are? There has to be a rule against it!"

"We should find it."

Hermione shook her head. "Can't. We'll have to study all night so we can identify our potions, or we'll never hope to pass!"

"Pass?" Ron asked. "I'm more worried about surviving! We all should, especially you, Harry. You know Snape's going to give you something deadly."

"Mmm..." Harry frowned queasily and shrugged.

"Harry?" Hermione asked. "What's wrong?"

Harry bit his lip. "Can we go someone private? I- I really need to talk to you two about what Sirius told me last night."

* * *

The Gryffindors and Slytherins entered Snape's classroom to find it exactly as promised: at each desk was an already steaming cauldron and several, multiple colored, but unmarked, bottles. Harry glanced at his parchment. The directions appeared relatively simple, only requiring him to mix a bit of this and that, but there was no telling what was in the bottles. He personally expected something foul.

Hermione was the first to begin mixing. She opened a bottle, releasing a surprisingly pleasant, minty scent. The other students followed suit and began. As Harry glanced about him, it seemed as if everyone had the same ingredients and directions. The potion, whatever it was, was easy to make. Even Neville could do it.

The mixture took five minutes to prepare but over thirty to brew and everyone sat in perfect silence as they waited. Harry glanced apprehensively into his cauldron. It was filled to brim with viscous white fluid that did not remotely resemble anything he had ever made in one of Snape's classes.

Finally, with less than two minutes to the bell, Snape asked, "Well? Do any of you have the slightest clue as to what you have made?"

A desperate Hermione bravely stuck her finger into the cauldron and tasted it. "It's... why, it's..."

It was liquid peppermint candy.

Snape leaned against his desk with a twisted grin across his face. Everyone stared at him as if he had gone mad.

* * *

Hermione's hand trembled slightly as a single droplet fell from the vial to her cauldron. A small puff of purple smoke rose from the surface of her peppermint concoction.

"Well, it's not poisonous," she said. "And..." She picked up another vial. This time the smoke was blue. "...it's not enchanted."

"Bishop to E5," Ron said. "I still wouldn't drink it. Check, Harry."

Harry blinked and stared grimly at the chessboard.

"Move the knight," Hermione said.

Ron frowned. "You're not supposed to help!"

"Oh, come on, Ron! It wouldn't hurt to let Harry win for once," she said. "And I'm sure the peppermint is fine. I brewed the Dateta Serums myself."

Ron gave her a funny look and shrugged.

"It's fine," she insisted. "See?" She stuck a spoon into the cauldron and took a sip. "Actually, it's quite good."

Ron stared as if she might at any moment turn into a toad.

"Oh, listen!" she exclaimed. "Snape wouldn't poison us-"

"He threatened to last year," Harry reminded.

"Yes, but that was to test antidotes. If something happened to us, especially Harry, Dumbledore would be upset and Sirius would be upset-"

A familiar Quaffle of sickness dropped into Harry's stomach.

"Hermione," he said, "I still can't find anything in the library to explain why Snape and Sirius would suddenly... well... I need some way to get into the restricted section."

Hermione bit her lip and pondered. "I think I have an idea... but it will have to wait until after Christmas. I'm leaving in an hour," she said, gesturing towards her suitcase.

Harry nodded. "That's fine."

It really wasn't, but he did not have a choice.