A/N:
Written for the new forum I joined a few days ago, The Golden Snitch.
Submitted for: Kaze House at the Mahoutokoro School of Magic
This fic is written as an entry for the Magic Minds, Mushrooms, and Maths Challenge.
Prompt:
Potions Inventor = your task is to create a potion that incorporates Mushrooms and integrate it in your story. The rest of the plot is yours. But you must explain or show how it's brewed.
Math Lover = Write about someone passionate about Arithmancy.
Additional Prompts included = a. 'Are you feeling alright mate? You look as you've seen a ghost!' (dialogue); b. Padma Patil (character); c. Astronomy Tower (location); d. Harry/Hermione (pairing); e. 'Don't you love numbers? They show the secrets to everything!' (dialogue)
Word Count Challenge: 600 – 3,000 words
Actual Word Count: 2,987
This is also written for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments) Forum as a reply for the Ghost Hunting: Hogwarts Ghosts tasks list.
Specifically, Task # 2 Helena Ravenclaw – Write about a long-kept secret.
Word Count Challenge: 300 – 3,500 words
Actual Word Count: 2,987
Credits to the Harry Potter Wiki for the potions ingredients.
This is a fluffy one-shot.
I am hoping that you will like it!
THE POTTER POTION
By: tweety-src-clt9
Hermione, the Minister for Magic, is reading the paperwork piled on her desk. She is a little behind in keeping up with the many files she has to peruse, because yesterday, she took a day off to accompany her children to Platform 9 and ¾. All of them are finally off to Hogwarts and lastly, her eldest is now a seventh-year.
Suddenly, there was a knock on her door. She beckoned the person to enter.
"Good afternoon, Minister!", Harry Potter, the Head Auror, greeted her with a big cheeky grin.
"What can I do for you, Auror Potter?", she said with mock stern.
"Well, my eldest son wrote to me. I reckon my wife would want to read it as well", he smirked.
"Really? Jamie wrote to us? Well, come over here! And read it out loud!", she said with excitement.
"It pains me that you're more excited about a letter than seeing your poor old husband", he pouted. She rolled her eyes. Harry Potter could be such a baby sometimes!
She stood up from her seat and walked over to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and passionately kissed him. When she pulled away, he had a goofy grin. He's really such a lovable simple-minded idiot sometimes, but well, he was her idiot.
"There. Husband thoroughly snogged. Now read the letter!", she commanded in her signature bossy voice which makes the Wizengamot listen, but her husband only snorted.
"Come here!", he tugged on her hand. She was plonked on his lap. His arms wrapped around her as he read the letter out loud.
Dear Mum and Dad,
Being Head Boy is stressful but I'll live. I miss starting pranks though. Hard to be the prankster when I'm supposed to be the role model. Lyra Malfoy is a great Head Girl and we work well together. She's not that bad, even for a Slytherin.
Anyway, my peers want me to provide the Potter Potion for the Seventh Years' pre-graduation tradition. So, I am curious. How did the potion come to be? Why is it named after the Potters? Did Mum make it? I reckon she did since, well, you're not really into potions, dad. No offense.
Harold Remus is doing well in Ravenclaw. He's already studying for OWLs. Viola Lily is still attempting to break mum's school records in her third year. I'll keep an eye on her so that the Gryffindors and her peers won't make fun of her for being such a nerd. Lastly, Lillian Joy got sorted into Slytherin. Your spoiled little princess will rule the snakes with her cunning.
I'll watch over all of them, I promise.
I'm looking forward to your explanation.
Your son,
James Sirius
P.S. You won't mind if I ask Lyra Malfoy out, right?
"It seems Ginny and Draco might be our future in-laws, sweetheart", Harry remarked after reading the letter.
"Well, we've been friends with Ginny for the longest time. So, it's not a problem. And besides, the ferret's been really tamed ever since they got together", Hermione mused.
"I am so laughing at the ferret's face if our son marries his eldest daughter. Lucius Malfoy would roll in his grave when a Malfoy becomes a Potter!", he laughed earning himself a playful smack on the chest.
"It seems our little bundle of Joy inherited your cunning, my darling", she chuckled.
"Me? Cunning? Who's the one who crashed all political bias and ended up ruling, I mean, leading, Magical Britain?", he teased.
"Who gets the duty of explaining the history of the Potter Potion to our son?", she asked.
"Hmmm…I vote that the creator explains its history", he chuckled.
"Fine!", she huffed. He lovingly kissed her cheek for encouragement.
"Since you're writing the letter, I'll give you a body massage later. How's that sound?", he cajoled. His eyebrows wiggling mischievously.
"The massage is a prelude to you trying to get lucky!"
"Well, that's true. But at least you get a massage", he winked.
"It better be a good massage", she muttered. She went back to her seat and looked for a blank parchment. She dipped her quill in ink and started to write her reply.
"I'll cook dinner", he sweetened the deal.
"Now you're talking", Hermione looked up from the parchment.
"Since my schedule is free, I'll sit with you for a while. I want to read your letter before we send it to Jamie", Harry announced. He watched his wife with a fond smile as she wrote to their son.
Hermione tilted her chin up. The snowy white feather of her quill tickling her nose as memories of their seventh year at Hogwarts entered her mind…
It was their final year at Hogwarts. Their eight year, since they skipped seventh year for the Horcrux hunt. She was able to convince her boyfriend Ron and her best friend Harry to go back to Hogwarts with her. It was easier to convince Harry to go back and finish school. She reckons that Ginny, his girlfriend, played a part in that.
It is NEWT year and surprisingly, classes are much easier than expected. It seems that all the extra research she has done to help Harry through the years, and all the reading she did during the hunt, made her so advanced in her school work. So, she decided to accept a part-time job from George Weasley. Since the reopening of the Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes, George wanted to develop new products.
After Voldemort's death, everyone is in a festive mood. Hence, too many people are pissed drunk all the time. With that, George had this idea to develop a potion that will make the drinker immune to the effects of alcohol. He offered Hermione to create the potion and if she succeeds, he will pay her 1000 galleons after the formula is perfected. There is also a 50-galleon stipend for each month of the research. She plans to go to Australia to restore her parents' memories so she needs to earn money in preparation.
She's been doing research for the last three months and finally, she has made decent progress.
She is now brewing the first formula of the Anti-drunkenness Potion; she hasn't thought of a better name yet. So, she decided to call it after its intended purpose. Maybe George could think of the final name once she perfects it.
She is busily working in the potion's laboratory. It's a good thing that Professor Slughorn loves to surround himself with influential students so, as the Brightest Witch of The Age or whatever moniker the papers call her, she got special permission to use all the ingredients in the laboratory whenever she wants.
According to her readings, this will be the perfect antidote to drunkenness.
African Red Pepper – 3 tablespoons
Lavender – 5 pieces
Cinnamon – 10 teaspoons
Octopus Powder – 1 teaspoon
Horseradish – 1 tablespoon
Onion Juice – ½ liter
Lovage Seeds – 50 pieces
All the ingredients should be added in correct order and should be simmered in a cauldron for three hours. When the potion is a rich red color, she has to add the last ingredient, one cup full of crushed Shiitake Mushrooms. Afterwards, she has to stir in a counterclockwise direction for one hundred times.
After more than three hours of grueling work, the potion glowed bright in a royal blue color.
The potion is ready!
She only needs to do some final test on the arithmancy to check if the potion will not have any side effects. Maybe she could find someone to test it as well. When all of that is done, she will be handing the formula and the instructions on how to brew them to George, along with some samples.
She had a bright smile on her face as she poured some of the potion to glass vials while the rest are stored in a sealed cauldron. She will be claiming her reward money soon!
Hermione is going through her notes regarding her potion's formula. Three arithmancy books are opened on her table. She just wants to make sure that all the ingredients are working compatibly and that the volume of each ingredient coincides with the numbers that will determine the potion's potency.
She is lounged on her favorite table at the Hogwarts' Library. Ron will be mad at her again since she chose to forego watching his Quidditch practice just so she could do more research. To be honest, she couldn't care less if he would be mad at her. This potion needs to be perfect so that she could have the money to finance her trip to Australia. This is for her parents for Merlin's sake! If Ron couldn't understand that, then maybe they should just break up. Frankly, having Ron as a boyfriend is not all the happy smiles and sweet gestures, she expected it to be. He is still immature, only cares about food and Quidditch, and says the most tactless and hurtful things. The worst part, his post-war fame makes him so cocky and he acts as if he's Merlin's gift to women. The most annoying thing, he seems to enjoy the attention from his fan girls that he ends up ignoring her. Maybe they will be better off as friends. Since her focus is still on the potion, she chose to ignore her relationship troubles for now.
"Hermione? Are you having trouble with Arithmancy?", a familiar feminine voice asked. When she looked up, she smiled. It was Padma Patil, her dear friend from Ravenclaw.
"Er, no. I'm doing some final checks for the potion I am inventing", she said sheepishly. She blew a strand of her curly hair away from her face.
"That makes sense. You're top of Arithmancy! No way you're having problems! I just got curious since you are surrounded by many books with a frown on your face", Padma sat across from her.
"Padma, could you do me a favor?"
"Sure!"
"Could you check this for me?", she handed her one of the books and a copy of the potion formula.
"This is amazing! And your calculations are so spot on!", Padma said with awe.
"Don't you love numbers? They show the secrets to everything!", she said with glee and Padma chuckled. Yes, arithmancy is such a joy to nerds like them.
One day before graduation, George Weasley visited her. They were at the Astronomy Tower. No one knows about their business deal. Right now, they are arguing. George wants to release the product soon but she wants to conduct more tests.
"George! I am not satisfied with my tests!", she insisted.
"Hermione, I am confident in your work", George rolled his eyes.
"But we have to make sure! I haven't tested it on any human yet. There could be side effects!", she argued.
They were interrupted by a throat clearing. Harry Potter is standing there looking at them.
"Are you two fighting?"
"No!", they chorused. Harry raised an eyebrow.
"We're just finalizing our business deal, mate", George grinned.
"Right!", she added.
"Hermione, er, are you ready for the pre-graduation party? Everyone is waiting for you in the Room of Requirement", Harry said.
"Will Firewhiskey be at this party, mate?", George inquired.
"What Firewhiskey?", Harry said mischievously. His eyes sparkling. As Head Boy, he should not take part in any mischief.
"Right! Perfect! Hermione this is the time to test your potion!", George handed her the flask before waving them goodbye. When he disappeared from sight, she turned to her best friend.
"So… what is that about?", Harry asked.
"I invented a potion for WWW. I want to do more tests but he wants to start selling. Anyway, we'll test the potion tonight. To see if it works", she shrugged.
"I'm sure everything is perfect with the potion, 'Mione! You made it after all!", Harry said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder leading her towards the venue.
"Finally! You're here!", Ron exclaimed as they entered. He gave her a peck on the lips. He wanted to take it further but she pulled away. She did not miss the frown on his face.
"Yay! We're complete!", Ginny said as she wrapped an arm around Harry's waist.
"Everyone I have an announcement! I want all of us to drink this! This is an anti-drunkenness potion. We should take it for the party", she said as she raised the flask for everyone to see.
"I've never heard of that potion before", Draco Malfoy said with disdain.
"Shut up, ferret! We don't want your opinion! Give me the flask, 'Mione. I'll try it first", Harry defended her. She smiled at him when he took one gulp of the potion.
"Surprisingly, it tastes good despite the color", he remarked. Ginny took the potion next and then all the seventh years followed. She was the last person to take a gulp of the potion. After that, the party started.
Four hours later, after large amounts of alcohol had been consumed, all of them are still unaffected by the Firewhiskey, Butterbeer, and the Elf Wine. Her potion is an astounding success!
Parvati announced that they all gather around in a circle for a game of confessions. Since it's their last night at Hogwarts, all of them eagerly participated. One student will ask one question and everyone gets to answer.
"Who is your first kiss?", Parvati started.
"Viktor Krum", she said.
"Lavender Brown", Ron said.
"Her- Hermi- Hermione Gra – Granger!", Harry struggled with the words but he finally answered.
"Excuse me?", she chorused with Ginny and Ron.
"I kissed you second year. When you got petrified. I thought it was like Sleeping Beauty", Harry admitted. His face as red as a tomato.
"You dick!", Ron hissed. She stopped Ron from pouncing on Harry.
"Ron, it's just an innocent peck during second year!", she rationalized. Ron and Ginny were clearly angry but her explanation placated them. After that everyone else answered.
"Who among the people you kissed is the best kisser?", Luna asked.
"Dra- Draco Mal- Malfoy", Ginny stammered her reply.
"What?", everyone exclaimed. Draco only smirked.
"It was one time. We were arguing, things got out of hand, and our lips met", Ginny avoided Harry's eyes as she explained.
"Oh", Harry said. Hermione looked at him to see if he was upset, but she couldn't tell from his expression. The rest answered the same question after that shocking revelation.
Hermione had a feeling that her potion has a side effect of convincing the drinker to always tell the truth. Something like veritaserum. She is now determined to perfect her formula to prevent this effect.
There were more revelations but none as controversial as Harry's and Ginny's confession.
And then, Seamus Finnigan just had to ask the worst question.
"Who did you lose your virginity to?"
Hermione started to panic. She could see Harry start to sweat too. If they answer this question, their friendships and relationships with the Weasleys could be over forever.
"Neville Longbottom", Luna answered.
"Luna Lovegood", Neville said.
"Ginny Weasley", Dean said.
"Her- Hermio- Hermione Gra- Granger", Harry whispered.
Everyone is silent. And then, Ginny slapped Harry on the face.
"We're over, Harry Potter! Come Malfoy! You're a better kisser anyway!" Ginny stood up angrily and she tugged Draco along. The two of them walked towards the exit.
"Why, mate? Why?", Ron said with disbelief.
"It was during the war, Ron. It just happened. We were alone. It was so cold. We thought we will die in the war. So, we just did it", Hermione explained. Ron sighed.
"I understand. Hermione, we're over. Harry, give me some time to get over this", Ron stood up and left the room.
Her eyes locked with Harry's. They nodded to each other and together they left the room.
They did not realize that they were now at the Astronomy Tower.
"Harry? I'm sorry that Ginny broke up with you", she broke the silence.
"It's alright. It's not working out anyway. She still is disillusioned with the whole Boy Who Lived thing", he shrugged.
"Oh."
"Hermione, be with me. I can't lie anymore. It's always been you. I tried to fight it but it's no use. That time in the tent is the best night of my life. Say you feel the same way", his eyes bore into her own.
"What about the Weasleys?"
"All will work out in the end. I love you Hermione. Be with me", he caressed her cheek.
"I love you too, Harry", she replied. Their lips met under the full moon that is in perfect view from the Astronomy Tower.
Hermione Potter's reminiscing finally ended as she wrote the last word on her letter.
Her husband was just sitting there. Smiling at her.
"I could see a very long letter, Minister Potter", he teased.
"Shut up!", she huffed.
"Love you", he said cheekily.
"Love you too, you idiot", she retorted.
"Love you more, you bossy know-it-all", he winked. They shared a laugh together.
This is why their relationship works. Both of them truly accept one another, faults and all.
A snowy white owl named Hedwig II flew towards his master, James Sirius Potter.
"Hey buddy! Got a letter for me?", James lovingly caressed his familiar's feathers. He gently removed the letter from the owl's leg. Seeing the thick roll of parchment, he sighed. It is clearly a letter from his mother.
After reading the letter, his face paled. The revelations in the letter are frankly disgusting. It seems that Uncle George named it that way since the first formula of the potion brought his parents together.
"Are you feeling alright mate? You look as you've seen a ghost!", Franklin Longbottom Jr., his best mate asked.
James Sirius Potter just nodded. In truth, he actually regrets asking about the history of the Potter Potion. He should have been contented with the explanation that it was named by Uncle George to honor his father, the first investor of WWW.
THE END