Chapter 28
Sam groggily entered the Great Hall alone. He took his normal spot at the head table and looked down the line of professors chatting happily away. He caught Severus' eye and he nodded to Sam in a sterile fashion. Sam grinned and nodded back.
He then turned his attention to the Gryffindor table and quickly located Harry, Ron and Hermione. He wondered if putting forth the effort to befriend them was even worth it now that he had learned the truth from Crowley. Finding out where they were and who all these people actually were had somehow sucked the fun out of this adventure. He sighed, and immediately regretted it as it just made him even more tired.
Once the food appeared, Sam helped himself to a larger than usual portion. It was easier to do so as Dean wasn't there speed loading his own plate. After about ten minutes of eating in silence, he tried making conversation with Hagrid, who was elated at the chance to tell him all about the new creatures he was planning on doing lessons on. Specifically the Flobberworm and Salamander. Even though Sam knew about them, he humored Hagrid and was glad for the conversation however one-sided it was.
The first few classes went by incredibly slow. For once, Sam wished that Professor Binns' History of Magic class wouldn't end. But he did use the time wisely and sat in the back of the class quietly pouring over his own Potions notes.
Part 1
Add 1 Bezoar to the mortar
Crush into a very fine powder using the pestle
Add 4 measures of the crushed Bezoar to your cauldron
Add 2 measures of Standard Ingredient to your cauldron
Heat to a medium temperature for 5 seconds
Wave your wand
Leave to brew and return in 40 minutes with Pewter Cauldron, 34 minutes with Brass cauldron and 30 minutes with copper cauldron.
Part 2Add 1 pinch of Unicorn Horn to your cauldron
Stir 2 times, clockwise
Add 2 Mistletoe Berries to your cauldron
Stir 2 times, anti-clockwise
Wave your wand to complete the potion
Clock-wise, anti-clockwise, types of cauldrons, different brew times. How was he ever supposed to remember all of this?
The bell rang and several students were startled awake. Sam hastily shoved his notes back into his bag and hoisted it onto his shoulder. He ran to the Great Hall for lunch and was surprised to find Hermione waiting for him by the doors.
"Um, excuse me Professor?" she said as he approached.
Sam's eyebrows lifted with intrigue. "Yes, Hermione? How can I help you?"
"I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions."
"Yes, of course."
Hermione looked around a bit nervous. Sam pulled her off to the side away from earshot.
"What is it?"
"I have been thinking about what you said at the bookshop." she began. "About how you said you could see things?"
Sam nodded, but continued to listen.
"You said the reason you gave me that book on my birthday was because it was 'close to home'. If you really do have The Sight, that means that you gave me that book as a warning. You also said that Crookshanks could tell if someone untrustworthy was near, even if in another form. Which was clearly another clue."
"Yes."
"There is only one thing that Crookshanks hates. Ron's rat, Scabbers. He's been going after him since we got here. I thought it was just cat instinct. But there's got to be something more to it, hasn't there?"
Sam nodded again, clearly impressed. "You really are clever. I didn't expect you to figure it out this quickly."
"But then that means!" Hermione gasped. "Scabbers is someone else!"
"Yes, it does. But you really have to sit on this information just a while longer. Until we can get everything set up properly, you really must keep it a secret. Yes, even from Harry and Ron."
"Wh-who is he really?"
"Someone who went into hiding a long time ago. As long as he knows he hasn't been detected everything will be just fine." he feigned a smile and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "But Hermione, this information changes nothing. He is still Scabbers. Faithful Family Pet. But if his cover is blown prematurely, it could have disasterous concequences."
Hermione nodded. "I understand, Professor. But why the secrets?"
Sam thought a moment. "Let's just say, a reunion is long overdue, and certain people have to be there at the right time for it to happen. And if he is discovered and he runs away, that reunion will never happen."
"With his family?" she asked hopefully.
"With people who were like family to him, yes."
"But if he is untrustworthy -"
"He's just a man posing as a rat, and Crookshanks is able to see him for what he is. That's all, I promise. You needn't worry. I just need you to keep up the charade a little longer till I can get the people here. Alright? You tell Ron, and he'll get all weird around Scabbers and then it'll all be ruined."
"Ron does have a tendancy to ruin things." Hermione sighed. "Alright, Professor. I won't say anything. But is there anything I can do to help?"
"Just try to keep Crookshanks away from Scabbers, alright?"
Hermione nodded.
"Okay." Sam said relieved. He was about to turn and lead her into the Great Hall for lunch when he suddenly turned back to her and asked, "What's your secret to memorizing potions?"
Severus looked at Sam in a way that could have been either approval or disapproval, he couldn't tell. That blank dead-pan of his made the hairs on the back of Sam's neck stand straight up. He suddenly had the thought that he would never want to play Poker with him – did Wizards play Poker?
"Now drink." said Severus, breaking his train of thought. He held a small vial of sickly green liquid in one hand, and in the other, a dram of Sam's brewed potion.
Sam smiled nervously as Severus handed him the vial. He took it and hesitated. So it was true. He thought. Poison and Remedy.
"Uh. . . Cheers!" he said and the color drained from his face. He took a deep breath in and held it for a heartbeat or two before shotgunning the vial. The taste was unpleasant but not gag-inducing. At first nothing happened and Severus' chin raised slightly as he waited for the desired effect to take hold.
"How long does i-" Sam's words were cut off as his stomach exploded in pain like a punch to the gut. He gasped for breath as his vision blurred. Doubled over, he started blindly reaching out in Severus' direction.
The Potion's Professor took a step toward him and grabbed the back of Sam's shirt and hauled him up and tilted him backward. He quickly poured the dram of Sam's potion down his throat and took a step back and waited. Sam sputtered and coughed.
After a few moments, Severus reached inside his robes and pulled out another bottle of his own potion, pulled the stopper and again he waited.
Slowly, Sam's labored breathing began to slow. He gasped and reached out aimlessly and caught the edge of one of the tables and gripped it hard. Leaning all of his unsteady weight on it, he coughed for several minutes. His eyes were squeezed shut for fear that the room was still spinning.
"Very good, Mr. Winchester." Severus said and recapped the bottle and returned it to his robes pocket. "Usually my students get a fraction of the dosage, but as you are grown and your stature is . . . above average I administered to you the full dosage. As for your potion . . . I give you full marks. Mind you it is not an easy brew by any means, and more often than not I am forced to use my own stores to deliver my students from their failures. As for receiving full marks? Well, that happens less frequently than the Chudley Cannons win a Quidditch match."
Severus moved to the table and poured a glass of water from a pitcher and placed the glass in front of Sam.
When Sam finally opened his eyes he saw the water and gulped it down eagerly in one go. He said nothing.
Severus broke the silence. "You are free to go. And you are excused from the rest of your studies for the day. Good day Mr. Winchester." Severus moved toward the door with a sweeping of his robes. Just before he exited he paused. "Ten points to Ravenclaw." he said quietly and disapeared through the door.
Dean lay on his bed curled up in half-conscious misery. He had slept brokenly throughout the day between his visits to the lavatory. The cramping had finally stopped and he was glad for the reprieve. He was barely beginning to drift off again when there was a knock at his door. His eyes shot open and his heartbeat quickened.
"Who is it!" he called, not bothering to move at all.
"It's me." Sam answered wearily.
Dean groaned, reached under his pillow and wrapped his fingers around his wand and haphazardly flicked it toward the door. Before he could get out the word, "Alohamora," the door unlatched itself with an audible click. Dean lifted his head off the pillow causing his bedhead hair to flair up like a pissed off peacock.
As Sam entered the room he looked around for Dean expecting to be right behind the door. He saw Dean in the bed and paused before closing the door behind him. "And you said magic made me lazy!" he chuckled painfully. His eyes finally came to rest on his brother who wasn't looking at him but rather looking oddly at his wand.
"What's up?" asked Sam.
"I . . . I didn't say anything. The door just. . .opened." Dean croaked.
"Looks like your skills are getting better. That's Nonverbal Magic." Sam smiled, looking impressed for a moment before he remembered where they actually were and it faded from his face.
He was still at odds as to whether he should tell him or not. He knew how much Dean hated it when he kept secrets from him, and if he found out that he didn't tell him what he knew right away, it would drive a bigger wedge between them than there was. But if he did tell him, there was no telling just how much anger would be taken out in frustration and desperation. Like a ferral tiger being caged for the first time he would pace and brood and plot his escape. Crowley had said that once it starts it has to finish. So if he told him now, there would be no living with him throughout the rest of the school year. No way, he thought. Better to leave it be. . . for now.
Sam let his smile return. "Advanced stuff. Good for you."
Dean smirked. "You done it yet?"
''A few times. Completely by accident. That's kinda how it happens – how are you doing?" he said changing the subject. He pulled the chair up to the bed and sat down. He winced and rubbed his stomach absentmindedly. Dean noticed.
"Well, I'm just peachy. What happened to you? You look like you went 12 rounds with a troll."
"Severus poisoned me to test out my antidote potion – don't worry, I'm fine. But I won't be eating solids for a day or two."
"Ugh. That makes two of us." Dean agreed.
"He said he was really impressed with my potion and gave me full marks."
Dean looked crushed. "What?"
"Huh? What?"
"He gave you full marks?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"He never gave me full marks, and I'm better at potions than you!" Dean said defiantly.
"Ooo! Jealous?" Sam teased. "Thought you didn't care?"
"Well, I . . ." Dean trailed off.
Sam stood up and headed to the door. "I knew it! You're going native!"
"Am not!"
"I got the rest of the day off to recover, I'm gonna try and get some actual sleep. You want me to bring you a cheeseburger?"
Dean groaned and tossed one of the pillows at him which he easily dodged. "Uuuuugh! Get out!"
"Sleep tight!" Sam crept behind the door and used it a shield in case any more projectiles came flying his way.
"Leave!"
"Nighty noon!" he popped his head out one last time.
"Don't make me jinx you!" Dean yelled with the last of his strength.
Just as the door closed, Dean heard his brother's voice. "Jerk."
"Bitch." he answered and within minutes he was out cold.