Shrinking Snape

Disclaimer: I am sure everyone is well aware of the fact that I do not own these characters, as well as the fact that I don't make any money from this. This idea came to me from The Indian in the Cupboard books I loved to read as a child, and I don't own those either.

Chapter One

Like most crazy adventures, the day had started out completely normal. Severus' mantel clock had woken him at his usual time, and he had showered and dressed and gone to the Great Hall for breakfast. He had taken his usual two slices of dry toast and a cup of strong black coffee, and when breakfast was over he had swept off to the dungeon to prepare for his first class of the day.

He really had no indication that the day would be disastrous until an hour after lunch, when he had his least favourite class: sixth year Gryffindor and Slytherin.

He had entered the classroom in his usual way, with the slam of a door and the billowing of black robes. He strode menacingly to the lectern and glared at everyone present. He was prepared to begin class, but he wasn't prepared for what happened when the practical lesson began.

Somehow, blasted Harry bloody Potter had managed to scrape an "E" in his OWLs and Dumbledore had insisted that Harry be accepted into NEWT Potions class. Grudgingly, Snape had gone along with the plan, and had welcomed not only Potter, but anyone else with an "Exceeds Expectations" into the class as well.

That meant Longbottom got accepted. Neville Longbottom – the walking disaster.

Today the class was supposed to be brewing a simple shrinking potion – one that would last for only a couple of hours.

But amazingly enough, Longbottom added the wrong ingredient at the wrong time and then proceeded to stir in the wrong direction.

Snape stalked forward, glaring down his hooked nose at the chubby boy.

"Longbottom! It seems once again you have managed to ruin a simple potion even a first year could do! Do you realize the consequences might be disastrous? I'm going to – "

But Snape never got to dock house points or to give detention, because at that precise moment, the contents of the cauldron began boiling over rapidly and was forming a thick puddle on the floor.

"Get BACK! All of you. GET BACK!" Snape's face was deadly pale. The botched potion had already seeped into his left shoe, and he was unsure of the outcome. The students all ran for the door, eager for an excuse to get away from Snape.

The other potions were stopped with a simple freezing charm, and then Severus reached for a vial from his pocket. This new potion must be investigated. He knelt down over the puddle and prepared to scoop some into the flask. He had no idea how slippery it was, and found himself face down in the puddle f muck. He groped about, trying to find something to pull himself up with, and found the rim of Longbottom's cauldron. As he attempted to hoist himself to his feet, he pulled the cauldron over sideways, spilling everything that remained inside all over himself. He slipped one last time and cracked his head against the cold stone floor.

The last thing he heard was a ringing thud. Then everything went black.