Harry Potter and the Wizard Manipulations

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, sadly J.K. Rowling does.

Chapter One: Breaking Free

Out of all the feelings in the world, Harry Potter was faced with confusion. The one feeling he hated most in the world. The cause for his confusion was one Hermione Granger. One minute she seemed to care about him, but the next she would be pining over Ron and acting jealous towards him because he used the Half-Blood Prince's potions book. He didn't know what was going on with her, but he did know that he would like to find out.

"Blast it all to Merlin, Hedwig. What am I going to do about Hermione? One minute she cares for me, the next it's as if she was an entirely different person. But that doesn't make any sense, now does it girl?" Harry ranted to his owl familiar.

Hedwig for her part wished she could answer her master with more than a hoot, but she usually got her message across despite the language barrier.

"Yeah, you're right, I should probably talk to her. However, she most likely wouldn't be honest with me. Ugh, I don't know how to get the truth from her."

"Truth, Mr. Potter?" Severus Snape sneered coming up behind Harry who had been walking the border of the lake with Hedwig on his shoulder. The sudden appearance causing Hedwig to fly off his shoulder and squawking, head to the Owlery.

"Oh, hello, Professor Snape. Sorry I didn't see you there sir," Harry said apologizing, hoping that he wouldn't get on Snape's bad side.

"I am a spy, Potter. If I don't wish to be seen or heard, then I don't have to be. Now, what is it you need to know the truth about?" Snape asked sneering.

'Figures,' Harry thought, 'does he even have a good side at all? Now, how to explain this?'

"Well, sir, it's difficult. Hermione has been acting odder than normal. At the beginning of the year, she was fine, we would hang out and do things together. But after one potions lesson, she has been acting like a raving banshee."

"How is that different from normal, Potter?"

"Well, she started pining after Ron, which makes no sense, because she strongly dislikes him. Also, she acts like she is jealous because I've been excelling at potions, sir."

"Really, Mr. Potter? I find that hard to believe when your skills in my classes were abysmal."

"Sir, I've been using a secondhand book, that had notes in it. Professor Slughorn had a competition, and rather than following the instructions the book explicitly gave. I followed the notes added in. I brewed a better version of the Draught of Living Death than her and won a bottle of Felix Felicis."

"Annotated book? Where did you get this annotated book?" Snape barked.

"Professor Slughorn got it from the cupboard where you kept the spare books. Why, sir?"

"Did it have, 'Property of the Half-Blood Prince' in it?"

"Yes, sir. Why?"

"Because that is my old potions book. Please tell me you haven't used any of the spells in it."

"No, sir. Why would you keep your potions book in the cupboard where anyone could use it?"

"Because, Potter, I didn't think anyone would actually have to get in there and get one. Most students buy their own copy, so I never had to use the class set, which mine was hiding beneath."

"Sir?"

"Yes, Potter?" Snape asked, pinching the bridge of his crooked nose.

"Do you want me to give it back?"

"Is it actually helping you understand potions?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then, no, you don't need to give it back. Just don't use any of the spells in there, and don't say who the Half-Blood Prince really is. Got it?" Snape barked.

"Yes, sir. But what about Hermione? She's been acting odd since that first lesson."

"Tell me exactly what happened in that lesson, Mr. Potter."

"Well, Professor Slughorn gave a sort of pop quiz, by testing us on three potions: Veritaserum, Polyjuice Potion, and Amortentia."

"Amortentia?"

"Yes, sir."

"Tell me, Mr. Potter, did you smell anything in regards to it?"

"Well sir, I smelt treacle tart, a broomstick, and something flowery, which smelled like Hermione's hair at one point, but Ginny's now."

"Hmm… do you know if Ms. Granger smelt anything when you discussed the potion?"

"Umm… I think that she said she smelt fresh cut grass, new parchment, toothpaste, and she mentioned something about it smelling like Ron's hair. Why? What's going on?"

"Mr. Potter, I think that both you and Ms. Granger are suffering from having been dosed with Amortentia."

"But, but, that's not possible."

"I'm afraid, Mr. Potter, that it is very possible. I think that it is imperative that we find Ms. Granger and give you both a flushing potion, lest you two continue to act like dunderheads."

"Okay, sir. But I have a question."

"What, Potter?"

"Could you be under the effects of a potion or spell, sir?"

"Why would you ask that infernal question, Potter?"

"Well, sir, your hatred isn't exactly normal. I mean, you have hated me for a man I can't remember. It doesn't seem right. Could you have been dosed with something to hate me?"

"I suppose it is possible, one that would be long-lasting. Hmm," Snape said trying to clear his head, "well, I think that we need to go get you and Ms. Granger that flushing potion. Maybe get one for me as well. Then we need to talk to your head of house."

"Why?"

"Well, someone is using an illegal love potion on you. I don't think that it is a coincidence that you two are acting this way, not long after learning about Amortentia."

"Alright, sir. I think that I know where Hermione may be. However, due to me excelling lately, I don't think that she really wants anything to do with me."

"Let me worry about that, Harry. Now- what is it?"

"You called me Harry," Harry said shocked at Snape's behavior.

"No, I did not. Ugh. The sooner we can find Ms. Granger, the better. Lead on."

Snape followed Harry into the school and to the library. Sitting in a corner reading an Arithmancy book was Hermione. Harry and Snape casually walked over making sure that no one saw their intended destination.

"Harry! What are you doing here? And with Professor Snape?" Hermione whispered.

"Well, Hermione, Professor Snape and I believe that we've been dosed with potions. He would like for us to take a flushing potion and then to speak with Professor McGonagall."

"Wait, dosed with potions? Harry, we haven't been dosed with potions."

"Hermione," Harry interjected, "think about it. We are considered by many to be the best of friends. Now all of a sudden we hate each other? That doesn't sound like us. Plus, you getting jealous and angry about me finally succeeding at Potions? That doesn't sound like you. You'd be happy that I finally found something that helped me understand. Lastly, isn't it strange that you started pining for Ron and I get jealous about Ginny right after our lesson over Amortentia? The fifth and seventh years had the same lesson as us. Ginny and Ron were in both of those lessons; therefore, they could have given it to us. Slughorn wasn't always watching exactly what we did. Ginny could have snuck some to give to us, seeing as Ron never left our table."

Hermione starting to realize the legitimacy of what he was saying asked, "But why, Harry? Why would they do that to us?"

"Well, my best guess, Ms. Granger is that they may have been ordered to get you to like them to distract you from one another. Or they may have done it to get to Harry's money."

"Why are you calling him Harry, Professor Snape?"

"I am not," Snape continued to deny vehemently.

"We think that Snape may somehow have been affected with a potion to hate me. Now, what it was or why it was being administered, we have no idea."

"Harry, what are we going to do?"

"Well, we are not going to panic for one thing. Professor, do you have the potions on you or do we need to go to your quarters?"

"We need to go to my quarters."

"Alright, let me put this book up right fast," Hermione said already heading for the shelf to put the book up. She packed up her books and notes that she had taken into her expandable bag.

"Okay, ready to go."The three of them quickly left the library with Snape leading the way so as not to draw suspicion. When he got into his quarters, he immediately went to his potions cabinet and pulled out three flushing potions.

"Alright, I should warn you, you might experience some discomfort from the potions leaving your system. Other than that there is nothing to worry about."

"Well in that case," Harry said, "bottoms up."

The three of them quickly drank the potions and a minute later, all three passed out. An hour later, Harry was the first to awaken, Severus a few seconds after him, and Hermione a few seconds after Severus.

"What the heck happened, Professor?"

"Apparently, Ms. Granger, there was more than one powerful potion in our systems. The flushing potion is designed to rid our bodies of all potions in our bodies; therefore, I think that from the sheer number of potions, we passed out."

"Okay. But what else could have been in our systems besides Amortentia?" Harry asked.

"Loyalty potions, jealousy potions, it could literally have been anything. We may never know."

"Alright, we need to remain calm, obviously. Now, who can we bring our predicament to?"

"Well, I would suggest Minerva and possibly Poppy."

"But wouldn't Madame Pomfrey or Professor McGonagall tell Professor Dumbledore? He could have been the one to give us some of the potions in our systems."

"No, I don't believe they will. With Poppy we can invoke the healer-patient confidentiality. As for Minerva, well, I suppose we could ask for an oath."

"Okay, but which do we go to first? Also, there is the problem that people are going to look for us soon. We may be in more trouble than before."

"Nonsense, Mr. Potter. I'll floo Poppy and Minerva and have them come here. Then we can explain everything and ask for their help."

"Okay" both teens agreed.

Severus went over to his fireplace and floo-called Minerva.

"Minerva, could you please come to my office?"

"Of course, Severus, what do you need me for?"

"I'll tell you when you get here. Oh, and could you take the stairs? I still need to contact Poppy."

"Alright, Severus," Minerva said a little skeptically and hung up.

Severus then floo-called Poppy.

"Poppy, could you come through please? Oh, and make sure you bring your diagnostic quill and parchment."

"Alright, Severus, but what is this about?"

"I can't tell you until you and Minerva get here."

"On my way."

Severus ended the floo-call and five minutes later opened his door to find both witches standing outside.

"Do come in, ladies. We have much to discuss."

"Alright, Severus, what is this about? And why are both Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger here?"

"Well, what we are about to tell you is going to seem untrue, but every word we speak will be the absolute truth. Oh, and before we begin, Poppy, the three of us are invoking healer-patient confidentiality. Minerva, we need to have you swear an oath to not speak a word of what we say hear."

Both women agreed, but Minerva asked the million-galleon question, "What is going on that you require something so serious from both of us?"

"Well, we three have been dosed with several potions. Enough potions to knock us out for an hour."

Both witches' shouts of "WHAT" echoed around the room, making Severus glad that he had silenced the room and added wards.

"Well, what are we going to do about all of this?" Poppy asked.

"Investigate," Harry said, "and then revenge."

All of them in the room shared a look like someone was going to die.

(A/N First time writing Harry Potter fan fiction. I hope you all like it. Please read and review and let me know what I can improve on.)

Enigma Potter 23