Chapter 34: The Spell Potion
18 September 1995. Hogwarts.
Albus Dumbledore, as he always did in the mornings, was enjoying the fragrant tea, sipping it from a beautiful cup, and watching the students once again wrinkling their nose at the pumpkin juice. The old wizard's thoughts were surprisingly peaceful, regardless of Riddle's revival. The only thing that bothered the Headmaster was the Chosen One, who had suddenly decided to take an unplanned holiday. The newspaper articles, which amused Dumbledore's political opponents, did not bother him - in the end it would be the greatest light wizard who would rid England of Voldemort anyway, and that would make up for all his possible blunders. Though the Headmaster had risked spending several thousand galleons to order a search for Potter to several particularly clever wizards specialising in such matters. So far, though, without much result, the detectives who had searched much of America had found nothing. And the Chosen One... Well, that's why he was the Chosen One, so that all the bumps would fall on him. In the evening, the Director planned to spend another small fortune and, with the help of an executor loyal to him personally, hire an assassin, possibly solving the problem with Black, who had finally broken away from the Order's politics. Even all of the latter's existing political connections could not compensate for the damage Black was doing to Dumbledore's plans for future events in the country.
- BANG," the door of the Great Hall swung open with a clatter, revealing Augusta Longbottom, Sirius Black, whose usual costume was supplemented by a short sword at his belt, and three older men in ornate robes. As the Headmaster had identified them, they were honoured members of the Potions Guild of England, working with the Ministry of Magic.
- Good afternoon, gentlemen," Dumbledore stood up, greeting the unexpected guests.
- 'Good afternoon, Headmaster,' Augusta took over as head of the delegation. - The Education Department has received several dozen complaints from students about the quality of education at Hogwarts.
After these words, even the quietest of conversations stopped in the Great Hall. The students froze, so as not to attract the attention of their professors and to listen to the conversation.
Dumbledore stood up abruptly at those words, shrouding himself in a haze of magic, becoming a truly formidable wizard, deservedly bearing the title of the Great One.
- I would ask you to explain yourself more clearly, Mrs Longbottom. - The wizard's voice echoed through the hall.
- Headmaster Dumbledore, the complaints are valid and have been confirmed by the Board of Trustees. - Sirius Black stepped forward, calmly meeting the Light Wizard's blazing gaze and covering the slightly embarrassed old men with such an obvious show of power.
The hall seemed to darken as the power and will of the dark mage clashed with that of the Headmaster. The students froze, watching the duel of gazes of the wizards, who were in open confrontation for the first time. The most cautious of them looked around quietly, searching for a way to get out of the hall if Dumbledore and Sirius were to move from words to action. Neville frantically clutched his wand in his sleeve, trying to remember the appropriate spells for the occasion if things got out of hand.
- I, as a member of the Board of Trustees, as well as other representatives of the most ancient aristocratic families, have checked the complaints we have received. They are valid and primarily concern Severus Snape here," Sirius interrupted the protracted confrontation of glances, not relieving the pressure of his aura on the Headmaster.
Snape stood up, pushing his chair back with a clatter.
- I will not tolerate slander and attacks in my presence.
- Severus, calm down. - Augusta gave the Potions Master a scornful glare. - You're a brilliant Potions Master, but you're a terrible teacher.
- It's the slander of students who can't even learn how to make basic potions! - Severus blackened his face.
- Let's go to my office," Dumbledore said, trying to smooth over the conflict. The tension of the magic in the hall abruptly subsided. - Students! Classes continue as scheduled, except for those who have Potions as their first lesson. You have two hours to spare!
- Gentlemen and ladies, please bother to state your grievance in more detail," the Headmaster seemed to have regained his composure as he sat down in his favourite chair behind his desk.
- Albus, the complaint was signed by thirty-eight students," Augusta folded her fingers together. - They claim that points are being awarded and withdrawn in Potions lessons for the most ridiculous reasons, and that they themselves have been repeatedly insulted by Severus Snape.
- It's all Gryffindors," Snape literally spat out, angry. - They are incapable of brewing the simplest potion.
- That's why your colleagues in the Potions Guild are here, Severus," Augusta was still calm. We've decided to select a few of the least capable students from the three faculties except Slytherin, and the committee will test their skills.
- And Lord Bleck and I and Mr McCormack," Augusta nodded at one of the guild members, "will check the log of points taken and points awarded in the presence of Headmaster Dumbledore.
- Augusta, I think Severus Snape's accusation of improper teaching is... too harsh. - Dumbledore tried to play the situation in his favour. - He is indeed a strict teacher, but his skill allows him to demand a lot from his students.
- Demand a lot, but not stoop to outright bullying! - Augusta stood in front of the principal's desk. - I've personally looked through the memories of several Gryffindors in the memory pool and seen how your teacher really works in class! Ricky! Get my memory pool over here! Now!
A House elf with the Longbottom crest on his tunic appeared in the study and bowed, placing an ancient bronze bowl, greened by time, in front of Lady Longbottom.
- I suggest that all the professors and Guild members present here start by looking at the memories embedded there, and you, Albus, can check to see if they are falsified. - Augusta made an inviting gesture with her hand.
Six people crowded around the Omute, immersing themselves in the viewing.
"-Miss Granger! Why didn't you suggest to Mr Longbottom that you shouldn't put nettles in the finished potion? Were you hoping to look better against him? Minus ten points from Gryffindor for your arrogance and minus fifteen for Longbottom's melted cauldron! Dismissed.
...
- Mr Potter, you are as insufferable and lazy as your father! You are incapable of my subject.
...
- Today you and I will brew your first potion. The recipe is on the board. The ingredients are in the cupboard. You have two hours. Get started.
...
Fifteen points off Gryffindor for Mr Potter's loud breathing!
...
- Minus twenty points for Mr Weasley's clumsiness! Mr Weasley, you're a potions-incapable fool.
...
Miss Abbot, if you shake like that over the cauldron, I'll think you have a fever. Calm down and read the recipe on the blackboard."
The potionsmiths who had emerged from their viewing looked at the benignly smiling Headmaster with some bewilderment. Finally, the oldest of them, already completely hairless on his head, with a fresh burn on his forehead, asked in a squeaky voice:
- Director, you know me and you know my work. I don't understand why a man incapable of teaching children the beginnings of Potions is in this position. I don't want to deny Severus Snape's ability to work on potions in the slightest, but his manner of working with children needs to be reconsidered....
- Mr Snape," the old man turned to the potions master. - I have corresponded with you many times about your work in the Potions Bulletin, and I respect your talent very much. But I would not, I'm sorry to say, give my children to you for training after seeing those memoirs.
An angry Snape would not go against Mario Fiscalocci, one of the most respected potions practitioners in the English guild, and Dumbledore came to his aid.
- Gentlemen, I am more than certain that you have only seen one side of the coin. Surely we have only observed the most 'poignant' moments now and there are many more students who have no grievances with their teacher.
- You are quite right, Headmaster," Sirius smiled. - 'Let's check the log of withdrawn and accrued points from last year.
Dumbledore visibly wilted. Snape gloomed even more.
- So... For loud breathing... For clumsiness... For arrogance... For pathological inability to use potions... For trying to argue with the teacher... - Sirius read the list of punishments for the first three Potions lessons with Gryffindor with an expression. - For not sitting up straight. Gentlemen, this is something really curious.
Dumbledore, who was sitting next to the journal, was constantly rushing to finish this humiliating procedure for him, as a headmaster who didn't supervise teachers. Severus Snape sat looking at Bleek with hatred, but remained silent - the presence of the Potions Guild members prevented him from showing his temper.
- Next," Sirius was clearly getting into the swing of things. - For asking questions... For not asking questions... For being three seconds late to class... Well, that's at least somewhat reasonable.
- And as far as I can see, points are almost never taken off the Slytherin faculty. - Augusta did not hide her satisfaction. - Headmaster Dumbledore, as a member of the Board of Trustees, I find this state of affairs unacceptable.
- Mr Dumbledore, Master Snape," McCormack, as gaunt and bald as the head of the delegation, rose heavily from his seat. - 'I can see that there are problems at Hogwarts with this subject. It's not for me to judge the ethics of your actions, Master Snape, but I am in a position to judge your professionalism in teaching... I'm sorry, but you're a teacher, and you're no match for you, a potions master. Headmaster Dumbledore, the Guild in my person suggests that you either change the current state of affairs with Snape's lessons, or replace the teacher - we are interested in people who are interested in potions after Hogwarts, and this way of teaching your teacher is not conducive to that.
- Let's wait for the results of the skills test your colleagues are conducting, Mr McCormack. - Dumbledore was still not going to give up, hoping that the students would safely fail the unscheduled test.
- Now, my dears," Fiscalocci's creaky voice broke the silence, broken only by the gurgling of cauldrons, the light tapping of alchemical equipment, and the rustling of robes. The potions master had cursed Snape several times in his mind before the practical lesson began, because of his teaching methods they had to spend almost twenty minutes in a leisurely conversation to calm the students, who were more afraid of the potions lesson than they were of the Dementors. - Now you and I are going to see how you did in making a potion of intermediate difficulty. Put your tools away and stay by the cauldrons.
- Now, Miss Lovegood... - He stopped beside the clawed girl's cauldron. - Interesting effect, the potion isn't exactly standard, but... - He stirred the scoop in the cauldron. - What else did you put in it?
- Silver butterfly pollen, Mr Fiscalocci," Luna's dreamy voice seemed distant and out of place, as if she were thinking about something else. Neville looked at her in horror, because Snape would have yelled for half an hour over a recipe change in such a situation. - And then, in the final stage, moonstone powder and white mushroom ash.
- Hmm... I can't say I'm entirely satisfied, Miss Lovegood," Fiscalocci waved his wand at the cauldron, thinking hard, "But the result is quite interesting, I'll take your potion for research.
- Mr Longbottom... Not bad, though it could have been better, I can see that you have trouble with basic potions skills. - Neville's cauldron, the old alchemist looked in, was full of finished potion and, contrary to Snape's lessons last year, did not melt or explode.
- Mr Weasley... Mm-hm. Evanesco! - The cauldron full of brown muck has cleared. - You need to read the recipe as carefully as possible and measure the right amount of ingredients, not just randomly pour them in. I'm not giving you credit for your work.
- Maelgon, look at this," the old Italian called out to his colleague. - Quite an accomplishment. Miss Granger," he checked the list. - You follow too rigidly the instructions in the book, sometimes it is desirable to experiment. But overall," Mario shook his head, "quite decent for school level. But to excel in potions you need to learn to improvise, no two potions are ever identical.
- I'm sorry, Mr Fiscalocci," Hermione blushed, inwardly resenting such a comment, "but I have the highest quality potion!
- You are right, Miss Granger," the old Potions Master smiled softly. - It means that you have the necessary qualities to become a good wizard, but... It also means that the demands on you will be higher. And for a wizard, you have to not only follow instructions, but also... find your own way, improvise, if you like. If you have any thoughts on the subject, I'll be expecting a letter from you and I'll endeavour to answer your questions.
- Mr Thomas. Not bad, but it could be better. Miss Chang- Good. - The alchemist walked between the tables, testing each potion, while his colleague entered the conclusions into a separate scroll. - Mr Creevey- Not bad, but basic skills, again, suffer. Miss Patil," he paused beside Padma, who was sitting last. - Also quite good.
- Ladies and gentlemen, dismissed, class dismissed. - Eric Maelgon gestured for the students to leave. - Well, Mario, I see it's not so bad, but I don't see any love for the process in the children's eyes. Snape, for all his genius, is crazy to behave like that in class. He's discouraging the kids from devoting themselves to potions after Hogwarts.
- Yeah, that's not what I expected from the author of Aconite Potion. - Fiscalocci shook his head. - I thought he was capable of passing on his knowledge and talent to children, and here... Let's go to the Headmaster's office, we need to hear what the others have to say.
- Mario, what do you got? - McCormack, who looked like a disgruntled crow after reading a magazine, looked at his colleagues who had entered the principal's office.
- I understand that Snape, the Potions Master I respect, has named the names of the students who are the least successful in his subject or the least talented, in his opinion....
- I believe your opinion is the same as their teacher's, Mr Fiscalocci? - Dumbledore looked at the alchemist.
- 'Not at all,' the old man said in surprise to the Headmaster. - I have found only one student incapable of potions, but I think that with his carelessness he makes mistakes in other subjects as well. That's Mr Ronald Weasley.
- He's a rare mediocrity. - Snape literally growled those words.
- But even his mediocrity is no excuse for your inability to teach him the basics of potions, colleague," Maelgon's stern look made Snape choke up. - Of the students you mentioned, I agree with your opinion only about Mr Weasley and Miss Granger.
- Miss Granger is one of the best students in the school! - Dumbledore shouted heatedly.
- 'I don't deny that. - Fiscalocci joined his colleague's argument. - 'But for all her perfect memory, she is incapable of improvisation, which is a necessary trait for the best masters. She has great ability, but the demands on her must be higher. Colleague Snape, please pay attention to this girl, she needs to understand what improvisation is, not blindly following instructions.
Snape grimaced as if he had been offered lemon wedges by the Headmaster.
- The rest of the students... I can't say they know the subject well, but they managed to brew the required Memory Potion. I can only point out Miss Lovegood's work, which we took away to study, she didn't stop short of attempting improvisation.
- So, to summarise, the students described as less than capable by colleague Snape were for the most part successful in our assignment, which speaks to some of the difficulties in the teaching of Potions at Hogwarts.
- My recommendation would be simple, colleague. - Fiscalocci shook his head. - You need to change the requirements for your students. To those with weak abilities - give only standard material, with an emphasis on basic skills, even in senior students.
Snape's face was impenetrable, but Dumbledore guessed that the Potions Master's greatest desire was to kill someone.
- And those with good skills, like Miss Granger, Miss Lovegood and the others... You need to get them to think and understand why potions are brewed the way they are. Perhaps organise an elective for such children. And then you'll get excellent results.
- So, - Augusta rose from her seat. - The Board of Trustees, in my person, demands that you, Headmaster Dumbledore, and you, Severus Snape, immediately bring the situation into a more favourable direction. During this school year, you will report weekly on the points you have withdrawn and awarded, and Severus Snape's lessons will be randomly attended either by a representative of the Potions Guild, who are interested in a worthy addition to their ranks, or by an observer appointed by the Board of Trustees.
- Severus Snape," Lord Black stood beside Augusta, "if your manner of teaching all the faculties does not change within a month, we will be forced to dismiss you. And you know the Council has the right to do so.
Dumbledore, glancing at a blackened Snape, who had just been humiliated by his school enemy, tried to smooth things over.
- Gentlemen, but finding a good Potions Master Snape-level potionist willing to teach at Hogwarts, and not even from the beginning of the school year... That could be a big problem. Maybe we should postpone the final decision until the end of this school year.
- Albus," Fiscalocci grumbled. - I respect you as a scientist who discovered new ways of using dragon's blood... But don't you see that if the situation continues like this, we won't get a single student after Hogwarts interested in a career as a Potions Master? Or do you think that regularly humiliating children in Severus Snape's classes will encourage a love of Potions?
- I will... take your comments into consideration, Madame Augusta. - Severus emphatically ignored Bleak's words and had no desire to quarrel with his guild colleagues.
- Colleague, my opinion of you as a brilliant, I won't say genius Potions Master remains unchanged, but as a person, I am disappointed in you. - Mario Fiscalocci, accompanied by the rest of the committee, walked out of the Headmaster's office.
"Hello Harry!
Can you imagine, a commission from the Potions Guild of England and the Hogwarts Board of Trustees arrived at breakfast recently! I suspect that you are behind the Prophet articles, no matter how hard you try to deny it. Snape and Dumbledore have been accused of mishandling students in Potions lessons and bias in the removal of grades. Snape now at least explains something before class, instead of just writing the recipe for the next potion on the board and then taking points off everyone who failed. True, he still picks on Gryffindors, but he doesn't dare to humiliate them - often the classes are attended by someone hired by the Trustees or the guild. He looks like he's about to get a stroke, the brainiacs hovering around his head as if he's baiting them.
Admit it Harry, was the article your order?
Luna Lovegood "
"Harry, there's an update.
Since the visit from the commission Luna wrote to you about, Snape has become more cautious, but is still atrocious in the evenings after lights out. Now he's coming up with new and more elaborate excuses to take away points. You don't need excuses with your former friend, though - Weasley still blows up cauldrons if Hermione doesn't stop him in time. Dumbledore doesn't seem particularly cheerful lately either.
Thank you for the book on combat magic. I'm getting better at some of the spells, though we're still doing nothing in Umbridge's lessons, just rewriting a pointless textbook. What's interesting is that Umbridge doesn't hide her strongly negative attitude towards other races: centaurs, werewolves, Veela, fairies and others are worthy only of reservation or extermination. Consider my implication: her views are only her views, but if this is the future official position of the Ministry, which is where things are heading... You may have some problems when you return to England.
More from the interesting side, my friend. Grandmother and Lord Black have finally bent the Hogwarts Board of Trustees to their views - Lucius Malfoy was opposed to Snape's job review, but he had no choice.
See you soon.
Speaking of which, mate, Hermione regularly gets chastised by Umbridge for disagreeing with theory alone in class. Lately she's been walking around looking like she's up to something. Ron and his older brothers are often hanging around her too, discussing some sort of organisation.
Neville. "
13 October 1995. Beauxbaton.
Wrinkling my nose in disgust, I sipped from yet another vial of the disgusting-tasting Strength Restoration Potion - the training with Ciaran had squeezed me to the point of exhaustion. But instead of going to bed, as I usually did when I returned to Beauxbaton, I had to attend an evening meeting at the Sun Faculty, where the Blake sisters had managed to invite me. Unable to culturally refuse the girls, I had to agree.
The only thing that made me happy was the presence of the fun-loving Ragnarransons, who agreed to visit the Sun Faculty drawing room with me without leaving their teammate alone.
- Monsieur Harold probably thinks that we are going to the very den of ogres? - Olaf's snide voice sounded to my right as the wizard juggled the wand he had deftly pulled out of his sleeve.
- No, I think there's a lair of harpies waiting for us," Jorg, coming from my left, chuckled, shoving me with his shoulder.
- I'm just not sure I should go to such an event alone... I've been practically homeschooled for quite a while now, and the company of a few dozen girls terrifies me. - I grinned, showing that I was joking.
- André LeBlanc's assistant and a member of the Cliff Faculty dueling team shouldn't panic at the sight of a crowd of adorable girls," my brothers said in two voices, almost rolling with laughter.
- Laugh, laugh, laugh, but what you named isn't going to help me much. - I laughed in turn. - Dueling skills would only help me to get out of the living room quickly, but not to socialise with bloodthirsty girls.
- Noble gentlemen, you've finally arrived," said a slender blond woman primly as she waited for us at the faculty door, which was a half-circle-shaped double gate made of golden wooden plates and painted on the wall to represent the rising solar disc.
The whispered password opened the wide doors, revealing to our eyes the faculty lounge, which looked about the same as ours - the same numerous chairs, armchairs and sofas, the same tables, only the dominant colours were different, here a dim golden one prevailed and a great number of plants in tubs and cachepots along the walls filled the air with exotic smells.
The evening was already in full swing, two girls with lutes were playing a melody unknown to me, in one corner, judging by the flashes of magic coming from there, they were practising the magic of illusions, in another - playing some game. In the centre, joining several tables, sat about fifteen senior girls, as well as a few guys with Gryphon emblems.
- Good evening, fine ladies and noble gentlemen! - Jorg waved his hand, turning round and round.
A few of the girls who had approached us took us to vacant seats at the centre tables, where a rather lively, but still unclear to me, game was going on.
Sitting next to me, Lillian Capbell, who was acting as the game's host, quickly explained the rules to me. As it turned out, it was an analogue of the Muggle game of Fanta, where each participant gives the host some of his or her things, and then these items are pulled out of a bag, making a task or a wish for the owner. The humour of the game is that the host usually doesn't know who owns a particular item.
- Hmmm... This man will need... will need to bring me coffee... - Lillian pulled a heavy man's ring out of the pouch with a sly smile, and I got the idea that she obviously knew the owner.
One of the boys stood up, looking wistfully wistful, and went to a table with jugs and cups in the corner - as I understood it, House elf was not desirable to involve in the tasks.
The young man in the black silk-embroidered camisole moved away from Lillian and sat down at the table again, smiling mockingly. The signet of the ring, which I could see was the crest of a family of hereditary healers.
The next girl got a wish to fly into the air, and she managed to perform a levitation spell, blushing with exertion. A slender figure surrounded by a haze of power rose a few metres above the floor until the energy in the spell ran out. With a flutter of her arms, the girl flew awkwardly downwards.
Time slowed down.
- LeviosaCircle! - The beam of one of the levitation spells opened in a wide circle and enveloped the falling body. Gently setting the girl on the floor, I lowered my trembling hand - I didn't have time to get my wand.
Two of my undergrad friends jumped up and led the somewhat pale girl to the chairs, while I pulled my wand out and pulled a glass of juice from the table.
- I drained the glass, trying to keep my hands from shaking.
- Strong," Olaf said respectfully, clapping me on the shoulder.
- I've only recently begun to learn how to work without a wand," I straightened up after a little rest. - It takes a lot of effort....
- In Beauxbaton they teach it at the end of the sixth year," Jorg smiled. - Not everyone has to be a cunning unicum like you.
- Unicum? - I didn't understand.
- Don't be puffed up," Olaf sneered. - I read an article about Madame Delacourt's birthday ball, and there was mention of your magical aura.
- Devilish," I set the glass down on the table. - I still can't get used to having to carefully hide my abilities.
- Well, considering that you danced with Mr Delacourt's daughter," Olaf rolled his eyes meaningfully, "I'd lose all self-control if I were you, too.
Poking my mocking friend in the shoulder, I looked around, once again convinced of how different Beauxbaton and Hogwarts were. At Hogwarts I would have been surrounded by a crowd of excitedly shouting fellow students demanding to know how, when, what and why I didn't tell them, but here - after looking at me for a few seconds at the man who demonstrated unusual skill for his age, the students went back to their business.
- Hmm, the next assignment... - Lillian, meanwhile, stuck her hand into the bag and thought. - To tell if the heart is free or if there is love in it... - She almost sang a line from a song, turning it into a task for a new participant. Unclenching her fingers, the girl showed the embossed silver bracelet I had pulled out of the bag I had thrown there a little earlier.
- Ahem... - I hesitated involuntarily as the eyes of those at the table turned in my direction. - My heart is forever occupied with two women-my mother and my beloved. No names," I shook my head.
Lillian stared at me for a few seconds, as if waiting for me to continue, but I remained silent, not wanting to say my mother's name, much less Fleur's.
The game went on for a while, but I didn't like the question - there were too many subtexts it could hide. And, as everyone could see, I had no wedding ring on my fingers, which was still almost a year away. Again, it seemed to me that Lillian often guessed in advance to whom a particular object pulled out by touch belonged, so that the tasks were met with a merry laugh, obviously hitting not in the eye, but in the eye.
- Show me something funny," Lillian said, pulling out Jorg's earring, adorned with Scandinavian Runes of Strength, from a pouch.
Jorg thought for a moment, then grinned and swung his wand, aiming it at his twin brother, who was turning away from the table and looking at a particularly bright flash of illusionary magic in the opposite corner. In front of everyone's eyes the expensive gold embroidered robe turned into a rough leather and fur jacket, trousers, fur-trimmed boots, a white beard grew on his face, in general, the Scandinavian wizard looked as if he had returned several centuries back to the Viking times.
After examining his new look, Olaf grinned.
- I like it, damn it. - He threw his wand sharply in his brother's direction, and Jorg's clothes took on a similar appearance.
After a while, about a dozen more guys from the Gryphon Faculty came into the hall, bringing with them a Muggle tape recorder with a bunch of cassettes literally blazing from the magic invested in it. But the enormous amount of invested power had done its job - and the electronic mechanism felt quite confidently in the magical castle. The machine placed on the table announced the room with the familiar sounds of a waltz, which quickly changed to some modern dance music - Beauxbaton didn't have a ban on Muggle culture cultivated by English purebloods, so, pushing the tables away, some of the students spun in a dance.
With the three of us left, the Ragnarrsons and I plunged into a discussion of one of the last spells given out in combat magic class, which was failing the healer-Olaf.
- Gentlemen, it is impolite to come into the drawing room and sit frowning in the corner," the brothers were quickly dragged away by two brunette twins, despite their apparent defiance. I grinned at their contrasting beauty: blond-haired, blue-eyed twin boys twirling around with black-eyed, black-haired girls who looked like two peas in a pod.
- Monsieur Britton? - Lillian's soft, almost purring voice brought me out of my detached observation of the dancing twins.
- Miss Campbell," I bowed with an inward sigh, leading the girl into the circle of dancers.
The tune changed, but I couldn't get out of the circle, the girl smiling and holding me back, stopping all attempts to end the evening. Finally we stopped at a table with glasses and jugs, which, judging by the smell, contained not only juices. The slightly out of breath girl poured herself a full glass of juice and drained it quickly, glancing at me oddly enough at times. After drinking the glass of bittersweet juice that was handed to me, I finally managed to bow out delicately, leaving the girl by the table with the decanters. Looking around, and realising that no one would notice if I left now, I carefully slipped out the door.
However, as soon as I had walked a dozen steps down the corridor, I heard the sound of a door opening behind me. Turning around sharply, I saw the almost ghostly figure of a man under a disillusionment spell emerge behind me. The paranoia that Ciaran had generously shared with me worked wonderfully: in a smooth motion, I literally moved back a few steps, snatching up my wand.
- Don't! - A familiar girl's voice made me stop in the middle of the first shield-making motion.
The girl's figure swayed, shrouded in a haze, and in front of me was a slightly startled Lillian Campbell, holding onto a small amulet dangling from a chain.
- You move like an auror," the girl, still pale, stepped closer. - I was beginning to fear you were about to curse me.
- Sorry, reflexes," I bowed my head, admitting my guilt.
The girl approached and gently took me under her arm.
- For my scare, you owe me a walk," she said, waving her honey-coloured hair and smiling.
- If it wasn't too long - unfortunately, it had been a somewhat difficult day. - I realised that etiquette was inapplicable in this situation, and now I was frantically wondering what the girl wanted from me, and in such an ambiguous situation as an evening stroll without witnesses. Jean-Claude's warnings came to mind.
Through several narrow corridors, where I had never been before, we suddenly came to the outer wall surrounding the donjon. The sky, already almost black, spread above us in a velvet dome, lit only by a narrow strip of scarlet-amber fire on the horizon where the setting sun hid. It was fresh, but I didn't want to offer my robe to a girl I didn't know and stay in my shirt, so I just whispered warming charms under my breath, touching my fingers to the wand hidden in my sleeve. A warm yellow glow surrounded us, shielding us from the chill of the night.
- Harold," the clearly worried girl turned to me.
I looked at her expectantly, taking a step back just in case, but Lillian seemed to change the subject and instead of her question asked something else:
- How do you know so much about battle magic? - The girl leaned her back against the stone prong of the outer wall.
- I like this direction. - I leaned cautiously against a neighbouring cog, glancing at Lillian with a sidelong glance.
- Monsieur Leblanc rarely takes on anyone as an assistant. Only the most outstanding in strength and ability. - She gave me a sly look. - That's what you call just an area of interest to you, isn't it?
- Perhaps," the evasive answer seemed most appropriate.
Lillian, slowly running her palm over her lips, pushed away from the wall, coming closer. Her chest heaved more often, as if she was getting anxious again.
- Harry, there's something I wanted to tell you," she said, not waiting for my answer, and in one fluid step she was right next to me, pressing her lips to mine and throwing her arms around my neck.
My mind went blank, the unfamiliar scent of perfume and the tart, unusual flavour of the girl's lips acting like a strong wine. The slender, hot body pressed against me knocked the rest of my thoughts out of my head. I caught myself kissing the soft lips myself, savouring their spicy, exotic taste. A taste. Unusual. A taste. Potion. Fleur. What am I doing?
Gathering all my strength, I pulled away from the girl's lips, feeling the heat rising throughout my body. Lillian, flushed and looking especially beautiful, ran off the wall, leaving me alone with the sky, the stars, and the horrible thought that I had made a completely monstrous mistake.
I reached my room with difficulty, feeling the hammering of the hammers pounding in my temples, and rummaged through my trunk and drank two vials of antidotes at once. Contrary to my expectations, however, the reliable remedies did not work as I had hoped, and my eyes went completely black.
The nightmares I had had for the first time during my time in France did not let me go until about three o'clock in the morning. The utterly monstrous episodes of the Dark Lord's rebirth flowed seamlessly into the close-up of Lillian Campbell's eyes and lips as she unbuttoned her dress in a dance. Fleur looking at me reproachfully. Cedric falling to the ground with his face frozen in a final grimace. Lillian again, already completely naked and unbearably desirable.
I literally flew out of bed as if engulfed in a fire. My blood was pounding somewhere in my temples, and in my head, as if in a battle, two streams of thoughts and desires were intertwined. One part of me literally demanded that I put on my invisibility cloak and sneak into the dormitories of the Sun Faculty. The other reminded me of Fleur's shining eyes and gentle kisses.
- Damn potion... - I realised that if I didn't take the antidote immediately, I was going to be in simply colossal trouble. I had no antidote for the spell potion that had been slipped to me, and the universal antidotes didn't work. And now, without a neutraliser, the spell somehow interacts with the elixirs I've been taking to restore my strength, given by Jean-Claude, with Martignac's healing and corrective potions.....
- Tibi," I wheezed, feeling a bloody haze appear in my eyes. My personal houseboy appeared in the living room and stared at me faithfully.
- Take me to the Delacourt mansion to Fleur's room. Hurry. And don't let me move until Fleur tells you to remove the block.
I've been chained by the cold of elven magic. Tibi took my words literally, so I couldn't even move a finger. A fog of elven displacement enveloped us, and the next second I was standing in the middle of Fleur's room, who had rolled off the bed and was already pointing a wand snatched from under her pillow in my direction.
- Harry?! - When she realised there was no threat, she stepped out from behind the bed, the light from the fireplace immediately shining through her thin nightgown.
- Fleur, the spell potion... The antidote.... you must have it. - A storm of mixed potions raged through my veins.
Fleur slipped past me and snatched first a few bezoars from the cupboard, shoving them into my mouth before rummaging through a large chest in the corner. Kneeling and leaning over the chest, the girl looked so seductive that, even under the influence of the spell potion, I couldn't keep my eyes off the tight panties showing from under the edge of her shirt. By the time she finally found the right vial and came back to me, I was a little awake, with only the two desires that had been tormenting me, but it wasn't so bad, the bezoars had absorbed some of the poisonous cocktail inside.
As soon as the girl came closer, I felt the desire for Lillian's bedroom, caused by the Charm, recede into the background. But a new predicament had arisen: standing in the light of several lamps, the girl in the see-through, barely concealing shirt was incredibly beautiful. My eyes were literally fixed on the swaying hemispheres of breasts with small pink nipples beneath the thin fabric. I mentally cursed and thanked myself that I'd thought to order Tibi to immobilise me - in my slightly inadequate state after the potions, I could have made a mess of things. The girl blushed sweetly, but without getting dressed, she carefully brought a vial of greenish liquid to my lips, a fire that burned my throat. My head cleared, and the swirl of desire that had been raging inside faded, but my reaction to Fleur half a step away from me, almost naked, didn't go away.
- Harry, what was that?
- Potion in a glass. The poison neutraliser didn't work - I spoke in harsh, chopped-up sentences, slowly coming to my senses. In fact, as I realised, the potion had been on Lillian's lips, but it was better not to tell Fleur about that unintentional kiss.
Fleur, who had already realised that I was paralysed by Tibi's magic, gently covered my mouth with a kiss.
- Thank you. - The quiet whisper of the girl's body pressed against me made me almost as passionate as the spell potion I'd drunk.
- For what? - My body, maddened but motionless, demanded immediate action.
- For not giving in to the spell potion. - Another kiss. - Teebie, let him go.
With a snap of his fingers, the housekeeper removed the cocoon of power that bound me. I caught the girl immediately, sinking my lips into her soft lips. Fleur's head tilted back and she clung to me as if we were one. Picking the girl up in my arms, I gently placed her on the bed, lowering myself on top of her, pressing her down with my body.
In my head, in addition to the fierce desire, I had an idea I'd read in a book Sirius had given me - how to pleasure a girl without bringing things to.... the most important thing. What had happened tonight, and the sight of Fleur half-naked, had broken the self-control that had kept me from rushing in, and it was beyond me to just go back to Beauxbaton like that.
- Harry? - Fleur gasped as my lips moved down to the white skin of her neck, to the bluish artery beating in a frantic rhythm. I felt her body quiver.
- I won't cross the line, love," I breathed, continuing my journey from her neck to her breasts, no longer hidden by the fabric of her nightgown. The girl's legs wrapped around my waist, and there was an intermittent sigh from Fleur.
- Harry," I half moaned, half squeaked as the nipple bump beneath my lips began to harden.
- Yes," a sweet moan that was swallowed up by the muffling charms. My tongue dipped into the soft warmth, and Fleur arched her back, pulling my head closer with her hands.
Time disappeared for both of us, consumed by a whole new sense of oneness with each other. I caressed Fleur's body, forgetting everything, listening to her moans so sweet to me, her confused whispers not to stop. And when my beloved cried out from the pleasure that engulfed her, I realised that I had not tried in vain to make her forget what had happened earlier.
After a while, the exhausted girl stretched out on the bed, pressing her heated body against me.
- You're crazy. - Fleur rubbed her nose against my shoulder. - It felt so good.
I kissed the small palm of her hand.
- You're the most beautiful thing in the world, love," I said out loud, and I thought to myself that I wouldn't leave the room without a vial of the antidote to the spell potion and a couple of bezoars.
- Harry, you're crazy," Fleur repeated, falling asleep. - 'But next time I want a rematch.
- Teebie, wake me up at seven in the morning. - Cradling the sleeping girl against me, I let myself slip into slumber as well.
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