I Don't Want to be a Hero - Ch. 7

The Cruciatus After-Effects Relief Potion

Harry sat in the Potions Master's private lab upon a tall stool next to the wizard. His legs dangled and he was kicking his heels against the support dowel until a light touch upon one knee from Professor Snape stopped him. Snape glared pointedly, and handed Harry a sheaf of parchment bound together on one side, and covered with a dragon-hide cover. Harry, marvelling at the journal, saw two initials carved in the lower right corner of the cover.

"H. P." Harry grinned. "This is mine, sir?" asked Harry in obvious disbelief.

Over a week of watching the child recover from injury inflicted by Bellatrix LeStrange, and unknowingly by the Muggle hospital, Snape had many chances to observe Harry's over-abundance of joy when things that ought to normally be his were presented to him. He had nearly wept when Snape had given him an entirely new set of first year textbooks after it was determined that not only had Harry's books gone but so had his trunk, and everything in it. His owl had fortunately gone to owlery upon first arrival to Hogwarts.

A determined investigation with Minerva McGonagall, interviews with Harry's dorm mates, and a by-hand search that tore apart the dorm, turned up nothing. Not even a clue. Harry's books, new robes, parchment, inks, and quills, and his new wand, were all vanished.

Minerva had given Harry a set of ink and quills, while Hermione had given her new friend a roll of parchment. Fred and George Weasley had their old first year robes, and gave those to Harry. They were a touch worn, but they were clean and would do until he could get his own. Ron, not to be left out, used the last of his allowance to get a good-sized bag of owl treats for Hedwig.

All of this had been given to Harry on the fourth day of his recovery at Hogwarts. He had wept. Later, when Snape asked him why he had been so emotional Harry had simply told him that no one had been so nice before, nor had he been given so many gifts at one time.

Snape explained, as he did now, "It is simply a tool to be used to better organise your work." Harry nodded but he was clearly holding back his tears. Snape sighed, "Shall we begin, Mr. Potter?" Snape handed the boy a Never-Ink Quill, and then lightly squeezed his shoulder.

Harry opened his journal and wrote his first sentence: The Cruciatus After-Effects Relief Potion

"The potion is based around the herb scutellaria, also known as the skullcap. I will also show you a very good tea made with crushed skullcap flowers and leaves. For the potion we require mainly the leaf of the skullcap and one flower powdered. Please bring me a size 2 iron cauldron, Mr. Potter." Snape pointed to a shelf that held several sizes of cauldrons, and also cauldrons of different materials. Harry scrambled off the stool, went over to the shelf, and studied all the cauldrons. "Also, bring the dragon-teeth knives, and a set of crystal stirrers."

Harry examined all the supplies, and then he began to choose what was needed. Once he had everything Professor Snape had asked for he carried it all over to the Potions Master.

Snape nodded at the correct cauldron. He was impressed by the boy seeing there was a difference between Hamadryad Teeth Knives and Dragon-Teeth. He was also pleased with the set of crystal stirrers wrapped carefully in supple dragon hide. They were Snape's best stirrers. "Very good, Mr. Potter. Now, use your wand..." Harry gave him a sudden dismayed look. Snape nodded, "I did forget, Mr. Potter. Until we can replace your wand, would you use mine to fill the cauldron with one deca-liter of water." He offered his wand to the boy the way someone might offer a sword to a knight.

"How do I do that, sir?" Harry took his teacher's wand and it suddenly felt heavy, dark, and very powerful. He was almost afraid of the wand.

"Reference the front of your textbook for the proper Latinate measurement charms, Mr. Potter."

Harry opened his book and grinned at the perfect chart that held measurements needed in potion making. He studied the chart, and found what he needed. "Litre una deca," recited Harry.

"Cast Aguamenti as I showed you but add the measurement after the spell to get the correct amount." When he saw Harry starting to point his wand in the air, Snape indicated the cauldron. "Let us not begin with having to mop the floor, Mr. Potter. Aim."

Ignoring the heat in his cheeks, Harry aimed the wand, and said clearly, "Aguamenti litre una deca." The water gushed forth from the tip of his wand and filled the bottom of the cauldron then stopped.

Professor Snape then guided Harry through the full brewing process from simmering the water to dicing the Skullcap leaves, and powdering the Skullcap flower. He also added Chamomile seed, Valerian Root, Passion Flower, and for taste he added a sprig of eucalyptus.

"Generally I am not kind enough to add flavour to a potion in order to remove its usually unpalatable taste," said Snape as he carefully watched Harry stir the potion widdershins 50 times.

"You don't like kids, sir?" asked Harry softly.

"I do not like people, Mr. Potter," replied Snape smoothly.

"You don't like me?" Harry stopped stirring. Catching his hand Snape wrapped his own hand around Harry's to continue the stirring.

Snape captured the green eyes with his own dark ones, and answered solemnly, "You are becoming tolerable, Mr. Potter."

Harry who had been holding his breath, smiled beatifically.

"However, keep in mind Mr. Potter that as far as anyone else is concerned you and I dislike each other immensely," warned Snape.

Harry nodded. "I can do that, sir."

"50," announced Professor Snape.

"We're done, sir?" asked Harry.

Professor Snape nodded as he Summoned a bottle for the potion. "It will need to cool, and then at bedtime, 9 of the clock, you will come to my quarters and drink all of it."

"Your quarters, sir?"

"The first three nights the potion will put you to sleep but it will be a violent sleep of multiple tremors that are washing out of you. You could fall from your bed in your dorm, hurt someone else sleeping there, or it might even manifest your Accidental Magic. It is also not a restful sleep, and that is what the Skullcap Tea is for. It will revive you but not in such a way that it is hard upon the nerves."

Harry was dutifully writing all of this down, and Snape watched, just barely wincing at the child's atrocious penmanship. "I believe you ought to ask Mr. Percy Weasley to aid you with your penmanship. If I receive an essay with that mess, I will most assiduously deduct points from Gryffindor."

"I'll ask, sir." Harry shut his journal, and gingerly handed Snape his wand back. "Thanks for everything, Professor Snape. I'll see you this evening. Bye!"

Harry slipped off his stool, and Snape watched as the boy ran out of the private lab with a spring in his step; something that warmed the wizard to see.

Turning away Snape began to spoon the viscous green potion into the clay bottle.