Potions and Snitches
Snape and Harry Gen Fanfiction Archive

The Visitor

Day 1

 

When Harry awoke the next morning, Snape was up already, making tea over the fire. Evelyn appeared to have finally fallen asleep. She was laying on her straw tick, snoring very softly, brows furrowed. Snape motioned for Harry to be quiet, and Harry complied. He got up and folded his quilt to put on top of Snape's quilt, which was also folded in the corner. Harry arrived at the table, and Snape pulled the two chipped mugs out of his rucksack. Evelyn did not appear to have much for plates or cups. He poured the freshly brewed tea into the mugs and pushed one over to Harry.

"There is nothing here other than tea, so enjoy it," Snape said quietly. "The bread I brought got drenched in the downpour. I had not realized the waterproofing charm needed renewal on my rucksack. I will go later to see if I can procure some food."

"Yes sir," Harry muttered, blowing on the hot tea.

Snape also sat down at the table, and the two of them sat, blowing on their tea until it was cool enough. Harry's stomach growled hungrily, and quite loudly, but he did not say anything. Snape looked at him for a moment or two, clearly having heard the noise. He seemed to be waiting for Harry to complain of his hunger.

"How was your Christmas?" asked Snape after a little while, sounding awkward as he stared into the depths of his tea.

"Great," Harry replied. "I like it at the Burrow. Mr and Mrs Weasley are really nice."

"Better than before?"

"Yeah, a lot." Harry took a sip of his tea, not knowing what else to say.

"Good."

In the distance the bustling sounds of the city reached their ears. Carts clattered over the stones and horses whinnied. The gentle undercurrent of people talking flowed beneath these sounds, filling the silence that had fallen between Harry and Snape.

Harry stared into his tea thoughtfully. Perhaps now was the best time for him to ask Snape what had been bothering him so much. But asking why someone was ignoring you is always a difficult task, and, honestly, Harry felt confused. Was it just in his head, Snape ignoring him back at school? He was paying attention to him now (albeit a little hesitantly), wasn't he? He had been decent to him since they'd arrived. But whatever had changed? Why was it that Snape had decided to act as though Harry existed now? Was it like Ron said, that Snape was only acting this way because they were forced together, and he had no choice?

"Is something bothering you?" asked Snape curiously, setting his mug down on the table and narrowing his eyes slightly as he studied Harry.

Harry looked down into his tea and fidgeted.

"No. Well, yes ... I just was wondering ..." he began, but could not get the words out so, morosely, he continued on a different tangent. "When do you think we'll get back?"

Snape looked a little less tense as he answered.

"Whenever we finish helping Evelyn, I suppose," said Snape. "I am guessing we will be here about two weeks at the most."

"Okay," Harry said, angry at himself for chickening out.

After Harry said this, Evelyn began to stir. She sat up, looking groggy, and peered around the room.

"Is that tea I smell?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes, would you like some?" Snape replied.

"I would," said Evelyn, looking extremely grateful. She grabbed a comb from a shelf nearby and started to pull it through her hair while Snape poured her a cup of tea. "I haven't had money to buy tea for ages."

Snape put the mug on the table. This mug was one of Evelyn's, and was made of tin. She put the comb down, shook her hair out a little and then hurried over to the mug. Evelyn took a seat and wrapped her hands around her tea. She took a sip, though it was hot enough to burn.

"Mmm," she sighed. "Thank you so much."

"It was no trouble," Snape said, looking rather amused.

"To tell the truth, I haven't really had much money for anything," she said, sounding disappointed with herself. "After what happened I never really did get a chance to go back to my home, and without a garden I can't sell vegetables like I used to. Not that I had much back home anyway, but it still would have been nice to return. But, after what I did, some of the higher ups want me hung for Blaine McTavish's murder. When Ellery and I returned to the cave to get his inventing things we were going to try to get into my house, but they had people posted nearby, waiting for me to return, so we had to call it off. Pity, really. I had a little bag of coins hidden away."

She scoffed in disgust before continuing. "I've been transfiguring stones into buttons to sell or trade on the streets just to be able to eat. I don't know how on earth we'll be able to feed three of us."

Snape looked thoughtful for a second.

"Well, I think I might have a solution to that," Snape said, the ghost of smirk on his face. "Potter, get up, and move away from the chair."

Harry stood up cautiously, and edged a few steps from his seat. Snape pointed his wand at the chair. The worn wood suddenly began to flex and ripple, and then it split into two before Harry's eyes, although it was not the type of splitting one would imagine with wood. It looked more as though the chair had suddenly become putty and two hands were pulling it apart. The result left two identical chairs.

"Oh bravo," said Evelyn sarcastically. "You can make as many worn out, rickety chairs as you want but -"

"Patience, I am not finished," said Snape, clearly not bothered at all by Evelyn's response. He waved his wand again, and the wood began to ripple and change once more. It grew a dark cherry colour, and elegant carvings began to blossom upon the back and legs. The grain of the wood was brought out by a shining gloss that began to form over the chair. In its glamour, the chair looked highly abnormal in the room with the other roughly cut furniture.

Snape lowered his wand.

"On second thought, I don't think anyone will buy that, will they?" said Snape dryly, staring at the chair with a bored expression. He looked back at Evelyn, one eyebrow raised.

Evelyn simply gaped.

"Where on earth did you learn to do that?" she asked in admiration. Harry couldn't help but wonder the same.

"I studied a while at Westminster Potions Academy, and in order to get a degree you had to do a few arts electives. They claimed it was to broaden your horizons, or some sort of rubbish like that. Anyway, I took magical carpentry, and one of the units focused on transfiguration of wood. I am afraid I have not had much use for what I learned, other than fix old potions benches, but some of the magic behind it is quite fascinating."

Evelyn got up and studied the chair.

"I have got to learn how to do this," she said, a smile breaking over her tired face.

 

***

 

Harry's first foray into the medieval marketplace set his head spinning. Of course, this could have had something to do with the fact that he wasn't wearing his glasses (far too conspicuous for a peasant during that time period) and therefore could only see a general mass of shapes. Snape too, however, seemed a little bit overwhelmed by the excitement of it all. It was very much different from what Harry knew. In the streets here people were shouting at the top of their voices and passing squawking birds in exchange for baskets of potatoes or bread.

They had gotten up quite early to prepare for the excursion. Both Harry and Snape had to find something different than their robes to wear, for, while they blended in alright with an old fashioned magical population due to robe styles being fairly similar, muggle peasants were another matter entirely. Harry and Snape had therefore been given some of Ellery's old clothing to wear (Harry's had been shrunk, of course), and they had set out onto the street as the occupants of the other houses were just beginning to stir. At first they had been planning to walk the distance to the marketplace on Cheap Side, carrying the chairs, but luckily a passer-by had been headed in that direction with a horse and cart, and had offered to give them a ride for free. The horse was older, and the man was quite kind so he let it go at its own pace. Harry did not mind this in the least, as he was quite happy to watch the world go by, especially when they entered the markeplace, for there was a great deal to see. Harry watched intently as he sat with his legs dangling from the cart, the clacking of the wheels sounding beneath him. These sounds however were easily drowned out by the sheer noise of bartering and the wild hubbub around them. For a moment, Harry and Snape exchanged amazed glances, mostly in surprise of the general boredom Evelyn was showing, clearly used to the chaos. They looked away from each other quickly, however.

"This is fine," Evelyn called to the driver.

The cart squeaked slightly as it came to a halt, and Snape jumped down. It was quite distance to the ground, and his boots slapped on the stone. The horse looked lazily back at Harry as Evelyn passed the chairs down to Snape. The horse blinked, and then set its sight forward again.

"Thank you sir," Harry said to the driver.

"It was a pleasure," said the man. "It's always nice to see a family working together to make a living. Them chairs are very well made."

Harry just smiled, trying to refrain from screaming that he and Snape were not related in any way.

Snape too seemed to have difficulty holding his tongue, but he thanked the driver as well.

"Come on then," he said to Harry, who was looking down at the long drop, unable to properly make out the road because of his blurred vision. Harry was not all that keen on jumping where he couldn't properly see. Snape rolled his eyes and grabbed Harry's arm. "You'll be fine, now jump."

Harry did so, and Snape steadied his landing. The driver then slapped the reigns, and the horse lumbered forward, leaving Harry and Snape to cross the street to where Evelyn had set the chairs.

"How you can stand up on a flying broomstick and still be nervous to get off a cart, I'll never know," Snape said, rolling his eyes.

"That's different, flying just comes naturally for me," Harry said. "And I had to leave my glasses at Evelyn's, remember? I could barely see where to land."

Snape did not respond, and instead began a conversation with Evelyn while Harry indulged himself a little and sulked behind them.

"That old man thought we were a family," said Snape, rather disgruntled. "I recall someone though Potter was my son the last time we travelled to your era as well."

"No use sulking over it," Evelyn said. "You two do look a little alike, what with the dark hair. There's nothing wrong with that anyway. I don't really see why it bothers you, you know."

Harry huffed slightly as he wandered a little ways away.

"I suppose," muttered Snape. "It just seems strange."

"Oh look, I think someone's coming to look at the chairs," said Evelyn.

Harry didn't pay much attention to what was going on after that, and merely watched the hubbub of the marketplace. Every so often someone would come along to browse by the chairs, and Evelyn would hold her breath hopefully. But it was well past lunch by the time someone came along that was actually seriously considering buying them.

Harry and Snape sat back while Evelyn bartered, as she was much more familiar with how much money was worth in this time period. The rather well to do man who was interested in the chairs took great pains inspecting them. While this too place, Harry and Snape sat in the shadows of a stall someone had erected.

"Sir? Is it just me, or has that old man over there been staring at us for a long time?" Harry whispered to his Professor.

"Hmm?" Snape said, having been shaken out of his thoughts. "Who?"

"The man with the hat pulled low over his eyes, and the pocket watch, over there," Harry said.

Snape caught sight of the man in question as the glint of the slightly tarnished timepiece flashed in the air when he slid it into his pocket.

"You think he has been watching us?"

"Well, I don't really think he sees you and I, exactly, but he's been watching Evelyn like a hawk," Harry muttered.

Snape looked alarmed at this, and without saying another word went over to Evelyn's ear and whispered something into it while the man was inspecting the chairs. Evelyn stiffened slightly, and hastily accepted the buyer's proposed price. She pocketed the money, trying not to look too worried. The buyer loaded up the chairs onto the back of a cart, and Evelyn slid into the shadows when she thought that the suspicious man wasn't looking.

"Where should we go?" asked Harry as they huddled behind a rickety booth with fabric curtains.

"Oh drat, I really should have brought a map," Evelyn moaned quietly to herself. "Severus, please tell me that you just so happen to know the layout of London."

"Well, I do," began Snape quietly. Hope filled Evelyn's eyes, until she heard the next part. "Unfortunately, that is over three hundred and fifty years in the future!"

Evelyn bit her lip.

"How about this way?" Harry asked, pointing down an alley, which looked very fuzzy with his bad vision.

"Sure," said Evelyn, admitting defeat.

The three ducked into the alley, then turned down another small lane, winding in and around the streets as they tried to lose whoever it was that had been watching them. After a while, Harry decided that they could not have been followed.

"Shh!" Evelyn said suddenly as they stopped.

Snape too looked highly alert.

They stayed still for a long time, but eventually Evelyn motioned for them to keep moving.

"Probably just a rat, or a cat," muttered Evelyn.

Snape didn't look so sure, but their journey back to Tower Street was unhindered, although rather longer than it would have been. After a while they relaxed, and Harry began to wonder if they hadn't just imagined the man paying close attention to what they were doing. On the way back to Evelyn's little house, they stopped by a smaller market not too far from Tower Street. Harry got to carry the two loaves of bread, still warm from being in the oven. Stomachs rumbled all around, and when they finally went into the house they could hardly wait to eat. With the money from the chairs they had enough for bread, some asparagus, a bag of potatoes, and bit of meat. They even had a few coins left over. They put what they could save down in the small cellar. Evelyn began cooking once this was done, and Snape pulled out the maps and some parchment. He scribbled away upon the parchment, drawing squiggly diagrams and making nearly illegible notes. But he crossed many of these out, frustration growing in his eyes.

Supper was finally finished, and the three tried not to wolf down their food. It disappeared quickly anyway, but this was just as well, for there was work to do.

"Have you been able to figure out a way to breach the wards?" Evelyn inquired to Snape as she passed a soapy plate to Harry.

As Harry dried it he looked over his shoulder, also awaiting Snape's answer.

Snape just shook his head.

When he was done drying dishes, Harry tapped his toes on the wood as he sat in his chair, listening to the wind making the shutters creak. Snape and Evelyn had their heads close together as they muttered about wards and various spells that might help them gain access to the Potioneer's Society undetected. Harry thought that it wasn't going well.

"Did you hear that sir?" Harry asked after a while, suddenly alert.

"That infernal tapping, you mean?" said Snape irritably as he scratched out yet another plan on the parchment. Evelyn was frowning heavily.

"No, footsteps, I heard someone -"

There was a knock on the door, slow and deliberate.

Snape cursed under his breath and scrambled to roll up the plans. Evelyn loaded them into Snape's arms and he dashed over to the straw tick mattress. He lifted the edge and stuffed all of the papers underneath it. The knock sounded again.

"Should we answer it?" whispered Harry.

Evelyn took a deep breath, and nodded.

"They already know we're here," she said shakily, eyes flicking over to the blazing fire shedding light over the room.

Snape had his wand up his sleeve, and he motioned for Evelyn to answer the door. He was standing in the shadows, ready to curse whoever it was. There was a glint in Snape's eye that Harry thought was a strange sort of readiness. It was with a chilling shiver that it dawned on Harry that Snape seemed prepared to do more than hex the person should he need to.

Harry let his feet travel backward, until his shoulders rested against the wall. Then Evelyn opened the door. The wind gusted in, warm and damp.

She took once glimpse of the man and her shoulders sagged with relief.

"It's just a beggar Severus," she said. "We've had a few words before."

Evelyn must have had a good reason not to be worried, because the man looked terrifying to Harry. He had a small leather patch over one of his eyes, and the other was deep, dark blue. His cheeks were sunken in, and he had a thick, grey beard. He was dressed in rather tattered clothing, but he looked fairly well kept considering. Although his gaze held a kind of intensity that made Harry want to look away. Yet, Harry thought he looked oddly familiar.

"Sorry sir," said Evelyn as Snape came out of the shadows. "We got a little bit carried away."

"That's alright ma'am, dark night," said the beggar courteously. His voice was low and gravelly, but his way of speaking was not that of a poor Londoner. He appeared to have come from somewhere higher up before he ended up on the streets. Harry took a step away from the wall, wondering what misfortune had befallen the man.

"What have you come for?" Evelyn inquired. "I have a little bit of spare bread I can give you."

"I'm not here for food," said the man. "May I enter?"

"For what reason?" asked Snape suspiciously.

"I do not wish to discuss some things on doorsteps," he muttered. "It is in your best interest to allow me to come in."

Snape stared in scrutiny at the beggar for a few moments, eyes scanning his face.

"Let him in Evelyn," said Snape softly.

Evelyn stepped aside and the beggar walked through the doorway. She shut the door behind him. Snape sat down at the table and offered the man a seat. Harry made to open his mouth, to tell Snape what had just dawned up on him ... that this man had been watching them earlier that day. He was sure it was the same man. Snape caught his eye, and gave him a knowing look, so Harry remained silent.

Evelyn took a seat as well, but Harry stayed standing in the corner.

The beggar's eye glanced over to Harry, but it did not linger. He looked back at Snape.

"You mind?" he asked in that gravelly voice as he pulled out a pipe, and some tobacco.

"No," said Evelyn.

He filled the pipe, and struck a match. It flared to life in the slightly dim room, reflecting in the man's uncovered eye. He took a long pull and, then exhaled.

Evelyn looked thoughtful before she spoke. "You never have told me your name."

"Name's not important."

"I'd like to know anyway, if that's alright," Evelyn said firmly.

He looked at her, and then let out a low chuckle. The sound made the hair on Harry's neck stand up.

"Samuel Hearne."

"Samuel Hearne?" Snape said, eyes snapping up from where they were examining the tabletop. "The inventor of Polyjuice Potion?"

Evelyn lightly kicked Snape's shin under the table. He did well not to show any pain he might have been feeling.

"So I do get credit in the future, eh?" said the man, a look of delight crossing his face as he took another lengthy pull from the pipe.

Harry felt his head spin, and Evelyn looked astonished.

"Don't look so worried, I know all about that," he said with another chuckle. "I don't beg on this street because you get a lot. I've been paying great attention to the goings on of this household, Evelyn. That old man definitely knew what he was doing. My condolences, by the way."

Evelyn blinked rapidly.

Harry looked away from Evelyn, and over to Snape. Harry almost laughed when he saw the expression on his face. He looked like a first year, eagerly awaiting the chance to do magic for the first time.

"How long did it take you?" Snape blurted. "Polyjuice, I mean. How long did you spend developing it?"

"Eighteen years," said Hearne, looking mildly amused. Evelyn rolled her eyes at Snape.

"Eighteen years ..." echoed Snape softly, looking lost in thought.

"Not that I got any benefit from it," growled Hearne. "That bastard stole it. Never did get a chance to patent it."

"Is that why you're out on the streets?" Snape asked.

"Damn straight," was the answer they were given after Hearne took another lengthy pull from his pipe.

"Who took it?" asked Evelyn.

"James McTavish," Hearne replied, the name a curse upon his lips.

Nobody was surprised.

"I never did know where that recipe ended up, but it's all over the market now, my name not even attached." The bitterness of his voice was poisonous.

"I know," Harry said. "He must have sent it to his brother. We came back in time before, and a friend of his brother used it to spy on us."

Hearne's face grew dark. He seemed to have nothing to say in response, but he nodded to Harry before continuing.

"You're a member of the Potioneer's Society, perhaps you can help us stop James McTavish from doing worse," Snape said.

"I was a member," Hearne muttered. "Was."

"But you can tell us how it works, and the layout of the building and its defences," Evelyn said hopefully.

"I can't tell you any of those things ... there are too many things they forbid you to speak of," he replied gravely, taking another pull from his pipe. "They banished me from the society for my potion being stolen. Everyone is in charge of their own work, and the protection surrounding it, so if it is stolen then the blame falls upon the maker. That I can say. Unfinished potions are dangerous business if they're put to use. So they banished me for such a major error, because the code forbids unfinished work reaching the outside world before it is approved, and deemed safe.

"Nobody would believe me that it was James who stole the potion, that the society was corrupt, no good. My potion was almost ready to be released, though not quite. It was fully functional, but I needed to find a way to make it less painful, for we had one tester nearly pass out from it. In addition to that, I had yet to test multiple uses on one person and the effects involved with that. But around the time I was doing this, I had discovered some of James' notes, and knew he was delving into dark territory. I told him to stop it ... tried to reason with him. He would not accept any of that, being too hungry for the power he could gain. He was worried I would give away his secret, so James retaliated, and he stole my recipe to sell on the black market, and, I suppose, to send to his brother as well. Only I knew he had done it, and then I was banished for breaking the code. But before I left, I had to take an unbreakable vow, so that I could not reveal how the building is protected, and the specifics of projects the members are working on, as well as certain details on how the structure of the society works. Memory charms can be too easily breached, if one wants to break it badly enough. But you already know what McTavish is up to, don't you? Why else would you be planning a break in?"

Silence fell for a few moments as Hearne sucked some more smoke from the pipe and everyone digested the information.

"So you cannot help us break in?" Snape said, crestfallen.

"Whoever said I couldn't do that?" Hearne said, a glint in his eyes.

"You're willing to die to give us information?" Evelyn said incredulously.

"No," said Hearne. "I wanted you to know that someone is on your side."

Harry frowned.

"Sorry I can't do more, boy," Hearne said to him. "It'll work out, you'll see."

"I hope so sir," muttered Harry, and then he looked at his feet as Hearne took another drag from the pipe.

"He your apprentice?" Hearne asked Snape, blowing smoke rings.

"Not exactly," Snape said.

"Hmm. He looks like a hard worker. Well, I should be going."

Samuel Hearne then pulled out a wand, and he tapped the pipe. It went out with a slight hiss. Then he stowed it back in his pocket.

"Don't want to use all my tobacco at one time," he said cheerfully as he stood up, wand in hand.

"It was good visiting with you," said Evelyn, although her voice was shaking with disappointment.

Hearne stood up, and Snape shook his hand, saying a few words of good luck.

"You too," said Hearne as he strode toward the door. He paused next to the ordinary willow twig broom, which was leaning up against the wall close to the door. "You'd best hurry with that plan."

He smiled rather mischievously, and then went out the door.

Harry sat down in the empty chair, and Evelyn put her face in her hands. Silence fell for a few moments, until Snape broke it. His voice was shaking slightly, but strangely enough, Harry thought it was with excitement.

"Evelyn, look at your broom."

Evelyn's head snapped up.

Harry stared.

The broom wasn't a broom anymore. It was a spade. A shiny, metal spade.

Snape stood up, his chair sliding back with a clatter.

"Evelyn," he said hoarsely. "I know how we can avoid the wards."

She too rose to her feet. "Of course, the wards, they can't possibly go underground too? Can they?"

"Subterranean warding was not invented until the mid seventeen-hundreds," Snape said with a sudden grin, and Harry felt excitement beginning to rise within him.

"But how will we know where to surface?" Evelyn said, biting her lip and sitting back down. "For that we would need to know the layout of the building. I don't think there is one in that book of yours. Just its location in London."

"But he already told us how," Snape said slowly, looking at Harry, who suddenly had a bad feeling about this.

"Potter, how would you like to be apprenticed at the Potioneer's Society?"

Chapter End Notes:
How did you guys like their unexpected visitor? It was Severus' lucky day, eh? Looks like Harry is in for a wild ride too. And, in case you guys haven't figured it out, I am going to be counting up the days so you know how much time they have left to accomplish their task.

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