Eye of the Beholder

Chapter 4


Chapter 4. An Offer to Consider

It was a typical Wednesday potions class, but Sasha felt less than typical. She had watched Snape all afternoon, but thankfully he showed no signs of speaking to her, or even noticing her. In a way she was grateful that he had made no obvious comment about what happened during her detention. Specifically, of how she had made a fool of herself, crying like a child when he was just trying to help her. A loud explosion immediately drew her out of her reverie.

 
She looked over to see Neville Longbottom standing above his cauldron, covered in semi-congealed, green, well… stuff. Sasha shook her head. How he could have made anything that would turn into green goo she would never know. They were only simmeriase ase solutions on which they were floating ground pixy toes, which would extract any impurities in the potion. Leave it to Neville to turn it into something else, she thought with a smile. Poor guy.

 
Sasha looked over at Snape to see him standing there with his eyes shut tight, visibly trying to get control of his emotions. Once calmed, Snape strode over to Neville, bent at the waist, and peered at the boy with a grim look of distain. "Exactly what are you doing, Mr. Longbottom? Trying to prepare yourself a slime bath, perhaps?" he said in an inquisitive, sarcastic voice.

 
Neville just looked down at the cooling mess on his robes and sighed. His partner, Hermione Granger, took out her wand and with a spell, vanished the majority of the green muck. "It’s OK Professor Snape, I have everything under control," she said bossily, trying to appear like nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. In a way nothing had – Neville managed to ruin most of his class assignments, much to the dismay of Snape. And Hermione, come to think of it.

 
Snape just peered at the two of them and shook his head. "Neville, that is another 10 points from Gryffindor. You are lucky we were not using anything more volatile in class today, or somehow, I imagine, you would have managed to make enough mess to drown us all!" With that Snape turned his back, and strode back to his desk, his robes billowing out behind him.

 
The class soon wound down, and as the students left the potions dungeon, Sasha deliberately fell behind. She removed her old lab notebook from her bag, and quietly walked up to Snape’s desk. He had his head down and his lanky hair fell forward, obscuring his face from her view. Snape was preoccupied checking over potion assignments, when without a word of explanation she slowly slid her notebook in front of him. Sasha wondered if he even remembered that she was supposed to drop it off today.

 
Snape stopped writing in mid-sene, ae, and looked up at her sharply. Her expression was inscrutable, as she did not want to reveal to him any of the mixed emotions she was feeling. Just being back in the same place as the night before, standing there beside Snape’s desk, remembering the feel of his hands on her face made her feel both ashamed and excited at the same time. She really didn’t know how to react around him now.

 
Snape set his quill down carefully, and still not saying a word, picked up the lab book and flipped through it. It was labeled Volume 2, which made him assume there was a Volume 1 out there somewhere. He was astonished first of all at the number of experiments she had attempted. At least sixty he estimated, including those small ones necessary to brew precursor ingredients before adding them to a final potion. Not all were focussed on vanishing potions he noted. A few were actually quite complex, not to mention that some contained class II rested ied ingredients. Interesting, Snape thought; well she won’t let something like the Magical Laws interfere with her ambition. That is something to note.

 
He noticed how precise her notes were for each of the trials. She included the failed experiments as well as the successful ones, which, sometimes, were more valuable if you wanted to try a new potion Snape recognized. She had also gone back over her notes (he could tell by the different coloured ink and comments in the columns of the book) and reflected on possible reasons some of the experiments failed. Excellent. He did the same thing when he was a student at Hogwarts, he noted wryly.

 
With this bit of evidence, it confirmed his decision to allow her to help him make the fading potion. She would be invaluable, especially since there were so many steps involved that must be conducted simultaneously. Also, he knew that someone who would go to these great lengths to try and create a potion to permanently alter her appearance was motivated, and would not waste his time. She would be more dedicated to correctly brewing it than someone who did not have a vested interest in the final outcome. He smiled to himself. All he had to do now was plant his idea in her head, and make her come to him.

 
Snape closed her lab book softly, and stood up. "Would you mind if I kept this for a bit?" he inquired. Sasha, still trying to keep her heart beat under control, just nodded. Snape placed the book on his desk and turned back to face Sasha. He could tell by the way the vein on the side of her neck pulsed quickly, that she was nervous. The thought crossed his mind that perhaps it was his nearness that may be the cause of that, but dismissed the thought immediately. Sorry Severus old boy, she would never think of a greasy old git like you as attractive. With that thought, Snape prepared himself for what he was about to say next.

 
"What would you do, Sasha, if I told you that you were on the right path with your fading potions," he asked seriously.

 
She smiled at him in curiosity, and replied, "Nothing. I know I am on the right path. I told you I realized I had to abandon wormwood, and I am trying other ingredients."

 
Snape smiled benevolently at her, but with an air of someone who is speaking to a rather dull child. "Yes, but what if I told you you will never succeed following your current school of thought?" Sasha frowned at this. "There are certain advantages to being a Potions Master, now, isn’t there?" he smiled mischievously to soften the sarcasm in his voice.

 
"Suppose I also told you that there is someone out there who certainly has both the knowledge required, and the means to obtain the ingredients you need in order to make the potion you desire." Snape paused and looked meaningfully at her, hoping she would understand whom he was referring to.

 
Sasha picked up on his oblique meaning almost immediately, and answered hesitantly, "What if I were to approach this … this, person, and request his help in this matter?"

 
Snape smiled. Intelligent girl. He did not have to spell it out for her. "What if I told you this person would possibly be interested in tutoring a student, but only," and Snape emphasized the only, "if she was serious about the task, and would provide her complete attention and devotion to it?" he said pointedly. "It would be wise not to waste this person’s time," he said quietly, his tone cool.

 
The realization of where this was could lead had Sasha excited. Almost instantly, however, her face fell and she spoke again. "What if the student was very interested, but does not have the means to pay for the type of ingredients that would likely be required?" she asked softly.

 
Snape’s eyebrows rose. This was not an issue to him, but obviously it was to her. Time for a block and parry, he thought. "That issue aside, what if this person informed you that the process necessary to make this particular potion is very complex, and requires long and tedious hours of painstaking attention to detail. If they knew it would take three to four hours a day, three days per week for two weeks, then hourly attentions for twditiditional straight weeks, would this deter her from starting such a project?" Snape looked very seriously into her gray eyes, and she knew he was testing her resolve and determination.

 
Sasha’s eyes went wide at the thought of such an undertaking. She replied thoughtfully, and honestly, "It would depend on if the student had to complete this potion by herself, or if she had help from this, this, mentor," she finished.

 
Snape leaned his head back and contemplated Sasha for a moment. "What if this mentor said he would provide the guidance and assistance necessary, and could arrange to conduct the experiments such that it would have limited interference with the student’s other studies. Possibly, the time-intensive part of the brewing could coincide with the Hogwarts Christmas holidays, perhaps?"

 
Sasha stood stock-still and just looked at Snape. They stood there a moment, silently regarding each other and letting the implications of what they were discussing sink in. She could not believe the proposal he was extending. Yes, the time commitment was significant, and yes, this would mean many hours spent away from her studies and with him in the dungeons. She knew he was exacting as a teacher, and could only imagine how strict he would be if ere ere to tutor her one-on-one. To be offered the chance of a lifetime to further her potions education was one thing. But, if the potion actually worked and faded her scar, even a bit, it would be worth it a hundred times over. Just the possibility of actually living her life without the hated thing on her face was overwhelming at the moment.

 
Snape watch her face and could follow the internal struggle she was going through, coming to grips with what he was proposing. This was a decision she would have to make for herself, although he would be tempted to start the potion without her if he had to. Snape very gently addressed Sasha. "I suggest that you think this over very carefully before committing to anything. VERY carefully." Snape motioned her towards the classroom door, and put his hand on her back to guide her out. She turned, and very slowly, walked out of the potions class.

 
Just before she exited through the doorway, Snape called out to her. "Miss Rowan." Sasha stopped, and turned to face him. "Do not take too long to make your decision, as time is a factor here." She nodded her head in understanding, and turning, numb with excitement and apprehension, she walked out the door.