Intemptesta Nox (The Dead Of Night)
folder
Harry Potter › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
8
Views:
1,643
Reviews:
6
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Harry Potter › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
8
Views:
1,643
Reviews:
6
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Settling down to stir things up
A/N Sorry. It\'s taken me alittle longer to update this time as I\'ve been trying to have decent sized chapters now rather then the little nibbles I started out with to get my feet. Hope you all like it!
~ @}~>~~
Snape glowered as the students straggled into the classroom, wishing the period would hurry up and start so he could take the points the reprobates deserved. Not that he made his classes anything they really looked forward to, arriving early wasn’t something any of the ever considered. Except of course, his own house, who benefited highly from his favouritism. Half these sluggards would never pass without his help. He growled again as the last of the Gryffindors tried to slip in unnoticed at the last minute.
‘If you wish to waste my time now, I shall take it upon myself to waste yours here at lunch. Of course, if that’s unacceptable for any of you, it could be after dinner. I’m sure most of you are capable of telling the time, so it’s not too much to ask for you to be PROMPT’ he stalked out in front of his desk, the long teaching robes swirling around his feet as he turned sharply.
‘Although I wouldn’t be too surprised if some of you were unable to decipher a clock-face, seeing as some of you are barely literate’ he shot a meaningful glance towards Neville Longbottom and Lavender Brown.
Thank Merlin it was their last year, he wasn’t sure how much more of their blundering he could take. They were only taking Intermediate classes for course credit, Potions was a requisite for both their fields of choice- Advanced Herbology and Mediwitch training. He made a mental note to speak to Albus again about getting an assistant so he wouldn’t have to deal with such half-hearted senior pupils anymore. He was happy to teach those who wanted to study Potions for Potions sake, not those who were merely there to pass the time for something else. And not Neville Longbottom just on general principle. He liked his classrooms intact.
His eyes paused on Thera. He had met her that morning after breakfast to give her her timetable. She had seemed bright enough, although she was sitting next to Granger. Maybe he had over-estimated her intelligence. Surely, moving around as much as she did, the giouldould have developed a survival instinct by now. Something was definitely up, Draco had been flashing surreptitious looks in her direction all through breakfast and since she had sat down in class. He hadn’t had any of his usual snarky remarks for any of the Golden Trio today either. Maybe he should have a little chat with the boy after the lesson….
Thinking he’d scowled at the class enough for the moment, he began the day’s lecture.
‘Since I have the unfortunate task of preparing you all for your Potions N.E.W.T.s to be held in June, only 10 months away, we had better start immediately as no doubt most of you will require as much time as you can possibly dedicate to repetition and study to absorb any insight I can still give you. Today’s lesson is on the uses of Spleenwort, so I suggest you take notes’
the tall man spun on his heel to glare at a select group of Gryffindors and wished he could do the same to certain members of his own house
‘as I want a foot and a half essay on its properties and the uses of one potion in which it is a base ingredient. Now, surely some of you have heard of Spleenwort before. Would any of you care to enlighten your classmates?’
Snape quirked an eyebrow at Hermione before quickly turning to survey the rest of the class. Dunderheads the lot of them. Striding back to his desk he noticed Thera’s hand waving nonchalantly in the air as she shared a smirk with Hermione. Maybe there was some hope after all.
‘Yes Miss St Andrew?’
Thera climbed out of her chair to stand rigidly beside the desk.
‘Spleenwort is the more common group name of ferns from the Asplenium family Sir. They are a Rhizomatous perennial, the rhizoid or rootstock is typically used in potions, especially those of the healing variety. The leaves however can be used as a stabilizing agent. They are also used as a study aid in Arithmacy classes to explain fractals and Chaos Theory. Sir.’
She stood frozen by the bench until Snape frowned and waved her back to her seat
‘Yes yes, quite right Miss St Andrew. Spleenwort is so named because it was originally used to treat problems of the spleen. These days it is also used to repair damage done to most internal organs but especially the liver. It is the main ingredient in a Restorative Tonic for those who have suffered any internal damage, whether from a fall or any kind of… shall we say, battle injuries.’ He turned his back on the class in the pretence of gathering some papers as he grimaced in remembered pain. Yet another reason to keep his hair this long, it helped hide his face when he needed it. The thought helped him school his face back into his usual evil smirk before he faced the students’ blank eyes.
‘Which brings me to today’s project. Open your textbooks to page 695. There you will find several pages on the different varieties of Spleenwort and their uses. On page 712 there is the list of constituents and the method to make the Restorative Tonic. As it is our branch of study for class today, your homework essays are NOT to be on this particular potion. There are many others to choose from so there shall be no excuses for a failure to follow these simple instructions. Now, study quietly. We shall be making the Tonic in our double lesson on Thursday afternoon. If you have any questions, ask ME, not the person next to you as they are more then likely to be WRONG.’
He sat down behind his desk and went straight to marking papers and going over the weeks lesson plan.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harry watched Thera from his seat at the back beside Seamus. Her hair was braided today, he watched the plait snake down her back with each slight movement of her head. It was such a deep black colour it could be barpickpicked up in the dismal lighting except by its shimmer. The end swayed almost hypnotically under her chair.
Harry leant forward slowly, inch by inch, until Seamus elbowed him and asked to share his textbook as some of the relevant pages in his were, ahem, ‘missing’. Feeling it wiser not to ask, he slid his book over and went back to copying out characteristics of ferns. He thanked whatever gods were listening out there that Auror training only required a pass in Intermediate Potions, he could never have handled the extra Advanced classes Hermione was taking. But that was nothing new, she’d always taken on more then seemed humanly possible and excelled at it all.
He wished Ron was there to talk to, but after having passed Basic Potions the previous year and not having any wish whatsoever to spend any more time dicing roots and copying notes under Professor Snape’s dark-eyed gaze, he had elected to concentrate on Muggle Studies instead. Much to the delight of Arthur Weasley. So normally he sat with Hermione in class, although he often did the practical work with Seamus or shared Hermione with Neville when she could get away with helping him.
One of the Slytherins had missed lessons on a regular basis for all of the previous year, which made the class numbers odd when he didn’t show. It was presumed by the Gryffindors to be a health problem as it was never mentione the their presence and the boy always looked slightly green, but that could always be from not getting enouunshunshine down in the damp Slytherin quarters. Seamus leant over the desk to see the far side of the text better and Harry sneezed as the much chewed end of the other boy’s quill went up his nose.
On the plus side he mused, this potion looks difficult enough that Neville will want Hermione’s help but I should be able to manage it myself. Maybe I can partner Thera. I can cut up the icky-er ingredients for her and she’ll be impressed at how gallant and thoughtful I am and how good I am at Quidditch…
Lost in thoughts of catching the Snitch and getting admiring kisses from Thera he didn’t notice the period was over until Hermione snapped his text closed in front of his face. Flushing in embarrassment at their amused laughter he quickly scooped everything into his book bag and offered each girl an arm to escort them to lunch.
Hermione immediately grabbed him as they exited into the corridor but Thera smiled and kissed his cheek, thanking him politely before trotting off quickly to catch up to a scowling Draco Malfoy. Both Gryffindors looked on in confusion as the new girl looped her arm through the blondes, and dragged him towards the Great Hall to his obvious annoyance.
~ @}~>~~
~ @}~>~~
Snape glowered as the students straggled into the classroom, wishing the period would hurry up and start so he could take the points the reprobates deserved. Not that he made his classes anything they really looked forward to, arriving early wasn’t something any of the ever considered. Except of course, his own house, who benefited highly from his favouritism. Half these sluggards would never pass without his help. He growled again as the last of the Gryffindors tried to slip in unnoticed at the last minute.
‘If you wish to waste my time now, I shall take it upon myself to waste yours here at lunch. Of course, if that’s unacceptable for any of you, it could be after dinner. I’m sure most of you are capable of telling the time, so it’s not too much to ask for you to be PROMPT’ he stalked out in front of his desk, the long teaching robes swirling around his feet as he turned sharply.
‘Although I wouldn’t be too surprised if some of you were unable to decipher a clock-face, seeing as some of you are barely literate’ he shot a meaningful glance towards Neville Longbottom and Lavender Brown.
Thank Merlin it was their last year, he wasn’t sure how much more of their blundering he could take. They were only taking Intermediate classes for course credit, Potions was a requisite for both their fields of choice- Advanced Herbology and Mediwitch training. He made a mental note to speak to Albus again about getting an assistant so he wouldn’t have to deal with such half-hearted senior pupils anymore. He was happy to teach those who wanted to study Potions for Potions sake, not those who were merely there to pass the time for something else. And not Neville Longbottom just on general principle. He liked his classrooms intact.
His eyes paused on Thera. He had met her that morning after breakfast to give her her timetable. She had seemed bright enough, although she was sitting next to Granger. Maybe he had over-estimated her intelligence. Surely, moving around as much as she did, the giouldould have developed a survival instinct by now. Something was definitely up, Draco had been flashing surreptitious looks in her direction all through breakfast and since she had sat down in class. He hadn’t had any of his usual snarky remarks for any of the Golden Trio today either. Maybe he should have a little chat with the boy after the lesson….
Thinking he’d scowled at the class enough for the moment, he began the day’s lecture.
‘Since I have the unfortunate task of preparing you all for your Potions N.E.W.T.s to be held in June, only 10 months away, we had better start immediately as no doubt most of you will require as much time as you can possibly dedicate to repetition and study to absorb any insight I can still give you. Today’s lesson is on the uses of Spleenwort, so I suggest you take notes’
the tall man spun on his heel to glare at a select group of Gryffindors and wished he could do the same to certain members of his own house
‘as I want a foot and a half essay on its properties and the uses of one potion in which it is a base ingredient. Now, surely some of you have heard of Spleenwort before. Would any of you care to enlighten your classmates?’
Snape quirked an eyebrow at Hermione before quickly turning to survey the rest of the class. Dunderheads the lot of them. Striding back to his desk he noticed Thera’s hand waving nonchalantly in the air as she shared a smirk with Hermione. Maybe there was some hope after all.
‘Yes Miss St Andrew?’
Thera climbed out of her chair to stand rigidly beside the desk.
‘Spleenwort is the more common group name of ferns from the Asplenium family Sir. They are a Rhizomatous perennial, the rhizoid or rootstock is typically used in potions, especially those of the healing variety. The leaves however can be used as a stabilizing agent. They are also used as a study aid in Arithmacy classes to explain fractals and Chaos Theory. Sir.’
She stood frozen by the bench until Snape frowned and waved her back to her seat
‘Yes yes, quite right Miss St Andrew. Spleenwort is so named because it was originally used to treat problems of the spleen. These days it is also used to repair damage done to most internal organs but especially the liver. It is the main ingredient in a Restorative Tonic for those who have suffered any internal damage, whether from a fall or any kind of… shall we say, battle injuries.’ He turned his back on the class in the pretence of gathering some papers as he grimaced in remembered pain. Yet another reason to keep his hair this long, it helped hide his face when he needed it. The thought helped him school his face back into his usual evil smirk before he faced the students’ blank eyes.
‘Which brings me to today’s project. Open your textbooks to page 695. There you will find several pages on the different varieties of Spleenwort and their uses. On page 712 there is the list of constituents and the method to make the Restorative Tonic. As it is our branch of study for class today, your homework essays are NOT to be on this particular potion. There are many others to choose from so there shall be no excuses for a failure to follow these simple instructions. Now, study quietly. We shall be making the Tonic in our double lesson on Thursday afternoon. If you have any questions, ask ME, not the person next to you as they are more then likely to be WRONG.’
He sat down behind his desk and went straight to marking papers and going over the weeks lesson plan.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harry watched Thera from his seat at the back beside Seamus. Her hair was braided today, he watched the plait snake down her back with each slight movement of her head. It was such a deep black colour it could be barpickpicked up in the dismal lighting except by its shimmer. The end swayed almost hypnotically under her chair.
Harry leant forward slowly, inch by inch, until Seamus elbowed him and asked to share his textbook as some of the relevant pages in his were, ahem, ‘missing’. Feeling it wiser not to ask, he slid his book over and went back to copying out characteristics of ferns. He thanked whatever gods were listening out there that Auror training only required a pass in Intermediate Potions, he could never have handled the extra Advanced classes Hermione was taking. But that was nothing new, she’d always taken on more then seemed humanly possible and excelled at it all.
He wished Ron was there to talk to, but after having passed Basic Potions the previous year and not having any wish whatsoever to spend any more time dicing roots and copying notes under Professor Snape’s dark-eyed gaze, he had elected to concentrate on Muggle Studies instead. Much to the delight of Arthur Weasley. So normally he sat with Hermione in class, although he often did the practical work with Seamus or shared Hermione with Neville when she could get away with helping him.
One of the Slytherins had missed lessons on a regular basis for all of the previous year, which made the class numbers odd when he didn’t show. It was presumed by the Gryffindors to be a health problem as it was never mentione the their presence and the boy always looked slightly green, but that could always be from not getting enouunshunshine down in the damp Slytherin quarters. Seamus leant over the desk to see the far side of the text better and Harry sneezed as the much chewed end of the other boy’s quill went up his nose.
On the plus side he mused, this potion looks difficult enough that Neville will want Hermione’s help but I should be able to manage it myself. Maybe I can partner Thera. I can cut up the icky-er ingredients for her and she’ll be impressed at how gallant and thoughtful I am and how good I am at Quidditch…
Lost in thoughts of catching the Snitch and getting admiring kisses from Thera he didn’t notice the period was over until Hermione snapped his text closed in front of his face. Flushing in embarrassment at their amused laughter he quickly scooped everything into his book bag and offered each girl an arm to escort them to lunch.
Hermione immediately grabbed him as they exited into the corridor but Thera smiled and kissed his cheek, thanking him politely before trotting off quickly to catch up to a scowling Draco Malfoy. Both Gryffindors looked on in confusion as the new girl looped her arm through the blondes, and dragged him towards the Great Hall to his obvious annoyance.
~ @}~>~~