| Jarvey
Join Date: May 2008 Location: Leicester, UK
Posts: 567
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Krysta Hedwig
Sixth Year | 
Thank you! That really means a lot.
Ok, guus, here's part 2!
Chapter 15, part 2
He didn’t get the response he’d hoped for. The others looked blankly at each other for a second and them simultaneously burst into laughter. When Heather was finally able to speak she wiped her eyes.
“So, Harry I have an enchanted water bottle do I?” Next to her Ron burst into another fit of giggles and Hermione covered her mouth with her hand to stop herself joining in. Harry rolled his eyes and tried to call them to order.
“No, no, no you have a perfectly normal water bottle.” Ron stifled but failed to stop the laughter and Hermione nudged him to try to get him to pay attention but ended up giggling herself.
“Well I’m awfully glad to hear that.” Sniggered Heather.
“Guys I’m serious. Heather, you weren’t affected because you had your own water.”
“Harry, what are you on about?” asked Heather who had finally managed to stop laughing.
“It’s not a curse. It’s the water. Probably from the cooler in the changing room.” By now everyone had stopped laughing and their expressions had sobered up. Hermione looked thoughtful.
“Ok, carry on.” She said at last taking a serious interest.
“Think about it. Only people who have used those changing rooms were affected. The crowd was fine. Heather was fine, but she had her own water.”
“Yes, I filled it up from the water jugs at breakfast.” She told them and Hermione nodded thoughtfully.
“Ron, do you remember how thirsty you’ve been recently? Especially since you started acting normally. Fred, George and I have too, and I’ll bet you anything Ginny is too. I think our thirst is some kind of side reaction to drinking whatever was in the water cooler.”
“Yeah.” Ron said suddenly. “Remember Harry the other evening we were practising? I could have sworn there was someone in the changing room.”
“Yeah, you thought it was a ghost. The cooler had just been replaced that afternoon. Whoever it was probably was in there doing something to the water.”
“Oh god, I was drinking that stuff all week!” exclaimed Ron covering his face with his hand.
“That makes sense.” Added Hermione. “So now we know how they were doing it, we need a sample of water from the cooler so we can test it. We need proof.”
“Yes.” Agreed Heather. “And once we know what it is that’s in the water we can start to do something about it.”
In potions the next afternoon Harry, Hermione and Ron watched Professor Snape like a hawk. There were several reasons for this. One was that when he wasn’t looking they were pilfering equipment and hiding it in their bags and the other was Snape himself.
The first thing struck them the moment they walked in. He looked clean. The shock was enough to make them stop dead to stare at him resulting in two Slytherin students walking straight into them. One of whom was Draco Malfoy. The other sneered.
“Watch where you’re going, Potter. Or are you going to have another psychotic episode.” The rest of the Slytherins burst into tittering laughter and sniggers. All except Draco who just continued to his seat and sat down quietly. Harry stared after him in surprise. Draco would normally have been the first to laugh at such a comment.
“Ok, everyone sit down. Croogan, sit down and shut up.” Korran Croogan looked at Professor Snape gob smacked but did as he was told. The Slytherins weren’t used to being spoken to like that by their house leader, especially in favour of a Gryffindor. Harry uneasily joined the others at their cauldrons. Hermione was working with Neville again this year, as it was the only way the boy would pass. Ron and Harry as always, worked together. All the Gryffindors had noticed the new, cleaner appearance of Professor Snape and were throwing each other discreet nervous glances. It seemed they were all a little unnerved by it. Even his hair was clean and even Harry, who hated him with a vengeance, had to admit that Snape actually looked quite presentable.
“You have now entered…the Twilight Zone. Do do, do do, do do, do do.” Murmured Seamus and all the people with muggle relations or families sniggered quietly.
“Page 72 and a half please, class.” Snape instructed and Harry gave Ron a strange look when he read the title. From the next cauldron over both Neville and Hermione looked over at them in astonishment. Harry blinked and re read the page title. But sure enough, it was still there.
“The cheer potion.” Snap read aloud with a mild smile on his face, which made Harry shiver. He wasn’t used to smiles from Snape. Not genuine ones anyway. Harry and many of his friends now felt as though they’d woken up in a parallel Universe again. Harry could handle Draco being passive, but Snape being nice? That was just too much.
“Ok, enough chatter.” ‘Chatter’? Did Snape just say ‘chatter’? “All the ingredients you need are right there on your desks, however…” he paused and looked around the room “…Before we start this potion there are some important things to know. Firstly this shall be on your exam at the end of the year. So learn it please.” ‘Please’? Did he just say Please? Harry felt disorientated. “Ok, most importantly, this spell is complicated. Most of you will not succeed in getting even close to brewing it correctly. Not yet anyway. This potion needs practise. There is also another…complication.” He seemed to think carefully before continuing. “What I mean is, you cannot always make this spell. The ingredients of this spell, when mixed together have a special property in that they can read your psyche.” Hermione looked fascinated and chewed madly on her hair. Other people looked confused and tilted their heads to one side, as though that may help them think more clearly.
“Therefore if you are not in a particularly calm or cheery frame of mind, your cheer potion won’t be all that cheery. And…” he added quickly before anyone could make a joke. “…before any of you say anything, no I haven’t been particularly successful in the past.”
Many students sniggered and Harry was sure he saw Snape grin. He shook his head a little testing for any sign of dizziness or nausea. Ron was holding his head in his hands as though he were afraid it might fall off and Hermione kept throwing them nervous glances as though she feared Snape’s head might suddenly explode or worse, burst into song.
“In fact, should someone be in a particularly bad mood when making this potion, the effects can be quite nasty…and believe me in my experience you don’t want to do that. It will turn the person who takes it into a miserable sod all week.”
It hit all three of them like a tonne of bricks. Hermione’s head whipped round to look at them and they stared straight back. All three of their hands went in the air. Snape stared at them in surprise.
“Er, yes Miss Granger?” Harry and Ron lowered their hands and let Hermione do the talking. She’d probably ask the right questions anyway.
“Professor, what does the potion look like when it’s finished?” She asked trying to sound casual. He fixed her curiously.
“May I ask why?” Harry stopped breathing. That would have put him on the spot but Hermione remained completely calm.
“Well, sir, I just wondered so that I know whether I’ve made it correctly.” Ron looked relieved. Nice save. Snape smiled again and Harry shivered in response.
“Ah I see you haven’t changed much as result of your ordeal Miss Granger.” Hermione gave Snape her his best smile and he continued. “The potion when complete is completely clear.” Ron and Harry were working very hard to stay calm right now, but Hermione made it look easy.
“So it looks like water?” Snape nodded. “And does it have an odour or taste or anything?” she sounded so calm and natural Harry couldn’t believe what a good actress she was.
“You seem awfully keen on this potion Miss Granger. In answer to your question: no. It is pretty much undetectable, which is why I want everyone to label your flasks very carefully, is that understood?” everyone nodded but Hermione stuck her hand in the air again.
“What now Miss Granger?” he sounded a little annoyed now, but Harry figured any teacher would by now.
“What if one of us forgets to label it? How can we tell if it’s water or cheer potion?” Harry marvelled at how sincere she sounded and Ron was gazing at her with admiration. Harry grinned.
“Hmm, a good point actually Miss Granger. I’m sure some of you would find it hilariously funny to ‘forget’ to label your potions in the hope someone might accidentally drink it. Therefore I shall tell you all how to detect it.” Hermione winked at the boys and they gave her a conspicuous thumbs-up. Snape produced a glass flask, corked at the top and full of a clear liquid. He placed it next to another, empty one and took a jug of water from a shelf. He filled the second flask with water and corked it. He stood back from the desk so that everyone could clearly see the two flasks then took out his wand. Waving it at the flasks he commanded:
“Exfoliate!” At first nothing happened then Hermione began leaning out of her seat for a closer look as Harry noticed something beginning to happen in the first flask. Harry’s eyes glistened with excitement and Hermione nearly fell out of her chair as dark fragments began to materialise in the solution and slowly rise to the surface. After five minutes a layer of greeny-black sludge had formed on the surface of the liquid, sticking to the flask walls. The second flask had remained completely clear. The class were whispering in wonder and Snape looked pretty pleased with himself.
“And now, just to show off…” he said and Harry who was beginning to find his good mood amusing, grinned in response. Everyone gasped at what he did next. Snape uncorked both flasks, took the one full of water and poured the entire contents into the one containing the cheer potion. Everyone’s eyes grew wide as the sickly green-black sludge began to deteriorate and to everyone’s astonishment, within 10 seconds the entire flask was clear. “And that, is the antidote. Water.” He looked smugly around the room as though expecting them to start clapping. He seemed content with the collection of smiles however and then clapped his hands together.
“Ok, demonstration over, get cracking. Please spend at least 10 minutes reading and make sure you’re cheerful before you start.” Many class members laughed and as everyone began fiddling with equipment and chatting cheerfully about the demonstration Hermione turned to the boys with a satisfied grin on her face.
“Guys, I never ever thought I would say this…but Professor Snape is the best!”
“I’m just saying it’s one hell of a coincidence.” Heather looked at them a little patronizingly. Hermione continued placing the flasks she pinched from the potions lab on the small table in front of them.
“Maybe it is, but it’s at least given us something to go on.” Harry told her. Heather shook her as though she were talking to an overly unresponsive brick wall.
“C’mon guys. Snape’s acting like he’s Will flippin’ Wonker and you aren’t just a teeny bit suspicious?” she folded her arms and glared at them.
“Ok, so it’s a coincidence, but think about it. Everyone’s been drinking that water. Everyone had been a miserable git since. And when Harry and the twins drank water they began acting normally again. That’s enough evidence to warrant investigation.” Said Ron firmly and Harry could tell he was getting annoyed.
“Whatever.” Droned the American and turned away stuffing her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. Her black braids hung around her dark face and her large brown eyes looked fiery. Harry realised how pretty she was when she was angry and smiled to himself.
“Ron’s right, Heather. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work and we’ve lost nothing. It’s at least worth a try.” Hermione tried to reason but got little response.
“Ok, you got the water?” asked Hermione and Ron produced a bottle.
“Fresh from the dinner table.” He announced and Hermione smiled.
“Good.” They sat themselves on the bench in the changing room and Heather just kind of strode around the room a little edgily. Harry busied himself filling one of the ‘borrowed’ flasks with liquid from the water cooler whilst Hermione set about transferring the water from Ron’s bottle to the other flask.
“Blimey, Ron. You’ve got rather strong. I can’t open this bottle.” Announced Hermione wincing as she tried again to unscrew the lid.
“Oh give it here.” Heather moaned, snatching the bottle from Hermione’s hand. With one powerful twist the lid came free, but unfortunately so did the water. Heather had yanked so hard on the bottle it went clean out of her hands and spilled all over the floor. By the time they got to it, it was empty.
“You moron! You did that deliberately!” Ron rounded on her but Heather simply looked surprised.
“What? Why would I do that?”
“That’s an interesting question, really.” Sneered Ron accusingly. Harry knew what Ron was getting at, due to their conversation the other evening, but Heather seemed completely astounded.
“Ron, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She really did sound sincere, but thinking about it, so had Hermione that afternoon.
“C’mon you two. Ron this is a changing room. There’s water in the taps. Get some from the girl’s shower room.” Suggested Hermione, nodding towards the door to their right. Ron picked up the bottle, threw Heather a filthy look then pushed open and entered the door marked “Witches Only”. The next sound to reach their ears was a deafening scream and Ron stumbled back out of the girl’s shower room, closely followed by a soaking wet girl wrapped in a towel. Ron looked physically sick. Harry gulped when he saw who the girl had been.
“What the bloody hell to you think you’re doing Ron Weasley? Wait till Mum hears about this! I ought to beat you senseless!” Ginny suddenly stopped when she saw the other people in the room. With a high-pitched squeal she wrapped her towel more tightly around her and avoided Harry’s eyes.
“Er, Ginny. Hi!” said Heather trying to sound casual and failing. Hermione actually looked like she was trying not to laugh.
“What the hell are you doing here?” asked Ron finally over his shock…but only just.
“Taking a shower” What else would I be doing in a shower room? The question is what the hell are you doing here?” she glared at him, readjusting her towel.
“I, er, we were just doing this…well it’s like this…”
“Sorry Ginny. It was my fault. We didn’t know you were in here. I sent Ron in there to get some water.” Ginny looked at Hermione strangely.
“Water? What’s wrong with the cooler?” she asked, and Harry thought she sounded a little apprehensive, even nervous. Hermione began explaining to her what Harry had worked out the previous evening and what had happened in potions that afternoon. Ginny nodded.
“I see. Well I’ll just, er, get dressed and I’ll join you.” She said and Harry could tell she was working as hard at avoiding his eyes as he was at trying not to look at her in her current state of apparel. He was finding it rather difficult to say the least. He was rather relieved when she returned fully dressed brandishing a full bottle of water fresh from the tap. Finally they were able to look at each other again and she grinned nervously at him as he took the bottle from her. Unscrewing the lid the second flask was finally filled with water and they were ready.
“You do it, Hermione.” Suggested Ron and the others nodded in agreement. A little nervously Hermione took out her wand, took a deep breath and went for it.
“Exfoliate!” she commanded and they gathered around the flasks closely eager for some kind of response. Harry was all too aware of how close his face was to Ginny’s. She smelled fresh from her shower and he had to force himself to concentrate on the flasks. A few seconds passed and nothing had happened.
“I told you so.” Hissed Heather but was cut off by a violent nudge from Hermione who gasped.
“Look!” she whispered and they all stared in wonder as black fragments began to materialise in the first flask. They all stared in horror as the fragments grew in both number and size until a thick black layer of goo clung to nearly a third of the flask.
“Blimey.” Muttered Ron. “Whoever made this potion…was in a bloody bad mood.”
To be continued...
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