Throughout lunch, Ron and Hermione kept exchanging worried glances at Harry, concerned about what was bothering their friend. Harry, either oblivious to or deliberately ignoring their looks, kept eating his food, his mind occupied with all the tasks he needed to complete. Apart from the Marauder's Map, he needed to start working on the Moonsbane Elixir. Maybe he would do that instead of attending the remaining classes today.
"Hermione, I don't think I'll be attending the rest of the classes. I have to start on my potion project. I've already postponed it too much," Harry said as he finished his meal. Both Ron and Hermione were not enthusiastic about Harry skipping classes, but they understood that attending them was somewhat redundant for him since he already knew the material.
"Okay, I understand. Would you need any help with the notes? Ron and I can jot them down for you if you want," Hermione offered, even though she already anticipated his response.
Ron nodded in agreement. "Yeah, mate. We can get the notes for you."
Harry thought for a moment. Would he really need the notes? "Thanks, Hermione, Ron, but I don't think I'll be needing them. Now I should go and get permission from Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall. I'll see you guys at dinner, most probably." He got up and started walking towards the staff table.
Both Ron and Hermione watched him go. They couldn't shake the feeling that Harry might be changing slowly. But was it a good change or a bad one? They wished it was good but feared the worst. They just hoped that Harry would trust them enough to tell them what was bothering him.
Harry approached the staff table, determined to get McGonagall and Flitwick to excuse him from the classes today. Professor Flitwick was the first to notice him.
"Ah, Mr. Potter, do you need something?" Flitwick asked with a kind smile.
"Professor, I need to work on a potion project I've been postponing. I was hoping I could skip the remaining classes today," Harry explained.
Flitwick considered this for a moment. "Is it for Professor Snape?"
"No, sir. It's more of a personal project. I am taking help from Professor Snape, but it's not for him," Harry replied. It was the truth; the potion was for Lupin, not Snape.
"Very well. If you can make up for the missed work and keep up with your studies, I don't see why not," Flitwick agreed. He knew Harry was exceptionally bright and would easily catch up with the classwork. What he didn't know was that Harry wasn't just exceptionally bright; he was 'the exceptional' in terms of magic and had completed all seven years' worth of courses already.
Harry smiled, "Of course, sir. Thank you."
Next, Harry turned to Professor McGonagall, who had been listening to the conversation. "Professor McGonagall, may I have your permission to skip the remaining classes today to work on my potion project?"
McGonagall looked at him. "Mr. Potter, you do realize how important attending classes is, don't you?"
Harry really didn't want to have this conversation right now. He knew all the bloody course for Merlin's sake. But he couldn't be disrespectful as he knew that McGonagall was just concerned about his studies.
"Yes, Professor. I promise I'll catch up with the material and stay on top of my studies. I just need to start this project," Harry assured her.
After a moment's pause, McGonagall nodded. "Very well, Mr. Potter. But I expect you to submit your work promptly."
"Thank you, Professor," Harry said gratefully before turning to leave the Great Hall. As he walked by the Gryffindor table he waved at Ron and Hermione letting them know that he had gotten the permission and that he was off to start his project.
As he exited the Great Hall something bugged him. He seemed to have overlooked something in the Great Hall. What was it? Harry kept thinking about it as he made his way towards the dungeons. Then it clicked, he had not seen Quirrell in the Great Hall. Now that he thought about it, he had not seen Quirrell yesterday when they had the welcome back feast. What was that about?
Could it have to do something with Hermione's dream? But he stopped himself...He was overreacting to something small. Deciding not to think about it any more, Harry hastened his steps as he entered the dungeons. After about a minute of walking, Harry stood in front of Snape's office. He took a deep breath and knocked.
"Enter", came Snape's usual curt voice from inside.
"Good Afternoon, Professor", Harry said as he entered the office. Snape looked up and his eyes suddenly showed signs of being shocked but it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.
"Yes, Harry?", Snape stopped writing and put his quill down. "You need something?"
"Professor, the Moonsbane Elixir that we decided to start on after the holidays. I thought that we should get started on that." Harry explained.
Snape raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Ah, yes, the Moonsbane Elixir. You have everything prepared, I presume?"
Harry nodded. "I do, Professor. Thanks to you for gathering the ingredients for me. I know some of them can only be bought by an official potion master."
"Very well. Let's get started. Follow me to the potions lab," Snape said as he was still not used to having Harry be that cordial with him. Harry followed Snape out of the room and into his personal potions lab. For some reason Snape was walking rather slow and from his breathing it seemed like he was in great pain.
Snape quickly unlocked the door and lit the torches. Harry followed him in, the familiar smell of the potions and ingredients greeting him.
"Do you have the recipe with you, Mr. Potter?" Snape asked.
"I don't have it written with me. I only wrote it down for you last time," Harry explained. He quickly added "But if you want I can write it down again."
Snape thought about it, it would be faster to write it down rather than go back to his office and search for it in his table. "Yes, just write it down Harry. It will be faster than going back to search for it." he said as he gave Harry a piece of parchment and quill.
Harry nodded and jotted down the recipe as quickly as he could. After writing it he handed it to Snape, who read through the recipe. As he read, Snape saw that the recipe was quite complex and that it would definitely need two people to brew. One has to always keep stirring the potion while the other added the ingredients one after the other. They also have to keep the temperature constant through out the entire process.
Harry knew that this potion normally would take two people but if he wanted to he could brew it alone. But its not exactly necessary to show off in front of Snape so he decided against it.
"Shall we get started Professor?", Harry asked.
Snape nodded and brought out all the ingredients one by one from different vials and glass jars. Again for some reason he was moving rather slowly, as Harry noticed. He was curious as to what was the reason for this but he didn't want to ask him nor was he in the mood to let his magical energy do the spying.
Snape arranged all the ingredients on the workbench: Lunar Lotus, Wolfsbane Essence, Moonstone Dust, Silverfern Essence, Wolfsbane roots, and a small vial containing Lupin's blood.
"Then let's get started, Harry", Snape said as he set the cauldron with water on the burner to heat up.
Harry quickly and carefully sliced the Lunar Lotus petals, ensuring he did not damage the veins. Snape, focused on his own task, checked the fire and brought the water to a boil.
"Petals ready," Harry announced, his voice steady.
Snape gave a curt nod. "Add them, and stir three times. I'll monitor the temperature."
Harry added the petals to the cauldron, stirring precisely. As the petals dissolved, he reached for the Wolfsbane essence, adding three drops. The solution turned jet black.
"Perfect," Harry remarked, glancing at Snape. "The color change is spot on."
"Agreed," Snape replied. "I'll prepare the Moonstone Dust and Silverfern Essence. Keep the stirring constant."
As Harry continued to stir, Snape carefully measured the Moonstone Dust and added six drops of Silverfern Essence, creating a shimmering paste.
"Ready for the paste?" Snape asked, holding it out.
"Let's do it," Harry said, taking the paste. He added it slowly, watching as the liquid shifted to a bluish-silver.
Snape watched intently. "Maintain that temperature. We can't afford any fluctuations."
Harry nodded, his focus unwavering. "Got it, sir."
With Snape taking over the stirring, Harry began peeling and finely grating the Wolfsbane root. The room was filled with the soft sound of their synchronized work.
"Roots need to be extremely fine," Snape reminded.
"I'm on it," Harry replied, his hands moving deftly.
Once the roots were ready, Harry added them to the cauldron. Snape started adding a half counter-clockwise spin after every seventh stir. After some time of continuous stirring the liquid turned a bright silver.
"Almost there," Harry said, retrieving the vial of Lupin's blood.
"The final step," Snape acknowledged, his tone serious. "Pour it slowly."
Harry nodded, his hand steady as he emptied the vial into the cauldron. The liquid darkened to a deeper silver, glowing softly.
"It's done," Harry said with satisfaction.
Snape examined the potion with a hint of pride in his eyes. "Remarkable.... Now according to the recipe it needs to simmer on low heat under the moonlight for 3 days, right?"
Harry confirmed, "Yes, sir. It's essential to let it absorb the moonlight fully. That's what gives it its potency."
Snape gave a rare smile. "Then we should prepare a place for it to sit. The Astronomy Tower would be ideal." He continued, "You head back to your dormitory, I'll make sure we have all the necessary charms in place to protect it from interference."
"Thank you for your help, Professor," Harry said sincerely.
Snape glanced at him "You've done most of the work, Harry. Your mother would be proud."
Harry smiled. He had no idea about Lily but maybe she would be proud of what her son is doing now. He gave a bow and left the potion lab and headed towards the Gryffindor tower. Neither Harry nor Snape knew that they have been brewing the potion for over 12 hours and that it was almost 1 o' clock in the night.
As Harry walked towards the Gryffindor tower, for some reason he found that it was unusually dark. He had no idea about the time and was thinking that it was around 8 pm at max. As he passed the Great Hall he noticed that it was empty and wondered why that was. Now that he thought about it, he had not met anyone in the corridors either so far. After thinking about it, Harry's mind clicked and he pulled out his pocket watch from the pouch.
His stomach churned as he read the time, 1:03 AM. He had been brewing the potion with Snape for over 12 hours.
Realizing the lateness of the hour and not wanting to get in trouble with any prefects or anyone on rounds, Harry Disapparated to the empty classroom in Gryffindor Tower. He quickly made his way out of the classroom and headed towards the portrait of the Fat Lady.
As he approached the portrait of the Fat Lady, she stirred awake and eyed him with curiosity. "Password?" she asked sleepily.
"Nitwit," Harry whispered, and the portrait swung open, allowing him to slip inside.
Thankfully the common room was empty. Harry was about to head up to the dormitories when his stomach rumbled. He realised had eaten nothing in 12 hours and he was definitely hungry. He didn't want to head to the kitchens again, should he just conjure up some food? Then he remembered Dinky saying that the elves are always listening to his call and would appear if he called them.
He smiled as he called out "Pippin!"
There was a small crack and Pippin appeared in front of Harry. He was wearing the black uniform with the Dursley and Potter badge. Pippin bowed deeply, "Master Harry is needing something?"
"Pippin, I am really hungry and I have not eaten anything since lunch. Do you think you can get me some food?", Harry asked.
Pippin's eyes widened with concern. "Oh, Master Harry, you must be starving! Pippin will get you the finest meal right away!" With a snap of his fingers, Pippin disappeared with another small crack.
Within moments, Pippin reappeared, accompanied by two other house-elves, Loppy and Hilda, each carrying trays laden with food. Pippin bowed deeply, "Master Harry, we brought you a proper feast!"
Harry chuckled as he saw the spread. "Thank you, all of you. This is incredible!"
The elves had brought enough food to feed five people. There was a steaming pot of hearty beef stew, bread, a roasted chicken, an assortment of vegetables, a large bowl of fruit salad, and a selection of pastries and desserts, including treacle tart and chocolate éclairs.
The three elves proudly set the food down on a nearby table. "Master Harry should eat now!", Hilda exclaimed.
Harry chuckled and replied "Yes, I really should" as he sat down to eat. He ladled some stew into a bowl and tore off a chunk of bread to eat it with. He also helped himself to the roast chicken and vegetables. Only when he started eating did he know how hungry he was. He helped himself to at least one serving of everything on the table.
After a satisfying feast Harry got up. "Thank you, Pippin, Loppy and Hilda. This is exactly what I needed after all that potion brewing."
Pippin, Loppy and Hilda bowed, "We is happy to help Master Harry!"
Harry carefully took some of the chocolate éclairs and a treacle tart which he would store for later. The elves then quickly cleaned everything and disapparated after a quick bow with the rest of the food. Harry smiled feeling grateful for their help. Now that he was full, he headed to the dormitory and jumped right into his bed after changing into his night clothes. He looked at the clock on his bedside table which read 1:36 am.
Brewing the Moonsbane Elixir was surprisingly tiring which was not something Harry had expected. At max he could get about 6 hours of sleep but Harry felt like he could sleep for the entire day. He could squeeze out more hours if he used the time slowing magic his wand had, but should he? Its not a very safe thing to do and he didn't know what could happen, so he decided against it.
As he lay there on his bed, his thoughts drifted off to the events of the day. He had seen his mother after a long time and had lost her again. He had gotten the work on the improved Marauder's map started and he had also worked with Snape to brew the Moonsbane Elixir. He had gotten a lot done today than the usual Hogwarts day where he just attended the classes and sat through lectures on topics he already knew about.
Eventually his exhaustion caught up to him and he drifted off to sleep. A tiny part of him hoped that he would dream about his mother so that he could see her again. But he didn't know if that was truly the best thing to hope for.
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The next morning Harry woke up to the sunrays that was streaming through the window of the dormitory. He rubbed his eyes and looked at the clock beside his bed, which read 8:34 am. The sleep had been surprisingly dreamless to which a part of him was disappointed but another was relieved. He groaned as he got up from his bed. He had roughly about thirty minutes before his classes started.
Harry took a change of clothes and headed towards the bathroom. The others were probably already at the Great Hall finishing up their breakfast. He really needed to hurry or he would be late to the first class, not that he was looking forward to it.
After a quick shower, Harry quickly changed into his robes and headed down. As he entered the common room, he heard someone call out his name. He turned to see who it was and found both Ron and Hermione seated on the sofa, looking like they were waiting for him.
"Harry, where have you been?" Hermione called out with concern in her voice.
"Yeah, mate, we didn't see you at dinner last night. What happened?" Ron added, equally worried.
Harry greeted them and quickly explained, "Sorry, I lost track of time while I was busy brewing the potion. I only got back around one in the morning."
Both Ron and Hermione exchanged concerned looks. "Did you get anything to eat since lunch yesterday?" Hermione asked, her worry deepening.
"We thought you might not have," Ron said, pulling out some sandwiches and a bottle of juice from his bag. "We grabbed these from the Great Hall for you."
Harry took the sandwiches gratefully. "Thanks, guys. I was worried I wouldn't have time for breakfast since I'm already late."
The trio started walking toward their first class, double Potions with Slytherin, as Harry munched on the sandwiches. "So, what potion were you working on?" Ron asked between bites of his own sandwich.
Harry hesitated for a moment. Should he tell them about the potion or should he keep it a secret for now? Does it do any good to tell them? Should he? Then he decided that he would not tell them for now. "It's a different kind of potion that I am currently working on. I have still not tested if it works or not, so I'll only tell you after I have tested it."
Hermione nodded, respecting his privacy. "Well, just make sure you're not overworking yourself. We don't want you collapsing from exhaustion."
"I'll be fine," Harry assured her. "Thanks for the food. I really needed it."
As they approached the Potions classroom, the bell rang, signaling the start of the class. Harry quickly finished his sandwich and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Let's get this over with," he said, and the trio entered the classroom.
Harry knew Snape had not gotten any sleep either as he had gone to set up the potion on Astronomy tower even after Harry had left.
As they stepped into the Potions classroom, Harry couldn't help but glance at Snape, who was already at his desk, arranging various ingredients and parchments. Snape looked as composed as ever, but Harry noticed the slight tiredness in his eyes. As Harry had suspected, Snape had gotten even less sleep than himself.
As everyone took their seats, Snape turned to them, "Today, we will be brewing a complex antidote. Instructions are on the board. You will follow them precisely, or risk severe consequences."
Everyone except for Harry and Hermione groaned in unison. Harry sighed, the last thing he needed was to brew this unnecessary potion after not getting enough sleep. Hermione looked at him concerned about his sighing and whispered, "Harry, are you sure you're okay? You look exhausted."
"I'm fine Hermione. I can brew this kind of potion in my sleep", Harry replied with a small smile.
Snape took that exact moment and continued, "Keep in mind you will be making it individually and not in a group as previous tasks"
Ron looked both excited and apprehensive at that. He had practiced a lot over the holidays and he wanted to see how good he had gotten, but he was nervous as well. Along with Harry and Hermione he quickly gathered up the ingredients and set it down on his counter.
Despite seeming to be nervous, once he started preparing the ingredients he was doing much better compared to many in the classroom. He had almost caught up to Hermione in terms of working which showed how much practice he had been putting in.
As he saw this, Harry felt proud of his friend. This Ron was vastly different from the one in the original story. This one didn't glaze over things and was putting in the effort to be better compared to the original one. He was glad to have caused such a change in a positive manner.
Compared to him, Hermione was a bit better in the sense that she had finished preparing her ingredients and was now starting to brew it. Well the brightest witch of their age should be able to do that much right? Harry smirked as he thought about it.
Harry was halfway through the brewing already and was glad that his friends were one of the few who were keeping up. He looked around the classroom to see who else had started brewing. He was surprised to see that Blaise Zabini from Slytherin was one of the few who were almost tied with Hermione.
As the class went on, Harry felt a little shiver down his spine and suddenly his posture became more relaxed. Harry caught Daphne's eye's and winked at her playfully, causing her to giggle and wink back. Hermione saw the interaction and raised her eyebrows at Harry who just smirked at her.
She whispered, "Something going on between you and Daphne?"
Harry who was stirring his potion and replied in a whisper, "I'm just trying to flirt, Hermione. Otherwise the class is too boring for me"
Hermione's eyes widened, "Since when did you start flirting with girls?"
"Since always darling", Harry smirked. "Don't tell me you are worried about me"
Hermione blushed at being called darling and continued stirring her potion. Although you could tell that she was clearly affected as she was stirring her potion rather fast. Draco who had been listening, sneered. "What's this Potter? Trying to flirt your way into the good graces of a Slytherin? Pathetic"
Harry glanced at him and smirked, "Oh not at all, since I am already in her good graces I don't have to do anything of that sort."
Draco's sneer deepened. "You think you're so clever, don't you? Don't forget, Potter, you don't belong here."
Harry's smirk showed a small sign of evil. "You really wanna go there, Malfoy?"
Before Draco could reply, Snape's voice sounded, "Five minutes left. If you're not done, you'd better hurry."
Harry and Draco broke off their stare as they both returned to their potions. Harry checked his cauldron and was pleased to see that the potion was perfect. was perfect. He stoppered it in a glass vial and at the end of the class put it on Snape's table.
As he returned he hovered over Daphne's workstation, with a playful smile. "Nice potion, Daphne. Looks like you've got some serious skills. Think you can teach me a thing or two?"
Daphne giggled as she knew Harry was being silly but nonetheless she flirted back, "Oh, Potter, you'd be surprised at what I can do. But if I were to teach you, can you keep up?"
Harry smirked and replied with a wink, "Well that's something we have to see right. Why don't we catch up later for some one on one tutoring?"
Daphne blushed, she knew that Harry was just playing but it still made her embarrassed. Her friends were looking at Harry and her with a pale face.
Draco who had been watching the exchange, scowled. "What's going on here, Potter? Trying to show off?"
Harry smiled and replied, "Just making friends Malfoy. You should try it sometimes. Who knows it might make you less insufferable"
Draco fumed but couldn't think of a reply so he just walked out with Crabbe and Goyle following him. Harry chuckled and turned to Daphne, "See you later Greenshrub!"
Daphne smirked, "Likewise Potter! And it's Greengrass!!!!"
Harry chuckled as he went out of the classroom. Hermione and Ron were looking bewildered at Harry's behaviour.