Meddling With Potions

The Chamber Has Opened

Disclaimer: I only own Aurora and any other OC's. UPDATE: I do not own any of the chapter pictures. All were found via Google. 

~ oOo ~

"As you learned this during your First-Year Potions, the Wiggenweld Potion cures minor damage and replenishes minimal stamina to the individual. However, the effects of this brew are multiplied in the concoction known as the Grand Wiggenweld Potion; this is what you will be focusing on today, and by the end of October, I expect a perfect potion to be brewed during Midterms. You will find the necessary ingredients and brewing instructions on page thirty-six; you have one hour."

As a few weeks had passed since term began, Aurora was currently pacing the classroom which held her Second-Year Medicinal Potions class, watching as they worked individually on completing their current assignment. Aurora found this new course to be exciting, as she missed teaching the demanding art, though she found the students were split; some seemed to enjoy learning only Medicinal brews, whiles others wished they only had to take Severus' course. She understood, of course, but knew this course would emphasize the importance of basic First-Aid in the wizarding world.

As she patrolled the front of the class, her students were all focused on their texts, using the different ingredients, while some were talking. Taking a seat at her desk, the witch used this time to look over and grade the assignment they submitted at the beginning of class. With bubbles brewing in different cauldrons and the murmurs of students discussing the potion with their friends, Aurora glanced up, peering at her students on occasion to ensure they were, indeed, completing the potion at hand. Neville had just raised his hand as she lifted her head once more, and she moved around her desk, walking towards the student.

"P-Professor...?"

"Yes Neville, how can I help you?"

"W-Well...the textbook states the m-main ingredient is salamander blood, but I looked in the cabinet and there wasn't any l-left. H-How can I finish the assignment?"

This caused the woman to raise an eyebrow in alarm, knowing she had purchased more than enough ingredients for all her courses to last until the end of the next month. Stepping towards the ingredient storage, she rummaged through the labels categorized in alphabetical order and realized that her student was speaking the truth: all her vials of salamander blood were gone from their specific location. Closing the storage and whispering a locking spell, she walked to the front of the class.

"Students, I must run down and speak with Professor Snape for just a moment and then I'll return. I better not see any lollygagging or disruption when I return." Walking out the door, she could hear the silent murmuring increase, but ignored as she walked by several doors until she was at his classroom and firmly knocked, though she knew he didn't have a class at that moment.

"Enter," the voice from the inside answered. Opening the door, she saw Severus at his desk, glancing through a pile of parchment with a quill in his hand. Without glancing up, the man asked, "Don't you have a class to teach, Aurora?"

"Yes, though I have a favor to ask. May I borrow some vials of salamander blood? One of my students can't complete his assignment because there wasn't any remaining in my stores."

Quill halting in mid-stroke, Severus raised his head and peered through narrowed eyes. "What do you mean? I was there when you purchased all your ingredients, you shouldn't be out already. What potion are they brewing?"

"The Grand Wiggenweld Potion." Grasping his nose, Severus stood from his chair, the wooden legs grinding against the stone as he walking to his own personal ingredient storage. Grasping half the vials of salamander blood he had, Severus handed them to Aurora who was shaking her head in exasperation. "This infuriates me. It had to have been one of the students in my class. We haven't used this ingredient so far this term..."