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The Long Road	By : SinisterMe Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Snape/Remus Views: 63607 -:- Recommendations : 3 -:- Currently Reading : 18
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Harry Potter world, which is trademarked by J. K. Rowling. This story is purely for entertainment purposes, no money is being made from it.

Chapter List
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The walls were lined almost entirely with jars of ingredients and utensils; there was a long shelf going from floor to ceiling containing nothing but cauldrons of different compositions and sizes.The middle of the room contained three wide work benches, one for paperwork, one for preparation and one where five large cauldrons could be set up to bubble. There were two doors on the other side of the benches, both closed.
Severus went over and lit a fire, adjusting the flame to the proper height. He then placed the coloring equipment on the bench a safe distance away from his stacked books, parchment and quills. He busied himself collecting ingredients and a cauldron that was made of solid copper, runes inscribed around its rim. The cauldron he set next to the flame; everything else he was gathering he set on the prep table. He brought out a roll of knives contained in a dragon-hide case, grater, two glass stirring rods, a mortar and pestle and three cutting boards. There would be other things he would need for the later steps but this would do for now.
Teddy had crept down the stairs and was lingering at the far end of the counter.
Snape pretended not to notice, continuing about his work. He set about getting his base brewing; its main structure was formed around the reaction between the nigella seed and the devil’s claw. This would make the mixture an excellent starting point for a nutritional potion.
In the end, this potion would fill some of the holes of Lupin’s malnutrition and stimulate his digestion while having the added benefit of pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties. It was lycanthrope safe, as many of this class of potion were not; relying on a silver grater to prepare some of the herbs. In its place, he had found that adding ginseng root that had been grated with a rhodium plated tool seemed to negate the need for this step.
He had always found lycanthropy to be an interesting puzzle; so many of the potions a normal wizard would take in the course of their life held steps or ingredients that would be fatal to a werewolf. It worked both ways though; a single swallow of the wolfsbane potion would mean a grizzly death were an uninfected individual to consume it.
Teddy was standing much closer now; only a couple of feet away from where Snape was working. None of the ingredients or utensils he was using at the moment posed a danger to the boy, pending he minded his fingers.
The boy’s curiosity finally got the better of him. “What are you doing, sir?” he asked politely.
“I am making a potion for your father. At this present moment, I am powdering the nigella seed.”
“Niggly seed? What does that do? –Sir?” He almost forgot to add the title. One of these times he would forget, and Snape would not be the one to mention it to him.
“Nig-el-la seed, also known as kaljeera or black caraway. It is one of the two ingredients that make this potion so strong. It will, along with other components, help your father’s digestion as well as his burns by keeping the swelling down, allowing them to heal.”
Teddy was standing right beside him now, trying to peer at what he was crushing. He decided to humor him, tipping the basin so that Teddy could see the powdered nigella in the bowl.
“This will help my dad get better?” he asked, both hopeful and skeptical.
“Once it has all been properly brewed, yes.”
“Do you have to put all of this stuff in to make it work?”
“Mostly, yes. Each ingredient must be prepared a certain way to achieve the desired result.”
Teddy furrowed his brow. “That must take a lot of time. Can I help, sir?”
Snape had not expected this. The boy had so far been very restrained; the fact that he felt confident or interested enough in something to be so forward about it made Severus wonder how much damage he would cause if he were to refuse him.
He pondered the ingredients and decided on something completely nontoxic for the child to handle. He also moved a small stool over to where they were working; the boy stepped up onto it so he could properly reach the counter.
He then passed him a bunch of preserved whole dandelions, taking one in his own hand for demonstration. “We only need the root of this plant in this particular potion. That’s this part, here.” He showed him on the plant, taking the knife and making a clean slice in between the root and stem. The knife that was needed was relatively blunt, and he passed it to Teddy, sliding the cutting board over to the boy. “Be careful to keep your fingers far away from the blade, there is no need to risk cutting yourself.”
He watched as Teddy mirrored his hold on the knife handle. He took one of the plants and set it on a cutting board that had been placed in front of him, making one clean, if hesitant cut through the stem as he had been shown. Snape noted his tongue poking out again; it must be something he did unconsciously when he was concentrating.
Teddy was at the proper age for his basic schooling to begin. He seemed to take instruction well so far but was understandably unsure of himself. He also seemed to be lacking some of the elementary abilities that children at his age should already have. Severus assumed this was simply from lack of opportunity; by the sounds of things Macnair would have cared less if the boy grew up to be illiterate and uneducated. Merlin, Walden had nearly been those things himself, despite the best efforts of his parents and at least seven years of classical training.
“Like that, sir?” Teddy moved his hands so Snape had an unimpeded view of his first try.
The root had been sliced, not crushed, and the amount of stem left on the root was basically nonexistent, as it had been on the one he had cut himself.
“Exactly like that, Mr. Lupin.” He found himself going into professor mode. “Can you cut me six more just like that?” Time to see what the boy was capable of.
Teddy grinned and started to separate the correct amount of plants, counting each one in a whisper to himself as he did.
Snape watched him briefly, glad the child seemed to know at least some of his numbers. While he was occupied with the dandelions, Snape set the cauldron over the flame, pouring the liquid portion of the base into the copper basin. He then added the powdered Nigella seed, stirring seven times clockwise with one of the glass rods. He set the rod aside and turned back to the work bench.
Teddy was just finishing his dandelions, having placed both the roots and the leafy parts in their own neat piles on his cutting board. He had set the knife down and was waiting for further instruction or critique of his handiwork.
Severus surveyed his efforts with an approving nod. “Good work,” he said, seeing that every one of the roots were up to standard; he could use all of them in the potion. He noted the neat workstation, pleased that the boy had done that without being told.
Teddy giggled; covering his mouth to hide what Snape assumed was a huge smile. If the boy responded that well to such a basic compliment, it may be easier than he thought to connect with him.
Severus knew he was not really a people person, to put it mildly. He had not been able to connect with children even when he had been one; teaching at Hogwarts had been a daily challenge, that many young adults in one place for so many hours, so many months had almost been his (and their) downfall. And that had been before the war reached its full swing. He did what had needed to be done to keep his double role in place, but between that, the stresses of teaching and being Head of House had worn him nearly clear though.
He slid a marble mortar and pestle over to where Teddy was working. He then put four small pieces of amber in front of him. “Would you like to grind these for me?”
Teddy picked up one of the glinting stones. “Grind them? Are you sure, sir? What are they?”
“Positive,” he said dryly. “They are pieces of amber; amber is fossilized tree resin. That means that it has been preserved but is very old. Put them into the bowl and break them down with the pestle; we need them near powder. Start by bashing them until they break into smaller pieces. Then take the pestle in the hand not supporting the mortar and use a twisting motion to grind them into an even powder.” Snape mimicked the movements needed with his own empty hands so that Teddy would have a better idea of what he needed to do.
Teddy set about doing as he was told instantly. He crushed the stones a few times with the mortar before pausing and looking at Snape out of the corner of his eye, to see if he had really understood correctly.
Severus continued to slice the dandelion root into precisely sized portions, which he added to the bubbling cauldron, stirring another three times clockwise. He was finished that and moving on to grating the ginseng root, and Teddy was again happily crushing the amethyst to powder.
He sliced some of the devil’s claw roots diagonally into approximate eighths, adding them slowly until the potion turned a pale green.
Using brass tongs he then removed three spheres from a small jar of eel eyes. They were suspended in a clear blue fluid that smelled strongly of antiseptic. He set them down on a small glass plate and closed the jar, putting the tongs aside to be cleaned later. Plate in hand, he turned back to the cauldron, which was now bubbling fiercely. As he added the eyes, whole, the potion turned a startling shade of indigo.
People thought there was no magic to potions; that one merely dumped the proper item in at the proper time, stirred and voila, you had a fully functional potion. If one stilled their mind, focused on the task at hand, it could be felt plain as day; like a whisper you weren’t sure you were hearing, you could feel your magic rustling like the slightest breeze around you and through you. It was unconscious, naturally flowing through the brewer into the ingredients, into the brew itself. Most people’s minds were too cluttered, too loud and uncontrolled for them to notice.
Teddy was giving him a strange look, still working away at his task.
“Yes?” He asked, grabbing a large vial of salamander blood and looking over at the boy.
“What were those things, sir?” he asked, nose wrinkled. “They smell kind of funny.”
“Eel eyes.” He raised an amused eyebrow at the horrified look on Teddy’s face.
“I thought you said my father was going to drink that?”
“He most certainly is. The eyes, when added after the nigella seed and root of the devil’s claw, will act as a catalyst between the two. Do you know what a catalyst it?”
Teddy shook his head.
“A catalyst is something that changes and increases the speed of a reaction; it basically allows the nigella seed and devil’s claw to react with each other very quickly and powerfully. The rest of the ingredients will serve as binding agents, layer upon layer making the potion stronger. The eyes are very important to how this potion works; but you’re right, they do smell funny.”
Teddy appeared to be taking in everything he’d just said. “So it’s like when I was in the tub. The water and bubble bath made the bubbles, but when I splashed they got bigger faster. Splashing would be the cat-list.” He suddenly looked very unsure. “Right?”
It was Snape’s turn to stare blankly back at him. “Cat-a-lyst; and that is exactly right.” He’d had first years not grasp the concept after half an hour’s lecture, a ten page reading assignment and a two foot essay on the subject. There was no reason not to say it, “I’m very impressed you grasped that.” The fact that the boy had taken his explanation and applied it to something he had seen and understood without being instructed showed a lot of potential.
Teddy, looking shocked, didn’t say anything.
“Here, it’s time to shred the ginseng root. I’ll grate it and then we will add it and the dandelion one right after another.” He took the grater and roots in hand and firmly ran the nub of ginseng root across its blades fifteen times, a small pile of shavings collecting on a fresh glass plate. He banged the grater on the cutting board; any pieces that were clinging to it fell onto the plate. He dumped the dandelion roots onto a separate plate and set it on the counter.
“Step off the stool,” he told the boy.
Teddy looked rather disappointed, but did as he was told.
Snape slid the stool closer to the cauldron. “Get back on; mind the cauldron, it’s extremely hot.”
Teddy stepped back up, grasping Snape’s sleeve for balance as he climbed up.
Severus found his arm coming out, protecting the child from spilling onto the floor. “You steady up there?” he asked.
“Yes, sir,” Teddy answered sheepishly.
“Good. Here, hold onto this for me.” He handed Teddy the plate of chopped dandelion roots. “I’m going to add the grated ginseng then stir, after that I’m going to need you to add these for me; I’ll tell you when.”
He did as he said he was going to, stirring three times counter clockwise. He wiped the glass rod off. The potion began to put off a steam that smelt somehow earthy and green. “Now, Teddy, add the roots.”
Teddy dumped them into the boiling liquid; as the potion bubbled, it began to change back to an emerald color, though one more vibrant than before. Teddy gave a delighted inhale.
“Is it supposed to do that, sir?” he asked quickly. “Did I add the roots wrong?”
“It is doing just as it should. We will let it simmer for thirty minutes and then it will be time to add the amber you crushed.”
Snape helped him off the stool. They would have some time after the amber was put in, just over an hour of simmering before the final step. A portion of salamander blood would be added, and then allowed to simmer for twenty minutes. It was said that salamanders were creatures of fire; he didn’t know much about that. But he did know that the blood of one would speed the healing and tissue regeneration of burned flesh, even once the wounds had begun to close.
They went and sat at the table he had set the coloring book on when they had first arrived in the lab. He had thought that Teddy would show the usual interest in potions boys his age usually took; which was to say none at all. He hadn’t expected that the boy would watch and participate in the entire brewing process, minimal though it was for this particular potion.
Teddy was already scribbling away in his book; children never could be still but for a mere moment. As unobtrusively as possible, he snuck a look at the picture that was currently in progress. It was by no means perfect, but definitely acceptable for a little boy who had never held a writing utensil before today. He let him color away in silence for a minute, minding the clock to make sure they wouldn’t exceed their time.
“Thank you for letting me help sir, it was neat,” Teddy said out of the blue, never taking his eyes off of his picture.
“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.” Snape was surprised to find the statement true. He slid a parchment closer and picked up the text he was last working on trying to transpose. High German had never been a strong point of his, but this manuscript would hopefully shine a new light on a project he was working on. “You’re content to work on your pictures for a while?” he asked lightly.
“Oh, yes, sir,” Teddy agreed fervently.
Snape turned back to his work, dipping his quill into the inkpot; he began to pick his own brain, untangling sentence after sentence into mostly cohesive paragraphs, scribbling as madly at his own paper as the child was at his.
When it was time, he rose and emptied the stone basin into the potion, stirring seven times counter clockwise and turning down the flame. He turned back to the workbench to find Teddy watching his every move.
“Do you think you’ll ever let me help you make a potion again, sir?”
“Yes, I suppose I will,” Snape said.
Teddy just smiled, looking back at his book, apparently satisfied.
They sat in silence, each minding their own project for the final twenty minutes before Snape lowered the fire, gradually bringing the temperature down until the flame was killed completely.
“It needs to cool for some time until we can decanter it.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means we will bottle it, some we will give to your father immediately and some we will save for him to take later. It remains good for some time if it is kept in an air tight bottle out of the sun.” He watched the boy nodding. “For right now we will go see how he is doing. I will come down later and collect a dose for him.”
Teddy collected his own supplies, before Snape had a chance to ask him to do so. They went back up to the top floor of the house, finding Remus sitting up in bed looking rather concerned.
As they entered the room, he sighed in relief; seeing his son walk through the door with a smile on his face and his book and pencils in tow washed every ounce of anxiety from his body. He had awoken some time before, realizing he had fallen asleep when they had left to see Teddy’s room. He had no idea how long they were gone or what they were doing.
Teddy immediately placed his supplies on the table he’d been working at before and went to sit on Lupin’s bed. Remus’ arm came to rest around the boy’s shoulders like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Did you see the room you’d be staying in?” Remus asked, sounding almost afraid to do so.
Teddy nodded with a smile. “There is a bed and a desk. There’s a bookshelf, daddy, with books on it! And a big window! You have to come see it!” Teddy paused. “When you’re better, I mean.” His face brightened again. “We made a potion that will help you get better!”
“You helped make a potion?” It was more of a confused repetition than a question. He looked between Snape and Teddy, finally setting his gaze on Severus to try and gauge his thoughts on the matter.
“I cut the dandelion roots from the rest of the plant and smashed pieces of amber until they were dust! It changed colors when I put the roots in the pot.” Teddy sounded quite pleased with himself.
“Cauldron,” Remus corrected immediately, looking at Severus questioningly.
“Don’t look at me, Lupin; he seemed to show some interest and I am not unfamiliar with instructing children in the art.” Snape said.
“I wasn’t trying to imply anything to the contrary, sir,” Remus hastened to say. “But, you didn’t mind; he wasn’t in the way?”
“No, I didn’t mind. He showed quite an aptitude.” Severus said slowly. If he would have minded, he never would have allowed the boy to participate.
Remus’ eyebrows rose. “And you had a good time?” he asked Teddy.
Teddy grinned. “Yeah dad, it was great.”
Lupin lay back, as if the processing of this information had tired him out again.
“Fred will be preparing supper soon. We will go visit him in the kitchen and I will bring a dose of our potion to your father, who in the meantime will be resting,” Snape said authoritatively. Lupin had clearly worn himself out worrying about the welfare of his son while they were in the lab; he needed genuine rest to recover.
“Okay, do I get to help make supper?” Teddy seemed enthusiastic about being allowed to do just about anything.
“I’m sure Fred would be glad of the company. Come along then.”
“See you later, daddy,” Teddy called as he followed Severus out of the room.
Lupin was already dozing off again.
A/N: I know all Remus seems to do is sleep, but as he heals he will take on a much larger role in the story.
Pretty much making up all this potions stuff as I go along, so if I’m bungling something you have my apologies!
Thanks again to all my wonderful reviewers! Glad to hear someone likes Fred!
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The Long Road