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Walking Lines (working title)
By : xcrystaldragonx
Category: Harry Potter AU/AR > General
Views: 3412 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: FULL DISCLAIMER IN FIRST CHAPTER
Chapter List
- 5
- 6
A/n 1 ~ Sorry to have taken so long, but real-life tends to get in the way of fun stuff, hence the severe lateness of the second part of Selena's first day at Hogwarts. Edit to storyline added: Harry only just made the requirements for Advanced Potions, but Ron did not. For those that might be wondering, the story behind Lucius' escape from going to Azkaban after the Battle of the Dept. of Mysteries will be told, soon. Hope those that are reading are willing to toss a review my way, my muse is languishing...

Chapter 5: Establishing Routines (Part 2)

Selena felt quite confidant after her morning classes were finished, walking towards the Great Hall for lunch. Professor Sprout was a pleasant, rotund witch, devoted to the art and knowledge of growing things. She would be quite easy to learn from, as would Professor Flitwick. The diminutive Charms instructor had been intrigued by her musical performance the night before, inviting her to attend the first meeting of the choir the next evening, before dinner. Unsure of what the following day would bring, she could only offer a noncommittal comment to, 'Try and make it.' Professor Hagrid was surprisingly knowledgeable about the creatures and beings of the magical world; even the fey. But to be on the safe side, she didn't question him too much. She knew that Albus trusted the half-giant implicitly, but was unsure if he was aware of her true status, both within the Order and in reality.

As she was touching up a sketch of the thestral's they were studying, Nightshade landed beside her with a small thump, ruffling his feathers as he tried to regain his dignity. Clicking his beak at her, he raised a leg, revealing a small coil of parchment clutched in his strong claw. Dropping it in her hand when she extended it, she unrolled it to reveal small, concise script informing her to report to the secondary potion labs immediately after lunch. At the bottom were initials 'S.S.', leaving no doubt in her mind who had sent the summons. Tucking it into her pocket, she finished out the class period with a bit wider of a smile on her face.

She shared most of her classes with Draco, Blaise and Pansy. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to be in one or the other, but only this one had all five of them. Behind polite manners and basic conversation Draco and Blaise grilled her for information about herself, Pansy looking on with an ill-concealed unhappiness in her eyes. Selena was sure the young woman was absorbing every bit she heard. As they entered the Great Hall, she noticed that Snape was not seated at the Head table with the rest of the faculty. Not wanting to take long at the meal, she devoured a pair of ham & swiss sandwiches, along with a glass of lemonade. Rising, she tucked a couple of apples into her robe pocket, excusing herself from her Housemates with a smile and a nod. She could feel their eyes, as well as many others, as she departed for the dungeons.

Stopping by her room to quickly gather her Potion paraphernalia and papers, Selena continued further down into the depths of the castle where the labs and classroom were located. The air was already cool and was bordering on downright cold by the time she reached the lowest level of the dungeons. Walking down the long hall that led to the labs, she could see the correct door not too far away, intermittent torches dimly illuminating its dark wood and the argentate #2 mounted on the frame. It was quiet save for her soft footfalls and she relished the momentary respite from the hustle and bustle of the castle. Reaching her destination, she saw the door was slightly ajar and pressed it gently inward to peek inside.

It was a cavernous room, surprisingly well lit by many lanterns and torches along the walls, eight workstations spread evenly over the space. All of the sturdy worktables were topped by cauldrons; some bubbling, some not. Shelves were neatly packed to the brim with items pertaining to Potions work; mostly ingredients of one sort, or another, but a few tools had their places as well. Another door was set in the far right wall, she guessed led to a supply closet, but there was no sign of the Potion Master. The softest 'click' of a heel on the stones behind her was the only warning she had, before turning to find the man moving down the corridor with a couple of jars tucked in the crook of one arm

“I see you are at least somewhat ready to work, Ms. Argyle,” Snape commented with minimal snarkiness, but the undertone was definitely there. She nodded with a smile and he gestured for her to proceed him into the room. “You will be preparing two batches of Blood Replenishing potion and one Purification Draught until your class period with me. I will be checking on you between now and then, so I expect to find you working.”

“Yes, sir,” she answered, removing her outer-robe and satchel to place them on an empty stool near the table he indicated with an imperious wave of his long-fingered free hand. Rolling her sleeves above her elbows and twisting her hair into a tight bun, she set to work gathering the necessary items needed for her assignment. Glancing up at one point, she saw the wizard intently dealing with a pair of cauldrons on the far side of the room. Vaguely wondering what might be contained in them, she pulled herself back to task. Once all the needed ingredients were present and accounted for, she set about preparing those for the Replenisher potion first.

That particular distillation would require less intense observation, but the required components were far more numerous. Measuring out the proper amount of base into the pair of cauldrons, she snapped the fingers of her right hand and the burners beneath them lit with a small rush of magic. As they warmed to the proper temperature, she precisely peeled and chopped, measured and stirred in the ingredients, each at its proper time. Once all were added, Selena made the final motions of two clockwise figure eights and a single counter-clockwise spiral from the center, leaving them to simmer with a timer set nearby.

Glancing around, she found that the Potion Master had quietly departed sometime during the process, leaving her alone in the large lab. Reaching into her bag, she removed a clear vial of simple design, secured by a tight cork carved with smooth, wavy lines. Within it was an equally clear liquid, but tiny, iridescent particles of sparkling blue could be seen when the light hit it just right. Setting it next to the ingredients for the Purification Draught, she set about preparing the life-saving antidote.

About halfway through, Selena was jolted from her concentration by the sound of the door opening behind her, pulling her attention briefly away from the cauldron. It was Snape, his expression one of supreme annoyance as he moved back to the cauldrons he had been working with before disappearing. He paid her no mind, adding a few items to each of the bubbling and simmering basins, stirring with angry vigor. Not saying anything, she turned back to her work, knowing the crucial moment to add the extra ingredient would be coming soon. She was hoping he would not be in the lab until after that point, but he seemed far too caught up in his own thoughts and actions to be paying much attention.

Carefully measuring out five drops from her vial, Selena added them, immediately following with the shriveled lump that was the bezoar. The solution bubbled merrily for a few moments, the vivid orange paling to a soft, misty silver as the final reaction subsided. It would need to remain undisturbed for fifteen minutes before she could bottle it, effectively ending the tasks assigned to her by the Potion Master. As she cleaned her work area, she noticed that Snape had again disappeared, leaving her to wonder if he had taken any notice of her at all.

Shrugging, Selena turned to the cabinet where she had seen various vials and bottles for potions and elixirs, beginning to hunt for ones suitable to hold the augmented Purification Draught. After a few minutes of searching, she found a small box of finely blown glass vials in a rich turquoise hue. Setting them up for the bottling, she wondered just how much of her file the Potion professor had read in the few days he had possessed it. The assignment had seemed rather standard and she guessed it was his way of assessing her habits while working. But, as he had not seen a need to approach her, for good or ill, she wondered at his motives where her learning was concerned.

Confidant in her work, she began to bottle the individual doses. With a finely made ladle of unblemished silver, Selena dipped and poured the mercurial fluid with smooth, unhurried motions, focusing on the task with single-minded concentration. At one point, the sonorous bell announced the end of the previous period, but she did not waver in the transfer of the precious antidote. As she neared the end of the cauldron, she tipped it to its side to garner every drop of the draught, an unexpected, but known, male voice caressed her ear, sending shivers down her back and over her body.

“I do not believe I ordered you to bottle those once you were finished, Ms. Argyle.”

Surprised as she was, Selena did not drop the cauldron or ladle, but the muscles of her neck tensed up. Continuing the process, she did not take her eyes off the remaining dregs of liquid until they were safely dribbled into the blue-green receptacle, speaking in a quiet, concentrated voice, “You didn't order me not to, sir.”

Placing ladle down and the cork firmly in place, she turned to find Professor Snape standing directly behind her, clearly having been there for at least a few moments. Once again she was struck by the imposing man, reminded of a panther, waiting to spring on unsuspecting prey. The look in his eyes told her that he was considering her reply, his dark brows arching sardonically as she offered the bottle to him on a flattened palm with a smile. Taking it, he tucked it into an inner pocket of his voluminous robes, “It is my way to examine things before taking the time to preserve them.”

“I am sure you will be pleased with the results I've produced this afternoon, Professor. However, should it not meet your lofty standards, I will wash every one of these by hand and apologize deeply for overstepping my bounds.”

“We will see, Ms. Argyle,” Snape answered, his voice considering as he moved away from her and towards his own project. “Class will be starting shortly. I suggest you head to the classroom to acquaint yourself with the students you will be sharing the experience with.”

Silently accepting the dismissal, she moved to retrieve her robe and bag, dallying a moment to slowly part her shields, like peeking through a curtain. She could feel magic all around her, strongly bound into the stones to keep those within safe from enemies, but touched with the unique sentience that could only come after countless years of existence. It was clear she would need to take some time and meditate to start fine-tuning her senses for being inside Hogwarts. Extending her awareness out, she could feel in her mind the interweaving threads of magic around the man across the room and she scolded herself. She should have sensed him before he could sneak up on her like that.

Retreating from the room with unhurried grace, Selena wondered what Dumbledore had told Snape about her in regards to the Order. She hoped that the changing of the draught would intrigue him enough to speak with her. No student of Hogwarts would have the particular component she had added, and if the man was as devoted to the science of Potions as everyone had told her, then she almost guaranteed it. The remaining questions in her head whirled about, repeating over and over, 'When? When will he discover the difference? When will he confront me about it?'

The Potion classroom was not far from the lab, many 6^th year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs drifting from it with grouchy faces as lab work and assignments were discussed amongst themselves. More than a few of the boys, and even a couple of the the girls, were sure to smile and wave a greeting to her, despite her House placement. Returning the gestures as she passed through them, Selena found herself in the empty lecture hall. It was similar in setup to the room she had just departed, save for the fact that it had more tables packed into the space, twelve instead of eight. Behind and off to one side of the huge desk, which she assumed was Snape's, rested a blackboard, covered with instructions in his small, concise script. At least his notes would be easy to read, contrary to Flitwick's, which were a dizzying array of loops and swirls.

Being the first in the room, she eyed the tables, choosing to place herself directly in the center of the room, a circle of desks on all sides. Sitting on one of the two stools, Selena pulled out the materials for the lesson; parchment, quill, textbook. Holding out on unpacking her potions kit, she pondered on the Head of Slytherin, resting her chin on one hand and waited for the class to begin. The man was surely a force to be reckoned with and was clearly feared by most of the student body, her brief interactions bringing those thoughts to the forefront of her mind. It was only the first day, but she could feel that the man was capable of throwing a curve at the swish of his robe. A smile drifted over her face, 'Wizards are sure a theatrical lot.'

It wasn't long before the door of the room opened, bringing Selena's eyes over her shoulder to see Hermione Granger enter the room with Harry Potter, but not Ronald Weasley. With the barest nod of acknowledgment, she turned back to her desktop and flipped the text open to begin reading, jotting notes in the margins as she went. The two Gryffindor's moved to the table directly to her left, an aisle separating them, Hermione taking the seat closer to her. The cinnamon-haired girl's presence was no question in her mind, but she was intrigued that Harry was there. She had been told that Snape only allowed those of exceptional skill to attend the Advanced Potions class, but apparently the boy had done well enough.

The Gryffindor trio had been in every other class she attended, except Care of Magical Creatures, which only Hermione took. The three were a potent group, but age and experiences were changing them, even before her eyes. That was the way of things, of course. Live and learn. Selena sincerely hoped that they would not suffer much more in this war, though if the Dark Lord discovered the sithen before she did, there was no telling what the maniac might unleash. Suddenly, she felt the overwhelming urge to begin her search, quashing it as the door opened again.

Draco sauntered in talking with Blaise, Pansy and Goyle following behind, all of them stopping to survey the room. Disdain in varying degrees touched each of the Slytherins, fading from them, except Pansy, when their eyes found her. The Italian wizard and his pale associate walked to take the table behind where she sat, with the other two taking the table behind them. Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan entered with Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, the Gryffindors taking the tables ahead of their housemates. Selena was guessing she would be without a partner, but was not worried about it, turning back to her text and awaiting the arrival of Snape. A few more students rushed in, snatching the nearest empty spaces as quickly as they could.

In epic style, the door was flung wide with a startling 'BANG', the dark-robed man sweeping through the room with menace radiating from every pore. He did not halt until he was behind the desk, swirling to glower at the room, eyes falling immediately on her. Offering a smile to the him, Selena waited silently for him to begin the period, twirling her slender black quill in her fingers. After a moment, he scanned the rest of the occupants of the room, pausing briefly on Harry and Hermione's table with a sneer of dislike. Not saying anything, he waved his hand at the blackboard and the existing notes were replaced by a blank outline of the five ways to prepare hellebore. Scratches of quills quickly filled the quiet room, Selena joining them after scanning the format.

*~*~*

Snape stalked down the hall towards his classroom, but his thoughts were not on the upcoming period. The short time he had observed Selena Argyle in the labs had given him encouragement with her grasp of the brewing skill, but something about the Purification Draught she had given him was... off. He would have to take the time to test it before he could determine how it was different, already intending on speaking with her about it. First, he would have to deal with the final responsibility of his day, double length class with the NEWT students. His eyes hardened at the straggling students in the hallway, ducking like frightened rabbits into his room moments before he reached them.

The first person he saw when he whipped to face the classroom was her, an expression of pleasant attentiveness on her face as she rolled a glistening black quill between deft fingertips. She was far too confidant for being Sorted into Slytherin, but he supposed that it could be part of her cover. A deeper part of him was fully aware that Selena Argyle was more than she let on, but he hadn't yet figured out exactly what she was hiding. It was only slightly unusual for there to be an odd number of students, but it was not surprising that everyone had already paired off, leaving the newest addition to his House seated alone at her table.

Mentally sighing, he cleared the blackboard with a wave of his wand, replacing the notes with an outline of the five ways to prepare hellebore. For the first half of the period he covered each point and how they would subtly alter the properties of the plant. After assigning a fourteen inch scroll where they were told to pick one of the five ways and cover three potions that required hellebore in that form, he snapped out a page number in the textbook. The Draught of Living Death. It was a practical examination of their skills from the previous year, as that particular libation was an OWL standard, and one that could be finished before the end of the class.

Time passed at a brisk pace as the students before him chopped, peeled and strained their concoctions. He moved among them, offering a few lightly disdainful comments to those of any House, save his own. Despite being at various points around the room, his attention was discretely and solely on the newest Slytherin as she completed the assignment.

Methodical and precise, she periodically checked the text, but remained completely immersed in the brewing process. He raised a brow when she crushed the Sopophourous bean with the flat of her shining silver knife, quickly collecting the juice and adding it to her bubbling cauldron. Blowing a stream of air to clear the steam and observe the change, she waited the required moments then began stirring. Seven counter-clockwise stirs followed by a single clockwise. That was a variation that he had discovered during the summer between his 5^th and 6^th years, but he had never shared it in any of his correspondences. Maybe she actually was someone gifted with the mind for Potions. He would have to wait and see.

Finally the class finished with minimal problems and after the room cleared he glanced over the vials arrayed on his desk. Plucking three from among them all which were the exact color they needed to be, he found that they were brewed by (unsurprisingly) Hermione Granger, Draco and Selena. He would take the time to grade the others later, but dipping his quill into the deep pot of ink, he scribbled an 'O' next to the three successful names. Perfect color was always an indication of a properly brewed Living Death.

*~*~*

Selena had traveled to the library after class, staying there until dinnertime, politely refusing a couple of offers of escorting her to the Quiddich tryouts that Friday. The sport was fun to watch for a little while, but not ending a game until the tiny golden Snitch was captured was a bit extreme to her. After the meal, came the required time spent within the Slytherin common room, before she could depart to the solitude of her own rooms. Many conversations circulated around her as she studiously worked on the assignments presented that day, one wondering if she would out perform the ' Mudblood Granger.'

She had been warned of the derogatory term, but when she actually heard it spoken by someone who believed in its definition, Selena nearly gagged. Well used to disguising her emotions when needed, she excused herself from the group, even more anxious than before to be away from the conversation-pit of snakes. Draco disentangled himself from Pansy and hurried to catch up, insisting on escorting her the short distance to her rooms, “You're a guest of this school and a housemate, manners would require no less of me.”

She only answered with a nod and a feigned yawn, continuing out the door to the coolness of the corridor. The slim, pale young man respected her silence, but she could feel his gaze as they ascended the staircase that brought them to the main floor. He was interested in her and it showed in his face when she offered him a small smile in thanks at the portrait, “Good night, Draco. I'll see you tomorrow.”

The Slytherin Prefect nodded with a cocky smirk and turned on his heel, retreating to the dungeons, “Yeah, you will.”

When he was gone, Selena touched the roses, a soft sigh and titter issuing from them in the darkened hallway. She had the feeling that their magic complemented her own, illiciting the favorable sounds as the portrait parted to allow her entrance. Knowing that Snape would be required to check on her presence before curfew, she deposited her satchel and books on the end of the couch and continued into her bedroom.

Choosing among her numerous night ensembles, she chose a short, simple, spaghetti-strapped shift of soft black satin, topped by a matching robe with chrysanthemums of white and silver woven into the fabric. Not bothering to tie it closed, she returned to the sitting room and dug out her Charms essay, flopping on the couch with a sigh. Easily losing herself in refining and clarifying her points while she waited, time quietly passed. She was just putting the finishing touches on it, when a sharp knock sounded on the door. Glancing at the mantel, she saw that time had drifted to the ten o'clock curfew.

“Coming,” she called out, putting her homework aside and bustling to the door.

Opening it, Selena was not surprised to fine the stone-faced form of Severus Snape. His eyes briefly flickered over her from head to toe, before he pulled out one of the vials she had brewed that afternoon. Holding it out, almost accusingly, he spoke in a level tone, “I want to know what you did to this potion.”

Stepping aside to allow him further entrance into her quarters, she nodded her head, “Let me show you.”

Retreating to her worktable, Selena removed the vial of fluid she had added to the Purification Draught, offering it to him, “I'm sure you will know what this is, sir.”

After returning the original vial to his pocket, the austere man took the one she offered and held it up to her brightest light, examining it with twists and turns of his fingers. The faint shimmers of blue could even be seen by her and she was well over three feet away, so she knew he would not miss them. Popping the stopper free, he closed his eyes and held it beneath the expanse of his rather large nose, tentatively sniffing at the contents to catch its scent. She knew the smell was a wonderfully fresh, clean and cold aroma that would cause pleasant goosebumps to spring up over ones entire body. Snape's eyes snapped open with a small intake of breath.

Hiding her smile by looking down to tie her robe closed, Selena was not surprised to find the Potion Master staring intently at her when she raised her head. His facial expression was scrutinizing, eyes boring into her with an intensity that made all of his other examinations of her seem a mere glance, “Aqua vitae is not something that one comes by easily. I would be most interested in discovering how you came to be in possession of such an amount as this.”

“It was given to me by a friend in the States before I came to England. As to where he acquired it, that would be his story to tell, not mine.” she answered simply.

“Indeed,” he murmured, jiggling the transparent vial again. “Adding this to a Purification Draught would only create a highly corrosive toxin; as aqua vitae reacts very poorly to arrowroot syrup. Tell me how you overcame the reaction.”

Pulling a folder from amongst her papers, Selena was pleased to have caught the distant man's attention, ”By adding the bezoar right after the vitae, the toxicity is neutralized and the vitae is able to impart its qualities to the draught. This was my final project with Professor Giles and all the notes are there, if you wish to check my work.”

His expression shifted in that moment, genuine interest arching his black brows as he exchanged the vial for the report. Flipping it open, his quick eyes scanned the contents, flickering over the neatly typed pages. After a moment, he asked, absently, “What toxins can this augmented draught reverse?”

“There is a chart in the very back of all the substances I've tested it against, but there are many more I've yet to touch on. I was hoping to be able to continue my research during my stay here.”

Raising his eyes back to her, Selena could feel the air of their conversation change, “There are a few serums and poisons that I am interested in seeing this tested upon, Ms. Argyle.”

“I hope it works as well as it has, so far.” she answered, offering the vial of vitae back. “I know this will not go to waste in your hands, Professor Snape. Please accept it.”

Aqua vitae was rare, even more so in Europe, and the vial she held was easily worth two-hundred Galleons. Professor Giles had spoken highly of Severus Snape's brewing skills and acumen within the Potion field. But, she hoped the gift would continue to smooth over her antics before the start of the term. His flinty eyes examined her, clearly trying to read her motives, but she had nothing to hide. He spoke no gratitude when he again took the component, but she could see it glittering within his onyx orbs as he tucked it into an inner-robe pocket.

Tucking the folder under his arm, Snape moved back toward the door of her chambers, “As you are doubtlessly aware, curfew has passed. I expect you to follow the rules while you're here; so don't get caught if you choose to ignore and break them.”

She couldn't help but smile at the small peep of humor from the dark-robed wizard, a soft chuckle escaping her lips, “Of course not, sir. Good night.”

“Good night, indeed, Miss Argyle.” he returned, turning with enough force to dramatically flair his robe as he exited the door. After it had closed with a muffled 'click', she couldn't help but chuckle a little as she could feel the magic of wards being placed on the solid oak. Apparently he would be taking note of if she left her rooms, but that would not be happening tonight.

*~*~*

A/n 2 ~ Well that is the end of her day... boring, I know, but I'm trying really hard to make this a decent read. For those that are curious, I have most of the story already done in chunks, I just need to take the time to proofread and type their final drafts. Hoping to hear from any reader/reviewers!!! Until next time!!! ^_^
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Walking Lines (working title)	By : xcrystaldragonx Category: Harry Potter AU/AR > General Views: 3412 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: FULL DISCLAIMER IN FIRST CHAPTER

Walking Lines (working title)