44. Chapter 44

I'm terribly sorry about the cliffhanger everyone! I really didn't think it was that bad but clearly I was mistaken. It's a good thing that I was still planning on updating today, isn't it? Thank you all for your large amount of reviews! I am shocked but in a good way. Enjoy the next chapter!

Chapter 44

Snape and Harry both stared at the piece of magically produced paper as the results made themselves known. Even when the quill stopped writing, there was a pause in which neither wizard knew what to say. To Harry's mortification, he could feel the onset of tears in his eyes as he looked at the results.

"Another failure is it?" Emma asked. There wasn't even disappointment in her voice and Harry realized that she had lost all hope.

"My apologies, Emma," Snape said plainly. "But for once, you are incorrect. It worked."

"Excuse me?" Emma asked.

"The potion has taken effect nicely," Snape told her again. "There is no more trace of the illness. In fact, some pre-emptive healing has already been done."

"Severus," Emma said, "I know you're new to making jokes, but this is a rather bad time to start with it."

Snape chuckled and sat on the edge of Emma's bed, showing her the parchment.

"Look here," he told her. "These fluctuating values show me that your body had begun its healing process. And the blank space beneath it indicates a lack of foreign intruders. The disease is gone."

"Do you mean –" Emma choked, "- I'm not going to die?"

Snape actually cracked a smile. "You are not," he said kindly. "As long as you manage to stay in bed for another two weeks or so while your body heals. You are still severely weakened and your organs need time to recuperate."

Then, Snape looked at Harry to find him looking a bit shellshocked. "Harry?" he asked carefully.

"It worked?" Harry asked. "It actually worked?"

"The staff of Caduceus is a powerful artefact," Snape explained. "The combination of it with your potion was truly a stroke of genius if I do say so myself."

Harry couldn't help the giant grin that spread on his lips. They made a cure. They really made a cure!

"We have to go tell everyone!" Harry suddenly exclaimed. "Maya and Alex must be worried sick!"

"That would be a fine idea," Snape agreed. "Why don't you call them up here?"

That's exactly what Harry did. He exited the bedroom and positioned himself on top of the stairs. When he looked down, he saw Maya and Alex looking up at him with worry in their eyes.

"Could you two come up here?" Harry asked. "Something important happened!"

Maya and Alex glanced at each other for one moment before they both bounded up the stairs, slipping past Harry as they entered the bedroom.

"What happened?" Alex asked as he hurriedly grabbed Emma's hand. "Is it bad? Oh God, no. Please don't let it be bad. Is it good? Did you make some progress?"

Snape handed Maya the diagnostic parchment with a smile and addressed his best friend. "Alex," he said importantly. "Emma will be fine. We found the cure. It worked."

"It – it did?" Alex stammered. "Do you mean it?"

"Why do people assume that I would make light of a situation such as this?" Snape asked annoyedly. "Yes, I mean it. She simply needs to take the potions I will provide and keep to the bed for another fortnight."

"Severus," Maya then said. Harry noticed that the parchment in her hands was trembling. She glanced between Emma and Snape several times before enthusiastically throwing her arms around Snape's neck and kissing him wildly. "You did it!" she exclaimed. "You really did it!"

"Well," Snape said as he recovered from Maya's attack. "I need to give credit where credit is due. This was actually Harry's creation. All I did was get the staff. Harry did all the work."

"You did?" Maya asked incredulously.

Harry grinned as he held his hands up defensively. "You're welcome," he said, afraid that Maya might assault him much as she had Snape. "It's fine really."

There was no way he could've stopped her short of using magic. Maya threw herself at Harry, embraced him tightly and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. "You are absolutely brilliant," she told him.

"I learned from the best," Harry pointed out embarrassedly.

"I think it's time we left Emma and Alex in peace," Snape said. "All of this excitement would still be too much for Emma to handle. Besides, I believe that we need to make our way to St Mungo's rather urgently."

"Oh, of course," Harry said. "I can't wait to see the look on chief Lovegood's face."

"Severus," Alex said as he stopped Snape from leaving by grabbing his robes. "Thank you. Thank you so much. I will always be indebted to you after this."

"Think nothing of it," Snape told Alex. "That's what friends are for."

When Snape and Harry flooed into St Mungo's, it was rather telling how little attention was paid to them. Even with Snape holding a rather obvious staff and Harry being – well – Harry, no one so much as glanced at them as they all hurried about, tending to the needs of the next victim.

"Let's go to chief Lovegood's office," Harry told Snape, already hurrying to make his way there. "He's usually in there nowadays."

Snape followed closely behind his apprentice as they dodged and weaved past nurses and concerned relatives of patients alike.

"I wonder what the practical potioneer will have to say about this," Harry mumbled while they were walking.

Snape snorted. "The practical potioneer? Your face will probably be on the front page of every newspaper in existence."

Harry chuckled. "Nothing I'm not used to, I suppose."

When they reached Lovegood's office, they barged in without even knocking to find the chief hunched over his desk, scribbling away furiously. He did look up when the two potioneers shut the door. His eyes shifted to the staff in Snape's hand and his lips formed into a thin line.

"Severus, Mr Potter," he greeted. "I am eagerly awaiting your explanation for taking one of our most prized artefacts."

"My apprentice used it to create the cure you require," Snape said evenly as if he was describing the weather. "I take it that our measures will be excused once you witness the results?"

Lovegood eyed both younger wizards critically before lowering his gaze to the potion in Harry's hand.

"You are certain?" he asked. "This will work?"

"It will," Harry said confidently. "The effect is instantaneous. Not only that but after taking this potion, the muggle in question will be immune to the disease for the rest of their lives."

"I will believe it when I see it," Lovegood said. He got up from his chair and motioned for the two potioneers to follow him. They did as they were told and noticed that Lovegood was leading them to the medical wing that held all of the diseased muggles they had been able to round up so far.

They looked absolutely miserable. Not only were they clearly suffering because of the disease, but they were also separated from their families and friends, having been practically abducted by people with powers they had never deemed possible.

Harry had noticed that the nurses had tried putting muggles who knew each other together but more often than not, the sick individuals were alone. Some of the patients were mere children. And while they adapted a lot better to the discovery that magic was a real thing, they did not cope with the fact that they were left all alone very well.

The nurses and staff were doing the best they could to appease the frayed nerves of the muggles present, but their words proved to be of little comfort to the suffering mass.

"I assume this portion was measured for an adult?" Lovegood asked.

"Yes," Harry replied as his eyes were still scanning the enormous number of muggles.

They walked to the back of the wing where the oldest and therefore most critical of the patients were stationed.

"Mr Williams," Lovegood said, addressing an elderly looking man who was clearly in a bad way but was still trying his best to glare at his visitors. "We believe that we have produced a cure for your ailments."

"Go pour it down someone else's throat," Mr Williams said gruffly with as much strength as he could muster. "I'm an old man, anyway."

"I assure you that if this works, we will administer the cure to the other patients as well," Lovegood promised. "But since you're by far the most critical of patients, I insist that you drink the potion."

"I don't need your hocus pocus," Mr Williams growled. "I don't believe in any of this. Why won't you just bring me to a real hospital, already?"

"Drink the potion, Mr Williams," Lovegood urged. "I promise you that we're merely trying to help. You would be dead within a day if we brought you to one of your regular hospitals."

The elderly muggle allowed his eyes to roam from Lovegood to Snape – who was looking decidedly disinterested – and Harry, who imagined there was something akin to pity in his eyes.

"Fine," Mr Williams said. "I'll drink it. But just this once."

"Once will suffice," Snape said easily.

The man drank the potion with the help of a pretty nurse and marvelled at the glow that seemed to emanate from his hands as he watched it take effect.

"Interesting," Lovegood said as he watched. When the glow finally subsides, Snape spoke again.

"You can cast your diagnostic charm now, Caratacus," he said. "You'll find that we've spoken the truth."

Lovegood glanced at Snape and Harry one last time before casting the spell and reading the parchment that came into existence. Harry noticed that Mr Williams appeared rather fearful at the sight of the magically conjured item and hoped that the ministry would be able to send enough Aurors here to obliviate everyone when this was all over.

"I can't believe it," Lovegood said after rereading the parchment several times over. "Mr Williams is cured. There is no more trace of the illness."

"I never realized before how much you doubt my word, Caratacus," Snape said. "I believe I should show some kind of dislike in regard to that realisation."

"Oh, would you stop, Severus?" Lovegood snarled. "Even I couldn't make a cure. Forgive me if I was doubtful that a mere apprentice might succeed where I didn't. Are you certain that you had nothing to do with it?"

"All I did was retrieve the staff," Snape said honestly. "The potion is a variant of one Harry has created a while ago. It all makes sense if you think about it."

Lovegood glanced at Mr Williams and the other patients that had grown still and were listening in by now. "Perhaps we should continue this discussion in my office. I assume you have the time?"

"Not too long, though," Harry said. "We need to start brewing a great deal more of the potion. And I doubt there are enough dirigible plums here to brew what we need."

"Yes, my brother is sure to have a large supply of the things simply lying around," Lovegood said. "But, dirigible plums? You simply must explain to me where those come in…"

The conversation in Lovegood's office had not been about much more than Harry sharing the recipe and explaining where the staff came in and how to ingrain the magic from it. Unfortunately for Lovegood, the creation of this potion required a great deal of skill that could not be expected to be had by any of the interns currently working at St Mungo's, save for Harry, of course.

Not only that, but most of the resident brewers that had been left were not capable of brewing this complicated draught at all. This meant that Snape was briefly enlisted – with the promise of a very nice salary – to assist Harry with brewing the Magic Muggle potion. They were moved into lab nine for this since John would merely get in the way of their alchemical circles. And for a brief instant, even Caratacus Lovegood himself came to assist with the creation of this cure.

The muggles were starting to get better and the ones that were completely cured were brought home by an Auror who obliviated the patient and their families as well as all the concerned parties in the direct vicinity of said muggles to make it seem as if they never left in the first place. Suffice to say that this was an endeavour of epic proportions that not only called for an increase in working hours in every Auror's day but also proved to be quite an expensive endeavour to the ministry of magic that was forced to cover the costs of both the stay of the muggles in St Mungo's as well as their reassertion into their everyday life.

Thus, the minister was forced to increase taxes which was met with much anger and resentment towards the ministry, not only because of the increase in costs but also because of the minister's ineptitude that was the cause of the epidemic in the first place. After all, had they caught all the Death Eater's by now, this would probably never have happened.

Many of the pureblood families were simply upset by the fact that the minister was stepping in to help the muggles in the first place – using their hard-earned money to do so - rather than having them fend for themselves. All in all, the truth was that no one was no longer happy with the man and so, he was forced to resign by the time that most muggles had finally been cured.

That day was a happy day for Harry but it had absolutely nothing to do with the political consequences that went on in the background. After all, he couldn't care less.

No, in fact, he had just finished what would probably be the last batch of the Magic Muggle potion and he was expected in Lovegood's office. Wiping his hands but unable to rid them of all the potion stains he had received here in St Mungo's, he watched the completed potion in the last cauldron he had been brewing in with a forlorn smile. Snape had stopped helping a week ago. After all, he needed to be back at Hogwarts to make his final preparations for the start of the new school year.

It was over. Harry tossed the rag on the long table in the middle of the lab and made his way to Lovegood's office. On his way there, he stuck his head into lab seven. His lab, where John was working on what appeared to be tissue restorative draughts.

"Hello, John," Harry greeted as he leaned against the doorframe.

"Harry," John greeted. He seemed to be somewhat upset.

"Is something the matter?" Harry asked, wondering how anyone could be upset at a time like this.

John sighed and turned around. "It's nothin', lad," he said. "It's simply been no fun fur this auld chap to be brewin' by 'imself, you understand?"

"I'm sorry, John," Harry said. "I didn't mean to leave you here by yourself. But I needed to work with alchemical circles and the wrong kind of influence could have ruined the whole thing."

"Aye lad, ah understand," John replied. "That dinnae mean that ah 'ave ter like it, though."

"You'll see plenty of me starting tomorrow," Harry said. "I'll be back to brewing the regular potions, no doubt. And I still have something else I need to work on, as well."

"Busy as ever, are ye?" John chuckled. "Ah'll be lookin' forward to it, lad."

"Me too," Harry said. "I have to go now. Lovegood asked for me."

"Course he did," John grumbled. "Off ye go then. Go on." He waved a cloth in Harry's direction who waved at the old apprentice and took off.

As he walked towards Lovegood's office, he noticed just how calm the hospital was in regards to a week ago. There were a lot fewer patients and Aurors present now and the most urgent cases were back to being accidental transformations and splicing. Harry never thought he could be so happy to see a nurse fuss over a wizard with a large chunk of his shoulder missing. Trying not to smile too much, he finally entered Lovegood's office who was arranging some papers before tossing them in the bin.

"Ah, Harry," Lovegood greeted jovially. "Take a seat, would you? Did you want a nice cuppa?"

"That sounds lovely," Harry agreed, easily lowering himself into the most comfortable chair Lovegood owned, besides his own. "What did you call me here for, Caratacus?"

Lovegood conjured a teapot, two cups and a tray of biscuits before taking a seat across from Harry and filling Harry's teacup before getting to his own.

"If you'll remember, I offered a reward to anyone who was able to create the cure for this horrible illness," he said, to the point as ever.

"I remember," Harry said smartly. "A large sum of money and your promise that you would help me in creating a potion to cure dementia."

Lovegood sighed. "Is that what you were doing back then? Well, a promise given is a promise kept."

"While I appreciate that you feel this way, I wonder if you were willing to bargain?" Harry asked, adding some honey to his tea.

Lovegood quirked an eyebrow in amusement. "And what is it that you wish to change in our agreement?" he asked. "I thought I was being rather generous."

"Oh, very much so," Harry agreed. "But I find that I do not need such a large sum of money, nor do I want it."

"No?" Lovegood asked, sipping his own tea. "Do tell. There's hardly anything I could refuse you at this point."

Harry grabbed a biscuit before leaning back and meeting Lovegood's gaze with a serious look of his own. "I want your vote in the council," he said matter-of-factly. "I wish to be anointed as a Master and I do believe that I have earned the right, wouldn't you agree?"

Lovegood smirked as he too leaned back. "Are you certain that you're not a Slytherin?" he asked.

Harry leaned forward as if he was about to tell Lovegood a secret and smiled. "Don't tell anyone but I really am. I simply tricked the sorting hat as well as Gryffindor house to think I was a Gryffindor. But I was actually a Slytherin from the start."

Lovegood laughed heartily, spilling droplets of tea as he shook with glee. "My boy, you are simply too much," he said. "But I agree with your proposed change in our contract. I shall put the question of your Mastery to a new vote and recommend you to each and every one of the council members."

"I'm sure that will suffice," Harry said, smiling kindly. "But I would still require your help with the potion."

"By all means," Lovegood said easily. "I would be quite interested to be involved in the process of your creations first-hand."

"Then I suppose we have a deal," Harry said, offering his hand.

Lovegood chuckled and shook it. "You have surprised me, Harry Potter," he said. "At first I thought there was nothing special about you but your name and scar but you have proven yourself many times over."

"Thank you, sir," Harry said, feeling himself flush. "That means a lot."

"Now if you could show me what you have come up with so far, I'll happily take a look at your potion with you."

"I hoped you might say that," Harry said. He waved his wand and a few pieces of parchment appeared out of thin air. It was a charm John had taught him at some point when he saw just what a mess his stack of papers was becoming. He grabbed the notes he had made thus far and showed them to Lovegood.

"Before I was forced to quit my experiments, I was thinking of using pansy petals as the catalyst for this potion," he said.

"That makes a lot of sense," Lovegood told him. "Pansy flowers have been known to be good for the memory. Did you consider using shavings of unicorn horn as well?"

"Of course," Harry said. "And I was wondering if I could attempt to use the staff for this potion as well."

"I would gladly lend it to you, Harry," Lovegood said amiably. "But it's a courtesy I will not be granting you too often. Do keep in mind that it's a valuable artefact and heirloom to the guild. Other brewers may have use for it."

"I will make sure not to wear out your patience," Harry chuckled. "I merely wish to use it, just this once."

"You're quite inventive, do you realize that?" Lovegood said as he refilled his cup. "Have you always tackled your duties with such intensity?"

"Not at all," Harry chuckled. "But I did have some madman after me before. And besides, I have someone I want to make proud now."

"Your Master?" Lovegood asked.

"My father," Harry replied, smiling softly.

Only three more chapters to go! for those who want a say in the matter, I have three ideas on what to write after I'm done with TPM. I posted the first chapter of each idea on my discord channel with a pol underneath it for people to vote what they would prefer to see next. The link to the discord is on my profile.

In any case, please do send a review my way. Oh, it pleases me so. *Happy grin*