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<div class="chap-title">
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28. Chapter 28
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<div class="chap-text">
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<p>I loved the response I got from the last chapter. Thank you all so very much! I've
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said this before but sometimes it's quite surprising to see which chapters are more
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well-liked than others and the previous chapter was one such case. Alas, Christmas is
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over and it is time to go back to Hogwarts. I hope you'll enjoy the next chapter as
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well.</p>
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<hr size="1" noshade="noshade"/>
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<p class='c1'><strong>Chapter 28</strong></p>
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<p>While Harry had truly had an amazing time in Cokeworth, he was really looking
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forward to going back to Hogwarts. He hadn't seen Ron and Hermione for two weeks but
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more than that, he was eager to give the potion another try.</p>
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<p>After saying their goodbyes to Alex, they left for Hogwarts a few days early, just
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so Snape could get some things to do with his teaching duties in order. They also
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needed to drop off their newly brewed potions in the hospital wing.</p>
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<p>They were back in time for dinner and Harry noticed that all of the leftover
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students shared a single table with their teachers. It was elongated but not
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extensively so. It was quite odd to see, really. Luna sat next to Dumbledore, having
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a pleasant discussion concerning the mapping of creatures in the forbidden forest as
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Hagrid interjected occasionally. McGonagall was discussing animagi with a seventh
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year Hufflepuff and Bell – who had also returned prematurely – was entertaining three
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Ravenclaws with a tale that would have been utterly boring had Binns told it.</p>
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<p>Adding themselves to the group of reorganised Hogwarts occupants, Snape and Harry
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sat near Slughorn, where some seats were still available.</p>
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<p>"Ah Harry, Severus," Slughorn greeted amiably, "So good to see you back here. Did
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you have a happy Christmas?"</p>
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<p>"Very pleasant, thank you," Harry replied politely. "How was yours?"</p>
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<p>"Oh, nothing too eventful happened, I fear," Slughorn chuckled, "I've seen Peeves
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skulk around the dungeons on more than one occasion but besides that, nothing out of
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the ordinary has happened. I've mostly been working on some personal research."</p>
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<p>"Harry here managed to invent an entirely new potion," Snape said as he cut into
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his beef Wellington.</p>
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<p>"You don't say?" Slughorn said in astonishment. "Do tell, is it the one you've
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been working on for the last couple of months?"</p>
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<p>Harry felt himself flush somewhat because of the unwanted attention but replied
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anyway. "It's a different potion," he said, "Nothing too spectacular, really. It was
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just something I've been playing around with."</p>
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<p>"There's really no need to make yourself or your accomplishments smaller than they
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are, Harry," Snape chided lightly. "We're all academics here and I'm certain that
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Horace would be quite interested in your invention."</p>
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<p>Harry frowned at Snape who smirked back at him and shrugged.</p>
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<p>"Well, alright," he conceded, "I created a potion that will allow for a muggle to
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interact with magical items such as a broom."</p>
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<p>"You don't say," Slughorn said in obvious wonder, "And if I may ask, what did you
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use for the base of your potion?"</p>
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<p>"Dirigible plums," Harry provided, "They were a Christmas present from Luna –"
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Harry smiled at her when she looked at him at the mention of her name, "- and it
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occurred to me that they were perfect."</p>
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<p>"Inspired!" Slughorn exclaimed, "But what did you use to counter their
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gravitational pull?"</p>
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<p>"I didn't need to use anything," Harry said proudly, "I simply imbued the plums
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with innate magic and they were ready for use."</p>
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<p>"Simply!" Slughorn exclaimed a bit louder than Harry would have liked but the
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astonishment in the Potion Master's voice fed his sense of pride. Snape simply looked
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smug. "That is a very high level of skill, Harry. One that not even a fifth of all
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Potion Masters possess."</p>
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<p>"Do <em>you</em>?" Harry asked, realizing too late just how rude that question
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might be.</p>
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<p>Slughorn regarded him for a moment before smiling slyly. "I do," he replied, "And
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I know what it takes to learn this particular skill. I gather you've mastered
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Occlumency then?"</p>
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<p>"In the sense that Occlumency can ever be mastered," Snape replied smoothly, "But
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yes, the boy is extraordinarily talented when it comes to innate magic."</p>
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<p>"Fascinating," Slughorn said, eyeing Harry hungrily as if he was an important
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experiment. "Have you been able to test the potion yet?"</p>
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<p>"Oh, I have," Harry replied easily, "We have a muggle friend that knows all about
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magic –" McGonagall choked on a potato and Dumbledore smiled knowingly. "- And he
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managed to stay afloat on my Firebolt after he took the potion."</p>
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<p>"Do you think he would be able to use a wand after drinking the potion?" Slughorn
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asked. Harry thought the man's food must be getting cold as it lay there seemingly
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forgotten. He thought about the question for a moment.</p>
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<p>"As much as any wizard can wield a wand that isn't theirs, I would guess," Harry
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finally said, "A wizard that has never had any practice with spellwork and magic, of
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course."</p>
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<p>"It would be interesting to see if he could," Snape noted.</p>
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<p>"I'm quite certain that this particular muggle would be quite happy to assist you
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with your experimentation," Dumbledore suddenly interjected, "But I must suggest that
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you remain cautious. I don't know how the ministry would react to a magic-wielding
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muggle."</p>
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<p>Snape smirked. "Forgive me, headmaster, but aren't you calling the proverbial
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kettle black?" he asked, "For some reason, a certain antediluvian wizard I know has
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seen fit to introduce this muggle in question to our world rather dramatically."</p>
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<p>Dumbledore chuckled. "I simply hate to see talent and enthusiasm wasted," he said,
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"And I daresay that the young man is thriving because of my interference, wouldn't
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you say?"</p>
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<p>Most of the other occupants sitting at the table now seemed thoroughly lost. Only
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Maya occasionally chuckled and cast knowing glances at Snape as well as Dumbledore.
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Luna certainly looked as if she knew what the conversation was about but she could
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just as easily be thinking about something entirely different.</p>
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<p>"Besides," Dumbledore continued, "Life is simply that much more pleasurable when
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we understand each other, wouldn't you say so, Maya?" His baby blue eyes sparkled
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annoyingly bright and with one glance at Snape, Harry knew that his father was
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thoroughly exasperated.</p>
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<p>"Are you telling me you were aware of these impossibly coincidental
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circumstances?" Snape snarled as he gestured in Maya's general direction.</p>
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<p>Dumbledore laughed heartily in response. "My dear boy," he said fondly, "There is
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very little I am not aware of. Besides, I think it's best that we all try and live
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our lives as if we were doing so on purpose."</p>
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<p>Luna – who sat comfortably besides Dumbledore – laughed disarmingly. "That would
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certainly confuse death, wouldn't it?" she added.</p>
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<p>Dumbledore smiled broadly. "Or make him into our ally," Dumbledore told her softly
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as if it was a secret he shared only with her.</p>
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<p>The other people sitting nearby looked at their headmaster somewhat flabbergasted
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before everyone went back to their own conversations.</p>
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<p>"So about this muggle acquaintance of yours," Slughorn said, picking up where they
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left off, "Do you think we could convince him to visit Hogwarts at some point in the
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near future? Finding a muggle test subject is quite difficult and I would be very
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interested to see your potion in action. Perhaps I could discern some issues or
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unknown aspects you missed, hm?"</p>
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<p>Snape and Harry looked at each other for a moment. "I think he would be quite
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amenable to the idea," Snape replied.</p>
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<p>"Preferably at the next Quidditch match," Harry added, "If Professor Dumbledore
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would allow it, of course."</p>
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<p>"Dear Harry, I am somewhat astounded that you would think me disagreeable with
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that prospect," Dumbledore interjected again, "While I won't have a flock of random
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muggles explore these sacred halls of their own volition, I could never reject one of
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the close friends of one of my staff."</p>
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<p>"Close friend is a bit much," Snape protested.</p>
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<p>"You had dinner at his house for boxing day!" Maya protested, "And you two seemed
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pretty chummy to me."</p>
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<p>"I'm sure that you were simply seeing things," Snape objected, "Possibly due to
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the wine."</p>
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<p>Maya giggled but didn't object which Harry though to be quite graceful of her. She
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might as well have pointed out that Snape had been equally drunk. Instead, she just
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winked at him and said: "Whatever it is you think of Alex, he thinks the world of
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you. If he were an owl or a cat, you would have a familiar on your hands."</p>
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<p>"Alexander is not nearly as useful," Snape said coldly, "Though he did manage to
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deliver a letter."</p>
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<p>Harry snorted, "And he was sort of able to fly."</p>
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<p>"Someday we'll make an owl of him yet," Snape smirked, "Perhaps an idea for your
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next experiment?"</p>
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<p>"What, animal transformation?" Harry asked, "That sounds ridiculously hard."</p>
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<p>"Impossible, I would say," McGonagall interjected with pursed lips. "It is a fine
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art to become an Animagus. There is no way that you could bottle the discipline
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required for the transformation."</p>
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<p>"Is that a challenge, Minerva?" Snape asked mischievously.</p>
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<p>"Nothing of the sort, Severus," McGonagall said plainly as she daintily lifted her
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cup of tea. "I would hate for any accidents to happen on my account."</p>
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<p>"Perhaps if we were able to distil the innate magic of the animal in question,"
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Harry told Snape, "And combined it with that of the drinker, it might have the
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desired effect."</p>
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<p>"But however would you stop both sources from mingling?" Snape asked. McGonagall
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groaned in exasperation but was ignored.</p>
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<p>"You could entrap the innate magic of the human specimen in water," Slughorn
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suggested.</p>
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<p>"And the beastly essence in oil," Snape finished thoughtfully, "That's quite a
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brilliant suggestion, Horace."</p>
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<p>"But of course," Slughorn told him easily, "Don't forget who taught you."</p>
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<p>"But we would probably need to wait for the full moon," Harry continued.</p>
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<p>Snape shook his head. "The half-moon is what I believe you should be aiming for,"
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he said.</p>
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<p>"Why not both?" Slughorn added, "It would take some time but it might work."</p>
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<p>"Honestly!" McGonagall growled suddenly, "You three are impossible. There is no
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way to create an animagi potion."</p>
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<p>"Afraid that it will fail, Minerva?" Snape smirked, "Or worried that it might
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actually work?"</p>
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<p>"Don't come complaining to me when you find yourself trapped," McGonagall said
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haughtily. But Harry caught her small smile of amusement. When she saw him looking at
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her and was sure that Slughorn and Snape were discussing the possibilities amongst
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themselves again, she winked at him. Somehow, Harry thought that she was actually
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quite pleased to see Snape passionate like this. Or maybe it wasn't <em>him</em> she
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was pleased about.</p>
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<p>Listening to his mentor with a half-ear, he refocused his attention on his
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chicken.</p>
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<hr size="1" noshade="noshade"/>
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<p>The day after Snape and Harry had come back, Dumbledore had summoned Harry into
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his office and he couldn't help but wonder what he had done wrong now. Maybe
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Dumbledore was upset about what had happened with the ghosts?</p>
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<p>By the time he had arrived at the gargoyle statue, he had worried himself a great
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deal and found himself playing with a loose strand on his robe.</p>
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<p>"Chocolate-covered strawberries," Harry muttered, the gargoyle Dumbledore had
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dubbed Archibald allowing him passage.</p>
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<p>As soon as Harry stepped into Dumbledore's office and saw the brilliantly white
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smile he was greeted with, all of his worries disappeared.</p>
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<p>"Good to see you, Harry," Dumbledore said, "Would you care for a lemon drop?"</p>
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<p>Harry chuckled. "No thank you, sir," he declined respectfully.</p>
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<p>Dumbledore's eyes shimmered with amusement. "You know," he said, "You always used
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to take a lemon drop before. I do believe that Severus' dislike for sweets is rubbing
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off on you."</p>
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<p>"I think it's just me growing up," Harry replied easily.</p>
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<p>"Ah yes," Dumbledore said, "The unstoppable passage of time. It is quite sad and
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yet quite happy all the same, wouldn't you agree?"</p>
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<p>"Of course, sir," Harry said, not sure what reply was expected of him.</p>
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<p>"But I forget myself," Dumbledore chuckled, "I did not summon you here to listen
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to the mad ramblings of an old fool. No, I wish to discuss with you the potion you
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have been trying to create."</p>
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<p>Harry's heart jumped slightly. So he <em>was</em> here about his most recent
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mishap.</p>
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<p>Dumbledore seemed to read his expression correctly and smiled encouragingly. "No,
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Harry," he said, "You're not in trouble. Quite the opposite, in fact. I think that I
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will be able to help you."</p>
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<p>"Help me?" Harry said hopefully, "Do you mean it?"</p>
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<p>"I rarely say things I don't mean, Harry," Dumbledore said truthfully, "And I wish
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to support you in any way that I can. Now, have you ever heard of an alchemist's
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circle?"</p>
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<p>"No sir," Harry replied.</p>
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<p>"Ah, I didn't think so," Dumbledore said, "You see, as you no doubt know, I've
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partnered with Nicolas Flamel for an important portion of my life while working on
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several alchemical discoveries and developments."</p>
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<p>"I know, sir," Harry said, remembering his first year well. Dumbledore flashed him
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a knowing smile.</p>
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<p>"While the outcome of your potion was not entirely your desire, it was only to be
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expected," Dumbledore said, "I don't know if you've ever heard of innate magic?"</p>
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<p>Harry grinned, "I have sir."</p>
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<p>Dumbledore actually looked surprised at that. "Have you now?" he asked, "Well,
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that makes this conversation a lot easier already. You see, I believe the reason that
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your potion summoned ghosts was because it reacted to the innate magic of the castle
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as well as its inhabitants."</p>
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<p>"Do you mean the ghosts?" Harry asked, somewhat perplexed. Potions weren't
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supposed to do that.</p>
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<p>"The ghosts; the students; the teachers; the rats, all of them," Dumbledore
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replied, "All lives, big and small have an effect on any form of magic that is so
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decidedly large."</p>
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<p>"Large?" Harry asked.</p>
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<p>"You are attempting to cross planes, Harry," Dumbledore said, "Even if only in
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spirit, that takes a tremendous amount of magic. And other spirits interfere with
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that process."</p>
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<p>Harry frowned. "So what do I do about that?"</p>
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<p>"The alchemical circle I mentioned earlier – otherwise known as a containment
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field – would help keep all innate magic that you do not wish for, out," Dumbledore
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said.</p>
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<p>"That's amazing!" Harry said in obvious excitement, "And you will teach me how to
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make one?"</p>
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<p>Dumbledore chuckled. "Calm yourself, Harry," he said fondly, "This is not a
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dangerous or hard spell I'm teaching you. This is actually rather basic. One of the
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first things a budding alchemist would learn. But I believe that it would benefit you
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greatly."</p>
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<p>Harry didn't care. Impressive or not, it was amazing that Dumbledore himself was
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willing to teach him this alchemical circle. Anything that would help him, he would
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take. And as Dumbledore himself had told him before: '<em>No knowledge is
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wasted'</em>.</p>
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<p>The circle itself was nothing magical at all. Instead, it was a drawing. A
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slightly complex drawing, yes, but nothing Harry couldn't handle. He was to draw it
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in white chalk and make sure that the edges touched each other perfectly to complete
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the circle. He even noticed some runes that he was familiar with mixed into the
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edges. It took a mere hour of practising to get it right and for some reason, Harry
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didn't feel too accomplished.</p>
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<p>"Am I doing it right?" Harry asked sheepishly.</p>
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<p>"That will do perfectly," Dumbledore told him, "But we won't know for sure what
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the effect will be until you apply it. Just make sure to take special care to draw
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the runes for stability and structure correctly lest there be undesirable results.
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Try it next time and tell me what happens. I confess that I'm rather curious as to
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what the results will be."</p>
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<p>Harry nodded his consent. "Of course, Professor," he said, "And thank you very
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much for showing me this."</p>
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<p>Dumbledore chuckled. "Oh Harry, even though my teaching days have long since
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passed, I do still enjoy filling the minds of students with all kinds of wonder."</p>
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<p>Fawkes thrilled beautifully at that statement.</p>
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<hr size="1" noshade="noshade"/>
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<p>School restarted the next day. The tables had been reset in their normal positions
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and Harry found himself back at the Gryffindor table, surrounded by his friends.</p>
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<p>Draco had joined them once again and Harry noticed that he was wearing the Swiss
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timepiece he had given the boy for Christmas.</p>
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<p>"So, you <em>might</em> even wear it <em>sometimes</em>, huh?" Harry pointed out
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with a smirk.</p>
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<p>"What can I say?" Draco shrugged, "There's no arguing over quality."</p>
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<p>"It's beautiful," Hermione noted, "And it really suits you, Draco."</p>
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<p>"It does have an aristocratic feel to it, doesn't it?" Draco said, lifting the
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piece as he looked at it some more.</p>
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<p>A gasp from Lavender Brown made the fearsome foursome look at her. When Hermione
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caught sight of what she was reading, she rolled her eyes in exasperation.</p>
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<p>"Ignore her," she said, "She's probably fawning over some pretty boy again."</p>
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<p>Ron chuckled. "Yeah, '<em>Witch Weekly'</em>. Ginny was into that for a
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while."</p>
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<p>Harry would have ignored her but she was showing more and more people the magazine
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cover and everyone she showed it to either broke into uncomfortable fits of giggles
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or looked away in obvious embarrassment.</p>
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<p>"For once they're not looking over here," Harry murmured, "So it can't be me."</p>
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<p>He noticed a few people looking over at the head table and when he looked over
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himself, he saw Maya sitting there with a self-satisfied smirk on her face and
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couldn't help but think, '<em>What did you do now</em>?'</p>
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<hr size="1" noshade="noshade"/>
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<p>Snape was becoming increasingly annoyed at the stares that were directed his way.
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When he glared at the ones openly looking at him, they would avert their gaze for a
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while, only to giggle at one of their companions and stare at him once more.</p>
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<p>The attention he was getting was mostly female and was directed his way from all
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tables of all houses. But there were some boys in the mix as well. Thinking for a
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moment that Harry had something to do with this, he looked pointedly at his son but
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the boy seemed equally confused.</p>
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<p>He sighed deeply when he realized that there could only be one other person that
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would dare and try to openly embarrass him and that person was sitting right next to
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him.</p>
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<p>"What did you do this time, Maya?" he asked calmly, trying his best not to seem
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bothered.</p>
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<p>"Me?" Maya asked in mock disbelief, "Whatever do you mean, dear Severus? I haven't
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done a thing."</p>
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<p>Suddenly, Sprout broke into a fit of giggles and slid a magazine in McGonagall's
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direction. Snape noticed that her eyes widened for a moment and that she tried to
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cover up a smile with her hand as she read.</p>
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<p>Having no patience for decorum or etiquette, Snape snatched the magazine
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McGonagall was reading and stared at it, his own eyes widening in shock.</p>
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<p>Right there, on the front cover of Witch Weekly, was a picture of his own face,
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his expression focused as he carefully and precisely chopped op potion ingredients.
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He glanced over at his colleagues who seemed to be staring at him with a mixture of
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shock and amusement. Growling to himself, he looked at the page McGonagall had been
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reading, his eyes narrowing as he devoured the sappy wording about his person.</p>
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<p class='c1'><em>Our most eligible bachelor of the week is none other than renowned
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Potion Master Severus Snape.</em></p>
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<p class='c1'><em>The intellectual witch might have seen him appear in 'The Practical
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Potioneer' quite often, and even more so now that he has taken a young apprentice
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under his wing.</em></p>
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<p class='c1'><em>This man has a brilliant mind that he uses not only for the
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betterment of the magical community but also to help young witches and wizards
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develop their own talents. Though stern towards the students he teaches, he is
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devoted to them wholeheartedly.</em></p>
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<p class='c1'><em>He is amazingly charismatic and possesses dark eyes that are able
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to read any willing witch like an open book. It will surely take him no time at all
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to find out your deepest desires and act on them.</em></p>
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<p class='c1'><em>Severus enjoys reading, brewing potions and spending quality time
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with his son. He prefers a 1985 Bordeaux wine at dinner and his favourite flowers are
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lilies. While a hard man to get to open up, he actually has a very solid sense of
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humour and will no doubt surprise you with it if you give him a chance.</em></p>
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<p class='c1'><em>He is very dependable. A loyal and very courageous man who will
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happily save a damsel (or witch) in distress.</em></p>
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<p class='c1'><em>But don't wait too long ladies for this man will surely be snatched
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up soon. He is – after all – an extraordinarily rare specimen.</em></p>
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<p>For a moment, Snape felt himself be overcome with mortification as he realized
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what all those – for the most part underage – witches were babbling and giggling
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about. He glanced sideways at Maya who sat there looking decidedly smug. He was about
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ready to throw something at her when he regarded the text a second time.</p>
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<p>It was not derisive or mocking. There were no signs of this actually being a prank
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and any witch who read this magazine would definitely not see it as such. In fact, it
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was all rather flattering. A 1985 Bordeaux indeed. Who other than Maya would know
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this? It was the bottle he had brought with him on boxing day. And the lilies? Alex
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had no doubt told her. He liked telling that story to whoever would listen, after
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all.</p>
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<p>With as much dignity as he could muster, he closed the magazine, handed it back to
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McGonagall and leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed as he looked at Maya. She
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was smirking at him and he raised a curious eyebrow, regarding her as he would a
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particularly interesting potion experiment.</p>
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<p>"So," he drawled, "You think me amazingly charismatic, do you?"</p>
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<p>Maya blinked a few times, her smirk lessening, albeit slightly. "Whatever do you
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mean?" she asked innocently.</p>
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<p>"It's quite clear that you're behind this, dear Maya," Snape said, "Do you deny
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it?"</p>
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<p>"I might have implied that you would make a fine bachelor of the week," Maya
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admitted, "Urging the publishers of the magazine to do a piece on you."</p>
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<p>"Truly?" Snape asked, "And yet, it would appear that you did slightly more than
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that."</p>
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<p>"Whatever do you mean?" Maya asked. She was turning rather red and Snape smirked
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in the face of her discomfort. Ah, how the tables had turned.</p>
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<p>"This text was clearly written by your hand," he said, "No one else – even at this
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table – knows my wine preference."</p>
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<p>Maya snorted, "So I devoted myself to this prank," she said, "I hope you don't
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find it too much of a bother."</p>
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<p>It was clear that she was trying to distract him into feeling embarrassed again
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but she could not outslytherin the Slytherin head of house that easily. Instead, he
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slightly leaned his chin into the space between his thumb and index finger, with the
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other fingers lightly brushing his lips, the arm propped up on his armrest. A
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devilish smile adorned his features and his dark eyes sparkled mischievously.</p>
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<p>"My dear," he teased, "I do think you've shown your hand much too quickly."</p>
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<p>Maya huffed indignantly as Snape expertly turned the entire prank around on the
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instigator. The article had been nothing if not flattering, after all, so in truth,
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he shouldn't be too embarrassed. If he thought about it, he rather appreciated the
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things Maya had noticed about him. Not that that would stop him from handing out some
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payback. He noticed that a large portion of the attending students was now looking in
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their direction, as was every member of staff.</p>
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<p>"I suppose I did," Maya muttered. She got up from her seat, still red as a
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Weasley's hair and walked out of the great hall, betwixt the Gryffindor and
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Hufflepuff tables. It felt thoroughly as a walk of shame that Snape couldn't help but
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be amused by.</p>
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<p>"When you're done with that article, Minerva," he said plainly, "I would very much
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like to keep it if that's alright."</p>
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<hr size="1" noshade="noshade"/>
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<p>The prank war continues! Please let me know what you think because I'm eager to
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know!<br/>
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*Dances* Reviews make me happy!</p>
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