A Memorable Tale

26 | Potions and a Good Night's Sleep

I went to Snape's office and poked my head in. "Hey Professor."

"Do not greet me as if we are friends, Miss Griffin, I am your professor." The emphasis on the last word made very clear that we were, indeed, not friends. But I called him professor, so I don't know what his problem was.

I cleared my throat. "Right. I was wondering something."

"And what could possibly so important that you disturb me?"

"Can I have at brewing a Wolfsbane Potion?"

His eyes twitched. "You are on very thin ice, Miss Griffin, if I had half a mind, I would report your misplace curiosity to Professor Flitwick."

"But can I?"

He took a sharp breath. "Do what you wish!"

"Thank you!" I sang, grabbing a book from the shelf.

He eyed me as I began using a cauldron on one of the empty desks, carefully doing each step. When I stopped in what I was doing, his eyes went to my cauldron to see what step I was on.

Say what you want about Snape, but he was excellent at potions. Knowing the steps to making a potion off the top of your head and what the potion looked like during each step was a different kind of impressive.

Once I finished, I looked curiously at Snape, who stood and tried to hide the fact that he was checking my cauldron as he approached the nearby bookshelf. His gaze flickered to it, but he said nothing to criticize.

"So it's good?" I asked.

"It is adequate."

"Would it work?"

Being friends with Draco certainly had its perks. Snape definitely had some form of soft spot for Draco (sort of) so my friendship with him was probably the only thing keeping him from saying, "Fifty points from Ravenclaw."

He stared at me, then at the potion. "Yes. I saw no error in your brewing process." His eyes narrowed. "Bring it to Professor Lupin." He rather aggressively placed a goblet on the desk in front of me. "The Wolfsbane Potion is also found in your Defence Against the Dark Arts textbook. He shall be your secondary judge."

I filled the goblet and made my way to Professor Lupin's office, making sure that I wouldn't run into any curious students. While I did want to try and make such a helpful potion, I also really just wanted to see Professor Lupin.

"Professor," I poked my head into Professor Lupin's office and smiled, earning a smile in return.

"Is there something you need?" he asked, rising from his desk.

"There's something you need." I placed a smoking goblet on his desk and he stared at it in surprise. "Did you... make this yourself?"

"Yes, but check if there's something wrong first. I made it but I might have made a mistake, although I'm pretty sure it's unlikely. If it weren't for Hermione, I'd be second in Potions."

"Second?"

"Draco. Snape plays favourites, you see." I sighed. "Anyway... Christmas holidays are in a bit and my dad said that I should give presents to professors that I like. I normally give gifts to Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, and Professor Sinistra, but..."

I dug my hand into my bag and placed a gift bag on Lupin's desk. "I'm giving one to you and Hagrid this year."

My gift to Hagrid was assistance with Buckbeak's trial.

Professor Lupin stared at the present, stars and constellations covering it as my signature. A bright grin that lit up the whole room appeared on his face.