The Lost

Teachers

Harry bottled up the potion and sat down, nodding to his year mates to say he would be fine as the class was dismissed.

"Mr Potter," Snape began, "Your work today illustrated how adapt you are at potions brewing and your knowledge of ingredients. You previously stated that you have worked with more complex potions — which ones?"

"Hm, it would be difficult to say."

Harry admitted, he had only worked with a few difficult potions that were still known today and wouldn't take a hell of an explanation. "It would be a choice between the Polyjuice potions or my own creation."

Snape started, a touch of disbelief entering his expression as he looked at the boy; surely he couldn't think that he would believe that.

"You say Polyjuice potion, at eleven." Snape repeated in mild disbelief, and Harry conceded the man had a right to be disbelieving-the Polyjuice potion wasn't a difficult brewing process really; he had learned to brew it at nine.

"I supposed given the simplicity of the Polyjuice potions actual brewing process, it shouldn't be counted as really difficult. The only difficulties that should arise is the preparation of the ingredients, and having the timing perfect; even a few seconds out could ruin it." Harry mused. "With that outlook, I would, modestly, have to say my latest creation would be my most complex potion."

Snape looked the boy over and realised he had complete belief in his words, and while Snape was sceptical, if Harry was indeed being truthful then he was a genius in the art.
"What potion have you created?"

"It's an advanced shielding potion, yet to be named. It protects the drinker from basically everything except a direct killing curse." Harry answered, "I have it in my Potions journal."

May I see it?"

"Of course." Harry agreed, snapping his fingers, making a small black book appear on his desk.

"How do you do that?"

"It's an edited version of the summoning charm. I got so sick of waiting for my items to soar through the air to me, I mean seriously, who thought that would be a good idea." Harry shook his head in obvious bewilderment, and Snape blinked. The boy had edited a spell at eleven? What in Merlin's name...

"Damn,"

"Language," Snape warned, "What is it?"

"You don't happen to be able to read Parseltongue, do you?" Harry wondered, looking at his teacher sheepishly.

"No, there hasn't been a known Parselmouth since the Dark Lord." Snape replied slowly, and Harry quirked an eyebrow; that partially answered why the language was seen as evil.

"Well, I must be one of those weird twists of fate." Harry said brightly, waving his hand to copy his potion in to English and handing it to the Professor. Severus read through the potion's description and then the recipe, feeling his eyebrows climb higher and higher the more he read.

"This is incredibly impressive," Snape admitted, and Harry straightened up proudly.

"Thank you,"

"You say it has been tested."

"Yes, it is in full working order." Harry confirmed.

"I wish to see you brew it, but the ingredient prep time is too long unless you already have some?"

"I do. I stored enough to brew 6 more batches after the initial testing." Harry replied.

"If you can return this evening and prove you can brew this potion, I can adjust your work to something that will be, at least, mildly challenging for you." Severus decided, and Harry smiled, nodding before he abruptly stopped and a vicious curse word spewed from his mouth in Parseltongue, one that would have Rowena washing his mouth out should she have heard and understood.

"I have the distinct impression that it would be in both of our interests that I not know what you just said." Severus drawled and Harry ducked his head slightly, before scowling at the wall.

"I has been demanded that I spend time with my au-sister for her special lesson." He sneered, "It is not optional."

"I believe I actually feel pity for you."

"I could ask and say its educational-,"

"Do not bother.  Dumbledore is stuck in his ways  it wouldn't do to change."
Severus informed him and Harry's shoulders dropped.

"I must be cursed." Harry muttered.

"Should you be able to escape on Saturday, I shall be available to contact in my office. If I am not there, wait for me and I will return from my personal labs."

"Thank you, sir." Harry said happily.

"Here is your note for being late to defense." Snape said, handing him a roll of parchment, "the Prefects will be waiting to escort you."

"Yes, sir."

Harry grabbed his bag and left the classroom, whooping in delight once he was away from the door and jogging up to the waiting prefects. One was from Slytherin and the other from Ravenclaw.

"Which way we heading?" The Slytherin asked.

"Up," Harry responded.

"So what did you do to get held back in the Professor's first class?" he questioned, and Harry smiled brightly.

"He's offered me a chance to prove that I can brew a certain potion, if I can then he's going to put me on an advanced curriculum."

"Sweet Merlin, kid. You must have impressed him." Whistled the Ravenclaw.

"I hope so," Harry said. They stepped out on to the Defense corridor and the Prefect blinked.

"That was fast."

"Handy shortcut," Harry answered, and they  nodded, not even questioning it; your secrets were your own in Slytherin. "Thanks for the escort,"

"No problem, kid, we take care of our own." She told him, "Good luck with the Professor."

"Thanks," Harry entered the classroom barely containing his grin, passing his note to Professor Quirrel and taking the place Theo had saved for him.

"I'm guessing it went well." Theo said.

"I'm not containing it very well, am I?" Harry asked rhetorically.

"You are basically bouncing again." Draco on the other side of Theo pointed out, and Harry forced himself to take a few deep breaths to still his movements.

"He said that he was impressed and he's given me a chance to prove I can brew a certain potion, and if I can brew it I might get on to an advanced curriculum." Harry told him and Draco's eyebrows shot up.

"Wow. You must have really interested him. Uncle Sev usually doesn't do that, and the only reason I'm going on to an advanced curriculum is because he's been my tutor for the past four years." Draco said impressed.

"I just hope I don't screw up."

They settled down in the lesson, Theo letting Harry copy down the notes he had already take, though it wasn't much. Quirrel was an appalling teacher, stumbling and stuttering through his lecture and quivering at any sounds made within the room. Harry's eyes narrowed; there was no way that stutter was real! He was glad to get out of the room, rubbing his scar absently as it burned, there was something off about that man, and it set him a bit on edge. Both he had Draco didn't stay long for lunch, heading up to History, a lesson Harry was very excited for as it was his Godfather teaching it.

He had heard nothing but good things so far. Merlin had kept him up-to-date with current History, leaving somethings out for him to work out himself, and he had been told to be prepared for some severe inaccuracies in regards to the Founders; Harry was some what worried to find out.