Banished: Chapter 21
Apr. 24th, 2007 08:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
zephyr_macabeeOn Friday after lunch, Granny released Severus to do inventory in his own laboratory. He stopped by his apartment to pick up his traveling potions kit and headed to Haring Hall. First he re-expanded his kit and found places to store his personal materials. Then, activating a Quick-Quotes Quill to take notes, he recorded all the available ingredients in the lab. He was pleased with the variety and quality. Between what was already in the laboratory and his own supplies, he had everything he needed for the first batch of Wolfsbane.
He considered what he could brew for sale, to bring in cash to repay the cost of ingredients and start to build his Compensation Fund. He decided on a simple healing salve, good for minor burns and scrapes, and a scented hand cream that Narcissa had particularly fond of. He calculated that he had stock on hand to make several dozen small jars of each. Severus decided that he would spend Saturday brewing.
Reading out the ingredients for the quill to record had given him a dry throat, so he went down to the break room to get some tea. There he met the occupant of the lab next to his, Anamarie Pilot, a graduate student in applied potions research. Australian by birth, Anamarie was raucous and good-natured, except about her name.
“Call me Ana, and I shall call you Sev”, she warned.
He raised a mocking eyebrow and sneered, “Not if you want to live to see the weekend.”
He flinched as he said it; he had been trying so hard not to snark. She just laughed and threw a dish towel at him, so he relaxed and they shared a pot of tea. Together they brainstormed names for his potions. She pushed for “Sevi’s Salve” but he declined. They settled on “Auntie Jane’s Magic All-Purpose Salve” and “Cissy’s Finest Beautifying Hand Crème. She offered to show him how to use the scanner and printer to produce labels for the jars.
Late in the afternoon, Nat stuck his head into the lab. “Would you like to have your first driving lesson this weekend?”
“I need to start brewing first thing tomorrow, but I should be done by noon.”
“Let’s plan on 3 pm, after it has started to cool down a little.”
They retrieved Anamarie from her lab and went to dinner. Afterwards, Anamarie took Severus on an orientation tour of the gymnasium. She assured him they had the finest and most modern exercise equipment available, but Severus thought it looked like an unusually clean and bright torture chamber. When he said so, she laughed and challenged him to start working out with her, three days a week, in the evenings after dinner. The elves could provide him with proper gym clothes and shoes, she told him. He agreed to at least give it a try.
When he returned to his apartment, he was pleased to find a letter from Minerva waiting. He retrieved a bottle of beer from the refrigerator and settled on the couch to read.
My Dear Severus,
I was very glad to receive your letter and find that you were safely at the Institute. Margaret Twofeathers is an old friend of mine from my college days and you can rely upon her absolutely. Kai Jones is an absolute wonder and you should learn as much from her as you possibly can.
I think your plan regarding Remus Lupin is sound and I will be glad to help you implement it. I wish that such subterfuge was not necessary, but I agree that he is not likely to accept monetary help from you directly. Your cover story is quite clever and I think I can present it believably.
I will speak with Albus about using the overseas transfer box to ship Wolfsbane here for Remus. I am certain he will approve and he will be very pleased that you have offered to do the brewing of your own accord.
I have indeed met Josefa Sanderson and a remarkable woman she is. She arrived via the floo in Albus’ office in the late afternoon two days ago, while Albus and I were discussing potential Prefects for next year. My dear, Albus never had a chance. She stepped out of the hearth already speaking. “How do you Headmaster Dumbledore”, she said, “It is such an honor and a great pleasure to meet you! Headmistress Twofeathers has told me all about your researches with Nicholas Flemel and your ground-breaking work with dragon’s blood. I certainly hope you will have time to share some of your expertise with me; it would benefit my dissertation tremendously. I spoke with your Professor Snape extensively about Hogwarts and about the students. I have some sample lesson plans ready for your review whenever you have time. I believe that you also have an infirmary in need of re-stocking; I have a list from Professor Snape of the basic potions, but I know some others you might like to try as well.”
I don’t think she stopped to take a breath in this entire speech. She never gave him the chance to deny her. When she finally wound down, she just stood there smiling at him and looking so hopeful and eager. Severus, he just folded. He welcomed her to Hogwarts, said he hoped she would enjoy her time here and introduced her to me. I offered to get her settled and swept her out of the office before he had time to change his mind. It was all I could do to get her down the steps and out of earshot before I burst into laughter. It was masterfully done. She told me that Margaret had rehearsed with her until she was word-perfect. I have given her rooms in the North tower, since I don’t think the dungeons are a suitable living space (and you shouldn’t be living there either, my dear). True to her word, she has already started on the infirmary potions. I plan to take her to London to Wizards’ College Library next week, and I will also see that she gets to the major libraries on the Continent during her time with us.
All is well, Severus. Albus has sent a letter to Margaret confirming the instructor exchange. Enjoy your time in Arizona and make the most of it.
All the best,
Minerva
Severus folded the letter and put it away in his case. He could relax; he was going to be able to stay. Laughing at the image of Josefa overwhelming Albus with a tsunami of words, he headed off to bed. Saturday was going to be a busy day.
http://zephyr-macabee.livejournal.com/10785.html
He considered what he could brew for sale, to bring in cash to repay the cost of ingredients and start to build his Compensation Fund. He decided on a simple healing salve, good for minor burns and scrapes, and a scented hand cream that Narcissa had particularly fond of. He calculated that he had stock on hand to make several dozen small jars of each. Severus decided that he would spend Saturday brewing.
Reading out the ingredients for the quill to record had given him a dry throat, so he went down to the break room to get some tea. There he met the occupant of the lab next to his, Anamarie Pilot, a graduate student in applied potions research. Australian by birth, Anamarie was raucous and good-natured, except about her name.
“Call me Ana, and I shall call you Sev”, she warned.
He raised a mocking eyebrow and sneered, “Not if you want to live to see the weekend.”
He flinched as he said it; he had been trying so hard not to snark. She just laughed and threw a dish towel at him, so he relaxed and they shared a pot of tea. Together they brainstormed names for his potions. She pushed for “Sevi’s Salve” but he declined. They settled on “Auntie Jane’s Magic All-Purpose Salve” and “Cissy’s Finest Beautifying Hand Crème. She offered to show him how to use the scanner and printer to produce labels for the jars.
Late in the afternoon, Nat stuck his head into the lab. “Would you like to have your first driving lesson this weekend?”
“I need to start brewing first thing tomorrow, but I should be done by noon.”
“Let’s plan on 3 pm, after it has started to cool down a little.”
They retrieved Anamarie from her lab and went to dinner. Afterwards, Anamarie took Severus on an orientation tour of the gymnasium. She assured him they had the finest and most modern exercise equipment available, but Severus thought it looked like an unusually clean and bright torture chamber. When he said so, she laughed and challenged him to start working out with her, three days a week, in the evenings after dinner. The elves could provide him with proper gym clothes and shoes, she told him. He agreed to at least give it a try.
When he returned to his apartment, he was pleased to find a letter from Minerva waiting. He retrieved a bottle of beer from the refrigerator and settled on the couch to read.
My Dear Severus,
I was very glad to receive your letter and find that you were safely at the Institute. Margaret Twofeathers is an old friend of mine from my college days and you can rely upon her absolutely. Kai Jones is an absolute wonder and you should learn as much from her as you possibly can.
I think your plan regarding Remus Lupin is sound and I will be glad to help you implement it. I wish that such subterfuge was not necessary, but I agree that he is not likely to accept monetary help from you directly. Your cover story is quite clever and I think I can present it believably.
I will speak with Albus about using the overseas transfer box to ship Wolfsbane here for Remus. I am certain he will approve and he will be very pleased that you have offered to do the brewing of your own accord.
I have indeed met Josefa Sanderson and a remarkable woman she is. She arrived via the floo in Albus’ office in the late afternoon two days ago, while Albus and I were discussing potential Prefects for next year. My dear, Albus never had a chance. She stepped out of the hearth already speaking. “How do you Headmaster Dumbledore”, she said, “It is such an honor and a great pleasure to meet you! Headmistress Twofeathers has told me all about your researches with Nicholas Flemel and your ground-breaking work with dragon’s blood. I certainly hope you will have time to share some of your expertise with me; it would benefit my dissertation tremendously. I spoke with your Professor Snape extensively about Hogwarts and about the students. I have some sample lesson plans ready for your review whenever you have time. I believe that you also have an infirmary in need of re-stocking; I have a list from Professor Snape of the basic potions, but I know some others you might like to try as well.”
I don’t think she stopped to take a breath in this entire speech. She never gave him the chance to deny her. When she finally wound down, she just stood there smiling at him and looking so hopeful and eager. Severus, he just folded. He welcomed her to Hogwarts, said he hoped she would enjoy her time here and introduced her to me. I offered to get her settled and swept her out of the office before he had time to change his mind. It was all I could do to get her down the steps and out of earshot before I burst into laughter. It was masterfully done. She told me that Margaret had rehearsed with her until she was word-perfect. I have given her rooms in the North tower, since I don’t think the dungeons are a suitable living space (and you shouldn’t be living there either, my dear). True to her word, she has already started on the infirmary potions. I plan to take her to London to Wizards’ College Library next week, and I will also see that she gets to the major libraries on the Continent during her time with us.
All is well, Severus. Albus has sent a letter to Margaret confirming the instructor exchange. Enjoy your time in Arizona and make the most of it.
All the best,
Minerva
Severus folded the letter and put it away in his case. He could relax; he was going to be able to stay. Laughing at the image of Josefa overwhelming Albus with a tsunami of words, he headed off to bed. Saturday was going to be a busy day.
http://zephyr-macabee.livejournal.com/10785.html
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-04-25 04:12 pm (UTC)LOL! It certainly was! (Well done!)
a tsunami of words
Lovely image, that.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-26 01:27 am (UTC)