The Forgotten Olympian |BOOK 1| PJO X HP | Alexandra Marine

Chapter 134 - Percy - Potions for Extra Credit

"Guys," Annabeth said as we walked together to our classes, "this Sturgis Podmore thing seems very-"

"Horrible, yes," I said. 

"I was about to say 'fishy'. What would Sturgis be doing at one in the morning?"

"What's that supposed to mean? They're obviously protecting-" Alex stopped. "Dumbledore would never."

"Exactly."

"What?" Jason asked, frowning.

"See," Alex explained, "Sturgis has already not been at his spot at least two times. This we know from Moody, right?"

I nodded. 

"So then, if Dumbledore really was smart, he would never- never appoint a man like Sturgis to guard something so important, would he?"

That made a lot of sense. "But why would he be there-?" I started.

"Unless he was controlled by someone to be there?" Nico smirked. 

Jason, Will and I stopped in our tracks, eyes wide with realization. We looked at each other in surprise. 

"Ron's theory make a lot of sense, yes," Annabeth said, "but then it cancels out the theory that Dumbledore has at least a little common sense-"

"Which may be arguable, but yes," Alex interrupted. "Not even an idiot would make a mistake like that."

"I think it's best if we ask Minerva, then," Jason said, straightening up. "She's the expert."

"Then we best not be even a little late to class," Annabeth said. "Come on. I'll see all of you back at dinner."

Alex and I ran down to the dungeons and knocked on the doors. "Come in," said the smooth and sneering voice of Severus Snape. 

Inside, Professor Snape had set up two small cauldrons for us, and one large cauldron for himself, which were already filled with water and bubbling. 

We greeted the teacher and rolled up our sleeves, not wanting them covered in soot like last time. 

"Today," Professor Snape drawled a bit, "we'll be learning to brew Skele-Gro."

"Don't we have that at the Hospital Wing?" I asked, frowning.

"Yes, but did you brew it?"

"No."

"Skele-Gro is a rather tricky potion to make. It has the ability to mend and re-grow bones that have been lost. The process of re-growing may be extremely slow and painful, which is why, in our lesson, we will be neutralizing those effects with...?" he waited for us to answer.

I thought for a while. "Bishopswort?"

Alex frowned. "How about Withania Somnifera?"

Snape's eyes went wide for almost two seconds. "Both of you are not wrong," he said. "However, both can be used only to neutralize the pain. To fasten the process of healing, we will use caffeine from ripe cocoa pods."

"Makes sense," Alex hummed. "But the potion will be extremely bitter."

"The point of the potion isn't taste," Snape snapped at her.

"Oh right, right," she blushed. "Sorry. My bad."

"So, we'll be using both Bishopswort and Withania Somnifera?" I asked.

"Withania Somnifera is extremely strong," Snape explained. "But it has no considerable side effects. On the other hand, Bishopswort can cause a the drinker to sleep too much."