Merlin's Apprentices

Chapter 10

The next day came and Severus arrived shortly after breakfast. Merlin had allowed Harry to spend the time curled up in the library once again, knowing that it would be easier for Severus to believe in his interest if he saw it for himself.

Severus followed Merlin to his library with piqued interest. When he saw Potter curled up in an armchair with a kneazle, reading a highly advanced potions book, he couldn’t believe his eyes.

“I gave him the morning off,” Merlin explained with an amused smile.

Harry didn’t acknowledge that they were there, so Severus walked closer and read over the boy’s shoulder. He was reading about liquid luck, though he was mumbling. “Well, of course it’s toxic. Anyone competent can see that, with these ingredients. Why they don’t add a drop of rosemary is beyond me. Any competent potions master would know that it would smooth out the reaction between the murtlap and thyme.”

Severus was shocked. Potter was not only understanding the material, but was also improving on it. He smirked. He could work with this. “Potter,” he called in a tone softer than usual. He had also just recently been informed of how bad the abuse was and didn’t want to scare the boy.

The boy finally looked up and yelped when he saw how close he was to the potions master. The kneazle made a strange noise and Potter turned and glared at it. “You think that’s funny, do you? Why didn’t you tell me they were here?”

There was a pause where the kneazle seemed to acknowledge his words.

“Oh, you were reading too. That's fair, I suppose. No, you can’t read ahead. I’ll lose my spot.”

Severus watched curiously before realizing that the kneazle was Harry’s familiar. He felt a small pain knowing that he was still unable to find his familiar. Lin had told him that the goddess usually gave familiars similar locations and made it simpler to find them, but Severus had yet to find his. It felt like life was laughing in his face.

Suddenly, Potter looked up at Severus. “Oh, right. Hello, Professor. How can I help you?”

Severus wasn’t entirely shocked by the change in the boy’s manners. Merlin was a stickler for them, after all.

“Can you brew that?” he asked, pointing at the page.

Potter chuckled, though he looked slightly embarrassed. “Not even close. I am still terrible at potions.”

“No,” Severus said, “you’re terrible at brewing.”

Potter tilted his head slightly. “There’s a difference?”

“Tell me, Potter, what would you use to make a love potion?”

Potter shrugged and rattled off the ingredients to a love potion. “Though, personally, I think adding three rose petals would improve it. Then, a child born from a love potion wouldn’t be a sociopath. I’m not a potions master, though, so I’m probably wrong.”

Severus smiled widely, which made Harry’s jaw drop. “This, I can work with,” Severus announced excitedly. He hadn’t been this excited since he first escaped his father’s home.

“What do you mean?” Harry asked.

“I mean, you’re not attending my potions class next year,” Severus said. “I will be teaching you personally. We have to focus on what you can do. Oh, I have to make arrangements with the headmaster! I’ll do that tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow will do.” He spun to face Merlin. “Lin, I’m stealing him for the day. I need to see where he’s at.”

Merlin smiled and nodded. Harry was well ahead of where he had to be by then, and a day off would be good for him.

Harry had lit up as soon as he heard he’d not have to brew, but he bit his lip at the thought of spending the day alone with the man. “Where are we going, Professor?”