When the Roses Bloom Again by TheBlack'sResurgence

Chapter 10

A Black Intervention

With November having come and passed, and the Christmas holidays fast approaching, Harry had been back and forth to the chamber to carry out his work in harvesting the basilisk parts that he intended to sell.

It was a difficult task in itself, and only made more so by Minerva's sudden insistence on spending more time with him away from lessons and the transfiguration club.

He didn't mind her company, on the contrary, he enjoyed it, despite the occasional reminder of the woman she would grow to become. This Minerva, however, was much more carefree, relaxed for the most part, and fun to be around.

A far cry from his former Professor and head of house.

Still, he needed to complete his undertaking here, and being distracted had not helped.

With his work nearing completion, he himself had relaxed considerably, though there was the final part of the skin he needed to remove.

This had been the most difficult part.

The basilisk had yielded the fangs and venom without issue, but the skin, not so willingly.

Inch by inch he had meticulously cut it away, losing several silver knives in the process as they broke under the strain of what was required of them. The skin was thick, and rigid.

A frustratingly slow endeavour if there ever was one, but Harry had persisted and he had finally reached the last foot or so, much to his relief.

He had yet to take the samples he had removed initially, partly because he wanted it all available to be sold to any interested parties, and partly because he hadn't had the opportunity.

Having had his weekends free at the beginning of the school year, it would not have been much trouble taking his leave of the castle for a few hours, but ever since the visit to Hogsmeade, he had been spending more time with Minerva and Charlus.

Not that he minded.

He liked them both well enough and getting to know a member of his family was as welcome as it had been unexpected for his entire life.

As much work as Harry felt he needed to do, the other Gryffindors he had met were worth sacrificing some of it for.

He still had the earlier hours in the day free where he would visit the room of requirement, just less time than he'd had on weekends and in the evening.

He still attended the transfiguration club and had begun his tuition under Professor Nott which was proving to be a great boon to his development with magic.

Thus far, she had spent much of their time together assessing him, testing his abilities, and offering advice on magical theory and how he could improve his spell work.

He had already known she was a gifted witch and took her profession seriously but spending time with her as he had only cemented that opinion.

She was still rather terse and abrupt, but he respected her, and she had treated him with nothing but the very same.

He breathed a sigh of relief as the final piece of skin came away from the corpse and wiped the perspiration away from his forehead with the back of his hand.