The Azkaban Kid

An Early Potions

AN EARLY POTIONS

It was finally Christmas Day. Sirius had woken me up and started singing songs. I couldn't believe how happy he was but I had to giggle.

"Merry Christmas, merry Christmas
Ring the Hogwarts bell
Merry Christmas, merry Christmas
Cast a Christmas spell
How wonderous the ways of Christmas
Have a merry Christmas Day
Move around the sparkling fire
Have a merry Christmas Day
Find a broomstick in your stocking
Singing you the magic of this place
Join the owls joyous flocking
On this merry Christmas Day
Ding dong, ding dong
Ring the Hogwarts bell
(Ring the Hogwarts bell)
Ding dong, ding dong
Cast a Christmas spell
Ding dong, ding dong
Make the Christmas morning bright
Fly high across the sky
Light the Christmas night
Merry Christmas, merry Christmas
Ring the Hogwarts bell
Merry Christmas, merry Christmas..."

I was actually laughing.

"Oh yes, my Christmas days at Hogwarts. I can't believe I actually remembered that. I used to love Christmas when I was younger."

"You have a lovely voice Sirius."

"Why thank you my lady. Merry Christmas Sarai."

"Merry Christmas Sirius." I couldn't stop smiling. Maybe Christmas wasn't too bad, or it was probably just Sirius. He was a great friend and a father figure to me. He was the only person I could actually open up to. Everyone else would see the cold me and the heartless me.

"Dustan! Get up! Stop smiling you look to happy."

"Well maybe I am happy Gilbert, I have heard a lovely Christmas song, by the one and only Sirius Black." Sirius chuckled at this.

"Get out of your cell!" He growled. He opened the door and I swayed out of it.

"Merry Christmas again Sirius. See you in a bit."

"Yeh you too." He smiled and winked at me.

I walked slowly with Gilbert. Why did he have to be so boring on Christmas Day. I'm starting to feel depressed already. We ended up at the all too familiar room for my potions.

Gilbert opened the door and I sat on a chair while he waited behind me. I wonder why I'm here.

"Why am I here Gilbert?" He smacked my head, lighter than usual though.

"Don't ask questions." He barked.

"What's got your knickers in a twist?" I sneered. It happened quickly, he grabbed my prison robe an pushed me against the wall with his wand at my chest.

"I warned you Dustan. Don't tes-" he was interrupted by a two men walking in.

"Now now Gilbert, no need for violence on Christmas Day." It was Headmaster Dumbledore! I felt oddly relaxed now. Gilbert just pushed me back on the chair and I could see who was here. It was Dumbledore and Severus. They took the two chairs opposite me.

"We no longer need your presence thank you Gilbert." I giggled coldly. He stared at me for a moment.

"What? You've been told to get out." I sneered.

"You little cow!" He growled. Merlin he's like an animal, barking and growling. He has power over Severus and Dumbledore so he can do whatever he wants to me. He shot a spell at me and my ankles and wrists were bound to the chair.

"Silencio!" Now I couldn't speak. I just glared daggers at him instead. Stupid man. Then he left the room. I turned my attention to the two men in front of me.

"Well Miss.Dustan, now that that's over I would like to talk to you. Severus is here to teach you again under my watch. Just a moment." He flicked his wand and the ropes disappeared and my speech came back.

"Thank you sir." Severus looked shocked and Dumbledore smiled widely.

"My pleasure Sarai. I feel this room is somewhat dull." Dumbledore waved his wand above his head and Severus rolled his eyes and sighed.

Suddenly I looked around and gasped. The room was full of tinsel on the walls and Christmas decorations, there was a small Christmas tree in the corner and fake snow on the floor.

I felt something on my head and pulled it off. It was a green Santa hat with elf ears sticking out of it. I giggled and put it back on. Dumbledore was wearing a normal Santa hat with 'Christmas cheer!' Written on the front. I looked over at Severus and stifled a laugh. He grumbled and pulled the hat off to look at it. Dumbledore was chuckling. It was a black and white Santa hat with 'bah humbug' written on it.

"Put the hat back on Severus dear boy, have some Christmas cheer." Severus huffed and put it back on.

"Is there any need for the amount of decorations Albus? This is a prison for criminals and despair not happiness." My smile instantly faded and I became angry. I balled my fist and Dumbledore noticed.

"Come Severus, no need for such silliness, this young girl has never known Christmas." I glared at Severus who raised his eyebrows at me with a cold stare back. "Enough you two. We shall start the lesson." Severus conjured the book, ingredients and the cauldron.

"This is going to be a forgetfulness potion. Read the instructions and get started." I just nodded and got to reading the instructions.

1. Add 2 drops of Lethe River Water to your cauldron
2. Gently heat for 20 seconds
3. Add 2 Valerian sprigs to your cauldron
4. Stir 3 times, clockwise
5. Wave your wand
6. Leave to brew and return in 45-60 minutes
7. Add 2 measures of Standard Ingredient to the mortar
8. Add 4 mistletoe berries to the mortar
9. Crush into a medium-fine powder using the pestle
10. Add 2 pinches of the crushed mixture to your cauldron
11. Stir 5 times, anti-clockwise
12. Wave your wand to complete the potion.

I think I did everything correct. I asked Severus to wave his wand and it was finished. Dumbledore thought it would be funny to test the potion on Severus but he was having non of it. He looked over it though and nodded in satisfaction.

"Well done Sarai. Marvellous work. I feel that you may be better that Severus soon." Dumbledore joked. I smiled slightly and Severus scoffed, then I gave him a glare. "Don't you think so Severus?"

"Yes satisfactory work Sarai. Especially for your first time." Severus droned.

"More than satisfactory I think Severus." I snapped.

"It's sir to you Miss.Dustan."

"Oh how silly of me, sir." I sarcastically remarked.

"You can't talk to me like that! I am a professor and your teacher, you should treat me like one."

"Maybe when you stop treating me like a criminal I will!" I argued. He gave me a cold laugh.

"Very funny. Because your all sweet and innocent aren't you." What an idiot! How dare he! I jumped up and my chair slid across the floor to the wall. My fists were balled up and my face was probably red.

"Ooh, what are you going to do? Kill me?" I made some sort of animal noise and launched myself over the table. My fist collided with his face and his chair fell backwards. I grabbed his collar with both of my hands and he grabbed both of my wrists and I could see the anger in his eyes. He was seething.

"Don't insult me!" I spat. "I could easily kill you!" Severus pulled both of my hands off his collar and he got up. He still had an iron grip on my wrists.

"How dare you punch me! How dare you attack me!" He growled. "If it was up to me you would spend the rest of your living days here!" I kicked him in the shin and he let go of my wrists.

"I'm little and I can easily fight you. Leave me here if you wish! I don't care! I've been locked up my whole life anyway!" I shouted. Dumbledore flicked his wand and the decorations were gone, just as the guard bustled in.

"What are you doing?" He shouted at me.

"I HIT THIS STUPID GREASY MAN!" I yelled. I'd really had enough. "HE HATES ME FOR SOME REASON!" Gilbert then grabbed me and grabbed his batten thingy. Severus was saying some mean things to Dumbledore and they didn't seem to notice that Gilbert was about to wallop me into oblivion. He raised his bat above his head. I could take it! I didn't moan about it.

"Stop Gilbert!" Dumbledore had noticed. I breathed a sigh of relief at that. He calmly pushed Gilbert's hand back to his side. "No need for such cruelty, just let us talk for the moment please." His voice was so calm and his eyes twinkled like mad.

"She doesn't deserve this Albus, she's a stupid, insolent criminal. I have every right to hit her, she has murdered people." She is in the room you know. Gilbert finally let go of my wrist and left the room as Dumbledore gave him a stern look.

"That man is right Albus!"

"That is enough Severus!" Dumbledore said calmly. "Please sit down Sarai. I would like to talk to you." I huffed and picked up my chair and sat down. Severus cast a spell that tied my wrists to the chair.

"I'm sorry about the rope Sarai but just ignore it for now." Dumbledore smile and waited for Severus to sit down. "Right. You are really good at potions Sarai. You shall definitely be ready for second year I think. However, you and Severus were both out of line. You need to be less aggressive to mindless taunts and worry more about your education. Many more outbursts like that and you may never come to Hogwarts. Is that understood?"

"Yes headmaster Dumbledore." I mumbled. I did respect this man. He was calm and collected and knew what to do all the time. He didn't fly off the handle or judge me.

"Good. I believe you are well on your way to joining Hogwarts and i shall be visiting every couple of months or so."

"Ok."

"Ok what?" Severus growled.

"Sir?"

"Yes Sarai?" Dumbledore answered.

"Do you have any other potions teachers?" I asked casually. I was trying to scrape back my good mood. He chuckled slightly and Severus glared daggers at me.

"No Sarai we don't. But you and Severus shall work on your student professor relationship over the next few months. I would like you to get along and not be at eachothers throats. When the time comes you shall be staying with Severus in Hogwarts."

"Headmaster I-"

"No excuses Severus. You can show discipline and control and Sarai here needs a good role model." I scoffed at that.

"Yes headmaster." Severus had a deadly scowl on his face but didn't argue anymore.

"That would be nice sir. But why could I not stay in the dormitories?" I asked as sweetly as possible.

"Unfortunately the minister and the ministry do not trust you around the other children when they are asleep. Severus' quarters is a more secure environment so they say."

"Oh ok." So much for making friends then.

"Anyway. This is where we leave you Sarai. Come Severus." Dumbledore got up, shook my hand and then left with Severus.

"Goodbye Headmaster Dumbledore." I said as they were leaving. "Goodbye Severus." Severus nodded to me and then left out of the door. Gilbert grabbed my arm roughly and pushed me in front of him. I tripped on the stairs a couple of times but eventually i resided back in my cell. I sat on my 'bed' thinking about Hogwarts. I can't be down anymore, I need to learn to be good and not so aggressive. I'll be patient and kind until the dark lord returns.

"Hey Sarai. How'd it go?" Ah Sirius. Always wants to know how I am.

"Good Sirius. I decked Severus-" suddenly Sirius was in hysterics. "-and I created a forgetfulness potions. The guard nearly smacked me into oblivion, Dumbledore decorated the little room for me and explained everything for if I go to Hogwarts."

"When you go to Hogwarts Sarai, not if." He chuckled. "Good one for hitting Snape. I'm proud of you."

"No Sirius, it's bad. I'm meant to be good not aggressive. I really want to go to Hogwarts."

"That's true. Sarai your doing well to think that. When you came here you would have probably killed him." He chuckled.

"Shut up Sirius." I smiled slightly.