The Potion Mistress & the Half-Blood Prince

Chapter 44: The Boy Who Lived Returns

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the people or places that belong to the wonderful world of Harry Potter, as they belong to J.K. Rowling. The OC (Katherine) is entirely my own.

May 1, 1998

That Friday morning started out like every over morning for Severus. He went about his routine, showering and dressing before Katherine rose for the day, and was reading by six just as Katherine's clock went off.

Over the past month, she had moved a few of her own items into his quarters. A few sets of robes and books, but not much more than that. It at least allowed her to get ready on her own time in the morning, instead of rushing back to her own rooms through the floo, in her nightgown.

As Severus finished up in the bathroom, he thought about what Katherine had said a week ago about the DA. It was true, that most of the little dunderheads had quieted, but it didn't seem so for Longbottom and Finnigan, who had almost destroyed the entire potions' room just yesterday afternoon.

Katherine had been furious when she had returned last night. Severus had to take care of an angry red slash that ran almost the entire length of her back, where she had been hit by a large piece of the cauldron that had exploded. Luckily, none of the students had been seriously injured, but some had to be taken to Pomfrey for the boils that had appeared on their bodies from the botched potion. Longbottom and Finnigan had been given Saturday and Sunday detention with Filch, gods doing who knew what, but it was detention all the same.

As Severus stepped out of the bathroom, he expected to see Katherine up and coming towards the door like usual. But instead, she was still sprawled out over the bed, face down. Her clock had been turned off, and she showed no signs of waking.

"Katherine?" Severus said, as he walked over to the bed. "Katherine, come on. Time to get up." But she didn't respond. Severus carefully placed himself on the side of the bed, and tried to roll her over. She gave a low groan as he finally had her on her back.

Her face was pale, but sweat was forming on her forehead. Katherine kept her eyes shut tight and swallowed hard, as Severus placed a hand on her head.

"Katherine, you're burning up," Severus said, as he began running a diagnostic spell over her entire body.

"I feel cold though..."

"No wonder, considering how clammy you are," Severus scoffed, as he summoned a Pepperup potion from the bathroom. "Does anything hurt?"

"No," Katherine groaned, as Severus helped her to sit up. "But I do feel a bit achy and tired."

"Could you have possibly be having so type of allergic reaction from an ingredient that was in that exploding potion yesterday?" Severus asked, with a raised brow as Katherine downed the Pepperup.

"Maybe," Katherine said, but paused to think about what the seventh years had been instructed to make. "Nettle. There was a jar of nettle on Longbottom's and Finnigan's work station. They must have used it in their potion."

"Well, they just earned themselves a few more detention," Severus snarled, as he took the vial from her and rose from the bed. "If I remember correctly from your last encounter with nettle, you started with a fever before..." But Severus didn't get to finish, as Katherine suddenly jumped out of the bed and sprinted to the bathroom.

"Vomiting," Severus sighed, as he followed her. It hadn't been the first time that Katherine had become violently ill after an encounter with the mundane plant. The first time was when they were still students and Slughorn had made them brew Scintillation Solution. Katherine had become sick only an hour after class had finished, and Severus had done what he was doing now.