The Black Queen | F. Weasley

13. Wolfsbane

Elegant fingers were softly gliding over the spines of the books in the library, searching for one in particular. It was quiet except for the sound of scribbling from the feathers along scrolls of parchment.

Salem's fingers ran along all the spines within arms reach as she looked for a particular book. She was looking around in the Potions section, she had tried looking for the book in her earlier years at Hogwarts, but to no avail. But she wanted to give it one last try, she even had searched at the Restricted Section.

She sighed in disappointment as she noticed that there were no new additions made to the Potions section and since she had already looked through the Healing and Herbology section of the library, there was only one thing she could do.

Visit professor Snape.

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The rapping of her knuckles against the oak wooden door which led to Snape's office filled the quiet corridor.

The weather was beautiful outside, the sun was shining brightly and it was quite warm for this time of year. Everyone was enjoying it while they still could, and Salem would've been out there with them if she didn't have something else to do which was more important.

The door swung open and a gust of wind blew in her face at the speed the motion had taken place. There he stood, the most hated teacher of Hogwarts, Severus Snape.

He raised an eyebrow at the girl who was standing in front of him. While he had hated her guts during the first few weeks of her first year at Hogwarts he had, dare he say it? Grown quite fond of her over the years, she was a lot like her father and nothing like her moronic uncle.

"Black, what do you want?" He drawled out and observed the nervous aura the girl carried with her.

It was quite unusual for Salem to be nervous, she always had her wits on her and was confident in what she did, but Snape just brought out that side of her and she didn't like it.

"I have a question, Professor, and only you can help me." She sucked in her bottom lip, chewing on it as a nervous habit. Snape stayed silent, which was an indication for her that he wanted her to continue.

"Well, as you know uncle Remus is teaching here now, and I can safely assume that you know about his furry, little problem... so I wanted to ask you, since professor Dumbledore asked of you to brew him a potion for his problem, if you could teach me how to brew it as well?

"You see, uncle Remus has always taken care of me and I want to take care of him for once. I searched for a recipe of the Wolfsbane Potion, but I couldn't find it anywhere in the library, but then I learned that you're able to brew it so I thou-"

"Alright, Black," Snape grumbled and looked at the ceiling of the corridor in despair. Regulus owed him big time for creating this child, she reminded him so much of her father. Every time he saw the girl he was reminded of his one true friend he had during the First Wizarding War. He couldn't say no to her. "Quit your rambling, I will teach you."

Salem smiled brightly and began thanking the man profusely. He shushed her by raising a single hand which quieted her down immediately. The girl shot him an apologising grin in return.

"I will teach you," Snape began again. "But on one condition, you have to do exactly as I say and don't turn me into a chicken ever again."

Salem's bright grin was wiped off her face immediately and she paled at Snape's words. How did he know?

"I don't know what you're talking about, professor," she said too quickly. Snape simply raised an eyebrow again, unimpressed with her quick denial.