The Potion Master's Apprentice

Chapter 9

The two friends were in the Room of Requirement. It had transformed itself into a cozy living room with a large fireplace to keep them warm and a plush sofa. Each one was leaning against an arm and had their feet in each other's laps.

"Now tell me what this mess of a letter is all about that you sent me."

"Ah, right. Well, where did I lose you? I was awfully tired that day..."

"Right around the 'I need help' part."

"So the beginning then. I'm trying to figure out what it is that Master Snape uses every day. He's on a regiment of daily potions but I can't figure out what they are and it's driving me near mad..." Once he had let all of his observations fall onto Hermione's lap, she had started laughing.

"Oi, what's so blasted funny?" She laughed even harder at this.

"Harry, it sounds like you're trying to tell me that Professor Snape is a vampire! Think about what you've just told me. He won't let you see the viscous liquid it is that he drinks out of a specific goblet that you can't see through, he doesn't get drunk, he takes all of his red meat almost completely rare...and that's not including the lack of sleep he sounds like he needs to function properly. The octagonal shaped vial you mentioned? Sounds like the sort of vials that vampires use for potions that mimic the effects of blood for a small amount of time. And the speech? If he really is a vampire then he either has been around a lot of really old ones or he's really old himself. You said he loves traditions and old customs that have practically died out so it's likely that he's really old himself.

"Think about it, Harry. Most vampires are registered because they can't obtain the daily potions they'd need to survive in complete secrecy amongst humans without the ministry's help. They're super complex potions, but he wouldn't need to go through the ministry if he's a bloody potion master himself! It seems to make sense, in my mind at least. Think it over. Now, Ron wanted me to ask you what I should be getting him for Christmas."

They talked for hours; it was easy for them to lose track of time. Eventually, Harry yawned and stood up.

"Okay 'Mione, I need to go to bed. Tomorrow's my day off of brewing anyway, but I still need to be alert enough to do some more research." Hermione hugged him and took her leave of the castle to apparate home.

Harry walked back down to the dungeons, shoes in his hand with his cloak resting on his arm and his thoughts filled with possibilities.

It just didn't make sense. How could Severus be a vampire? But then again, everything that Hermione and he had discussed seem to line up pretty well with the theory. If only he had some sort of solid evidence to go with...

He turned the last corner and let himself into their living room. Severus was lying on the couch with his obsidian goblet sitting on the carpet next to him. To Harry's amusement, there was a straw in the goblet. He walked by on his way to his room and red liquid residue inside the straw caught his eye. Exasperated, he continued on and pulled out a piece of parchment.

'Hermione,

'I don't know how you're always bloody right. He had a straw in that goblet I was telling you about and it has red liquid residue in it. I'll have to bring it up to him in the hopes that you're incorrect for once.

'Love you always,

'Harry'

Harry tied the note to Hedwig's leg and sent her out the magical window that would take her to the owlery before she could fly off with her letter.

Harry wasn't sure what exactly made him do it, but the next morning he woke up early and sat at the breakfast table with a cup of strong coffee and the Daily Prophet. He was filled with determination; he was going to find out what Severus had been hiding from him even if it killed him. The man in question walked in, stopping short at the sight of Harry being up before him and dressed in everything but his robe. Harry watched out of the corner of his eye as the man recovered from the shock and straightened before sitting down at the table.