Fifty Draughts of Snape

Chapter Four: As Much As I'm Worth

Amid Harry's return to the flat he shared with Ron, both of his best friends set upon him at once, immediately demanding to know what had befallen him the day before, now that they were out of Severus's earshot. Harry flushed with slight embarrassment and attempted to fend off their questions, finally growing hungry enough to start the roast Hermione had promised himself. As he arranged the boiled potatoes on the baking sheet, prepped the roasting pan, and set to work on the vegetables and Yorkshire puddings, Hermione and Ron stood on the threshold of the kitchen behind him, watching him work and peppering him with questions.

"Harry, did you manage to see Master Snape's library at all?" queried Hermione. She had brought Crookshanks with her to the flat, as she likely needed her familiar to keep herself calm in the wake of Harry temporarily going missing.

"'Mione, the library doesn't matter," Ron told his girlfriend impatiently. "What I really want to know here, mate, is if the rumors of Master Snape having a state-of-the-art broom collection is a true one," he said emphatically.

"No, 'Mione, I didn't see his library," Harry replied, seasoning the roast expertly, and never looking over his shoulder. "As for the broom collection, Ron, I doubt the rumor had any solid ground to stand upon. He does have a wine collection, though, in his second cellar, the smaller of the two."

"The larger one houses his legendary potions lab, doesn't it, Harry?" Hermione asked, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement, inadvertently jostling Crookshanks, who let out a low growl at the treatment.

"An exact replica of the one at the Fiole Bureau, or so he told me," Harry confirmed. "But we didn't discuss potions, much. When he took me out, we went to an incredible national park, and he told me where witches and wizards throughout the world are allowed to cultivate the necessary ingredients needed for potions. Did you know that there are special magical sections of national parks, close by the campuses of the wizarding schools, where us magical folk are permitted to harvest plants and flowers?"

"I remember reading something like that in Magic Through the Ages by Ethelyn Twigs, in the section on Potions and Herbology," Hermione said brightly, and Ron rolled his eyes. "I'm not surprised that someone as knowledgeable as Master Snape knows where to collect things, even in countries that he doesn't live in. Seems like a prerequisite to enter the Potions Guild, along with inventing or improving potions regularly..."

"You think you'll have a future with him, mate?" Ron wanted to know.

Harry shrugged as he continued going through the process of making the Sunday roast. "Who's to know? At least his mother seemed to approve of me..."

"Eileen Prince?!" Hermione practically squealed, to the point where Harry very nearly lost control over what he was doing. "You actually met Eileen Prince?!"

"It's 'Snape' now, and yes," Harry confirmed, rolling his eyes, but keeping his back turned so that he wouldn't run the risk of Hermione potentially thwacking him.

"Well, mate, you know how Mum and Dad pretty much approved of Hermione immediately," said Ron in a cocking manner, to which Hermione muttered under her breath. "If the parents approve of you, the battle is already halfway done."

"What was she like, Harry?" Hermione wanted to know, stepping fully into the kitchen and moving to stand beside Harry. "Rumor has it that she was Captain of the Gobstones Club while she attended Hogwarts—she was sorted Slytherin while there, of course. Not to mention that she taught Master Snape absolutely everything she knew about potions..."

"She was lovely," Harry admitted, rolling the potatoes and veg in a bath of butter and various seasonings, before magicking the oven on. "Looked quite a bit like Severus, too—same black hair and piercing eyes, not to mention an exact replica of his skin... She even invited me over for dinner," he said quietly.