Chapter 11 Lessons, Continued
"Excellent. Now, let us go over the safety rules for my classroom... Let us say... Black, what can you tell me about safety precautions?"
I rose from my seat and frowned thoughtfully.
"Well, for the first years, the pointed hat prescribed in Hogwarts regulations will be more than sufficient during Potions lessons. It is not simply an archaic relic -- it is a perfectly functional part of the uniform, designed to prevent your hair from falling into a potion during class. On the early courses this is not so critical, since we will not be brewing anything genuinely dangerous, however..."
I shrugged, as if to say it was always better to be prepared for anything.
"Beyond that, the Hogwarts letter specifies dragonhide gloves or a material of equivalent properties. In my view, these are listed primarily to accustom us to the habit of keeping our hands protected during this lesson at all times. I should mention that there are more modern alternatives to both these items. Some potion-makers, for instance, use a specialist compound applied to the hair, which protects it from damage for up to three hours. Likewise..."
I leaned towards my bag and produced a Muggle surgeon's cap.
"...one may use the type of cap worn by Muggle surgeons during complex operations. Or any other head covering that keeps the hair fully enclosed. Though I would note that using potions or other unusual head coverings is not without risk."
"Be so good as to expand on that truly remarkable thought, Mr Black. You have just said that these alternatives are permissible."
I gave a slight nod, with something close to a smile.
"It is quite simple, really. If you examine the hat that comes with your uniform, you will find that runes have been applied to the inner surface. Runes that prevent any substance, of whatever composition, from reaching your head quickly. The alternatives I mentioned may only be used safely in the first and second years, because the compounds used at that level have been selected such that even in the event of an explosion and a burn, the resulting injury will be treated in a matter of minutes. In later years, such substitutes are best avoided entirely. Or you could arrange in advance -- for instance, by visiting Madam Malkin's atelier to have a suitable head covering made for you. Personally, however, even though a formal replacement is technically permitted, I would not exchange a rune-inscribed hat for anything ordinary. There is always the possibility that a student sitting near you has some undiscovered aptitude that causes a potion to run out of control and explode."
"Very well. And what might serve as a substitute for the gloves?"
"Well, the best alternative is liquid gloves. A potion developed specifically for the brewing of compounds that must not come into contact with any material outside a very limited list of exceptions."
"What sort of potions are those?"
"Potions brewed for a specific individual..."
I shrugged, as though nothing could be more straightforward.
"...as a rule, for greater compatibility and efficacy, such potions incorporate a biological sample from the person for whom they are being prepared. The liquid gloves potion itself, however, is quite complex to brew..."
"Miss Granger. Do you have something to add?"
"Ordinary people have medical gloves. Which..."
"Mr Black?"
"The material of such gloves is insufficiently reliable. They degrade on contact with any aggressive medium, and what one might call household rubber gloves are generally not neutral enough -- if one can even use that term for rubber in combination with various chemical compounds."
"Correct... Five points to Ravenclaw, Mr Black, and one point to Ravenclaw, Miss Granger, for a question that was doubtless on the minds of several Muggle-born students. Now let us proceed to the practical portion -- the recipe is on the board, the ingredients are in the cupboard. Let us see what you are capable of."
"Ravenclaw, stay seated."
Two words, and the House remained in their places while the Hufflepuffs streamed en masse towards the ingredient cupboard.
Once they had finished jostling, I rose, went to the cupboard, and began calling students up one by one, handing out their ingredients in an orderly fashion. When everyone had been supplied, I took my own portion, returned to my workstation, and began preparing the ingredients -- calmly, but efficiently.
The potion on the board was not complicated.
"Granger, where are you going?"
I looked at the girl, who had got to her feet and already taken several steps towards the cupboard.
"You missed some ingredients."
There was a slight air of superiority in the way she said it. Unintentional, though.
"Sit down and compare the recipe on the board with the one in your textbook. And recall that the professor said to follow the recipe on the board."
"Oh..."
She looked at me in surprise, took a couple of steps back to her seat, and ran her eyes over both recipes in quick succession. Then she raised her hand.
"Hermione, I can answer that question without involving the teacher. It is actually quite simple -- the textbook gives an averaged recipe, which is well-suited for home brewing. The board shows a slightly modified version. The same ingredients, but in different quantities. This allows the potion to be brewed more quickly."
"Oh... I see."
She lowered her hand and sat down. I had conducted the entire exchange without once looking up from my ingredient preparation, and I suspected that was the only reason Snape chose not to intervene.
The recipe on the board was straightforward, and I completed the potion quickly. Daphne managed it no less well.
"Black, Daphne -- you need not submit your potions. I am giving you both an Acceptable."
I gave a grateful nod. Something was decidedly different about this Snape -- or perhaps he was simply cautious about Mum Bella, who would certainly come to have words with him if he stepped out of line.
When the lesson ended, Penny was already waiting for us. She led us briskly to the Great Hall, and after lunch took us back to the tower. We had no more lessons for the rest of the day and were told we were free to do as we pleased.
The moment Penny left for her own lesson, I slipped out of the tower. Following Mum Cissy's directions, I made my way from the Great Hall down to the kitchens.
"What does a young wizard need in the kitchens?"
"Greetings to the Hogwarts household. I have come with a request."
"How can the household help you?"
"The thing is, I have a rather demanding schedule -- I am speaking not only of school lessons, but of the programme set out for me at home -- and I would like to ask whether the household might adapt the meals prepared for me and my attendant, Daphne."
"What would the young wizard like us to prepare for him?"
I then handed the house-elf I had been speaking with two lists -- one for myself and one for Daphne.
"I would also like to ask that these flasks be refilled with plain black tea with lemon and sugar whenever they are empty. Daphne has one as well. Usually a flask lasts us the day, but some of our classmates may want to share, so..."
"You may call for Dippy -- he is young and still has much to learn, but making tea with lemon and sugar is well within his abilities."
"Thank you."
I nodded and, sending a generous release of magic out into the kitchen -- which made several house-elves perk up with a start -- turned to leave. At that moment, a small female elf darted forward and practically pressed a basket of assorted pasties into my hands.
"Thank you."
I smiled at her. Magical parasites -- but useful ones. With that thought, I let another small measure of magic flow out into the space, and then finally left the kitchen and returned to the tower, where the basket of pasties was received with considerable enthusiasm.
The next several hours passed quietly and peacefully -- helped in part by the fact that I had organised all the first-years and we had completed our homework straight away. There were a few grumblers, but the moment I pointed out that this approach would leave our weekends entirely free, the children changed their minds at once.
"Draco?"
Penny looked into the common room as I sat reading a book on curses, all my assignments long since done.
"Penny -- is it time to go to Flitwick?"
"Yes."
She gave a nod, and we set off together towards the Head of House's office, where he was already expecting me.
"Ah, Mr Black..."
Flitwick's face lit up at the sight of me.
"...I have been looking forward to this. Come in, sit down..."
I entered, and from the sound of footsteps behind me, Penny came in as well, closed the door, and took a seat at one of the back desks. I walked calmly to the front desk and sat down.
"Now then -- how would you prefer to conduct this examination? As a conversation, or more formally?"
"However suits you, Professor..."
I shrugged.
"...I am confident enough in myself not to be especially concerned either way."
"I see... Very well..."
He was clearly thinking it over, though not for long. He gave a few small claps and fixed his gaze on me.
"...let us begin as a conversation and see how we go from there."
"Gladly."
I gave a pleased nod.
"Right. In the first year we were to have covered, in addition to Lumos and Wingardium Leviosa, approximately ten or so everyday charms. But let us start with the simpler end -- what can you tell me about the Lumos spell?"
"Lumos? A light charm that produces a small flame of illumination at the tip of the wand. The light is intended solely for visibility and cannot be used for warmth or to start a fire. The light source itself is small -- between two and five centimetres in diameter. The charm requires no specialised wand movement or rotation; the wand need only be extended before the caster. It was invented in 1772 by Levina Monkstanley. The light is extinguished with the counter-charm Nox. The charm is ineffective in the presence of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder. Known variations include..."
"That will do."
Flitwick raised a hand.
"You know the standard theory well, but any student can recite a textbook. Do you have thoughts of your own?"
"Well, whilst it is generally held that this spell cannot set anything alight, I would say that is not strictly accurate. For instance..."
I patted my pockets quickly, found a small notebook, and flipped through to a blank page, which I tore out and laid on the desk in front of me.
"Lumos."
What appeared at the tip of my wand was not the standard form of the charm but an extremely thin beam, directed at the scrap of paper as I spoke the incantation. The beam was so tightly focused that within moments the paper began to smoke, and then to smoulder.
"Aguamenti."
I summoned a small amount of water over the smouldering page, extinguishing it.
"As you have just seen, with sufficient concentration and the application of focused will to alter the form of the spell, I was able to make the paper smoulder. Given a little more time, it would have ignited entirely."
Flitwick gave a satisfied nod.
"The other thing worth noting is that not everyone is capable of this with this particular charm. Or rather -- to be precise -- with this spell, most people could manage it after brief practice. The difficulty is that very few think to try it. The practical benefit being what it is..."
I shook my head.
"...and with higher-powered spells, such a trick does not come nearly so easily."
"Excellent..."
Flitwick was visibly delighted.
"...now let us discuss the household charm known as..."
A little over an hour later.
"This is simply wonderful!"
Flitwick was positively overflowing with enthusiasm -- radiating positive energy, one might say.
"Professor?"
"You may have noticed -- though what am I saying, given your command of the material, of course you noticed -- I was not questioning you solely on the first- and second-year curricula. I touched on the third year as well, and briefly grazed the fourth."
"And I am proud to say that, taken as a whole, you have passed the examination for all four years! Not every student understands my subject at your level."
"It is a consequence of my Gift..."
I shrugged, seeing no particular reason to conceal this from Flitwick -- though with Penny present in the room I did not elaborate further.
"...it is not a Gift specific to Charms or Spellwork, but my Gift demands a high level of knowledge, and I have been diligently acquiring it."
"That is commendable. Though I should say that in the fourth-year topics we touched on, you were somewhat..."
Flitwick tapped his foot a few times, conveying his hesitation.
"I understand."
I gave a concurring nod.
"My fourth-year knowledge is not yet at quite the same level -- though honestly, I had not expected to cover as much of the third year as I did."
Not a lie, but not the whole truth either. I knew perfectly well that I had a solid grasp of both the third and fourth years -- I had simply not anticipated that Flitwick would prove such a gifted teacher that he could draw out everything I knew. I had not underestimated his abilities; I had simply not expected him to be quite such an absolute force of pedagogical nature.
"I can say with great pleasure that you have exceeded all my expectations, and I am delighted to announce -- here and now -- that you are appointed my class assistant for Charms and Spellwork. I will enter the relevant marks in your academic record shortly."
"Thank you."
I nodded to Flitwick.
"May I make a request?"
Although Penny had already risen and was making for the door, I did not hurry after her.
"Of course!"
"Daphne and I need permission to leave the tower early in the mornings. We are accustomed to a certain level of activity, including physical training, and now that we are at school, early morning is the only time we can properly attend to it. This morning, Mr Filch was kind enough to escort me to the Quidditch pitch, where Daphne joined me a little later."
"Filch?!"
Penny's exclamation told me that this was not an everyday occurrence.
"He did, however, advise that I speak with you, so that there would be no unnecessary questions in future."
"Of course -- one moment..."