Resonance (part 3/8) Harry Potter Fan Fiction by Greengecko

                                    

                                              
Title: Resonance (Part 3 of 8) (part 1 is wattcode:152897)
                          
Author: Salamander/GreenGecko (AKA Marie Williams)
                          
Website: darkirony.com
                          
Rating: PG-13 for occasional violence and very roundabout romantic references.
                          
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, this universe, or anything beyond the veil. JK Rowling, some publishers, and some film companies own it. I'm not making anything from this except a hobby.
                          
Author's Notes:
                          
When I came across the quote below in JKR's Book 4 about the low likelihood of Snape adopting Harry, I first considered addressing this topic comically, but that seemed too easy, and short, frankly. This is a serious attempt at making this realistic. Even though it is serious, it is supposed to be fun. Hopefully, even if the plot seems impossible, you'll find the resulting situations entertaining enough to make up for it. It has been way too fun to write. 
                          
No challenges being answered here except the unintended one from the mistress herself.
                          
This story does not take Book 6: The Half-Blood Prince into account since it was written post-Book 5.
                          
Two sequels have been written: Revolution and Resolution.
                          
Chapter 21 - Potions with a Capital "P"
                          
Tuesday Potions gave Harry more of a flashback than he ever expected to get. As they all took notes on the lecture, Greer called on him. She had a smile on her face that made him wonder with a jolt if she were actually Umbridge using a Polyjuice potion. It was a Nagini kind of smile.
                          
"Tell me, Mr. Potter, what kind of caustic is shared by Beetlejubs and Bezoars?"
                          
Harry blinked at her. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hermione move in a way that made him think she didn't know the answer either.
                          
"Mr. Potter?" the teacher prompted with a acidic sweetness.
                          
The question did remind him of something. Something from one of the other texts he had read the first few chapters of over the summer. He racked his memory. "Uh, Clian- Clyentate?" That wasn't quite right.
                          
"Wrong, Mr. Potter," she announced airily, enormously pleased. Harry glanced at the other Gryffindors. All of them shrugged that they didn't know either, making Harry feel better.
                          
Greer spent an inordinate amount of time hovering around his cauldron while they brewed as well. This didn't bother Harry much; she couldn't touch Snape for intimidation. He acted surprised to find her there when she finally did critique their potions. 
                          
"Perfect potion, Ms. Granger. Too much heat when you added the fly's legs, Potter. You will get graded down for that," she said happily as she strode on to the next bench, where the students suddenly stood straighter as she approached.
                          
Harry glanced into Hermione's cauldron, then into his. They didn't look the least bit different. He shook his head. 
                          
At the end of class, Greer handed out essay assignments. This in itself was a little odd. She did it as they walked out the door. "Due Friday," she said happily. "That will leave your weekend free . . . " Several students actually thanked her for that. 
                          
Harry accepted his parchment slip and jammed it into his bag. Hermione read hers aloud as they walked, "Describe the uses of the seven kinds of bezoar-based potions. Doesn't sound too bad." She tucked it away in her book which she left in her hand since it didn't look like it would fit in her bag.
                          
As they mounted the stairs to the ground floor, Harry looked around for a place to pull her aside. His secret was starting to tangle his insides and looking at her calm visage as she thought ahead to the rest of the day, reassured him that, she of all people, would understand. As they approached the Entrance Hall, he espied the staff lounge as Professor Vector stepped out of it. It looked empty and, although the door had closed, he knew the password.