Chapter 80 - 80- Finding the answers (the Greengrass part 3)

Severus's POV

Severus's summer wasn't as calm as the previous one's.

Usually, he would use the summer to do what every professor at Hogwarts do- use all the resources left in his budget from the year to conduct excitements in his area of expertise.

This was one of the reasons people wanted to become professors in Hogwarts, together with having a calling to teach, not having to pay for living, the library and wanting talented helpers.

But this year he wasn't doing any research.

This year he started making one of the most difficult and expensive not to mention time consuming potions - Felix Felicis.

Making this potion wasn't his plan, but when the rarest ingredient, one that is thought to be extinct in International Confederation of Wizards, show up on your table, you don't just give up on the chance to make the most wanted and useful potion that was ever created, which is why Severus had a busy month, and as much as he hates to admit it, if he want to succeed in making this potion he would have to take a helper when the school year starts, as the hours that the potion need to be looked after are erratic, and he has classes, the only question is who?

As he thought about all his students after putting aside all the Gryffindors, the same four names that's he thought about four weeks showed up in his mind, the only ones who might be worthwhile to have as helpers.

Ariana Eibon, a Slytherin who is going to be a seventh year, and really talented in potions.

The only problem is that she is swamped, she take 7 N.E.W.Ts and would have no time to really watch the potion.

Jane Shafiq - a soon to be sixth year and one of the finest Hufflepuffs he met, one who truly represents the quality of hard work.

A shame that although she has a work ethic and can follow instructions, to work on this portion you need to be able to change the number of needed swirls and the side of them based on the situation, and she didn't take arithmancy so she won't know how to.

Jacob Cohen - a Ravenclaw soon to be fifth year who has both the mind needed for arithmancy and the flare for potions, but even if he wasn't about to have his O.W.Ls he is still a muggleborn, and Severus wasn't willing to put the boy in the spotlight, as when the dark lord return it would put him in danger.

Lastly, Lawrence Fawley- another one of the best Hufflepuffs he has the pleasure to meet, but alas, as a seventh year he is focusing on his N.E.W.Ts.

But no, there was only one student Severus wanted as a helper, no! An apprentice, a soon to be third year who by the end of his first year could already have conversations with Severus about ingredients most of the seventh year can't, not to mention he taught himself at least two years worth of arithmancy- Harry Peverel.

Until yesterday, a free day in which he didn't need to touch the potion, Severus would have throw the thought about using the boy as a helper away, as he was too young, but he finally managed to find the records of the boy in the muggle world.

After trying to dig current grades unsuccessfully, Severus decided to go to the place which held them all, the muggle ministry of education.

It took less then an hour, confudus charm and Severus's self-esteem, (as he looked for those for six months) but he was back in his office reading the boy's records, something that shocked him to the bones.

The boy finished highschool- the muggle equivalent of Hogwarts with perfect scores, four Bachelor degrees- sort of half a mastery in the wizarding world, and even took one a step farther by getting a master degree in chemistry- the equivalent of full mastery in the wizarding world. All of this by the age of 12!

It took Severus almost an hour to calm down from the unbelievable information to remember his conversation with the boy, about him keeping on learning in the muggle world, after which he couldn't help but think that if the boy wasn't as weak magically as he was, with his experience of being abandoned by one set of parents- who are supposed to be in the light side, and the second set of parents being murdered, he could have been the best and worst dark lord to ever exist!

Luckily for the magical world he is weak, and luckily for Severus, he wasn't discovered yet, so Severus could take him as an apprentice, someone he could teach Potions, defense against the dark arts and dueling without the need to slow down for him to catch on, someone who might be one day a friend, cause if there was one thing Severus truly needed is someone who is both smart and trustable.

As Severus continued to dwell on his thoughts, the fire in His office's Floo connection turned green and one of his old house mates, the one he doesn't despise, and also the one who never did anything without a good reason, Basitill Greengrass showed from it.

"Hello Basitill, how are you?"

"I'm good, and you?"

"I'm well, what can I do for you today?"

"What? Can't a man visit an old friend for no reason?"

"A man? Sure. You? no."

"Well," Basitill's eyes turned Sharp "I came to collect the favor."

Severus eyes widened for a second before returning to their original size.

"You actually came again? I thought that after my failed attempt last time to cure your wife, you know I can't break the curse."

"I know, I came to ask from you to give the time turner this year to someone."

This time Severus's eyes didn't return to their original size.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I know every year one student has a chance to get one, I need it."

"I don't know how you know about it, but I can't give it to you, only a third year can get it, not to mention he can only use it for studying reasons."

"Luckily, the one I want to get it is a third year."

Severus was outraged

"You wasn't your daughter to use the time turner!? Do you understand that she would lose years of her life?"

"It's not for my daughter, it's for the first person in 15 years that told me he has a chance in curing the blood curse, who said he only need extra time, Harry Peverel."

At this point, if it was anyone else, they would have laughed or sneered toward Basitill, but Severus, who respected the man for giving him the chance to become the youngest potions master in the last 200 years by recommending him to master Harper, and knew about mr. Peverel's achievements in the muggle world, Severus just sighed and said "I will do it, but it is a great request, I want something in return - constant updates on the progress of the research."

Basitill smiled "Agreed, do you want us to start now?"

An hour later, as Basitill went back into the green fire, Severus half gloomingly half happily thought 'He might be too great for me to take him as an apprentice'