Chapter 51: Confronting Alchemina
Harry spent the whole of Sunday finishing his homework for the next day. He had half a mind to not bother with his Potions essay to spite Alchemina, but he knew there was no point in jeopardizing his grades for such a superficial cause.
“How’s it coming, mate?” Ron asked as he arrived back from dinner, setting down a plate of spaghetti in front of Harry and taking a seat in the armchair across from him.
“Just about done “ and thanks, I’m starved…” he said, switching his attention to the food which he began to devour quickly. “Wersherrmynee?”
“Library. She has this massive Ancient Runes research project,” he replied. “What about Katie “ where’s she gotten to?”
“She’s with Professor McGonagall, doing the lesson she missed on Friday,” Harry said. “She doesn’t want to fall behind on her N.E.W.T.’s…”
“Did you see the Prophet this morning?” Ron asked warily.
“No, why?” Harry asked.
“Story about Mrs. Bell’s death,” Ron told him. “The Ministry thinks that the ward was attacked because the patients knew too much about what was going on and Voldemort’s side didn’t want anyone recovering well enough to give information. Especially with the Aurors investigating in there 24/7…”
“Makes sense “ it’s why they killed Bode last year,” Harry said.
“They think Katie’s mum knew something, too,” Ron said, speaking more quietly now. “Because there were four other Healers on duty with her, and she was the only one killed “”
Harry opened his mouth to respond, but then Katie walked through the portrait hole and he quickly turned back to his plate of spaghetti without a word.
“Hey Harry, Ron,” she said before collapsing into the chair behind Harry.
“Doin’ alright, Katie?” Ron asked. Harry was looking at her concernedly, but his mouth was full to bursting and he was unable to ask her himself.
“Yeah “ I’m fine,” she said. “Just wish this year was over…”
“Noosh?” Harry asked.
“Excuse me?” Katie asked.
Harry swallowed his food and repeated what he had been trying to say.
“N.E.W.T.’s?”
“Oh, yeah…” she said, with a small grin. Harry was glad to see her smile, but it vanished quite quickly. “And other things, too… did either of you see the Prophet this morning?”
Ron and Harry exchanged an uncomfortable glance.
“Er… yeah “ well, Ron told me about it,” Harry answered.
“Do you think it’s true?” Katie asked. “I mean, that she knew something?”
“I don’t know,” Harry said. “It’s possible.”
Katie sighed, and was now looking thoroughly depressed. Harry pushed away his left his food and his essay and got up and sat with Katie, who moved over obligingly. They sat quietly, and Harry watched Ron pull a folded piece of parchment from his robes and, settling himself into his chair, began to read it solemnly. Harry noticed he shared the same look as Katie, and knew that, for the length of time they all sat there, Ron must have been reading it over and over again.
---
Harry arrived at breakfast the next morning with Katie to a sight that made his stomach sick: Lupin and Alchemina seated together at the end of the staff table, talking and laughing. Harry felt his anger boil as he watched Alchemina lay her hand on Lupin’s. He thought vaguely of running up to the two of them and exposing her for everything she was, but he knew it would be stupid to do it right in front of Alchemina herself.
I have Lupin’s class right after breakfast, he told himself. I’ll tell him first thing.
“What’s wrong, Harry?” Katie asked him.
He realized Katie did not know about what he had overheard from Alchemina’s office, he quickly related the story to her between bites of toast and vicious glances towards the two teachers at the staff table.
“And Hermione thinks I might be ‘misinterpreting’ and that I should wait for ‘proof’ before I tell Lupin…”
“Well, it’s possible she’s right, isn’t it?” Katie said.
“What?” Harry asked, trying his best to not sound agitated by this response.
“Well, you might have jumped to a conclusion…” Katie said reasonably.
“So you think I should hold off telling Lupin?” Harry asked, slightly incredulous
“No, of course not. If you’re right then you’ll be putting Lupin in danger,” Katie replied. “And if you’re wrong, which I hope is the case, and then I’m sure Alchemina will understand… I mean it would be her own fault, having cryptic conversations in her office, not even properly closing the door…”
“But do you think I’m right or wrong?” Harry asked, much more eased now that he knew that Katie wasn’t siding with Hermione. Katie just bit her lip looking worried, and turned her gaze up to the two teachers. Suddenly, her expression turned to one of alarm.
“Harry…” she whispered, nodding up towards the two of them.
Harry turned around to see Alchemina give a casual glance up the staff table “ but that wasn’t what Katie had noticed: the professor had just reached her left hand discreetly into her robes and pulled something out of them which she was now clutching as she moved her other hand across the table slowly towards Lupin’s goblet. Lupin was talking enthusiastically to Hagrid on the other side of him, and neither were paying any attention to the woman next to them.
Harry stood up as he saw Alchemina bring her hand with the item, what he guessed to be a vial containing whatever she had been dosing Lupin with, closer to the goblet; she was still casually glancing around, almost as though checking to see that no one was watching. Her hand had just reached the edge of the goblet when Harry reached the table. She pulled her hand back quickly, as though she had been burned by the touch of it.
“Mr. Potter!” Alchemina said brightly. “Good morning, what can I do for you?”
“You can start by telling me what exactly you were about to put in Professor Lupin’s coffee,” he hissed. Lupin snapped his head around, looking alarmed.
“Harry, what are you talking about?” he said, searching both Harry and Alchemina with his eyes. Harry kept his angry glare on Alchemina, who looked frightened, like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
“Remus, I think Harry…”
“I heard you, in your office!” he told her. “What are you planning?”
Lupin looked again at the two of them.
“Perhaps we should move to my office,” he said, sounding serious, but his voice was trembling. He turned to Hagrid. “If you’ll excuse me, Hagrid…”
Hagrid nodded, looking curiously at Harry. Lupin and Alchemina got up and walked towards the exit of the Great Hall, Harry following them. He threw a look to Katie, who was watching him terrified. He continued to follow the two professors; nobody said a word until they reached Lupin’s office.
“Harry, what is going on?” Lupin asked.
“I heard her “ in her office. She was talking with a man about some plot “ you were supposed to be ‘kept in the dark’, and nobody could know or else there would be consequences “ and she’s been dosing you in your morning coffee “ and she was about to do it again until I just stopped her!” Harry said.
The color drained from Lupin’s face, he looked at Alchemina “ who was now staring at Harry open-mouthed and flushed. Lupin turned back to Harry.
“Did you not report this to anyone?” he asked, speaking even more tremulously than before.
“No “ I haven’t had a chance. I’ve been away with Katie “ ”
“Listen, Harry “ you must not tell anyone,” Lupin told him.
“But “” Harry began, but then he stopped, suddenly confused. “What “ why not?”
“Because, what Alex and I are doing is top secret, and well “ it’s not exactly legal…”
“What is going on?” Harry asked, backing away from the two of them, now even more confused.
“Harry, let me explain…” Lupin said. “Alex has a connection with an Unspeakable who discovered something in his research. Something to do with werewolves, and a possible cure. The only way to tell if it’s worth developing is to test their current findings on a werewolf “ and well, let’s just say that Ministry’s not to concerned with the project at all, they think it’s a waste time. Most of them can’t be bothered with werewolves.”
Lupin stopped for a minute, and Alchemina stepped in.
“My friend, Alphred Ionus, thinks that finding a cure for a werewolf bite is a worthwhile cause, so he’s enlisted our help. The thing is, he’s not supposed to divulge anything about the Unspeakable’s work, and even if he was allowed “ the potion I’ve been dosing Remus with is being taken without permission of the Ministry, so if word gets out what we’re doing “ let’s just say we’d all be in a lot of trouble.”
Harry looked from Alchemina to Lupin , then back again, trying to process this information.
“But… but the man reminded you that Lupin can’t know…” he said.
“No. He said that Remus must be kept in the dark “ meaning literally, he must be kept in the dark. While in werewolf form, Remus mustn’t be exposed to any form of light…” she explained.
Harry felt as though pieces were clicking together in his mind - it all made sense to Harry, and he felt very relieved.
“But does Dumbledore know?” he asked.
“No, not that he’d mind, I don’t think,” said Lupin. “But I’d rather not have him incriminated, it’s best he doesn’t know. He’ll probably find out, of course “ but we’d rather keep it a secret for as long as possible.”
“So this is really serious,” Harry said, worried now. “I mean, could you got to Azkaban for this? Is it worth the risk?”
“Yes, it’s serious,” Alchemina responded. “But it’s a risk I’m willing to take…”
She took Lupin’s hand and he smiled at her, he then turned to Harry.
“Harry, you mustn’t tell anyone… do you understand? Nobody.”
“Er… I kind of already told Ron and Hermione. And Katie, just now. So unless you want them to think Alchemina’s a Death Eater or something, I’m going to need some kind of explanation.”
“I should’ve known,” Lupin. “Okay “ well, there’s no need for too many details. Just tell them as little as possible…”
“Alright,” Harry replied. “And I’m sorry for Professor Alchemina, for doubting you…”
“It’s alright, Harry,” she said. “Happens to the best of us, especially while eavesdropping…”
“But…”
“I’m just joking, Harry,” she said, smiling. “I’ll try to keep my door properly closed from now on.”
“Okay then “ well, I suppose I’ll see both of you later in classes,” he said, as he turned to leave.
“Well, actually Harry “ I’m not teaching, Potions anymore…” Alchemina said, causing Harry to spin around so fast he looked as though he were attempting a pirouette.
“What?” he asked.
“I’ll be staying to take over Defense Against the Dark Arts classes during the full moon, and I’ll be assisting Dumbledore “ but I was only supposed to teach Potions through February,” she told him. “Snape will be teaching again.”
“You mean Pettigrew…?” Harry asked.
“Yes, I’m afraid so…” Alchemina said.
Harry groaned in reaction this this news.
“Alright then," he sighed. "Well, I’ll see you around. And, again, I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions…” Harry told her as he finally turned to and left Lupin’s office to return from the Great Hall. He took a seat next to Katie, who turned away anxiously from her hushed conversation with Ron and Hermione to greet Harry.
“What happened?” she asked him; Ron and Hermione were next to her, literally on the edge of their seats.
“Let’s just say I jumped to conclusions, after all,” Harry said in a resigned tone, determinedly avoiding Hermione’s eyes.
“I “ ow, Ron what was that for?!” he heard Hermione say. He looked up and saw Ron giving her a warning look.
“Well “ I suppose that’s good news, isn’t it?” Katie said, sounding surprised but relieved. “But “ what else could she possibly have been talking about?”
Ron whose only movement before this point had been a shove to silence Hermione’s ‘I told you so,” leaned forward eagerly.
“Er… well “ I promised Lupin I wouldn’t say anything, it’s important,” he told them.
“Oh, well that’s okay then,” Katie said. “At least we know everything’s alright.”
Behind Katie, Harry saw Ron’s face fall so fast that he was surprised it hadn’t actually slipped off and hit the ground. Hermione looked as though she were trying her very best not to say anything at all.
“I did find out something else, though…” Harry said. “Alchemina’s done teaching Potions “ meaning that Pettigrew’s going to be teaching.”
“What!” Hermione said. “But with that oaf teaching, we won’t learn anything…and with our N.E.W.T.’s only a year away “”
“What are you complaining about?” Katie snapped, sounding panicked. “My N.E.W.T.’s are in two months! And Potions is my most important subject!”
Hermione looked quite taken aback, but said nothing.
“Honestly, I don’t understand why Dumbledore doesn’t just turn him into the Ministry…” Ron said.
“Apparently we have the upper hand since we know he’s here,” Harry said. “Dumbledore said that as long as he’s here we might be able to get information “ and he’ll be able to keep an eye on him with the map, so it’s not too dangerous…”
“Not too dangerous?” Hermione shrieked. “He has Professor Snape… who knows what information they could be getting from the Order!”
“She’s right,” Katie said. “And, it’s not like they can’t get information off him if the Ministry takes him into custody…”
“Dumbledore probably has his reasons…” Harry sighed, sincerely hoping that he was right about this one.