Draco sat in his room with Crabbe and Goyle. They were going over the potions homework Proffessor Snape had given them. Since Draco had passed his Ordinary Wizarding Levels, and Crabbe and Goyle hadn't, he was helping the two idiots study. Since it was their final year at Hogwarts the boys were studying for their Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests. They were reviewing everything they had learned in Potions over the years. Draco was a master at potions. He had some special tutoring from Snape. A small smile bloomed in the back of Draco's mind as he thought of Snape. He was a wonderful teacher. Crabbe and Goyle were trying to make a shrinking solution. Draco yawned and propped his feet up on the couch when the potion suddenly turned orange. "You idiots! You added too much leech juice! It's supposed to be an acid green. Not orange! I sewar you two together are dumber than a moutain troll on it's own." Sitting up Draco smacked Cabbe and Goyle on the backs of their heads. Draco stood and glared at his idiot friends, "You two stay here. I'm going to go find professor Snape and ask him how to dispose of this failure." With that Draco stood and stalked out of the Slytherin Common Room.

Severus Snape, the master of potions working at Hogwarts as teacher, was spending his free time at his chambers, working on some difficult, and actually strictly forbidden potion. Sure, under Dumbledore's order. His black greasy hair were unusually tied back into ponytail, so potion could be protected from it accidentally falling in. Sweat was rolling down his forehead, leaving wet streaks on pale skin. The heavy man's breathing was making it sort of confusing - if he was this concentrated, or sort of excited. The moody professor couldn't hide that potion making was making blood in his veins boil. While brewing some dangerous potion, one little drop of which could kill everything that's alive in Hogwarts, he always felt some kind of satisfaction. Also it was bringing him a lot of memories. About his first and true love Lily Evans, the one he lost many years ago.. But she always remained in his memory. The smell of deadly potion was reminding about her, the bubbly beverage's boiling sound seemed to whisper her name, and red haired girls from his past image was raising up in his mind.. Just not the way she was - the way he always wished to see her. Was it the reason of excitment? Severus wasn't so sure.

Draco wandered the halls for a little bit. Just looking around, maybe he could find a Weasly sibling to undermine. That thought put a smile on Draco's face. He pictured Weaslebee and Potter and that Granger girl, not crying, but utterly defeated. Their misery delighted Draco, even if it was only in his mind. Poking his head into the potions classroom Draco was pleased to discover Snape in there working. He seemed truly absorbed in his work. Creeping around the corner and into the classroom, Draco sat down in a chair and watched the Proffessor work on his potion. The man was truly a genius when it came to potions, maybe even better than Madame Pomfrey. When Snape finally finished, or maybe he stopped for a break, Draco stood and announced his question.
"Crabbe & Goyle were studying, trying to make a Shrinking Solution and added too much leech juice. Now it's orange and useless, where do you want me to throw it? Is there a toxic waste bin, Should I flush it down the loo, Or should I throw it in the Black Lake?"

Severus took a little break to wipe away sweat, which was covering all his face. Though sudden sound of his favorite student speaking made him shiver, Severus turned to him just as calm as always. If it was somebody else, not Malfoy, it wouldn't end good to the insolent kid who dared to sneak into his cabinet without his permission. Severus had no choice but take care of this boy, spoil him and so on - he was in sort of debt in front of his father. First he was spilling all his grief on young Potter boy, but soon he realized that Draco was skilled enough, so all the praises towards him were going naturally. As for Potter... Severus always saw James in him, the one who bullied him back at school, and it was his revenge... Like switching places. He always imagined how he makes James to experience all that he was forced to go through because of him, and now there was such a great chance! Severus didn't care if it was Harry or James.. Surname and the same appearance was more than enough for him to put boy through hell. Severus looked at Draco - as for Slytherin he had surprisingly kind heart. Helping his friends.. Especially so hopeless ones. Letting a small smile to slip, professor of potions sighed. "You can always fix it.. Add 4 drops of Romanian bat's blood."

Draco nodded as the Proffessor spoke, "We could fix it . . . If we had any Romanian Bats Blood." Walking around the room Draco's finger trailed along the shelves. This was Draco's favortie place in Hogwarts, The Potions Cabinet. Shelf after Shelf laden with bits and pieces and vials and jars. Bottles of Acromantula venom, tins full of Belladonna and Fluxweed, Boomslang parts and Gillyweed. It was a truly wonderful place. Draco stopped once he was standing next to Snape. Looking up at the proffessor, Draco smiled and said, "Unless of course, you could find it within yourself to lend us a small vial of Romanian Bats Blood. I wouldn't want to impose though, and of course I'll find some way to make it up to you. Detention maybe? Or I could torment that Potter brat for you?" Draco leaned back against the bookshelf, crossing his ankles and trying to look cool, "What do you say proffessor?"

Snape laughed, but it was such a cold laugh that it sounded rather like fake. Severus didn't laugh much in his life, and actually forgot how to do it. His laughter somehow reminded growling of the big injured beast. "Wait a moment." He muttered and went to another, way smaller room, where he was keeping all the rarest ingredients. Needed for personal use only. Severus deeply inhaled smell of the strangest things all over the world, which mixed up together in right order would make the world's strongest poison. He always loved that smell. Just like brewing potions it reminded him of the long lost love, the only person he knew who was just as mad in potions making. Severus took a small vial full of dark blue liquid, and came back to the main room, locking the door of the smaller one. Handing Draco Romanian Bats Blood, he finally decided to react to the other part of all what he said. "I don't need anything in return, Draco. As for Potter - be careful. I'm afraid I'm the only teacher in this school who actually tolerates you bullying him."

Draco smiled as he watched Snape unlock a hidden room and dissapear from sight. Draco wondered what was in the room and resolved that he would find out later, maybe. When the proffessor emerged from the recesses of his private cabinate he carried a small vial of viscous, dark blue liquid. Taking the vial Draco responded to his mentors warning, "Potter deserves it though, but I'll be carefull. Maybe he'll have a little incident in Duelling Club. . ." Stading straight Draco was only a few inches shorter than Snape. Looking up at his teacher Draco said, "Thanks for the blood. See you in Poitions." Walking out of the Potions room Draco made his way up to the Great Hall on the ground floor. There he grabbed a Custard Tart for himself and a couple of peppermints for his idiot friends. Making his way down to the Dungeon where the Slythering common room was located, Draco stopped in front of the picture gaurding the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room. Not even paying attention the the picture Draco snapped the password, "Pure-Blood." and the portrait swung away from the wall. Entering the common room Draco saw Crabbe and Goyle paging through books trying to find what they could to fix the Shrinking Solution. Popping the top off the vial Draco poured in the Romanian Bats Blood and shouted, "Hey idiots. I fixed it, you're welcome. Don't screw it up again. I'm taking a nap." Throwing the mints at his friends Draco stalked over to his dorm and fell down on his bed. Staring at the ceiling Draco slowly drifted to sleep.

As Draco left, Severus let out a soft sigh. That boy was talented, no doubts, but potions weren't meant for him. Out of all the people, professor of potions saw it for sure. Draco had everything what was needed for potions master - brains, intuition, skills.. There was only one little, and for others - meaningless, thing the young Malfoy was lacking - passion. Severus walked back to the cauldron with potion he was working with. Inhaling smell of this, a little but sly grin ran across his face - the smell of sierra always reminded him Devil himself. It was like a watermark of poisonous liquid. Licking his lips, rather unconsciously, the greasy man leaned back to his creation. He could even call himself artist - he was creating from nothing, just using supplies he was given, and it's all to create art! Deadly and dangerous art. The thought of how dangerous his creation is was making Severus to feel power. Pure power that he never really got - he never got power to punish Potter or kick him out of school, the power of becoming DADA's teacher was denied as well.. But the potions he was brewing were replacing all those loses, it was something new and fresh, keeping him alive. Inhaling smell of his potion again Severus found himself getting a bit dizzy - poison was successful. After carefully pouring it into vial and hiding it into his personal closet, Severus collapsed into his bed, breathing heavily in satisfaction. He closed his black eyes, and immediately fell asleep.

Draco awoke to the shrill scream of Daphne Greengrass. Ughhh that girl was such a pain, her little sister was no better either. Rolling over onto his side Draco stared at the door to the dorm, wondering whether or not anyone was going to come in. Awake and now frustrated Draco rolled out of bed and shuffled into the common room. "Oh Shut It you pratts. You woke me up. Why don't you go annoy someone else?" Draco said casting an evil glare at the Greengrass sisters. Sitting down in one of the armchaiars by the fire Draco smiled while the girls frowned and walked away muttering under their breath. Tilting his head backwards Draco shouted at them, " I CAN HEAR YOU!" Draco was pleased to see the girls break into a frightened scramble on their way out the portrait hole. Sitting up Draco glared at Crabbe and Goyle, "You two figure it out yet?" Crabbe nodded and Goyle just looked confused. Standing Draco walked over to where they were standing next to the cauldron and bent to inspect their work. "Hmm, it looks right. I'm surprised you two dolts didn't blow it up. All right. You can study the next thing on your list I suppose." Taking out the vial that had once held Romanian bats blood Draco took it to the boys lavatory and washed it out. Once it was clean he carefully filled it with the Shrinking Solution and put a stopper on it. He woul give it to Snape as Christmas preasent or someting. Maybe he'd slip it into one of the Greengrass girls drinks when they weren't looking. In fact the idea of a spontaneously shrinking Daphne and Astoria pleased him. Filing that plan away for dinner, Draco sat down in the armchair he had claimed as his and went back to his oh-so-rudely interrupted nap.

Few hours later Snape slowly opened his black eyes again. He didn't feel so dizzy as before, but there was still some sort of unpleasant feeling left. After one more nightmare he had (Severus never really had any other dreams.) his heart kept on beating fast, but in his thirty six years of life, master of potions have learned not to pay too much attention to things like that. He dropped a quick look at the clock on the wall in the end of his chamber, and sighed softly - it was dinner time already. Standing up he released his hair, or sudden hair style change would cause many stupid gossips between students. Severus hated when somebody was talking behind his back, or just talked about him while he's absent or just unable to hear it. Drawning too much attention to himself was so unlike him. But thanks to James Potter he always was in the middle of it, just not as star - as idiot. An object to make fun at. Dropping string which was keeping his hair tied on the bed, Severus walked out of his chambers. The dark coridors of Hogwarts were so familiar to him. He knew all stones in his way out of dungeons, where no any single drop of sun can peek in. Walking slowly, enjoying it, just as generally enjoying being still alive, Severus thought of stupid Potter brat, who was insanely risking his life every time he got a chance. Oh, professor of potions class knew better than anyone what does it mean to risk life. He was doing it everyday by being a double agent for Dumbledore and Voldemort. It was more than just difficult now to do any mistake which could give him out. Thinking about all this Severus didn't even feel how he reached Great Hall. Grinning a bit he pushed doors and immediately headed to teacher table.

Draco blinked groggily and sat up in his armchair. Rubbing the palms of his hands across his eyes Draco sat for a moment, waiting for his vision to clear. Once he could see again Draco tried to sit up straighter but his back ached in protest. Apparently falling asleep in chairs wasn't very good for your spine. Standing up Draco gripped the back of the armchair to steady himself. Then turning to the side Draco smiled and he heard and felt a series of pops. Turning the other way he cracked his back again then let go of the chair. Turning to look at the clock Draco was surprised to find that it was already dinner time. Making his way through the hallways Draco plotted out how he would slip the Shrinking Solution into Daphne and Astoria's drinks.

By the time Draco reached the Great Hall he had a finley formulated plan. On his way to the Slytherin table Draco spotted Potter and his two friends. Sending an evil look their way Draco continued to his table where he found Crabbe and Goyle already seated and waiting for Dumbledore's speach he always gave before food. Not waiting for the Headmaster to finish talking Draco grabbed a Cornish Pastie from a platter and ate while the old man spoke. Then while nobody was looking Draco slipped the vial of Shrinking Solution out of his robe. Whispering, "Muffliato." Draco watched looks of confusion pass over some peoples faces as a slight buzzing invaded their hearing and muffled any close sounds. Popping the top off the vial Draco poured the Shrinking solution onto two Cornish Pasties. Then quietly levitated them onto the Greengrass sisters plates. Dumbledore had finally finished his speach and Draco was quite pleased with himself as he ate dinner. The Cornish Pasties were truly delicious this evening.

Severus sat in his usual chair at the long table at the end of the Great Hall along with the other teachers. As always, his black hair hung loose without much attention even as it seemed well kept. Snape ate just enough to make sure people didn't think he was ill. He knew all too well how rumours spread across Hogwrats and so, even when he wasn't hungry he always made an effort. There were only a handful of things he hated more than being mentioned when he wasn't present. Though his eyes were concerned at Malfoy when he was doing his little trick, Severus didn't say or do anything. He sort of enjoyed this little scene and what it's going to turn like soon. There was no need for him to involve, not now.

Just as Dumbledore announced that the feast was over, Snape got to his feet and turned to stride past all the students towards the entrance of the Great Hall. The black robe he was wearing made him seem like he was gliding as his fast paced steps quickly took him to his destinations. The students, either out of fear or respect, stepped aside to allow him to leave. He didn't really pay attention at all the panic which was caused by potion's he actually helped to brew effect on Greengrass sisters. Even though Severus knew who did it, he had no intentions to punish the young man. After all it wasn't any dangerous poison, and at his age Severus was doing just the same things. Why waste talent when you can use it for punishing people? Just like Draco, master of potions was true Slytherin.