Snape leaned over the cup and took a careful breath. The smell reached him immediately, and he recognized it: Polyjuice Potion, though clearly modified with something he had yet to identify.
He examined the residue at the bottom, eyes narrowing slightly. He could make a counter-potion — it would take preparation, but he knew enough about the potion to reverse it given the right ingredients.
Then he remembered Umbridge sitting in his classroom, questioning his teaching, interfering with his lessons, speaking to him as though he were an incompetent child.
His expression didn't change.
Perhaps there was no need to hurry.
He straightened and turned to Dumbledore. "Headmaster, I've examined the cup. It appears to contain a modified Polyjuice Potion. The alteration has affected the transformation rather severely, but I don't believe the effects are permanent."
Dumbledore glanced toward Umbridge, still staring horrified at her reflection. "And can it be reversed?"
"Yes. Unfortunately, we're currently missing several of the ingredients required to prepare the counter-potion."
Umbridge rounded on him. "You mean you can't fix me?"
"I said I cannot prepare the counter-potion tonight."
Her face reddened beneath her pink, frog-like skin. "Then when can you?"
Snape considered the question with deliberate calm. "Several days. A week at most."
"A WEEK?" The sound came out strangely high and croaking, making her fury even more absurd. "Croak—A WEEK?! You expect me to walk around Hogwarts looking like this for an entire week?"
Dumbledore regarded her thoughtfully. "I wouldn't put it quite so dramatically, Dolores. Professor Snape has said the effects are temporary."
"Temporary? I'm a frog!"
"A rather pink one," Snape observed.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. Umbridge whipped around. "Was that supposed to be funny, Professor Snape?"
"Not at all."
The answer came so smoothly that Dumbledore gave him a brief sideways glance. Snape met it without changing expression, and the two men seemed to reach the same conclusion without needing to say anything.
"Who did this?" Umbridge demanded. "Someone entered my office, tampered with my tea, and used magic against a Ministry official. I want that student found immediately!"
"I agree the culprit should be identified," Dumbledore said calmly, "although I doubt shouting will help us determine who it was."
"I want the castle searched!"
"We can certainly make inquiries."
"Every student should be questioned!"
Snape raised an eyebrow. "That would leave us with approximately hundreds of suspects, most of whom would have no idea what you were talking about."
Umbridge's mouth opened, produced another irritated croak, and she caught herself. "Professor Snape!"
"Dolores," Dumbledore said gently, "Severus has a point. Whoever prepared this potion knew enough about Polyjuice to alter its effects. It would be wiser to discover how it was made before accusing students at random."
She folded her arms, glaring at both of them. "And what am I supposed to do until then?"
Snape glanced at the cup. "Wait."
"Wait?"
"Yes."
"How long?"
"Until the effects wear off."
"And when will that be?"
He gave her a blank look. "Within a week, most likely."
Her face twisted. "Croak—This is completely unacceptable!"
Dumbledore calmly adjusted his spectacles. "I'm afraid, Dolores, that at present, it is precisely what we have."
Snape turned away before she could see the faint satisfaction in his eyes. He had the means to help her eventually. He had absolutely no intention of rushing it.
For once, he and Dumbledore were in complete agreement. There was no immediate danger. Dolores Umbridge could wait.
***
They left her office together, walking along the quiet corridor as the castle settled into the night's silence. Her furious complaints were still faintly audible behind them.
After some distance, Dumbledore glanced sideways. "Severus, is it genuinely going to take a week to prepare the counter-potion?"
Snape kept walking, hands folded behind his back. "No."
"I thought not."
"I could probably prepare it within an hour."
Dumbledore gave him a knowing look. "And yet you told Dolores a week."
"She asked when she would be normal again. I gave her a reasonable estimate."
"A remarkably generous estimate."
Snape's mouth tightened. "She has spent the better part of two months interfering with my lessons, questioning my methods, and attempting to dictate how I should teach my class. I see no compelling reason to restore her appearance before it becomes absolutely necessary."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "I suspect you may be enjoying this rather more than you intend to admit."
"I assure you, Headmaster, my feelings are entirely professional."
"Of course."
They walked on. After a moment Dumbledore added, "Although I confess I am curious. Whoever managed this understood Polyjuice well enough to alter its effects and enter Dolores's office without being noticed."
Snape's expression turned thoughtful. "Yes. That is the more interesting part."
"Any suspicions?"
"Several."
"Any names?"
"Not yet."
Dumbledore nodded. "Then perhaps we should allow the culprit to believe they've succeeded."
"Indeed."
A faint smile appeared beneath Dumbledore's moustache. "Sometimes, Severus, patience is considerably more useful than punishment."
Snape's expression stayed impassive. "Sometimes, Headmaster."
They continued walking, both perfectly aware neither of them had any particular desire to make Umbridge's week any shorter.
*****
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