Order Only: Private message to Black and Miss Granger

[alt_severus]

Black: the most recent variation you sent up, with Miss Granger's alterations, appears to have solved the problem with the salamander oil going inert after cooling. I hesitate to declare victory prematurely, particularly given the travails already experienced, but all testing indicates this particular variation may finally be safe for human trials.

Do let me know when is convenient.

Miss Granger: your work with this project has been impeccable. Should this succeed, Mr Weasley will owe you considerable thanks.

Comments

[alt_sirius]

Good, but let's not skip any necessary precautions. I can catch a rat or two this afternoon and dose them, starting tiny, progressing higher, just to make sure. I don't want to get Bill's hopes up early, either.

[alt_severus]

I am surprised to hear you of all people advise caution.

As it happens, I did conduct murine trials before writing, as liberating a specimen from Slughorn's collection is trivial. The toxicity profile was precisely as predicted, and extrapolating from the results, should be safe for human use in all doses short of by the gallon.

I agree that not informing Mr Weasley until we are certain it will be effective, as well as safe, is more kind, however. Hence, attempting to schedule human trial: it would be rudeness of the highest order to begin without the primary brewer's presence.

[alt_sirius]

Did you just call me That's never

If you think I'd start without

Fine. You want me to wait to take it until you can record the results. When can you break away?

[alt_severus]

No, you imbecile, I am trying to respect your

It is of course your prerogative to be the first to test the preparation, but I had thought you'd like to combine safety and efficacy in the same trial, hence my volunteering. I am certain Minerva would free me from my duties for the remainder of the morning for such a purpose.

[alt_sirius]

Er, look, I know it's traditional in these instances for the mad scientist to test his serum on himself but -

Whoa, half a moment. You think you'd be a more applicable choice for guinea pig, not just -

Oh.

[alt_sirius]

You know, there are easier ways to get yourself off. You don't have to go casting Unforgivables just to get that warm and tingly feeling inside.

(But just to be clear, I'm definitely not volunteering for that!)

[alt_severus]

Forgive me for thinking that perhaps you would prefer to discover whether the potion you have worked so hard upon was ineffective before handing it over to Mr Weasley, not after. Several seconds of Imperio should suffice to know whether the potion is effective. If you are afraid of what I disconcerted at the thought, I shall even allow you to choose the command.

If you do not wish to participate in the trial, I will ask Alice to join us; I am certain she will trust me to behave with proper respect for the scientific process.

[alt_sirius]

Oh, I do, of course. That part's fine, no problem.

Things are quiet at the moment. It'll only take, what, about five minutes, right? Start to finish?

(That's what I've heard, anyway.)

[alt_severus]

That you are able to bypass that juvenile sense of humour enough to produce work such as this is enough to prove you are capable of setting it aside when necessary; what must I do to

I do not forsee the need for a lengthy process.

I shall join you at Grimmauld as soon as I am able. Twenty minutes, or thereabouts.

Private Message to Mr Snape

[alt_hermione]

You do know he's just teasing you, don't you?

I mean, he just does that. To everyone. You should see the way he tweaks Harry sometimes.

And Ms Tonks. They go back and forth loads.

Re: Private Message to Mr Snape

[alt_severus]

Thank you, Miss Granger; I have been aware Black's alleged sense of humour clashes quite firmly with my own preferences in being addressed for quite some time. I have given up hoping that he is capable of keeping an interaction cordial and professional by now, but that does not mean I must stoop to his level.

I regret to inform you this variant of the potion did not have the intended effect, meanwhile. Black and I are discussing the results and attempting to determine how to proceed.