Pull out your sword, I'm going to smear it!

Potter is not due to return to school until at least after December, with no exact date, so he has about half a year before anything happens. The more time that passes from that point, the more likely it is that something unforeseen will happen.

Now, as Soisen was explaining to the first-year Gryffindor, Galegold and Slytherin students the main safety precautions on how to keep their Potions cauldron from exploding, melting or making a mixture that would come to life to try to devour them on their first attempt, it dawned on him.

How would Potter find the Gryffindor sword without Snape's Patronus as a guide?

Should he ask the Sorting Hat?

I mean, even though Dumbledore bequeathed the sword to Potter, the Minister was right that he couldn't do that because it wasn't his property in the first place nor did he own the rights.

The Ministry of Magic didn't really want to give such a valuable relic to a boy who didn't know anything, he found it logical.

It was as if all of a sudden, Professor Sprout gave the Hufflepuff Cup as an inheritance just because she was the dean of the house, it just didn't work that way.

Also, in this timeline, the sword did not kill the basilisk or absorb its properties, so it cannot be used to destroy Horcruxes unless Soisen pulls it out of the Sorting Hat and paints the blade with a brush dipped in basilisk venom before reinserting it deeply.

Why did that last part sound so strange?

Stocking up on basilisk venom isn't a problem, Nagini got a good amount from the black market years ago and it's still as lethal as ever.

And the sword is still sharp, perfectly capable of cleaving a... oh wait, Nagini isn't with Voldemort, I have to modify my thinking on that point.

The part where Neville jumps up and cuts off the snake's head won't happen.

Hmm, is it possible that under these circumstances he would still want to make another Horcrux?

I'll have to pay attention to see if he has another snake with him or something.

Who knows, maybe Neville might have his lion moment.

-...and following these pauses, you can live another day. Questions? -He looked around me and apart from a few frightened or excited expressions, no one seemed to have any doubts. "Well, study carefully the potion I wrote down on the blackboard, we will prepare it during the next lesson and the one who has the best results will be able to take the potion he prepared.

-Yes, Professor Galegold! -replied the students as they carefully copied the potion recipe and all its steps onto parchment.

It was a simple potion to speed up magical recovery, nothing dangerous if prepared well.

I have half an hour before the next lesson with the fourth-year students, so to avoid accidents, we'd better get things done soon.

POV McGonagall

I was just finishing discarding a resume to fill the Potions teacher position next year, when Soisen appeared in my office unannounced.

-Director -I watched as he nodded in greeting and instead of taking a seat, he approached the Sorting Hat cabinet.

-What can I do for you, heir Galegold? -asked the talking hat after yawning, "I've already done my part this year.

-I don't know where he got it from, but I see that suddenly in his hand he's holding a brush covered with a substance that makes the strands of the tool smoke.

-I'm sorry? Only a true Gryffindor can....

-Draw your sword quickly, I have to teach in twenty minutes!

-What about the magic words?

-You know, Hagrid told me the other day that he's looking for a new toy for Fluffy," Soisen whispered loud enough for me to hear.

-All right, hold your horses! Here, there you go.

I watch as the ruby jeweled handle of the sword materializes and Soisen removes it all at once, moves the brush up and down the blade and once he confirms that the metal completely absorbed everything, he shoves it back into the Sorting Hat, where it disappears without a trace.

-Aah~ -the hat groaned- Be more careful! It's cold...

-Sorry, I'll be more careful next time I stick a sword in a thousand-year-old hat.

Without another word, he put the hat back in his cabinet and left my office. I try to process what just happened, but a shout brings me out of my thoughts.

-Did he say there will be a next time?!

I think this is the first time in my life I've ever seen the Sorting Hat make such a vivid, frightened expression.

Why am I laughing so hard?

POV Soisen

I heard a cheerful giggle as I descended the spiral staircase of Headmistress McGonagall's office and I couldn't contain my movement to look behind my back for a second.

I remember when I walked in, she was going through some papers, did she get some good news that put her in a good mood?

Anyway, the part about doctoring the sword is finished and I just have to wait a few months, then I'll ask the Sorting Hat if Potter got the sword and if not, I'll send it to him with my Patronus.

I can't wait too long, there are now two of them instead of three and that means the locket will probably affect their minds more. Better to send the sword early so they destroy what they find than later.

I can't believe that even when he's out of school, I still have to help him like this so he doesn't mess everything up in the end.

Yes, he got my letter with the details of each location, but how hard was it to prepare a method to destroy them BEFORE he left on tour to collect them!!!

Her planning skills are worthy of Potter house, fortunately for the witches of the world, she didn't learn how to prepare Amortentia, so she won't be following in her father's footsteps. Unless he buys it, things he could do.....

And Ron isn't so bad at the end of the day, after all, he has to support someone like Potter in his impulses and that takes tremendous courage.

...

No, Ron is just stubborn, he left it at that.

...

I think it would be best to give Ginny some bottles secretly, to counteract the effect of the Amortentia. For some reason, I have a feeling she'll need them.