Title TBD (story in writing) (snape's daughter)

Chapter 10 ~ Malfoy Manor

"I'm going skiing with mum and dad."

        "Cool!" Maia told Juniper, pretending she knew what Juniper was talking about. "What about you, Eileen? Are you gonna stay at Hogwarts?"

"Only for a couple of days, but I'm going back home with my father, for Christmas. I don't really want to." Maia and Juniper simply nodded, they weren't sure what to say.

The snow was swirling against the windows; Christmas was approaching fast. Hagrid has single-handedly delivered twelve Christmas trees for the Great Hall; garlands had been twisted and hung up around the banisters of the stairs. Everyone was leaving on the coming Saturday.

In the past several weeks, there was another Quidditch game, Hufflepuff vs. Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff won. The classes were getting a bit harder because of the amount of homework we were receiving. I hadn't talked about the Monile Torque to gather yet, and I wasn't planning on doing so. We hadn't used it since that Saturday, because a part of me is too scared to see what will be shown next.

Saturday mornings, I still went to visit father, and we'd usually go to Hogsmede. Last week we got butterbeer from the Three Broomsticks, and tons of candies from Honeudukes. Father claims it to be a bunch of garbage, but how can you possibly resist the Sugar Quills.

Today during Potions we brewed the Forgetfulness Potion. It included tons of ingredients, Mistletoe berries, Valerian Springs, River Water, and more. Juniper and I were the only ones in the class to brew it properly. Of course, we didn't receive any points, because of our Gryffindor status. If I was being honest, mine was way better than Juniper's potion.

"I see you've packed," Maia told Juniper.

       "I see you haven't," he replied.

"Oh, I'll do it tonight."

Maia and I went down to the kitchens that evening, she wanted to give the elves gifts for letting her eat all these desserts. We tickled the pear on the painting of the bowl with fruit, and the door opened. The elves all seemed to be having a party, with pumpkin juice and leftover cauldron cakes. They all looked up to us in delight, very welcoming.

"Er--I--We just wanted to give you guys something for working so hard and all this food and--." Maia nervously announced, pulling out a box filled with about a hundred beaded necklaces. "It's not clothes, so please accept these necklaces. Look, we even have one!" Maia tried to explain pointing at the red and gold beading necklaces around our necks. She began to go around and give every elf a necklace, and I helped out as well.

"No, no, it's a very kind gesture, but Juley can not accept this. Some of the elves kindly rejected the necklaces, while others took one or two extra. I found Moorey drinking pumpkin juice with a big smile on this face. "Eilleen Snape and Ms. Rivers, you are so very generous!"

"Oh, this was all Maia--," I tried to explain how it was her idea and necklaces, but Moorey was too fascinated with the necklaces.

"Moorey is delighted! Thank you so much, Ms. Rivers!" he said, shaking her hand. "Who wants some more Cauldron Cakes!" All the other elves started cheering and we got carried away too. Maia and I sat at the table eating and talking to all of the elves. I didn't really fancy pumpkin, so I asked for something else.

"Do you have butterbeer, by any chance?"

      "Oh-no no-no! We don't keep a single bottle of butterbeer in the kitchen--Oh!" An elf explained.

"Er--why not?"

      "It's dangerous for us, elves. Butterbeer has a terribly high effect on us!" He came in closer, and whispered, "It can become a terrible addiction." I simply nodded my head apologizing, and I was still quite confused about what he had just told me. Maia, who was listening to our conversation, explained, "It gets them drunk--."