Wand Hopping ; D.M.

𝑇𝑟𝑢𝑠𝑡

Elsie Granger

In the morning there was another note in the mailbox. 'He can't protect you'

I don't know what any of it means and why I'm even getting these letters. Does it have something to do with Draco? Draco's father? Or even Snape? George had already gone to his flat in his dirty clothing from yesterday to change into clean ones. I had questions, so many in fact I could spend all day asking them.

George and Fred were running their shop today and Ron helped me in mine. I haven't officially hired him, but the decision has been mutual. Him running the shop gives me cheap labor and I can create wands at the same time.

He hasn't been trained enough to do all that I can do, but I give him tasks like watching the shop while I use the toilet or cleaning the floor. If I have nothing for him to do, I can even send him up to the flat to make me a sandwich or wash the windows.

These are all things I can use magic to do, but it's more fun to make Ron do them.

When the shop is slow, I can even get him to tell me some drama he's heard. I ask him about my sister and where they're planning to live. He says they've yet to decide. They both have jobs, though they've just started and aren't making a lot just yet.

"There's endless flats in the alley." I proposed.

"We want a place with room to grow," he sighed, "We'll figure something out."

One would expect for it to be awkward or uncomfortable between us, looking at our history, but it isn't. We've mutually agreed not to speak of any of it as it isn't necessary.

Days went by that I kept the shop alongside Ron. I had heard nothing from Draco and nothing from Snape or Narcissa. It was as if I was trapped in a slow globe that I could not see out of. Whoever was leaving those notes knew how it drove me crazy and they probably enjoyed watching me nearly fall apart. I might be being dramatic as that's common, but that's what this all feels like.

I saw less and less of George because of my constant task of creating wands and shelving them. During the day I had little time because I was running the shop.

***

It was a Tuesday morning, a few weeks of running and owning the shop and for the first time in weeks, I didn't wake up to a note in my mailbox. I was relieved but also felt uneasy about what it meant.

I opened the shop as usual and everything was going normally. The first customer in the door. Professor Snape.

"Good morning Professor. I heard you needed to speak with me." I said.

"I'm only here on behalf of Professor McGonagall," he sighed, "Professor Sinistra has fallen ill and will be unable to teach this upcoming year. Would you have any interest in teaching?" His voice was monotone and it seemed as though he were forced to be here.

"Oh," I muttered, "I would love to, but with the current problems."

"Yes or no?"

"Yes." I spoke confidently, "If it will be for just one year."

It was an impulsive decision, I will admit. That was a once in a lifetime type of opportunity. I used to receive such high marks in Astronomy and by the time of the exam, I had aced every question she could think to ask. It would probably be fun too, being a shop owner by day and a Hogwarts professor by night.

"You're crazy!" The twins and Ron said when I told them the news at dinner.

"It'll only be for one year. And besides, it's only twice a week outside of the shop's hours."