𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐁𝐞 ➵ 𝐒.𝐒 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞

๑ ᴄʜ. 16 ๑

It was a normal weekend at Hogwarts. Students were either busy playing around or studying. It was a cold day, some students had expected for the first snowfall that day. The black lake was almost fully frozen, just a few more cold days, then students can get their skates ready.

While everyone was doing what they wanted to do, Asha had no choice but to help Snape with marking some homework. She probably looks like a marshmallow as the Dungeons was incredibly cold during the days of winter. It either felt like you were on top of Mt. Everest or in Antartica.

"Sir"

"Hm ?"

"How in the world do you survive here in the dungeon ? Are you like... secretly a polar bear ?"

Asha asked with shivers running down her spine despite the layers of coats she wore.

"Focus on marking Miss Dream. The earlier you finish, the faster you can get out if here"

Snape replied, clearly annoyed of her as she had been blabbering nonstop about stuff that he didn't manage to pay attention to. He heard a deep sigh from his assistant as well as the gliding of quills along the paper. 

A few hours had gone by and finally Asha had finished marking her schoolmates assignments. She let out a yawn, stretching her hands as much, throwing down the quill on the table.

"Finished, Miss Dream ?"

"Yes sir"

Asha answered rather gleefully. She was finally free to go... or that's what she thought. To her disappointment, Snape had a few more tasks for her to accomplish before she could reach freedom.

"Organise my shelves first, then clean those cauldrons"

"But sir-"

"No 'buts' Miss Dream"

He said sternfully, exhausted from marking as well. Asha sighed in defeat, picking up the huge stack of papers and waddled over to Snape's desk. Snape swore he could feel a laugh coming up as he watched Asha waddle over to him. It's what wearing multiple coats could get you into. Waddling her way over to Snape's shelves of potions, she couldn't help but chuckle at her own actions. It was her waddling that made her burst out laughing. She just knew it looked funny and so did she feel it funny. Snape stared at his student with concern swimming in his eyes as she laughs uncontrollably while organising his shelf of potion ingredients. He feared that she would drop a vial or drop everything all in all. 

"Miss Dream, what do you find so funny that makes you laugh like that ? Please tell me I would like to have a good laugh too"

He says with sarcasm, striding towards Asha who still has giggles.

"Woah, you can laugh ?"

She snaps back at Snape who now stood before her, boring his eyes into hers.

"Oh yes dear, I can laugh. And I'll make sure to laugh when you fail potions if you continue to talk back"

With that, Asha immediately shut her mouth, though a faint giggle was still heard. She had to look down to form some kind of 'serious' look before gazing upon the devil's eyes. Those dark brown and mysterious eyes stared off into her light brown and welcoming ones. He had noticed her effort to not burst out laughing once more.

"You better shut that mouth of yours, Miss Dream. That is... if you don't want the worse to happen"

He says a bit calm just as Asha places the last of the vials on the 4th row of the shelf. Surprisingly, it made Asha feel warm, the organising of shelves of course.And, she hated to admit it but also the presence of Snape behind her made her feel warm. 

"Done prof"

She sighs, turning around only to be greeted by his chest. Due to the weight of the coats she had put on, she stumbled a bit, almost bumping into the shelves and causing destruction. Luckily, Snape's hand landed on her back while the other one on her arm. For a moment they stared into each other's eyes warmingly. Both of them had nothing to say as they remained in that position. 

"Uhh sorry sir"

Asha speaks up, finally feeling Snape let go of her. She could at least see a bit of pink on his cheeks .

"Be careful next time. Now clean those cauldrons Miss Dream, then you can take your leave"

-

It was an hour before dinner when Asha was set free. Snape had insisted that she should use no magic on the cauldrons, unfortunate for her, she had millions of cauldrons to clean. If it wasn't for her desire to leave, it would've taken her a month or two to clean those. 

"Mamas home"

She yells, skipping her way into her common room. Lucky for her, she got the tune right and avoided being sprayed by vinegar again. 

"Took you long enough"

Tonks says, looking over the couch by the fireplace.

"Blame Snape, he had me cleaning millions of cauldrons"

Asha sighs, dropping herself onto the couch, right beside Tonks. She layed her head on Tonks's lap while Tonks stroked her hair.

"Hey, how about us and the boys sneak out later tonight and see what secrets the third floor holds ?"

Suggested Tonks. She just knew how much Asha loves exploring, especially at night. They haven't seen the third floor yet as they were trying to keep a clean record for their 7th year report cards for their jobs. Time just flies so fast, one minute they were 11 year-olds getting sorted into their houses then the next, they were already graduating and about to choose a job for their journey through life.

"Oh yes please !"

Asha exclaims, jumping up from Tonks's lap. 

"Well c'mon then. Let's tell the boys during dinner"

-

They sat in the dinner hall over at Ravenclaw's table during  dinner as they discus their plans for tonight. They sat at the far back, trying to avoid the enhanced ears of Dumbledore or even Snape. It was quite noticeable that they were planning on something as they were all huddled up in the corner. 

"Oh and Ash, bring the video cam as well. We would like to capture this moment"

"Got it Captain Miller"

Asha replies, sipping some butter beer from her mug. 

Soon after dinner, they parted ways, heading back into their own common rooms whilst they try to act as normal as possible.

The noisy chatters of the student made it impossible for Snape to listen to the five teenager's conversation. This pissed him off incredibly as he was always in for catching mischievous students. His mad glare was unnoticed by the teens as they were still huddled up in the corner, separated from most, which was a rare sight. Determined to catch them, he had asked Dumbledore if he could monitor the corridors tonight, taking the place of Quirrel. 

His eyes followed them as they exit the great hall along with the other students, he watched as they bid each other goodbyes and went their separate ways. He wouldn't let five teenagers destroy his glory.