Drops of Juniper (Discontinued, Rewrite On My Profile)

Chapter 5: A New Arrangement, and A Gift for Snape

"Wait!" I said suddenly; before we had left the quaint village, everyone stopped and stared at me. 

"Professor Snape was the one to help me last night; I think it's appropriate to get him a gift...You know to say thanks," I said, staring at the ground. 

Kara sighed and rolled her eyes, "here we go with Snape again."

"Whos Snape?" Sapphire asked, clearly confused.

"Potions professor and the one in charge of Slytherin, Juniper is in love with him," Kara explained.

Sapphire nodded in understanding.

"I'm not in love! He's interesting..." I protested. 

"He's rude, a bully, a terrible teacher, and he looks like an oversized bat," I heard Sapphire and Serenity laugh behind me. 

"Just give me ten minutes, please." 

"Fine," Kara said, "but we're coming with you, especially after last night".

As I browsed Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop, looking for a gift that would suit Snape, I listened to the girls give me hell for leaving the castle after dark, alone.

"It was probably Chasin; he's a shapeshifter, you know," Kara said matter of factly.

"I couldn't see what it was; it was too dark", I replied while examining a dark green quill with silver stripes. "I think I'll get this one."

"Juniper, can you take this seriously and just forget Snape for five minutes?" Kara asked in an annoyed voice that seemed to be so common these days. I turned to look at her, my throat getting tight,

"I want one day where I don't have to think about Chasin and move on..." I sounded pathetic Kara sighed and squeezed my shoulder.

"We're just worried, not just about you but ourselves; I think he'll love the quill, Juni" She smiled sadly; I headed to the counter to pay for the quill.

"I'll give it to him tonight after dinner", I told the girls as we left the shop.

Back at Hogwarts:

The four of us stood outside Dumbledore's office; Kara gave a solid knock and waited.

The tall wizard, with his long beard and half-moon spectacles, opened the door and greeted us with a warm smile, "I had a feeling I'd be seeing you four today; please come in" I gave him a questionable look in response.

We walked into his office, and Serenity and Sapphire kept looking around, trying to get a good look at everything.

"Now, what can I do for you girls?" Dumbledore asked calmly, taking a seat at his desk.

"Well, you see, sir, it seems that Chasin knows about Juniper's whereabouts; when we heard about that, we just had to come and warn her", Serenity replied,

"But then she told us about what happened last night in the Forbidden Forest, and I'm afraid he's already watching her, either he or someone he works closely with", Sapphire added.

"Ah yes, Professor Snape told me about the incident in question," Dumbledore said thoughtfully. 

"You see, Professor, we're not sure how to move forward with this whole thing; I'm afraid Juniper will not be safe anywhere until Chasin is caught, or even better, dead," Kara cut in.

Dumbledore nodded knowingly, "yes, this is a bit of a tricky situation; well, I cannot have the two of you return home with this dark wizard out and about; I suppose a new arrangement is in order."

We all exchanged a look; whatever could Dumbledore have in mind?

"I think it would be best if the two of you stayed at Hogwarts; I will write to your families and sort you into houses; you'll pose as sixth-year students like Kara and Juniper" Serenity and Sapphire just nodded. "Hogwarts is the safest place for you lot" Dumbledore got up and brought down the Sorting Hat from atop one of his shelves; we walked towards Serenity and Sapphire, and he placed the Sorting Hat on Serenity first.

"Gryffindor!!!" it shouted; Dumbledore smiled, took the hat and placed it atop Sapphire's head "Ravenclaw!!" it called; he took the hat and brought it back to its home on the shelf.

"I have no doubt the four of you will accomplish great things, four different houses but four unbreakable friendships. However, I must stress, Juniper; you mustn't leave the castle alone again; you may go, Kara, I would like you to stay for a moment if you please" He smiled at her, and the three of us left his office for dinner in the Great Hall would be starting soon, and I was excited to bring Snape his gift.

The Great Hall

Sapphire, Serenity and I parted ways to sit at our House tables; I sat at the front end of the Hufflepuff table closest to the staff; I looked up at Snape; he was moving his food around the plate.

Why do I feel like this when I look at him? I thought to myself; he looked up at me, his dark eyes staring through me, I felt myself go red, and I quickly looked back down to my plate; my hands were starting to get clammy. He's your teacher, I thought to myself, taking a sip of pumpkin juice. I kept my eyes glued to my plate for the rest of dinner.

When dinner ended, I rushed out of the Great Hall and straight to the Hufflepuff common room; at that moment, I was thankful it was in the dungeons near the kitchens as I would be able to make the gift delivery and get back to my common room before curfew.

I went to my bedside table and took out the black box that contained the quill. I looked it over again and thought it would be perfect; it had the same colours that were associated with Slytherin. I just hoped he would like it.

As I made my way to Snape's classroom, I started having second thoughts, what if he didn't like it? Was I being weird? Whenever I thought about him, it felt like my stomach fell to my feet, and my heart got stuck in my throat.

I made it to his door, my heart slamming in my chest; I swallowed my pride and knocked.

"Yes?" I heard a velvety monotone voice answer from the other side of the door; I opened it and walked in. I stared at him, sitting at his desk, papers covering the top of it. I walked toward Snape.

"Uh...Professor, I brought you this," I said, presenting him with the box; he looked up at me with one of his eyebrows raised. I placed the box on his desk.

"What is this?" he asked. Still, no emotion in his voice and his face kept the stern expression he always had.

"It's... Uhm, it's a gift for helping me last night and possibly saving my life" I let out a little laugh and scratched the back of my neck; Snape gave me another look and opened the box carefully; his eyes seemed to have gotten a slight glow in them when he saw what lay in the box.

"This is quite thoughtful, Miss Bane, thank you" he once again looked at me, this time, however, with a softer expression than usual, and then he did something extremely unexpected.

He gave me the smallest of smiles.