PRAETERITUS - 𝕊𝕚𝕣𝕚𝕦𝕤 𝔹𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕜𝕤 𝔻𝕒𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕖𝕣

24 - Something Lost and Something Found

꧁•⊹24٭ Something Lost and Something Found٭⊹•꧂

Severus Snape had gone missing.

Well, not really, but Olivia hadn't seen him in a whole week. She knew from her friends that he was still at Hogwarts; they continued to bemoan his attitude in lessons. But extraordinarily he always seemed to be missing when Olivia's lesson came around.

Sometimes she would catch the swish of a cloak disappearing around a corner, brisk seps fading into the distance. But then she would rush around the corner and he would be gone, vanished into thin air. And with each failed sighting she grew more and more twitchy, the building frustration fraying her nerves. All in all her week had been a huge goose chase. And it killed her to admit that the goose was winning.

"Everyone please be careful!" Minerva McGonagall's shrill voice sounded over the classrooms excited chatter, "Make sure you've got a hold of them and don't let go!"

The teacher in question was handing out ferrets to each of the students, squirming, chattering animals that Olivia thought looked like fluffy snakes. Some of the students were delighted, crooning over them and showing them off like they were their own pets. Others looked terrified, desperately trying to keep ahold of the wriggling creatures.

Olivia on the other hand was uninterested. She was here, clutching a ferret when there were much more important issues on her mind. Unimpressed, she looked down at the white animal flopped in her hands, raising a disgruntled brow. It's beady black eyes stared back at her unapologetically, as though saying he wanted to be there just as much as she did.

"Settle down! Today we will be learning the ferret to feather duster incantation," At the horrified exclamation McGonagall continued, "Don't be ridiculous! We will be turning them back afterwards. Miss Harrison sit down."

Sighing, Olivia zoned out as the lesson continued, distracted thoughts pulling at her mind. She had potions next. Would Snape be there, or would he be mysteriously absent again? It wasn't until she heard the first shout that she realised the ferret was no longer in her hands.

The once docile creature was darting around the room, leaping upon bookshelves and jumping across heads in a mad dash. Shrieks filled the room as students ran in disarray, trying to get away from the ball of fluff. McGonagall was chasing it, desperately trying to get it in her grasp. A stack of papers went flying as he bounced off them towards the door. Olivia swore it could've winked at her before it flew away, leaving her staring after it with narrowed eyes.

McGonagall was trying to keep the peace, hushing the screeching students as she collected the ferrets back from them. Finally the class began filing out, incensed chatter still spilling from their lips.

"Olivia! What was that about?" Miss McGonagall's stern gaze locked onto her, furiousness brewing in her eyes.

"I guess he just slipped out of my grasp." Olivia shrugged noncommittally, glancing at the door, itching to get to potions.

"It is not acceptable. You are a top transfiguration student but lately you're not even trying! There is no point in coming to my class if your head isn't here." The brisk woman walked away, successfully dismissing her.

Snarling her disagreement, she left the class, already wound up after her first lesson of the day. Slightly late to potions, she walked straight in and took her seat, her eyes daring anyone to ask where she'd been.

Of course, Snape wasn't there. Once again, Lily Potter stood at the head of the class, substituting for the vanishing teacher.

"Alright class! I'm going to be teaching you again today as Professor Snape is absent. If you turn to page 260 in your textbooks- "