Yours, SS [Book 1]

Chapter 9

Amilia met Ritchie Clearwater in the courtyard; he trotted up to her. "You're not wearing your house robes?" he asked.

"Why should I? Classes are over for the day."

"Fair enough." He eyed the green robes that clung to her shoulders. "Well, let's go! I want to get to Zonko's before all the good stuff is picked over." Amilia grinned and followed the boy.

After Ritchie grabbed some fanged Frisbees from Zonko's, he dragged her into Honeydukes. Amilia bought some crystallized pineapple and pumpkin fizz. "Ritchie, I want to go to Gladrags."

"Okay!" He hurried along after her. Once they reached the store, he nudged her arm. "Hey, isn't that Snape?"

Amilia's head snapped up; she could see his black cape billowing behind him as he entered The Three Broomsticks. "Yeah, sure is. He is allowed a social life."

"I know it's just strange and all. I heard that he used to be a Death Eater."

"Let's not talk about that, please." Amilia opened the door to the clothing shop, the bell on the door dinged. Socks in a multitude of colors and patterns. She chuckled at the thought of Severus wearing the god's awful purple and pink polka dots. She wandered over to the shirts and rifled through the rack, pulling out a beautiful scarlet button-down. She slung it over her arm before something sparkly got her eye in the window. A cuff bracelet, not solid, but connected with three metal bands, on it were three large flattened pieces of malachite. Sitting next to the bracelet sat some earrings with matching stones on French hooks.

"Whatcha looking at Amilia?"

"Nothing, I thought something caught my eye." Amilia turned away from the window without ever realizing that Severus had seen the items she had admired. He waited until after they had paid for their items before walking in and snatching them off the shelves.

Amilia and Ritchie walked back to the castle together with their goodies in tow. He rambled on and on about the match tomorrow. She mused along with how her house was going to pummel his. They laughed and then went their separate ways once reaching the Great Hall.

She hummed to herself as she headed to the dormitories. She found herself not hungry and in need of some sleep, knowing that tomorrow would be so full of energy that she would need it.

Severus stood in his private rooms with his little impulse buy; he admired the green stones set in the silver metal. He knew her birthday was approaching in November, but he was unsure how to get it to her. Send it with an owl? Wait for our alchemy lessons or wait for the Christmas Holidays? That idea pleased him, and there was plenty of time for it as well.

Amilia woke to the sounds of trumpets echoing in the dormitories, the typical flair for the school year's first match. The sounds bounced off the stones arches and the thick windows, startling the fish and merfolk swimming by. She donned her typical Saturday clothes, and her school robes over them. She pricked her finger on the Head Girl pin; she expected many students to forget the school's rules on this day and felt that wearing it would remind them of the position that she was bestowed. Up in the common room, she found the team huddled around their captain, chanting at the top of their lungs, only stopping when Severus walked in.

All eyes were on him, and his black eyes swept the room before he curled the corner of his lips up into a small smile. "Today is the first match of the year." Loud cheers echoed in the room again. Students jumped on the couch. Amilia watched from the top of the steps. "But! While I expect a win, I also expect that you will represent our house with the pride that it commands." He made eye contact with Amilia before turning away to leave, "Oh, and please do have fun." He waved his hand as an explosion of applause followed him out the door. Amilia smiled to herself, thinking that he really was not as evil and hateful as everyone thinks, she knew that side of him, but he never allowed anyone else to.