Yours, SS [Book 1]

Chapter 24

Amilia leaned her head against the wall behind her in Potions class, her eyes closed, relaxed. She heard Jennifer scribbling away like a madwoman at the test in front of her. Amilia was the first to finish, so she took the chance to shut her eyes. This last week before the Easter Holidays was hectic. Projects were turned in, tests handed back, and of course, Severus decided to stress out each one of his classes by assigning so many chapters for review and study for his test today. Amilia had found her hands tied, struggling to study for her test and to help the students requesting her tutorship. She smirked a little, wondering if that was what this was about, Severus providing her with something to fill her time as the instructor. He is notorious for his extremely long tests and essays. She drew in a deep breath and slumped further into her seat.

"Miss Hubbard, if your duties for your career are causing you to lose sleep, then I suggest you choose another class to snore in." She heard that familiar gravel close to her ear.

She threw herself forward, her hands slamming on the desk, shooting pins and needles up her arms, her eyes wide. "I do not snore!" she snapped, then bit her tongue, regretting the words.

Severus raised his bushy eyebrows at her. "Fifteen points. Five for your surly mood and ten for sleeping in my class. Even if you were the first one done."

Amilia groaned and rolled her eyes, letting her head fall onto the desk. Jennifer patted her shoulder sympathetically. "If it's any consolation, I think he is going to dismiss class."

"Thank you, Jen. I appreciate the effort." Amilia mumbled against the wood of the desk. She propped her chin upon her arms and followed Severus across the room.

He was pacing, counting down the seconds, hoping to catch a student with an incomplete test. "Class is over now. Turn in your work, finished or not." One student threw her quill on the desk and stood up triumphantly, having completed her test in the mere seconds he took to speak. Another's head hit the desk with a loud thunk, Amilia could tell he did not finish. She wondered if Severus would even grade it. "Miss Hubbard, I do not want to catch you sleeping in here again. You, above all others, know the dangers." Amilia nodded curtly at him before leaving the classroom.

At supper, there was a second post, mostly to the students would be remaining at Hogwarts for the holiday break. This time, in Slytherin House, there was only Amilia and one other, a fifth-year girl whose parents were away on a trip for the first three days of break. They were to meet with her at Hogsmead and travel back. After that, it would just be Amilia. And she was excited to have all the free time to do whatever she pleased.

Masters nudged Amilia as he saw Bubbles come swooping in carrying two envelopes and perched on her shoulder. Amilia quickly took them from her; she turned them over in her hands, one with delicate lettering and the other with print. Amilia opened up the latter:

'Mia,

I so want to see you, but I will have to cancel our lunch this time. The Ministry has me working on a rather large assignment. We will have to meet up the week after the term ends!

Kisses! Kylie

Oh! P.S I will be sending you a package, Mum (surprisingly) has a few things for you. So much to talk about!

"Another love letter?" Alice leaned over.

"No, just a friend. We were supposed to have lunch. Oh, well." Amilia picked up the other envelope and opened it:

Dearest Amilia,