Armilla II

Chapter 7

When I awoke on Monday morning it was with a small burst of happiness I had not felt for quite a few days. I was going to spend the whole day with Severus, provided he wasn't called. Upon leaving yesterday afternoon after Mother's funeral service, Dumbledore had pointedly assured Severus that he would not contact him the following day unless absolutely necessary. It was the last day we could spend together for a while. The following day we were due at Grimmauld Place, as was Harry Potter. I knew that from tomorrow, Severus' mood would naturally become more short-tempered and sharp. It was a consequence of his being forced to spend time with, as he called him, The-Wondrous-Boy-Who-Lived-to-Ruin-My-Summer.

Though Severus and I had been planning on burying Mother's ring, burying her body instead had brought much more closure to what had been an extremely unusual relationship in my eyes. The ring had been buried under the stone bench with Mother. I planned that, whenever possible, I would visit it when I was out flying. That was not likely to be for some time. I would not even be able to go outside when we went to Grimmauld Place. It seemed I would have a rather dull existence while I was staying there. Not that I was complaining. Saying it would be tediously dreary was a fact, but a small sacrifice to pay in light of what other members of the Order had to do.

I pushed such thoughts away as I got out of bed. No need to bring my mood down by thinking about the weeks ahead. I had a whole day with Severus before me. I just fervently hoped that he would not be called.

I showered and dressed and went back into my bedroom to tidy it up. Morag had finally come inside the night before after spending what I assumed what a happy evening with Aeolus. Severus did not approve of Morag spending time with Aeolus. He thought Morag's vanity and conceitedness would corrupt Aeolus. As I saw it, Aeolus was an old owl who merely took delight in having another owl around. It certainly helped that with her rare Metamorphmagus trait, Morag was an interesting companion to have.

I made my way downstairs to the breakfast room, where I found Severus frowning over The Daily Prophet on the table in front of him, his hand clutching the handle of his steaming coffee.

"Good morning," I said, slipping into my seat.

"Good morning," he replied absently, turning the pages of the newspaper.

I poured some tea before reaching for a crumpet. I had persuaded Docky the night before to make them for me. Generally Docky only served toast, porridge or eggs. I noted with a small smile that Severus had a half-eaten crumpet on his own plate.

Severus folded the paper and put it aside, shaking his head slightly. I had become used to this; he did it most mornings.

"I suppose this is our final day of freedom," he said, looking over at me as he picked up his crumpet. "If indeed, our lives can be described as such," he added as an afterthought.

"What are you doing today?" I asked, spreading jam on my crumpet. Severus hadn't mentioned exactly what was happening. For all I knew, he had important things that had to be done first.

"What are we doing, you mean," he said smoothly. "I thought we'd go to Diagon Alley this morning. I'd like to get your school shopping out of the way."

I nodded. "That won't take long. I only need books." Severus had an enormous supply of ink and parchment.

He nodded. "You certainly don't need new school robes. The ones you have are still in good condition and I don't anticipate a growth spurt from you any time soon."

"You never know," I said dryly. I was still the height of the average third year. Everyone seemed to be getting taller except me.

"You must take after Mother," said Severus. "She was on the shorter side."

"I'm not short."

"Indeed," he said, smiling slightly as he picked up his cup. "You need new shoes too. Your feet might not have grown, but you need them all the same."

I agreed with that. At least I didn't have to get new school robes. I had always hated spending ages in Madam Malkin's.

We left straight after breakfast, side-along apparating as usual.

I didn't know what I had been expecting, especially since I knew perfectly well that the wizarding world was in the midst of a war, but the eerie lack of noise from the street irked me. It was very disconcerting not to see crowds everywhere, adults busily leading children in and out of shops, calling greetings out to friends and acquaintances as they passed.

"Stay close to me," Severus murmured in my ear as we began to walk down the street. "There are plenty of dodgy folk about at the moment."

Everywhere I looked, there were large, purple Ministry of Magic posters containing security advice or photos of wanted Death Eaters. We passed Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour, and I was sad to see that the windows had been boarded up.

There were hardly any people about, and those I did see looked to be in an awful hurry. It seemed everyone was keen to get their shopping done as quickly as possible.

Severus made an order at the apothecary for his seventh year Potions students before we headed to Flourish and Blotts. I noticed that there were shabby little stalls set up outside shops up and down the street. Outside the bookshop there was one of these stalls with a sleazy looking wizard holding a number of chains with silver symbols attached to them. The cardboard sign pinned to the front of the stall read:

Amulets: Effective Against Werewolves, Dementors and Inferi

"Don't pass on by, sir," the little wizard drawled to Severus. He leered at me, holding out his armful of symbols. "Care for an amulet to protect your little girl?"

Severus' lip curled as he gave one of his deadliest glares to the wizard. The little man faltered before giving a nervous smile. Severus maintained his glare a little longer for good measure before directing me to walk in front of him to Flourish and Blotts.

"I'd have hexed him if there weren't witnesses about," he muttered as we walked into the shop. "Conniving felons trying to cash in on the war..."

The bookshop seemed relatively empty too. There were a couple of elderly witches perusing the travel section of the shop. The Daily Prophet had been reporting that many members of the wizarding community had left Britain in favour of finding safety abroad.

As Severus and I moved further into the shop, a small Hufflepuff girl came around the corner carrying a couple of books. The girl's eyes widened when she saw my brother and she let out a small squeak and dropped her books.

"I do hope you learn to control your clumsiness, Miss Bilson," Severus said quietly, sneering down at the girl as she hastened to pick up the books. "I do not tolerate inept students in my classes."

"Yes, Professor," the girl breathed, before running off, no doubt to find her parents.

As much as I wanted to, I gave no comment. I hated watching Severus goad other students. I had once been in the same position and knew how it felt. I had always felt uneasy, awkward and incredibly stupid in front of Professor Snape. He had a way about him. Severus led the way forward, a slightly amused look on his face.

I was thrilled that we only had to buy books for the subjects I wanted to do. When I had received my OWL results, Severus had agreed to let me drop History of Magic and Astronomy. It only took about five minutes to locate all the school books I needed. Thinking that we were finished, I began to walk to the counter, but Severus had other ideas.

"Go and pick another couple out for yourself," he said.

I smiled. "What sort?"

"I don't have anything in mind," he said, shifting the weight of books in his arms. "Just pick things you would like to read."

Excellent. I headed straight to the Charms section and Severus followed close behind.

"I predicted you would come here," he said dryly, shaking his head slightly. "Didn't I buy you three Charms books the last time we were here?"

"Yes," I said nodding, scanning the titles in front of me. "But you told me I could pick what I wanted."

"Are you sure you don't want a Potions book?"

"Very sure," I said, smiling up at him. "You have plenty. I could borrow yours if I need them."

He made a sort of "hmph" noise and then began looking at the books himself.

Ten minutes later we left the shop with our purchases. I had of course, selected two Charms books. I had figured that they would make for good reading at Grimmauld Place.

We continued down the street, carefully avoiding the stalls with sleazy wizards who called out to us. Purchasing new shoes was easy enough, even though the shop owner turned out to be a former Ravenclaw student from my brother's earlier teaching days. This only served to make the experience more tedious, seeing as the poor woman was rather nervous of Severus' presence.

"One more place to go," Severus announced, as we made our way out of the shoe shop. "Then we shall head home for lunch. I have no wish to linger here."

As we continued to walk, something very brightly coloured up ahead caught my attention. As we drew closer, I couldn't help but smile as I realised what it was. Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes.

"Merlin, help me," Severus muttered as he caught site of the shop up ahead.

The left hand window was crowded with products that revolved, popped, bounced, flashed and shrieked. The colourful sight was overly stimulating to the eye and mind; it very much portrayed the immense talent for practical jokes and mischief for which Fred and George Weasley were famous.

"Shame we can't go in," I muttered, as we came closer. Death Eater or not, I knew my brother would not want to be seen in such a shop, especially by his students. The Formidable Head of Slytherin would not seem so fearsome if he was caught browsing through Canary Creams and Headless Hats.

"Definitely not," Severus said, shaking his head. His eyes did linger on the shop though.
Underneath, he must have felt a sense of curiosity. He had, after all, supplied help to the twins in the form of a list of useful, rare potion ingredients with potential combinations. It had been a thankyou to the twins for unknowingly providing me with a means to escape from Father the month before. The Knockout Powder they had given me had proven extremely useful.

The right hand window of the shop was covered with a huge, purple poster, clearly imitating the Ministry posters. We walked a little slower so we could read the words emblazoned on it in flashing yellow letters.

Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who?

You SHOULD Be Worrying About

U-NO-POO-

The Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!

I had to bite my tongue in an effort not to burst out laughing. It was a silly joke, but I found it hilarious. Severus, on the other hand, was staring at it with a slightly strained expression. "Fools," he muttered under his breath. "Complete imbeciles." He started to walk a little faster. "Come."

I hastened to catch up to him, resisting the urge to look over my shoulder and stare at the brightly coloured shop. I would have loved to have gone inside, at least to say hello to Fred and George. I was still trying not to smile. Severus looked at me and shook his head. "Perhaps I am not the target consumer," he said.

"Where are we going now?" I asked, watching people point in surprise as they caught sight of the Weasleys' shop.

"You'll see," Severus replied.

I sighed. He could be very annoying sometimes.

To my utter surprise, he stopped outside a shop called Magical Melodies.

"What do you want in this shop?" I asked, astonished. What did Severus want in a shop that sold musical instruments? I smiled. "Do you want to learn one?"

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, my strongest desire is to play a duet with you."

I laughed. "Well then?"

"I think you should learn another instrument," he said simply. "There is ample time for it." He gave me a knowing look.

Ah. So he wanted another means to keep me occupied at Grimmauld Place. He had already told me that he didn't want me to read all day long. I had never entertained the idea of playing another instrument. It was only through Severus' efforts that I had taken up the piano again. Memories of Shar had turned me off it.

He opened the door and gestured for me to go in before him. "What do you think?" he asked quietly, following me in. "I do not want to force you into this. As you well know, learning an instrument requires intense concentration and discipline."

The shop was dimly lit, as if it didn't want to draw attention to passing customers. A grand piano near the door had been charmed to play a soft melody. A cello further back had also been enchanted to accompany it.

"I don't know,' I said slowly. "Who would teach me?" I hadn't taught myself to play the piano; one of Merle's muggle friends had taught me to play.

"I have already had an offer," he replied, "should you decide to say yes."

I gave him an inquisitive look. The man was full of surprises. "That's depends now," I said uncomfortably. "I mightn't like the person."

He smiled. "You would approve of the teacher, trust me. He knows how to play a variety of instruments."

Slowly, I nodded. "Alright then."

He nodded. "Good."

"Good morning, Professor Snape," said a small, old woman with black ringlets, coming through a doorway that led to the back of the shop.

Severus inclined his head. "Mrs Flitwick."

Mrs Flitwick? A relation of my Head of House?

"Armilla," said Severus, pushing me forward, "this is Mrs Flitwick, the owner of this shop and Professor Flitwick's cousin. She has dined with the staff of Hogwarts more than once over the years. Mrs Flitwick, this is my-"

"Sister, yes!" said Mrs Flitwick, coming forward. With a broad smile on her face, Mrs Flitwick shook my hand rigorously. "Lovely to meet you, my dear."

"I hope," said Severus, clearly wanting to move onto business, "that we will be able to select an instrument for Armilla to learn. She is already proficient at the piano. Something much smaller would suffice."

Mrs Flitwick nodded, her eyes moving from my brother to me. "Well, it makes things much easier for you, dear, having a musical background. What other instruments are you interested in?"

I looked around. "I'm not sure." I had no idea what I wanted to play. I felt a little silly saying so, seeing as we were there to buy an instrument. Musical instruments were expensive.

"We will take a look around," said Severus.

Mrs Flitwick nodded. "Of course." She winked at me. "I suppose the drums are too big, dear. What about a nice trumpet?"

"Absolutely not," said Severus, before I had a chance to answer.

I smiled. "But that's what sound-proofing spells are for."

He met my eye. "Absolutely not," he repeated. He turned and began to walk past a display that held a range of guitars.

"Ukulele?" I suggested, pointing it out.

Severus turned and fixed me with a mocking look. "Certainly, Armilla. All you'll need is a lei, a grass skirt and a portkey to Hawaii."

I smiled again. "No?"

He rolled his eyes and kept walking. "What about a clarinet?" he suggested.

I shook my head. I didn't like the sound of clarinets.

"Bagpipes?" I said. Merle had always loved the sound of bagpipes. I didn't though; I was just testing my brother.

He turned around again. "Really?" he asked, frowning slightly.

Again, I shook my head. "No." Something else had caught my eye. "I wouldn't mind learning to play the violin."

"An excellent choice, dear," said Mrs Flitwick, moving forward to pick one up. She placed it in my hands to examine. It was a little heavier than I thought it would be, but it felt right. I went to put it into position and then realised that something wasn't quite right after all.

"Armilla's left-handed," said Severus, looking down at the violin.

"Oh, that is no problem," Mrs Flitwick said airily, moving a couple of steps to pick up another. "I cater for that." She took the violin in my hand and handed me the other. That was better. This felt exactly right.

Severus took it and examined it himself. "Are you sure?" he asked me.

I nodded. "Yes, I like it."

He nodded. "Very well." He turned to Mrs Flitwick. "We'll take it."

She smiled. "Certainly, Professor." She took the violin from Severus and moved to the shop counter to retrieve a case for it.

As Severus moved towards the counter to pay I tugged on his sleeve. "What if I'm no good at it?" I whispered.

He looked down at me with a slightly amused expression. "That's what sound-proofing charms are for."

o o o o o o o o o

Fifteen minutes later we were back on our property, travelling in a carriage towards the house. It had started to rain quite heavily, causing the thestrals pulling the carriage to move much slower than usual. My thoughts were still preoccupied with the identity of my violin teacher.

"I don't suppose you could tell me who is going to teach me?" I asked Severus.

"Professor Flitwick," he said, drawing his eyes away from the window to look at me.

"Professor Flitwick?" That was a surprise. My Head of House teaching me to play an instrument... I supposed it made sense. He was, after all, also Head of the choir and band at Hogwarts.

I suddenly became alarmed. "He won't expect me to join the school band, will he?" I asked, feeling distinctly uncomfortable. I only ever played music for myself. I wasn't a performer by any means.

Severus shook his head. "No, of course not." He smiled. "I couldn't imagine you doing such a thing. Actually, your Head of House expressed his concern to me after the Order meeting in which Dumbledore announced his plans for Potter staying at Grimmauld Place with us. It seems he was worried you would be leading a rather dismal existence. He knows many of your interests come in the form of books and he asked if there was going to be at least one alternative form of entertainment to pass the time. I didn't mention duelling to him and there was very little else to say."

"But you told him I could play the piano?"

"As a matter of fact, it was Flitwick who brought up the idea," he said indifferently. "As a musician himself, he suggested that you learn something since you would have the time. There is an old piano at Grimmauld Place. He suggested you learn it with his assistance. I informed him that you were already a superior musician at that particular instrument and he was most pleased to hear it. He mentioned something about you having the discipline and dedication for it." He paused to smirk slightly at me. "Though perhaps he says that to all the Ravenclaw parents?"

I smiled. "Perhaps. We're a magnificent, superior bunch."

He rolled his eyes. "There's that Ravenclaw wit shining through. His suggestion got me thinking though. I thought it was an excellent idea. Professor Flitwick comes from a musical family and can play a long list of instruments. I told him I would discuss the idea with you and he said he would be happy to come to Grimmauld Place a couple of times a week to teach you if you agreed."

"That's nice of him," I said, nodding, "especially since it's his holidays too."

He nodded. "He was rather insistent actually. Dumbledore became involved and suddenly Flitwick's time at Grimmauld Place increased. He will also have a few sessions a week to work on wand movements and charms with Potter." He met my gaze. "That's time for us to spend together, perhaps leave the house if we wish to."

I smiled. "I suppose Dumbledore is doing that for your sanity?" After all, having Severus and Harry spend so much time together did not bode well for either of them. Neither was known for their placid temper, especially when it came to each other.

"I suppose so," he answered, sneering slightly. "Dumbledore, the optimist that he is, seems to think it will all work out perfectly." He narrowed his eyes as he looked back out the window. "I, however, as the realist, see the situation for what it is."

We endured the rest of the short journey in silence. The rain became heavier and heavier as we approached the entrance to the manor.

Docky emerged at the front door when Severus and I alighted the carriage. We hurried up the front steps to avoid the rain and Docky bounced back to let us pass. He seemed very excited about something. His subdued mood had remained after Mother's funeral, but there was definitely something akin to incredible excitement shining in his eyes.

He followed us into the entrance foyer, a huge smile on his face. As Severus and I took out our wands to cast drying charms over ourselves, he hopped about in front of us.

"What in Merlin's name has gotten into you?" asked Severus, frowning down at Docky.

"Nothing, Master Severus, sir," he said innocently, beaming up at my brother. He gave him a knowing look. "All is well, sir."

Severus nodded curtly. "As it very well should be." He turned to me, taking a couple of small packages out of his pocket as he went. He had shrunk our purchases earlier to make carrying them easier. He pointed his wand at the Flourish and Blotts purchases and immediately they returned to their normal size. "Here," he said, holding them out to me. "Take them upstairs. Docky will bring the rest up later."

I nodded, taking the packages from him. Severus turned and headed towards the kitchen, Docky bouncing at his heels. A moment later I heard their voices on the kitchen stairs.

"Docky made Pavlova, Master Severus!"

"How simply delightful," my brother drawled.

I went up the main staircase, listening to the rain pounding against the windows. I loved the sound of rain, especially on a night when I could curl up in bed with a good book, knowing I could sleep in the next morning. I knew I couldn't sleep in tomorrow; we were leaving for Grimmauld place straight after breakfast.

I walked along the corridor to my bedroom, wondering if Morag had bullied Docky into letting her out so she could see Aeolus. I opened the door and saw that Morag was not sitting on top of her cage where she usually liked to perch. I turned to scan the room for any sign of her presence.

I gasped and dropped my books instead. I had visitors.

"Honestly, Milly, you can give us a better greeting than that." Terry grinned at me from one of the armchairs near the fireplace. His girlfriend, my best friend, Lisa, was sitting on the sofa, grinning at me as well.

"You weren't expecting us then?" she said with a laugh, getting up.

I got over my shock fairly quickly, though my heart was pounding. All thoughts of Morag went out the window.

Lisa came over and hugged me. I didn't realise how much I had been missing my friends until I saw them. It was so wonderful to see them.

"I've missed having you over, Mill," she said. "I've been home from New Zealand for awhile and it's been lonely around the house without you."

"How was New Zealand?" I asked. Lisa had gone there to visit her brother and sister-in-law.

"Cold," she said promptly. "Remind me to go there when it their summer next time."

Terry rolled his eyes as he hugged me. "Still complaining, isn't she?"

Lisa punched him playfully in the shoulder and led me over to the sofa. "I bought you back a souvenir," she said, rummaging around in her bag.

Terry dutifully picked up my discarded new books and brought them over to the table. "Snape bought you some nice books," he said, looking at the ones I had picked out.

"Here you go!" said Lisa proudly, placing a small box in my hands. "I bought you this in Dunedin. We visited Larnach Castle, the only castle in New Zealand."

I opened the box and pulled out a small, pewter knight. It was intricately detailed and could fit into the palm of my hand. I placed him on the coffee table in front of us and he bowed to me. "I am Sir Rodrigo," he announced. "I swear to serve thee." With that, he turned and marched along the table. "Checking for danger." He kept marching right off the table. "Ahhhhh!"

Lisa rolled her eyes. "Well, it's a charmed knight; it doesn't necessarily mean it's clever."

I peered over the edge of the coffee table. The knight had righted himself and was now brandishing his sword at the leg of the table. "I challenge you to duel! Come back and fight! I am not afraid of perishing! I am of noble heart!"

"Though you have a questionable mind," Terry muttered, sitting back down in the armchair he had been occupying.

The knight paused and scratched his pewter headpiece. He then leaned forward and knocked on the wood. "Are you home, Tarah?"

"Thanks, Lisa," I said, smiling down at the ridiculous knight. "I love it."

"So what have you been up to?" Lisa asked.

I shook my head. "First tell me how this was all arranged. Severus didn't tell me you were coming."

Terry smiled. "He's a secretive person, that's for sure. He contacted us yesterday, telling us to keep today free in case there was the possibility of seeing you."

"He arranged travel instructions for us too," Lisa added. "We received a portkey that took us to this little clearing. Your house elf met us there. Then we got a carriage sort of like the ones we travel in at school."

"Cheerful one, your house elf, isn't he?" said Terry, picking Sir Rodrigo up off the floor.

I nodded. "He's a lot nicer than Jiffy, my father's house elf."

"You told us the place was big," Lisa went on, "but we never realised that Snape owned such a property. Your bedroom is three times the size of mine."

"It's three times the size of the one I had at Merle's," I admitted, looking around. "Severus inherited all this though."

Terry laughed. "Well, it's not like a teacher would be paid well enough to buy this. Don't you ever get lost?"

I shook my head. "I mainly move around the parts of the house I know. There are plenty of rooms I haven't been in yet."

"If you were a Gryffindor you'd have been exploring in every room by now," said Terry, getting up with Rodrigo and walking to the window.

"I'd have gotten lost by now," I said dryly. "Then I'd have to give an explanation to Severus." I smiled at them. "I'm so glad you're here."

"Had a bad summer then?" asked Lisa.

"No," I said at once. "I've had a good summer so far. It's just great to see you both."

"So how'd you do on your OWLs?" Terry asked, looking away from the window.

"Seven Os and two Es," I replied. "I'm dropping Astronomy and History of Magic this year."

Terry nodded. "I'm dropping them too. I got the same marks, except I also got an E in Care of Magical Creatures."

"My Es came in Defence Against the Dark Arts and Herbology," said Lisa. "Otherwise all Os."

"You're going on with every subject then?" I asked.

"Yeah," she said, nodding. "Except History of Magic. It will be even more boring without you two there with me. I think-"

She was interrupted by the appearance of Docky in the doorway. He walked into the room with my other packages levitating behind him.

"Lunch is served, Miss Armilla," he announced, sweeping into a bow. The packages sailed over his head and landed at the foot of my bed.

"Thanks, Docky," I said, gesturing for my friends to follow. Terry deposited Sir Rodrigo on my bed.

"I say, dear sir," he said, treading the mattress, "the ground here seems dangerously spongy."

"Is Snape going to eat with us?" Terry whispered, looking nervous.

Lisa looked equally uncomfortable at the prospect. My friends, of course, generally only dealt with Snape on a teacher/student basis. They still found him intimidating and unapproachable. The idea of sharing a meal with him must have seemed daunting at the least.

"I suppose so," I replied, leading them down corridor towards the stairs. "It's alright; he won't deduct points or anything."

"Can you guarantee that?" Terry muttered. "I'm still coming to terms with the fact that I'm in Snape's house."

"On invitation," I reminded him.

We descended the stairs and I led my friends to the breakfast room, where Severus and I generally ate. The dining room could seat a vast amount of people and Severus thought it was too big to eat in there.

I was wondering myself if Severus would join us for lunch. I thought he might find it uncomfortable to eat with students, especially ones who weren't from his House. But then, these were my friends. Maybe today he could just be my brother who viewed them as his sister's friends.

Severus was just sitting down at the table when we came into the room. He looked up at the sound of our footsteps and I was actually pleased that he didn't immediately narrow his eyes at my friends. In fact, there was no sneer in place at all.

"Good afternoon, Miss Turpin, Mr Boot," he said, gesturing to the seats opposite my place at the table. "Do sit down."

I moved over to my own place and sat down, while my friends moved a little more slowly to their places. Docky had made beef pie and potatoes for lunch. He paid a lot of attention to the meals I suggested to him. Severus rarely commented on the larger variety of meals we'd been having since the beginning of the summer. I believed he secretly enjoyed them.

We began to eat in silence. I noticed that Terry and Lisa were extra careful in showing proper table manners.

"I trust you have had good holidays?" Severus enquired, breaking the silence.

"Yes, sir," they said in unison.

"What have you been doing, Mr Boot?"

Terry swallowed his mouthful of potato, clearly surprised at being asked for more information about his holidays. "I've been cleaning out my gran's attic, sir."

"How exhilarating that must have been for you," Severus commented.

Terry nodded, clearly not sure if Severus was being sarcastic or not. "It turned out better than I thought it would be."

"How so?"

"I found some interesting old magical objects Gran had forgotten she had."

"Well then, I hope you showed some responsibility in handling them," said Severus, looking stern.

"Yes, sir," Terry replied, meeting his eye.

Severus looked at Lisa. "And you, Miss Turpin? Armilla told me you have been to New Zealand."

Lisa looked at me before answering. It seemed she was genuinely surprised that I would share such information with my brother. She probably thought that Severus couldn't care less where she went.

"Yes, sir," she said. "We went at the beginning of the summer."

"And did it meet with your expectations?"

"Yes, sir. I had a nice time."

Severus nodded and went back to his meal. We ate in silence for a few more minutes, listening to the rain, until he spoke again. "Armilla," he said, looking at me, "have you informed your friends about our relocation tomorrow?" His eyes were asking me how much information I had given them.

I shook my head. "No, I haven't mentioned it."

"Are you going somewhere?" Lisa asked, looking at me, a nervous expression growing on her face.

"I have important business to attend to for an indefinite amount of the summer remaining," said Severus, addressing himself to my friends. "Armilla will accompany me for that time. You will still be able to contact her, naturally, but it is unlikely she will see you until school begins in September."

They looked disappointed. They clearly understood that Severus' use of 'important business' meant that they were not entitled to know the specifics. Neither of them came from families in the Order.

"Am I to assume that you both qualified to begin NEWT Advanced Potions?" Severus asked, changing the subject. "I don't accept anything less than an Outstanding."

"Yes, sir," they said, looking hopeful, even though they had already qualified.

He nodded curtly, turning back to his meal. Lisa and Terry both turned back to their meals, but not before giving me small, nervous smiles.

o o o o o o o o o

I spent a lovely afternoon with my friends. We couldn't go outside because of the rain, but I showed them around the rooms in the house I spent most of my time in. Severus had mentioned after lunch that he was going to be in his study. This put Lisa and Terry more at ease; they were initially nervous of looking like they were snooping.

We ate afternoon tea with Docky down in the kitchen, where he served his Pavlova and freshly made pumpkin juice. Severus didn't come down for Pavlova. I didn't think he would want to endure Docky's energy; his songs kept my friends highly entertained.

They left shortly before dinner. Docky was given the task of escorting them back the same way they had come. It had stopped raining for now, and there was a fresh, dewy scent in the air.

"Thankyou," I said to Severus, as we stood on the front steps, watching the carriage disappear from sight.

"I felt it was in your best interest to see them before we leave," he said dismissively. He looked down at me. "Did you have a nice afternoon?"

I nodded. "I did. Docky did too."

He narrowed his eyes. "It's rare Docky can entertain guests who welcome his antics."

I laughed and we turned and walked back inside.

"You had better go and pack before dinner," said Severus, following me up the stairs. "I've already packed the school books you'll need."

I groaned.

"You're welcome," he said dryly.

As I walked into my bedroom a loud hoot was heard as two large speckled owls soared through the open window, carrying a rather large package between them.

Morag, who had returned midafternoon, hooted in greeting from the top of her cage. Aeolus, who sat near her on top of the armoire, cocked his head in interest.

"Are you expecting something?" Severus asked from the doorway, frowning at the owls, who had landed on the table.

"No," I said, taking out my wand to perform the necessary security spells before I opened it. It passed the test, and as I untied the package I gave a laugh.

"What is it?" asked Severus, coming to stand behind me. I held up the package so he could see the company name in the corner.

Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes

Severus gave no comment; he merely pursed his lips.

A letter was attached to the front, bearing the same company name. I tore open the envelope and unfolded the parchment inside. I read it to myself.

Dear Armilla,

Greetings from number ninety-three, Diagon Alley! Fred and I saw you and Professor Snape pass our shop this morning and we were disappointed that we didn't get a chance to say hello (not that we don't understand why you didn't come in). We hope you approve of our rather solemn exterior. Fred wanted to brighten it up a bit, but I thought the sombre look of the front windows was much more inviting as it is.

We decided to send you some more samples of our newest products so you can see for yourself how innovative we have been since we saw you last. We've also enclosed some of our older products, including the one you found most useful. Don't worry about this letter not being as subtle as it could be - it's been designed to blow up in the face of anyone who opens it with ill intentions - we got rather injured in developing the concept actually, but we've got a good salve now for serious burns.

Enjoy the products and let us know what you think.

George Weasley, also on behalf of his not-as-good-looking twin, Fred

I smiled, closing the letter. "Fred and George have sent me some of their products," I said, reaching forward to open the package. "New ones and old ones; they probably want to show you what they've developed with the help you've given them."

"I hope at least a small percentage of its contents contain something useful," said Severus, eying the package with disdain.

"It does," I said happily, pulling out some Knockout Powder, complete with the anti-fainting gum that went with it. I handed it to him and he examined it closely.

"Very useful," he murmured. "It certainly helped you out of a tight spot."

I nodded, pulling more things out of the package. There were Nosebleed Nougats, Fainting Fancies, Fever Fudge, Canary Creams and Extendable Ears.

Severus' mouth thinned as he looked at them. "I shall know what symptoms to look out for," he said, reading the description on the Fever Fudge package. "I have a feeling that I'll be confiscating many Weasley products this year." He picked up the Extendable Ears. "I've seen these before at an Order meeting," he stated. "Molly Weasley had found them in the twins' bedroom. I imagine they've been very useful."

"Here's something new," I said, pulling out a larger box. "The Ultimate Shield Set," I read, looking at the box. "Watch your component's hexes backfire. Comes with Shield hat, cloak and gloves." I opened the box and pulled out the hat, cloak and gloves.

Severus seemed much more interested in these. "I'll have to experiment with these," he murmured. "At least they've put some thought into something constructive."

"Here's a Decoy Detonator," I said, passing him the box, "and Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder."

Severus now looked much more approving. "I don't regret helping them now," he said, looking at the Instant Darkness Powder with interest.

I reached further into the package to pull out the last of the contents. My hand closed around something small and fluffy. I let go hastily when I heard a high-pitched squeak. Severus frowned at the sound, obviously anticipating something he would not approve of. I peered into the package and saw a pink, fluffy blob. I was instantly reminded of the cardigans Umbridge wore and shuddered.

I reached in and pulled the blob out. It squeaked again and stuck out a long, pink tongue. It had a label attached to it. "Pygmy Puff," I read, "Miniature puffskein. Pat them, chuck them, cuddle them."

"Oh, just what we need," Severus drawled, looking revolted at the sight of it. "A puffskein."

"I had a puffskein years ago," I said, patting the Pygmy Puff. "It wandered onto Shar's property and never came back."

"I had a puffskein years ago too," said Severus, sneering down at the Pygmy Puff, who was making a contented humming noise in my hand.

"What happened to it?"

"I experimented with it in one of my first potions."

I stared at him and he looked right back with the utmost casual expression. As annoying as the creature was likely to be, I didn't wish such a fate on it. "Well, you can't use mine," I said.

"See to it that I don't have to," he said smoothly. "Puffskeins have a tendency for exploring and scavenging food. Hopefully I won't have the pleasure of meeting it around the house."

I shook my head. "You won't."

"Is there anything else there?" he asked, nodding towards the package.

"One more box," I replied, tipping the package upside down. A small, violently pink box fell out. It had a picture of a rather nice looking young man on it with, in my opinion, a ridiculous looking, swooning girl. They were standing on what looked to be the deck of a pirate ship. "WonderWitch collection," I read. "Patented Daydream Charm. One simple incantation and you will enter a-"

Realising what it was, I stopped suddenly and read the rest to myself.

- top quality, highly realistic thirty-minute daydream, easy to fit into the average school lesson and virtually undetectable (side effects include vacant expression and minor drooling). Not for sale to under sixteens. Works for up to twenty-four hours depending on the weight of the boy in question and the attractiveness of the girl.

"Doesn't look much," I muttered, but Severus seized it from my hand with a distrusting look on his face. He read the description, his expression becoming grimmer with every line.

"What a waste of good ingredients," he said finally, sneering down at the offending product. He handed it back to me. "I trust you will dispose of it, yes?"

"Of course," I said disinterestedly, turning away to place it on the table. "I have no use for it." I placed the Pygmy Puff on the table too. When I turned back, Severus was regarding me with a calculating expression.

I looked innocently at him, wondering what he was thinking.

"Ahoy there, matey!" said a small, but very energetic voice.

"What the-" said Severus, looking sharply over in the direction of my bed.

"It's only Rodrigo," I said, walking over to my bed to pick up the little knight, who was brandishing his rather blunt little sword once more.

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Rodrigo?"

"My knight," I said, holding it out for him to see. "Lisa bought him in New Zealand."

Severus held it at arm's length. The little knight was unsuccessfully trying to stab my brother's fingers with his sword. "Ahoy there!" Rodrigo repeated.

"He...erm...also thinks he's a sailor," I pointed out, giving him a small smile.

Severus looked at Rodrigo, glanced down at the Pygmy Puff and the WonderWitch product and then turned back to me with a strange expression. "Your friends give you bizarre gifts, Armilla."

I shrugged, watching as Severus placed Rodrigo down on the table next to the Pygmy Puff. Rodrigo paused as he took in the sight of the pink ball of fluff, which seemed to be dozing. A moment later, he was poking it with his sword.

Severus gave him a satisfied, malicious smile. "Kill it."