Presents are the best thing about birthdays and whoever says otherwise is lying. So here's mine to You, Ree. With lots of love and many kisses. I hope you're having a wonderful time and that once you get to this, you will have just as much fun.

Maybe you dont remember, but a long long time ago, you and I had a conversation. You accused me that I always make Severus and Harry drink coffee in my stories. I dont know how it happened, but I remember promising you a story, where the boys would only drink tea. This could have been any story, in fact, I started writing Indian Summer with this notion, but of course, the muses didnt let me. There's that saying, "I like my men how I like my tea: hot and British." Then there was this hilarious preventive video titled "Tea and Consent" (British PO version) where the British explained consent to sex through tea. And the idea for this story was born.

A Cup of Tea

"Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?"

(J. M. Barrie)

Step One: Collect All the Ingredients

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Anyone who ever had a cup of tea knows that tea is good. What good, it is brilliant. It is something that men and women – and anyone in between – enjoy all across the globe. And the best part of it is, that it comes in different flavours. "This is not my cup of tea," you might say when someone offers you Oolong tea, you being the type who defers towards less conventional flavours. Or perhaps, you prefer the refreshing and energizing green tea, or something mellow that burns through you on a cold winter night.

Some people like to mix tea with something else. Some cook with tea leaves, mix it with chocolate or other things some conservative folk might consider unorthodox. But we say that is perfectly alright. There are, of course, people, who do not even like tea and that is alright, too. As long as you are happy, no one should care what you drink, right?

But one of our heroes, namely Harry James Potter does like tea. He also likes many other things such as Quidditch, treacle tart, the colour blue, and his Firebolt. Harry Potter works as an Auror, also known as Dark Wizard Catcher, which nowadays is a rather boring job. There are not many Dark Wizards at the moment, and the ones who are out there, doing bad stuff are more like… grey. Not good, but not really bad either. None the less, Harry Potter still loves his job, but to be honest in the last month or so, he really only has mind for tea. His favourite blend is Earl Grey, all smoky and fragrant. He simply loves the citrusy aftertaste as citrus reminds him of certain bitter peop- things.

Now, Harry Potter, as so many of us, enjoys to have some tea on his own occasionally, but what he really prefers is a nice cup – or perhaps a bit more, two, even three cups – in the evening shared with another nice gentleman.

Yes, Harry Potter is the kind of gentlemen who prefers the company of other gentlemen when it comes to having tea. Which is alright, again.

Now, to his utter misfortune, Harry Potter had not had any tea in a while, not even on his own. Which makes Harry Potter rather a sour looking gentleman as he walks toward the Ministry on this fine summer morning.

As you might imagine, the Wizarding World is not so much different from our Muggle one, hence here as well, you could find many teashops where people would be more than happy to share a cup of tea with people who do not have company for tea. Harry Potter unfortunately does not like such establishments. He prefers his own blend, drank in a company of men he knows, or at least wants to get to know better.

Again, to his utter misfortune, there is only one gentlemen at the moment on this part of the globe – or even the other part – with whom Harry would love to share a cup of tea at home – or really anywhere – however this certain gentleman is currently out of his reach.

This certain gentleman, who will be our other protagonist, is called Severus Snape. He does, too, have a middle name, but he prefers it to be kept a secret, so we will not mention it. Severus Snape, who is an older gentleman, previous Potion Master extraordinaire, is now what you might call a freelancer. What kind of services does he provide, you wonder? Anything really that connects to potions, dark wizards, interesting mysteries, and difficult spells.

Severus has of course his own favourite blend, namely English Breakfast, which he likes for many reasons. One is that it gives him a rush of energy every morning as if he had just run five miles, or saved someone's scrawny ass. The other reason for this particular preference is the variability: black, with a bit of sugar, with only milk, with milk and sugar – English Breakfast will never get boring, there is always a newer level in its aromatic taste, a new brewing method that brings out another flavour. In other words, he loves the blend's unpredictability. As Severus Snape is a rather secretive person, not many knows about his favourite blend, which he prefers to keep that way.

Aahil Surabhi must also be mentioned, as he will have, one could say, the most important role in this short, tea-filled tale. He is a prince from India, and a great fan of a very American invention: the sweet tea. He believes there is nothing better in the heat of a summer afternoon, than to curl up with a glass of sweet tea and let the melting ice cool down his body.

Now, we do have another tea-lover to introduce here, as his role in this story will also be quite important. His name is Edward Connor Flannigan. Edward is a business man from the windy Chicago. He is a collector of everything that is fine: from china, paintings, real estate, artefacts, to gentlemen, Edward has eyes for anything. His preference when it comes to tea is quite simple: Edward Flannigan loves all the tea that is hot and delicious, but above all he goes mad for some spicy chai.

The object that brings these four gentlemen together and starts our story is a tiny little blue box. Mr. Flannigan brought this box over from India during his last visit to that magnificent country, famous of not just its rich culture but also its very fine teas.

Unfortunately, Edward does not know yet that his blue box is utterly worthless. He brings it oversees thinking proudly of it, rolling it on his palm admiring the beautiful patterns drawn in different shades of blue. There are sky blue leaves and ocean blue gems on it, and circles blue like wheat flower. It truly looks magnificent, which helps fooling even a knowledgeable man like him. But what truly helps is the Scam-Spell on it, that no one will know about for days to come.

So these will be our ingredients for our little story today: one freelancer called Severus Snape, one Auror called Harry James Potter, a prince named Aahil Surabhi, a collector of fine things by the name of Edward Connor Flannigan and a little blue box.

And of course, lots of tea.