Challenge I Picked: Procure for Severus a lifetime membership to the Harry Potter Fan Society.
Ginny Weasley was in Potions class making Draught of the Living Death along with the other Gryffindors and Slytherins. Snape was staring out moodily at the class, his gaze sweeping back and forth.
One of the Gryffindors cauldrons began to squeak and Snape stalked up to the slightly cowering student.
"Even Potter wasn't as big a screw up as you Mister Brown," Severus sneered.
'Great,' Ginny rolled her eyes to herself. 'Another "Potter" lecture. I swear it almost seems like the git misses Harry or something weird like that.'
And then the brilliant idea was born. Ginny knew that she would probably get a weeks worth of detention and some points deducted but it would be worth it. Still, nothing could top the "Lovely Bear Prank" as it was now famously remembered around Hogwarts. Ginny wished she could have been a fly in the wall on that particular Potions lesson on that day.
After class she went up to the library and began searching through old articles of the Daily Prophet. Finally she found one that mentioned Snape's birthday. It was in a week and on a Tuesday when she would have class. It was perfect timing. She knew just what she was going to give the Potions Master for his birthday.
Ginny was a co-founder of the Harry Potter Fan Society even though she was still in school. She wrote a two page article every month on Harry Potter and together with Colin's help she picked out a picture to use. Harry was kind enough to owl her and tell her what he was up to and even answered some of Ginny's questions.
She snickered knowing that Snape would probably get annoyed if she gave him a lifetime membership during class.
Next week on Tuesday….
Ginny walked into class with her cauldron and books and a large envelope sealed with a seal made for the Harry Potter Fan Society. Sometimes she wondered if she had gone a bit far having the seal made just for the Fan Society but it was so cool looking that she didn't really care.
She sat at her usual seat waiting for the rest of the class and Snape to file into the room. He came in his robes billowing as he made a grand entrance like always. It still managed to make most of the Seventh Years shift uneasily on their feet.
Ginny stood from her seat and grabbed the envelope and followed the Potions Master to the front of the classroom.
"Here Professor," Ginny said with a brief smile as she held out the envelope.
"What is this?" He asked suspiciously taking it from her.
"A gift," Ginny said. "Open it."
With no uncertain amount of uneasiness he tore the seal off without even looking at it and pulled out a certificate and the latest copy of the Harry Potter Fan Society News Letter.
"What is this?" He sputtered.
"Well sir," Ginny said feeling much braver than normal after having had a shot of Firewhiskey before class. "You're always going on about Harry Potter so I decided to give you a lifetime membership to the Harry Potter Fan Society. You've got twelve free issues a year, sir."
"This…this," Snape couldn't quite get his words out.
The Gryffindors and Slytherins were both trying to hide their laughter.
"You insolent brat," Snape finally sad, face beginning to have a slight tinge of pink to it. "A weeks detention with….with Filch! And twenty points from Gryffindor."
"But sir it was a birthday gift," Ginny protested.
"You call this….this," He waved the Fan Society Newsletter and the certificate announcing his lifetime membership to the Society around. "A gift?"
"Of course sir," Ginny said. "You're always going on about Potter like you miss him or something, I thought it might help."
"Help? Help?" Snape almost shrieked. "Another twenty points! No all the points!"
"You can't take all the points," Ginny said thoughtfully.
"I do not, I repeat not, miss Harry Potter," Snape declared getting pinker.
"Could have fooled us," A Slytherin muttered.
"Who said that?" Snape glared. "Ten points from Slytherin!"
The Slytherins gasped. Snape almost never took points from his own House. The last time anyone could clearly remember him doing so was during the "Lovely Bear Prank".
Snape tossed the Newsletter and certificate in the garbage and ordered for Ginny to return to her seat. The Gryffindors smiled at her and she knew they didn't mind the lost points. It had been worth it. Hermione had been right, Snape did tinge pink when embarrassed and annoyed. She wondered if she would be able to do it again before graduation.