Magical Makeup – Chapter 1

Lavender Brown carefully pulled the hidden parcel from under her school jumper. She was so excited to have finally received it. She'd ordered it from a lady in Australia nearly two weeks ago and the post owl had flown in with it this morning, dumping it into her breakfast. She'd swooped on it immediately and dashed away with it before any of her classmates could ask her any questions.

Now she was huddled in a corner in a darkened dungeon passageway; she wanted to savour this moment alone, for this awesome product was new. So new it hadn't even been released for sale in the UK yet. She would be one of the first to try it… and certainly be THE first at Hogwarts! All the girls would be unendingly envious… and maybe some of the teachers would be too.

Lavender ignited her wand with a soft glow and held it between her knees, then with deft fingers turned over the parcel. It was wrapped in a Muggle post bag; the return address label stuck in its middle.

From

Magical Makeup

Followed by a mundane street address in what was likely a mundane suburb somewhere in Queensland, Australia.

Lavender was getting sweaty palms… for if the product did what it said it would do, she would be ecstatic! She began to pick at the edges of the padded post bag when the worst possible thing that could have happened… happened!

A bright light was suddenly ignited, revealing the presence of the formidable and livid Professor Snape!

"Oh… shi-"

"DO NOT finish that sentence, Miss Brown," his waspish, yet authoritative voice hissed in warning.

Lavender tried to swiftly hide the parcel behind her back, but it was futile… Snape was never one who let small details pass him by.

"And what have you got there?!" he demanded to know.

Lavender swallowed and looked up at her teacher. "Just a parcel," she admitted, trying not to look guilty, but failing miserably. She wasn't supposed to have it, she couldn't help it… the product hadn't been released in the UK yet!

Instantly suspicious, Snape stepped forward and held out his hand for the, what he suspected was an illicit, object.

Sighing dejectedly, Lavender handed it over. "It's nothing, Sir," she insisted, "just something I ordered via post."

Taking the post bag into his large hand Snape sneered. "Is that right?" he questioned, turning the parcel over to read the return address label by the light of his wand.

From Magical Makeup, and the Australian address.

He narrowed his eyes at the Gryffindor student, his suspicion increasing. "Illegal potions?"

"No, Sir!" Lavender insisted. "It… it's just makeup," she explained, fidgeting with her fingers, knowing that didn't really get her out of trouble, just perhaps lessened the trouble; students weren't allowed to possess makeup at Hogwarts.

The Professor's eyes told of his displeasure, even if the parcel wasn't the illicit product he'd initially suspected. He was going to confiscate it for sure, Lavender worried.

The Professor didn't disappoint, his robes suddenly swallowed up Lavender coveted parcel into a deep pocket. "Off to class… quickly, before you are late," he snapped sharply.

Distraught at the sudden disappearance of her long awaited prize before she'd even had a chance to open it Lavender unwisely attempted to sway her strict teacher. "Please, Sir… it cost me £26.73 … including the postage!" she exclaimed.

This made Professor Snape's face darken even further and Lavender realised her folly, dipping her head and complying with her teacher's command immediately; scooping up her school bag and reluctantly heading to her first class for the day – lamenting not sequestering herself in her dorm to open her long awaited parcel.