Disclaimer: The Harry Potter Universe is not owned by me but by the lovely J.K Rowling. I wish I was as brilliant as her. In that regards, this fanfic is 100% original and something that I dreamt one night. I just added onto it as I went along.
AN: Hi there Guys! I thought this was a good time to start reposting my new edition of my first ever fan fic especially since today is the Three Year Anniversary of when I started this little mess. I really hope you guys enjoy this story and follow along. I am planning on doing a chapter at least every other week, especially since I have so many chapters ready. It may be sometimes more, sometimes less. I am a stay at home mom now, and would love to start writing again! So as this is my revamped attempt at fanfiction, I would appreciate reviews, comments, concerns. Everything helps! The more reviews I get, the better I can do and the more I can write for you all! Thanks! So, without further ado, I present to you the first chapter. Not many changes in this one, so it may look familiar. Just lots of edits with grammar, punctuation, and a few things changed up a wee bit! Enjoy!
Chapter 1She listened to her footsteps, click-clacking down the cobbled street of Diagon Alley. In the early morning, not many shops were open, but those that were were just the ones that she needed. Natalia Rook, accompanied by her tabby familiar, had a singular mission in mind and she had a short amount of time to accomplish said task. Her long, reddish-brown hair that hung to the middle of her back was shining in the morning sun. Her deep blue traveling cloak was staving off the crisp morning air and as she finally got to the shop she desired, she stood outside of it, took a deep breath and smiled. She could smell the damp dew that was condensed on the windows and little bits of grass squiggling between the stones of the streets. She also smelled strong mint, fresh thyme, and rosemary; all hanging from Mr. Mulpepper's hanging pots outside his storefront window.
Mr. Mulpepper's Apothecary has been around for as long as Natalia could remember. She reminisced about coming here with her mother when she was a small child. It was a stop they rarely made and only when her mother needed necessary ingredients to make a pepperup potion, or something similar. He always had the freshest ingredients and the fairest prices. Even fifteen years later, the shop hadn't changed in the slightest and Natalia reveled in that fact. A brilliant grin was upon her lips as she entered the shop with a twinkling of a bell above the door. Mr. Mulpepper looked up from his checkout counter and waved quietly.
"Here again, same time, as usual, Natalia. I should set my watch by you," he joked. With a quick smile, he let her carry on her business and went back to his bookkeeping.
Natalia nodded politely to him, blushed a bit at his comment and proceeded to find her wares. She went down each aisle habitually even though she knew exactly where everything she needed was. Mr. Mulpepper had a certain way of organizing his supplies, it was almost like a library. Natalia took solace in knowing the organization would always be there, yet she strolled through all the aisles to look at the different ingredients for inspiration on different potions and poultices that she can make.
As she meandered through the clean yet cramped rows of produce, Natalia leisurely grabbed the ingredients she needed and placed them neatly in her basket. After she placed the last item on her list away tightly next to her other wares, she quickly went towards the front of the store again. To get there she had to round a few corners and on the last stretch of the room before getting to her destination, she rounded a shelf corner too quickly and bumped directly into a sturdy body. She dropped her basket, her items scurrying away from each other as if they had legs to carry them away.
"Oh, I am so sorry!" she exclaimed as she hurried to pick up all of her supplies. The person she bumped into had also kneeled down and was helping her as she did so. She smiled shyly as she picked up her last item, still not having looked at the person she collided with and put it back in the basket. She looked up and her smile faded immediately. A shocked gasp escaped her lips as she saw the familiar scowl of her past Potions teacher.
"Oh! Professor Snape. I am so sorry to have bumped into you. I apologize. I hope you are not hurt?" She said more like a question. His tired eyes glared and his scowl deepened, almost as if her apologies offended him.
"It is not a problem Ms.-" He cut off, not remembering her name. She blushed but took no offense.
"Rook. Natalia Rook. I was a student of yours. I graduated five years ago. Hufflepuff…" She rambled on, biting her bottom lip nervously between her teeth. He handed her a vial of dragonfly thoraxes and straightened up, his tall stature towering above her average frame. Severus was at least a head and a half taller than she, and with his billowing black cape as if wind forever blows through it, he was as intimidating as ever. His longish raven black hair hung in his face. Some would say his nose protruded too far from his face, but Natalia was always distracted by that nose. How straight and strong it was. As if it were a perpendicular line with his strong jaw. It was almost regal in a way.
Severus cleared his throat and she looked up at him, blushing yet again. She took her basket and scurried to the small queue that had already begun to be made. She was about third in line and 'he' was right behind her. She bit her lip nervously out of habit and gasped a little as she heard his deep voice in her ear.
"Making a Girding potion, Wiggenweld potion and... what else, Ms. Rook?" He asked smoothly, glancing at her basket of items.
The line crept forward slower than she was used to. "A personal blemish cream. I try not to be a vain creature, Professor, but this is a necessary part of my daily routine. It is probably why you did not recognize me. In school, I was known as 'Pizza Face', or 'Pimple Princess'. I refuse to be known as such in my professional career," she said shyly, a blush spreading across her cheeks. Severus just nodded and stepped back, giving her her personal space. When it was her turn to check out she put her basket on the counter and Mr. Mulpepper began tallying up the total. She cleared her throat, leaned forward, and asked quietly, "And the last item I owled you about, Mr. Mulpepper?"
"Ah, yes. It was a bit harder to acquire this as of late Natalia, so the price will have to go up."
She smiled and nodded. "I understand Sir. I appreciate your willingness to help me out. Whatever the additional price, I am sure it is fair."
The owner of the shop added the ingredient to a bag quickly, but not before the mysterious man behind Natalia noticed what it was. As she was getting the appropriate amount of galleons, knuts, and sickles to pay for her purchase, he leaned forward again.
"Ms. Rook, I was curious if I may have a word with you before you leave today?" he asked quietly. Natalia raised a brow in confusion but nodded silently. Taking her wares, she left the shop and waited outside in the still early morning sun. She liked the smell of the Apothecary, but her nerves were calling for fresh air. She waited, not so patiently, for her old potions professor to join her outside. Her nerves were getting more and more on edge the longer it took him to check out. It didn't seem that he had many things in his arms when they bumped into each other, but perhaps he too had owled in an order ahead of time. He was a potions master after all.
Finally, with a sweet tinkling of the bell, the door opened and the black-robed man left the shop. He looked around for a moment before he found Natalia who walked a little down the road before turning back. The pacing was a bad habit of hers and she did some pacing while she waited for her professor. She looked up as she saw his robes in her field of vision of the ground. She smiled shyly and said, "You wanted to speak to me, Professor?"
He nodded and, while he didn't quite smile, his scowl was less prominent. "I did. I noticed that you bought items for quite a few different potions in there, and from behind the counter, your special ingredient. That is a rare item, Boomslang skin, Ms. Rook, as I am sure you know. What are you planning on using it for if I may ask?"
Natalia was confused. Why would it matter to him why she used it? "Well professor, I was just restocking my personal stores. I had a private order of some Polyjuice Potion, and I was getting low. As a potions master, I am sure you like to keep your stores fully stocked at all times."
Natalia suddenly thought she was going crazy. She thought, for a moment, that an inkling of a smile was playing on her professor's lips. It was almost charming if she didn't think she needed to have a little stay in the Janus Thickey Ward in St. Mungo's. Besides his smile, she noticed the tired look in his eyes from earlier suddenly was gone. As if the conversation suddenly intrigued him enough to wake up.
"You are interested in potions, Ms. Rook?" He asked with a brow raised. "I don't remember the interest while you were in school." Natalia blushed again. She could feel the heat spread over her face to her ears.
"Yes, sir. While in school I was more interested in Divination and Charms, as an adult I can see the appeal of potions. I am a healer's assistant at St. Mungo's currently and I work on potions daily. I did a short apprenticeship with Madam Pomfrey and got a reference from her to get into St Mungo's actually. I was to go visit her this morning. I try to visit her on the weekends or my other days off on the hospital. I help her restock the hospital wing of the school and I still learn so much from her."
Natalia bit her lip to shut herself up. She felt that she was rambling and smiled shyly. She knew that she talked a lot when it was something that she loved. It was a weakness she had, but one that she was glad for.
"Perhaps I could meet you in Hogsmeade for a cup of tea this morning, then I could accompany you to Hogwarts for your meeting with Poppy?" He asked, if not a little awkwardly. It surprised Natalia into nodding her acquiescence. He nodded and followed up his request with "Do you know how to Apparate?"
Again, she dipped her head in affirmation and he mirrored her actions. "Very well. I shall meet you at Three Broomsticks?" He asked, shortly. She nodded and took a deep breath. In a matter of seconds, and with a loud 'pop', she was alone. Severus had already apparated away to Hogsmeade, she assumed. She sighed loudly, took a calming breath and focused on her destination. With another loud 'pop', she too disappeared.