#18: I am not allowed to sneak into Professor Snape's private chambers and hex his belongings. Nor am I allowed to charm his belongings. Quite frankly, I should not be in Professor Snape's private chambers at all.


"Emma! What are you doing?" Lee said in surprise when he saw me dashing down the corridor. I didn't have time to slow down and ran straight into him, knocking myself off balance. He caught me so I didn't fall, but I didn't have time to stop. I grabbed his arm and dragged him along after me, saying "No time to explain, you'll probably figure it out soon enough." Breathlessly. He didn't question me, which is probably best in this sort of situation, and simply followed at a run.

We turned a corner and I pulled him up against the wall to catch my breath. We stood, breathing hard, for a few minutes before Professor Snape came around the opposite end of the hall, heading toward his private chambers. His robes flowed behind him, dramatically as always, and I hoped he didn't notice Lee and I as he walked past us. It seemed he hadn't, and I breathed a sigh of relief when he was safely past us.

Lee looked at me, then closed his eyes. "What did you do and what did Snape have to do with it?" he asked, resigned to my prank, whatever it was.

"I may have snuck into his private chambers…" I started, and Lee sighed. "…and bewitched his stuff…"

Lee turned to me and smiled. "You naughty, naughty girl." Then I heard the unmistakable sound of an angry professor running through the hall. Had to be Snape. Without a word, I grabbed Lee's hand and started running again.

We ran, but Snape's footsteps seemed right behind us. I pulled back against a wall and Lee did the same, just as Snape turned the corner. He saw us and glared. "You." He spat.

"Hello Professor." I said, still winded.

"Why are you out of breath, Jones? Would it happen that you were running?"

"Snogging!" I gasped, surprising all three of us with my quick excuse.

"Snogging?" Snape and Lee said in unison. Lee realized his mistake too late, and Snape grinned maniacally, a rare sight.

"Liar." He said, too singsong for…him.

I gulped. "Maybe?" Snape opened his mouth to reply just as –my luck- McGonagall entered the hallway.

"Then answer me this, Jones- Why did I find my private chambers in all sorts of disarray, my bed floating upside down near the ceiling and all my robes dancing of their own accord…why, Jones?"

"How should I know?" was the wrong choice of words, apparently.

"You do know, because you snuck into my private chambers and hexed my belongings!" He accused, looking to McGonagall for support.

"I did not! I never hexed anything!" I protested.

McGonagall sighed. Snape fumed. "Then you charmed them, you admit!"

"I didn't charm them. I bewitched them. Difference." I replied, seeing there was no way to completely talk my way out.

"You musn't charm, hex, or bewitch any professor's belongings!" he shouted.

"Severus, if I may?" McGonagall interrupted. "Emma Jones. You shouldn't sneak into a professor's private chambers for any reason, much less to mess with their personal items. Twenty points from Gryffindor and don't let it happen again."

"Yes, Professor," I said, tugging on Lee's sleeve. He took the hint and we both picked our way around the angry adults, and walked quickly down the hall.

When we were a decent distance away, Lee leaned down and whispered, "Snogging?"

I shoved him, blushing. "Oi, shut it." He just grinned.