The weekend came quickly on Sophie's part. This was the final weekend before Christmas break and Sophie was enjoying teaching more than ever. She felt like she was getting closer to the students and her trips into the Forbidden Forest were more fun than she had ever imagined.
The mysterious Severus Snape was just as rigid and stoic as he'd ever been, but Sophie felt like there was something there. He didn't push her away. He didn't sneer at her as much as the other professors. And he seemed to relax in her company. But maybe that was just her seeing things where they weren't.
It was Saturday morning and a Hogsmead weekend. Sophie was one of the many teachers who were chaperoning this month and as she got dressed in her room, she pulled on her warmer cloak and a green scarf. Her hair covered her ears, a wavy mass of blonde. She paused in the mirror just long enough to make sure she did not look ridiculous before she left for the gates.
Outside, all she could see was the blur of white snow and large masses of black robes. The entire castle seemed to be leaving for the day. Everyone was pressing toward the large gates, talking excitedly and Sophie joined them, her eyes scanning the crowds.
A few professors stood on the sidelines, but another handful was doing the same as she was, huddled in with the rest of the school. It wasn't long until she came along Madam Hooch, who nodded a greeting.
"Professor Roe," the stern woman greeted.
Sophie smiled, "Madam Hooch. Have all of your shopping done for the holiday?"
The older woman shook her head, "I've got a few things left. I'll be getting those before I head to the Three Broomsticks for something warm to drink. You have yours done, then?"
Sophie shrugged, "You could say that."
Madam Hooch didn't press the matter and instead surged through the crowd and out of the gate, starting the trek to the wizarding town and leaving Sophie on her own once more. The younger witch had no problems with this, finding that the flurries of snowflakes were enough to entertain her. She was soon at the back of the group, watching the students, but with half her mind elsewhere.
When her eyes finally landed on something, it was the black, billowing robes of the Potion's Master. He was stalking down the road alone, off to the side of the children. A few times, he snapped at them and they retreated only to be more obnoxious than they had been before.
Sophie decided now was as good a time as any to strike up a discussion with the man and she skipped to his side with a grin.
"Professor Snape!" Sophie said once she was a step behind him.
The Potion's Master turned his head back marginally to look at her, "Ms. Roe."
"Have any more shopping before the holidays?" Sophie questioned him with a bright smile.
Snape sneered down at her, his black eyes cold, "I don't do Christmas shopping."
His harsh tone and icy gaze did nothing to deter the young witch, "Yeah, it is a pain sometimes. It's so hard to get something a person will actually like."
"I wouldn't know," Snape stated indifferently. "I assume you're going home for the holidays, then?"
He was surprised when Sophie shook her head and replied, "No. I'll be here. What about you?"
"I will be remaining here for the holiday. There is no reason for me to leave," the Potion's Master stated.
Sophie peered up at the dark man, "No family?"
Snape shook his head, "My parents passed years ago. I was their only child."
"I'm sorry," Sophie said.
She was surprised when he nearly growled back at her, "Don't be."
Severus Snape was angry at himself. Why had he told her so much? He didn't need her pity. He didn't want it. Stupid girl, prying into his life and then looking down on him when he admitted the slightest thing.
They walked in tense silence for a few moments and Snape wanted nothing more than to be rid of the young professor.
"My parents died too," Sophia whispered and Snape just barely caught it.
The Potion's Master looked down at her in surprise and found that her eyes had a faraway sadness about them, though they were downturned. For once, she didn't appear to be unnaturally happy and Snape was shocked to discover that this unnerved him. What was more unnerving was that he wanted to help her.
As they continued through the snow, the silence prevailed. Snape didn't know what to say, and further, he didn't even know if he really wanted to. The inner battle raged, but on the surface he was as cold as the ice under their feet.
Sophie was the first one to speak, smiling up at the professor. While he was quiet, she was thinking too, but her parents had been dead for some time now and she wasn't as overcome by the pain anymore. She pushed it to the back of her mind in favor of a sunnier attitude.
"So what will you be doing in Hogsmead, then?" Sophie questioned, her bright eyes staring up at Snape.
He looked back down at her to see that her grin was firmly planted on her face, her eyes showing nothing but happiness and curiosity. Immediately alarms went off in his head. Someone who switch personalities could only be doing one thing, hiding something. Obviously there was the pain, but turning off your sadness so quickly normally came with practice. What was she hiding?
"Obtaining a corner of the Three Broomsticks and drinking a glass of firewhiskey before going out and assigning detentions to those students who can't follow rules, Mr. Finnegan!" Snape snarled.
The dark man swept over to the laughing boy and grabbed him by the collar of his robes, pulling him back onto the road from where he'd been attempting to sneak off into the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Sophie couldn't see why he would ever want to do that, but then noticed his friends gawfing a few feet away.
"And just where do you think you were going?" Snape questioned, his face close to the fifth year's.
Seamus stuttered senselessly, gesturing with his hands, "Well…uh, you see, Professor.."
"Ten points from Gryffindor and detention Monday evening, Mr. Finnegan. And I shall expect a three foot scroll on why the Forbidden Forest is off limits and why we obey rules on my desk at that time," Snape stated.
The boy slumped, but nodded his head, "Yes, Professor."
His friends were still laughing loudly as Snape tossed his robes away from him and started down the road once more, Sophie hurrying to catch up with him.
"Another ten points from Gryffindor for encouraging him," the Potion's Master stated as he walked by, his voice cool and collected as if nothing had happened.
Sophie stared up at the professor in awe. She'd never seen anyone treat the students that way and though it was a bit unorthodox, it seemed to work just as well as anything else. She was sure they wouldn't try that stunt again, at least not when people were around to see.
"Get on with it," Snape said, his voice coming from nowhere.
Sophie looked up in surprise, "Get on with what?" She was genuinely confused as to what he was talking about.
"The scolding for treating them that way, for taking so many points," Snape sneered. "Whatever else bothered you so much about my disciplinary style?"
"Oh!" Sophie replied. She hadn't even thought of saying anything against him.
Severus Snape turned and raised an eyebrow.
Sophie shrugged, "I don't have anything to say."
His eyes showed that he didn't believe her.
"No, really! I don't have a problem with the way you handled the problem. It was your call. It's how you deal with them, I can't tell you what to do. They obviously respond," Sophie stated.
Snape did not respond and continued to walk in stony silence. Perhaps she was lying and simply trying to flatter him – for what he had no idea – but maybe she really meant what she said. Maybe she was telling the truth and his mean exterior really didn't bother her. He didn't know why someone as kind as he wouldn't have a problem with him, though.
The two were quiet as they made their way to the wizarding town. The children picked up the pace once in sight of it and Sophie and Snape were left watching as they took off toward the shops and stores.
Sophie looked up at Snape and a smile settled on her features once more.
"Well, I've got some shopping still to get done," she told him. "I'll see you around? Maybe you wouldn't mind letting me follow you some more, later?"
Snape could only stare coolly at the young witch before him, why would she want to spend any time with him? But then again, maybe she was only being nice and trying to get away from him, making promises she obviously wouldn't keep. He didn't know her to be like that, though, but he didn't think too much about what she said. He wouldn't hold her to it if she found that later she really didn't want to be with him.
"Perhaps," Snape stated, his deep voice controlled so that no emotion either way showed.
Sophie smiled brightly at this, as if he'd told her he would love it if she found him after she was done shopping.
"Then I'll catch up with you later," she said.
With that, Sophie bounded off, skipping toward the Hogsmead shops like a muggleborn third year. Snape rolled his eyes and continued toward the Three Broomsticks, where he planned to stay for at least half an hour to get out of this cold and to put some well-deserved alcohol into his body.
Sophie slid into the warmth of one of the shops of Hogsmead. The store was dark and magical trinkets and books lined the walls. She decided she would start here to look for the last of her Christmas gifts.
Old quills, odd books, eccentric clothing, sat on the shelves as Sophie searched for the perfect thing for each person. The place was quiet; she was perhaps the only person in the store.
"Can I help you?"
Sophie screamed, jumping in fright as she spun around to see the owner of the voice. An old witch stood just a few inches away from her body, waiting for an answer. Sophie took the seconds in which she caught her breath to look her over.
The witch had to have been at least 100 years old. Her hair was thick and grey, messily sticking out all around her face, which was wrinkled and slightly sagging. Her eyes were nearly crazed, a strange greenish-yellow color. She had a hunch in her back, though she still stood as tall as Sophie did. In the dim lighting it was difficult to make out, but she wore purple robes, accented by yellow crescent moons.
As the woman raised her eyebrows, Sophie swallowed and looked down at the floor.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm not really sure what I'm looking for," Sophie said quickly, stumbling over her words in her nervousness and embarrassment.
The witch nodded and rasped, "Of course. Christmas is coming soon. Anything in particular you're looking for?"
She gestured to the items on the shelves behind her and Sophie suddenly realized how sinister they all seemed.
"No, I'm just looking," Sophie replied, feeling uneasy and edging toward the door.
"Let me show you around, show you what we have," the witch said, putting her hand on Sophie's back and leading her further into the shop.
The younger witch had no choice but to follow, finding her eyes landing on darker items now that she was looking. Skulls, small skeletons – was that one a pixie? – eyeballs, and other odd things were placed in the strangest places, mixed with all of the regular things. It was nearly a half hour until Sophie was finally able to get away from the ship and its crazy owner.
Outside in the freezing cold, Sophie found that this was better than the warmth of the dark shop any day. She wandered down the crowded street, trying to erase the things she'd seen from her mind. Snow fell around her in large gusts and flurries, landing in her hair and covering her dark robes. She couldn't help but smile happily.
The next shop she went in, Sophie found herself checking to make sure it wasn't lined with dark objects and was relieved to find it was quite normal. She scanned the items on the shelves, finding some of what she needed and then moving on to the next place. None of the stores she went in were quite like the first one.
Snape stepped inside the warmth of the building and immediately heard the sound of a thousand voices chatting animatedly, he smelled the usual food and butterbeer, and he saw the crowds of people sat at tables and on stools up at the bar. Madam Rosmerta was bustling about, busy as ever with all of the students trying to warm up after their long walk in the snow from the castle.
Snape started toward the bar with his infamous gate, robes billowing behind him, crowds parting on either side. No one wanted to mess with the cruel Potion's Master. He was just fine with that. The company of students would only make him frustrated and angry, other professors were just intolerable. No, he would rather sit by himself somewhere.
"Firewhiskey, Rosmerta," Snape said to the harried witch when she turned to him.
The woman nodded and filled a glass before handing it over and turning to the next person. Snape laid the money on the counter and walked off to find himself a suitable corner where he could sit and brood in peace.
What a mystery, that Sophia Roe. He was learning more about her every day, but it wasn't enough. Why was she so happy? What were the secrets that Albus kept talking about? So her parents had died, was recently or a long time ago? Was that her only secret or was there more?
There was so much to think about her and Snape didn't know where to start. Logically, he knew that he shouldn't be starting anywhere. He should just be giving up and forgetting about her like he did to everyone else. He should be ignoring her and pushing her away before she got too close and he knew that he couldn't afford for anyone to be close enough to even be considered getting too close.
The problem with Sophia was that she just kept pulling him back. It was like a magnetic force was drawing him to her in a way that he'd never been drawn to anyone else before, like a spell was cast on him and he'd never even detected it. Snape briefly considered this possibility, but quickly brushed it aside. He would know if anyone cast a spell on him like that.
Honestly, Snape knew he had to just get over his curiosity and forget about her. He should ignore her like he did to everyone else and remember to focus on his mission. His mission!
It wasn't as if he'd forgotten about it, because he hadn't – he'd been called to the Dark Lord's side enough times not to have forgotten – but it had slipped his mind for a few moments and that was something he never expected. Sophia Roe made him stop thinking about his guilt. She made him forget that he was fighting a war with impossible odds and even less of a chance of his coming out of it alright.
He wasn't stupid. Snape knew that he didn't have much hope of seeing the end of the war. There was always the possibility of the Dark Lord discovering his indiscretions and if he did then he'd be worse than dead. Even if he didn't find out, there was always the chance that he might stop being useful and be more in the way than anything else and he would be disposed of. And even if that didn't happen and Harry Potter won the war, then no one would ever look at him the same. He was a Death Eater, a traitor, a murderer. There would always be other Death Eaters out for revenge and it would be a miracle if he made it out of Azkaban and he would deserve whatever punishment came his way.
And she made that all go away. Sophia made him forget his impending doom and the weight that was on his shoulders. She made him forget that there was nothing ahead of him. For that, she was worth keeping around a million times over.