Chapter eleven:

Desire

Once Victoria had picked Harry up from the platform, they headed back to the house. Harry had found out that Sirius was the one who sent the Firebolt and let Victoria know, which she wasn't that fond of though she let him keep the broom. The summer seemed to have gone smoothly, though Victoria had thought about taking a vacation back to America to visit her adoptive parents with Harry, she figured she would postpone it due to just gaining guardianship and also to give her nephew some time to get used to things. Meanwhile, Snape had remained at his place in Spinners End, getting set up for the usual new school year of potions class but was still taking in the fact that Lily had a twin all this time. Of course it had crossed his mind after getting to know Victoria more that perhaps he had fallen for the wrong twin. But back when he met Lily, she was a one of a kind and neither knew about Victoria. Though he was beginning to open up more, Snape was remaining careful on his attachment, not wanting to make the same mistake.

That summer, Harry had gotten a perch for Hedwig in his bedroom and one in the living room which would be easier for Hedwig to be outside her cage and have stocked up on more butter beer in the fridge after they got more groceries. Currently, it was the 10th of August and Harry was in the living room that late afternoon, watching the t.v. with the muggle show called Friends when there was an owl on the windowsill of the living room. Harry got up and opened the window to take the letter from the owl before it flew away. The letter was addressed to him in Hermione's handwriting. Opening the letter, Harry read:

'Dear Harry,

Ron and his family are planning on going to the Quidditch World Cup on 18th August, and wanted to invite you to come along. I'm going as well. Let me know if interested.

- Hermione x'

Harry smiled widely after reading the letter. Victoria entered the living room after getting tea started in the kitchen and was curious as to the letter Harry had received. "Hey, what's that about?" Victoria asked in pure curiosity. Harry turned his attention from the letter and onto his aunt. "Oh, nothing. Letter from Hermione. I'm being invited to go to the Quidditch World Cup in about a week." Harry replied. Victoria was surprised to hear about the invite to the big event. "That's spectacular, Harry. Are you going?" Victoria asked. Harry seemed a little caught off guard. "Well, yeah, i mean if it's okay with you?" Harry asked politely. Victoria knew that the Weasleys seemed to be Harry's second family and she would love for Harry to enjoy his school years so she would have no problem. Before she could reply, there was a knock on the door. Victoria went over to the front door and opened it to Ron and Hermione. "Ron? Hermione?" Harry questioned in surprised before they stepped inside and greeted Harry with a hug.

"Did you get my letter?" Hermione asked. Victoria went to close the door and watched the three quietly. "Yeah, i did." Harry replied with a soft smile. "So are you in?" Ron asked curiously. Harry went to look at his aunt for approval before the other two looked in the same direction. "Of course you can go." Victoria approved. The three of them were glad to hear it. "You're welcome to stay over if you'd like them to, Harry. We do have two guest rooms upstairs." Victoria suggested. Both Ron and Hermione took up the offer and of course Harry liked the idea, having Hermione and Ron go get their overnight stuff before returning and getting comfortable in the guest rooms before meeting with Harry in his room to hang out - Harry on his bed while Hermione sat on the room chair and Ron on the edge of the bed. "Your aunt...Professor Hawthrone...is lovely." Hermione complimented. Harry smiled before parting his lips to speak. "Yeah, she is." Harry replied. Ron looked around at the room while Hedwig rested on the perch. "Bet it beats staying with the Dursleys, i reckon." Ron pointed out. "Loads." Harry replied.

The two were hesitating on asking Harry about his aunt and Snape but it seemed that neither knew how to go about it. "It was quite odd, back at the shrieking shack, that your aunt seemed to take Professor Snape's side. Don't you think?" Hermione asked curiously. Harry was playing with one of Hedwig's loose feathers that fell on the ground from her grooming and having it float with his wand pointed at it while they talked. "Well, she's a professor..." Ron began before noticing Hermione's look toward him. "That doesn't mean anything. Professor Lupin was there too." Hermione corrected. Harry dropped the feather onto the ground and looked at his quarreling friends. "Are you telling me that my aunt sided with Snape because she fancies him?" Harry questioned. Ron looked at Harry while Hermione sat back in the chair. "Well..." Hermione trailed off. "Wait - she does fancy him?" Ron caught on to Harry's words. Harry was put on the spot and shrugged gently. "Does it matter?" Harry refuted. Ron and Hermione looked at each other for a mere second before turning back to Harry. "If you don't mind Snape being your uncle, then i suppose not." Ron pointed out. Harry didn't like the sound of it but it also wasn't his choice otherwise, it was his aunt's life. "I asked her around the holidays, if she fancied him, but all she would say is...maybe. It doesn't matter anyway, it's her love life." Harry explained, he figured that he wouldn't want her to dictate his future love life choices and she was already doing a lot for him. "That settles it then. Anyway, i bet the world cup is going to be brilliant." Ron stated. They continued to chat in Harry's bedroom while Victoria remained in the living room.

Victoria had been in the living room, writing up her curriculum for the new year that would begin in weeks but she couldn't seem to focus very well - she couldn't take her mind off of Snape. She had realized that Snape seemed to be concerned about her safety as of late, making it twice now since they had met but she wasn't positive if she was just making too much of it. Victoria decided to get back to writing up the new curriculum before she would start the dinner. After an hour, she had nearly finished the curriculum for her classes and decided to start the dinner in the kitchen to make chicken alfredo and caesar salad. The trio came out from Harry's room and into the living room downstairs before they reached the kitchen. Victoria had just set the table for four with chicken alfredo filled plates, empty cups, small bowls of salad and forks floating over and sat onto the table. "Dinner is ready if you'd like to join? I made chicken alfredo." Victoria asked. Ron immediately went over and took a seat while Hermione and a smiling Harry followed suit. "Erm, Harry told us that you had butter beer...is it true?" Ron asked curiously. Hermione shot Ron a look, thinking he was being impolite. "What?" Ron shrugged.

Harry took his fork and twirled some of the pasta before taking a bite, avoiding the discussion. "Yes, i do. Would you all like some?" Victoria asked. The three of them nodded and she took the pitcher of butter beer out from the fridge, pouring it into each glass before setting it in the middle of the table and took a seat herself to eat. After dinner, they went back upstairs, chatting as they went up, Ron complimenting Harry's aunt on being a good cook and so forth. The days went by and eventually Ron and Hermione went back to their homes before the day before the world cup when Harry was staying over at the burrow for the event. The day that Harry had left to the burrow with his trunk and Hedwig, Victoria found herself sitting in the living room with a pad of parchment on her lap once again. She had finally finished the curriculum for all seven years by the time the early evening came when there was an owl by the window. Victoria figured that it was something for Harry from another friend but when she opened the window and took the letter from the owl's beak, it was addressed to her. Closing the window, she took the letter and opened it to read:

'Victoria,

I am making use of your dragon scales for a particular brew. However, as you have claimed to be a previous Advanced Potions professor, i believe i need your assistance. Would you mind?

- Severus

Spinner's End

Cokeworth, England'

Victoria couldn't believe her eyes that she had received a letter from Snape but she was glad that she did. Victoria went and got herself dressed in her black, vintage, off the shoulder, lace, long sleeve dress that went to just above the knee and black heels before grabbing a light coat with an umbrella and headed out the backdoor. Looking back at the letter, she spotted the address and then apparated to Cokeworth, England. Upon arriving there, she walked down the streets of the town, scanning the street names before finally finding the murky street, Spinner's End. Putting the letter back into her coat pocket as her other hand held the umbrella, Victoria was startled by a figure that had just approached her. Looking at the figure, she noticed that it was none other than Severus Snape. "This way, Victoria." Snape motioned, having a quiver of a smirk on the corner of his lips before watching Victoria walk ahead of him. Snape directed Victoria to the door of his residence on the gloomy street and opened it, having both of them step inside.

Once the door was closed, Victoria removed her coat before Snape generously took it and hung it on the coat hook beside the door with her umbrella then he walked over to the room where he had his potions and cauldron. While Victoria followed his lead, she passed by his study room with his desk and walls covered in books before walking down the narrow hallway and into the room he went into. The residence was a little smaller and narrower than what she was used to, but somehow she found it to be quaint. Noticing the potion ingredients on the table next to the cauldron, her green eyes laid on the box of dragon scales she had gifted Snape laying next to a jar of eel eyes, bottle of horklump juice and a jar full of liver of toads before turning her focus onto Snape once more. "What exactly are you brewing, Severus?" Victoria asked, watching him beginning the potion, completely focused on the cauldron as he took the bottle of horklump juice and began adding drops into the cauldron. "I'm concocting a cure for Spattergroit. Obviously, there isn't any cure for such unknown contagious fungus, however...having such a rare ingredient and an advanced potion assistant, i assume such cure could be possible." Snape explained, putting the bottle back onto the table and turning his focus onto Victoria before taking his wand and casting a spell on the potion to combine properly as he mixed it counter clockwise.

Victoria took the words Snape spoke to her as a compliment and tried her best to prevent a blush that would radiate on her cheeks like a schoolgirl with her crush by placing a warm smile quickly onto her pink lips. "Thank you, Severus. It is a rare occasion to work with the potions master, i find myself very fortunate." Victoria replied in a sincere tone. Snape had paused his mixing of the potion once hearing the words escape her mouth. Snape wasn't used to such honest compliments but merely used to brew whatever Dumbledore expected him to such as Lupin's lycanthropy potion to prevent his transformation on a full moon the previous year or his own concoctions but never had such recognition. Silence clouded the room for a moment as he locked eyes with Victoria before briefly turning them onto the cauldron. "The feeling is mutual." Snape replied. Victoria crooked her smile before Snape continued mixing clockwise once more. "Please drop in two eel eyes." Snape instructed.

Victoria nodded before opening the jar of eel eyes and with the small, aluminum scooper, Victoria scooped up two eel eyes and dropped the eyes one by one into the cauldron. The potion inside the cauldron was simmering while Snape continued mixing the potion with magic and went to fetch another ingredient from his storage. Having gathered a jar of lionfish spines, Snape returned to the table. "Now...i will need for you to precisely, add an additional drop and one drop only...of the horklump juice and two toad livers at the same time as i put my ingredient into the cauldron. As you may know, timing is everything." Snape instructed, keeping his tone serious. Victoria felt that she was in potions class all over again but, she wouldn't complain having one on one time with Snape. "Yes, professor. Once the cauldron boils, it's a positive sign that it's going accordingly." Victoria replied, looking at the cauldron before inadvertently catching Snape's hovering glance before smiling softly and looking back to the cauldron. Snape was merely impressed.

Victoria had gotten the jar of toad livers opened, placing two in one hand and had the horklump juice at the ready in the other while Snape began dropping ten lionfish spines. Victoria dropped one drop of the horklump juice and put in the livers together immediately which caused the potion to boil. "Impressive." Snape stated before changing the direction of the mixing, having it now go clockwise. "Now...the dragon scales. One should be sufficient enough for this potion." Snape explained. Taking the box of the two dragon scales, Snape opened it and took precisely one scale. Keeping his focus on the greyish green scale which was the size of a guitar pick before dropping it into the cauldron. Once the mixing finished, Snape took his wand to point at the cauldron. "Now, we finish together. I assume you know the spell..." Snape questioned. Victoria took out her wand and suddenly white lightning shot from her wand on the potion, Snape's wand was doing the same as they finished the potion together. "This potion, should be ready in no more than a day as i let it set." Snape stated before putting up the ingredients.

Victoria went to help by closing the jars and the box, causing Snape to pause for a moment. "Thank you for inviting me over, Severus. I had fun, and hope to return the invite one day." Victoria pointed out with a soft smile. For a minute there, Victoria could have sworn she saw a Snape form a small smile her way but she didn't set herself up to think too much of it. Snape had enjoyed her company and that was one of the reasons he had invited her over, the potion making was merely a cover for him to spend time with Victoria. "I appreciate your help and your company...however, I'm sure that Mr. Potter is expecting you back home..." Snape replied, modestly excusing Victoria while knowing that she was Harry's guardian. Victoria sighed before she edged towards the door frame of the room. "Harry is at the World Cup with the Weasleys. But i see that you are busy, I'll see you at Hogwarts on the first, Severus." Victoria replied hesitantly before stepping out of the room. When she made it to the front door, putting her coat back on and grabbing her umbrella, she went to put her hand on the doorknob when a voice caused her to stop. "Victoria..." Snape spoke hesitantly, gaining Victoria's attention as he stood steps away. Victoria paused at the door before turning around face Snape, having a warm smile planted on her face. "Yes?" Victoria asked. Snape had his hands at his sides and parted his lips to reply. "Mind accompanying me for tea, perhaps?" Snape asked with uncertainty, he wasn't used to having much of a social life and her likeness of Lily played a good part of it.

The fact that Victoria had taken an interest in him and is fond of potions had broken the ice a little between them, on Snape's end. "I would like that." Victoria replied before she went to start unbuttoning her coat to hang it up once again. Snape found himself watching her unbutton her coat before shifting his attention onto his study and walked off to the kitchen in order to start tea. Victoria looked up after hearing his footsteps walk away from her to hear a little racket in the kitchen before it stopped a minute later. Walking into his study, Victoria scanned the bookshelf with her arms crossed, looking at the numerous potion books, spell books and literature that rested on the dusty shelves before she turned to look over her shoulder to spot Snape just enter the room with a plate of muffins. "Sorry. I was just curious on your collection of books. You have quite a detailed collection, Severus." Victoria explained herself, locking eyes with Snape. Snape had studied her for a moment before making a quiver of a half smile. "Indeed." Snape responded simply before having the tea cups filled with hot tea float into the room, taking one before sitting at his desk with the plate, Victoria taking the other tea cup, taking a muffin and went to sit on the leather chair in the room.

Taking a sip of the tea, Victoria swallowed the warm drink and placed the cup onto the small table beside the chair to try small bite of the muffin. "Lemon poppy seed...how did you know?" Victoria asked after tasting the muffin. Snape had noticed every morning at breakfast since the middle of her first year teaching at Hogwarts, that the muffin she would grab from the variety they had in then great hall had always been the lemon poppy seed - he always noticed the small details when it came to whom he cared about. "I assumed it was a favorite of yours, noticeably it is the muffin your take each morning in the great hall, correct?" Snape explained. Victoria was surprised that Snape had noticed the little details about her which impressed her. "Correct. I'm quite flattered, Severus. Thank you." Victoria replied, trying to prevent herself from blushing and remain professional but it wasn't necessarily working to her favor as a faint blush crept onto her porcelain cheeks. Snape noticed the blush but kept it to himself as he took a sip of his own cup of tea. "Curiosity finds me, what exactly drew you to find a gift in potion making?" Snape asked curiously. Victoria placed the partial eaten muffin on her lap and held the cup of tea when the question was directed at her. "Ever since i has taken my first week of potions class at Ilvermorny in Professor Lockwood's class, my first year. Before then, i had enjoyed mixing things in the kitchen when cooking since my adoptive parents are muggles." Victoria replied before taking another sip of her tea.

Snape listened on to Victoria's response and noted that she was raised by muggles like her sister Lily. He still had regretted ever calling Lily a mudblood and surely he would never make the mistake twice. "Intriguing. Instructors have heavy influence on their students, whether students like to admit it or not." Snape replied. Victoria was curious on how Snape became the potions master at the school herself. "How did you get into potions, Severus?" Victoria asked. Severus suspected he would be asked the same question but figured out that this one on one time was getting to know one another. "I began at a rather young age, as my mother was the only parent of mine that had magical blood and had a knack for potions herself. Despite the fact, i had studied and experimented purely out of interest as one would study a subject of interest and progress in such." Snape explained, of course leaving out a minor excerpt on trying to strive for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. Victoria smiled softly as she listened to his explanation on how he had gotten into potions, she enjoyed listening to him talk.

They continued to talk about each other's interests for a little longer before it began to get late and Victoria had to prepare for the start of the year, besides it wouldn't be appropriate to stay overnight at a coworker's residence that she wasn't yet in a relationship with. As Victoria went to the coat rack, she reached for her coat before Snape appeared and went to help her put the coat on. "Thank you, Severus." Victoria thanked, taking her umbrella in her hand then turning to face Snape inches away from her. "My pleasure." Snape replied in an intimate tone. His voice, his lips were tempting for Victoria as her lips were tempting for Snape as moments passed between them in mere silence. Of course there was temptation within the small distance in between them by the front door but neither Victoria or Snape figured one another were ready just yet. "Enjoy the rest of the summer, Severus. I'll see you at Hogwarts...on the first." Victoria hesitantly excused herself before she exited his residence. Snape was rather pleased with the evening and found himself walking back to his study with a genuine smile.