A Gift For A Hag
Chapter 21: A Show Of Gratitude
Professor Vector smiled weakly at Sanguini, excused herself, and walked over to the corner of the bar where Snape was standing.
"Missing me already, Vector? I will be back in a moment." Snape wore a venomous smile and appeared to watch Professor Vector's reaction closely.
"Snape," said Professor Vector, trying to control the level of her voice from rising, "you have ten seconds to get the bloody vampire away from me."
"Really, Vector," tutted Snape, "I have just introduced you to one of your kind. Sanguini will think you are quite rude if I intervene."
"He keeps staring at me, Snape." Professor Vector looked very quickly over her shoulder at the table where a very pale and rail thin man in black sat patiently.
"But of course. He rarely meets eligible, er, young, unmarried ladies. Especially, I might remind you, those of both your kind."
Septima balled her fists. Her face went from pink to radish red. She turned on her heel and headed back to the table.
When she reached the table, she picked up her charmingly wrapped gift to Snape and her glass of gillywater. It was then that she marched back over to where Snape was standing.
"Here is your gift, you fool." She shoved the parcel into his chest and he slowly grabbed it with both of his hands. "This is it! I am telling Dumbledore that we need to re-evaluate how one selects from the Sorting Hat for the grab bag next holiday."
Snape sneered and looked down at the package without saying a word.
Snape looked slowly up at Vector through the black curtains of hair that fell into his eyes and broke the silence.
"Well, you are exceedingly rude, Vector. What do you wish for me to say to Sanguini?"
"He'll get over it. There are other vampires in the sea, er, in the forest. No need to fret. Go talk to him. You have a lot in common. You've both been lonely for ages. Give him some advice on how to cope, Snape. You WOULD know. Mingling with humans is something the both of you have trouble with."
Snape looked about to burst. Septima wondered if she had verbally hit a nerve.
"Oh, by the way…here's your drink back too." Vector raised the glass of gillywater and threw it right into Snape's face.
Unfortunately, she didn't wait around to see the consequences of her actions.
Vector slammed the glass on the counter, ignored the curious stares of the patrons who were witnesses that evening, and exited quickly through the door.