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Freddie was still in the lab that evening when Snape came in after his last class. Amelia had long since gone, having completed her potion. It had been a fun lesson and Amelia had been reluctant to leave her when it was time for Freddie to go to Defense Against Dark Arts.

The rest of her day had gone without incident and Freddie had returned to the lab to brew a potion she'd read about in the most recent edition of Apothecary Now.

"You brewed a Wit-Sharpening Potion?" Snake asked, stepping into the lab and peering into the cauldron from earlier.

"No," she said, adding mint leaves to the cauldron she had over the fire. "Miss Avery brewed a Wit-Sharpening Potion."

"She did well."

"I know, I – ha! I've never heard you compliment someone other than myself before," she said, grinning.

"Her results are a by product of your instruction – a direct result of my own teaching skills," he said haughtily, walking over to her workstation.

"Of course," she said, rolling her eyes when his back was turned. "Anyway...I awarded her 20 house points and allowed her to take a bottle with her."

"Why?"

"She did a good job," she said with a shrug. "And she's got end of year exams coming up, she asked if she could have some and I said she could."

"Hmm," he said, and picked up the mortar she had been using to crush moth wings. "What are you working on?"

Freddie pulled the rolled up magazine from her pocket and handed it to him.

"An Invisibility Potion?" he asked interestedly, scanning the article.

"Created by Lady Karen Byrne, in Ireland. You didn't see it?"

"I have been busy. I haven't had a chance to read it yet. If I had I might have-"

"Brewed it yourself?" she finished, smiling at him. "You can help me if you want."

"I do not need your permission," he said, sitting down to measure the beetle eyes she would need next. "In fact, I could send you to bed and take over your potion myself."

"You wouldn't...would you?" she asked, looking across the room at him.

He glanced at her and smiled briefly.

"I won't," he said. "Come chop this mallowsweet."

"Yes sir," she said obediently.

They worked together flawlessly on the potion for over an hour, falling into their usual comfortable routine. When they reached a point where the potion had to stew for half an hour, Freddie set the alarm on her watch then followed Snape out into his office.

"Tea?" he asked as he sat at his desk.

"Yes please," she said, stretching before she took her seat. He watched her stretch, his eyes lingering on the exposed skin of her stomach as her shirt rode up.

"Noelle?" he called as Freddie sat. The house elf appeared with a crack. "Bring up a pot of tea. Number 36."

"Yes Master Snape," the elf said and disappeared.

Neither of them spoke until after Noelle returned with the glowing green teapot. Snape poured their tea as the elf vanished.

"Are you planning to go to the Quidditch match Saturday morning?"

"Uh yes. It's the final match of the season, Slytherin vs Ravenclaw. Of course I'm going," she said. "We're gonna slaughter them, especially now that Geck's barred from playing, we-... I don't need a protection detail, if that's what you're thinking."

"No, of course not. I'm sure the Ravenclaws will not have a score to settle with you after they lose," he said sarcastically.

She frowned at him, and sipped her tea. It was a green tea with a minty, sweet taste.

"Spearmint? And...honeysuckle," she identified.

"Indeed. My own spin on Maghrebi mint tea, which originated in Morocco."

"It's good," she said, taking another sip. "I think this is my favorite so far."

"Thank you," he said and took a sip of his tea, then paused a moment. "...I would be pleased to escort you to the match on Saturday."

"Oh would that please you?" she teased lightly and he scowled at her.

"Forget it," he muttered. "Let them curse you. I'll be glad to be rid of you."

"No, I'm sorry. Sorry," she said, fighting back a smile. "I will happily attend the match with you, sir."

He grunted but didn't say anything else as he continued to drink his tea. Freddie smiled to herself and pulled out her copy of Apothecary Now to browse through it while she drank her tea.

Author's Note: You guys want a bunch of chapters again at once tonight? 😁 Comment if you do! (I know you do! lol)