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When her watch beeped, they both stood and carried their tea into the lab. They continued working, taking turns preparing and adding ingredients. Freddie added 2 sliced crocodile hearts, then washed her hands at the sink. She finished off her cup of tea and looked up to see Snape frowning at her.
"What?" she asked.
"That was my cup."
"No it wasn't."
"Yes it was. I placed my cup next to the mortar, yours is next to the scales."
"Hm. Sorry. I'll get you a refill."
She walked out into the office and refilled the cup from the glowing teapot. She smiled to herself as she poured the tea. Ever since his birthday any time they'd had tea together he'd used the pot she'd gifted him. He likes it, she thought with a smile.
She returned to the lab and gave Snape his tea. He took it but he was still frowning slightly and he didn't drink it.
"What?" she asked, looking up at him. "You scared of my germs?"
"Nothing about you scares me, little girl," he said, pushing her away. "Tend to your potion."
She wrinkled her nose at him, stick out her tongue, then went back to work.
It was late when they finished the potion, nearing midnight. Freddie checked the recipe. The brew in the cauldron was shimmering silver, swirling in an almost ectoplasmic looking way. It matched the description Lady Karen Byrne recorded in her recipe.
"Can I test it?" she asked, looking to Snape who was leaning against the workstations.
"I am fresh out of mice, I'm afraid."
"I meant on myself," she said, retrieving a ladle.
He looked hesitant, then shrugged. He tried to look indifferent but his dark eyes watched her intensely as she scooped up the potion and drank a spoonful. It had a bitter taste but was not totally unbearable.
She put the ladle down as her skin began to tingle. She looked down at her hands as her body felt cold...then she disappeared.
"It worked!" she said delightedly, looking down at her invisible body.
"Better than a Disillusionment Charm," Snape said, sounding impressed. "I can't see you at all."
Freddie grinned to herself and skirted around the cauldron. She moved silently and she could see Snape's eyes darting around, searching for her. She tiptoed over to him, grabbed his cloak and pulled it over his eyes, then danced away, laughing.
She stifled her laughter as he pulled his cloak back over his head.
"Winifred," he said, annoyed. "Where did you go?"
She didn't answer but silently moved to the workstation. She flicked a few beetle eyes at him then moved quickly away as he tried to grab her.
"I'm not playing this game with you, Winifred, it isn't funny," he growled.
It is to me, she thought as she moved stealthily across the room. He pulled out his wand, looking around the room. That won't help you find me, Severus Snape.
She let out a gasp as she felt him enter her mind. He rifled through her memories of the last few minutes, not giving her time to react or try to block him. Then it was as if he was looking through her eyes as he crossed the room. He severed the connection with her mind as he grabbed her and pinned her to the wall.
"That's cheating," she said, struggling against him. "You used Legilimency on me."
"I'm not playing," he said, his face inches from hers, even though she was invisible. She thought, briefly, about kissing him, but decided not to.
He might actually kill me.
"How long does it take to wear off?" he asked, keeping her pinned to the wall.
"An hour," she answered.
"Are you going to behave?" he asked. "Or do I need to keep you pinned here for the duration?"
That wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, Freddie thought, struggling against him and wedging her leg between his. He pressed her harder against the wall, like she expected he would. She grinned, glad she was invisible.
"Well?" he demanded, his breath hot on her face. His breath hot on her face. His breath smelled minty, from the tea. I bet it would taste good if he did kiss me.
"I'm thinking about it," she said.
"Do I need to penetrate your mind again?"
She felt herself grow wet at the word 'penetrate' from his pale lips.
"I really think you do not want to do that," she said, smirking at his confused/annoyed look. "I'll behave. I promise."
He released her and stepped back, then turned and walked into his office.
"Can I go walk around the castle until it wears off?" she asked, following him.
"How is that behaving, Winifred?" he asked, sounding exasperated.
"Well," she said slowly. "I wouldn't be flicking things at you."
He looked at her – or towards her – annoyed. He was silent a minute, then exhaled slowly.
"I could go patrol the corridors for students breaking curfew," he said finally.
"And I can come?"
"If you stay close to me, stay quiet, and-"
"Behave?" she finished, smiling. "I will. I promise."
"Very well."
Freddie followed him out into the corridor happily.
"We will go patrol near Gryffindor Tower," he said. "They are notorious troublemakers."
"Maybe we'll find some students out of bed and give them detention," she said enthusiastically.
"I will give detention, you will stay hidden. Silent."
"Of course," she said, walking beside him.
She took his hand in hers and he looked down at her, disgusted.
"What do you think you're doing?" he asked.
"Sticking close to you," she answered innocently. "This way you will not lose me."
"Hmm," he said, but did not make her let go.
They left the dungeons and started up the staircase together. The castle was quit, there was no one else out.
"I thought you practiced Legilimency and Occlumency?" he asked quietly.
"I did," she answered, keeping her voice low.
"You did not defend your mind when I entered to determine your location."
"Well I learned Legilimency. Practiced on younger students until I got it right," she said. "But I never got the hang of Occlumency. With no one to defend my mind from, it's difficult to practice."
"Practice now. The trick is to clear your mind of all thought, all emotion."
Freddie tried but she was worried he would enter her mind again and what he would see if he did. Her thoughts, her private thoughts, fantasies...fantasies about him.
"I can't," she said, shaking her head. "I can't just think of nothing, how can you think of nothing, especially when you're trying to think of nothing then you automatically think of-"
"Shh," he said suddenly, squeezing her hand as he came to a stop on the stairs. "Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"Close your mouth and listen," he hissed.
Freddie did as told. She listened intently and heard a crashing sound from up the stairs.
"That didn't come from Gryffindor Tower," she said.
"No," he said. "It did not. Come."
Snape drew his wand as they quickly made their way to the fourth floor. They passed the entrance to the library, following the sound of spells being fired.
"Take that, fungus face!" said a voice.
"I'll kill you, Collins!"
Snape let go of Freddie's hand and pulled on a large mirror on the wall. It opened to reveal a secret room where four students were fighting. There were spells flying everywhere. Carson Maxwell and Owen Barker from Slytherin and Mitchell Collins and Lana Barlow from Ravenclaw. Maxwell had mushrooms sprouting all over his skin and Barlow's teeth had grown like a woodchuck's past her chin.
"Enough!" Snape bellowed and they all froze. A beam of light from Maxwell's wand flew up as he turned to face Snape and the spell hit the ceiling. There was a loud crack and dust began to fall from the ceiling.
"Get back!" Snape shouted as rubble began to fall, followed by large rocks. He jumped back and Freddie stood behind him, covering her face until the crashing sounds stopped. As the dust settled she grabbed Snape's hand and squeezed it, letting him know she was okay before dropping it.
"What's going on here?" Snape demanded as the students picked themselves up out of the rubble.
"They attacked us-" Barker began.
"The hell we did!" Collins interrupted.
"They lured us out-"
"Their idea-"
"They started it."
"And I am ending it," Snape said. "Detention, all of you, tomorrow evening in my office."
Freddie heard footsteps and stepped out of the way as Madam Pince, the librarian, came running in, followed by Filch.
"What happened here?" Madam Pince gasped.
"I believe Misters Maxwell, Barker, Collins and Miss Barlow snuck out of their dormitories for a duel," Snape said. "They'll be serving detention with me tomorrow evening. And I'll be deducting house points – 50, from each of you."
The students looked at each other sullenly. Maxwell glared daggers at the Ravenclaws.
"Maxwell, Barlow, Hospital Wing now – Madam Pince will you escort them to prevent them from killing one another before they get there?" Snape asked.
"Of course, Professor."
"Mr Filch will you ensure the other two return to their dormitories?"
"Yes Professor Snape. Come on, you two," Filch growled.
Snape stood still, looking out over the caved-in room until everyone else was gone, then he turned to her.
"Winifred?" he said uncertainly.
"I'm here," she said, touching his arm so he would know where she was. He touched her invisible arm then, with surprising accuracy, reached out and cupped her face.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly.
"Y-yes," she said, surprised at his tender touch. "I'm fine. I was behind you when the ceiling fell."
"Good," he said, stroking her cheek gently with his thumb before dropping his hand and turning away. "This is a mess. Come. We should return to the dungeons."
Freddie followed Snape out of the room and back down the staircase. Neither of them spoke until they were back in his office.
"I believe I know what we need to do next," he said as he sat at his desk.
"Oh?" she said, her imagination running away with his words.
"We need to invent an antidote to this Invisibility Potion," he said.
"When? Tonight?"
"No, not tonight. It will take days, weeks possibly, to concoct an antidote. No doubt we will have many failures ahead of us before we get it right – if we ever get it right."
"We will," she said confidently. "You're brilliant, you can do anything, and I'm..."
"Naturally skilled," he finished. "And well-trained. By me."
"Of course," she chuckled.
"We can get started tomorrow evening. Your potion will wear off shortly. Return to your dormitory and get some sleep. I need you alert tomorrow."
"Yes sir," she said, standing up. "Goodnight, Professor."
"Goodnight, Miss Gray."