Freddie read through Snape's notes while she ate two slices of pizza. He'd tried a lot of the same things she'd tried with the Invisibility antidote. She made some notes of her own, wishing she had the journal she'd used at home to keep notes in the kitchen. She went upstairs and got the record player from the kitchen before starting work on the antidote.
She was glad to have the freedom to listen to music again while she brewed. She had tried listening to music once while brewing in the kitchen at Gray Manor. Even though she'd kept the volume low, her uncle had heard it. He'd come into the kitchen and smashed the record player, berated her for listening to Muggle music. She'd been able to repair the record player later and hid it underneath her bed after that.
A few hours later, Freddie was bent over the cauldron, carefully adding demiguise fur when she heard footsteps on the stairs.
"Come to check up on me?" she asked, glancing up briefly before turning her attention back to her potion, stirring it carefully.
"No," he answered shortly, walking over to the supply. "You do not need looking after. I merely needed to grab something."
She stopped stirring and watched as he took asphodel roots and a jar of stewed mandrakes from the cupboard.
"What could you possibly need mandrakes for?" she asked as he turned to go.
"Mind your own potion, Miss Gray," he said as he climbed the stairs.
Curious, Freddie waited until he was gone then placed a stasis spell on her cauldron. She slipped up the stairs quietly, went through the kitchen and sitting room, then up the second flight of stairs just in time to see Snape's bedroom door shut.
She stood in the hallway and sniffed the air. She could smell fire and steam.
He's brewing something, she realized. But why here, in his room, why not down in the cellar? And why wouldn't he tell me? Even if he's brewing something illicit, we've brewed poisons together before.
She lingered in the hallway a moment, contemplating. Then she ducked into her room, grabbed another vinyl, and headed back downstairs.
Several hours passed before she saw Snape again. She was on her third attempt of the night but she had a good feeling about this one.
"It's nearly 3 a.m., what are you still doing up?" he asked, surrounding irritable as he walked down the stairs. He turned the music down.
"Hey, this isn't Hogwarts. I don't have a curfew," she said defensively.
"You should go to bed," he muttered, going over to the supply cupboard.
"What're you gonna do, deduct house points? Give me a detention?" she taunted.
He let out a grunt and put something in his pocket she couldn't see. Instead of leaving, he strode over to her cauldron.
"Progress?" he asked.
"Yeah, I think so. I botched the first two batches but so far this looks good."
"It's stable at least," he observed.
"What about what you're working on?" she prodded. "Any luck?"
He gave her a cold look then turned and walked away.
"Let me know when you have something worth testing," he called from the top of the stairs. "Do not stay up too late."
"Do not stay up too late," she muttered mockingly. She walked over to the table, turned her music back up, then went back to work.
Almost an hour later, she turned her music down again. She glanced at her cauldron, feeling confident in the completed brew. She put a stasis spell on the cauldron, then left the cellar and headed upstairs.
She checked her watch as she walked down the hall. It was nearly 4 a.m. She figured if he was asleep she would go to bed and tell him about her brew in the morning.
She stopped outside of Snape's bedroom. There was a light coming from beneath his bedroom door so she knocked.
The door opened and Snape stepped out into the dark hallway, quickly shutting the door behind him before she could peek inside.
"Miss Gray," he said, sounding tired.
"Hey. Hi. You're still awake. I, uh, I need to test my antidote," she said, clasping her hands behind her back. "Do you have mice or something?"
"Or something," he exhaled. "Go back downstairs. I will join you momentarily."
Freddie hesitated, hoping to get a glance inside his room. He pointed to the staircase.
"Go, Miss Gray," he said sternly.
Freddie made a face then headed for the stairs. She was halfway down when she heard his door open and shut.
What are you hiding up there? She wondered as she headed back down to the cellar.
Five minutes later Snape came down the stairs to the cellar, carrying a live rat in a cage.
"Alright, Miss Gray," he said, his voice sounding weary. "Let's test your little antidote."
"You keep that thing in your room?" she asked, grinning at him. He ignored her and placed the cage on the table.
"Is it your pet?" she asked as he opened the cage.
"No," he scoffed, pulling out a vial of Invisibility Potion. "It's a lab rat. My third this month. Fetch me a dropper, Miss Gray."
Freddie grabbed a dropped from the potion supplies and carried it over. She took the Invisibility Potion from him and uncorked it.
"Three drops should suffice," he said.
Freddie nodded and sucked up three drops of potion. Snape held up the wiggling rat and she put the dropper in its mouth. He continued to hold the rat as it turned invisible.
"Your antidote," he said and she nodded, quickly walking over to her cauldron. She got a few drops of the potion and walked back over.
"Uh, I can't see its mouth," she said.
Snape scoffed slightly and used one hand to grab the invisible rat's head.
"Here, by my index finger," he said.
Freddie placed the dropper near his finger, found the rat's mouth, and squeezed the potion inside. She waited expectantly...but nothing happened.
"Ah, well. Better luck next time, Miss Gray," Snape said, placing the invisible rat back into its cage.
"But I had such a good feeling about this one," Freddie protested. "Maybe it just needs more of the potion."
"Accept the loss, Miss Gray. 'Good feelings' mean nothing."
Freddie sank down onto the stool with a sigh. Snape put a hand on her shoulder briefly, then quickly dropped it.
"You will try again," he said simply.
"Yeah," she sighed. "Maybe I need to adjust the ratio of snakeweed."
"Not tonight," he said, picking up the rat's cage and the pizza box. "Come. Get some sleep, Miss Gray. You can start fresh tomorrow."
Freddie sighed again but nodded in agreement. She was tired. She followed Snape up out of the cellar, the torches extinguishing as they climbed the stairs.
He put the leftover pizza into the fridge, then Freddie followed him upstairs. He opened her bedroom door and motioned her inside.
"You decorate," he commented, looking inside as she entered the room.
"Yeah. Is that okay?" she asked, looking around.
"Mm. This room has not been occupied in many years, not since I was a teenager," he said, lingering in the doorway.
"This was your room?" she asked, surprised.
"...Goodnight, Miss Gray," he said, turning to leave.
"Goodnight Severus," she said quietly.
He paused, grimaced briefly, then shut the door.
Freddie lay down on the bed with a sigh that turned into a yawn. She held Hemlock close and rolled onto her side, kicking off her boots. Her eyes fell on the photo of Daniel she'd found earlier and she smiled sadly.
Severus is keeping his distance, Daniel. He's all 'Miss Gray' and keeping secrets from me. All because he kissed me last month. I'd gotten used to the way he was before that. The kind words, gentle touches...I'd even gotten used to him calling me Winifred.
She chuckled out loud and yawned again.
I miss the way things were before he kissed me. I don't regret the kiss of course, but...I miss him. I guess I'll just have to figure out how to worm my way back into his good graces. It might take time, but I've been patient this long.
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