#
Freddie kept her eyes open and remained alert as she went in and out the shops of Diagon Alley. She carried her copper cauldron into the stationary store so she could get more parchment, ink, and quills. She purchased a set of black eagle feather quills she found rather handsome. She got a few wells of black ink and one of red ink for when her fan club asked her to proofread their essays.
She got a few black journals, the kind she'd need for note keeping if she experimented with more potions. She was putting the journals in her cauldron to purchase them when another journal caught her eye. It looked to be bound in some sort of green and gold snakeskin. She touched the scales curiously and read the sign in front of it – Password Protected Diary.
It's pretty, she thought. But what would I use it for? I'm not exactly a diary sort of person...But I could write my letters to Daniel in it!
She dropped the book into her cauldron and took her things to the counter to pay for them.
She left the stationary store and started up the street to the Apothecary. She'd decided to leave Flourish and Blotts for last, since it still looked crowded. She was almost to the Apothecary when she spotted a familiar crop of blonde hair and her heart dropped. It was Heather, walking with a few of her Gryffindor friends.
Freddie quickly ducked into the nearest shop, hoping they hadn't seen her. She'd rather face Geck than Heather. She held her breath, peeking out the window of the door as Heather and her friends got closer. She exhaled loudly and ducked down as they passed. She was started by a loud hoot! From behind her and she turned around to see a large snowy owl on a perch watching her with yellow eyes.
"Oh hello," she said at the owl, which hooted loudly at her.
Freddie looked around the small shop which was crammed full of cages containing various animals. She was peaking into a tank of brightly colored toads when a voice spoke.
"Can I help you find anything?"
She turned to see a man in brown robes had appeared behind the counter, a white rabbit in his arms.
"Oh, um, I was just-"
"Hiding?" the man offered with a kind smile. "You ran in here like someone was after you."
"Yeah. Sorry," she said sheepishly.
"It's okay. Feel free to look around while you hide," he said.
There was a loud pop and the rabbit in his arms turned into a black top hat. The hat jumped from his arms onto the counter, then turned back into a rabbit with another pop.
"Did you do that?" Freddie asked curiously, approaching the counter.
"No, that's Alakazam. He was seized by the Ministry of Magic from a wizard who was performing magic shows in front of Muggles. He had some sort of faulty charm placed on him and now he does that every few minutes," the man said. Alakazam hopped towards Freddie. She reached out to pet him and he turned into a hat again.
"You haven't been able to lift the charm?" she asked as the hat hopped away.
"Unfortunately, no. He's been here almost a year now. I keep hoping someone will come in and adopt him. He's one of my misfits."
"Misfits?" Freddie asked as the hat jumped onto the floor. She picked it up and put it back on the counter.
"Yeah, I have a few oddball animals. Some that've been here for years. I believe the right person will come for them eventually. I had an owl named Orbit who couldn't fly. He was here for 3 years before a kind old woman gave him a home."
Alakazam turned back into a rabbit and the salesman carried him over to a hutch of other rabbits and put him in.
"That orange fur ball in the window is Crookshanks," he said as he closed the hutch. "He's been here the longest. I'm sure his perfect owner will find him eventually."
Freddie walked over to the orange cat that was sleeping in the window. He opened one eye to look at her. She reached out to pet him but he let out a rumbling growl.
"Not very friendly, are you?" she scolded then wandered over to a large cage that was partially covered with a blanket. Inside were a dozen bats, hanging from the top of the cage, asleep.
"Do you have a pet?" the salesman asked her. "How about an owl? Everyone needs an owl."
"I've thought about it," she admitted. "But I haven't really got anyone to write to. Maybe once I finish school – I've only got a year left."
"Oh yeah? Well come back here when you're ready. My owls have more personality than the ones at the Owl Emporium. I'll help you find one that's perfect for you."
"Alright," Freddie agreed. "Is it okay if I look around here a bit?"
"Sure. Who are you hiding from anyway? You aren't in trouble are you?"
"It's a long story," Freddie said, wandering over to a cage filled with kittens.
"I understand. Take your time. If you want to open the cage to play with them, you can."
"Thanks!"
#
Freddie was sitting on the floor of Magical Menagerie with kittens crawling all over her when her watch beeped at 11:45. She put down the owl feather she was teasing a tabby kitten with and carefully got to her feet.
"I've gotta go, I'm supposed to meet someone for lunch," she said, putting the kittens back in their cage.
"Your boyfriend?" asked the salesman whose name she'd learned was Matt.
"That's another long story," Freddie chuckled as she retrieved the last kitten, a little Siamese boy, and put him in the cage. "Thanks for letting me hang out here."
"No problem. It's good for the animals to have someone to play with and it seems like it helped you too. Come back anytime."
"Thanks Matt."
Freddie peeked out the door before walking out onto the street. She carried her cauldron down the street to the turn off to Knockturn Alley. She stopped and dug out the new black cloak she'd gotten. She put it on and pulled the hood over her face before heading down Knockturn Alley. She was wearing Muggle clothes and she knew that, combined with being a young woman and alone, was a bad combination for Knockturn Alley. She pulled the cloak around herself as she walked down the dark street. She kept her wand out in one hand and toted her cauldron in the other.
She kept alert as she walked down the alley. She passed a few cloaked figures who gave her a wide berth when they saw her wand out. She was almost to the Silver Serpent when a hand closed on her shoulder.
She whirled around, striking out with her cauldron and wand. The figure let out a grunt and fell back from her stunning spell. That's when she saw it was Snape.
"Oh my God! I'm sorry!" she squeaked as he got to his feet. "You – you startled me. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," he said, rubbing his side where the cauldron had struck him. "Good to know you can defend yourself if need be."
"I'm really sorry."
"Do not be. I should not have surprised you. Are you hungry?"
"Starving," she said, following him towards the restaurant. He held the door open for her, then followed her inside.
"Did you get all of your school supplies?" he asked as they sat at their table in the corner.
"Not quite. I still have to go to the Apothecary and the bookstore."
"What have you been doing all morning?"
Freddie was interrupted by the waitress appearing next to their table.
"Good afternoon. Can I start you off with something to drink?"
"White wine, please," Freddie said.
"Scotch for me," Snape said.
"You're drinking scotch again?" Freddie asked with a slight smirk as the witch disappeared.
"Yes. I'm returning to work after this, no bad decisions to make," he said. "So, why haven't you finished your shopping?"
"Flourish and Blotts was crowded. There was a book signing, Patrice Hawkins."
"Never heard of her."
"She's an Animagus," she said, pulling the book out of her cauldron. "She wrote a book to help other people become Animagi."
"You want to be an animal?"
"I still can't believe you don't," she said. "Think about it. You can wander around unseen, listen in on conversations, spy on people."
"All of which can be accomplished with a Disillusionment Charm or Invisibility Potion."
"Ah you just don't get it," she said, shaking her head at him.
The witch returned with their drinks and took their order. They both ordered the steak and baked potato. Freddie sipped her wine and flipped through Addressing Animagi while they waited on their food.
"What sort of animal do you think I will be?" she asked.
"An annoying one," he said, drinking his scotch, his head propped on one arm, watching her read. "Maybe a mosquito."
"I'm serious," she laughed, smacking his arm. "...Can Animagi be that small? Like mosquito-sized?"
"It is possible."
"I don't think I'd like that. If I do all this work just to turn into some sort of bug? Ugh. I'll be pissed."
"Relax, Winifred, I am sure you will not be a bug," he said, smirking as he took a drink of scotch.
"A bird would be cool – the writer, Patrice Hawkins, she's a red-tailed hawk. That would be cool. A falcon or an owl."
"Maybe a snake," he said.
"A rattlesnake?" she asked playfully, wrinkling her nose.
"Perhaps," he said, smiling.
"Hawkins said that my Animagus form would match whatever form my Patronus takes," she said thoughtfully, sipping her wine.
"Have you managed to produce a corporeal Patronus?"
"Not yet. I was – I got a little distracted," she admitted.
"Hm. You cannot let 'this' distract you from your work," he said seriously. "Is that going to be a problem when school resumes?"
"What? No. No, of course not," she said, feeling her cheeks grow warm. "No."
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Yes! I learned Occlumency and I'll learn this, too. In fact, I'll be I can master the Patronus Charm by the end of the week," she said smugly. "Don't flatter yourself by thinking you can affect my work. When I put my mind to something-"
"-you get it," he finished. "What do you want to bet?"
"What?"
"You said you bet you can master the Patronus charm within a week. Generally a bet comes with a wager."
"Oh. Hmm... I'm not sure," she said, sipping her wine and thinking about it for a few minutes. "How about one night-" she lowered her voice. "-where I'm in control of...things?"
"And what do I get if you lose?" he asked, a smile playing on his lips.
"Well you already have everything. Complete control of me, whenever you want it," she said quietly. "What do you want if I lose? Which, I'm not going to lose, of course."
"Of course," he said, taking another long drink of scotch. He was still drinking when she felt him enter her mind.
"What-?" she began.
My wager is one night with you at my mercy, where I do whatever I want and you – you do not get to cum, said his voice in her head.
She could feel his desire, his primal urge inside her head, and it took her breath away. He smirked across the table at her as he withdrew from her mind. She picked up her wine glass in shaky hands and took a long sip.
"Deal," she said on exhale. "But, I'm going to win."
"We will see," he said lightly as the waitress returned with their steaks.
