Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to Imogen Cain who has left me so many reviews in the last few days. I want you to know how much they encourage me to keep writing. The first thing I do in the morning is check my email to see if I've got reviews and even things like 'Girl same!' make me smile and feel like this is all worth it! So thank you very much! 3
~RedPandaPrincess
About an hour later Freddie was finished. She had her potion bottled and was standing before the tiny garden door with it in her hand. She'd used Zygmunt Budge's recipe, even though she knew Snape had his own recipe for the Shrinking Solution. She'd wracked her brain, berated herself because she couldn't remember his corrections. It wasn't one of the ones she had memorized. The Shrinking Solution, it wasn't a healing potion, it wasn't one she'd be brewing every day at St Mungo's.
She paused a moment. Next year that's where she would be. Spending her days in the basement of the wizarding hospital with the other interns, working for Hawkins. No more Hogwarts. No more hours spent in Snape's private Brewing Lab. And maybe no more Snape?
Her heart felt heavy in her chest and she shook her head, trying to get rid of the thoughts. She was determined not to worry about it until it happened. With a sigh she shouldered her bag and uncorked the bottle. She touched her tongue to the wad of mandrake leaf in the upper corner of her mouth, making sure it was secure. The last thing she wanted to do was swallow it, or have the leaf interact with the Shrinking Solution in some unexpected way.
She took a swallow and immediately felt her insides start to roll, her muscles started to contract. She squeezed her eyes shut until the pain and discomfort stopped. When she opened them she was standing at the door which was now the same height as she was.
"Well at least it worked," she said to herself, her voice coming out high-pitched and squeaky. She clamped a hand over her mouth, surprised to have emit such a sound.
She reached for the handle of the door and pushed it open. She couldn't see anything on the other side so she walked through cautiously – only to collide with something hard and black. A boot. She looked up – a swirl of black she didn't have time to process before a large pale hand closed around her middle and she was whisked upwards.
She let out a startled squeak as she found herself level with Snape's giant face.
"Well well well," he said in a low voice and he chuckled softly. "I could have some fun with you like this."
Freddie flushed and squirmed in his hand, feeling like the rat she had captured.
"Give me the antidote," she squeaked then covered her mouth at the sound. Snape laughed softly again and she scowled up at him.
"Adorable," he said.
"Come on, Severus, put me back right," she squeaked, feeling herself flush even deeper.
"Ask me nicely," he taunted.
"Please, Severus."
"Please what?" he said, his hot breathe ruffling her hair.
"Please sir," she said with a hint of annoyance.
Toying with her at home was one thing but here? Where anyone could walk down the corridor and see him holding an 8-inch Freddie in his hand?
As if he'd read her mind, he squatted and placed her back on the floor. Freddie looked around then looked up in time to see a massive drop of liquid raining down. It hit her, soaking her hair and robes, then she felt herself twisting and stretching until she stood before him, back to her normal size and not wet at all except for a small spot on her robes.
"That was so weird," she said, stretching out her muscles which were still twitching.
"Mm. You did well. You solved the puzzle. Let's go down to my office and you can tell me all about it."
"Yes sir."
#
When they reached his office Snape lit a fire in the hearth with his wand. Freddie dumped her bag on the floor and sat in her usual chair. She put her feet up on his desk and crossed her ankles. Her calf muscles were still twitching and her bones ached a bit.
"A side effect," Snape said as she leaned forward to rub her legs. "From shrinking and growing so rapidly. It will subside."
"I know," she said, smiling slightly as she noticed his eyes flick up her skirt.
"Do you need something for the pain?" he asked, pulling out his chair.
"No, I'm fine. A little sore but I've been hurt worse – by you," she said with a small smirk. "I'll be fine."
"Hm," he said, sitting down at his desk. "Get your feet off my desk. Noelle?"
The house elf appeared with a pop.
"Yes Master Snape? Oh! Mistress Grey. Welcomes back. Can Noelle brings you food? We is almost done with making dinner?"
"No, Noelle, we will be eating in the Great Hall. But could you bring us a pot of tea? Brew #19," Snape said.
"Please," Freddie added politely.
"Right away, Miss. Master Snape," the elf said with a bow, then she disappeared.
They waited in silence for Noelle to return. Snape sorted a stack of parchments on his desk. It wasn't long before Noelle returned with the tea set Freddie had gotten Snape for his birthday.
"Thank you, Noelle," Snape said and the elf grinned toothily at him before disappearing again.
Snape began to pour their tea and Freddie put her feet back up on his desk.
"Feet off my desk, Winifred," he said sternly.
"But my legs hurt," she said innocently.
"It is unsanitary. Here, drink this," he said, handing her a cup of tea. She put her feet on the floor and took the cup. She took a sip and felt the familiar warmth spread through her, ebbing the soreness away from her body. This was the tea he made for her at home, the one that had pain relieving properties.
"So," he said. "Your lesson."
She said nothing but felt him enter her mind. He rifled through her memories, watched how she'd handled the puzzle, how she'd gotten the ingredients she needed. She felt his surprise register when she killed the rat but she could also sense he was impressed.
When he reached the point where she bottled the finished potion he withdrew. He took a sip of his tea.
"It is okay that you could not recall my modifications to the recipe," he said calmly. "I did not expect you to."
"Yeah but I should've been able to," she complained. "There are a dozen others I have memorized."
"Healing potions I assume?"
"Yeah."
"Well that is understandable. You will not regularly be brewing Shrinking Solutions when you're working at St Mungos."
"Yeah, I guess so."
"Trust me. You did very well," he said and took another sip of tea. "Did you enjoy your lesson?"
"It was...challenging," she said thoughtfully. "Very challenging."
"That is the point. This will prepare you, it is the best way to prepare you for the Potions Championship. What you faced today was one of the challenges I faced during my own championship."
"Really?" she said, intrigued.
"Yes. So trust me when I say – you did very well," he said again.
"Thank you," she said, grinning, and sipped some tea.
When the bell rang for dinner, they put their teacups down and Snape cleared the tray with his wand.
"Would you like to assist me in brewing a large batch of Dreamless Sleep for Madam Pomfrey after dinner?" he asked as they stood up.
"Seriously? Of course!" she declared. "You don't even have to ask.,"
He smirked and held the door open for her, then they headed up to the Great Hall for dinner.
