Chapter Nineteen

Shopping for Trouble

Jennifer peered in Severus' office at lunch the next day, wincing apologetically when she saw him sit up.

"Sorry, were you napping?" Jennifer said.

"It's all right. How was she this morning?" Severus asked tiredly.

"Well, she turned in her homework," Jennifer said with a sigh, bringing over the tray and turning over some cups. "Honestly, Severus, she's in a sort of shock, trying to work it all through in her head, although underneath I think she's hurt, and quite frightened."

"Good, that's the first good news I've had all week," Severus said rubbing his eyes before reaching for his tea. He then saw something in hers that made him blink a moment. "Are those ice chips?"

"Hm? Oh," Jennifer said quickly taking her cup and stirring them in. "The House Elves noticed that I tend to wait a bit before drinking my hot drinks anymore so they were trying to be nice, I think."

"I thought you always like your drinks piping hot," Severus frowned. "As a matter of fact I remember quite a number of beverages being pushed away for not being warm enough to suit you."

"Tastes change, Severus," Jennifer said quietly, adding a little sugar.

"Yes, well, warn me if you feel like your tastes in men change, will you?" Severus said, drinking his down as quickly as possible.

"That isn't likely to happen," Jennifer said with a smile, sipping her tea. "And Severus, despite your skepticism, you've been doing an amazing job with Zoë. It really is too bad they can't go to Hogsmeade this weekend…"

"Jennifer, no," Severus said. "I have to stand by every ruling. Besides, the time in the castle may give Zoë some time to think, perhaps even talk to Zacchius about what's going on. When she's ready to finally talk, we'll be near the end of this, and not, I think, before. But I will have someone keep an eye on them," he said as he shuffled through his mail, and then scowled. "Lovely. An advertisement from Toby's Trinket Shop declaring its reopening this weekend. I wonder what he's up to this time."

"Severus, you are so suspicious!" Jennifer chuckled. "Can't you just try and enjoy having a relaxing day in town?"

"No," Severus said shortly. "All four of our children will be there, Jennifer, and with everything going on, I'm not completely convinced that we all aren't going to be walking targets. Malfoy has always made a point to show up on school weekends. All the merchants know beforehand, and therefore so will he. I for one do not intend to let my guard down for an instant."

"You're right, of course," Jennifer said somberly, staring in her tea before looking away. "But I would like it if just once you could be wrong about things like that."


The morning was crisp but clear and sunny, the perfect day for a Hogsmeade trip. Aurelius, Andrew, Alicia and Alex walked together from the stop up the main street, pondering where to go first.

"Well, I suppose the easiest way to do this would be to hit the shops in order," Aurelius suggested. "That way we can cover as much ground as possible."

"Nobody asked your opinion," Alex said hotly, the younger two glancing at each other thoughtfully. "You may think you have the right to boss us around in the castle, but I'm still the oldest. I'll decide where we're going."

"If you had your way, we'd be spending all of our time in McGonagall's Lasting Impressions, and I'm not spending all day in a dress shop."

"Well that's all right for you to say, Mr. Spidersilk ties…"

"Wait, wait, wait," Andrew sighed. "Look, let's do this in order like we used to do for game days. Alex will pick the first shop, then Aurelius, and so on. Once we've all had a turn, we'll break for lunch and do it again."

"Great idea," Alex said.

"Of course you think it's a great idea, since you get to pick first," Aurelius retorted. "By the way, if something happens and we do get separated by accident, I suggest the person separated stays at whatever shop they're at, and the rest of us backtrack."

"Would you stop bossing everyone around?" Alex growled.

"I think that's a good idea," Alicia said quickly.

"Alex, where do you want to go first?" Andrew asked calmly.

"Let's go to Toby's Trinket Shop," Alex said brightly. "I want to get there before all the good stuff is taken." Aurelius rolled his eyes but said nothing as they walked down the street, arriving just in time to see Toby coming over to open his door for the day, the crowd of students chattering excitedly as he let them in.

"Come in, come in, welcome," Toby said with a mystic smile, nodding to the four Snapes as they entered. "Take your time looking around! Never know what you might find in a dusty back corner in here!"

"Has anybody found any old swords in here?" Aurelius commented, his other three siblings looking at him puzzledly.

"Not recently and not for some time to come," Toby said, his eyes twinkling mischievously at the boy. "New robes, Aurelius? And is it just me or are you taller? You'll be passing up your sister this year, I think," he said amiably.

Alex looked at her brother in alarm, not having noticed before that she had been looking him eye to eye recently. And despite the fact that Andrew had been taller for quite some time, something about her more headstrong brother passing her up bothered her.

"Step in, but no shoving. I'm sure everyone will find what they're looking for if they search long enough," the wiry old tinker said, heading back up to the front sitting on his stool, taking out the wood he had been continuously whittling on as long as Alex could remember. But now it was beginning to take shape, and carved figures such as owls, centaurs, unicorns, dragons, snakes, and all sorts of other beasts began to appear on the rod's surface.

"It's going to be a wand, isn't it?" Alex said curiously. "Who is it for?"

"I believe you just got a new wand, Miss Snape. A very special one," Toby commented.

"Oh! Oh yes, I never thanked you!" Alex said, completely flustered considering it had been nearly a year since she had received it.

"Thank your brother, he is the remarkable man who made the thing. I am merely an amateur," he protested with a smile. Aurelius snorted at that. "Finding what you need, Aurelius?"

"Not yet," Aurelius said, quickly turning to look at the shelves, but he knew better than to look for something expected, especially considering the last time he left the shop he merely took out a pair of shoes several sizes too big for him.

"No new paints that I can find," Alicia sighed.

"Have you no other interests at all, Miss Snape?" Toby teased her. Alicia thought about it.

"Not many, no," Alicia chuckled, and then started digging in the shelves again.

"Hullo, what's this?" Andrew said as he picked up a little porcelain dog and rescued a dusty book wrapped in leather with a belt around it. Carefully he unbuckled it showing another leather bound book underneath with curious tooled runes and no binding mark. "I've never seen a book in here before."

"Oh, I've seen one or two," Toby mused thoughtfully. "Which one is that?" Curiously, Andrew opened it, feeling the strange yellow edged paper wondering what it was made out of as he glanced at the title.

"It's handwritten. 'An Intimate Study of the Right Vs. Might Theory as Observed by the Author, with special preface on laws versus natural morality and why they conflict,'" Andrew read. "That's the title? But the byline is smudged. Who wrote it?"

"Son, if you don't know the answer to that question yet, it means you don't need to know," Toby said.

"And why again was it that I needed to know?" Aurelius challenged him.

"When you figure that out tell me, because I would be interested in hearing it myself," Toby said. Then he got up, nodding a thank you to the girl who bought the little china dog as he stood and went over to the counter, gesturing for Andrew to come near. "I can sell you this, Mr. Snape, provided you promise me two things… that you keep it wrapped up in the leather that comes with it so the air doesn't destroy the paper, and if you promise not to tell your father about it," he said with a wink. Andrew frowned, looking unsurely at Aurelius.

"It's all right," Aurelius reassured him with a calm, serious face. "He wouldn't sell you anything dangerous, Andrew… well, not dangerous to the person that he gives it to anyhow."

"I assure you it is only a book, Mr. Snape, with a simple charm to keep it safe and readable through the ages," Toby said to them. "I must say, you Snapes never cease to amaze me what you find in this shop! It's quite astounding even to me at times. I think, Aurelius, that you should find occasion to borrow this book from your brother as well. You might benefit from it too," he smiled, carefully rebuckling it and wrapping it in brown paper and Andrew fumbled for his coin, putting his one and only galleon in the jar. Aurelius frowned, supplementing it with a couple of his own. "Thank you," Toby smiled, and then glanced up to see quite a number of wooden bowls, cups, and even a wooden teapot tumble down from where Alicia had been scrounging on the top shelves.

"Ow! That was my head!" Phoebe Grey said from where she stood below looking at marionette. "Why would anyone want a tea set made out of wood, anyhow?"

"Well for one thing, it's not quite as breakable when falling from high places," Toby said with twisted smile.

"Aha! I knew there had to be something in here art related!" Alicia said in triumph as she drew out a very long handled dusty paintbrush with glossy black bristles. "Just what I've been looking for, too!" Toby chuckled and shook his head at her, turning and nodding to the boy who was putting money in the jar for his bottle of No-Stain-Too-Big Miracle Remover.

"You went to all that trouble climbing all the way up there for a stupid old brush?" Aurelius said, unimpressed.

"This is not an ordinary brush, it's a Nightmare hair brush. They're made especially for rich night scenes…brings out shades of black that you may not have even known existed without it."

"If black had color, it wouldn't be black," Aurelius said, unimpressed as he turned back to the shelves.

"Do you suppose Mum would let me have a make-up kit?" Alex said.

"No," the other three said.

"Well, there are different blacks," Alicia said, climbing down. "Mr. Pyther has trimmed his old brush down to nothing. This will be perfect for his Christmas present."

"What? Don't waste your one item on him. Can't he just get it himself?" Aurelius frowned.

"I'm afraid my shop closes before the time he's usually out and about, Aurelius. I'm quite sure that if she went to all the trouble she should have it," Toby said. "Do please put the dish set back where you found them though."

"Think she would let me have another familiar?" Alex mused, holding up a beautiful golden egg.

"No," the other three Snapes said.

"Here, I'll take that. I happen to know who that is going to and he's not yet ready for it," Toby said sternly putting his hand out. Reluctantly Alex turned the egg over to him. "Perhaps considering you keep finding things for others, Alex, maybe it is a gift you're looking for today?"

"Oh," Alex said, and pondered that possibility, when suddenly Toby looked up to see Severus Snape at the door with his black eyes sparkling dangerously. At random, Alex grabbed a box and hurried up to the counter, figuring something was better than nothing at all.

"What are the four of you doing in here?" Severus frowned at them, Jennifer peering in from behind him.

"They're buying presents, of course," Toby said, wrapping Alex's up very quickly. "Now, no peeking, Severus, I do believe this one is for you." Severus squinted at Alex, who merely glanced back at Toby as surprised at that announcement as she was. "No opening it until Christmas, now."

"I think I'll just get mine later," Aurelius said in a low voice.

"Quite all right, Aurelius, it'll be here when you need it most. Just rap on the door if I'm not open," Toby said in a low voice. He smiled at them as the four of them filed out, their father squinting at them suspiciously on their way past while he made his own way to the front. Something had caught Jennifer's eye and she frowned at it unsurely, then she joined Severus.

"I see you're back," Severus said.

"So it would appear. Good to see you, Severus, how is my most favorite customer?" Toby said.

"Not buying," Severus said.

"Strange how you always say that but you never seem to walk out of here empty handed," Toby said then turned to Jennifer with a soft smile. "And here is your charming wife, dear Jennifer. Beautiful, loyal, and sometimes much too ready to accept responsibilities that aren't hers to accept," he added chidingly. "I am quite sure I have something for you."

"Thanks, but I'm fine…"

"No, no, it's not what you think," he said enigmatically. Severus squinted at him suspiciously, as he reached under the counter. "It's just a normal journal… much like the one your husband here writes in himself… very wise to keep a journal… it helps to keep ones thoughts straight in the most stressful of times," he said, handing it out to Severus. "Go ahead, Severus. Inspect it. I'm sure you'll find it quite common… with just a charm to make sure no one else can open it but her so she'll feel safe to use it. You'll find it more useful than a Pensieve, which may organize thoughts but doesn't really help you work through them. Oh, and I also charmed it to not run out of pages."

Severus sighed softly and handed it to her.

"He does have a point, you could probably use a journal," Severus admitted. "Although we might be better off getting it somewhere else…"

"Oh, don't be a snob, Severus, my goods are as good as anywhere else," Toby said with a smile and Jennifer counted out a few sickles. Toby caught her hand then and kissed it. Jennifer looked sheepishly at her husband who glared at the old toy maker. "Take care of yourself, Jennifer. A great many people care about you," he smiled, "and I hope you take our advice to heart and use the journal," he added, taking the coins and stepping away, putting them in the jar.

"Come on, Jennifer, I think I've had my fill of him for one day," Severus said irritably as Toby handed her the bag with the journal in it. As they walked out of the shop, Jennifer couldn't help but glance back and frown at the small jar of Invisibility Cream Remover that was sitting on the first shelf.


Aurelius' pick of the sport's shop wasn't surprising, his eye flicking over to one of the new Seeker brooms that had come out just in time for Christmas.

"Think you'll finally catch up to me if you had that?" Alicia taunted him. Aurelius gave her a dirty look.

Suddenly there was a loud crash behind them, and the four turned around in surprise to see that the shelf holding all the Quaffles in the front of the shop had tumbled onto the ground, throwing its contents everywhere. Standing in the center of the pile, a wild haired woman stood, wincing.

"Oops," Tonks said. Near the door, Thomas Craw rolled his eyes, while beside him Stock shook his head.

"And she's supposed to keep us safe from you?" Stock asked Thomas.

"Trust me, nobody is safe when she's around," Thomas said starkly. Tonks stuck her tongue at him.

"I am sorry! No, don't bother, I'll get it cleaned up straight away. I'm an expert at picking up after myself," Tonks insisted when one of the clerks began to gather up the Quaffles. Taking out the wand she tapped it to the disarranged shelf, which immediately stood, the Quaffles shooting out of hands and back to their places.

"Grandfather!" Alicia said cheerfully, going over to hug him. Alex ran over as well, the boys walking more leisurely behind. "What are you doing here?"

"I needed to see Stock on a business matter," Thomas said. "Alex, there is something wrong with that contraption of yours. It's been damned inconvenient!" He grumped.

"Are you sure you just didn't knock the plug out again?" Alex sighed. "Why don't you ask Harry to look at it for you?"

"If he ever comes by to see me, maybe I will," Thomas said in annoyance.

"Now, Thomas, you know he's out of the country on business," Tonks said.

"What sort of business?" Alex asked curiously.

"Stock, which one was it that you wanted?" Thomas asked quickly.

"The new Skydiver," Stock said cheerfully, going to the broom rack and picking out the one Aurelius had just been admiring.

"You're buying him a new broom?" Aurelius said, frowning.

"Just sealing a business transaction," Thomas said calmly.

"But what about us?" Aurelius demanded, hands on his hips.

"Oh, it's too close to Christmas to buy any of you anything. Really, Aurelius, as his captain you should be very pleased that he's getting an upgrade. You still have to face Hufflepuff this year," Thomas said, Alicia beaming at him. Aurelius folded his arms with a frown, watching his grandfather pay for it. "Well, we'll see you four later. We're going to lunch."

"Can we come?" Andrew asked. Alex nudged him to remind him they weren't supposed to ask anymore.

"No, we're going to be talking mine business. I doubt you'll be interested. Besides, we're going to the Pannage, and I for one do not want to hear it from your mother. Good bye," Thomas said, walking out.

"You know, I am getting hungry myself," Andrew said.

"You would be," Alicia chuckled. "All anyone ever had to do was mention food to you and you get hungry."

"Does that count as your shop pick?" Alex asked.

"Absolutely not," Andrew said. "But can we find Morfinn and Halbert? I promised them we'd have lunch with them at the deli."

"Lovely," Aurelius said.

"Can we find Mandria too?" Alex said.

"We're going to have to put tables together just to sit down!" Aurelius said irritably.

In actuality he was a little annoyed that he couldn't invite his own best friend to come, wondering where Heph was. Of course, there was really little mystery to that. As they worked to get settled and pull the tables around outside, Aurelius spotted Hauk, Meyers, Jeffers, Grey and Stanton all together in a pack loaded down with Honeydukes bags. Spotting him, Heph said something to Eigil who looked over with an unfriendly smile, leading them over. Immediately Aurelius stood, his expression so cool that his siblings working around him frowned at the sudden change.

"Vell, vell! Eating vith the family, I see. Vut's wrong, Prefect, did Jocelyn turn you down?" Eigil asked Aurelius with a mockingly respectful nod.

"What I do or not do is hardly your concern, Hauk. I suggest you move along," Aurelius said evenly.

"Of course, I vouldn't vant to interrupt your meal," he said, glancing at Andrew. "Ve vere just off to Zonko's shop. Anyt'ing in particular anyvun vants us to pick up from dere?"

"Not at all but I can show you where to put it," Halbert threatened.

"Halbert," Andrew said under his breath, but Halbert didn't take his eyes off Hauk.

"Thank you, Hauk, but no, I prefer to be a be more discriminating about my shopping. Both who does it and who it's for," Aurelius said warningly.

"Of course you are," Eigil said solemnly and then smiled at Andrew again. "So am I," he added as he walked off. As they got a few yards away, the others with him began to laugh and talk at once.

"Just what was all that about?" Morfinn asked.

"Nothing important," Andrew said, ignoring the look Halbert and Aurelius was both giving him.

"I think we ought to do some of our own Zonko shopping," Alicia said, glancing at Andrew as well. "What do you think, Andrew, how about we teach that jerk a lesson?"

"Oh, no. That would only make things worse," Andrew said. "If it's all the same, I'll just avoid him until he forgets about me."

"I don't think he's going to be changing targets any time soon," Aurelius said thoughtfully, folding his hands together as he leaned over the table, making sure no one else was close enough to listen. "And I don't think it's a good idea for you to keep avoiding them in the way you are, Andrew. Sooner or later one of them is going to see you, and there's no doubt in my mind that they wouldn't hesitate making it public."

"Making what public?" Morfinn asked curiously. Alicia leaned over and said something in his ear, his eyes widening. "You mean that was because of you? That one entry in the book? Wait… that's disgusting!"

"And you will keep that to yourself, if you don't mind," Aurelius snapped at Morfinn. "Andrew, you have got to stand up to him."

"I agree," Halbert said.

"Me too, I say we nail him," Alicia said.

"Look, what happens if I do try and get even? He's just going to have more reason to come after me. And then what, I go after him again? No, I'm not getting myself in that vicious cycle. I'd rather just leave it," Andrew said.

"Andrew, can't you see that leaving it is just going to make it worse?" Aurelius sighed. He paused then as Alex and Mandria arrived with a tray of drink and sandwiches.

"Here we are! Four Dragonwing specials, no mustard on Alicia's, an Eggplant wrap for Morfinn –yuck- and two supers for Halbert and Andrew," Alex said as she sat the tray down. "What are we talking about?"

"Andrew and Eigil Hauk," Alicia said.

"Oh that. I say nail him," Alex said, sitting down.

"Why don't you just tell him to lay off, Aurelius. You're the Slytherin prefect and all," Mandria said as she handed out the drinks.

"I have told him on numerous occasions that it would not be in his best interests to pursue any negative relations with any Snape. So has Jocelyn. But I can't watch him all the time, I only sit one class with him and barely even see him in the halls, and even if I was…Slytherin don't bleat on other Slytherin," Aurelius said. Alex stared at him.

"Damn them, this is your brother you're talking about!" Alex said angrily.

"I am a Slytherin prefect," Aurelius said firmly.

"Well, you've turned into a Slytherin prick," Alex said. "And if I see Eigil touching you, Andrew, I swear I will blast him senseless."

"It's his problem, Alex, he needs to deal with it himself," Aurelius snapped.

"Rel's right, it's my problem, so please stop fighting about it!" Andrew said, looking between them.

"Well I agree with both of them," Alicia said, Morfinn sniffling at her questioningly as he nibbled on his veggie wrap. "I agree it's Andrew's problem, but if I see Eigil touching him, I'd blast him senseless too."

"I don't want any of you blasting anyone," Andrew said firmly. "And that includes you, Halbert."

"What about if I just deck him?" Halbert said, cracking his knuckles experimentally.

"No violence, period," Andrew said. "He's just not worth all of you getting into trouble for. Now do you mind if we change the subject?"

"Actually, I was kind of wondering how Zoë was doing," Alicia said. "I suppose she had detention again this weekend for leaving? Where did she go, anyhow?"

"Dunno. She wasn't really willing to talk to anyone yesterday," Andrew said. "But I do know our points didn't tank overnight. She didn't lose us a single point. Not one."

"What? She left the school and Snape didn't take off a single point?" Aurelius blinked at him. "What is with him, lately?"

"I don't think she had detention either, because Zack was busy trying to coax her into coming with him to the library today," Halbert said.

"That is strange. If any of us did something like that, we'd have lost a hundred points and been put scrubbing cauldrons every night for a week," Alex said. "Not to mention she got to go to Durmstrang with them. Hm, I wonder what someone has to do to become a foreign exchange student?"

"Forget it, Alex," Aurelius said. "Our parents would never allow it and you know it."

"Well, why not?" Alex frowned at him.

"Safety reasons, among other things," Aurelius said. "Besides, we're in the best school there is, you think even if things were perfectly ideal that either would them would ship any of us off to an inferior school?"

"Hogwarts doesn't specialize in all subjects," Morfinn said. "I wouldn't mind spending a year at Whitebridge, they're the best Healing school."

"Yeah, maybe they can cure you while you're there," Alex teased.

"Nothing can cure him," Aurelius snorted, and Morfinn sneezed in response, taking a handkerchief out of an inside pocket.

"Well, I think it's great he wants to be a doctor. I certainly don't think I'd have the patience," Andrew said. Alicia snickered at him.

"Wait a minute, what are you going to be, Rel?" Alex said, frowning at him. "It's your year to pick a major. Do you even know yet?"

"Of course I know," Aurelius said, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Well?" Alex asked impatiently.

"Alex, his mouth is full," Andrew chuckled at her.

"He only did that to add to the suspense," Alex snapped. Aurelius looked between them thoughtfully, then shrugged.

"I've decided…" he began, taking a drink.

"Yes?" Alex and Alicia, now impatient herself, prompted in annoyance.

"I've decided not to discuss it with anyone until I've spoken with my advisor about it," Aurelius finished.

"What? Oh, he doesn't have anything in mind, he's just making us think he does!" Alex said grumpily, but he shook his head.

"Actually, it's more complicated than that," Aurelius said. "I'd just rather nobody knew what I was going into is all."

"Does Mum and Dad know?" Alex asked.

"Not yet," Aurelius said. "They'll find out during the interview. Mind if I eat now?"

"Of course I do," Alex said, folding her arms and shaking her head at Mandria as the rest of them tucked in. "Men. They're always thinking about their stomachs."

"Well, not always," Mandria said, nodding straight ahead of her. Alex turned to around to see what she was looking at to see Professor Delacour and Danny Brittle, heading towards the Three Broomsticks. Quite a number of heads turned as they walked in, apparently admiring the view.

"Men," Alex said again, shaking her head. Slightly embarrassed, Halbert turned back around and tried very hard to pay attention to his sandwich. "Hey, can we stop in to see Corey and Rose before we head to Honeydukes?"

"You already had your turn," Aurelius pointed out.

"It'll only take a minute. We should at least stop in," Alex argued.

"Let's vote," Alicia said.

"Fine," Aurelius sighed. "All in favor?" Andrew, Alicia, Alex, and Morfinn's hands went up. "We didn't mean you. You weren't invited." Morfinn put his hand down sheepishly.

"Doesn't matter, you're still outvoted, Rel," Alex said triumphantly. "Besides, you should be grateful. It's at least not going to be as busy as Honeydukes." But that prediction proved to be quite wrong, for quite a number of wizards and witches seemed to be casually browsing in there, while chatting worriedly about the latest events.

"Isn't it awful how they found him?"

"I still can't believe he'd do anything like that."

"Mr. Willowby, what are you planning to do about supplies? It's been a month and I see you have some empty bins," an older wizard asked from where he stood in the prescription line. "Are we not going to be able to get our potions?"

"I have enough to see to all your orders," Corey assured them. "We're just not going to sell in bulk anything we're low on until we have a new supplier."

"And what of that lovely young wife of yours?" a woman in a fuzzy purple hat asked.

"Not all plants can be speed grown, Mrs. Mayfair," said Ashley Bailey, who was helping work the registers. "It's going to be at least a couple of years before we're able to get the greenhouse fully operational."

"I thought you were going to try and put up a bid for Neville's farm, Mr. Willowby?"

"The new owner wasn't willing to sell," Corey said dryly. "He only had a cousin left…I'm afraid the property is now owned by Malfoy Industries." Everyone began to talk at once. "We will find another option," Corey assured loudly over those standing there. "Until then, I have a temporary deal to make sure you don't go without your prescriptions, so there's no reason to be concerned, and no, we are not raising our prices," he assured them firmly before going back to what he was doing.

"How are you going to make enough if you don't? Don't you get half of your money from bulk sales?" Mrs. Mayfair said.

"We will manage," Corey said, and then spotted his siblings standing in the back of the shop, glancing at each other worriedly. He waved at them and finished the order he was working on before having the clerk change out so Ashley could take his place so he could step out a moment. "Hiya guys! Any inorganic refills you need?"

"Does Mum and Father know about all this?" Alex asked anxiously.

"Yeah, Dad does," Corey said. "And there's no reason for you to be concerned about it."

"Is Rose here?"

"No, she's home working in the greenhouse, speed growing what we can use that way," Corey said, gathering up their phials. "Why don't you all come by before you head home for dinner? I'm sure she'd be glad to see you."

"All right," Alex said quickly before Aurelius could protest, standing to one side as they waited for their kit refills. None of the "browsers" seemed to want to leave, still murmuring to each other in lower voices while shaking their heads at the empty bins.

"He should have put a tea room in here too, he's got enough loiterers for it," Aurelius said disapprovingly.

"Think this has been going on since it happened?" Andrew murmured.

"More than likely they saw the empty bins and realized how it would effect them personally," Aurelius said critically. Just then the door opened again and room went dead silent as Thomas Craw entered the room, Tonks coming in behind him.

"And I thought the Pannage gave me a warm reception," Thomas said sarcastically. Corey came back out, peering at everyone curiously then noticed his grandfather, eyeing them all with the same suspicious glare they were giving him.

"Hello, Grandfather, I'll get your order in a moment," Corey said, handing the others their phials. "Don't worry about it guys. I just put it on Dad's bill, you're covered."

"Thanks," Aurelius said. "Where's Stock?"

"Oh, we left him in Honeydukes," Thomas said. "Lady Godiva came in and I decided to vacate before another student decided to faint in our path."

"Who?" Alicia asked.

"He's being sarcastic," Andrew explained. "It isn't as if Professor Delacour can help it, Grandfather."

"That's no excuse! I don't know what's more appalling, the way she behaves or the way males behave around her! They lose all dignity and appear to be proud of it!" Thomas said. Tonks sighed silently behind him. "Don't forget you're Craws as well as Snapes, boys. Don't let yourselves get carried away like the rest of those fools."

"Come on, Thomas, let's go to the counter to wait for the order," Tonks suggested.

"Fine. See you later," Thomas grunted. Aurelius glanced at the others and they all followed them out.

"He sure doesn't think much of Professor Delacour, does he?" Alex mused.

"So? Neither does Mum," Alicia said. Alex grinned at her.

"I think Mum has different reasons," Alex said. "You know, I suppose if either of us had boyfriends, we'd probably be annoyed with her too, even if she is a fabulous teacher."

"Oh yeah, I could sit class with her all day," Andrew said cheerfully. Alicia hit him in the arm.

"Don't forget what Grandfather said," Aurelius put in. "He is right… just because the other students act like fools around her doesn't mean that we have the right to. We have names to live up to."

"Another price we pay for being Snapes," Andrew said mournfully, the girls shaking their heads at him.

Someone called Aurelius' name and the four of them looked up to see Stock walking over to them with a bag of candy.

"There you are! You're missing all the action! Where have you been?" Stock exclaimed.

"Willowby's. What action?" Aurelius said.

"Professor Delacour was in the candy shop eating one of their giant peppermint sticks," Stock said. Aurelius and Andrew exchanged a look and suddenly ran ahead.

"That is just so wrong!" Alex declared in annoyance.

"Wait up! We're not supposed to get separated!" Alicia protested, the two girls having to run and catch up.

A large crowd of boys was peering in the window, some of them getting hit and kicked with their apparent dates for the trip. Jennifer waved as the four Snapes passed them on their way out of the Three Broomsticks, squinting at the crowd as they passed Honeydukes.

"Well, it's easy to tell what shop Fleur is in at the moment, isn't it?" Jennifer said irritably.

"Jennifer, can we spend even an hour today without her name coming up?" Severus sighed. "I had no intentions of going into Honeydukes at this time of day in any case. Why don't we head to Minerva's?" Jennifer looked at him with a wry grin.

"You actually want me to go to Minerva's, Severus?" Jennifer said skeptically.

"If it'll cheer you up, yes," Severus said evenly.

"Well, I suppose looking wouldn't hurt," Jennifer said, smiling at him and taking his arm.

"If you come out of there without at least three new gowns, I'll know I have reason to worry," Severus said with a frown.

"Then I suppose I'll come out with five," Jennifer said flirtatiously as they went in Lasting Impressions.

As many boys were hovering around Honeydukes, even more girls were wandering around the dress shop, many hanging out in the student robes room and discussing whether not to get the cuffs on their old robes taken in or buying new ones, while others gawked over Minerva's latest designs in gowns or making notes over what to ask for Christmas.

"Jennifer! Finally, a paying customer!" Minerva chuckled, giving her a hug. "Do you know, I've found I save a lot of time by doing all my floor models in your size and making two of them," she teased. "Good to see you, Severus. I see you're in luck; after twenty-five years tight cuffs are in again. You're practically almost halfway back in style."

"Yes, he cares so much about that," Jennifer chuckled. "What do you have in winter velvets?"

"I thought you'd never ask… right over here," Minerva said, showing her over. Fully prepared, Severus took a book out of his pocket and began to read as Jennifer began through the traditional evergreens whites and cranberries, looking at them with a frown.

"Oh, no, the low straight necklines are in again?" she frowned.

"Now, don't start with that silly business about weak shoulders, Jennifer, I've seen enough of your jewelry collection to know you must have some necklace that would help complement your slender lines," Minerva chided her. "But I was thinking perhaps you'd want something a little more daring this year, perhaps in one of my newest colors…ice blue and royal purple," Minerva said, holding up two gowns.

"Drop waists too? For winter? Those aren't really my colors…" Jennifer said skeptically.

"Oh, nonsense! The purple especially would bring out the red in your hair. I'll not let you get in the same rut in style as Severus, you'd hurt my reputation! Here, take this one over to the mirror, Jennifer, really, I wouldn't show them to you if I didn't think you could pull it off," Minerva said, coaxing her to take the purple dress. "Let me grab you some others."

Reluctantly, Jennifer wandered over to the larger mirror in the robe room, holding the dress up to herself, when suddenly she saw a strange shadow on her face. She frowned, thinking at first it was the lighting, but glancing around she saw that it was as bright as it always was in there and she stepped closer. She froze in surprise then, for she saw quite clearly it was the bruise from when Lucius hit her. Horrified, she stared at it and brought a hand to her face, wondering if the Invisibility cream had rubbed off somehow. As she raised her hand, she saw it red in the mirror, but when she turned it over in front of her, nothing was there.

What was going on, she panicked, feeling her heart in her chest wondering what was so special about this mirror that it could see through it. Could everyone else see it too? Slowly she stepped back a bit, but then noticed lines suddenly appear that had never been there before…lines she didn't recognize ever being there. Alarmed, she stepped closer again to see her hands and arms criss-crossed with slash marks, and as she stared at her face, one by one heavy red marks began to appear there as well.

A scream of pure terror caused Severus to drop his book and Minerva her dresses, both rushing in with their wands out as Jennifer screamed hysterically at the mirror. The startled students moved quickly away from her as Minerva ran passed them, pointing at it, the force of the spell commanding the ghost lurking there to come out, the old woman's face marred in a very disturbing way as she wavered there in her robe and night cap for an instant before being banished back to the attic.

"Damn that ghost! Jennifer, it's all right, it was only Regretta!" Minerva said helplessly as Severus came over and knelt beside her, face pale. Still sobbing, Jennifer buried her face in his shoulder, trembling. "She's always enjoyed haunting that mirror! That does it; I'm having that mirror removed! Regretta's gone too far this time!"

"What could a ghost have done so terrible to have frightened a Hogwart's professor?" Juliet asked Jocelyn from where they and several other students stood by the door.

"I'm sorry, I was just…startled," Jennifer got out at last, attempting to pull herself together as she realized how many students were watching. She got pushed herself gently away from Severus and got to her feet, but Severus could easily see how shaky she still was, and the image of her terrified face still had him on edge.

"No, it's not your fault. I should have bottled that ghost considering how many people I knew would be in here today," Minerva said, angry at herself. "Please, why don't you come in the back and I can make you some tea?"

"No… no, it's fine. I'm fine," Jennifer said.

"You are anything but 'fine,'" Severus said in a low but testy voice. "I think you ought to take Minerva's offer."

"No, really," Jennifer said, the two of them watching unsurely as she picked up the dress and went to the next room, Severus and Minerva following fairly close behind her as she grabbed two more off the shelf. "I'll take these, Minerva."

Minerva glanced worriedly at Severus who nodded in return. Reluctantly, Minerva gently took the dresses over to the counter.

"I'm not buying it," Severus murmured.

"I can get these, Severus," Jennifer whispered.

"That wasn't what I meant," Severus muttered back. "I want to know what happened back there."

"Didn't you see for yourself? I was looking in the mirror and the ghost came at me, and that was all," Jennifer said.

"Was it the ghost that frightened you, Jennifer, or whatever it was you saw in the mirror?" Severus murmured. Jennifer turned away then, looking at Minerva who was finishing to wrap up her parcel. "I know you too well to think that a simple manifestation alone would scare you, no matter how malignant."

"Severus, I'm rather tired. Do you mind if I head back after this?" Jennifer asked.

"I'll come with you," Severus said firmly.

"Here you are, Jennifer. I really am sorry about Regretta," Minerva said.

"It's all right, Minerva, I am sorry to have caused a scene. Really sorry," Jennifer said with such chagrin that Minerva smiled sympathetically.

"Well, it's nice to be stirred up now and again. Reminds me of the school," Minerva said with a wicked smile handing her the package. But as they left, Minerva's smile faded, and she sat behind the counter and got out a piece of paper.

"We need to speak with Danny before I can leave, and we should let the children know," Severus mused as they stepped onto the street. "Or perhaps see if they're done…" Jennifer made a move to protest, but after she turned towards him she saw something down the street that stunned her silent. Seeing her expression, Severus followed her gaze and stared aghast as he too recognized the White Mark in the distance.