A/N – Okaaaaaay then. To make things more confusing coughsand easier for me and Wom…!coughs …When us WKGS people got to Hogwarts, we moved up to the 6th year…Because we want to have lessons with Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest, but we also want everything that happened in the books to have happened. So hey! It's 6th year for all of us! (Oh, and Tom – you've been degraded a year, because you're now the same age as us. So, while we've aged two years, you've only aged one. Ha-di-ha-ha-ha…)
Replies to Reviewers are at the bottom………AND A SPECIAL, VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT AT THE BOTTOM, TOO! YOU MUST READ IT!
Chapter 5 – The Date.
Saturday evening swung around, and found a certain group of 6th year Gryffindors preparing for a sneaky night out in Hogsmeade.
Nuala walked in, humming under her breath, and froze at the sight in front of her.
"What in hell's name are you doing?" she asked, staring at Emmie and Jamie – who were busy wrapping Lissi up in sheets of newspaper.
Jamie grinned. "We're helping Liss get ready for tonight! She said she wants to look nice for her first night out in Hogsmeade, and none of us can afford a new dress – so we're styling one out of newspaper! Very economical of us, don't you think?"
Nu stared. "But…newspaper?"
Emmie nodded, whilst fastening a long piece of twisted newspaper around the hem of the dress. "Yes, Nu. Newspaper. Something we can afford, that's easy to make things out of – Who needs a sewing machine when you've got some newspapers, scissors and selotape!"
Staring at Lissi, who was smiling nervously, Nu sighed and shook her head. "Bloody lunatics I'm stuck with…" she muttered.
Hermione came out of the bathroom with a towel on her head, having freshly washed her hair. "Hello, Nu," she said, smiling as she pointed her wand at her head and muttered a few words. The towel unravelled itself, and flew back to the bathroom, folding itself on the way, and Hermione's hair – now dry and brushed – tumbled down her back. Hermione glanced warily at Emmie, Jamie and Lissi, but didn't comment on them. "Ready for tonight then?" she asked Nu.
Lavender and Parvati, who were sitting on Parvati's bed and discussing the season's newest shades of make-up, glanced up with interest. "What are you doing tonight?" Parvati asked.
Nu coughed. "Nothing, we're just going to…er…surprise the blokes. That's all. Nothing else. Nothing suspicious, nooooo, not us…" Hermione gave Nu a sharp dig in the ribs, shutting her up.
"The blokes?" Lavender asked. "Including that Tom guy?" Nu and Hermione nodded, and watched their two girlier roommates wrinkle their noses in disgust.
"Didn't he chase Neville down the corridor, screaming about his ass?" Parvati asked them.
"That's the one…" a voice muttered darkly from a mountain of bedclothes in the corner of the room.
"Katy?" Nu kicked the mini mountain and watched as it toppled over, revealing Katy, tangled up in bedsheets. "What are you doing in there?"
Emmie cackled. "She was trying to catch up on some sleep before tonight – last night, she was roaming the corridors until 3am!"
Nu raises an eyebrow. "By yourself?" Katy muttered something, and shook her head, blushing. Parvati and Lavender giggled loudly, earning a fierce death-glare from their roommate, who was now struggling to untangle herself from the mass of bedclothes.
"Dean told us that Seamus was gone half the night, too…Were you with him?" Lavender asked, still giggling slightly.
"No…" Katy mumbled, before Emmie, Nu, Jamie and Liss collapsed into hysterical giggles.
"She was with SEEEA-MUS!" they sang together, managing to be miraculously in time with each other. Katy growled, and pulled a pillow over her head, mumbling to herself angrily.
A knock sounded at the door. "Come in!" Hermione called.
A blonde girl stepped in, and grinned around. "Hi girlies!"
"Hayley!" Emmie waved, as she and Jamie out the finishing touches to Lissi's newspaper dress. "Come in, sit down – how've you been?"
Hayley sat down on the edge of a nearby bed. "I've been fine…I came in to congratulate you. We all saw what you did in Potions on Monday. Well done! The Waffle salutes you." The girls all grinned at each other, and Hayley continued. "Well, anyway…Just a passing visit…See you soon, waffles! Oh, and Nu – your balaclava seems to have made it's way into my suitcase….Here y'are!" Hayley threw the balaclava at Nu, and made her way out of the dormitory cheerfully.
"Balaclava!" Nu hugged the balaclava, and proceeded to put it on.
"Are we all ready?" Hermione asked, as she zipped up her jacket.
Emmie and Jamie turned Lissi around, inspecting their handiwork. The both nodded. "Lissi's ready…So are we," Jamie said, grabbing her own jacket.
"Come on then, let's go!" Hermione opened the door.
"Wait!" Emmie walked over to the corner of the room, and pulled the bedclothes off Katy, who had attempted to hide herself once more. "Come on – get up, get out! We're leaving, and you're coming with us!"
"Damn…" Katy clung onto a sheet and trailed out of the dormitory after her friends, much to the amusement of Parvati and Lavender, who were still sitting on their beds and staring at their roommates.
Ten minutes later, the six girls were gathered on the red sofas in the Gryffindor common room, waiting for the boys.
"They'd better hurry up, or I'll – er – we'll be late!" Lissi said, glancing at her watch.
"Keep your hair on, Liss, we're here now," a voice said from behind them. The girls turned to see Tom, Harry and Ron standing there, Harry holding a certain piece of parchment.
"Come on," Harry whispered, glancing at the Marauders Map in his hand. "The coast is clear for now – we'd better hurry!"
"Oh yeah, because no-one's gonna notice ten students sneaking out of the castle!" Ron said sarcastically.
"Nine, Ron," Hermione muttered.
"What?"
Hermione sighed. "There's nine of us. You said ten."
Ron glanced around, counting. "No…there's TEN of us."
Frowning, Hermione turned round to count everyone. "You're right…But…Who's here?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Well, there's me, Ron and Tom…That's three. Then there's you, Hermione…And there's Emmie, Nu, Jamie, Katy, Liss and…Hold on," Harry frowned. "Who are you?"
The group all glanced at a newcomer who was standing next to them, grinning wildly.
"SARAH FLAHERTY!" Katy called out in an irish accent.
"Hallooooo!" Sarah said, waving at them all. "Sorry I'm late – I was putting Ted in the Hogwarts stables!" she told them.
Harry clicked his tongue impatiently. "If we're going, we've got to go NOW…"
"Coming with us, Spid?" Emmie asked. Sarah nodded, and the group followed Harry's lead out of the portrait hole.
The group reached the busy town square of Hogsmeade, with Ron and Hermione bringing up the rear, bickering as usual.
"Come on, no point in trying to make them be nice to each other…" Harry muttered, shooting an evil grin at Emmie and Jamie. "After all, they are in love!" he added in an undertone to them. The two girls grinned at him, and began to sing "Can You Feel The Love Tonight?" in whispers.
"Hogs Head's down this way!" Harry called to the group, leading them all down a side road. The ten 6th year's made their way, unnoticed, down the street, and piled into the pub, whispering. Hermione scanned the pub, and nudged the nearest people. "Look – there's Snape!" She pointed into the darkest corner. "There's a bay right next to it, that window seat over there – if we sit there, we'll be able to hear everything!"
Leaving the boys to order the drinks, the seven girls crept steadily around, avoiding being seen by Snape, and slid onto the benches on the four sides of the square table. Minutes later, Harry, Ron and Tom came over, also making sure they weren't seen by their Potions Master, and set the drinks down onto the table, seating themselves at the same time. Jamie kicked Emmie under the table, and nodded her head towards Ron, who was now settled comfortably next to Hermione whilst handing the drinks out.
"Butterbeer, butterbeer, butterbeer, butterbeer, fire whisky, fire whisky, butterbeer…" he muttered, passing along the appropriate drinks to the right people.
Emmie giggled, and nudged Harry, who was sitting right next to her. "Check out Ron and Mione…getting veeerrry cosy already, don't you think?" she whispered into his ear. Harry glanced over at his two old friends, and hid his laugh behind a menu that had been lying on the table.
The door of the pub swung open, and Katy glanced around. "There's a woman walking towards Snapie's table!" she whispered. Craning her neck, she stared at the newcomer and, after a few moments, leaned back in towards the table. "Blonde hair…Skinny…Pale…Abooout…Hm, how tall? A bit smaller than me – let's say 5 foot 6, then, give or take an inch…" she muttered.
"Shh!" Emmie and Harry muttered, both gesturing behind them to the bay in which Snapie and his date were now talking.
"Hi, I'm Kia Mackner. Are you Severus?"
They heard a strange, strangled-cough-like noise. "Er – yes – I'm…I'm…Ummm…Sniv – I mean – Ah heh – I'm Severus Snape…"
"Harry…" Emmie whispered. "Help me up, I'm gonna take a quick look!" Harry obeyed, and Emmie glanced over to see Snape and Kia. She giggled, and climbed down. "He's gobsmacked! He's BLUSHING!"
Nu's eyes widened. "My Snapie…Blushing?" Emmie nodded excitedly.
"Oooooh, Snapie's in lurrrve…" Jamie whispered, flicking salt at Tom. "Misssster Frodo…"
SNAPIE'S POV…
I sighed, and added another torture method to the already-3-foot-long "Ways To Get Revenge On Dumbledore" list. Suddenly, a shadow fell across the table, and I looked up irritably.
And froze.
All I could see was green…Green, green, green…And a silky-soft voice interrupting my visions of green…
"Hi, I'm Kia Mackner. Are you Severus?"
I tried to speak, still staring at her. I shook my head. Idiot! She'll think you're some kind of…weird…weird man who's never been on a date before! Oh, wait…you are…Shut up, answer the beautiful goddess with eyes the colour of…Er…
"Er – yes – I'm…I'm…" Who am I? "Ummmm…I'm Sniv – I mean – Ah heh – " Damn Potter and Black! "I'm Severus Snape…" Finally, you managed it. Have a medal, Severus! Prat…
Kia smiled and sat down. I gazed at her. She was beautiful. She has blonde hair…Like the sun's rays, soft and golden…She was slim…Had curves that made my mouth turn dry…Pale skin that looked like freshly fallen snow, before idiotic students go jumping in it and ruining it…And those eyes…Green and sparkling, so deep…I felt as if I could get lost in them forever…This was what I'd wanted, all my life…She was what I'd been waiting for…
I snapped out of it as she spoke again. "So – um – Are we going to order something?" she asked, gesturing towards the menu's being held out by a waiter. Since when did the Hog's Head have menu's – and waiters, at that? Guess the whole Let's-Improve-Hogsmeade-And-It's-Facilities plan worked…
"Erm – yes…yes…" I took the menu's, and handed one to Kia. I watched as she read it, the delicate smile still on her face. She glanced up, smiling more.
"I'm ready to order – Are you?"
I coughed, and looked down at the menu. "Er…yes…I'll have whatever you're having…" I muttered.
"What about for drinks?" she asked.
I turned the page, and read the drinks, trying desperately to focus on the names. "Er – um – whatever you want…"
She pointed out a drink to the waiter, and the meal she wanted. I nodded, muttering that I wanted the same, and the waiter left.
"So…You teach at Hogwarts, do you?" she said, looking interested.
I nodded again. "Er – yes – Potions…"
She rested her beautiful head on her hands. "Do you enjoy it?"
Clearing my throat, I answered. "Yes…yes…It's very enjoyable…"
I watched her play with a paper napkin. "What are the students like?"
"The students are…intelligent and…and…well-mannered…" Was that a distinct snort of laughter I heard from the next table? I glanced over, but couldn't see – damn the owner, and his idea of privacy! Putting up makeshift walls like that…Who was laughing? Were they laughing at me? Did I look funny? Was Kia trying not to laugh at me, too?
She was smiling at me. I'll never get tired of seeing that smile… "You must be pretty intelligent yourself – to be able to teach such a complex subject to all those students, who are one day going to use what you taught them in the real world, and in their careers!"
I smiled back a little. I was getting used to this – I could do this. Despite the now-frequent sniggers erupting from the next bay to us. "What about you? What do you work as?" I asked, joy erupting within me as I finally managed to piece together two sentences without stumbling over my words.
"I own a shop round the corner – I sell ingredients for potions. In fact, I'm the supplier to the Hogwart's Potion's stock."
Whoah, I thought. Not only is she the woman of my dreams, but we share interests too… "So, we both love potions, then…" I said, trying out a little laugh. That felt good…I should laugh more often…
Kia smiled. "We both love potions." Suddenly, dishes of food were placed on the table in front of us, along with our drinks.
"This smells wonderful," I said in surprise. "Good choice…"
Picking up her knife and fork, Kia grinned. Wow…Her grin's as good as her smile… "Let's hope it tastes as good as it smells, shall we?"
THE SNAPIE TEAM'S POV…
The students seated around the square table in the next bay fell around in silent mirth.
"We should have brought a videocamera!" Spid whispered, tears of laughter running down her face.
"What's – a – a vid – videocamera?" Ron asked through gasps of laughter.
Hermione shook her head, giggling. "Doesn't matter…"
Tom sat on the corner of the table, staring around with a confused expression on his face.
"There a problem, Tom?" Harry asked, having just lifted his head from banging it on the table to try and control his laughter.
Tom frowned. "There's nine of us again…"
Nu gasped. "Since when was Tom sitting next to me?!" she asked, sliding down the bench away from him.
"I wasn't earlier…" Tom said, still frowning. "Liss was sitting next to me…"
"She's gone!" Emmie said in an undertone. "The sly little…I wonder where she disappeared to?"
Jamie shrugged. "Guess we'll find out in the morning."
"Shhh!" Harry slammed his hand down on the table, and pointed behind him, towards the bay containing Snape and Kia. The group fell silent to listen.
"…Excuse me, Sevvy, I just need to nip and use the phone…My cat can't stand being on his own for any longer than an hour without at least hearing my voice on the answer machine…" The blonde woman walked across the pub, towards the payphone, as the group once more burst into loud, hysterical laughter.
"You!" Jamie, Katy, Spid, Hermione and Ron fell silent, and stared wide-eyed at something on the other side of the table, behind their friends. Slowly, Emmie, Nu, Harry and Tom turned their heads, to see Professor Snape standing behind them, white with fury.
"I should have known it would be you!" he hissed. "You," he pointed at Harry, "are as arrogant as your father – this is just the kind of act he would have tried to pull off, too! And you two," he pointed a shaking finger at Ron and Hermione, "have always followed Potter in whatever the three of you have done! And now the rest of you…Coming to Hogwarts, and following whatever stupid, pointless idea Potter has come up with this time…"
Tom stood up. "Actually, professor, it wasn't Harry's idea to stalk you, it was Emmie and Nu's, so – oops…" Tom turned to Emmie and Nu. "I've just gotten you two into trouble, haven't I?" The two girls nodded, glancing at the trembling potions master.
"You….you…..AAAAAAAAAAAARGH! GET OUT, GET OUT!" Snapie screamed at them, turning purple.
Spid tilted her head to the side. "Hmmm…Does that mean you want us out, then?"
Kia walked up behind Snapie, and ruffled his hair, causing laughter to erupt throughout the group once more. "Hey again, Sevvy…Puddicat's fine, now. Who are these? Students from the school?" She beamed at the nine students in front of her. "I bet Sevvy's your favourite professor at school, isn't he? He's so cute, how could he not be?"
Katy sniggered. "Oh, yes…We love the way he screams at us sweetly, the way he oh-so-cutely tells us in a loud, scathing voice what we've done wrong, the way he adorably favours the students in his own House over us…What a wonderful man!"
Snapie turned to Kia. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to escort these students back up to the castle…They're not meant to be out of the school grounds at this time…"
Kia nodded, and planted a kiss on Snapie's lips. "Ok then, cuddlebunny…Call me." She winked, grabbed her jacket and bag off the back of her chair, and made her way out of the pub.
Snapie turned back to the group of students. "As for you…"
"Er – guys?" Emmie muttered to the others.
"Yeah?" a few whispered back.
"BAIL!" The nine students dived out of their chairs, knocking Snapie over in the process, and dodged their way between tables and chairs towards the door of the pub. Ron held it open, and pushed the others out of the door, following them himself at top speed as Snapie struggled to his feet and ran towards the door.
"Hey, this was pretty fun!" Jamie called, as the nine Gryffindors ran through the streets in the direction of the castle.
"Yeah, we should do it again sometime!" Ron yelled.
Two people stepped out of a small corner-restaurant directly in front of the group. Emmie and Katy collided with the pair, knocking themselves and the other two off their feet.
Emmie rubbed her head, and glanced up. "Lissi!" she shrieked, seeing her friend on the floor next to her. "Where did you get to?" She glanced sideways, to where Katy and Draco Malfoy were staring at each other, Katy with eyes full of hate, and Draco with a rather shocked expression. "Ohhhh, no….We'll talk about this later, Liss!"
Nu, Jamie and Spid ran up to the four on the ground. "Quick, Snapie's just come round the corner! Get up!" Jamie said, keeping an eye on the approaching professor as she, Nu and Spid helped the three other girls to their feet.
"Liss…and Malfoy?" Nu asked, glancing at the boy still sprawled on the ground.
"I said we'd talk later," Emmie muttered. "Right now – we run. Come on!" The six girls caught up with their four friends ahead, leaving the Slytherin on the ground. As they reached the path that would take them straight to the castle, they turned.
"Snape tripped over Malfoy…" Harry said, sniggering.
"Come on," Emmie said sternly. "Let's go. A few of us need to have a little talk." She glanced at Liss, who turned her back and began walking up the path towards the castle.
As the group reached the castle gates, Nu nudged Em. "Did you see the look Malfoy gave Katy?" she whispered. Emmie nodded.
"I'm glad I wasn't imagining seeing that, then…"
Nu paused, and glanced behind her. "I see Snapie and Malfoy are taking their time…"
"Malfoy's a right little player, in that case," Emmie whispered. "I wonder what Pansy'll think of this?"
REPLIES TO REVIEWERS.
LILY – Sorry, but the part of Sevvy's partner's already taken…And we have great plans for our little Kia grins But we might be able to fit you in somewhere later in the story. We'll see what we can do – no promises though!
SIRIUS BLACK HERE – You still remain our most faithful reviewer, Kia!!! And thanks for keeping me on my toes by reminding me…heh heh. Well, anyway, as I said up there – We have great plans for you. The best is yet to come! Speak to you soon xxx
MONKEY – Your life is a ruin, huh, Tom? I said we were nicer to you in this chapter. Well….nicer than we were in the last chapter. You're still paying off emotional debt lol – but hey, we'll get nicer to you as we go on. Providing you stay nice towards us lol. BY THE WAY, GUYS – IT'S TOM'S BIRTHDAY ON SUNDAY 6TH JUNE! HE'S GONNA BE 16! Reviews wishing him a Happy 16th Birthday will be much appreciated, and will be passed on to him – Don't forget, he's one of the stars of the story lol!
HEATH – Hey, you!!! The first SOTer to read the fanfic! Thankyooouuu! Hope you enjoy this chappie too…See you in SOT xxx
JAMIE – Toooaaaaad! ANOTHER STAR OF THE STORY! Hope you're happy to see the first signs of the R/H that will appear throughout this fic…And, of course, you'll have a fair hand at making that happen from now on, won't you? The announcement's being made after these replies…Heh heh. Can't wait to get started! And GO ON THE BLOODY WEBSITE I MADE FOR US! Please! That goes for Wom, Fish and Wiggs, too, if you guys are reading this!
LISS – Wiggs! LOOK, FAITHFUL READERS! IT'S YET ANOTHER STAR OF THE STORY!!!! Raaaah, thanks for reviewing!!! And you'd better get that brain in action, seeing as I'm about to announce The Plan to everyone…
Okay, here goes with it….
A/N – A VERY SPECIAL, VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT.
Well, guys. It's the end of an era. Because me and Wombat aren't going to be a partnership in the writing of this story anymore….
…cackles Had you going there. (Even if I didn't – just humour me, and say that I did.)
Okay, well. It's the truth that the Frog-and-Wombat partnership is no more as of the end of this chapter…But only to be replaced with something that can only be even BETTER!
Readers of SROS, I present to you….
THE SNAPIE TEAM!
Aka, the authors of Snapie Rox Our Sox, from Chapter 6 onwards! The Snapie Team consists of6 very important stars of the story…And don't worry – Me and Wombat will still be writing it!
So, let's introduce the otherfour authors of this wonderful fanfic, as of next chapter – the otherfour girls who make up thesix members of the Snapie Team!
TOADY – Aka Jamie, Aka our very faithful reviewer Jammie-Bro. We go to school with her…We scream about Ron and Hermione with her (Well…I do, at least…Wom just buries her head in her hands…)………And now, we write with her! The author of some of her own fanfics, and a dedicated HP fan…Meet JAMIE BURROWS!!!!
FISH – Aka Katy! She's never read the HP books, although she's seen the films…She can't understand the obsession that Wombat, Toad or I have with HP…Yet she's agreed to help us out with the writing of this fic! Because, although she's not a die-hard fan of HP, she has some very….interesting…ideas for the fanfic. Meet KATY BOLTER!!!!
WIGGS – Aka Lissi! Although she's not as obsessed as three of her co-writers with HP, she's a fan, and she LUUUURVES Malfoy! She's willingly agreed to join the team in writing what WILL BE the best Snapie fanfic that ever existed! People of Fanficdom….Meet LISSI STOTT!
SPID - Aka Sarah! A comical genius, which will hopefully come in handy in writing this fanfic! Ok, so she's not a die-hard fan of HP either, but hey...She rocks! Meet SARAH FLAHERTY!
So there you have it, guys. Frog, Wombat, Toad, Fish, Wiggs and Spid–Six wonderful, talented, intelligent, beautiful, must-be-worshipped girls (well, we like to think so) who make up The Snapie Team – the new team of authors for the greatest fic you'll ever read….SNAPIE ROX OUR SOX!
Love and peace to the readers…Speak to you soon. The end of an era, the beginning of another.
For the last time to be signed by only two….Get the hankies out, everyone!
Frog and Wombat xxx