"Do you remember what we talked about at the start of the week?" Professor Snape asked.
Rachel nodded. When he continued to look at her, she pulled a slip of parchment and a quill out and began to write. 'If anyone tries to get me alone, or if something seems odd or suspicious, I am to come find you.'
"That's right," he said. "Err on the side of caution. If something feels wrong, come to me. Do you have Draco's gift?"
Rachel nodded again and picked up the wrapped present from where she'd left it on the couch. She'd Owl Ordered Draco a pair of Quidditch gloves and a scarf with the logo of the Falmouth Falcons and asked the store to gift wrap it before they sent it.
"Alright. We'll walk off Hogwarts grounds and then apparate to Malfoy Manor. I know I don't have to tell you to be on your best behavior," Professor Snape said.
The weather was nice and Rachel waved at Hagrid as they walked on the path that led to the Hogwarts gates. Once they were through the gates she put her hand on Professor Snape's arm and held on as tightly as she dared. While she no longer felt sick after apparating, she still did not enjoy the sensation.
They landed on a gravel walkway and Rachel gawked at the enormous building in front of them. It was at least four stories tall and she couldn't even take a guess at how many rooms it might contain. There was a large iron gate blocking them from going further with enormous hedges at each side. Draco lived here?
"A little ostentatious, I know," Professor Snape said. "The Malfoy family has lived here for many generations. I will introduce you to Lucius and then you should join the other children."
Rachel followed him up to the gate and was surprised when it dispersed into black smoke when he stepped through. She hurried past where the gate was in case it came back. They walked along the gravel path and she jolted at squawking noise and was stunned to find a large albino peacock resting on one of the hedges.
"Ah yes, Lucius' peacocks. I suggest you stay away from them as they are quite aggressive," Professor Snape warned.
Rachel decided to heed that advice and stayed close to Professor Snape. The front door was open and they stepped into an ornate entrance hall.
"Severus, so nice of you to join us," a man with long white-blond hair said as he entered from a side room. Rachel didn't need an introduction to know that this was Draco's father.
"Lucius," Professor Snape said as he inclined his head. "May I present to you my ward, Rachel Snow."
"I am honored to have you in my home, dear," Lucius said.
Rachel bowed her head like Professor Snape had.
"She still doesn't speak?" Lucius asked, not looking away from Rachel.
"Not as of this time," Professor Snape said.
"Fascinating," Lucius said, resting his cane on the floor. "Well, Rachel, go on through that door and join the other children outside."
Rachel looked to Professor Snape.
"Go on. I'll be in the sitting room with the other adults should you need anything," Professor Snape said, nodding to the room at the side.
Rachel walked in the direction Lucius had pointed, though she could still hear them talking.
"She's so obedient to you. I wish Draco was half as deferential," Lucius said.
"Draco is obedient enough at school," Professor Snape said.
Rachel was glad that Professor Snape was turning the conversation away from her, and she was glad that she didn't have to stay and listen to the adults talk about her. She went through the door that Lucius had indicated and found herself in another room. This one had a table with trays of food and drinks set out and an enormous three-layer cake with ornamental icing sitting in the center. She'd never seen such an elaborate display of food.
There was a popping sound and Rachel turned around to find a creature wearing a pillowcase staring at her. It had giant bat ears and big green eyes and was about as tall as her waist. They stared at each other.
"Rachel! Quidditch now and food later!" Draco called loudly as he entered the room from the doors leading outside.
Rachel spun, startled, and then offered Draco the wrapped gift.
"Thank you, but gifts later too," Draco said. "Come on, we have a spare broom and you'll even out the teams."
Rachel followed Draco out of the manor, watched as he placed the gift she'd given him with a pile of other presents, and then then followed him through the gardens to a half-sized Quidditch pitch.
"Come on, you can fly with Theo," Draco said, picking up two brooms and handing one to Rachel.
Rachel mounted the broom and took off into the air, flying up to where Pansy and Theo were stationary in the center of the pitch. She could see that Crabbe was guarding one set of the rings and Goyle was guarding the other.
She met Theo's eyes but then waved to Pansy.
"Hi Rachel," Pansy called. "Draco's got all of us up here playing Quidditch until we die."
"It's my birthday party, so I get to say what we do," Draco said, holding a Quaffle as he flew up. "Let's play until ten goals and then we'll shuffle the teams around."
Rachel was startled as she realized who Draco reminded her of, just a little bit. Though Dudley would have gone straight for the gifts and the cake, rather than bossing everyone around to do sports.
They took off flying and while Draco and Rachel were easily the two best players, Pansy and Theo held their own pretty well. Goyle was better at blocking shots than Crabbe, but Crabbe flew to the other rings more easily than Goyle.
Draco scored the tenth goal, to Theo and Rachel's eight, and Draco flew in a vertical loop to celebrate. "Now let's change, boys vs girls."
"Draco, I need a break and a drink," Pansy said, flying down to the ground.
Rachel nodded. They'd been flying for more than an hour.
"Okay fine, a break. But I get to open presents," Draco called, flying down after Pansy.
"And cake," Crabbe called, flying after them.
Theo met Rachel's gaze and then rolled his eyes. Rachel smiled but quickly flew down to join the others. She was being extra careful not to seem like she spent time with Theo, just in case his father was watching.
The adults had come out of the sitting room and were milling in the room with the cake and out in the garden.
"Draco, why don't your guests have some refreshments and you can open your gifts," Lucius suggested in a way that meant it was an order.
"Yes, father," Draco said quickly. He turned to the rest of them. "Come get cake."
Rachel looked around until she found Professor Snape and then joined the others for getting a piece of cake and a drink. An older man was standing with Professor Snape and neither of them looked like they were particularly enjoying the conversation they were having.
She sat at one of the garden tables with Pansy and ate the delicious velvet cake while Draco opened presents. He got things like new robes, a gemstone pin, and a set of antique goblets. Rachel was feeling a little uncertain about her gift, but when Draco opened it he grinned and immediately put the gloves on.
She was most of the way through her cake when she felt an odd sensation and she discreetly looked around. The creature was back, hiding by the doorway, and it was watching her again. Was this what Professor Snape had meant when he said she should go to him if something odd or suspicious happened?
She decided to wait and see if it came any closer.
After Draco was finished with opening gifts and thanking everyone he jumped to his feet. "Quidditch, new teams this time."
Pansy moaned but got to her feet. "I am not meant for sports."
Rachel grinned. She just liked having people to play Quidditch with. It was much more fun than flying by herself.
"Severus," Narcissa said as she approached, glass of wine in hand. "How wonderful to see you."
"Narcissa, you look lovely as ever," Severus said, inclining his head and offering his hand.
Narcissa delicately set the fingers of her right hand on Severus' outstretched hand and gave a slight curtsy. "I'm so glad you were able to accept our invitation. I know Draco was looking forward to having Rachel attend his party," she said, withdrawing her hand.
Severus hadn't been aware that Rachel and Draco were friends and wondered how much contact Rachel actually had with him. "We're both delighted to be here."
"Draco said that Rachel doesn't speak. Is that true, Severus?" Narcissa asked, her tone interested yet casual.
"It is true," Severus said.
"I must say, that must be a welcome reprieve. There are days when I wish I could cast silencio on Draco like I did when he was having tantrums as a toddler," Narcissa said with a smile.
Severus inclined his head, not wanting to disagree with Narcissa.
"We'll of course be casting a longer term silencing charm on him when it's time for him to learn non-verbal magic. It's really the most effective way of encouragement," she said.
"Non-verbal magic isn't usually taught until sixth year," Severus pointed out, careful to keep his tone neutral.
"We'll wait a year or two, though Draco is naturally rather advanced in casting magic," Narcissa said, pausing to take a sip of her wine. "Lucius was rather disappointed with Draco's class ranking this year."
"Draco did very well. Eighth in his class is nothing to be ashamed of," Severus said, regretting that he couldn't do more for Draco.
Narcissa nodded. "Even so, hopefully he will apply himself more in his next school year. Get yourself a drink, Severus. I shouldn't keep you all to myself."
"I'm glad we got to speak, Narcissa," Severus said.
"As always," she said, moving away to speak with Wardell and Ambrosia Parkinson.
Severus went to the refreshment table and picked up a glass of wine to carry with him, without the intention of doing more than sipping it to give the illusion that he was drinking.
"Severus," Marxius Goyle said as he added more food to his plate.
"Marxius," Severus replied. "I trust you got my letter suggesting that Gregory receive remedial tutoring this summer." Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe were both ranked near the bottom of their class and Severus had sent letters to both their parents suggesting tutoring.
Marxius nodded. "I got him a tutor."
"Good. Have them pay special attention to his work in Transfiguration and Potions," Severus instructed. He left Marxius at the refreshment table and went to the window that looked out on the back gardens. He could just see the game of Quidditch on the pitch.
"Severus," Ignatius Nott said, walking up to the window with a glance at Severus.
"Ignatius," Severus said. Out of all of the attendees at the party, Ignatius was the one Severus was the most worried about. Ignatius had a reputation, even among the Death Eaters, for being brutal and vicious. Severus didn't want him anywhere near Rachel if he could possibly help it. "Theodore did very well this year. Second in his class, all Outstandings"
Ignatius nodded once. "Yes, I was pleased. I understand he's in a study group with the Snow girl," he said, his eyes fixed on the game of Quidditch in the distance.
Severus knew he had to step carefully. He had no doubt that Theodore would be the one to suffer if he gave the wrong impression. "Yes, a few of our top-performing students in Theodore's year formed an inter-House study group. Their entire group placed in the top ten of their class. It was wise for him to choose students who are as committed to their studies as he is."
"I have no misgivings as long as it's just a study group. Theodore knows who he should be associating with," Ignatius said. "What is the Snow girl like?"
"Silent, though she stays out of trouble for the most part," Severus said, trying to answer the question without giving away more information than Ignatius already knew.
"I heard she got two boys expelled," Ignatius said, finally turning to look at Severus.
Severus met his gaze easily. "They were suspended after they attacked her for a second time."
"Dumbledore is quite protective of her, yet he gave her to you," Ignatius said, his eyes searching Severus.
"Dumbledore trusts me," Severus said, answering the unspoken question.
Ignatius' eyebrow flickered upward ever so slightly. "We always knew he was a fool. Why didn't he leave her with the muggles that he so lovingly placed her with?"
"It was unsuitable to leave her with the muggles once she'd started to attend Hogwarts," Severus said, wondering how much Ignatius had heard from Lucius. "He deemed me a suitable replacement, as I am her Head of House. Undoubtedly he would have chosen Minerva if the girl had been sorted into Gryffindor."
"Curious that she wound up in Slytherin. Do you find that she exemplifies Slytherin virtues?" Ignatius asked.
"Despite her heritage, she has shown that she is both cunning and resourceful. She would have been ill-suited to Gryffindor," Severus said, thinking back to how Rachel and her friends figured out that the Philosopher's Stone was in Hogwarts and what was guarding it.
Ignatius nodded and turned back to look out the window. "That's unfortunate."
"We'll be retiring to the garden momentarily," Lucius said as he approached them.
"Of course, Lucius," Ignatius said.
Severus took the opportunity to step away from Ignatius and joined the rest of the party in the garden. While Draco opened his gifts, Severus kept half of his attention on Rachel and half of his attention on the rest of the adults. Ignatius' gaze often fell on Rachel, as did Lucius'.
He couldn't begrudge them their curiosity, but it worried him nonetheless. The best thing he could do would be to convince them that she was just an ordinary, unremarkable girl and the reflection of the Killing Curse onto the Dark Lord had been nothing more than a twist of fate.
He had doubts that was a realistic goal, but he had to try for Rachel's sake.
Rachel waited until they'd arrived back at Professor Snape's quarters before she wrote him a note and handed it to him. 'There was a creature of some kind at Malfoy Manor. It was watching me, but it didn't say anything or try to get close to me.'
"Can you describe this creature?" he asked.
'It was almost as tall as my waist. It had big ears and big green eyes. It was wearing a pillowcase,' Rachel wrote.
"That is a House Elf. Lucius keeps several. Undoubtedly he asked one of them to keep an eye on you while you were at the party," Professor Snape said. "I think it's likely he would ask them to watch anyone he was unfamiliar with who was invited to the Manor. Be careful around House Elves. They have powerful abilities, including the ability to apparate through wards. Did anything else strike you as suspicious while you were there?"
Rachel shook her head and wrote another note. 'I noticed that some of the adults kept looking at me while we were having cake. I was careful not to stay close to Theo other than what someone would normally do while playing Quidditch.'
"I noticed that they were watching you as well. They're quite curious about you. I did my best to convince them that you were not out of the ordinary," he said.
She thought it was going to be pretty difficult to convince them of that. Like it or not, Rachel didn't feel like she was average, especially in the wizarding world. 'There are House Elves at Hogwarts, aren't there? I've heard people talk about them.'
"Yes, there are a number of House Elves at Hogwarts. They mostly stay in the kitchens during the day and they clean the castle at night," Professor Snape explained. "Since they are loyal to Albus, I do not believe you are in any danger from them, but be careful around any House Elves that aren't wearing the Hogwarts crest."
Rachel nodded and decided she was better off just staying away from House Elves in general.
"I need to do some work in my lab today. Are you alright on your own until dinner time?" he asked.
Rachel nodded again. She had plenty to do.
"Alright. Knock on the door to my private lab if you need anything," he said, turning down the hallway.
Rachel went to her bedroom and pulled out her two-way book from where she kept it in her wardrobe. She took out her green quill, as she liked to play around with the different colors she had, and went to her bed. 'Theo, I'm sorry I couldn't be friends with you today. I thought your father might be watching,' she wrote in green ink.
She pulled out her wand and closed her eyes while she waited for a response. She'd been practicing mouthing spells while imagining what they did. She mouthed wingardium leviosa over and over, her wand held out while she pictured her quill floating in front of her. She could feel the magic in her wand waiting to come out.
After a few minutes she opened her eyes and checked the book. Theo had written back.
'No need to apologize. It was better that we pretended to be casual acquaintances considering who was at the party. And you're right, my father was watching. He asked me about you today after we got back home. I told him I didn't know much about you, that you didn't speak, and that we were in the same study group,' Theo had written.
'You went to a party?' Millie wrote out, Rachel watching the letters appear.
'Draco's birthday party. I don't know why he didn't invite more people in Slytherin. I wish you could have been there,' Rachel wrote in response.
Theo began to write. 'The invitees all had Death Eater parents, I'm sure Draco didn't get much - if any - say in the list. Millie is a half-blood, Blaise is as well, and Daphne's parents were neutral in the war.'
Rachel reread the words, her quill resting in her hands. She hadn't realized so many of her classmates had Death Eaters in their families. 'Is there anyone else at Hogwarts I should know about whose parents were Death Eaters?'
'Flora and Hestia Carrow. They're a year ahead of us. Avery Acker, he'll be a fourth year. Jacob Turner, he'll be a fourth year too. Alice Jugson, fifth year. Thomas Rowle, sixth year. That's everyone I know of currently at Hogwarts,' Theo wrote.
Professor Snape probably knew about all of them. And, so far at least, she hadn't felt like she'd been threatened by anyone in Slytherin House. As long as the upper years continued to ignore her, she didn't see that they would be a problem. 'Okay. I think we need to be careful,' Rachel wrote.
'Are you worried any of them are going to tell your father that we're friends?' Millie wrote.
There was a long pause before Theo wrote again. 'I'm not very worried. We shouldn't flaunt our friendship, but I've told my father that I'm part of the study group only so I can get the best grades and he seemed to believe me. I think the way things were at school is fine, as long as it stays at school. It's normal for classmates to be somewhat friendly towards each other at school.'
Rachel felt bad for Theo but didn't feel like she could do anything other than avoid him like he'd asked. She would be glad when they were all back at school.
'All right, if you're not worried, I'm not either,' Millie wrote back. 'And, no offense, but I'm glad I wasn't invited to the Death Eater birthday party.'
'You didn't miss much, Draco made us play Quidditch, then we watched him open presents, and then we played more Quidditch,' Theo wrote.
Rachel decided not to point out that there was cake and that the Quidditch had been fun. She didn't want Millie to feel bad that she hadn't been there. When there were no more new messages written in the book she closed her eyes again and went back to practicing wingardium leviosa.
On Monday morning, Rachel came out to have breakfast with Professor Snape, her mind already in the clouds as she planned what she wanted to do for the day. Flying, of course. A visit to the library, as was routine. Practice magic and speaking, because she was supposed to do that everyday. Maybe exploring the tower that led up to the Gryffindor common room.
She had just started to eat her scrambled eggs when Professor Snape arrived at the table with a sheaf of parchment.
He sat down and set the parchment aside. "As you know, I've been looking for a new place for us to live. I've been shown a number of homes and I'd like your opinion before a decision is made," he said, picking up his fork.
Rachel had vaguely been aware that he'd been looking at houses, but she hadn't quite thought he was serious about buying a new house. It seemed extreme when he already had a house. 'I'm not sure I can give you a good opinion. I don't know anything about house buying,' she wrote, and then pushed the note over to him.
"All I need to know is if you actually like the house and would feel comfortable living there," Professor Snape said. "I will take care of the rest."
Rachel nodded, but again felt her opinion wasn't worth much. She was just as happy staying at Hogwarts, though admittedly she was happier at Hogwarts than she'd been at Spinner's End. But, she could live at Spinner's End if she needed to, and it would be alright. It was way better than living with the Dursleys.
"We'll meet with the realtor who is showing the property at nine. That gives us just enough time to eat breakfast and walk to the gate," Professor Snape said.
Rachel nodded and started eating, not wanting to make them late.
Thirty minutes later they were standing in front of a brick two-story house with white windows and a brown roof. There was a lawn with trees surrounding it, and beyond that Rachel could see fields stretching out. It was as far from Spinner's End as she could imagine.
"This is Fallow Farm. We're in Hampshire, near Fordingbridge," Professor Snape said. "The house is fairly isolated, with about twelve acres of land."
A woman appeared near the front door. She was wearing flashy magenta robes and had neatly curled black hair. "Professor Snape, right on time. And this must be, oh my," she said as she hurried over to where they were standing.
"Rachel Snow," she said, staring directly at Rachel. "You even have the scar."
Rachel took a step closer to Professor Snape. She was not enjoying being stared at like this.
"Miss Mayford," Professor Snape began.
"Just call me Ainsley," the woman said.
"Ainsley. This is my ward, Rachel. If you don't mind, we'd like to look through the house," Professor Snape said firmly.
"Of course, of course. I just wasn't expecting to really meet the Girl-Who-Lived. Come with me and you can let me know what you think. It has three bedrooms, so there's plenty of room for your family to grow," Ainsley said, hurrying back to the door.
Rachel followed Professor Snape into the house. They arrived in the sitting room, which had a huge brick fireplace, a wall of built-in bookshelves, and a staircase to the left. There was plenty of room for a couch and armchair. She was relieved to see there was no cupboard under the stairs.
"Would you like to start with the kitchen?" Ainsley asked. "It's hooked up with muggle amenities, like electricity."
"I think we'll just wander by ourselves for a few minutes," Professor Snape said.
"Of course. I'll be right here if you have any questions," Ainsley said, looking disappointed.
They went into the room to the right and found the kitchen. There were wooden cabinets with a smooth laminate countertop and a sink built in, a place for a stove and a fridge, and tiles in mixed green lining the wall. To the side there was a place for a table and chairs.
On the other side of the sitting room there was a room with more built-in bookshelves and double doors that led out into the yard.
"Let's check the upstairs," Professor Snape suggested.
Rachel followed him up the stairs. There were four doors up here and Professor Snape went into the one on the far right. It was a bright, open room with windows that looked out onto the lawn and the trees.
"This could be your bedroom. There's enough space for a bed, a wardrobe, a desk, and a bookshelf, if you want one. Perhaps an armchair by the window for a place to read," Professor Snape suggested.
Rachel bit her lip and then went to the windowsill and wrote a note. 'It seems like a lot when we're at Hogwarts ten months of the year.'
"Perhaps, but it's important to have a home. While I plan to stay at Hogwarts for at least the next six years, I won't always be a professor. This house has a cellar which I can convert into a potions laboratory, and I can plant a garden for potions ingredients," Professor Snape explained. "This would also be a private home, whose location is known to only a few. I used Spinner's End during the war and many of my former associates have visited there."
Rachel nodded, suddenly understanding. Professor Snape wanted somewhere they could get away from Death Eaters if they needed to, somewhere safer even than Hogwarts.
'Can we see the outside after we see the rest of the house?' Rachel wrote.
"Yes, I'll show you the bathroom and the rest of the bedrooms, along with the cellar, and then we can go out back," Professor Snape said.
She followed him through the rest of the house, even down into the cellar, which wasn't as bad as she'd feared, and then they went out back. Rachel wandered a ways, wondering how far the property stretched out.
"Once the property is warded, it would be a good place for kids to fly on broomsticks," Ainsley said. She had followed them out of the house.
"Do you want to see anything else?" Professor Snape asked when Rachel returned to his side.
Rachel shook her head.
Professor Snape turned to Ainsley. "Thank you for showing us the property again. I will contact you within a few days to let you know if we will be making an offer on this property or continuing the search."
"My pleasure," Ainsley said. "And it was a pleasure to meet you too, Rachel."
Professor Snape offered his arm to Rachel and Rachel held on and braced herself. After that awful squeezing sensation, they reappeared outside of Hogwarts gates.
They walked in silence back to the castle and when they arrived at Professor Snape's quarters he turned to her. "So what did you think?"
'I liked it. I liked the windows and the light. It would need a stove and a fridge in the kitchen though,' Rachel wrote.
"Yes, we'd need to go furniture shopping, though that's true of any house. Can you picture yourself living there?" he asked.
Rachel nodded. 'Could I really go flying there?'
"Once the anti-muggle wards are in place, yes, though you'd have to be careful to stay within the grounds and not go above the treeline," he said.
'Do you like the house?' she wrote.
"I do. It's roomier than the one at Spinner's End, and I think we'll be safer there. I'm going to set the wards to only allow us, Minerva, and Albus to know where we live," Professor Snape explained.
'I like the built-in bookshelves,' Rachel wrote, smiling at him.
"I do too," he said, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. "Do you see any reason why I shouldn't make an offer on the house?"
Rachel shook her head.
"Alright, I'll write to the realtor and let her know I'd like to make an offer. Hopefully we'll know whether I can buy the house within a few days," he said. "You're free to do as you like, though meet me for lunch in the Great Hall at noon."
Rachel nodded and left, planning on going flying for a bit before lunch. She didn't mind staying at Hogwarts, but she hoped Professor Snape got the house he wanted.
"Are you ready to go?" Severus asked as he entered the main room of his quarters.
Rachel nodded, but handed him a piece of parchment. 'Why do we need to go furniture shopping? Can't we use the furniture that was in Spinner's End?' was written in purple ink.
Severus had gotten the deed to Fallow Farm yesterday and he intended to move in as soon as possible. All that remained was furnishing the home and warding it. Minerva had responded to his letter and they had made arrangements to ward the property on Friday.
"We're going to leave the furniture in Spinner's End where it is. As far as everyone will be aware, that is where we'll be living. From time to time we may have to go there to meet people," Severus explained. The fewer people who knew he didn't still live there, the safer he would feel.
Rachel bent her head to write again. 'So I should tell my friends we moved back into Spinner's End?'
Severus paused as he considered this and decided that it was necessary. He couldn't risk a Death Eater reading Theodore Nott's mind, even though he knew Ignatius was not a legilimens. "Yes. Unfortunately it's necessary to lie in this instance. The fewer people who know this house exists, the better our protections will work," he explained.
Rachel nodded.
"We're going to be using the floo. Remember to close your eyes and to not move around too much," Severus said, going to the fireplace.
Rachel paused to write and then handed him another note. 'What happens if you move too much?'
"You might fall out at the wrong grate," Severus said. "If that does happen, assess the situation and see if there is an adult who can floo-call me at Hogwarts. I will come straight back here so that you can reach me."
Rachel's eyes grew wide behind her glasses but she nodded again.
Severus threw a handful of floo powder into the fireplace and said "Chedwick's" and then motioned Rachel into the green flames. He followed her through a moment later and arrived in time to see Rachel picking herself up from when she'd fallen out of the floo.
"Welcome to Chedwick's Furniture Emporium. We're having a sale, twenty percent off dining room sets," a tall man said as he approached them. "Take a box. If you see something you want, shrink it and put it in the box and then bring it back to me when you're done."
The space was extensive - and had undoubtedly been expanded through wizard space - and there were pieces of furniture spread out as far as the eye could see. A cardboard box came floating up to them from a pile behind a counter.
"If you're looking at appliances, check the tags. Some of them will work with muggle electricity and gas, others have charms, and some have both. If you have any questions, just call for Chedwick and I'll be right with you," the man finished.
"Thank you," Severus said. "We'll let you know if we need anything."
Deciding that it didn't really matter where they started, Severus went in the direction where he saw kitchen and dining room furniture, Rachel following close behind. After wandering for a few minutes Severus realized how woefully underprepared he was. He had never gone shopping for furniture before. The furniture in Spinner's End was the same furniture that had been there in his childhood, and his quarters at Hogwarts had come pre-furnished.
"I must admit, I'm not sure where to start," he said, looking down at Rachel.
Rachel shrugged and then moved to sit in one of the chairs at a dining table. She seemed to ponder it for a moment and then shook her head and stood up. Then she went to the next table and sat down again.
Bemused, Severus followed her, and together they tried out some of the different dining room chairs. Eventually, at an oak table that could seat four, with oak chairs with padded seats, Rachel looked up at him and nodded.
"This one?" Severus asked.
Rachel tilted her head and then wrote out 'What do you think of it?'
Severus didn't particularly see how it was that different from any of the other tables they'd sat at, but it was certainly functional. "I think it would be fine. It seems sturdy enough."
He stood up and waited until Rachel had joined him before he shrank the table and each of the chairs and put them into the cardboard box that had followed them. "Appliances next?"
Rachel shrugged again and then nodded.
They opened the doors to various refrigerators and ovens and eventually found a matching pair in off-white that were able to use charms or electricity and gas. They sat on numerous couches and armchairs before agreeing on a comfortable set in dark tan, along with an oak coffee table that would match the dining table. Severus picked out a desk and an office chair.
It wasn't until they started looking at bedroom sets that Rachel became shy. She was clearly aware that these things were for her alone and that seemed to make her uncomfortable.
After they'd spent a few minutes with Rachel staring at the wardrobes, Severus decided he should address the issue. "I do not mind spending money on you, Rachel. You need furniture, you can't just sleep on the floor. I do not care what you pick. It's your room, so pick something that you like," he said quietly, not wanting to draw Chedwick's attention to them.
Rachel looked down at her feet.
"Can you write down what's making you uncomfortable?" he tried.
'I don't know how to pay you back,' she wrote.
"You do not need to pay me back. I'm your guardian. That means I provide for you, including suitable housing, which means a bedroom and furniture. Just like when I bought you clothing because you needed it. This is what guardians are supposed to do," Severus said, resisting the urge to grit his teeth as he thought about Rachel's previous living situation. "Would it be easier to pick something if I'm not watching you? I could look at furniture for my bedroom while you're looking at furniture for yours?"
Rachel hesitated and then nodded.
"Okay. I will be within eyesight. Come to me immediately if something feels wrong or if someone approaches you," Severus instructed. "Pick out a bed, a wardrobe, a desk and chair, a bookshelf, and an armchair."
He waited until she nodded again and then walked a few meters away. He made his own choices quickly enough, matching dark wood for a double bed, a bedside table, and a wardrobe. Then he waited and watched from a distance while Rachel wandered through the bedroom furniture, occasionally peeking into a wardrobe or lying down on a bed.
It was strange, but it reminded him a little bit of his first year after finishing at Hogwarts. His parents were both dead and he had just received the Dark Mark, and he simultaneously felt like he was really living for the first time and like he had no idea how to survive. Whenever he'd watched people he'd felt isolated, like he couldn't reach wherever they were. The Dark Lord had become his direction because it was the only thing he knew.
Rachel reminded him of that time in his life as she tried to understand people with the limited perspective she'd been given by her travesty of a childhood. He could only hope that with time and work, he could help her see a different future than the one he had been drawn into. He had made his salvation by spying on the Dark Lord. He wanted her never to go down that path to begin with.
"Did you pick some things out?" Severus asked as Rachel approached him.
Rachel nodded. They went back over to the bedroom sets and she tentatively pointed out a matching set in maple wood, along with a dark blue armchair. Severus shrank them down and placed them in the box that was now getting quite full.
"Good. We need linens," he said, nodding in the direction of a wall filled with sheets, blankets, pillows, and towels.
They picked out blankets and sheets, Rachel hugging numerous pillows before she decided on which ones she wanted. Severus remembered to get wash cloths and dish towels in addition to bath towels.
"Can you think of anything we're missing?" Severus asked.
Rachel shook her head.
Severus was sure they'd think of a few more things they needed once they moved in, but this would do for now. At least they didn't have to move the furniture the muggle way. He could just unshrink it when they had it where they wanted it.
"Let's go pay and go home," he said, relieved that they were done for the time being.