Author's Note: So truth bomb, I have at least 12 or 13 chapters of this written, but this story has been a labour of love I started well over 6 years ago, give or take a year. It has gone through a lot of revisions, and quite a few friends for accuracy and quality. I tend to rush parts of stories more often than not when I am bored or burnt out, so this chapter has been a pain in my ass to finally accept and release. I am not 100% happy with this, or all of the first few chapters to be honest. There will more than likely be a rewrite, but please keep with it. I have added a lot, I have fleshed out scenes, and edited a lot to make this story realistic and enjoyable.
The being in school together bit is not meant to be the whole story, it is very much like an intro, thus why I am jam packing a lot of stuff into the first few chapters. There will be flashbacks, there will be mentions or more than just what you read here, but I also wanted to set up their friendship and subsequent love so it is realistic and warming. But remember, Severus is still an adult in his mind, and she is a child. Friendship and some fluff is about all you'll get at this point, if at all. The jump to the past should only be 2 or so chapters away.
I hope you enjoy this and thank you for all the follows, favs, and reviews!
~Start Chapter 2~
Third year had finally started without too much of an issue. Max still complained about the distance and Severus still only partially paid attention to their one-sided, slowly becoming two-sided, friendship.
Third year was a game changer for Max though. The courses became more optional and required a lot more work for her to continue passing with her current GPA. She had lamented about the loss of her free time to read, and spent long hours writing essays Severus would proof relentlessly for her.
Working with parchment was definitely a weakness for her, and it showed often with how many spelling errors she had. She had attempted once to explain that in her world they used computers to write so she never had to learn cursive nor how to write with a quill and parchment.
This had ended up being one of their many lessons between classes, and some of the worst memories he had of the girl. She was clumsy and had often splattered ink over both of them while learning.
This year she had came back taller, more evened out, and was starting to become graceful. Not by much, if her tripping on the steps into Hogwarts earlier that evening was any indication, but she was starting to grow up.
Severus also noticed the changes in his own body. While he was aware of what was to come, he was also a lot better filled out than his previous life. Living with McGonagall had given him a stronger start than his past life ever had. He had more weight, had managed to maintain muscle this time around so he wasn't as lanky, and the quality of food and care he had caused his skin and hair to appear cleaner and more youthful. He was still awkwardly thin, his hair still thick and oily, but for once he looked his age.
He was also thankful for the missing scars and Dark Mark.
He watched her avoid the pumpkin juice she hated in favour of tea as she scooped some mashed potatoes onto her plate as she idly watched the sorting ceremony with fascination.
No matter the year she seemed to grow more and more fascinated with everything. She had once told him she was blessed, that someone had given her the greatest gift imaginable. He silently agreed that magic was probably the greatest thing in both his lives as well.
As they walked towards the portrait together he couldn't help but realized how attentive of her he had become. When did that change?
The question slowly dissipated from his mind as she grabbed his hand smiling wide and dragged him over to play Wizard's chess.
~Break~
Max was in the library working on her Ancient Runes homework. She still had a bunch of classes with Severus this year, but having to tailor her schedule to classes she enjoyed and wanted to take in addition to the mandatory courses, she was seeing less of him. She had chosen Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, and Study of Ancient runes and was having a hard time getting her grade where she wanted it to be in Arithmancy.
Severus had Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures with her but had opted for Divination instead of Ancient Runes stating he wanted an easier course so he could focus on his potion studies as opposed to studying for something as dry as Ancient Runes.
He was right however, she was debating on dropping the class already, however she knew it would look good on her transcript as she had fallen in love with a book on Curse-Breakers. They reminded her often of Archeologists, something she had wanted to be when she was a Muggle child.
So with a heavy sigh she continued to delve into her essay in hopes she would finish soon so she could grab some dinner before it was over.
It was then she heard a chair being pulled from across from her and her paper was pulled from her hands.
"Hey!" She shouted irate. Severus merely raised an eyebrow and took a look at her essay with a shake of his head.
"You're getting better at writing essays, but your entire second paragraph is incorrect causing inconsistencies through the rest of the parchment. Here I'll circle the biggest problems you are having and you should go grab an Ancient Runes index from the library so we can finish this bloody thing." Without looking up at her he pulled out his red ink and started his meticulous marking of her paper.
"If I didn't know any better I'd say you enjoy marking my work." She laughed as she rounded the table and gave him a warm hug which he shrugged off in annoyance.
"Go get your book, you're wasting enough time as it is."
Max smiled wide as she went to grab the book, taking a moment to look at her best friend. No matter what he was always there for her even if he still acted cold.
She wouldn't trade him for the world, he was always loyal.
Little did she knew Severus was watching her too with a curious gaze. He had been annoyed when he found her missing dinner again and had started to miss her. It was clear during the week she had been struggling with her Ancient Runes essay which was due monday. He had wanted to help her and that surprised him.
But he didn't bother to dwell on it, he'd never admit it, but he actually had a soft spot for aspects of his old position.
With a wry smile he started to fill her parchment red with a shake of his head.
Still so careless.
~Break~
It was a cool and windy Thursday, and this morning they had a double block of Care of Magical Creatures. Max was, undoubtedly, excited and bouncing on the balls of her feet as they awaited Hagrid to make his appearance.
"What do you think he'll have us working with today?" Max whispered, an excited edge in her tone.
"Probably something equally as ridiculous as the Professor." Was Severus' snarled response. Every so often he was cold and distant towards Max, and well, just about everyone. She wondered momentarily if she had unknowingly tripped a trigger, but couldn't rationalize a single thing wrong with her question.
"Well, I rather like Hagrid. He's always been kind to me." Max chirped as she placed her hands behind her back and rocked on the balls of her feet.
"He's kind to everyone Max."
But before Max could response Hagrid appeared, his booming footfalls putting an end to their conversation.
"All righ' now, gather roun' gather roun'. Today we will be working with Blast-Ended Skrewts. Pair up e'rybody, pair up now. Be careful too, they bite and they sting." Hagrid bellowed as he pulled several large wooden crates.
Max inched backwards as she heard a muffled explosion and turned to see the wide eyes of Severus.
"You ok?" Max asked, her tone tentative and careful.
"I'm fine I just...what on earth has that imbecile created now..." he went on muttering to himself as Max gave him a curious glance. However, she had little time to dwell on her best friends strange ramblings as Hagrid stepped forward, rope in hand, and handed it to her.
"Alright you two, come 'ere now, tie this 'round it's stinger and dig yer feet in, they pull!" Hagrid warned with a deep laugh. He clapped Severus on the back and he stumbled with a glare that Hagrid completely missed. "That's a strapping lad now, yer your mother's son alright!"
"She's not my...oh why bother." Severus glared as he grabbed the rope and stalked over towards the nightmare creature of Max's dreams.
"It's...not going to sting...will it?" She asked, her doe eyes peering into Hagrid's smaller ones.
"Well," Hagrid began, stroking his chin thoughtfully, "As long as yeh tie em up righ' it shouldn' be a problem. Don' worry too much, their stings are harmless."
With that Hagrid wandered off towards a group of students attempting to hold the beast down to tie their rope around a stingless skrewts middle.
"What...now?" Max blinked owlishly as she noticed Severus pull his hand out from the folds of his robes.
"Now we stupefy the damn beasts and get on with this pointless task." Severus explained as he sent a spell careening towards the now errant beast as it moved from the mouth of the crate. It hit the skewt in a flurry of blue sparks. The beast hit the dirt hard on it's side and Severus walked towards it and tied the rope to it's sting.
"Wow, I probably would have gotten stung." Max gushed as she scrambled to stand beside Severus as the beast slowly roused itself.
"You need to remember you ARE a third year witch." Severus scowled as he gave her a roll of his eyes.
"Well, to be fair I rarely get to be around it compared to others...oh look at it, it's not so frightening when it's all tied up like a pup-" but Max never got to finish as the blasted thing well...blasted off.
It sent Max skittering back a few yards, her arm cradled in her chest as she had attempted to 'pet' the darn monster. Severus bolted towards her, worried for a second as he took note of her singed form, eyes full of tears.
"Calm now..." Severus chided as he pulled his wand out and started to trace it along her arm. She felt warmth spread through it as a teal colour started to glow from the tip of his wand.
"Thanks," She sniffled as he looked up and locked eyes with her for a moment. "Who knew it was going to explode?"
"The damn thing's name is Blast-Ended Skrewts, Max." Severus sighed as he pulled his wand away with a small frown.
"Oh." Max felt her cheeks flush as her eyes locked with his, a grin starting to appear on his lips as he took in her embarrassed appearance.
"You're welcome to try and pet it again if you want..."
"Shut up!"
~Break~
"Trick or treat?" Max giggled as she wrinkled her painted nose at Severus.
"What do you want, Max?" Severus deadpanned as he felt anger licking at his chest.
"Nuh uh! You have to answer, trick or treat?" She pushed her face closer to his and he noticed that she had drawn whiskers on her face and had cat ears perched precariously atop her head.
"Neither." He responded as his eyes flickered from her ridiculous get up, and back towards his Potions work.
"But it's Halloween!" She sang as she twirled around with a small giggle.
"Your point?" Severus hissed as he slammed his quill against the table, startling the few people who were hanging around their common room.
"My point is stop being a killjoy and come on!" She pulled on his hands and his face twisted into a monstrous snarl.
"Max enough is enough!" He shouted as he threw her hands away from him and stood up piling his stuff into his arms as he took off in a huff.
"God, who pissed in his cheerios!" She huffed as she stifled the want to cry and stomped her way into her dorm.
Max never understood why, but ever since that day Severus would avoid her on Halloween, she never admitted it, but it wounded her every time.
~Break~
It was nearing the end of the school year, and they were having one of their last Potions classes. They were working on a Wiggenweld potion, but this time solo as to prepare for their final in a week's time. Severus had finished his potion first, and Max had finished hers damn near the end of their time, but still finished nonetheless.
However, when they got their grades back after class Severus had just about stormed out of the class in a flurry of his school robes after getting his grade. She could only assume whatever it was, he was displeased.
"Severus, hey wait! Come on, what's wrong?" Max breathed heavily as she rushed to catch up with longer legged boy.
"Not now, Max." His fists were white knuckled as he stormed through the halls reminding her much more of a Professor, rather than a student.
"Yes now! I have been tolerant of your mood swings well enough I think, and it's time you stopped with the attitude and talked to me!"
"Maybe I don't want your constant pestering! Did it ever occur to you that your presence isn't exactly wanted?!" He shouted as flecks of spit flew from his mouth causing Max to rear back.
"I...I mean, I know you joked but..." Max recoiled, her hand left hanging in between them from where she had reached out to grab him.
"I hardly joke Max." His eyes were dark and cold, and Max sniffled just the bit as she took a step back.
"Thats...thats a lie and we both know it, you are the most sarcastic person I know." She pointed out, her tone odd as she pointed at him with an attempt at her own glare.
"Sarcasm is not humor." Severus all but snarled as he glared harder. It was a ridiculous argument, but he had managed to pull her into it all the same.
"I disagree, I'd say it's most definitely a form of humor."
"Do go on Miss Hunt, go ahead and explain to the class how my being mean at every turn is somehow a 'joke'." Severus mocked as he took long strides and closed the gap between them. Max felt uncomfortable, finding the lack of personal space to be somewhat frightening, but reminded herself that Severus was still her friend, albeit a grumpy one lately.
"Sarcasm is just a type of dry wit, it can be dark, but it's still humor, I can look it up online if you want proof..." She fiddled to get her phone as Severus gave her a look like she was insane.
"Look it up, on a piece of muggle technology that doesn't work at Hogwarts." He raised his eyebrow in question as a grin threatened to spill across his face.
"...oh...right..." Max finished lamely as she held her phone in her hand and stared at it awkwardly. That's when she heard a small snort and noticed Severus' shoulders were shaking. Was he laughing?
"You are a complete idiot, did you know that?" He smirked as he turned to make his way down the hall.
"Does this mean you're done being a moody ass?" She asked as she caught up with him.
"Don't push your luck."
"If I didn't push my luck, we wouldn't be friends Sev."
Max never did discover why he was so upset that day, but boy would she have been mad if she had known. Severus had several marks docked from his work due to ignoring the book's instruction, even though the book itself was wrong.
Severus was nothing, if not prideful.
~Break~
Third year came and went by in a blink of an eye. It was the year that their friendship solidified but not the year that drew them unimaginably close. Max had managed to worm her way under his skin, constantly thinking of him or building him up. Severus would never admit it but McGonagall was right, his second time around was going a lot better and easier as long as he just went with it. But during the sorting feast in his fourth year, something happened he would never forget, something that twisted his stomach with bad memories.
"James Potter." Minerva spoke as a young boy, looking too much like Harry, strode up to the stool sitting down proudly. Within moments he was placed in Gryffindor and he sat himself not far from Severus and Max.
"What's wrong?" Max asked as she squeezed his hand, Severus shook his head and stared at his food trying to stop the burning disgust from bubbling to his mouth and ruining both their evenings.
"So that's Harry Potter's son huh? He looks rather proud of himself for no reason." Max shrugged as she went back to eating.
"He does doesn't he..." Severus smiled as he looked into her green eyes. her freckles were still there, but she seemed to have grown into them, her hair was still cut short, as she liked it, and she had gotten taller. She looked to be growing into her lithe form much better than he was, where she had developed curves, his was still tall, thin, and awkward. Startled from his thoughts he blushed lightly. He had caught himself staring at her.
When had he started to notice her like this?
She shook her head and turned back to her food removing her hand from his. At this, he felt a bubble of disappointment before he too, turned back to his food.
~Break~
"This year we will be having a school wide scavenger hunt for the fourth years. We hope this is the beginning of many house team-building exercises to bring everyone closer. The ministry already approved it and if it goes well, it will become a yearly event for the entire school. Now, you can work in pairs, alone, or in groups, but be mindful that the prize is limited and will need to be shared amongst your group. Goodluck everyone and I hope to see you all this weekend at the Quidditch pitch!" Headmistress Mcgonagall announced one friday evening during dinner.
Max was bouncing in her seat as she pointedly stared Severus down.
"Can we please, oh please! If I am with you we are sure to win!"
"Max, we don't even know what the prize is. For all we know it's something pointless like confectionary items." Severus sighed as he finished his dinner
"I enjoy candy Severus." Max spoke in a deadpan as she tapped her fingers against the table.
"If you really want to do this silly task, I'll join you. If for no other reason than I'm sure Minerva would chastise me for avoiding her new 'event'." Severus all but sighed as he agreed to her childish whims. Refusal usually meant a long winded debate, followed by a similar argument with Minerva.
"Yeah I guess being the Headmistress's son puts a lot of expectation on you doesn't it?" Max mused as she tapped her chin, her leg twitching with excess energy and excitement.
"You have no idea."
~Break~
It was Saturday morning when Max met with Severus in the Great Hall for an early breakfast. She had barely eaten much more than toast, despite Severus' warning. She was much too excited and ready to head out to the Quidditch pitch.
"Come on, come on!" Max grinned as she grabbed his hand. The warmth encased him and he felt the desire to pull his hand away, as he usually did. But he pushed that feeling aside, it wouldn't do him well to push his only real friend away.
He already knew the outcome of such brash reactions.
"Max, if you don't center yourself you're going to get someone hurt." He reprimanded as he pulled her back slightly to halt her hurried speed walking.
"Right, right, sorry. Habit." Max explained offering no more on the subject as she matched his slower footsteps. Their hands were still interlocked and Severus fought the urge to pull his hand back once again. Sadly his jerk was enough to prompt her attention and she dropped his hand with flushed skin.
"Sorry." She apologized, not looking at his face. He frowned, wondering if he had offended her, or if she had realized she was still holding his hand and was disgusted. He held in his snort as his bitter feelings started to take root.
They reached the pitch after most other had already arrived. Headmistress McGonagall was standing midway up the stands as she looked out towards the crowd.
"Alright, settle down now everyone. You will be given your first hint here. You will have all day to complete this hunt, but only the first three teams will collect a prize. We will announce once the first three teams come to collect, but you are free to finish the hunt for fun if you'd like. There is to be no fighting, no sabotaging other teams, and as usual all Hogwarts rules are in effect. Nothing will be hidden outside of the grounds, nor in the Forbidden Forest. Stay safe everyone and you can go once the bell is sounded!" Right on cue Flitwick cast a spell and a large bell rang throughout the field. All of the students bolted in a flurry collecting the first clue written on a piece of parchment sitting on the table near Flitwick before them.
Max dashed and almost tripped over a Ravenclaw as she grabbed the piece of paper and steadied herself on the table. Severus moved to grasp her bicep with a sigh.
"Careful now, I don't think it will help us win if you harm the other students." A small grin was splayed across his face as he pulled her along and out of the dispersing crowd.
"Right, yes, careful. Got it." Max laughed as she fidgeted with the piece of paper.
"Well go on now, share our first riddle." Severus stared at her with an eyebrow raised.
"Oh, yeah, right," Max blubbered as she pulled the paper into view. "Your first step will be at the spot you were first separated. The room in which you were split will now become your start to bringing it all back together. Behind the cackle of an imp during summer is the clue you seek."
"The Great Hall then." Severus nodded as he strode off towards the entrance hall doors.
"Wait, what?" Max blinked as she jogged to catch up.
"Come on Max we both know you aren't that dense. Where is the only place in this castle we were separated in?"
"The Great Hall on sorting day?"
"Indeed. We should hurry as it wasn't a particularly hard clue, so most likely half the students are on their way now." Severus declared as they both picked up their pace.
~Break~
They entered the Great Hall just after a few other groups had and Max dashed into the room looking around for an imp of some sort. She stood in the center of the room with a frown as the other students peered around confused.
Severus, small smirk and all, walked towards the Staff table looking at it intently. At both ends of the table sat two small imps. They were some kind of gaudy table ornaments that cackled whenever someone spoke a specific word. A practical joke item Dumbledore had favoured during his tenure.
Max ran over, her eyes wide as she grinned at him through the corner of her eye.
"You found it! Now what?" Max asked as she started to poke it and attempt to pick it up.
"We need to speak a password of some sort, I imagine. This item usually goes off when a specific word is said." He frowned for a moment attempting to think about what the word could be.
"Oh! That's easy then, I bet it's Puck!" As she spoke she they heard a small ding as the paper in her hand started to glow.
"How on earth did you know that?" Severus asked, mouth agape.
"Oh, well it's from a really old muggle play called Midsummer's Night Dream. Puck is an impish fairy who causes a lot of trouble and is usually always laughing or cackling. It seems like these riddles aren't going to be entirely wizardly." Max laughed as she looked down at her paper.
"I'm betting that more clues are going to require muggle knowledge. No wonder they are testing this with fourth years. At least a year of muggle studies classes under some of our belts, but not enough to find everything simple without knowing a muggle-born or two." Severus sneered as he realized Minerva's ridiculous plan.
"Well then I guess it's good we are a team! I can answer the muggle stuff, and you the wizard. It's a match made in heaven!" She gushed as she handed the paper to Severus with a smile.
"Through hard work, dedication, and loyalty to one another, you will earn great rewards, if you just know where to look. Speak friend, and enter." Severus spoke as he glared at the paper offensively.
"Clearly it wants us to go to the Hufflepuff common rooms, but this last bit? What on earth..." Severus shook his head as he shoved the parchment into his robes as he turned to see Max doubled over laughing.
"Oh don't worry, that last bit is going to be horribly obvious to every single muggle-born." She grinned as she grabbed his hand and took off towards the Hufflepuff common room.
~Break~
They stood outside on the stack of barrels as Severus walked over, his wand drawn.
"Ok, now what?" Max asked with a shrug. She knew this was where the common room was from her friendship with Teddy, but she had no idea HOW to get in.
"You have your knowledge, and I have mine." Severus spoke in a low tone as he tapped the barrel two from the bottom, middle of the second row, in a beat Max couldn't recognize. Once he stopped the barrel moved out of the way revealing a sloping corridor. Severus grinned as he walked down the corridor and into a low hanging dome-like room. It was decorated in Hufflepuff colours, reminding Max of the time she dressed as a bee for halloween, and banners. The walls held shelves upon shelves of different succulent and cactus like plants that seemed to move as if dancing or waving at them. Max was in awe as she looked around, noticing Severus moving with purpose towards the abandoned couches in the middle of the room.
"Now Max, the last part of the riddle?" Severus asked as she beelined straight for a book left along in the center of the table.
"This book right here, is what that riddle is from," She spoke as she pointed down towards a copy of The Lord of the Rings. "The answer is mellon."
The book flashed and made a small dinging noise as once again the parchment in Severus' robes glowed. Pulling it out he opened it up and noticed the new riddle.
"You've shown you're resourceful, and with swift cunning you'll win this game, but only the ambitious will come seek what is hidden in the dark," Severus spoke as he rolled his eyes. "It's clearly Slytherin, but how on earth are we meant to get into the common rooms? Not to mention this has no clue as to what the password to get the next clue is."
"Well we can either sit here trying to guess, or go down there and hope a Slytherin takes pity on us." Max shrugged as they made their way towards the dungeons.
~Break~
As they approached the Slytherin common rooms, it was apparent that most other students were hitting the same block there were. Several groups of various houses stood awkwardly around as a lone Slytherin kept arguing that they weren't going to tell them the password to get in.
"I don't go around demanding YOU to let me into YOUR common rooms, so buzz off!" The younger boy argued as he stared at the stone wall the hid away the Slytherin common rooms.
"Come on it's for a Hogwarts event, we've already been to Hufflepuff. So either let us in or go away!" The ravenclaw boy shouted as he irritatedly looked at the stone wall and then back to the younger student.
"I said no!"
"What is the big deal, the password changes every fortnight, just let them in so you can finally have peace." Severus ordered as he pushed past the Ravenclaw.
"I said no!"
"I was not asking." Severus glared as he sneered at the younger student. He looked visibly shaken as he inched backwards, looking ready to dart.
"Hey guys, come on now. Leave him alone. He doesn't have to do anything. The riddle does say we have to be cunning after all." Max spoke as she pulled the two boys from the younger Slytherin.
"Thanks..." the kid trailed off as he looked around suspiciously at Max and the crowd drawn around them.
"No problem, look how about we leave and let you enter? We can always come back and wait for another student. Is that ok?" Max asked as she shifted her hand from her robes, wand drawn. The kid took a moment to look at everyone else and Severus caught Max drop something just behind a statue beside the entrance.
"That would be nice..."
"Come on everyone! Let's go up the next flight of stairs!" She ordered as she started to pull at the other students to follow her. Severus and the Ravenclaw boy were the last to follow, but did so regardless.
"Max, what are you doing? How are we going to get the password now? Most of the other students are at Hogsmeade or doing this stupid event! There is no way anyone is going to provide us the password we need!" Severus scoffed as he glared down the hall.
"I know, that's why I left my phone recording out there." She grinned as she gave a small thumbs up.
"I...that's actually a brilliant idea." Severus blinked as Max let out a bark of laughter.
"Come on everyone, let's go find out what the password is!"
~Break~
They all entered the common rooms together and found a weird double headed snake statue sitting in the middle of the room. As they approached the eyes lit up and the heads moved to regard them.
"One of us guards the next clue, the other a misdirection. One of us speaks the truth while the other lies. You may ask only one question, and then you must decide. Answer correctly and you will get your next clue, fail and your journey ends here." The heads spoke as Max blinked owlishly for a moment.
Severus looked towards her and she shrugged.
"I got nothing, sorry." She spoke sadly.
"Good thing I am here then!" The Ravenclaw boy from before spoke with a laugh as he addressed the left head. "Do you both tell the truth?" he asked as the head nodded at his question.
"Clever." Severus admitted as his eyes widened, the riddle making perfect sense.
"I don't get it." Max whined as she peered over his shoulder.
"Then the serpent head we want is the right one!" The Ravenclaw boy cheered. "If that head was the head who told the truth he would have told me that no, they both don't tell the truth. However, the snake I asked said yes and we know that can't be true, so that narrowed down the choices considerably. It's based off the old Knight and Knave riddle that was used in a lot of muggle pop culture."
Severus checked their parchment and sure enough the riddle had changed once more.
"We soar on wing of intellect and wit, striving to push every boundary we can. The doors to our realm are locked in a riddle, can you tell us how a raven is like a writing desk? Ok this is just becoming gibberish, how on earth is a raven like a writing desk?" Severus sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Well truthfully there is no answer. It's from a story called Alice in Wonderland. It was my favourite movie as a kid, and I am still fond of the book now." Max shrugged as they made their way towards the Ravenclaw tower.
"What is the answer then?" Severus asked, suddenly curious.
"Years later the writer ended up providing us with an answer, despite never intending one. Some people hated it as lackluster, but personally I think you'll find it annoying considering what it is." Max grinned wide as they started up the stairs.
"Just tell me what the answer is Max."
~Break~
"Because it can produce a few notes, though they are very flat; and it is nevar put with the wrong end in front! The never is spelled with an 'a' where the last 'e' is. Get it? Nevar? Yeah it's not super funny but it's totally up that authors alley." Max answered as the portrait asked them how a raven was like a writing desk.
Their parchment glowed again as a new riddle appeared, and as anticipated Severus rolled his eyes.
"That was a terrible riddle, muggles have an odd sense of amusement."
"Excuse you, I happen to BE one of those muggles." Max huffed, bristling slightly.
"Now, now Max. Retract those claws I meant it in jest. Come on the last riddle is obviously for Gryffindor, let's go."
"Aww but I wanted to hear the riddle!" Max whined.
"If you've made it this far you've shown lots of courage, but don't lose your nerve just yet. Merely tell us what weighs six ounces, sits in a tree, and is dangerous," Severus relented. "Not that I have any clue what it means."
"It's from a terrible 60's show about Batman, figures they'd have it for Gryffindors. I don't remember the answer though...it's my mom's favourite show, but it's never really been my thing." Max shrugged as she attempted to wrack her brain for the answer.
"We could always leave the grounds and look it up on your phone?"
"Ooo rule breaker! You must want to win badly Mr. Not-interested-in-trivial-games!"
"Just be quiet and hurry before someone else figures out the answer!"
~Break~
They had managed to get outside the grounds with little trouble. Severus seemed to know just the right spell to get out, and Max wondered briefly if the Headmistress knew he had discovered how to get through the wards while school was in session.
After all, they ensured that no one under seventeen could leave freely to ensure everyone's safety. Enough kids already tempted fate in the forbidden forest after all.
"There, this should be far enough. Quickly look it up before we get caught, or someone else figures out the answer." Severus crossed his arms as his eyes flitted towards the gates leading towards the castle.
"Calm down! The reception here is terrible, and I'm on roaming. So I hope you keep your snark to a minimum...okay...there it is! A...sparrow with a machine gun...apparently." Max blinked as she turned her gaze towards a now very irritated Severus.
"A sparrow with a machine gun." He repeated as if the entire thing was absurd.
"It was a joke, I think...it's pretty commonly known to muggles who enjoy Batman anyways." Max shrugged as they turned to head back onto Hogwarts grounds.
"This better be worth it." Severus sighed.
~Break~
It wasn't at all worth it as it turned out. When Max and Severus returned to the entrance hall, a very angry looking Headmistress was there glowering at them with her arms crossed.
"Hello Minerva." Severus greeted as if it didn't bother him at all that they had been caught.
"That's Headmistress to you, young man." Headmistress McGonagall huffed as she uncrossed her arms and strode over to them.
"I'm sorry Headmistress! It was my idea, I just wanted to win so badly. I couldn't remember the answer so I went to look it up on my phone." Max admitted as she stared at her shoes. Severus' expression twitched as he turned to give her a perplexed look. Why was she taking all the blame?
"And Severus just agreed to go along with your plan?" McGonagall raised her eyebrow and Max shifted her gaze.
"No...I kind of forced his hand. I was going to do it regardless and he wanted to make sure I was ok. Honest, he was just being a good friend." Max looked up at McGonagall with sincere eyes.
"I see. Still, you both broke school rules. You are disqualified from the hunt, and you must serve detention for the next week. Be thankful I am feeling lenient today." McGonagall warned as she wandered off in a huff.
"You didn't need to do that." Severus spoke with a dower expression.
"I know, but I wanted too." Her smile was infectious, so much so that Severus couldn't help but to return it.
~Break~
It was a few months after the scavenger hunt they had lost, horribly. But all in all it was still a memory Max held dear. Max was currently looking for Severus, and she found him seated in the library working on his homework. She snorted with a small smile as she shook his head, why wasn't she surprised?
"So want to come with me to Hogsmeade?" Max asked as she strode towards him, her own books in hand, and sat down.
"Don't we go every year?"
"No I mean...nevermind..." She trailed off tapping her finger against the table with a small huff.
Severus shrugged and went back to his essay.
Her tapping continued before she let out another huff and stood.
"What?" Severus asked feeling annoyed. She had just sat down, what on earth was she doing?
"Nevermind, it doesn't matter, I will meet you back in the common room, I am done with my homework for today." Packing her bag in a haste she scampered off trying to hide her wounded pride and embarrassment for basically fleeing after her failed attempt at asking him out.
With a groan Severus laid his head on the table, women.
~Break~
It was a few days since her outburst and Severus was beyond confused, he had tried to talk to her but all he got was her constant shrugs and denying anything was wrong. She wasn't ignoring him per say, but she sure was brushing him off.
"Max, come on, tell me what's going on with you lately..." he pulled her aside and she stared at him evenly before relaxing her shoulders.
"Nothing, I am just being stupid, look, I really would love to chat but I've got to go get ready, Teddy asked me out to Hogsmeade today, if that's ok?"
Severus felt ice shoot up his veins as he merely shrugged.
"Do what you must." She smiled and pecked him on the cheek before running off to get ready for her date.
Severus never did go to Hogsmeade that weekend, instead, he stayed in playing around with potion ideas.
~Break~
Severus really didn't enjoy Teddy's presence. More often than not he was not privy to any alone time with Max and it was starting to remind him too much of his fifth year with Lily. He couldn't stop the tendrils of jealousy that slithered around his chest as he ripped his eyes from their loving caresses.
Max was growing into a beautiful woman, it was only natural she would deviate from him and notice other boys.
Besides he was significantly older than her, maybe not in body, but in mind. It was bound to happen.
But that didn't stop how uncomfortable he felt nor how terse their friendship had become.
Severus decidedly hated fourth year.
~Break~
The rest of the year went by fast at least, Severus still spent time with Max, Max ended up officially dating Teddy a week after their date to Hogsmeade, and Teddy, Harry's godson. Teddy was often hanging out doing homework with them in the Library every chance he could.
It seemed even the train ride home wasn't safe and Severus snorted derisively at the display of teenage hormones laid out before him.
"Teddy stop it, I am only going to be gone for the summer, you will see me next year." She giggled as Teddy kept kissing her face and cheeks.
"Come on, until we can aparate, that's a world away." He chastised as he continued to snog Max in their train car causing Severus to gag in his mouth.
"Teddy, stop, we aren't alone this is hardly appropriate."
"Fine luv, fine." He smiled as he cuddled her against his side.
She fell asleep the rest of the trip.
Severus didn't feel so good that summer.
~Break~
Halfway through the summer, Severus received a letter explaining Teddy broke up with Max in a letter stating that during a family trip he ended up snogging Victoriae, Fleur and Bill's daughter, and felt it just made more sense with her than a long distance one with Max.
Max was heartbroken obviously. Severus fingered the tear marks on the letter as his chest swelled with anger.
Oh how he wished he could hex him into next year.
He sent a letter explaining that he was sorry, but he always felt she was too good for him anyways.
Max sent one back wishing she lived closer, or at least in a wizarding family that had floo so she could, at the very least, see him.
His heart swelled with a warm feeling which he quickly squashed as he folded up the letter and put it away in a box.
~Break~
Fifth year was surprisingly boring, Teddy was all over his new girlfriend causing Max to often hide in bathrooms as they passed. While she no longer cried or got weepy when she saw them, it didn't change her embarrassed reaction towards either of them.
"You need to stop this, you are acting like a child." Severus sighed as he went to hand Max her books back.
"Oh hush Sev, I got dumped let me be a girl about it." She glared as she poked her out behind a wall tapestry she had hide behind when Teddy walked by. Taking her books back she stared at them with a heavy sigh.
"I can hex him if you want." Severus shrugged as he turned to keep walking. He wasn't used to stuff like this, matters of the heart, emotional teenage girls, or how to deal with them. So he attempted to fix the problem.
"Sev! Goodness! I don't want a war over this, but if he fell of the Astronomy tower I wouldn't be sad." She contemplated as she tapped her chin, a grin peeking through her faux-thoughtful look.
Severus snorted but kept walking.
"Hey wait up!" Max laughed as she grabbed onto his arm, "Now my knight in shining armor, lets go study!"
Her hand grasped his as she rushed them to the library smiling.
It was at that point Severus decided he never wanted to see her cry again, her smile was decidedly much better.
In fact maybe a boring school year wouldn't be so bad for once.
~Break~
It was getting close to Winter Holidays again and Severus was working on a Potions Essay for extra credit. He had been invited to join the Slug Club and was debating whether it was worth it or not. On one hand the invitation was something he had wanted when he was at Hogwarts previously and allowed him to network for his future, however he knew Slughorn was an absolute trying idiot and he didn't want to press his luck on looking or appearing too much like his old persona.
Luckily people never made the connection, and Slughorn seemed to be more interested in surrounding himself with prospective important people than to actually pay attention to the said people themselves.
He was startled from his thoughts when Max came bounding into the common room trying to catch her breath. She noticed Severus and ran over to him, trying to flatten down her short hair which was sticking up at awkward angles.
"Hey!" She greeted as she waved towards him before disappearing up the stairs a bag in her hand. She came back down twenty minutes later with a brightly wrapped red box with a bow.
She waltzed over to him and handed him the wrapped gift and he stared at her curiously.
"I know I said we'd spend Winter Holidays together, but my family is having a huge thing and my mom wants us to actually attend for once, so I got you a gift since I was able to work a small summer job back home." She smiled wide as he finger the bow.
No one had ever really given him a gift before. He wasn't really sure what to do.
"You're welcome." She chirped and he looked up at her.
"Excuse me?" Severus lamely asked.
"Well one usually says thank you when receiving a gift and the person doing the giving usually says you're welcome!"
"Thank you." Severus finally got out as he gave her a small smile, "I'll open it on Christmas day." He stated as he placed the gift on the table and went back to his book.
"Oh come on half the fun is getting to watch the person open it!" She huffed as she stomped her foot.
"It would be rude to open early, I will owl you when I do."
"Sometimes I wonder how you ended up in Gryffindor." She laughed as she shook her head and headed back towards her room to pack.
"I'll miss you." She admitted before disappearing up the stairs.
~Break~
It was Christmas day and Severus had had an early breakfast and was now enjoying one of the Muggle books Max would always lend him. The book in question wasn't horribly interesting but it passed the time.
Besides she always wanted to talk about the book after he had read it, so he usually just read it to avoid the uncomfortable silence that followed such an admission.
His eyes flitted towards the gift and he tilted his head before peeling back the paper. She had never really gotten him a gift before not having a whole lot of money to spend. He himself rarely asked for much either not wanting to be indebted to anyone, even if that someone was his current guardian.
But this time it felt nice, so he slowly opened the box only to find it filled with packing peanuts and he scoffed. Silly girl.
Fishing around in the box he pulled out a clear glass vial full of gold shimmering liquid.
Felix Felicis. How on earth did she manage to get her hands on this?
He could only assume she had saved and had paid for the ingredients and gotten Slughorn a nice gift to brew it for her, it explains her tired expression from having to race up to their common rooms, specially if she was coming from the dungeons.
It was...unbelievably nice.
With a smile he wrote a small letter thanking her and wondered if he should get her a gift next year.
Probably a book she was coveting, she always had a list of twenty at any given time. He resolved to go shopping for her birthday this year and return the favour, hopefully McGonagall wouldn't be too interested on why he was purchasing a gift.
~Break~
"Have you heard about the Triwizard Tournament?" Max asked one day as they studied in an empty classroom on the third floor.
With a roll of his eyes Severus turned his attention to Max and thought about his answer. Of course he had, and he was endlessly blessed the damn thing was officially cancelled back in 1994 after Cedric Diggory died. Instead they had revived a non-school related one where any adult wizard could apply for. It was run similar to the Olympics now and was every five years. It was not only safer but had kept four contestants and added a fourth task as well to accommodate this. It had become fairly popular with the younger Wizards and Witches, becoming a huge tourist magnet every time it was held.
"I have, and frankly I am glad it's finished." He grunted remember Barty Crouch Jr. That was a foul night, and one he was glad he'd never have to have again.
"Still, must have been something to see back then." She shrugged as she flipped through an old newspaper showcasing Potter on the cover.
With a roll of his eyes he plucked the offending paper from her hands and placed it on the table next to him.
"Come on, you have your Ancient Runes final tomorrow focus."
The question she had asked was long forgotten and she turned back to her textbook with a swift nod.
~Break~
"So Sev...I was wondering if you wanted to visit in the summer, a few weeks or something..." Max shrugged as she flipped through her new phone she had received from her parents. While electronics didn't work well at Hogwarts, she was at least able to look through pictures and play Tetris. They had their last final in a few days and the train home in a few weeks.
"I don't know, I will have to ask Minerva if it's alright." he shrugged as he stared out the window.
"Isn't it rude to call your mom by her first name?"
"She's not my mother, she just raised me." Severus huffed trying to avoid the conversation altogether.
"Alright sorry gees, testy." She stood with irritation and grabbed her bag and headed towards her next class. The look on her face was peculiar, and he wondered why his statement had rubbed her so.
Severus again, didn't really know what to do.
~Break~
"She said yes, for two weeks only though in July." Max turned at the sound of Severus's voice and beamed, she grabbed his arms and pulled him in for a tight hug.
"Oh my god! You will be there for my Birthday!" She cried as she pulled back just as fast missing the bewildered look on her friends face.
"Yes, I think that was the idea..."
"Great, I need to owl my mom, oh I am so excited!" She pecked him on the cheek and ran off towards the Owlery.
"What did I get myself into..."
~Break~
It was a hot July day when Severus arrived by portkey and was picked up by Max and her mother.
"We can go swimming, and of course see a movie, oh boy I can't wait! I can show you Reboot, it's a classic!" Max was rambling, she knew it, but she didn't care.
Severus just smiled lightly noticing how different she looked in her jean shorts and blue tank top.
"It is nice to finally meet you, Max goes on and on about you." Mrs. Hunt smiled as turned onto their street.
"Mom!" Max shouted as she blushed, "That's not true, I do not go on and on."
"I don't know Max, you do tend to ramble without stop."
Blinking Max turned to Severus and glared with a 'hmph'.
~Break~
"You can sleep on our blow up mattress in the living room, we have it all set up, should be private only people in the home is Max, myself, and the pets." Mrs. Hunt smiled as she headed into the kitchen to start lunch.
"What about your dad?"
"Oh, he died when I was young, he was in the Army," Max shrugged without much thought, "We have two cats and a dog though, he's a Shepherd though so he's big, wanna meet him?"
Oh great, a dog, just what Severus always wanted.
~Break~
It had been a few days since he arrived, and the dog had made it his mission to sleep in Severus's bed every night.
"Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me!" Max sang as she walked into the kitchen donning her hello kitty pajamas.
Severus was fully dressed and sipping at his tea when she sat down with a bowl of sugary cereal.
"Sugar isn't good for you, it will end up making you gain weight."
"Are you calling me fat on my birthday?"
"No, just merely stating a fact." his barely concealed grin was all that stopped her from throwing a piece of cereal at him.
"Ugh sometimes..." she glared at him but continued her food anyways leaving the threat unfinished.
~Break~
She was having her birthday at the beach this year to Severus' chagrin. He disliked being in any state of undress, he disliked the hot sun, and he hated sand. It always found a way to stick in every possible place in his clothing and on his skin causing an uncomfortable itch. It was messy and completely avoidable.
But the party wasn't huge. She had a few Muggle friends who were for the most part quiet but giggly like her. They would often try to include them in their silly beach games but he opted to stay on the beach reading one of the books Max had picked out for him.
Every so often he would look up and see her smiling at him as she waved, before she turned back to her friends.
She had just turned sixteen and she was starting to show a more mature side to herself as she splashed around in the water. She was wearing a bikini but had opted for baggy blue shorts overtop of the bottoms feeling much too embarrassed to wear the bathing suit alone.
But he noticed boys noticing her, he noticed her friends whispering as they pointed towards him as Max would splutter and splash water towards them.
She wasn't used to the attention and it showed.
Breaking him from his moment of introspective thought, he heard the loud thuds of her wet feet against the dry sand as she plopped herself next to him.
"Careful you'll damage your book." Severus chided as he flipped to the next page.
"I missed you, having you here for my Birthday is kind of the biggest present I could have gotten and I don't want to waste any time." She smiled as she stretched herself out alongside him.
Awkwardly he placed the book down and gave her an unreadable look before sighing.
"If I go into the water for a few minutes will you finally start enjoying yourself instead of sending me dejected looks?"
"Deal!" Max squealed as she bounded towards the water excitedly.
Shaking his head he followed suit keeping his black t-shirt on already feeling uncomfortable enough with his state of undress.
~Break~
He had stayed in the water not moving much at all for a total of fifteen minutes before he wished them all well and headed back towards his towel and book. Sitting down he took in her more youthful appearance and sighed. She was still incredibly younger than him, so much so, he often found himself subjected to uncomfortable activities.
But as always, in the end she always seemed to make it worthwhile, even if he did have sand sticking uncomfortably between his toes.
It wasn't long until the sun had started to dip in the sky and her mother had called everyone to the BBQ they had rented for dinner. He had chosen a hamburger and took small bites of it as he watched Max and her friends devour a plate of hotdogs.
It wasn't that he disliked the food, it just wasn't food he was used too. Thusly, it made him uncomfortable to eat it in public.
It wasn't long after until Max's yawns pulled the girls to start wanting to go home equally tired.
As they packed up to head home Max grabbed his hand and grabbed him to sit beside her in the back seat of her mother's car as her two other friends sat in the front and to her right.
Her home was a good hour's drive from the beach they had decided to go too, so when her head started to droop and her voice started to disappear from the innocuous chatter, he wasn't surprised to find her nestled against his shoulder her fingers intertwined with him.
His hand felt clammy and he was altogether uncomfortable but he stayed quiet and just let her rest, taking in the view outside the window.
She always had a way of being the exception to his rules.
~Break~
When they had arrived home, after dropping off her two friends, Max was still asleep, her mother confiding that she often had problems sleeping so she had probably just tuckered herself out.
With a dejected sigh he scooped the tiny teenage girl into his arms and carried her inside as she snuggled into his chest and carefully deposited her onto her bed and tucked her in. She had barely any weight to her still, and her height had basically stopped at fourteen leaving her small and unassuming. People constantly mistook her as a second year every new school year. She was barely 5'4 and it didn't seem that was going to change any time soon.
As he did her eyes caught his as she mumbled sleepily and rolled onto her side snuggling into her blankets.
That was the moment Max realized she had fallen in love with her best friend, and had been in love with him for a long time.
She wondered for a moment before sleep claiming her that maybe, just maybe, he felt the same.
~Break~
Soon it was time for him to go home, Max hugged him tight and was all wishy washy with her emotions again causing Severus to grimace and feel uncomfortable.
"Write me everyday, and we can meet up to go shopping for school supplies as usual, and don't forget I need your help in Herbology, I am hopeless with remembering the names of plants, I swear you should be a teacher, you are so smart! Also, try that shampoo I suggested, you don't have greasy hair as I proved with mine, it's just really sleek and shiny, and-" Severus cut her off with a glare and she calmed down.
"I will see you at school." He nodded, Max sprang at him with another hug hanging off his neck.
Her sweet strawberry scent wafted through his nose and he took a deep breath relishing in the warm contact she offered, feeling a little brave Severus decided to appease her with a kiss on the cheek as she had done for him many times.
Sadly Max had the same idea and in her usual hurried fashion she went to give him a quick peck on the cheek only to meet his lips instead.
Turning bright red she let him go and pulled on her hair lightly.
"I am so sorry, I was going for your cheek, I know you hate physical contact, I am such a dummy, have a safe trip in any case, not that a portkey can be unsafe..." she trailed off as she smiled at him before stepped back to give him space.
Severus wanted to say something, anything, but before he knew it he was staring at his home with Minerva.
She didn't look disgusted or ashamed, merely embarrassed.
He wasn't sure what to do with that.
~End Chapter 2~
Author's Note: Ok, how did you guys like this one? This story is going to be LONG. I have a sequel planned as well, so please let me know what you think via reviews, follows, favs, whatever works for you :) Please note a lot of references are because I feel that a muggleborn wouldn't just forsake their muggle history, and would even embrace both. (I mean come on, 2000's were kind of a huge technological leap!) some of these changes may feel weird, having muggle history, pop cultures, etc included, but I also feel it would be important to start breaking down the stigmas inside the school that have basically run rampant for probably the entirety of its existence, so I did something a little fun and fancy free. My school did stuff like this CONSTANTLY and I rarely see scavanger hunts used in stories anymore, so enjoy :) Yes we did too many team-building get along events, and I don't know if they WORKED, but I do know that I had fun with my friends and to this day still remember them. I'd like to think it also helped me be more understanding and willing to listen to someone I may not know, or share similar views with. My school was nicked named Arson-Graham...so yeah, you can imagine we really REALLY needed those exercises XD
I am struck by a reminder that I promised to finish my stories when I graduated, I never did. Oops! I promise it wont happen to this story though ;)
Reviews
Lady Jensen: Oh yes, this is going to be very long. I have almost 100k written and I am only about...halfway through goblet of fire? So don't worry, I will not leave you hanging! Hopefully. I may or may not release chapter three this week as well to make up for the long wait. Depends on if I can finish editing it, I flew through a few scenes and they are BARE! I do not think you deserve bare bones chapters :P Thank you for taking the time to review!
