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Big Big World

Chapter 9 Settling down, or not?

Alison looked around her and asked herself for the umpteenth time in an hour, "How the heck did I get into this bloody mess?" She sighed deeply, and resorted that she better start unpacking. There was not much use of her to sit and sigh for the rest of the day, aside from possibly getting that irritating snake all worked up, which brought her such a delighted mood. She got up from the four-posted bed, which she found a bit extravagant to her taste, and walked into her sitting room. She picked her computer bag up, and put it on the big oak desk positioned in front of the only window in the sitting room. It was then she noticed, or rather remembered that Bianca had told her before that electronic equipments didn't work in Hogwarts, and she proceeded to move the bag underneath the desk instead.

"Seems like I have to go back to the good old accounts book for now," she said to herself and started unpacking the other suitcase. She opened it and lay it next to the few overstuffed sofas, and laid the things out. To her relief, Hermione had packed all her accounts and address books; she put them on the desk. Clothes were unpacked and put in the closet in the bedroom.

The last item that she got out of the suitcase was not something she seriously wanted to see at the moment, and she doubted why and how Hermione found and packed it. It was a silver photo frame carved with a Celtic patterned boarder with a photo of Alison and Bianca in it, taken on their twenty-first birthday in a London restaurant. Bianca. Now, what should I tell her? Or rather, should I contact her at all? Alison shook her head and knew no good would come once Bianca knew something was wrong. Let's just hope she'll never know. Since she had finished unpacking, and there was still some time left before dinner, she sat in front of her new desk and worked on the accounts and orders that she needed to make, and also drafted a letter to Stephanie saying that she 'had to' look after her shop, no whining. There was still a bit of time left after she finished all these, she got some clothes from her bedroom and went to take a quick shower.

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Snape was pacing outside Alison's door, swearing under her breath. He had waited for 15 minutes, knocked at the door for numerous times, and still no one answered. "Stupid woman! What is she doing?"

The portrait, which was a medieval knight in full armor, said to Snape, "The lady has a name, Professor. You shouldn't have called her names."

Snape turned around and pointed his wand at the portrait. "I can call her whatever name I want to the longer I am stuck out here. You have two choices. You either let me in now, or I can come up with a thousand ways to vaporize you to get in."

The portrait swung open showing the entrance, which almost knocked right into Snape. He walked inside, and heard the draining of water from the bathroom. That's why she didn't answer the door, he thought. He looked around and noticed that she had obviously finished unpacking already, and the accounts books and a few pieces of paper on the desk caught his attention. He walked over and picked up the paper, realizing that it was actually a letter.

Stephanie Seddon!

You are in big trouble this time! How many times have I told you NOT to get me any of your crazy stuff again?! Last time was an Egyptian jewelry that almost got me killed because of some bloody cult or something like that, and the time before last, you got Archer's experiment sample by mistake, and almost got me sued by the chemist company Archer worked in. I tell you, you better pray that I am not going to kill you this time. Because of that *present* you sent me, I have to be away for indefinitely time. So YOU and Eammon are going to look after my shop. Don't whine at me. I don't give a damn if you like Eammon or not, just get hold of him and take care of my shop. I'll keep in contact the best I can.

Your unlucky and furious friend,

Allison.

Snape couldn't help but smile at the letter. She was a fiery little thing wasn't she? From the outside, she looked all calm and graceful, but in reality, looks were misleading. As a spy, he should have known it all along. He was putting the letter down when suddenly, he felt someone was walking towards him from behind and a sharp styler dagger pointing at his throat. He acted automatically and grabbed the hand and twisted it which brought the person in front of him, trapping between him and the desk. To his utter surprise, it was Allison.

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Allison was putting on the corset that supported her long suffered injured back when she heard the sound of a door opened and closed. Who the heck was here? Shit! She hoped she was not in danger already. She put on her clothes quickly and got out of the bathroom silently. Taking out a dagger that was sheathed into the sole of her boot, and charged at the stranger in front of her desk quickly and silently. Before her dagger even touched his skin, he grabbed her hand and twisted it, and in motion pulled her around and trapped her between this stranger and her desk. When she looked up, it was Snape.

"For God's sake! Snape! What the heck are you doing in my room?!" Allison shook herself loose from Snape, and Snape backed away a few steps. She put the dagger back into her boot and turned around to hide her work and the letter away before turning back around and shouting at Snape, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

Snape was trying to control his temper, to not to sneer at her, but couldn't help it with receiving such a response from her. "For your information, I am here because I am allocated as your guardian and I am to escort you to the Great Hall for dinner," Snape replied with distaste, "and could you please restrain yourself from lashing out at everyone? This is Hogwarts, not some combat camp."

"Oh right. You are not the one being given a huge code red, of course you could so relax!" Allison just glared at him in a way that could have make anyone run for cover and sneered, "Could we have a move on please then?" She stormed out of the room without waiting for Snape.

To Be Continued