Chapter 39: An Unexpected Owl

Tuesday morning. Snape was on his own in his garden, eating breakfast, and looking over his list of potential projects. The owl that landed on his table was one he had never seen before. He detached the scroll, and it stood waiting for him to read it. He opened it.

Mr. Snape,

I see from our invoices that you have recently engaged us to make you a ring. Normally there would be an eight week waiting period for this ring, but I would like a chance to repay a debt to you. If you will come to Fledding's tonight after eight, with the sketch, I will use my free time to make your ring tonight.

Please send Honoria back with your response.

Thank you,

Ian Fledding

Snape quickly wrote a response, and tried to think what debt Ian Fledding may have owed him. Nothing was springing to mind. He'd have to ask Mr. Fledding when he saw him tonight.

The sun was getting low as he walked down the streets of Hogsmead towards Fledding's Jewelry. The sign on the door said that the shop was closed. He knocked on the door, and waited while an elderly man unlocked and opened the door for him.

"Mr. Snape, thank you for coming."

"Thank you for seeing me, Mr. Fledding. I'll admit I'm a bit puzzled, I don't think we've ever met before, so I'm having a hard time placing any debt we may have."

"It's true we haven't met before, but I believe you know my grandson, Almer Nacir."

"Yes, I taught him at Hogwarts. I'm still not seeing the connection."

"Almer was on the way to becoming a Death Eater, and we were doing everything we could to convince him of what a bad idea it was. But he thought we were all old Muggle loving fools. When you killed Dumbledore that convinced him he didn't want anything to do with the Death Eaters. You probably saved him from a very long stint in Azkaban, if not worse."

"Well, that's the first time anyone thanked me for killing Dumbledore."

The old man nodded, and walked to the counter. "Well now, let's look at your sketch, and get your young lady her ring." Snape handed the sketch to the jeweler.

He looked it over. "It's a good design. It should take me an hour or so to do it. Why don't you grab a drink, or stroll about town. Come back at 9:30, and I'll have it done for you."

"Can I stay and watch?"

"Certainly, just don't make too much noise and stay out of the way. You wouldn't want me to lose my concentration while I'm working."

Snape followed the old man behind the counter to a small workroom. He leaned against the doorway while the man settled himself at a worktable in the middle of the room. The jeweler took a small ingot of red gold and began his work. The metal floated into the air and stretched into a long slender wire. A moment later and the platinum followed suit.

As Snape watched the strands of metal slowly curved into elegant S shapes, each set smaller than the one before it. When Mr. Fledding had a small pile of them on the workbench he conjured the gems to him. He began to link the curves and stones together.

While watching the ring form above Mr. Fledding's workbench, Snape though about how to give it to Hermione. And ran headfirst into a brick wall. He just couldn't see himself kneeling at her feet and slipping it onto her finger blathering about her making him happier than he had ever been. A: It wasn't true, for either of them. B: It really wasn't his style. C: She'd already agreed to marry him, he didn't need to convince her it was a good idea. D: He needed something to remind her why it was a good idea. Something that said 'we are building a new life, a solid friendship, and maybe one day, love.' Something that said he was worthy of her, and if he wasn't her first choice, he could be a damn good second one.

Bugger. He sighed, and Mr. Fledding looked up at him. "Getting nervous?"

"No. She's already agreed, so it's not like there's much risk here."

Fledding nodded and went back to the ring. It looked done to Snape, but Fledding continued waving his wand, doing something to it. Several moments passed while Snape thought about how to give her the ring, now spinning over the workbench, while Fledding looked at it with great intensity.

"Do you want an inscription?"

Snape jerked out of his reverie. He had been imagining sliding it onto her finger, but he couldn't see where.

"An inscription. No, I don't think so."

"Well, if you change your mind, let me know. I can always add it later." He handed the ring over to Snape. Snape watched the gems glint in the light. He felt the warm silkiness of the metal. He traced his fingers over the outside of the ring, and then slipped it on the tip his first finger, and found that the inside was smooth and comfortable. "Thank you, it's lovely."

"Let's get you a box for it."

Several moments later Snape was out of the shop, a small black box in his pocket, and thoughts of how to give it to Hermione on his mind.