Hermione woke up early the next morning to get ready for her first lesson with Celia. Before falling asleep she had realized that having the lessons in Celias room might be a bad idea. At the moment it was the only place the child felt safe.

Hermione remembered being a child and having the sanctuary of your own room when life was too overwhelming. And Celia who had never had a safe place sorely needed one.

So Hermione decided to change the empty bedroom next to Celias into a proper classroom.

She spent several hours changing everything about the room. And when she was done it looked a lot like her first grade classroom. The walls were colorful and covering them were pictures of the letters of the alfabet and something depicting a thing starting with each letter. There was a big desk for Hermione and a slightly smaller one for Celia to work on. But there was also a large couch in a corner and a small craft station.

The room felt cosy and bright by the time Hermione was done.

Around 10 am Hermione knocked on Celias door. She had checked with Wiggly before to make sure Celia was up and had finished her breakfast before Hermione would go to get her.

As usual she got no reply and gently opened the door to find Celia sitting on her bed looking at her shoes.

"Good morning Celia, it is time for your first lesson. I hope you feel up for it." Hermione said as gently as she could.

Celia did not move but Hermione saw Wiggly coming in to the room as well, walking up to Celia and then reaching out a small hand towards the girl.

"Come now little missus, I go with you and nice missus Granger."

Celia slowly put her hand in Wigglys outstretched one and rose from the bed.

Together all three walked into the classroom and as Celia sat down on the chair that Hermione bade her to occupy she would not let go of the houself. Hermione simply transfigured another chair for Wiggly so they could remain together.

Hermione sat down on a chair as well and picked up a book.

"Today we will start out slowly. We have all the time in the world to learn new things, but for now, lets just enjoy something that is my favorite thing in the world, reading. I have brought a few of my own with me, and I would really like to share them with you. So get comfy and I will read a little to you, I hope you will learn to enjoy the wonder of a book the way I do. It can take you to different worlds, teach you things you never even knew existed and experience adventures with your fictional friends that some days seem just as real as actual people. I will start with a book I loved as a child, and still reread at times. It is called Mio my Mio and by is an authoress called Astrid Lindgren, she made me dream away more than anyone when I grew up. She has written of a girl that was stronger than ten men, children that turne into doves and what happens when someone leaves us"

Hermione read the first couple of chapters to Celia and Wiggly and it was apparent both of them were enjoing it. Wiggly´s eyes were bulging through it all and Celia seemed to relax slightly after a while not holding on as desperately to Wiggly and sometimes glancing up at Hermione.

After quite a while Hermione felt her throat getting sore and she decided it was time to call it a day, she did not want to push it.

"I hope you enjoyed that Celia, we will continue with it tomorrow. I guess you have heard of homework, and I have one for you." Hermione took out the Hamleys catalog she had received from Snape when he had swung by earlier before her class.

"This is a toy catalog Celia, and your assignment for tomorrow is to draw a circle around five things in there that you like."

Hermione handed Celia the catalog and the girl took it without looking Hermione in the eyes.

"I have some crayons and paper here as well if you feel like drawing something after your homework. If there is anything else you would like from this room or anywhere else you just ask me, or ask Wiggly to ask me if that is easier for you."

Celia turned away from Hermione and tugged on Wigglys hand to make the elf come with her. Wiggly grabbed the crayons and a large stack of colored paper as they walked towards the door. Wigglys smile was contagious and Hermione could not help beaming back. She had a feeling she would have two students each day instead of just one.

When dinnertime came around Hermione went to the kitchen to see what Wiggly had cooking. After mentioning to him in the morning that she would join Snape for dinner tonight as well, he decided sandwiches would simply not do.

Hermione felt a lovely scent coming from the stove as she entered. Wiggly had obviously been working hard, because on a counter stood a large salad bowl, a freshly baked loaf of bread and a bottle of wine.

"Missus, I made meaty soup with all the yummy things I could find."

Hermione laughed softly and looked down at the soup simmering in a pot on the stove. She was not sure what was in it, but it smelled lovely.

"Thank you Wiggly, it looks delicious, could you help me plate it all and then I can take it down to the lab."

Wiggly simply snapped his fingers and the food was all gone from the pot and counter.

"All done Missus, it all wait for you with Master now."

Hermione leaned down and put a quick kiss on the elf´s head.

"You are a marvel Wiggly, thank you so much."

As Hermione headed towards the lab, the tiny houself´s ears were pink and wiggling for quite a while.

Snape was stirring a ladle in a cauldron looking focused as Hermione came down.

Things had changed a little since last night. Instead of cauldrons on each surface, one table was cleared and on it the food now sat waiting for them.

"Do you want to eat first or should I show you what I am working on first?" Snape asked.

Hermione smiled.

"I think you know me well enough to know what I will answer."

"Well then. Let´s start over here then. On this side of the room I have mostly Wolvesbane potions brewing. I tend to always have several in the making."

Hermione looked a bit puzzled.

"Why do you have so much of it, do you sell it to St:Mungo´s?"

Snape sighed slightly.

"I wish. It actually all goes to Hogwarts. McGonagall has bought it all from me for the last few years. Since you have been at Hogwarts for quite a while after the war you know why."

Hermione looked down on the floor and looked heartbroken.

"When everything was rebuilt and the classes started up, we could see the one of the more horrible legacies of the war. Many of the families that opposed Voldemort were punished in many ways. But one that we did not know how usual it was until it was standing there in front of us, was how many children had been bitten by werewolves. I helped out building cells in the dungeons to be used when then full moon was high. Locking children as young as eleven in for those nights each month is horrible. I knew we have had a steadier supply of Wolfsbane potion the last few years, but somehow McGonagall managed to convince us it came from St:Mungo´s."

"It all came from my old lab, and now from here. I brew some other things for Hogwarts, but what I am more excited about are my experiments. I try to both improve on old potion recipes and make new ones. It passes the time, and I had to try to act muggle for years so getting to be an actual wizard at home made it a little easier."

Hermione put a gentle hand on Snapes and looked him in the eyes.

"You should see how much you improve those childrens lives, they can remain themselves even though they are in wolf form for those nights instead of becoming the beasts of true werewolves, it makes all the difference in lives that are already hard enough."

Snape looked like he was a bit uncomfortable getting a compliment and quickly changed the subject in a way he knew would be very effective.

"Do you want me to tell you about the other potions I am working on?"

It took at least 45 minutes with more questions from Hermione than Snape could count they had looked at every potion in the lab and discussed a few he was planning.

"Do sit down, and help yourself to some food please, I will be done in a minute or two." Snapes said as he added something to a cauldron that made the potion within change color from a bright red to a dull orange.

Hermione sat down on a chair, lifted the stasis charm that had been put on the food and poured up some soup for the both of them and cut the bread. As she did she noticed melted garlic butter at the centre of the loaf, her favorite. Her belly grumbled as a response to the scent filling the room.

Snape took a seat as well and grabbed a piece of bread.

"Garlic bread,it is a favorite of mine." He mused as they started their second meal together, but many more would follow.