Ch. 15 Solstice and Equinox

The halls at Hogwarts were filled with students pulling their trunks behind them all making their way to the train so they could enjoy their Christmas at home. Within all the bustling another person was also hastily moving though trying to find someone, someone particular to help her with her task.

Tabatha was on a search which had taken her though most of the school. Walking though the great all she all but ran into two of her favorite Gryffindor's.

"Harry, Ron!" Tabatha smiled down at the boys "how are you?"

Harry was the first to beam his smile back up to Tabatha followed by Ron.

"I'm fine Ms. Rewolf, are you staying here for holiday too, like Ron and I?" he inquired earnestly.

"Yes I am" Tabatha beamed down at the boys "remember I don't really have anywhere to go, Hogwarts in all truths is my home".

Harry looked up at her with complete understanding

"I know how you feel Ms, I don't really have a home besides Hogwarts either".

"Ya, his muggle aunt and uncle are horrible, and that nasty cousin of his too, made his life horrid they did" Ron interrupted, with his friends best interest in mind.

Tabatha felt her temper start to come up, how anyone could be cruel to a boy like Harry, to any child really, she pondered. She hoped secretly that Harry's aunt and uncle never did anything to that boy in front of her, she had a feeling she wouldn't be able to control herself if they did.

"Is that so Harry?" Tabatha's eye narrowed with concern and a bit of anger crossed her face.

Harry looked a bit embarrassed but quickly recovered his smile

"Don't worry about it please. I'm alright and like I said now I have home, like you do here at Hogwarts."

Tabatha let her concern and anger melt away from her face. "He's a brave, good boy" she thought with a slight smirk . "Yes I truly hope I don't meet his family". She then finally allowed her warm smile to reemerge.

"Well Harry I don't think I can promise not to worry about you, or Ron and Hermione for that matter, I'm quite fond of all of you". Her eyes gave them both a tender gaze which both boys responded to with a large grin a bit of a blush.

"You know what I have a great idea" Tabatha knelt down "Christmas Eve I would like you both to come down to the kitchens with me and make old fashion muggle cookies, I know you boys are bit grown up but everyone loves cookies, and making them well that makes them even better."

Ron smiled and nodded happily in agreement, but Harry's eyes lit up

"Oh that would be lovely Ms, just lovely". His face beamed

Tabatha held her face hard as the sad idea that no one had ever made cookies with this boy before entered her mind.

"Great then I will fetch you at eleven o'clock Christmas Eve and we shall enjoy our cookies by Tea!" She clasped her hands in excitement.

Just as Tabatha stood up to walk away she paused and spun around fast.

"Oh I almost forgot, have either of you seen Hagrid, I was hoping to head to the town today"

"Hagrid went to get the tree for the Great Hall", Ron piped up first, "He should be back shortly, what do you need to go to Hogsmead for Ms?"

"Why Christmas gifts of course, what kind of a bunkmate would I be if I didn't…" Tabatha's voice trailed as she caught a large man coming in the Hall dragging a huge tree behind him. "Oh I see him now." She looked back at the two boys again "thank you both, and don't forget meet me here at eleven in the morning Christmas Eve!"

With that Tabatha was off down the rows of long tables towards Hagrid, leaving the two boys pondering.

"Does that mean she's going out to by Snape a gift?" Ron's nose crunched up and he stuck out his tongue.

Harry looked down the Hall towards Tabatha with a quizzical look on his face.

"Ya Ron I think that's what it means, I still don't get how someone like her can want to be friends with someone like him." Harry shook his head slowly.

"Maybe it's how nice she is, she's so nice she don't know no better than to be friendly with everyone." Ron guessed still making faces

"Maybe Ron, Maybe" Harry kept looking down the tables towards Tabatha.

On the other end of the long rows Tabatha was just making her way to Hagrid, who had by this time dropped the tree and was brushing the snow off his coat. As he looked up he saw the bubbly Ms. Rewolf feet away from him.

"Ello Ms. Rewolf, how are you this lovely day?" Hagrid inquired politely.

"I am doing wonderfully my dear friend and you?" Tabatha beamed up at the giant who himself blushed a bit at the words dear friend. "I have come to trouble you with a favor though I'm afraid".

"I doubt anything you'd ask would be trouble Ma'am, what is it I can do for ya?" Hagrid beamed down at her.

"Well Hagrid, I would like to take a trip down to Hogsmeed today, and I've never been there before, I was wondering if." Tabatha was cut off before she could finish.

"Yes of course Ma'am I would be honored to walk to you down to the town, tis be no trouble at all, just give me moment to put this tree in place and I will personally show you the path." Hagrid finished with a little bow which made Tabatha giggle.

"Thank you friend" Tabatha's eyes sparkled "I will meet you in the front yard in a few moments". With that she walked out of the Great Hall.

A short time later Hagrid and Tabatha were both walking down the path towards the town. Little did they know that from the window of the teachers' lounge someone was watching their every move.

"Where are they going?" Severus questioned as his eye never left the pair.

Severus knew quite well where they were going, the path lead to Hogsmead, that part was clear. The more pressing question, the question he didn't want to ask for fear of an answer was why was she going with Hagrid, better yet, why was she not going with him. Severus felt his insecurities start to get the better of him.

Of course Tabatha would want to spend time with Hagrid over him. Hagrid was warm, caring, and loyal. All the qualities Severus knew he did not outwardly embody. Tabatha would feel more at home talking with and spending time with someone like Hagrid, even if her intellect far outweighed his. No, Tabatha would not allow something as trivial as that to stop her from being friends with someone, possibly even closer than that.

Severus started to pace the room. She had told him, he was her best friend didn't she. That had to mean something right. He doubted that she went around telling everyone that, but he could be wrong Tabatha was extraordinary in many ways. Severus' mind reeled at the idea of not being special to her. She had wanted him to say this holiday, to stay with her, that had to mean something as well, right, didn't it?

Severus could not stand it any longer. If he was so bloody curious about what she was doing with Hagrid there was only one way his mind would be at rest. He had to follow her.

At that same moment Hagrid and Tabatha reached the edge of Hogsmead.

"Here you go Ma'am the village of Hogsmead, I do hope you find Professor Snape something here." Hagrid eyes twinkled and this time it was Tabatha's cheeks that blushed.

"Aye", Hagrid continued "It takes no brilliant mind to work out that you fancy him a bit."

Tabatha blush deepened more

"Hagrid were friends!" her lips tried to hide a bit of a smile

"Nothin wrong wit' that at all Ma'am, nothin' at all". Hargrid gave her a smirk "But there is a shop down that way where I'd think yer'd find thin's that would be right up Professor Snape alley, if yer know what I mean"

Tabatha gave a knowing nod "thank you Hagrid I really appreciate it"

"T'was no trouble at all, now I must be headin' back I have to make sure to check something I umm I'd left on the hearth. Just follow the path out of town and yer'll be back to the castle in no time."

Hagrid gave a small nod again and with a good bye from Tabatha went off to take care of whatever it was he needed to.

Tabatha walked down the darker alley and saw a shop which was so ominous and spooky it could have forever resided in the darkest of Halloween fantasies. The sign read in dark green letters "Solstice and Equinox-mythical herbs, potions and spells". Tabatha's eye brow cocked up as she pushed open the door and peered into the building. It was Severus office, on steroids.

"Sev must have a wicked line of credit here," Tabatha chucked to herself when from behind her a low voice crocked.

"Can I help yer ma'am?"

Gasping Tabatha spun around and ended up being face to face with a very small old witch, her face was twisted and contorted, hideous in many ways, but Tabatha stared at her eyes, and the shown no danger.

"Oh sorry" Tabatha paused to let herself catch her breath, "You startled me something fierce" Tabatha let herself giggle bit.

The old witch eyed up to her then with a "humph" she moved behind a very dark old counter and stood up on a stool bring herself closer to Tabatha's tall frame.

"Did I hear yer right? Yer'd be happenin' to look for somethin' for Severus Snape?" The old witch cocked her head and peered at Tabatha.

"Yes your right Madam" Tabatha smiled warmly, "I'm looking to get him a gift, do you happen to have any suggestions?"

The old witch looked taken back, "A what? A gift, yer want to give him a gift? Are you sure you mean Severus Snape?" an deep cackle left her lips.

Tabatha's eyes narrowed a bit the warmth from her smile faded.

"Yes, I don't recall that I acquiring a stutter, that is precisely what I said!" Tabatha spat with more force than she intended. "Now, if you happen to think my request is so humorous I'll be more than happy to take my business elsewhere".

The old witch's laugh stopped suddenly and she lowered her gaze for moment and looked up hesitantly.

"I meant no disrespect, none at all. Severus is a loyal customer of mine." She looked down again "It's just in all my years here no one has ever said much good about Severus, especially those of the female persuasion."

"Well I guess there is a first time for everything now isn't there" Tabatha narrowed gaze lessened a bit but not completely. "So is there anything you can recommend, for your loyal customer."

"Well, that will depend on your price range dearie" the old witch smiled a toothless grin, "By the way, what is that".

Tabatha looked around the store, "I've come to barter" she whispered.

"Hmm" the old witch eyed Tabatha carefully "I do barter but only for the right things, what yer got?"

Tabatha looked around the room again making sure no one was around, she then reached into her cloak and pulled out a tiny gold vile.

"Is that wwhat I.I.I think it is?" the old witch glared at the vile in disbelieve.

"Yes, it is" Tabatha cocked a half grin, "its 'Soul of Midas'."

The old witch brought her hands to her lips; "Soul of Midas" was a potion only one in a million, no one in ten million witches or wizards could brew properly. One drop of this could turn any object into ten pounds of gold, and that was just a drop, this young witch in front of her had a vile, a whole vile full.

"Anything in the store is yours for a drop of that" The old witch looked transfixed on the potion.

"Well first let see what it is that you have in mind." Tabatha smiled again, her face though still cool. "Oh and please, make it worth my time."

The old witch hopped down and ran off to the back corner of the room and returned with a large thick book. Placing the book on the counter she motioned for Tabatha to come closer to her.

"Heres we are, Severus has been eyeing this book since he was a lad, far too luxurious for him even now on a teachers wage." The old witch opened the book "this is the complete collections of Merlin's potions and spells… In his own handwriting! There's even parts on works in the dark arts, and an "unreadable" section"

Tabatha ran her finger across the parchment. "You say he's been eyeing this since he was a boy?" her eye lifted towards the old witch.

"Aye yes, but of course being as poor as he was this was never an option, he got teased enough on his own, but when he would gaze at this though the cabinet, well then it was just worst for him, but he never stopped gazing that was for sure, even to this day he will still gaze."

Tabatha's ears picked up the word teased readily, and again her face set in stone. "Well, then Severus Snape will get what he sot, I'll take it!" she announced in a voice which almost seem to address the ghosts of things that once where that maybe still be lingering in that room.

With that she reached in her cloak and pulled out a pebble and placed it on the floor. Taking out her wand and pointing it at the small stone she spoke with confidence.

"Cretum." The glow of magic flowed out from her wand.

Where once only a pebble was before, a large brick now lay. Tabatha picked it up and placed it on the counter, she then opened the vile and slowly pouring it out she allowed only one drop of the thick golden liquid to hit it. Instantly the brick was golden, and the old witch gasped.

Tabatha's face relaxed and smiled at the older witch again, "can you please have the book sent to Hogwarts for me, under the name Tabatha Rewolf, It's very heavy" her warm smile grew and the old witch slowly nodded her head. "oh also, would you be so kind as to always keep an ear out for me with the regards of Severus' wants, I can assure you, you'll be rewarded handsomely"

"Yes Ma'am! Of course Ma'am, Thank you Ma'am," the old witch humbly responded as she looked at her small treasure before her.

Tabatha gave the woman a small bow and walked towards the door.

As Tabatha pulled the door behind her and turned to leave she nearly bumped into a hunched over, cloaked man who was breathing heavy.

"Oh Sir" she gasped "are you alright?" She reached for the man but he waved her off.

"No I'm fine" he hissed and hurried down the alley between the stores.

Tabatha attempted to follow but as soon as she looked down the alley he was gone.

"How peculiar" She thought to herself, as she peered down the alley.

After a moment she shook her head and shrugged. She then started making her way back to the main drag of the village; she had heard that a pub named the three broomsticks had wonderful butter beer, whatever that was.

Down the far end of the alley a small voice whispered "revealum" and the hooded figured reemerged, and slowly pulled the hood back off of his face.

Severus was still breathing heavy, and his hands were trembling. She went to get him a gift, a gift just for him. Severus was touched in ways that he never thought possible. No one had ever gotten him a gift, nothing like what she had gotten him either. Then another look appeared on his face, this time of awe. She made "Soul of Midas", how was that possible. She had only been a witch for three months; it should not be possible in any way. Severus made two resolves that instant, first that he would get her something wonderful in return, though he didn't have a clue as to what to get, and secondly he would find out how she made that potion. Another thing he didn't have a clue on how to figure out.