The girls stayed up late into the night talking and reading some of the books Ada had picked off of Snape's shelves. Ada said she wanted to have as much knowledge of Dark Magic as she could so she could have some better idea of how to defend herself if the need ever arose. Freddie had agreed with her and began searching through the books with her for information or spells they could use.

Sometime during the night she'd fallen asleep on the bed next to Ada, with a book covering her face. She awoke to something niggling at the edge of her consciousness and she bolted upright in bed, startling Ada who was still sitting against the headboard reading.

"What's wrong?" Ada asked, alarmed. Freddie quickly relaxed as she recognized the consciousness threatening her own and she dropped her walls enough to let his mind in. He was waiting for her in their bedroom.

"It's just Severus," she said, breathing a sigh of relief. "Everything's fine, he just missed me."

"Oh," Ada said with a smile as Freddie climbed out of bed, rubbing her face. "You are lucky, Freddie."

"I know," she said with a quick smile. "Are you alright if I go to our room?"

"Of course," she snorted. "I didn't think you were going to sleep in here with me. I'm fine – go see your beau."

"Alright," Freddie chuckled. "Goodnight Adalene."

"Dors bien, Winifred," she said cheekily.

Freddie slipped out of Ada's room and went down the hallway to their room to find Snape sitting on the edge of the bed. His eyes looked warm and brown in the soft candlelight. She quickly shut the door behind herself and stepped into his embrace. He kissed her tenderly, then pulled her down onto the bed, wrapping his arms around her.

"What time is it?" she asked, yawning.

"After midnight," he murmured, kissing her forehead. "I couldn't sleep. I didn't think you would be sleeping with Miss Leroux."

"We were reading," she said, cheeks warm.

"She was reading. You were definitely asleep," he said and kissed her again.

"I was reading about counter-curses and I guess I fell asleep. We borrowed some books from your bookshelf downstairs, I hope that's okay."

"I do not mind. They're your books, too," he said with a shrug. "As long as she puts them back."

"She will, she'll put them back in the exact place she got them – photographic memory, ya know?" she said with a grin. He chuckled softly and kissed her forehead.

"Her Occlumency is impressive by the way."

"Wh- you used Legilimency on her?"

"I tried. She stone-walled me. I don't think she even noticed my attempt," he said. "Which is a good thing. If it's second nature to her then it is a natural defense against a lot potential threats."

"Well...good," she said, snuggling closer to him.

"Did you enjoy yourself today? What did the two of you do?"

"Breakfast in Hogsmeade, then we spent the rest of the day in Diagon Alley pretty much," she said. "Ada got an owl from Matt. She thinks he's cute."

"The owl?"

"No, Matt. The owl is a girl, Lunette. She sleeps upside down on her perch," she chuckled, pulling up an image in her mind of Ada's barn owl and pushing it at him.

"How strange."

"Oh, we saw Amelia in Diagon Alley," she said.

"Who?"

"Amelia Avery. Remember? From my 'Potions Fan Club'?" she asked with a faint smile.

"Ah. And how is Miss Avery?" he asked.

"Married with a baby apparently. I had no idea. Do you know...her parents are Death Eaters, aren't they?" she asked hesitantly.

"...Yes," he admitted. "Well her father is. Aldrich Avery, he was a friend of mine in school. Her mother isn't branded but is a loyalist of the Dark Lord."

"Do you know where they are? Amelia doesn't know – I used Legilimency on her because I could tell she was hiding something from me. Her mother told her it was better, safer if she didn't know and Amelia didn't really want to know anyway but she's worried."

"You're not going to tell her anything are you?" Snape asked.

"No, of course not. I doubt I'll be seeing her again any time soon. I was just curious," she said with a shrug.

"The Averys were sent with Macnair to solicit the giants' help for the Dark Lord."

"They're still gone? You mentioned that at the first Order meeting, that was a while ago."

"Giants are not easily wooed."

"But if something happened to them you'd have no way of knowing?"

"I suppose not."

"What about Hagrid and Madame Maxime? Has Dumbledore had any word from them?"

"No," he answered and Freddie bit her lip anxiously. She was fond of Hagrid. She'd never met Madame Maxime in person but Ada spoke highly of her former headmistress. She didn't want anything to happen to her either. "Albus isn't worried yet, nor is the Dark Lord... and you shouldn't be either. You shouldn't worry about these things at all, Winifred," he said, shaking his head.

"I can't help it," she sighed. "I don't want anything to happen to Hagrid, he's a good man. Ziggy would be crushed, he's very fond of Hagrid."

"Mm and where is your kneazle? I thought he would follow you in here."

"Guess he wanted to stay with Ada. He's fascinated by Lunette," she chuckled.

"Hope he doesn't try to eat her."

"Severus!" she laughed, smacking his chest playfully. "He wouldn't do that. He's a good boy."

"And you are a good girl," he murmured before kissing her.

"Uh mm-hm," she managed against his mouth. She didn't know if he was going to try to take the kiss farther with Ada in the next room and she wasn't sure if she wanted to or not. She knew she could be loud and she didn't want to traumatize her friend. Reading her mind Snape chuckled and broke the kiss.

"I didn't come home for that," he said and kissed her lips briefly. "I just..."

"Missed me?" she asked, smiling.

"Mm. With the state of the Wizarding World, things being what they are... I want you with me as much as possible. It is easier to sleep, to not worry so much, when you are in my arms."

"Well I'm available for sleeping in your arms whenever you need me," she said coyly. "Or anything else you might need me for."

"Thank you," he said with a soft chuckle and kissed her forehead again before resting his chin atop her head. "Get some sleep, Winifred."