Madame Potion

It was a nice Sunday afternoon. Too nice to stay cooped up inside. Ron and Harry had prowled the grounds talking and exploring until the sky began to turn gray and the wind threatened hostility.

Spending a few more moments enjoying the last glimmers of sunlight before it was swallowed up by the rolling chrome clouds, the boys lounged against some rocks that overlooked the Black Lake. The dim and rolling water reflected the turbulent sky.

Neither spoke as they surveyed the beauty of the land, the water, and the mountainous peaks beyond. Suddenly, Ron nudged Harry with the back of his hand and pointed to a look out point near the edge of the lake.

“Hey, is that Snape down there?” he asked.

Harry’s eyes followed the line of Ron’s finger to the back of a tall figure, clad in black from head to toe, standing stock straight, seemingly entranced with the view of the lake. The only movement came from his cloak fluttering slightly behind him in the rising breeze.

“It looks like,” muttered Harry.

“I didn’t know he went out in daylight,” Ron quipped. “Figured sunlight might turn him to dust.”

The boys looked at each other and laughed. From this distance it felt easy and safe to make disparaging comments about their least favorite teacher.

“I didn’t know he liked the water,” Harry added. “Do you think if he fell in he’d melt?”

Again they laughed.

Suddenly Ron stopped and again pointed in the direction of Snape.

“Who’s that?” he asked

A tall, slender female had stepped out from in front of Snape. They stood close without touching and looked at one another for a moment before the girl walked away along the lake’s shore. She continued until she picked up the path that led to the courtyard and then into Hogwarts.

“Isn’t she that Ravenclaw, Davindra Collins? Hermione knows her. She helped me with my Potions homework once,” Ron said.

“It looks like,” Harry replied, his eyes still following the girl as she made her way up the path until she was out of sight. “But what was she doing with Snape out there on the lake?”

“Awhh, she’s his pet, don’t you know?” Ron sneered. “I think he may even like her better than Malfoy. I sure like her better than Malfoy!”

“Yeah, but you don’t see Malfoy taking strolls by the lake with him either,” Harry stated.

Ron eyed Harry suspiciously. “You don’t think…..” he began, then stopped when Harry simply raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders.

“EWWHHHhhh!” Ron exclaimed, his whole body convulsing with a shudder.

Harry had to smile, though he felt a similar reaction to the thought.

Soon Snape turned from his position against the lake and began to make his way up the hill toward the rocks at which Ron and Harry stood. They looked at each other, wondering if they should run, hide, or stay in place. But he had seen them before they could decide. So they remained and tried to look casual and as though they hadn’t been watching him. Both prepared for a verbal lashing.

But Snape simply walked between the two, uttering a calm and only slightly sneering, “Weasley… Potter,” in greeting as he passed.

Harry and Ron exchanged looks of shock, stunned to be dismissed at a time when Snape could have unleashed any number of scathing insults their way.

Looking after him, they saw Snape continue into Hogwarts with the same measured, intentional gait.

“Harry,” Ron finally spoke. “Did he actually look… relaxed to you?”

Harry looked into Ron’s puzzled face and burst out laughing.