The Herbology Assistant

Chapter Twenty Five

"Harry! Hedwig's back with your mail!" Clarice called to Harry from the kitchen. She heard him come in and sit at the table where his owl was waiting patiently for him to untie the letters around her ankle. 

"It's from Ron!" Harry said and quickly opened the letter. 

"His family is back from Egypt, they're wondering if we can meet them in Diagon Alley to get our supplies." He told Clarice

"Well, write back and tell them that we'll be there. I can bring you. I need a few things myself." She said as she picked up the other letter that had his school supplies listed. "At least Lockhart's gone, I wonder who the new professor will be."

"I hope it's a good one.  I feel like I haven't learned anything from that class." Harry said while looking over the list and then writing back to Ron. "Are you still an assistant this year?"

"Yes, I'll be helping out in Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, and Potions. You''ll most likely only see me in Care of Magical Creatures though." She told him and he perked up. He had been helping Clarice care for her own creatures the last couple of days since she seemed to have her hands full. 

The day he arrived, she had told him she just adopted a bundle of puffs and a foal. Later in the evening, she had asked Harry to help her set up a new sanctuary for a lost dog that had wandered into her yard. Although, it hasn't returned since that first night, she was determined to catch it and give it a nice home. 

"And you said Hagrid is teaching now?" He beamed and Clarice nodded, just then she heard a pop in her backyard and looked out her window. Her heart skipped a beat and she quickly opened the back door. 

"Severus?" She smiled at the man walking towards her and hugged him tightly. He looked different, it was his clothes. Instead of his usual boring black cape, he had on black dress slacks and a white button up dress shirt that had two buttons undone at the top. 

"Miss me?" He asked her while brushing a strand of hair out of her face while taking in her honeysuckle perfume. 

"Dearly," She said back to him forgetting that Harry was essentially in the same room as them. She stepped back and let him and watched his eyes fall on Harry who was pretending to write a letter. 

"Potter," Severus spoke which caused Harry to slowly look up at his least favorite professor. 

"Professor Snape." He said while placing his quill down. Clarice held her breath, she knew the pair didn't exactly see eye to eye. 

"What brings you here?" Clarice cut the awkward silence. 

"Needed to restock before term starts. And to see Flora and those weird puff things you like so much." He almost smiled. 

"Well come on then, you know where the garden is." She paused and turned to Harry as Severus walked to her garden. "Harry, do you want to come?"

"No thanks, I'll finish my letter to Ron." He said and busied himself. Clarice frowned and walked over to him. 

"I know it's weird, but he's not as bad as you think." She told him and placed a hand on his shoulder. 

"He's hated me since day one." Harry said lowly. 

"It's not what you think. I'll tell you about it another time. Alright?" She walked out the back door to Severus holding about eight puffs in his arms and Clarice couldn't help but giggle. 

"I think they missed me." He chuckled while letting them all back down on the ground. 

"Come on you, let's get your herbs." She said while dragging him over to her garden.