Hogwarts: I am Snape

Chapter 71 Mistletoe

"What about mine?" Pandora's bright blue eyes sparkled. She tilted her head, and her hair swayed.

"Yes, yes," Snape stammered, his throat bobbing.

He reached into his small bag and rummaged around for a while before carefully taking out a jade bracelet with a clear texture but somewhat rough carving. There were also some crooked little scratches on the edge of the bracelet: "This...this is for you...but I haven't finished carving it yet..."

“Give it to me.” Pandora casually opened her hand, and Snape gently placed the bracelet in her palm. “Let’s go back.”

The three brooms slammed the door shut again, keeping the chill out. Outside, the wind howled, carrying snowflakes that pelted the wooden door. Snape instinctively pulled his robes tighter, but still couldn't help shivering.

The group trudged along the slightly muddy path, making their way towards Hogwarts. Abbott was already leading Barty ahead at a distance.

As Snape passed a small puddle, he glanced at his reflection in the water and saw his somewhat haggard and flustered face. He couldn't help but lament that drinking had led to his troubles.

He made a decision in his heart: from this day forward, I will quit drinking!
Throughout the journey, Pandora seemed to have her mind solely focused on the jade bracelet.

She would hold the bracelet up to the sunlight, squinting as she examined it closely, and then gently tap it with her fingers, making it emit a soft, warm sound.

When the magnificent wrought iron gates of Hogwarts came into view, the jade bracelet was already on Pandora's slender wrist.

"Is there anything special about this thing?" She moved closer to Snape. The cold wind howled, making her hair flutter and brushing against his shoulder, carrying a very faint fragrance.

“I engraved many of those ancient runic symbols that we saw in that secret passage near the library before into the bracelet, the ones that represent protection,” Snape said in a low voice, blushing. “I tried to combine it with the Ironclad Charm, but for a long time I didn’t make any progress.”

They walked up the long, uphill path leading to the castle, their footsteps echoing in the empty hallway.

As soon as he sat down in the Great Hall, Snape reached into his small bag and pulled out several broken cabochon opals. The edges of these fragments were jagged and they had lost their original luster.

“This one you have is the only one that succeeded,” he whispered.

"How come I've never seen you make this before?" Pandora turned to the side, her blue eyes full of curiosity.

“I did it secretly,” Snape said awkwardly, tugging at his collar. “I wanted to surprise you.”

He paused, then continued, "If attacked by magic or physical force, it can instantly raise a shield to protect the wearer."

“You know, I can’t always be there to watch you do your experiments. Sometimes I have to go out, like next week I have some things to do and I have to leave Hogwarts.”

"Try casting a spell on me." Before the words were even finished, Pandora suddenly stood up and said eagerly.

“No, I haven’t tried it on anyone yet,” Snape quickly waved his hand and shook his head to refuse her. “No one has tried wearing this bracelet before.”

“What are you afraid of? Come on.” Pandora pulled out her wand. “Try casting a disarming spell on me.”

Snape hesitated and looked around, then saw Mrs. Lorris chasing a small ball of fur into the Great Hall.

Filch, with his hands behind his back and a rare smile on his face, followed Mrs. Lorris with a cheerful expression, watching her movements with affection.

Mrs. Lorris lowered her body, her paws silently gathering strength on the stone slab, her rump swaying from side to side, her tail held high. The next second, she suddenly pushed off with her hind legs, pouncing on the furball like she was being launched by a slingshot, then whimpered and rolled on the ground with the furball in her mouth.

"Well... alright, but we need to find somewhere else," Snape said helplessly.

Avoiding the crowds, the two went upstairs and, with Myrtle's help, entered the Room of Requirement. Myrtle was growing to like this place more and more; now, besides Snape and Pandora, Abbott and Barty Jr. would occasionally come here as well.

She always moved happily among them. In her words, she had never been surrounded by so many friendly people who didn't mock her. Despite Snape's objections, Myrtle insisted on calling them the "Loyalty of the Disappointed."

“I’m ready,” Pandora said to Snape, standing in an open space beside the long table.

“Alright—I’ll count to three—” Snape took a deep breath and raised his wand. “One, two, three—Expelliarmus!”

A silver spell flew out with a "whoosh," but just as it reached Pandora, it struck a transparent magical shield, sending up a beautiful burst of sparks. The wand remained firmly in Pandora's hand.

"Great!" she jumped up excitedly. "Next, let's try the Stunning Spell."

Under Pandora's persistent pleading, Snape had no choice but to cast a stun spell on her again.

The shield blocked the attack once again, and the light of the stun spell slowly dissipated outside the shield.

“Next,” Pandora said with satisfaction, “try the Explosion Charm.”

“This is the last one,” Snape said, frowning. “Don’t go too far.”

“Okay, the last one,” Pandora replied casually.

"Thunder Explosion!" Snape controlled his strength and cast the spell.

When the spell struck the shield, it spread outwards like an egg hitting a rock, and the heat from the spell even made Snape feel hot.

"Are you alright?" he asked anxiously.

“It’s alright,” Pandora said, a dangerous glint in her eyes. “How about we try the Powerful Explosion Spell again?”

“Stop,” Snape said sternly, putting away his wand. “I gave you the bracelet not so you could conduct more dangerous experiments on yourself. If you continue like this, I’ll take it back.”

"Don't worry, then we won't try it." Pandora smiled mischievously and said cheerfully, "I won't let myself get hurt."

"Really?" Snape asked skeptically. "Are you sure?"

“Of course,” Pandora said with a smile, moving closer. “I promise.”

As she spoke, she stood on tiptoe and gently kissed him on the cheek.

Snape froze, his mind going completely blank.

“Mistletoe,” Pandora said, pointing to the ceiling above his head.

He unconsciously touched his cheek. He had never noticed before that there was such a large clump of mistletoe covered with white beads on the ceiling of the laboratory.

　Thank you for the monthly pass from "I will always love Yumo-chan".

　　I want to write more, but I just can't seem to get anything out of it. How do those authors who update with tens of thousands of words every day manage to write...?

　　
　
(End of this chapter)