Special Delivery
Date: Wednesday, 14 February, 2001
Time: Gifts Delivered at Intervals during the day, beginning at breakfast and ending just after final curfew
Location: Hogwarts
Rating: PGish
Characters Involved: Remus Lupin & Severus Snape ONLY
The house elves had been instructed to make sure the first small package was waiting for the Potions Master when he arrived at the staff table for breakfast that morning. The gifter would never want to do anything to embarrass the man, so the package was tiny, barely the size of a ringbox. In fact, it was a ringbox covered in deep, rich green. Nestled as it was next to the goblet at the Head of Slytherin House's placesetting, it was concealed from all but those seated nearest to that place.
Once opened, the recipient would find a small, rough-cut garnet two centimetres long; along with a note, written in burgundy ink on fine calligrapher's parchment, reading simply:
Happy Valentine's Day!
-- D.W.
The next item was delivered to Professor Snape's private office between morning lessons. This gift was slightly larger than the last. A small box, carved from apple wood and polished to flawless gloss, was placed to one side on the desk where it would be out of the way, yet easily seen. There was no lid on the box, allowing the three, ripe golden apples to be seen. As before, a small note, written in the same ink upon the same parchment, was enclosed:
Happy Valentine's Day!
-- Hippomenes
At lunchtime, the gift was again, simple. The small, heart-shaped box was covered in the same rich green velvet that had covered the ringbox at breakfast. It was barely large enough to hold 100 grams of Honeyduke's finest Fancy Dark Chocolate Truffles. Again, attempts had been made to conceal the gift from the curious, this time placing the object upon the chairseat -- though not so hidden as to allow it's intended recipient to sit on it! The note enclosed with this gift held a variance on the same theme:
Happy (though slightly cliched) Valentine's Day!
-- 'Werewolf'
The owl bearing the fourth item arrived much later that evening, bearing a scroll of parchment tied with a fancy green ribbon. The special delivery owl had been specifically trained and instructed to deliver it's burden to the man whose name was written in flowing script upon the tag tied to the ribbon only when he was alone and near the end of his appoint rounds for the evening. When the small scroll of parchment was unrolled, a tiny bundle of herbs and flowers was revealed, containing sprigs of rosemary, myrtle, and two vibrant blue forget-me-nots.
Severus,
It is the downfall of being involved with a 'Retired Knight in Tarnished Armor', perhaps, to be subjected to flights of romantic fantasy such as those in which I have indulged today. It seemed a fitting day to express my gratitude to the gods for the gift that has been your presence in my life, not only during these last three months, but even before that. I suppose this is one time when Albus' meddling, arranging the circumstances of our meetings during the war, is to be appreciated. Knowing what I know now, I would hate to think I might have otherwise spent the last three and a half years at true odds with you.
We never seem to be able to find a label that meets with both our expectations. So, I will not endeavor to name the 'changes in our association' as you might put it, since November. I will only say that it was the first such change that I still cannot truthfully claim to regret in any way.
There is one last gift awaiting you on this day. Once your rounds are completed, you should find, hidden away within your quarters, one bottle of La Gabarre - Bons Bois Cognac, 1944 vintage, accompanied by one soppy werewolf who would very much like to share it with you.
Yours,
Remus
Time: Gifts Delivered at Intervals during the day, beginning at breakfast and ending just after final curfew
Location: Hogwarts
Rating: PGish
Characters Involved: Remus Lupin & Severus Snape ONLY
The house elves had been instructed to make sure the first small package was waiting for the Potions Master when he arrived at the staff table for breakfast that morning. The gifter would never want to do anything to embarrass the man, so the package was tiny, barely the size of a ringbox. In fact, it was a ringbox covered in deep, rich green. Nestled as it was next to the goblet at the Head of Slytherin House's placesetting, it was concealed from all but those seated nearest to that place.
Once opened, the recipient would find a small, rough-cut garnet two centimetres long; along with a note, written in burgundy ink on fine calligrapher's parchment, reading simply:
Happy Valentine's Day!
-- D.W.
The next item was delivered to Professor Snape's private office between morning lessons. This gift was slightly larger than the last. A small box, carved from apple wood and polished to flawless gloss, was placed to one side on the desk where it would be out of the way, yet easily seen. There was no lid on the box, allowing the three, ripe golden apples to be seen. As before, a small note, written in the same ink upon the same parchment, was enclosed:
Happy Valentine's Day!
-- Hippomenes
At lunchtime, the gift was again, simple. The small, heart-shaped box was covered in the same rich green velvet that had covered the ringbox at breakfast. It was barely large enough to hold 100 grams of Honeyduke's finest Fancy Dark Chocolate Truffles. Again, attempts had been made to conceal the gift from the curious, this time placing the object upon the chairseat -- though not so hidden as to allow it's intended recipient to sit on it! The note enclosed with this gift held a variance on the same theme:
Happy (though slightly cliched) Valentine's Day!
-- 'Werewolf'
The owl bearing the fourth item arrived much later that evening, bearing a scroll of parchment tied with a fancy green ribbon. The special delivery owl had been specifically trained and instructed to deliver it's burden to the man whose name was written in flowing script upon the tag tied to the ribbon only when he was alone and near the end of his appoint rounds for the evening. When the small scroll of parchment was unrolled, a tiny bundle of herbs and flowers was revealed, containing sprigs of rosemary, myrtle, and two vibrant blue forget-me-nots.
Severus,
It is the downfall of being involved with a 'Retired Knight in Tarnished Armor', perhaps, to be subjected to flights of romantic fantasy such as those in which I have indulged today. It seemed a fitting day to express my gratitude to the gods for the gift that has been your presence in my life, not only during these last three months, but even before that. I suppose this is one time when Albus' meddling, arranging the circumstances of our meetings during the war, is to be appreciated. Knowing what I know now, I would hate to think I might have otherwise spent the last three and a half years at true odds with you.
We never seem to be able to find a label that meets with both our expectations. So, I will not endeavor to name the 'changes in our association' as you might put it, since November. I will only say that it was the first such change that I still cannot truthfully claim to regret in any way.
There is one last gift awaiting you on this day. Once your rounds are completed, you should find, hidden away within your quarters, one bottle of La Gabarre - Bons Bois Cognac, 1944 vintage, accompanied by one soppy werewolf who would very much like to share it with you.
Yours,
Remus