home (reader at hogwarts)

seventeen

you stop as the door to ollivander's closes behind you and smile down at the cat which sits a foot or two in front of you, twirling its tail impatiently.

"minerva, you should really consider making this a regular thing-" you smirk.

the cat grumbles at you before its eyes dilate and it morphs into a human.

back into minerva.

"let's see your wand then, y/n." she says, straightening the glasses on the bridge of her nose.

you pull it out of your cloak pocket and remove the sage green fabric wrapped around it.

minerva takes the wand from you and gently twirls it between her fingers. she admires its light, yellowish brown colour and the way it curls at the end, forming a small handle- a place to rest your pinky finger.

it has a few cracks in the top most layer, and underneath seems to be a layer of shining gold. it appears to glow as she hands it back to you and you chalk it down to the phoenix feather core resting inside.

"the wand is gorgeous." minerva says, "much like yourself, y/n."

you laugh and turn your face to the ground as you attempt to conceal the nervousness written on your hot cheeks.

"oh and-" minerva says. "i got this for you-"

you turn back to the ribboned box and peer down at it. "for me?"

she nods and holds out a hand, gesturing for you to open it.

"okay." you mumble, kneeling down and carefully ripping off the ribbon on the present.

the wrapping paper falls off, eventually and you stare at the box. you stand and place your fingers between the line separating each flap and pull them apart before gasping at what was inside.

"wha-" you look back at minerva before looking back into the box.

"is that a-"

you stare down at the long brown glistening handle, gasping as you realise that a nimbus 2000 is at your feet.

"minerva-" you whisper, smiling wide with hot tears brimming in your eyes.

"no. no, don't tear up or i will." she says, bending down and placing both her palms on either side of your face.

"you'll be under so much pressure this year, and you've already been through so much this past month due to that withdrawal therapy you were going through."

you sniff and she looks down at the broomstick.

"and i felt that- oh, this will probably sound strange out loud but-" she lets out a little laugh. "you've been 'grounded' so long, you deserve to 'fly' and get a taste of freedom."

minerva's face contorts as she attempts to figure out what she's trying to say.

"though, technically you're not going to be entirely free and you're actually sort of burdened with the knowledge of each and every one of our lives like a vessel of terrifying prophecy."

she sighs, and looks back to you. "how am i doing?"

"well enough." you smile.

"i've never been the type to be able to express, recieve or give affection, so i apologise if it's not sufficient-"

you cut her off by wrapping your arms around her waist. she stiffens for a second before melting around you like she's gotten used to doing this past month.

"you know, i got an earful from albus for asking special permission to let you bring your broom to school-"

"d- did he disapprove-"

"no, he was ecstatic-" she sighed. "god, he squealed for what felt a millennia-"

you giggle. "he would!"

"but, you'll keep the broom in my room and practice in my personal gardens." she says, sternly. "and you won't tell any of the other students about it."

"right." you look to the broom, smirking.

"i'm serious. look at my face." you look up at her. "not a word."

"i wont tell!" you say, with your hands up.

"good." she grabs one of your hand and places a small kiss on the back of it, before pulling her wand out of her cloak.

she points it at the box, before hesitating and looking towards you.

"actually," she says softly. "you try it."

"try what, minnie?" you ask.

"shrink it- with your new wand."

you stare at the box and point your wand at it.

the tip of it is illuminated in a yellow light and changes to a purple colour as you pull the wand down and back up in a 'v' shape before shooting the purple light at the box.

it vibrates for a split second before shrinking to the size of a ring box.

this was by far the best spell you've ever performed and you look up to minerva to see her reaction.

"well done." she says proudly, bending downs and picking up the box before putting it in her cloak pocket.

"home, then?" minnie says and you smile.

"yes please."

"take my hand."

you grasp onto it and keep your other hand wrapped around your wand before feeling yourself being pulled out of diagon alley and in to a dingy looking alley way.

"ugh-" you say out loud, placing a hand on your stomach as it churns.

"come on." minerva says softly, peering round the wall and grabbing your hand. she leads the pair of you onto the street in spinner's end and towards snape's house.

you spot him waiting outside the door and checking his watch and pull your hand away from minerva to race to the door.

you gate opens by itself and you jump into severus' arms.

"hey, hey." he grunts, catching you. "not here, y/n."

he pushes you off and heads into the house. you follow him and hear minerva close the front door behind her.

"oh come on, sevvy." you tease, pulling your cloak off your shoulders and letting it fall on to the sofa.

"you ruined it." he says, snatching the cloak off the sofa and putting it up on a hook you couldn't reach.

he stared at you as you bargained. "but, no one was even outside-"

"they could have been!" he grumbled.

"oh shush." you say, going quiet as you remembered considering calling yourself y/n snape at ollivanders.

"you missed me." severus says quietly.

"of course i did."

"oh, hug already!" minerva shouts and severus scowls at her, walking to the kitchen.

"tea!" you call out behind him and minerva gives you a proud smirk.

"merlin help me!" you hear him exclaim.