NOVEL WEB Chapter 70: Mistletoe
"What about mine?" Pandora's sapphire eyes sparkled as she tilted her head, her golden hair swaying softly with the motion.
"I—I have something..." Snape's throat bobbed as he stammered.
He reached into his small satchel and rummaged around for a good while before carefully drawing out a translucent bangle. It was roughly carved, with uneven etchings around the edges. "This... this is for you. I haven't finished engraving it yet…"
"Give it here," Pandora said cheerfully, holding out her hand. Snape gently placed the bangle into her open palm. "Come on, let's head back."
The door of the Three Broomsticks shut behind them with a muffled thud, sealing out the biting wind and the sleet that now pelted the wooden exterior. Snape instinctively wrapped his cloak tighter around himself but still shivered.
They trudged back toward Hogwarts along the muddied path, their steps uneven. Abbot had already taken the lead, pulling Barty along with him ahead of the group.
Passing by a shallow puddle, Snape caught a glimpse of his reflection—pale, drawn, and jittery. He frowned.
He made a silent vow then and there: no more drinking, from this day forward.
Pandora, meanwhile, seemed utterly absorbed with her new bracelet.
She lifted the jade bangle into the sunlight, studying it intently with narrowed eyes, then tapped it gently with her finger to hear the soft, mellow chime it made.
By the time the grand iron gates of Hogwarts loomed ahead, the bracelet had already found its place on her slender wrist.
"Does it do anything special?" she asked as she moved closer. The wind swept up her hair again, sending a wisp across his shoulder, leaving behind a faint, clean scent.
"I carved in some ancient runes," Snape mumbled, his cheeks flushed, "the ones we saw near that secret passage by the library. They represent protection. I've been trying to combine it with the Shield Charm… but I haven't made much progress."
They climbed the long path toward the castle, boots thudding softly on the stone steps as their footsteps echoed through the empty entrance hall.
Once seated in the Great Hall, Snape dug into his satchel again and pulled out a handful of broken opals, their cracked edges dulled.
"This one," he said, nodding at the bangle on Pandora's wrist, "is the only one that worked."
"How come I never saw you working on it?" Pandora leaned toward him, blue eyes full of curiosity.
"I made it in secret," Snape admitted, tugging at his collar. "I wanted it to be a surprise."
He hesitated, then continued, "If you're attacked—magically or physically—it'll generate a protective shield. Instantly. I can't always be there, especially not next week. I'll be away from Hogwarts."
"Cast something on me," Pandora said, suddenly standing. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation. "Let's test it."
"No! I've never tested it on anyone before," Snape waved her down quickly, alarmed. "You'd be the first person wearing it, and—"
"Oh, come on. Just a Disarming Charm," she insisted, wand already in hand.
Snape glanced around nervously and spotted Mrs. Norris sprinting into the hall, chasing a fluffball of dust. Behind her, Filch ambled along, hands clasped behind his back, beaming proudly as he watched the cat stalk her prey.
Mrs. Norris crouched low, tail high, swaying side to side before launching like a spring into a tumbling chase.
"Fine," Snape grumbled. "But not here. We need somewhere else."
The two slipped away upstairs, eventually ducking into the Room of Requirement with Moaning Myrtle's gleeful assistance.
Myrtle had grown fond of the space. These days, it wasn't just Pandora and Snape who used it—Abbot and Barty would drop by too.
She flitted between them happily, declaring it the most pleasant company she'd ever kept. Though Snape protested, she insisted on calling their group the "Society of the Slightly Doomed."
"I'm ready," Pandora announced, standing at one end of the long table with space cleared around her.
"Alright," Snape said, raising his wand. "On the count of three—one, two, three—Expelliarmus!"
A silver streak burst from his wand and struck an invisible barrier inches from Pandora's body. The charm dispersed in a dazzling spray of sparks. Her wand stayed firm in her grip.
"Amazing!" she bounced on the spot. "Let's try a Stunning Spell next."
Snape sighed. Under Pandora's relentless pleading, he relented and cast a Stupefy.
Again, the shield deflected the attack. The red light dimmed harmlessly before it could reach her.
"Keep going!" Pandora said, thrilled. "Try an Exploding Charm!"
"This is the last one," Snape warned, scowling. "Don't push it."
"Fine, fine. Last one," she said breezily.
"Confringo!" Snape muttered, keeping the power restrained.
The charm struck the shield and sizzled across its surface like an egg hitting hot stone. The warmth of the impact even made Snape flinch.
"Are you alright?" he asked at once.
"I'm fine," Pandora said, her eyes alight with dangerous glee. "How about we try a Blasting Curse next?"
"Absolutely not." Snape lowered his wand, dead serious. "This bracelet isn't so you can experiment on yourself with more dangerous spells. Keep this up, and I'll take it back."
"Alright, alright," Pandora giggled. "I promise I'll be careful."
"Really?" Snape asked, still skeptical. "You sure?"
"Of course," she said with a soft smile, stepping closer. "I promise."
Then she stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek, lightly.
Snape froze, completely rigid, mind gone utterly blank.
"Mistletoe," Pandora said, pointing up at the ceiling above them.
Snape instinctively reached up to touch his cheek. He hadn't noticed it before, but right above them, hanging from the ceiling of the Room of Requirement, was a large, lush cluster of mistletoe, dotted with pearly white berries.