Title: Of Utmost Secrecy
Fandom: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Rating: G
Length: 548 words
Content notes: None
Author notes: None
Summary: Severus Snape has made a tactical error that must be remedied.

      It was a Hogsmeade weekend, and despite his usual careful planning, Severus Snape found himself going down into the village.

     It wasn't entirely his fault, he felt. He'd had a rather unpleasant week, and a stack of third and fourth year essays to grade. Granger's essay would be burdensome in the extreme; how on earth did she manage to sound bossy and a know-it-all in the written word? Weasley and Potter would obviously have cribbed from each other and Granger, and that wasn't even touching the rest of the class, including some of his own Slytherins.

     Fool that he was, though, he had waited until the castle was mostly empty to take Remus Lupin his potion, and had seen that Potter at least was not in the village, thank Merlin for small favors. Severus had just settled down in his office to work, and had discovered his mistake. Now he was forced to make his way down to Hogsmeade, pulling his cloak tighter against the wind. A handful of students passed him, their eyes growing wide at the sight of him. He gave them a scowl and continued stalking toward the now-bustling main thoroughfare.

      He gave a another silent prayer of thanks that the Hogwarts students were entirely too absorbed in their own activities to pay him much mind. He heard Granger shrilly telling off someone, undoubtedly a Weasley, and he ducked between two of the buildings. Going into the front of the shop was impossible, there were just too many people around. He would have to slip in through the back door, as unconventional as that might be. Carefully, he crept around the corner, his heart beginning to race.

      He really couldn't be discovered. His reputation would never survive if the wrong person saw him. He'd go to the apothecary after he was done, that would give him a plausible reason to be in the village. No one would be surprised if he said he wanted to choose his own personal potions ingredients. But this, this first. This was too important to delay, every second a risk of being found out.

      "Alohomora," he whispered, pointing to the lock with his wand. The door swung open, and he slipped inside. No surprise, the shop keeper had come bustling into the back as soon as the door had unlocked, a look of indignation on his face, ready to berate some over-eager student.

      "Now look here, you rascals--Professor!" The shop keeper pulled up short. "Goodness, you don't often come down with the students!"

      "No, but I'm afraid that I made a slight calculation error." Severus pulled his money bag out of his robe pocket. "I think I'm going to need double the usual order."

      "Right you are, Professor! Hold tight, I'll bring it to you directly." The shop keeper bustled back to the front, the sounds of chaos coming in through the door before it swung shut. A minute later, the shop keeper returned. "Is there anything else you might need?" he asked as he handed Severus a paper parcel.

     "No, this is quite adequate," he said softly, running his finger lightly over the brightly-colored Honeydukes logo stamped on the paper. "If two dozen liquorice wands don't get me through those essays, I might have to take up firewhisky instead."