Tempora Mutantur, Nos et Mutamur in Illis
Chapter 3 Just Business
"I'm afraid I can't continue my therapy unless you provide remote services. I got a role that requires me to travel a lot during shooting." She informed him in her 19th session, "See you in 6 months then, Doctor Prince."
"Dose Apparate accidentally slip your mind?" Snape scolded her, "Continuity is important for psychotherapy."
"Can't do long distance without a wand. Mine was lost long ago. Haven't you noticed that I always borrowed yours when in need? Lack of observation is a weakness for your occupation." She was not in the play mood today, which meant it wouldn't be a colorful session.
She never ceased to surprise him. He got a new understanding of how desperate she wanted to escape her past. She wouldn't buy herself a new wand!
"Just borrow mine like you always do." He regretted the minute he finished the sentence.
"No, I'll be gone too long. You may need it." She rejected without hesitation.
"When will you set out?" He asked in his most casual tone.
"Right after my next session." She had already closed her eyes, indicating the silence should fall.
Of course, she would make the next one. She had set it on the next full moon. Snape believed that she would never miss her full-moon appointments if it were within her power, and somehow, he had a feeling that she was sad about breaking the routine.
Yes, Nymphadora had built a routine by now. Her appointments were not necessarily on a full moon, and not every session was a colorful one. Yet every full moon had been an experimental session since the seventh.
Bella always visited him on the full moon. That was to say, Nymphadora was still in agony on the full moon. She had not talked about her past, why she left the wizardry society, or how she became Susiel Pond. She just visited him session after session.
Snape doubted she would ever talk about those things, though he had his professional hypothesis. No, he didn't need his expertise to know that Lupin was the root of all her issues. The werewolf had fucked her up hard.
Her 19th session passed in silence. She left his office when the timer buzzed.
Snape decided to purchase a new wand for Nymphadora as she rejected his offer, for valid reasons, of course! He even made a list:
1.It was a brilliant business investment, not a gift of goodwill. With a new wand, Susiel Pond could continue her therapy, which meant Dr. Prince would get paid for his expertise.
2.Nymphadora had made progress, which meant his effort finally paid off. It would be a great shame if her condition stopped improving due to a mere inconvenience, such as the lack of a wand.
3.Fixing a famous actress like Susiel Pond would boost his reputation, attracting celebrities, more business. He could raise his consulting rate. More money for Severus Snape!
Suffice to say that the purchase was purely for business, nothing personal. Bearing this in mind, Snape made a trip to the Ollivanders in Diagon Alley with clean conscious. Unlike Nymphadora, he had no problem visiting the wizardry community when it was necessary. He just didn't associate with them much, not that anyone cared to keep in touch with him, per se.
He knew nothing about Nymphadora's former wand. It was quite personal, and they were not close enough for wand-disclosure. It didn't matter, though. She had borrowed his wand on some occasions and found no challenge wielding it. Truth to be told, she cast delicate spells with it, creating enough restriction yet never once blocking the blood circulation.
Basically, all he needed to do was to find himself another wand. If he felt comfortable with it, so would she.
He was glad that a young salesclerk greeted him instead of the old owner. He always found Mr. Ollivander annoying for the old man had to recite the properties of his wand the moment he entered the shop.
"Good sir, how do you like your wand?" the young man asked him politely.
Great, they also changed their sales model. It would be much easier for him to find Nymphadora a wand.
"A thin wand with perfect flexibility, not too long." No matter what shape she wore now, he remembered her as a petite girl, a Metamorphmagus who could be anyone.
The salesclerk inputted the criteria in his computer and located an inventory number. He pulled out a box from the rear shelf, fetched the wand, and handed it to Snape.
"9 inches, birch, werewolf tendon..."
Snape flinched at the word "werewolf" and highly doubted if Nymphadora would appreciate a wand cored with werewolf tendon. Maybe she would if the tendon were dissected from a certain werewolf, namely Lupin. He allowed himself to enjoy the sarcasm for a moment.
"My apology. I'd like it werewolf free." He came up with a better idea," and suitable for Apparate."
This time, he got a perfect one. Now he just had to wait for the next full moon.
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