Hangouts at the forbidden forest were far from ideal as most Hogwarts students would consider. After all, the forest was forbidden for a reason. You had no idea what you could potentially encounter and the safety you’d be in could never be ensured.

The average fourth year was still considered young, and the amount of spells taught up to that point could only suffice for basic defense against minor monsters. But who’s to say Severus Snape has the brilliance of an average fourth year?

Everyone knew he was excellent at potions, but what not everyone knew is that Severus also had a knack for Defense Against the Dark Arts. He’d always scribbled down notes in a worn down version of the given text book, and what only you’d known is that he had made his own spells as well. When an average fourth year had just learned to defeat a boggart, Severus was positive he could defeat a basilisk.

As the pair of you were not most students at Hogwarts, hangouts at the forbidden forest were more than ideal, they were also a routine. Severus loved the vast variety of plants and animals he could use for his recipes, and the forest was an excellent resource. And when you had nothing better to do, which was most of the time, you joined in. It wasn’t a wonder your grades were increasing in potions by the day.

Today wasn’t much different. It was a weekend and the two of you had decided to take a stroll down to the forest, which was absolutely not a rebellious action. You two were favored by professors, what’s so bad about picking a plant or two?

After a bit of picking, you looked to the side to see Severus writing something down in his notebook, and you slumped back against some tree with a sigh. He noted the action and raised an eyebrow at you “What, bored already? I thought you were looking for Asphodels,” He teased with a barely-there smirk.