Chapter 1:

*Raven's POV*

My midnight blue eyes light up as I walk towards the abandoned building that I can call mine. It's a dream finally coming true. Years of saving up money and finding the perfect building to build my small business have finally paid off.

The door is a little challenging to open, but I managed to get it open with all of my strength. I am surprised about the inside of the building. Thick layers of dust cover everything as furniture has been thrown in different places. It may be disappointing in many eyes, but in my eyes, this is perfect.

"Well," I speak to myself with a smile while putting up my shoulder length raven black hair, "the Summer Holidays goes by very quickly. This will be open for the school year and years to come."

No magic for me when it comes to my shop now. Good old fashion cleaning and gardening in the greenhouse outside. Sure, it makes my black on black clothing dirty, but hey, I enjoy having something that I can call my own.

A few weeks have gone by. The shop is almost spotless, which is good.

Around noon one day, a very dear friend of mine flies on her broomstick and lands at the doorstep of my shop.

"It has been three weeks since our graduation and I came to see you're cleaning?" the very familiar female voice speaks through a chuckle.

"Tonks!" I grinned when I turn towards her. "What are you doing here?" I asked, hugging her.

"Can't I visit my best friend once in a while?" she asked, smiling and hugging back.

A chuckle escapes my lips. "So, how did your application into the Ministry of Magic?" I asked, remembering what she wanted to do.

"It wasn't easy, that's for sure, Raven. I barely made it in and I start next week," she answers proudly. "This is your shop?" she looks around.

"Yea, I am almost done cleaning, just need to get some furniture to use, and the greenhouse wouldn't be too much of a problem."

"Wait, this place has a greenhouse?" Tonks is shocked.

"Wanna see it?" I asked with a smirk.

"Sure!" she smiles.

I grab her hand excitedly take Tonks outside where the greenhouse is. Along the way, I feel her stumbled over something on the door. We both look to see it's some stand knocked over on the floor.

"Hmm, another thing to do, but for another time," I smirked, making her chuckle.

"Is it like the one from Hogwarts?" Tonks asked, wondering.

"Honestly, it's much better than Professor Sprout's greenhouse and it's bigger, so you wouldn't have problems with my plants," I chuckled smirking at the memory of our third year.

"Hey!" she playfully glares back at me. "I warned everyone that I spilled the dirt everywhere!"

"I know that, but that's also when she told us about Boggarts where we took the information into our Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson the next day," I reminded her on a positive note.

"That's true," Tonks agreed with me. "Still don't know why she fears werewolves."

"All creatures are amazing."

"Indeed."

As soon as Tonks sees the greenhouse outside, her eyes immediately widened in shock.

I giggle a little at her reaction. "That's the same reaction I had when I saw it for the first time. This got me to buy the shop." I then got an idea. "If the Ministry of Magic doesn't work out, you can always work with me," I offered, smiling.

"Or I can use you to help out whenever I need ingredients or your help for anything," she smirks back.

I laughed at that. "And that's why you're my Hufflepuff best friend."

"And you're my Slytherin best friend. I don't care what my pureblood relatives think," she smiles at me.

"I don't care what my parents think," I smiled back. "Wana some Early Gray Tea?" I offered her.

"I always look forward to your delicious tea," Tonks happily accepts.

Tonks manages to visit me as much as she can whenever she isn't busy. I hold her visits to my heart because it reminds me of our time back at Hogwarts. The happy memories of my school years.

One day, just days before when students will be shopping for school, another person from my past enters into my shop.

"Hello and welcome to Nightshade!" I greeted the customer from another part of the shop.

"You named your shop after your family name, Miss Nightshade?" asked the very familiar cold male voice.

My eyes looked and noticed my former Potions professor standing in my shop.

"Professor Snape!" I am surprised to see him. "What brings you here to my shop?" I asked him with a smile.

"Answer my question first, Miss Nightshade," he speaks in his usual tone.

"Oh, my apologies, professor," I realized my mistake. "Yes, I have named my shop after my family name because I want to show my parents that I am worthy and the family name is an ingredient used in Potions."

"Nightshade and Moonstone are the subjects you have chosen for your extra credit essay," he says.

"You remembered professor," I smiled.

"I remember everything about my favorite student," he tells me. "You have succeeded…..with your shop, Miss Nightshade," Professor Snape comments, looking around the shop.

"Yes, professor. I am hoping it will be successful for years to come," I said, starting to blush a little.

My heart is fluttering the same rhythm it did back at Hogwarts.

"I came here to get ingredients ready ...for the school year," he says, looking directly in my eyes.

"Oh, right, please come this way, professor," I tell him, leading him to some ingredients to use.

Where's the Calming Draught when I need it?! My heart is about to turn into fireworks and my face is heating up like mad! The silly little crush on my Potions professor has come back, but this time is much stronger than before. I need to talk to Tonks about this.

"Thank you, professor, and have a good day," I smiled to him as I give him his supplies.

"You have…..a wonderful day, Miss Nightshade," he smiles back small, taking the supplies.

The all too familiar blush keeps on appearing on my face. My eyes watched him turn and leave my shop almost dreamily.

"Bloody hell, Raven!" I argued with myself in my head. "He has been your professor for years! You shouldn't be like this!" I take a deep breath to calm my nerves and emotions before speaking out loud, "I need to write to Tonks."