Severus Prince Snape ate his breakfast, Lily sitting across from him. She looked very groggy, her green eyes slow to move, her hair matted from the pillow, still in an old シャツ and exercise pants. He chuckled. “Not a morning person, are you?”
“…shut it.”
He was mildly surprised at her words; it was the meanest thing she’d 発言しました this whole train ride. Amused, he only grinned at his French toast, pushing Georgia’s glasses further to his nose, as they were very heavy and insisted on sliding down. He loved mornings. They were the few moments of peace he got at home, a time to sip his coffee and read the newspaper before heading to his heavy studies.
“Do wizards,” he asked promptly, trying to be polite, “drink coffee?”
She blinked. A few 秒 later, she grunted, “not really…”
He tilted his head. “I find it fascinating, this huge culture you’ve been keeping underground… it has just a tad of medieval flavoring, yet just modern enough…”
“I 発言しました shut it.”
He only gave a lopsided grin, returning to his French toast. Severus guess Georgia and Frederick were sleeping in, still tired from a night of partying. They also couldn’t be morning people—but it was hard to see the two in anything other than a wide smile または a deeply dramatic frown.
A few 分 later, Lily looked up, and said, the tiredness ringing in her voice, “…where are あなた from, then?”
The 質問 came out of nowhere. “Spinner’s End…”
She nodded, and then turned back to her pancakes. After a while, however, she looked back up, her forehead wrinkled on her heavy face, “…Weaver’s Corner…”
“Excuse me?”
“Weaver’s Corner… Sev, I grew up on Weaver’s Corner. Spinner’s End was a fifteen 時 walk from there…”
He blinked. “Fifteen minute, Lily…”
“Whatever…” She scratched her head, her red hair 塔の上のラプンツェル into her fingers, “…Severus… did あなた grow up there?”
“Yes, actually, I did.”
“So did I, on Weaver’s Corner…”
There was a moment of silence, before the two looked at each other, their eyes widening.
“That means…” Severus breathed, “That we lived fifteen 分 away… and never knew it the whole time…”
“I knew I saw あなた somewhere before!” Lily said, still tired but now a smile etching on her lips, “You were that one kid… me and ペチュニア would be swinging, and you’d be walking on the sidewalk, like あなた never saw a playground before…”
Severus had no idea what she was talking about, but decided to pretend like he did.
“And that’s why あなた asked where I came from…?”
“Well, no…” Lily scratched her head again, “…I just wanted to know… but really… think about it, Severus…”
He smiled, and with this newfound discovery so early in the morning, he decided that it would be another good day.
The world might be a bit nicer through Georgia’s glasses, actually.
“Lily! Severed Us!” The friendly faces ran up.
“Hello…”
“I’ve got something to 表示する you!” Georgia declared, grabbing Lily’s arm! “Let’s go!”
“Where…?” But Lily got no answer. Instead she simply followed Georgia, leaving Frederick and Severus alone.
“A butterbeer, then?” Frederick offered, and Severus had to nod. The drink was delicious, and slightly addicting, tasting a little like the childhood Severus never had. “So, good friend…” Frederick asked after his drink was half finished, “Have あなた seen… He Who Absolutely Shan’t Be Named?”
“He who absolutely…” Severus mumbled, confused.
“The dark lord?”
“…oh. No.” Severus hesitated, “Is he actually called that?”
“He Whose Name Shouldn’t Be Said? Absolutely!”
Severus grimaced. “In any case, I haven’t seen him…”
“Good. Keep hiding.” At this Frederick relaxed his chin on his hand, giving Severus a look of downright concentration, “…How’s the woman?”
“The… あなた mean Lily?” Severus laughed it off, “We’re acquaintances. Well… maybe we’re friends…”
“That’s no good, Severed Us!” Frederick slammed his butterbeer to the table, giving Severus a good start, “You should know the status of your relationship! あなた should know that when she sees you, she sees もっと見る than just a face! あなた should do the same! Give and take to one another! Be filled with love!”
“You sound like a hippie.” Severus 発言しました after a pause.
“I find that offensive.” Frederick crossed his arms and puckered his lower lip, looking like a child.
Severus waited a few seconds.
“But it’s alright.” Frederick continued, just as Severus had known he would, “Love and live! Alright?”
“…alright.”
“Good.” Frederick nodded, and Severus sipped his butterbeer.
With the two women still absent, the men decided to wander the train. They walked through the hallways, their minds in two completely different places, when two girls ran out, past Frederick and Severus. Before they could react, Wilhem rushed past them, “Mary! Josie!”
“Come on, good friend!” Frederick demanded after a few seconds, grabbing Severus’s arm.
“Wait… we shouldn’t be involved in other’s business!”
“They’re in trouble! 愛 and live! Come on!”
“…wait just a moment!”
But Frederick won over, and Severus finally ran after his odd friend. They raced after Wilhem for a while, until the tall brunette was out of sight. Frederick stopped, Severus a few feet behind, with each breathing in long and raspy intervals. “Where’d あなた go…?” Frederick declared, turning his head left, right, up and down.
“It’s no use…” Severus replied, “…they’re gone…”
“Wait…” Frederick paused, and pressed his hand against the wall. Severus watched patiently, until Frederick finally banged against it. “Come on, friend! What trouble are あなた in! Surely,” he gasped excitedly, “you aren’t muggles being chased によって He Whose Name Should Never Be Spoken?”
Severus decided it was high time to give up, as Frederick would never beckon anyone out with these strange words. However, after a short pause, a door flung open—it had been cleverly camouflaged with the bricks, so that it appeared out of nowhere.
Finally, the tall, young brunette stuck his head out.
“Friend!” Frederick bowed. Severus wondered whether to let the eccentricity take over, または to push Frederick out of the way to speak politely and normally. However, Severus decided to let Frederick try.
“Who is chasing you? What can I escort あなた with?”
Wilhem opened his mouth, and he spoke in that same childish tone with a man’s accent, “…Doctors.”
Two girls, who must’ve been Mary and Josie, came at Wilhem’s side. They looked remarkably like him, perhaps they were his twin sisters. Frederick bowed at the two, both of whom looked very nervous. “What about the doctors? Surely they didn’t give あなた the flu shots? It’s high time we get those, あなた know, but they hurt an awful lot.”
The three backed away, their eyes widening. “You’re not a doctor, are you?” One of the girls asked, with slightly longer hair than her sister and round, thin glasses.
“Nay! I’m not!”
Wilhem stared Frederick down, then took Mary and Josie’s hands. “Good bye…” and the three swept off, leaving Severus and Frederick watching them go.
“Very rude!” Frederick declared, shaking his head.
Severus was deep in thought. Then, very suddenly, he’d remembered something Lily had told him, right before they’d boarded the train.
“Frederick,” Severus spoke loudly, still thinking it out, “what’s a memory charm?”
“Tapering with someone’s memory! Deleting and changing it and such things! Why would あなた ask?” Frederick placed his hands on his hips, his eyebrows stretching to the 上, ページのトップへ of his forehead, “No one gave あなた one, did they?”
“…no, but… あなた don’t think they did, do you?” Severus questioned, looking back to where Wilhem and his sisters had ran off.
“…that’s a fine question, Severed Us.”
“Severus.”
“Yes.”
“…right.” Severus decided not to correct him further, “but really, is it possible?”
“Very possible, my friend. The One Whose Name I’ll Never Mention may have done it!”
Severus was beginning to doubt the existence of the zombie, but only nodded. “Maybe Lily will know…”
“No, good friend!”
“…Why not?”
Severus stiffened as Frederick wrapped his arm around his shoulder. “Women,” Frederick began, and Severus sighed, “are very delicate creatures. Like butterflies. They’re meant to eat pollen off flowers.”
“I think that’s bees…”
“Whatever the case, 蝶 can’t eat steak, can they?”
“Well, I suppose it’s possible they could suck the ジュース with their…”
“Don’t be ridiculous! That’s meant for bears. Men are bears. We’re the ones meant for battles, and to get the blood on our fur. Bears are meant to protect the 蝶 of the forest, as men are meant to protect their women.”
Severus blinked, waiting for the conclusion. Finally, Frederick let go of Severus’s shoulder, “If we tell Lily, she’ll try to eat the steak, even if she can’t. So we shouldn’t. Does that make sense?”
There was a long pause. “Absolutely not.” Severus scratched his head. He’d never heard a もっと見る dreadful metaphor. Frederick obviously needed a zoology lesson.
“All I’m saying,” Frederick tapped his temple with his tattooed finger, “is let’s make this a man’s adventure.”
“A man’s adventure.” Severus repeated, then stopped, “Wait! We don’t need to get into their business, do we?”
“Well… maybe their business will find us.” Frederick smiled, and began to finally walk down the hall. Severus stayed put, wondering how sane Frederick was, but decided to follow.
Frederick had a funny way of putting things, Severus decided, but he was good man. If only he’d get Severus’s name right.
Severus made to unlock his room when Lily came in through the hall “Severus!”
“…yes, Lily?”
“Oh, Georgia taught me how to play the saxophone. It was wonderful.” She pressed her hands against her cheeks, blushing, “Without magic, Severus. I was awful at first, but then I played to the rhythm of my heart. And I’d only been playing a few minutes, but there came a song! I just… Wow…” Her eyes twinkled happily. He smiled. “What did あなた do?”
“What did I…?” Severus hesitated, “I guess I became a bear.”
Lily cocked her head, chuckling in bewilderment. “A bear?”
“I’m going on a… a man’s adventure.” Severus nodded, “And I’ve been ordered によって Frederick not to tell you.”
“So you’re a くま, クマ going on a man’s adventure where I’m not allowed.” Lily repeated, raising an eyebrow.
“Exactly.” He opened the door to his room, and realized he still had Georgia’s fake glasses. “…remind me to return these,” he tapped them, “tomorrow, alright? I’m going to tuck in.”
“If I’m allowed to, くま, クマ man.”
He snickered, “Good night.”
“Night.”
After that were only good dreams.
There was a knock on the door, so early that it was still dark out Severus’s window. He grumbled, got out of ベッド and slid it open. No one was there. Severus looked back and forth, when a voice right in front of him spoke, “Good friend!”
“What the?” Severus gasped, jumping back a few feet.
Slowly Frederick came into view, holding a sort of cloth in one hand. “Ready for the man’s adventure?”
“Frederick, what are あなた doing? And what is that?” Severus pointed to the cloth.
“An invisibility cloak! あなた wouldn’t believe my luck! Someone just left this baby draped around the table. Of course, they were sitting on the chair it was draped on.”
“Wait… あなた ストール, 盗んだ it?” Severus shook his head, not believing it.
“I’m borrowing it! How could あなた think me so low?” Frederick looked deeply hurt, but soon smiled again, handing a 秒 マント, 隠す to Severus.
“…wait, what are we going to do?”
“How many times must I repeat myself? Get the earwax out of your ears! We’re going on the man’s adventure!”
Severus had to refrain from smacking his hand against his face. “Yes… but where does this, urm, adventure start, exactly?”
“We are spies!” Frederick brightened, “We are going to see whether He With The Unpronounceable Name is taking them hostage!”
“…we’re going to stalk them?” Severus sank into deeper levels of disbelief, giving Frederick the strangest look.
“Spying, Severed Us, and there’s a big difference between stalking and spying.”
Severus couldn’t see any distinction, especially for the situation he was currently in. Finally, after considering Frederick for quite some time, Severus looked up. “Five minutes. We’ll keep watch for five minutes.” He sighed, knowing Frederick wouldn’t be satisfied until they went on some sort of adventure.
“Good man, Severed Us, good man!” Frederick slammed his hand on Severus’s back. “Now! Just ラップ it around you… like so.” Frederick demonstrated, and sure enough the man was invisible. Severus looked down at the cloak, and did as Frederick did, and surely enough, couldn’t see his own hand. “Stay quiet,” Frederick was saying, “because people can still hear あなた even if they can’t see you. And make sure no one is watching when you’re opening doors and things, for they can see the door open even if no one’s opening it.”
Severus nodded, but remembered Frederick couldn’t see. “Alright.”
“Good. Now… come on, man! Let’s start the adventure!”
Severus decided to lead Frederick to the キャビン where he and Lily had overhead Wilhem not being able to read. Gently Severus pressed his ear against the door, and soon he felt Frederick beside him, listening diligently.
“Is anyone in?”
“I don’t know…” Severus tried, with all his might, to think.
“Oh, and Severed Us, my man.” Frederick spoke, no longer whispering, “If anyone asks, your name is Jonathan Swift. I am Charles Dickens.”
“…what good is that?” Severus rolled his eyes.
“Just in case. It’s always good to have a pseudonym, especially when you’re a spy!”
“Frederick quiet down!” Severus heard footsteps approaching the door, and he backed away quickly, just as it swung open.
Oliver looked back, forth, and then stared right at Severus, who was holding his breath. Finally the door shut. Severus exhaled, relieved.
“Come on, Frederick, before he comes back.”
There was silence.
“Frederick…”
Had Frederick ran off? Or, in the few 秒 Oliver had the door open, had Frederick somehow managed to get inside? Actually, the carpet had moved behind Oliver, just enough so that a hand might have pushed on it.
Frederick had crawled past Oliver, then. Severus chuckled, and waited a few minutes. Sure enough, the door open, even if it seemed no one was there to open it.
Frederick 発言しました nothing, and Severus took the hint and remained silent, creeping into the room. It was rather large, もっと見る like a small living room, complete with a ソファー, ソファ and television. There was also a desk, piled high with notes, but cleanly divided from one side to another. To the right were, doodles and children’s book, to the left were classic novels and neatly stacked textbooks.
All at once Wilhem came stumbling into the room, his body towering over either Severus’s または Fredericks. He had ベッド hair, light blue silk pajamas and bored look. He went to the desk, picked up a children’s book, and began to read aloud, “…once… upon… a time…” very slowly and carefully, trying to get every word correct.
“Will!” Now Oliver had come in, whispering, and Wilhem looked very embarrassed, “What are あなた doing, Will?”
“…reading.”
“You’re lesson isn’t until this afternoon…” Oliver blinked.
Wilhem blushed, looking down, “reading… for Mary and Josie…”
Oliver stood for a moment, thinking. “Say it right. I’m 読書 for Mary and Josie.”
“…I’m 読書 for Mary and Josie.”
Oliver smiled. “Do あなた want some help?”
“…No please.”
Laughing a little at his rejection, Oliver went back to the bedroom, leaving Wilhem to it. Wilhem only continued to read aloud, a story about a prince going on a big adventure. Severus made to find Frederick and leave, for the five 分 was up, but thought he couldn’t until Wilhem had left. So Severus was forced to wait the family out, being very patient.
Three outrageously long hours later, Mary, Josie, and Wilhem were relaxed on the sofa, each of them still in their pajamas, watching a children’s cartoon. Wilhem didn’t seem to care for it, as he was staring out the window while Mary and Josie giggled. Oliver sat at the desk, taking notes.
After a long time, Robert came walking in. Severus had to keep from cringing. The young man was very handsome, with a soft face and neat, dark brown hair, but only one gentle, brown eye. In the other socket was an abnormal ball, stretching Robert’s eyelids, set to an albino blue as the pupil swung around, looking everywhere. It made Severus a little nauseous again to look at it.
“Will,” Robert 発言しました presently, and Wilhem swung his head, “why don’t あなた take the girls for a bit of butterbeer?”
Wilhem hesitated for a long while, and then nodded. Robert handed Wilhem a bit of coins, and instead of stuffing them in his pocket, Wilhem held on tightly, meanwhile taking both Mary and Josie in either hand. They slowly walked out of the train compartment.
“Why are we here?” Was Robert’s immediate question.
“We’re going to America, so あなた can follow your dream…”
“No.” Robert’s face was solemn, “Why are we here?”
Oliver stared back with a completely neutral expression.
` “I appreciate,” Robert’s voice grew edgy, and his eye swung wildly from side to side, “all you’ve done for them, but why are we really here?”
Oliver blinked. “I made trouble.” He kept staring back at Robert, forcing himself into grueling eye contact.
Robert hesitated, and then shook his head. “No. Surely…”
“Yes. It involves the dark lord… and we’re running away to America.” Oliver’s voice was slick, but regretful, the coldness never leaving his face.
“Wait… he’ll find us, won’t he?”
“No. Never again.”
“So where’s your wand!” It wasn’t a question. Robert spat it out, hurt and angry. “You used it all the time! But where has it been lately!”
“Burned.” Oliver spoke shortly, “In a fire. I don’t deserve it.”
Very suddenly, Severus felt Georgia’s eyeglasses slipping off his nose. He tried to slide them up, but couldn’t without ruffling the cloak.
“That’s foolish.” Robert replied.
“I had to. I don’t want to hurt anyone again…”
The glasses were on the tip of Severus’s nose.
“…Oliver… we all 愛 you, but…”
And the glasses clunked against the floor.
“What was that?” Robert turned, scowling. Severus realized the abnormal eye was magical, as it stared straight through his invisibility cloak. Robert heaved out, and draped it off Severus.
“…s-sorry!” Severus stuttered, the shocked faces of Oliver and Robert staring back.
“Who are you,” Robert at once demanded, “and you’re friend?”
“I’m Charles Dickens!” Frederick threw his off, still wearing his wide smile, “This is my good friend, Jonathan Swift!”
“Spies!” Oliver exclaimed, standing, and coming very close to Severus and Frederick.
“Right, my man! We’re helping you!” Frederick replied happily. Severus wished only to スマック him, and to tell him to shut up for once.
“Get out of here! Never come back again!” Oliver grit his teeth.
Severus made just enough time to awkwardly grab Georgia’s glasses, leaving the invisibility マント, 隠す behind, and ran out the train door with Frederick, through the halls and into the dining room.
Lily and Georgia were sharing a booth. In silent agreement, the two men walked up and took their seats. At once, Georgia hugged Frederick. “Where were あなた this morning?” She giggled.
“Going on a man’s adventure!” Frederick lifted his chin up, and Severus hung his head low. Lily laughed beside him.
From nervousness, Severus again forgot to give Georgia her glasses back.
It was three o’clock in the afternoon. All 日 Severus had been jumpier than usual, and at every sound turning his head, because this might be Oliver and Robert again. Frederick spoke nothing, and Severus wished nothing もっと見る than to パンチ him in the face, for he’d gotten Severus into もっと見る trouble than the muggle had bargained for. If Lily noticed anything about Severus’s strange behavior, she 発言しました nothing, of which he was relieved.
There came a tap on his shoulder, and Severus doubled over, looking into the face of Oliver. “…yes?” Came a meek cry from Severus.
“I need your help.”
Severus blinked several times, and then shook his head, speechless.
“I promise to be kind. I’ll make an Unbreakable Vow. But please, help me.”
His mouth hung open; Severus now began to nod his head.
“This way.” Oliver walked. Severus followed, and in doing so, he felt rather dream-like, thinking that this couldn’t be happening… Oliver made trouble with a zombie who kills muggles and was running away… what help could he want from Severus?
They were now in Oliver’s room, with no Robert, Wilhem, Mary または Josie in sight. Oliver hesitated, and then pulled up his sleeve.
At first glance, Severus thought it to be only a distasteful tattoo, one made through youth but regretted as the years passed. However, the もっと見る he looked, the もっと見る it seemed less like Frederick’s mustache tattoo, one of ink and skin—this seemed to squirm, as though beneath the ink, something was thrashing for freedom, some caged, ancient monster.
Severus had goosebumps.
“Help me get rid of it.” Oliver spoke carefully, looking longingly up at Severus.
“I’m a muggle.”
“Then why did あなた have that invisibility マント, 隠す this morning?”
Severus opened his mouth. “I don’t really know… I’ll get my friend… Charles…” Severus was very glad about the pen names now, “He’s a wizard. He’ll know what to do.”
“No.” Oliver shook his head, resolute. “Only you.”
“But I can’t!”
Oliver snarled.
“…why me?”
“Better あなた than Charles.”
Severus thought a moment. “…fine. I’m a muggle. What do I do?”
Oliver hesitated. “We can brew a potion…”
“…a what?”
“But that would require a wand…” Oliver continued, not listening to Severus.
“Give me tomorrow.”
Oliver looked up.
“Give me tomorrow. I’ll help あなた then. Right now…” Severus refused eye contact, “I need to think. Get prepared. Tomorrow I’ll help あなた get rid of your tattoo.”
“…you really are a muggle.” Oliver sighed.
“Yes.” Severus nodded. “I won’t tell anyone what I’m doing. I promise. Just let me gather information, and I’ll be here, early tomorrow morning.”
“…alright.” Oliver finally nodded his head to the door, which Severus took as his way out. Wondering what he’d gotten into, Severus’s ハート, 心 pounded, his mind buzzed, and even his toes seemed to singe with adrenalin.
This is what it feels like to be on an adventure, Severus realized, and decided he couldn’t be angry with Frederick anymore.
“Are there any…” Severus tried to bring the topic up as casually as possible to Frederick, “…magic tattoos?”
“…I once saw a lady in a bikini who had a unicorn tattoo flying across her backside!”
Severus blinked. “That’s not what I’m talking about…” he continued, wondering if maybe he should’ve asked Lily, “…what about? What about a skull with a snake wrapped around it? Anyone あなた know with that?”
“No!” Frederick gasped, looking very upset, “No! Severed Us, that’s called a Dark Mark!”
Severus stored the words in his mind, a dark mark. “Well… what does it do?”
“By touching it, it’ll summon He Whose Name That Will Never Exit My Lips!”
Severus’s eyes widened. “Really? によって touching it with your fingers?”
“I suppose あなた could try with your toes, but those Death Eaters seem too serious to try.”
Severus furrowed his brow. “What’s a Death Eater?”
“A person with a dark mark. They work for He Whose Name Is Very Long!”
“…so who gets these… dark marks?”
“Death Eaters!”
Severus blinked. “I see.” So Oliver worked for the zombie, and if the zombie really was a killer… Severus didn’t want to think about it. “Well… what’s a potion, then?”
“A potion is a magical substance a wizard brews! Very tedious work, あなた don’t even get to use your wand often!”
Severus felt very relieved that Frederick simply answered 質問 without asking where they came from, または calling any of them random. “Can a muggle brew a potion?”
“I suppose they could try… but no one’s attempted it!”
“Hm. Well, back to these dark marks… any means of removing them?”
“Not that I know of, friend!”
“…well…” Severus gulped at the answer. “Wizards go to school… so they must have textbooks, right?”
“Indeed!”
“Can I have a potions textbook… that might 表示する me how to remove… things like the dark mark?”
“I will see what I can do!” Frederick grinned in a lopsided fashion. Severus sighed, a smile quivering at his face, and couldn’t help but 愛 his naïve friend.
At exactly 7 PM there came a loud knock at Severus’s door. Checking through the peephole, Severus saw nothing except a mound of books. Startled, he opened the door.
“I’ve got the textbooks!”
“My gosh…” Severus’s eyes widened. He helped lead Frederick inside and closed the door. With the 本 tumbling on the bed, Severus picked one up at random.
It was titled Moste Potente Potions. Already confused, Severus flipped it open, and read aloud, “To brew the Hipogriff Anti Flight potion, you’ll need a wand, fresh Hipogriff feathers, snake venom, クモ, スパイダー legs, the boiled eggs of a duck…” The 一覧 grew stranger as he continued, ending with “hot coffee beans and thestral blood.”
“Sounds easy enough.” Frederick smiled.
Severus shook his head and picked up another book. “Charm Your Own Cheese… Magical Me… History of Magic… uhm… Frederick?”
“Yes, Severed Us?”
“Where do I start, exactly?”
“How about…” Frederick rummaged through the books, “Advanced Potion Making?”
Severus took it, and it felt heavy in his hands. He set it on the floor, got down on his knees and flipped until he found the index.
“Dark Mark… Dark Mark… there’s nothing for the dark mark…” He bit his lower lip, the researcher inside him taking over. “Tattoo… nay. Afflictions… several… involving torture… of the skin… nay… approved afflictions involving skin…” Severus found the page number and opened, ready for the worse.
Five hours later, Frederick had long left. Severus, using the moon as light, for there was no electricity, had his hooked nose buried inside the pages. Presently, he sat up, taking out a pen and in his girly, tiny 書く he squeezed in through a tremendously filled page, “Put in a female thestral rib—removes all dark magic.”
Finally he closed the book. He took another 分 to look over his notes, feeling satisfied, went to ベッド with all his clothes on.
For Severus Snape, the man of everything ordinary and logical, had been the first muggle in history to デザイン his own potion. He wondered if it would work as he closed his eyes…
He was not as ordinary as he thought he was.
“Momma, here’s the クモ, スパイダー legs…”
“Thank you, sweetie.” Elieen smiled at her son, ruffling up his hair.
“What’s this for, mummy?”
Elieen sighed. “Daddy.” With one hand she stirred her cauldron, with the other she smoothened her son’s blouse.
His black eyes full of curiosity, he cocked his head. “What’s it going to do for him?”
“…nothing.”
Severus blinked. “He’s never ever home… where does he go?”
Elieen repressed her lips. “Nowhere.”
“Momma… you’re not going to hurt him, are you?”
There was a dead silence.
“No… no, honey, I won’t hurt him.”
“But あなた were going to.” Presently Severus sucked his thumb, but with intelligent eyes he looked at his mother.
She sighed. “Yes, I was going to. Don’t tell him, Severus.”
Severus only nodded. Elieen was torn between upset and pride for her son, realizing suddenly he’d do something great—weather it be good または bad, she wasn’t sure yet.
Taking all his notes, Severus rapped against Oliver’s door. There was a second’s hesitation before he swung it open. “Come in.”
Severus did so, and paused to look at the dark, fantasy-like cauldron, a bit rusty but very sturdy. Severus placed his hand around the rim, and it felt very cold and ancient.
“Get rid of this,” Oliver pulled up his sleeve, “and I’ll give あなた anything あなた want.”
“No.” Severus tried to speak firmly, but inside his anxiety shook his bones. He tried to think how to word his demand. “Tell me… tell me what you’re running away from… no, tell me you’re story. Why can’t Wilhem read? Why did あなた burn your wand?”
Oliver tightened his lips, and Severus promptly kept quiet. Oliver could kill him now, Severus realized, and steal the notes and brew the potion himself. Severus had to keep his eye from twitching.
“…I’ll 表示する you.” Oliver huffed and walked out. Severus stood, feeling awkward and slightly aggravated, when Oliver came back with a tube of misty blueness. “Did your finger in. It’s stronger on muggles than it is on us, so I don’t need a Pensive.”
“…urm, alright…” Severus shut his eyes, preparing for his doom または anything else, when he suddenly felt like he was being sucked up によって a vacuum.
He opened his eyes.
A man in the dark sat there in an オレンジ jumpsuit, looking down at the floor. The room was very dark and empty, with only a blanket for the man. Severus realized it was Wilhem, and gasped before the scenery changed around him.
Two girls had joined Wilhem, calling him “Brother.”
Oliver was standing in front of a man that didn’t look human, pure white with bulging veins and snake eyes.
Oliver was hollering at Robert in some mystic language…
And Severus felt himself pass out, overwhelmed.
“It was too strong. What’d あなた see…?”
Severus mumbled incomprehensibly, massaging an aching head.
“I need… one moment…” Severus grabbed a nearby chair, and with his legs feeling like jelly, stood. He found a sink, cupped his hands and took big gulps of water, and afterward stood leaning over the sink, taking big, raspy breaths.
“Jonathan.”
Severus didn’t respond.
“Jonathan!”
“Huh?” Severus turned, remembering that was his new name. “Right. Sorry.”
“Anyway… if あなた don’t understand those memories, I don’t think I can tell あなた the story.”
“Why not?”
“…just because.” Oliver had a dead look in his eyes, as though he were out to murder. Getting the message, Severus shook his head.
“…Should I brew the potion, then?”
“I think that’ll be best.”
Severus caught the smallest slice of sadness in the last statement. What kind of story could Oliver tell, Severus wondered, standing again and regretting it.
“…shut it.”
He was mildly surprised at her words; it was the meanest thing she’d 発言しました this whole train ride. Amused, he only grinned at his French toast, pushing Georgia’s glasses further to his nose, as they were very heavy and insisted on sliding down. He loved mornings. They were the few moments of peace he got at home, a time to sip his coffee and read the newspaper before heading to his heavy studies.
“Do wizards,” he asked promptly, trying to be polite, “drink coffee?”
She blinked. A few 秒 later, she grunted, “not really…”
He tilted his head. “I find it fascinating, this huge culture you’ve been keeping underground… it has just a tad of medieval flavoring, yet just modern enough…”
“I 発言しました shut it.”
He only gave a lopsided grin, returning to his French toast. Severus guess Georgia and Frederick were sleeping in, still tired from a night of partying. They also couldn’t be morning people—but it was hard to see the two in anything other than a wide smile または a deeply dramatic frown.
A few 分 later, Lily looked up, and said, the tiredness ringing in her voice, “…where are あなた from, then?”
The 質問 came out of nowhere. “Spinner’s End…”
She nodded, and then turned back to her pancakes. After a while, however, she looked back up, her forehead wrinkled on her heavy face, “…Weaver’s Corner…”
“Excuse me?”
“Weaver’s Corner… Sev, I grew up on Weaver’s Corner. Spinner’s End was a fifteen 時 walk from there…”
He blinked. “Fifteen minute, Lily…”
“Whatever…” She scratched her head, her red hair 塔の上のラプンツェル into her fingers, “…Severus… did あなた grow up there?”
“Yes, actually, I did.”
“So did I, on Weaver’s Corner…”
There was a moment of silence, before the two looked at each other, their eyes widening.
“That means…” Severus breathed, “That we lived fifteen 分 away… and never knew it the whole time…”
“I knew I saw あなた somewhere before!” Lily said, still tired but now a smile etching on her lips, “You were that one kid… me and ペチュニア would be swinging, and you’d be walking on the sidewalk, like あなた never saw a playground before…”
Severus had no idea what she was talking about, but decided to pretend like he did.
“And that’s why あなた asked where I came from…?”
“Well, no…” Lily scratched her head again, “…I just wanted to know… but really… think about it, Severus…”
He smiled, and with this newfound discovery so early in the morning, he decided that it would be another good day.
The world might be a bit nicer through Georgia’s glasses, actually.
“Lily! Severed Us!” The friendly faces ran up.
“Hello…”
“I’ve got something to 表示する you!” Georgia declared, grabbing Lily’s arm! “Let’s go!”
“Where…?” But Lily got no answer. Instead she simply followed Georgia, leaving Frederick and Severus alone.
“A butterbeer, then?” Frederick offered, and Severus had to nod. The drink was delicious, and slightly addicting, tasting a little like the childhood Severus never had. “So, good friend…” Frederick asked after his drink was half finished, “Have あなた seen… He Who Absolutely Shan’t Be Named?”
“He who absolutely…” Severus mumbled, confused.
“The dark lord?”
“…oh. No.” Severus hesitated, “Is he actually called that?”
“He Whose Name Shouldn’t Be Said? Absolutely!”
Severus grimaced. “In any case, I haven’t seen him…”
“Good. Keep hiding.” At this Frederick relaxed his chin on his hand, giving Severus a look of downright concentration, “…How’s the woman?”
“The… あなた mean Lily?” Severus laughed it off, “We’re acquaintances. Well… maybe we’re friends…”
“That’s no good, Severed Us!” Frederick slammed his butterbeer to the table, giving Severus a good start, “You should know the status of your relationship! あなた should know that when she sees you, she sees もっと見る than just a face! あなた should do the same! Give and take to one another! Be filled with love!”
“You sound like a hippie.” Severus 発言しました after a pause.
“I find that offensive.” Frederick crossed his arms and puckered his lower lip, looking like a child.
Severus waited a few seconds.
“But it’s alright.” Frederick continued, just as Severus had known he would, “Love and live! Alright?”
“…alright.”
“Good.” Frederick nodded, and Severus sipped his butterbeer.
With the two women still absent, the men decided to wander the train. They walked through the hallways, their minds in two completely different places, when two girls ran out, past Frederick and Severus. Before they could react, Wilhem rushed past them, “Mary! Josie!”
“Come on, good friend!” Frederick demanded after a few seconds, grabbing Severus’s arm.
“Wait… we shouldn’t be involved in other’s business!”
“They’re in trouble! 愛 and live! Come on!”
“…wait just a moment!”
But Frederick won over, and Severus finally ran after his odd friend. They raced after Wilhem for a while, until the tall brunette was out of sight. Frederick stopped, Severus a few feet behind, with each breathing in long and raspy intervals. “Where’d あなた go…?” Frederick declared, turning his head left, right, up and down.
“It’s no use…” Severus replied, “…they’re gone…”
“Wait…” Frederick paused, and pressed his hand against the wall. Severus watched patiently, until Frederick finally banged against it. “Come on, friend! What trouble are あなた in! Surely,” he gasped excitedly, “you aren’t muggles being chased によって He Whose Name Should Never Be Spoken?”
Severus decided it was high time to give up, as Frederick would never beckon anyone out with these strange words. However, after a short pause, a door flung open—it had been cleverly camouflaged with the bricks, so that it appeared out of nowhere.
Finally, the tall, young brunette stuck his head out.
“Friend!” Frederick bowed. Severus wondered whether to let the eccentricity take over, または to push Frederick out of the way to speak politely and normally. However, Severus decided to let Frederick try.
“Who is chasing you? What can I escort あなた with?”
Wilhem opened his mouth, and he spoke in that same childish tone with a man’s accent, “…Doctors.”
Two girls, who must’ve been Mary and Josie, came at Wilhem’s side. They looked remarkably like him, perhaps they were his twin sisters. Frederick bowed at the two, both of whom looked very nervous. “What about the doctors? Surely they didn’t give あなた the flu shots? It’s high time we get those, あなた know, but they hurt an awful lot.”
The three backed away, their eyes widening. “You’re not a doctor, are you?” One of the girls asked, with slightly longer hair than her sister and round, thin glasses.
“Nay! I’m not!”
Wilhem stared Frederick down, then took Mary and Josie’s hands. “Good bye…” and the three swept off, leaving Severus and Frederick watching them go.
“Very rude!” Frederick declared, shaking his head.
Severus was deep in thought. Then, very suddenly, he’d remembered something Lily had told him, right before they’d boarded the train.
“Frederick,” Severus spoke loudly, still thinking it out, “what’s a memory charm?”
“Tapering with someone’s memory! Deleting and changing it and such things! Why would あなた ask?” Frederick placed his hands on his hips, his eyebrows stretching to the 上, ページのトップへ of his forehead, “No one gave あなた one, did they?”
“…no, but… あなた don’t think they did, do you?” Severus questioned, looking back to where Wilhem and his sisters had ran off.
“…that’s a fine question, Severed Us.”
“Severus.”
“Yes.”
“…right.” Severus decided not to correct him further, “but really, is it possible?”
“Very possible, my friend. The One Whose Name I’ll Never Mention may have done it!”
Severus was beginning to doubt the existence of the zombie, but only nodded. “Maybe Lily will know…”
“No, good friend!”
“…Why not?”
Severus stiffened as Frederick wrapped his arm around his shoulder. “Women,” Frederick began, and Severus sighed, “are very delicate creatures. Like butterflies. They’re meant to eat pollen off flowers.”
“I think that’s bees…”
“Whatever the case, 蝶 can’t eat steak, can they?”
“Well, I suppose it’s possible they could suck the ジュース with their…”
“Don’t be ridiculous! That’s meant for bears. Men are bears. We’re the ones meant for battles, and to get the blood on our fur. Bears are meant to protect the 蝶 of the forest, as men are meant to protect their women.”
Severus blinked, waiting for the conclusion. Finally, Frederick let go of Severus’s shoulder, “If we tell Lily, she’ll try to eat the steak, even if she can’t. So we shouldn’t. Does that make sense?”
There was a long pause. “Absolutely not.” Severus scratched his head. He’d never heard a もっと見る dreadful metaphor. Frederick obviously needed a zoology lesson.
“All I’m saying,” Frederick tapped his temple with his tattooed finger, “is let’s make this a man’s adventure.”
“A man’s adventure.” Severus repeated, then stopped, “Wait! We don’t need to get into their business, do we?”
“Well… maybe their business will find us.” Frederick smiled, and began to finally walk down the hall. Severus stayed put, wondering how sane Frederick was, but decided to follow.
Frederick had a funny way of putting things, Severus decided, but he was good man. If only he’d get Severus’s name right.
Severus made to unlock his room when Lily came in through the hall “Severus!”
“…yes, Lily?”
“Oh, Georgia taught me how to play the saxophone. It was wonderful.” She pressed her hands against her cheeks, blushing, “Without magic, Severus. I was awful at first, but then I played to the rhythm of my heart. And I’d only been playing a few minutes, but there came a song! I just… Wow…” Her eyes twinkled happily. He smiled. “What did あなた do?”
“What did I…?” Severus hesitated, “I guess I became a bear.”
Lily cocked her head, chuckling in bewilderment. “A bear?”
“I’m going on a… a man’s adventure.” Severus nodded, “And I’ve been ordered によって Frederick not to tell you.”
“So you’re a くま, クマ going on a man’s adventure where I’m not allowed.” Lily repeated, raising an eyebrow.
“Exactly.” He opened the door to his room, and realized he still had Georgia’s fake glasses. “…remind me to return these,” he tapped them, “tomorrow, alright? I’m going to tuck in.”
“If I’m allowed to, くま, クマ man.”
He snickered, “Good night.”
“Night.”
After that were only good dreams.
There was a knock on the door, so early that it was still dark out Severus’s window. He grumbled, got out of ベッド and slid it open. No one was there. Severus looked back and forth, when a voice right in front of him spoke, “Good friend!”
“What the?” Severus gasped, jumping back a few feet.
Slowly Frederick came into view, holding a sort of cloth in one hand. “Ready for the man’s adventure?”
“Frederick, what are あなた doing? And what is that?” Severus pointed to the cloth.
“An invisibility cloak! あなた wouldn’t believe my luck! Someone just left this baby draped around the table. Of course, they were sitting on the chair it was draped on.”
“Wait… あなた ストール, 盗んだ it?” Severus shook his head, not believing it.
“I’m borrowing it! How could あなた think me so low?” Frederick looked deeply hurt, but soon smiled again, handing a 秒 マント, 隠す to Severus.
“…wait, what are we going to do?”
“How many times must I repeat myself? Get the earwax out of your ears! We’re going on the man’s adventure!”
Severus had to refrain from smacking his hand against his face. “Yes… but where does this, urm, adventure start, exactly?”
“We are spies!” Frederick brightened, “We are going to see whether He With The Unpronounceable Name is taking them hostage!”
“…we’re going to stalk them?” Severus sank into deeper levels of disbelief, giving Frederick the strangest look.
“Spying, Severed Us, and there’s a big difference between stalking and spying.”
Severus couldn’t see any distinction, especially for the situation he was currently in. Finally, after considering Frederick for quite some time, Severus looked up. “Five minutes. We’ll keep watch for five minutes.” He sighed, knowing Frederick wouldn’t be satisfied until they went on some sort of adventure.
“Good man, Severed Us, good man!” Frederick slammed his hand on Severus’s back. “Now! Just ラップ it around you… like so.” Frederick demonstrated, and sure enough the man was invisible. Severus looked down at the cloak, and did as Frederick did, and surely enough, couldn’t see his own hand. “Stay quiet,” Frederick was saying, “because people can still hear あなた even if they can’t see you. And make sure no one is watching when you’re opening doors and things, for they can see the door open even if no one’s opening it.”
Severus nodded, but remembered Frederick couldn’t see. “Alright.”
“Good. Now… come on, man! Let’s start the adventure!”
Severus decided to lead Frederick to the キャビン where he and Lily had overhead Wilhem not being able to read. Gently Severus pressed his ear against the door, and soon he felt Frederick beside him, listening diligently.
“Is anyone in?”
“I don’t know…” Severus tried, with all his might, to think.
“Oh, and Severed Us, my man.” Frederick spoke, no longer whispering, “If anyone asks, your name is Jonathan Swift. I am Charles Dickens.”
“…what good is that?” Severus rolled his eyes.
“Just in case. It’s always good to have a pseudonym, especially when you’re a spy!”
“Frederick quiet down!” Severus heard footsteps approaching the door, and he backed away quickly, just as it swung open.
Oliver looked back, forth, and then stared right at Severus, who was holding his breath. Finally the door shut. Severus exhaled, relieved.
“Come on, Frederick, before he comes back.”
There was silence.
“Frederick…”
Had Frederick ran off? Or, in the few 秒 Oliver had the door open, had Frederick somehow managed to get inside? Actually, the carpet had moved behind Oliver, just enough so that a hand might have pushed on it.
Frederick had crawled past Oliver, then. Severus chuckled, and waited a few minutes. Sure enough, the door open, even if it seemed no one was there to open it.
Frederick 発言しました nothing, and Severus took the hint and remained silent, creeping into the room. It was rather large, もっと見る like a small living room, complete with a ソファー, ソファ and television. There was also a desk, piled high with notes, but cleanly divided from one side to another. To the right were, doodles and children’s book, to the left were classic novels and neatly stacked textbooks.
All at once Wilhem came stumbling into the room, his body towering over either Severus’s または Fredericks. He had ベッド hair, light blue silk pajamas and bored look. He went to the desk, picked up a children’s book, and began to read aloud, “…once… upon… a time…” very slowly and carefully, trying to get every word correct.
“Will!” Now Oliver had come in, whispering, and Wilhem looked very embarrassed, “What are あなた doing, Will?”
“…reading.”
“You’re lesson isn’t until this afternoon…” Oliver blinked.
Wilhem blushed, looking down, “reading… for Mary and Josie…”
Oliver stood for a moment, thinking. “Say it right. I’m 読書 for Mary and Josie.”
“…I’m 読書 for Mary and Josie.”
Oliver smiled. “Do あなた want some help?”
“…No please.”
Laughing a little at his rejection, Oliver went back to the bedroom, leaving Wilhem to it. Wilhem only continued to read aloud, a story about a prince going on a big adventure. Severus made to find Frederick and leave, for the five 分 was up, but thought he couldn’t until Wilhem had left. So Severus was forced to wait the family out, being very patient.
Three outrageously long hours later, Mary, Josie, and Wilhem were relaxed on the sofa, each of them still in their pajamas, watching a children’s cartoon. Wilhem didn’t seem to care for it, as he was staring out the window while Mary and Josie giggled. Oliver sat at the desk, taking notes.
After a long time, Robert came walking in. Severus had to keep from cringing. The young man was very handsome, with a soft face and neat, dark brown hair, but only one gentle, brown eye. In the other socket was an abnormal ball, stretching Robert’s eyelids, set to an albino blue as the pupil swung around, looking everywhere. It made Severus a little nauseous again to look at it.
“Will,” Robert 発言しました presently, and Wilhem swung his head, “why don’t あなた take the girls for a bit of butterbeer?”
Wilhem hesitated for a long while, and then nodded. Robert handed Wilhem a bit of coins, and instead of stuffing them in his pocket, Wilhem held on tightly, meanwhile taking both Mary and Josie in either hand. They slowly walked out of the train compartment.
“Why are we here?” Was Robert’s immediate question.
“We’re going to America, so あなた can follow your dream…”
“No.” Robert’s face was solemn, “Why are we here?”
Oliver stared back with a completely neutral expression.
` “I appreciate,” Robert’s voice grew edgy, and his eye swung wildly from side to side, “all you’ve done for them, but why are we really here?”
Oliver blinked. “I made trouble.” He kept staring back at Robert, forcing himself into grueling eye contact.
Robert hesitated, and then shook his head. “No. Surely…”
“Yes. It involves the dark lord… and we’re running away to America.” Oliver’s voice was slick, but regretful, the coldness never leaving his face.
“Wait… he’ll find us, won’t he?”
“No. Never again.”
“So where’s your wand!” It wasn’t a question. Robert spat it out, hurt and angry. “You used it all the time! But where has it been lately!”
“Burned.” Oliver spoke shortly, “In a fire. I don’t deserve it.”
Very suddenly, Severus felt Georgia’s eyeglasses slipping off his nose. He tried to slide them up, but couldn’t without ruffling the cloak.
“That’s foolish.” Robert replied.
“I had to. I don’t want to hurt anyone again…”
The glasses were on the tip of Severus’s nose.
“…Oliver… we all 愛 you, but…”
And the glasses clunked against the floor.
“What was that?” Robert turned, scowling. Severus realized the abnormal eye was magical, as it stared straight through his invisibility cloak. Robert heaved out, and draped it off Severus.
“…s-sorry!” Severus stuttered, the shocked faces of Oliver and Robert staring back.
“Who are you,” Robert at once demanded, “and you’re friend?”
“I’m Charles Dickens!” Frederick threw his off, still wearing his wide smile, “This is my good friend, Jonathan Swift!”
“Spies!” Oliver exclaimed, standing, and coming very close to Severus and Frederick.
“Right, my man! We’re helping you!” Frederick replied happily. Severus wished only to スマック him, and to tell him to shut up for once.
“Get out of here! Never come back again!” Oliver grit his teeth.
Severus made just enough time to awkwardly grab Georgia’s glasses, leaving the invisibility マント, 隠す behind, and ran out the train door with Frederick, through the halls and into the dining room.
Lily and Georgia were sharing a booth. In silent agreement, the two men walked up and took their seats. At once, Georgia hugged Frederick. “Where were あなた this morning?” She giggled.
“Going on a man’s adventure!” Frederick lifted his chin up, and Severus hung his head low. Lily laughed beside him.
From nervousness, Severus again forgot to give Georgia her glasses back.
It was three o’clock in the afternoon. All 日 Severus had been jumpier than usual, and at every sound turning his head, because this might be Oliver and Robert again. Frederick spoke nothing, and Severus wished nothing もっと見る than to パンチ him in the face, for he’d gotten Severus into もっと見る trouble than the muggle had bargained for. If Lily noticed anything about Severus’s strange behavior, she 発言しました nothing, of which he was relieved.
There came a tap on his shoulder, and Severus doubled over, looking into the face of Oliver. “…yes?” Came a meek cry from Severus.
“I need your help.”
Severus blinked several times, and then shook his head, speechless.
“I promise to be kind. I’ll make an Unbreakable Vow. But please, help me.”
His mouth hung open; Severus now began to nod his head.
“This way.” Oliver walked. Severus followed, and in doing so, he felt rather dream-like, thinking that this couldn’t be happening… Oliver made trouble with a zombie who kills muggles and was running away… what help could he want from Severus?
They were now in Oliver’s room, with no Robert, Wilhem, Mary または Josie in sight. Oliver hesitated, and then pulled up his sleeve.
At first glance, Severus thought it to be only a distasteful tattoo, one made through youth but regretted as the years passed. However, the もっと見る he looked, the もっと見る it seemed less like Frederick’s mustache tattoo, one of ink and skin—this seemed to squirm, as though beneath the ink, something was thrashing for freedom, some caged, ancient monster.
Severus had goosebumps.
“Help me get rid of it.” Oliver spoke carefully, looking longingly up at Severus.
“I’m a muggle.”
“Then why did あなた have that invisibility マント, 隠す this morning?”
Severus opened his mouth. “I don’t really know… I’ll get my friend… Charles…” Severus was very glad about the pen names now, “He’s a wizard. He’ll know what to do.”
“No.” Oliver shook his head, resolute. “Only you.”
“But I can’t!”
Oliver snarled.
“…why me?”
“Better あなた than Charles.”
Severus thought a moment. “…fine. I’m a muggle. What do I do?”
Oliver hesitated. “We can brew a potion…”
“…a what?”
“But that would require a wand…” Oliver continued, not listening to Severus.
“Give me tomorrow.”
Oliver looked up.
“Give me tomorrow. I’ll help あなた then. Right now…” Severus refused eye contact, “I need to think. Get prepared. Tomorrow I’ll help あなた get rid of your tattoo.”
“…you really are a muggle.” Oliver sighed.
“Yes.” Severus nodded. “I won’t tell anyone what I’m doing. I promise. Just let me gather information, and I’ll be here, early tomorrow morning.”
“…alright.” Oliver finally nodded his head to the door, which Severus took as his way out. Wondering what he’d gotten into, Severus’s ハート, 心 pounded, his mind buzzed, and even his toes seemed to singe with adrenalin.
This is what it feels like to be on an adventure, Severus realized, and decided he couldn’t be angry with Frederick anymore.
“Are there any…” Severus tried to bring the topic up as casually as possible to Frederick, “…magic tattoos?”
“…I once saw a lady in a bikini who had a unicorn tattoo flying across her backside!”
Severus blinked. “That’s not what I’m talking about…” he continued, wondering if maybe he should’ve asked Lily, “…what about? What about a skull with a snake wrapped around it? Anyone あなた know with that?”
“No!” Frederick gasped, looking very upset, “No! Severed Us, that’s called a Dark Mark!”
Severus stored the words in his mind, a dark mark. “Well… what does it do?”
“By touching it, it’ll summon He Whose Name That Will Never Exit My Lips!”
Severus’s eyes widened. “Really? によって touching it with your fingers?”
“I suppose あなた could try with your toes, but those Death Eaters seem too serious to try.”
Severus furrowed his brow. “What’s a Death Eater?”
“A person with a dark mark. They work for He Whose Name Is Very Long!”
“…so who gets these… dark marks?”
“Death Eaters!”
Severus blinked. “I see.” So Oliver worked for the zombie, and if the zombie really was a killer… Severus didn’t want to think about it. “Well… what’s a potion, then?”
“A potion is a magical substance a wizard brews! Very tedious work, あなた don’t even get to use your wand often!”
Severus felt very relieved that Frederick simply answered 質問 without asking where they came from, または calling any of them random. “Can a muggle brew a potion?”
“I suppose they could try… but no one’s attempted it!”
“Hm. Well, back to these dark marks… any means of removing them?”
“Not that I know of, friend!”
“…well…” Severus gulped at the answer. “Wizards go to school… so they must have textbooks, right?”
“Indeed!”
“Can I have a potions textbook… that might 表示する me how to remove… things like the dark mark?”
“I will see what I can do!” Frederick grinned in a lopsided fashion. Severus sighed, a smile quivering at his face, and couldn’t help but 愛 his naïve friend.
At exactly 7 PM there came a loud knock at Severus’s door. Checking through the peephole, Severus saw nothing except a mound of books. Startled, he opened the door.
“I’ve got the textbooks!”
“My gosh…” Severus’s eyes widened. He helped lead Frederick inside and closed the door. With the 本 tumbling on the bed, Severus picked one up at random.
It was titled Moste Potente Potions. Already confused, Severus flipped it open, and read aloud, “To brew the Hipogriff Anti Flight potion, you’ll need a wand, fresh Hipogriff feathers, snake venom, クモ, スパイダー legs, the boiled eggs of a duck…” The 一覧 grew stranger as he continued, ending with “hot coffee beans and thestral blood.”
“Sounds easy enough.” Frederick smiled.
Severus shook his head and picked up another book. “Charm Your Own Cheese… Magical Me… History of Magic… uhm… Frederick?”
“Yes, Severed Us?”
“Where do I start, exactly?”
“How about…” Frederick rummaged through the books, “Advanced Potion Making?”
Severus took it, and it felt heavy in his hands. He set it on the floor, got down on his knees and flipped until he found the index.
“Dark Mark… Dark Mark… there’s nothing for the dark mark…” He bit his lower lip, the researcher inside him taking over. “Tattoo… nay. Afflictions… several… involving torture… of the skin… nay… approved afflictions involving skin…” Severus found the page number and opened, ready for the worse.
Five hours later, Frederick had long left. Severus, using the moon as light, for there was no electricity, had his hooked nose buried inside the pages. Presently, he sat up, taking out a pen and in his girly, tiny 書く he squeezed in through a tremendously filled page, “Put in a female thestral rib—removes all dark magic.”
Finally he closed the book. He took another 分 to look over his notes, feeling satisfied, went to ベッド with all his clothes on.
For Severus Snape, the man of everything ordinary and logical, had been the first muggle in history to デザイン his own potion. He wondered if it would work as he closed his eyes…
He was not as ordinary as he thought he was.
“Momma, here’s the クモ, スパイダー legs…”
“Thank you, sweetie.” Elieen smiled at her son, ruffling up his hair.
“What’s this for, mummy?”
Elieen sighed. “Daddy.” With one hand she stirred her cauldron, with the other she smoothened her son’s blouse.
His black eyes full of curiosity, he cocked his head. “What’s it going to do for him?”
“…nothing.”
Severus blinked. “He’s never ever home… where does he go?”
Elieen repressed her lips. “Nowhere.”
“Momma… you’re not going to hurt him, are you?”
There was a dead silence.
“No… no, honey, I won’t hurt him.”
“But あなた were going to.” Presently Severus sucked his thumb, but with intelligent eyes he looked at his mother.
She sighed. “Yes, I was going to. Don’t tell him, Severus.”
Severus only nodded. Elieen was torn between upset and pride for her son, realizing suddenly he’d do something great—weather it be good または bad, she wasn’t sure yet.
Taking all his notes, Severus rapped against Oliver’s door. There was a second’s hesitation before he swung it open. “Come in.”
Severus did so, and paused to look at the dark, fantasy-like cauldron, a bit rusty but very sturdy. Severus placed his hand around the rim, and it felt very cold and ancient.
“Get rid of this,” Oliver pulled up his sleeve, “and I’ll give あなた anything あなた want.”
“No.” Severus tried to speak firmly, but inside his anxiety shook his bones. He tried to think how to word his demand. “Tell me… tell me what you’re running away from… no, tell me you’re story. Why can’t Wilhem read? Why did あなた burn your wand?”
Oliver tightened his lips, and Severus promptly kept quiet. Oliver could kill him now, Severus realized, and steal the notes and brew the potion himself. Severus had to keep his eye from twitching.
“…I’ll 表示する you.” Oliver huffed and walked out. Severus stood, feeling awkward and slightly aggravated, when Oliver came back with a tube of misty blueness. “Did your finger in. It’s stronger on muggles than it is on us, so I don’t need a Pensive.”
“…urm, alright…” Severus shut his eyes, preparing for his doom または anything else, when he suddenly felt like he was being sucked up によって a vacuum.
He opened his eyes.
A man in the dark sat there in an オレンジ jumpsuit, looking down at the floor. The room was very dark and empty, with only a blanket for the man. Severus realized it was Wilhem, and gasped before the scenery changed around him.
Two girls had joined Wilhem, calling him “Brother.”
Oliver was standing in front of a man that didn’t look human, pure white with bulging veins and snake eyes.
Oliver was hollering at Robert in some mystic language…
And Severus felt himself pass out, overwhelmed.
“It was too strong. What’d あなた see…?”
Severus mumbled incomprehensibly, massaging an aching head.
“I need… one moment…” Severus grabbed a nearby chair, and with his legs feeling like jelly, stood. He found a sink, cupped his hands and took big gulps of water, and afterward stood leaning over the sink, taking big, raspy breaths.
“Jonathan.”
Severus didn’t respond.
“Jonathan!”
“Huh?” Severus turned, remembering that was his new name. “Right. Sorry.”
“Anyway… if あなた don’t understand those memories, I don’t think I can tell あなた the story.”
“Why not?”
“…just because.” Oliver had a dead look in his eyes, as though he were out to murder. Getting the message, Severus shook his head.
“…Should I brew the potion, then?”
“I think that’ll be best.”
Severus caught the smallest slice of sadness in the last statement. What kind of story could Oliver tell, Severus wondered, standing again and regretting it.