It has been a while, and I am revisiting my other works I'm also beta-less so don't get too hung up with typos as I'm more into pushing out the idea of the story right now than working on polishing. I'm currently entering a PhD program so I'm in the economically poor student period student. Please check out my bio for some updates/info on how to contact me.

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Couched behind a thick oak tree trunk, he listened attentively to Lily and Petunia giggling as they lined the snails they had found and tried racing them along a park bench. Severus rolled up baggy sleeves to his elbows, swept his hair deftly behind his ears, and peered around the trunk. His eyes quickly found Lily bent slightly over the back of the bench rooting for her snails. Petunia was bouncing up and down, her tight fists bouncing on her thighs as she urged hers faster.

Severus quickly withdrew back into his hidden position and reached with his toes for a twig nearby. His scuffed and well-worn shoes were a month or so away from wearing a hole completely through his soles. His mother promised him days ago that they would go to the high street charity shop as she had been saving her change. He figured that wouldn't happen now his father had been recently laid off for failure to show up to work. The last argument his mum and dad had was her crying about him not providing for the family—that he would see them starve so he could lay in a ditch passed out stone drunk. That earned her broken dishes, a split lip, and bruises she tried to cover up all along her arms from what he could see.

He knew where his mother had hid her old school trunk and wand. He had smuggled her textbooks into his room and thoroughly read them back to front, and asked his mother to use her magic to mend his clothes and shoes. He couldn't comprehend they lived how they did if she had magic. Eileen Snape simply ran her slender fingers through her son's hair and said, "Love is the most powerful magic of all dear. It will make you do things you never thought you would." Severus almost never saw her use her wand, but when his father wasn't around, knew she used nonverbal magic for small things like boiling a kettle and fixing her shattered dishware. It saved money.

Grabbing the twig, he peered around the trunk again and saw the girls still excitedly urging their snails along. He carried his twig like a wand and approached the girls. He saw Petunia glance over at him first, and her face fell. He heard her whisper not to quietly to Lily, "that wizard boy is coming—let's go home."

Lily glanced up and smiled widely at him and waved. Severus felt his face flush. "No, I want to stay here it's nice here. You go home," he heard Lily say back to Petunia.

"Afternoon Lily," he slightly tipped his head at her, his eyes looking at Petunia, merely acknowledging Petunia. Petunia folded her arms and looked down her nose at him. He was shorter than both girls, not yet achieving his growth spurt. "What are you doing today?"

"What does it look like?" Petunia stiffly smirked.

"Be nice—racing snails."

"Brilliant. I know how to make yours go faster if you would like?" He pushed his shoulders back, standing a little straighter.

"Really? Let's see it! Go on then!" Lily clapped her hands together and moved aside so Severus was closest to the snails.

Severus urged himself not to smile—he told himself that he was a serious wizard, this was a simple. Something to impress Lily, she was his best friend after all. He pushed his sleeves back again up again, brandishing his twig like a wand and dramatically aimed at the snails who appeared to have momentarily taken a pause in trailing their silvery mucus along the bench.

Aiming at one, he cleared his throat and said "Coclea Festinatio!" Nothing happened.

"Ha! Bloody brilliant show," Petunia smirked. Irked, Severus felt his blood raising in his face, he aimed again and felt his body begin to pulsate with magic. He had managed similar before, such as propelling paper boats in the river or incinerating ants without a wand but through concentration.

"Stop it Tunie!" Lily glared at her sister, biting her lower lip.

He focused harder and repeated the words, sure that they must be right—"Look a bit constipated Severus," Petunia goaded.

Severus suddenly felt his anger flare, his magic humming through his body at the moment she said that, and the snails on the bench blew up. Pieces of shell, flesh, and mucus were all over them, but Petunia was the one closest to the snails and most covered. She started screaming and wiping her face. Bursting into tears once she saw what happened she ran away.

Severus stood wide eyed and opened mouth, looking at Lily and she at him. "Wow, this is really gross," was all she managed to say.

"I'm sorry Lily, I didn't mean—"he stammered back.

"I should go home…clean up and check on Tunie."

"Ok," he used his sleeve to wipe of the tiny pieces from his face like Lily was doing.

"That's not a wand is it? It looks like a stick."
"It is."

"Maybe you can show me when we go to Hogwarts, like you said and do proper magic?" She shrugged at him.

"I'll be able to show you so much more than that in a few years," he smiled back her.

"Look!" Healer Langley eagerly grabbed his quill on the nightstand and started writing notes. "His facial expressions are increasing much more frequently. He is smiling again! This appears to demonstrate increased neuro-functioning in relation to his increased response to the stimulus testing."

"Must be a pleasant dream," the blonde wizard sitting in the leather chair next to the bed carefully folded his newspaper and laid it on the nightstand.

The Healer murmured in assent. He kept writing and then laid his notes down. He opened his parcel on the opposite nightstand and removed a few bottled potions. "Mr. Malfoy, here are the adjusted potions with the updated dosages and instructions for administrating them. I am leaving you with enough for one day and will return then. Again, I'm very thankful that you allowed Mr. Snape access to your bed here. With the influx of injuries we have been having, any free bed helps someone in a much more critical state."

"Yes, I was just reading about the latest attacks and raids."

"Seems like some just can't handle defeat…" he trailed off as he saw Mr. Malfoy's face, forgetting that he was in the presence of two Death Eaters who were very much involved in both of the Dark Lord's wars.

"If that is all?" Lucius said dismissively as he made his way to the door and opened it. "Popsy?" A house elf appeared, bowing lowly. "Show Healer Langly out."

"The increased movements appear to be showing that his comatose state appears to be coming to an end. Hopefully, a more permanent Healer may be able to move in until that happens. I will see you soon then," he felt rushed out.

"Good day," Mr. Malfoy snapped.

It had been several month since the Dark Lord fell. The Ministry had started their trials after collecting their evidence. For the Malfoy's the were still on house arrest pending their appointed trial. Severus had been acquitted of all charges while in St. Mungo's after the Golden Trio and several Order members, and students proclaimed his innocence, though the Dumbledore charge did drag out for a few days. He was even declared a war hero. That really infuriated many as evidenced by the backlash of Howlers sent to the Daily Prophet's editorial office.

Narcissa came in shortly after hearing the Healer leave. "How is he doing?"

"Apparently, he improves every day. It is obvious now that he is responding to dreams, either smiling, twitching, moaning. All we can do is wait."

"At least we are providing a war hero living quarters. That should work favorably for us." Her husband murmured in agreement. No harm weighing the benefits of their hospitality.

Hermione was laying outside in the field by the Weasley's house. She was holding Ron's hand as they watched the clouds lazily shifting their forms and drifting over them. She couldn't recall feeling so calm. Every muscle in her body was aching from the tension of hiding and fighting the past years. She felt aged and sad at the same time. It was a confusing blend of emotions for her.

Turning her head she saw that Ron had dozed off beside her. She rubbed her thumb on the back of his hand, comforted and grateful that she had someone to help her through the war and that they had survived. There were still many dissenters still out to kill them so their guard still had to be up but knowing that the worst enemy was defeated felt like a blessing, but now containing the can of worms seemed like something the Aurors were determined to finish.

She swallowed hard as the cloud that took form above her looked like a hydra.