Chapter 1 life with the potters
A cry rose from upstairs creeping down to the basement where I stayed. "Potter quiet your mewling spawn!" I yelled up the stairs, but I got no response. "I mean it Potter some of us are trying to do something productive with our time." I added trying to goad the new father into shutting up the kids. I growled in irritation, and got up from my chair. I pushed it in roughly and stomped up the stairs. There were no signs of life in the house other than the screaming infants on the upper floor. The door from the basement leads into the brightly lit kitchen, and it takes me a minute to adjust to the change in lighting. I give a groan of frustration as though someone had just opened up curtains on a particularly sunny morning.
I look to the round oak kitchen table and find a note lying there. I pick it up my eyes roving it. I crumple it up, and toss it in the dust bin in anger. "It would have been nice if you had told me I may have to play nursemaid to Lupin's cub, and your temperamental brat." I curse Potter through gritted teeth. 'Probably won't wake up, fat chance of that. Of course even the next generation will have to torment me before they are even eleven years old.' I mutter to myself the whole way up the spiraling staircase. I arrive on the upper floor, and head towards the nursery. A black cat darts out of an open doorway nearly tripping me. I give the detestable creature a kick, and it runs down the hallway and stops at the end of it to give me a death glare.
I arrive outside a white door that says 'Be wary of flying bludgers, and open it slowly. The walls are painted a light blue with white puffy clouds. A snitch darts from wall to wall, and cartoon Quidditch players conduct a game. The seeker on the team goes from wall to wall looking for the Snitch, and even catches it on occasion. This would be entertaining in and of itself to watch if not for the screams emitting from the oak cribs against the wall. I make my way over and peer down reluctantly at Potter's child. I sniff to make sure it isn't the child's diaper, and am relieved to smell nothing foul. "Hey… you…boy…." I say hesitantly. He looks up at me, and quiets for a second, and then resumes kicking his feet and screaming. I get his attention again, and start to make funny faces at him. He screams all the louder. I give up on him, and head to the adjacent crib. I sniff once again, and am once again relieved to find no presents.
I start the face routine, and once again am met with loud screams. This time though there are a few differences. Lupin's cub starts imitating my facial features, and even I have to admit I am impressed with the imitation of my scowl. He had even added a hooked nose. I try to fight the subtle lifting of my lips, but fail. 'Disrespect already though. He will be even worse than those who came before.' The screams get even more earth shattering and I close my eyes. I sigh and pray for patience. My ears tune into the ticking clock hanging on the wall, and I begin to hum under my breath.
The humming turns into a catchy tune, and I begin to sing "Snape, Snape, Seeeeverus Snape." over and over, and to my surprise the wailing stops. I open my eyes peering into both cribs. To my utter shock they are listening as if enjoying such a stupid little ditty. "Do you like that James?" I ask Potter's son in a disbelieving way. I start up again, and am met with a baby giggle. I cringe in semi disgust, but keep going. 'Anything to make the crying stop I suppose.' I continue for about 10 more minutes until both boys are back to sleep. I hear a quiet chuckle coming from the doorway.
Potter is standing there with a cat who got the cream expression. "I never thought I'd see the day…." I cut him off before he has a chance to say anything more.
"Not a word Potter." He gives an evil little laugh, and whispers "Word." I growl, and shove my way past him, activating the billow charm on my cloak.
"You know that cloak billowing thing doesn't work on me anymore right Severus." I stop and turn around giving him the best sneer that I can. His smile only widens "Ginny says we are on our own for dinner by the way. She is working late. George is having another bad day at the joke shop. "
"By bad day you mean George is having a grief session with a bottle of fire whiskey." I say wanting to cut right to the chase. The smug look leaves Potter's face, and he affixes me with a glare that is supposed to make me feel bad, and in a way it kind of does. Despite what I know he is thinking. I do understand the temptations of the bottle for me and fire whiskey have been friends many a night.
"Just go back to your dungeon you stupid old bat." I flip him the bird, and march through the kitchen slamming the door behind me. 'Why did I ever take his offer of a place to live?' I ask myself as I sat back down in my chair. 'I wasn't even supposed to live through the stupid war.' Granger; being the insufferable know it all that she is. Shoved a Bezoar down my throat, and applied a muggle healing solution for snake bites, and made to close my wounds. I had been close to death a few times, and believed I would not make it through regardless. I had even given Harry my memories so that he would know the truth. I had been looking forward to my Earthly suffering being over, but I'm still here. What I don't know is why. My home in Spinner's end had been ransacked and destroyed after those loyal to the Dark Lord realized I was a traitor. Truthfully I didn't really have a place to go, but why here?