The Bearer of Bad News
Severus stared at the mark on his arm. The faded mark meant so much. Voldemort was gone, or mostly gone, and the reason was a little boy, one he was sworn to protect in his mother's name. Tears welled up once again only to be jammed back down. His eyes darted about, taking in the dark walls that seemed to be closing in on him. He had to get out of here. He had to go somewhere he didn't have to live up to any expectations.
Shooting to his feet, Severus dashed off a note informing Dumbledore that he was not going to participate in any celebration and not to expect to see him until Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning when the celebrations would be over and the trials would begin. It would take the Wizarding world at least two days to get over being happy for the death of a Dark Lord. Taking his key with him, Severus made it to an Apparation point faster than any other time he could remember.
One quick turn took him home.
Spinner's End's living room closed about him, holding him in a tight, almost suffocating embrace. Shaking legs gave out, and Severus collapsed onto the sofa. 'I want a drink. I need a drink... something that will make this day go away, make this pain end.' His gaze darted about the room, looking for what he knew wasn't there. 'If I want a drink I need to go get a bottle, then I'll see about meeting oblivion for a day or two.'
It took him a matter of minutes to change clothes and step out the front door. Stepping on the front porch, he shut the door carefully behind him and what he planned to do hit him full force. 'I can't bring alcohol back here. That will only awaken Father's memory, and I have successfully banished it from this house.'
Turning the key in the lock, he resolved to go out drinking instead of bringing it back. 'But I will need someone to bring me home, someone I can trust.' A shudder wracked his frame as he realized that it would have to be one of the Jamesons and that meant he had to tell them that Lily was dead. They needed to be told anyway, but Severus wasn't sure if he was ready to give all the details. Knowing he was the only one that would even know to tell them, he dug deep for the resolve to cross the lawn.
It took just a moment to be at his neighbors door, but an entire minute to knock.
"Severus!" Thomas grinned from ear to ear when he saw who was outside the door. It faded as he took in Severus' expression. Severus needed to talk, and Thomas had a feeling that it had to be a family talk. "Come in, Mum and Dad will be glad you are here."
Severus followed Thomas into the living room, grateful for the lack of questions.
Chris looked up as Severus and Thomas entered the room. It was the slight slump of Severus shoulders and the barest hesitance in his steps that alerted Chris that there was a problem. The look on Thomas' face just confirmed it. "Severus, what happened?" Before the boy could answer, he had gestured him to the nearest seat and then called into the kitchen. "Jessica, a pot of tea and you are needed in here."
Turning about he spotted Severus' head hanging low, and dark eyes staring blankly at the floor. Thomas was standing near the sofa arm, worried blue eyes searching Severus for a clue. Sinking back into his chair, Chris leaned forward. "Do you want to wait until Jessica is in here, or do you want to talk now?"
Severus worried his hands together as he tried to think of how to tell them what happened. One thing he did know was that he only wanted to go through this once. It was a choked whisper that came out of his throat. "When Mrs. Jameson gets in here."
Silence reigned until the kettle whistled and shortly there after Jessica came in with the tea tray.
"Severus, what are you doing home? It is the middle of the school year. I know you have classes tomorrow." Jessica set the tray down and her eyes widened. "They didn't dismiss you, did they?"
Severus' head jerked up as he shook his head. That might be coming, but then he would be in Azkaban, and they didn't need to worry about that possibility. "No, Dumbledore didn't dismiss me. I am on a short leave."
He knew that he never gave the Headmaster a chance to tell him no, but he knew that he wouldn't be missed. No one would expect to see Severus Snape at a celebratory party for the death of the Dark Lord, and he refused to celebrate the death of Lily. He clasped his hands together to stop their trembling as Jessica poured the tea.
"A leave? Why do you need a leave?" Thomas felt his worry climb. Severus was never this anxious about anything, or he never let you know he was. Just what happened? Did a child get seriously hurt in the lab and he was on a forced leave.
"I...I am..." Severus stopped for a moment to push the threatening tears back down. "I'm here to tell you bad news." A hot cup of tea was pushed into his hands, and he looked into the steaming liquid, hoping it would give him the courage he needed to continue. He was glad that they just waited, not pushing him to continue.
"Lily..." A deep sigh escaped him and he rolled his lips in between his teeth as he continued the ongoing battle with the tears. He finally releasing them and continued. "Lily died last night."
Thomas dropped to the floor, staring up into Severus' face while Chris and Jessica gasped. It was Jessica who broke the silence with a very shaky question. "How?"
Images rushed through Severus mind, images built from what Hagrid told him, what Dumbledore implied. "A insane murderer."
Jessica's tea cup rattled and she hastily put it down on the table. Thomas leaned forward to see Severus' eyes better while he asked his question. "What about her family? You said she had a son, just over a year old."
Chris took one look at Severus' pale face and went for a more fortifying drink. He had a feeling that they were going to need it. Returning, he changed Severus' tea for a glass of bourbon. "What happened?"
Taking a quick sip of his new drink, Severus continued. "The madman," that was exactly what Voldemort was, "came up to the front door. They knew that he was about, rumours had been running rampant in the community, but no one expected him to walk through their front door." Not with the Fidelius Charm on the place. No one but those trusted few would know where the house was. Some how, the charm had been broken, destroyed over that cottage. It was visible to all who wanted to walk near it now.
"James, that was Lily's husband, tried to stop him." For just that one time, Severus didn't spit out James' name with distaste. The man had stood toe to toe against Voldemort and had done it to protect Lily and his son. James had lost, but he had tried - that was far more than many others ever did.
"All accounts say that he was killed while Li... Lily rushed to the nursery. He was found dead in the foyer of the cottage. The murderer then tracked Lily up to the nursery." He took another quick sip of his drink. "She didn't have a chance... she was trapped in that small room." He swallowed hard as his mind showed him exactly what might have happened. Hagrid at least assured him that it was a killing curse that took her and that she wasn't tortured.
"Oh god." Jessica's voice broke the long silence as Severus obviously tried to compose himself. "That baby... he killed the poor defenceless boy... the poor boy died in his own bed." She took a long draught of her tea, her hands shaking.
Severus downed the last half of his glass before continuing. "No, the boy lived. No one knows what happened. He has a cut on his forehead, but it was the insane man that was dead and gone. The boy was there in his crib..." That is where Hagrid said he had found Harry whimpering before taking him to Dumbledore. "...in a house filled with the dead."
Chris refilled Severus' glass, he looked like he needed it. "Who found them? Was it you..."
Severus quickly shook his head. "His name is Sirius Black," Hagrid explain that he got there right after Black, and was allowed to borrow the man's motorcycle. "but now it is believed that he was the one that took the madman to the house. The police came shortly after that." They had, but after Black and Dumbledore finished with the place, he doubted there as any evidence to be discovered. "The whole event is being kept quiet. That is why I came to tell you."
"That and to have a moment to grieve away from the prying eyes of students." Jessica laid a hand on his shoulder. "When are you going back?"
Severus looked at each one for a long moment before answering. "Tuesday." He downed his entire glass and prepared to leave. "Tonight, I want to get plastered. I need to forget, just for one night, about all of this."
Chris studied the bleak face before setting his glass next to Severus'. "Then let's go." Chris followed Severus towards the door as he shot a reassuring look at Jessica. "I'll make sure you get home safe."
Severus nodded. He was going to be the designated drinker that evening. He hoped it was all it was cracked up to be.