Summer 1988
Phone rang about three times before Liz answered it. "Hello, I would like to speak with Elizabeth Shelters, I am calling about the room for rent. Is it still free?" The voice was deep and had a little scratchy ring to it. "Hello, this is Elizabeth speaking, and yes the room is still available." Liz said, and waited for answer. "When will you be available to show me the room?" said the dark voice, and Liz answered" Well I am on my vacation right now. So I'm available every time if it's not too early or too late, I like my sleep..." Silence… " Hello, are you still there?" Still silence. And then the phone on the front door rang. "What the?!" Yes well… It was probably the pizza guy, who she forgot that she had called. Right?
Liz was feeling slightly put off. Call was rudely cut, and then the doorbell. "Hello?" Said Liz, there was a slight pause, and then the same deep, deep voice said," Hello, we spoke on the phone right now. I am deeply sorry that I cut our phone call so short, but I was almost in front of the house, so I didn't see the point to stay on the phone anymore. Are you willing to show me the apartment right now?" Well there is first for everything.
If Liz would have been a little scaredy-cat, she would have called the police or at least said to the person to not come in or she will call the cops. Buuttt... Liz was kind of trusting of people, even the ones she didn't know. Yet... So she hit the buzzer, and said to the stranger to come in. And that she lived on a third floor. And that the elevator did not work well sometimes… Uups… Fingers crossed, that this time it worked well. And then the ting and, Liz opened the door to wave, but she stopped... She had to take a moment and just plainly stared at the person who stepped out of the elevator. Wow...
He wore a white V-neck long sleeved tee, and black or really dark blue jeans, and wait. He was holding a leather jacket and a helmet, hmm... interesting. "Hey, Are you Miss Shelters?" the stranger asked. Liz had to clear her throat just to speak again. "Y... yes... And call me Liz please. And it would be nice to know your name as well." Smiling Liz extended her hand. He took it and said, "Severus, Severus Snape, it's nice to meet you. May I come in?" Liz saw an end of a tattoo on his fore arm, and almost commented on it, but on a last second caught herself.
"Yes of course. Do come in. And please remove your boots. There are some slippers if you'd like," and shoved her thumb out over her shoulder to point them out. He had no problem with not wearing boots but those slippers looked, if not unclean, than at least really worn. He was not comfortable with it. So he hoped the floors were clean enough for his white socks. Oh well, they are just socks..
Elizabeth showed him the apartment, starting off with the kitchen. Everything was in lighter colours, and he kind of liked it, because it was really clean. He preferred his food to be in a clean environment. "I rarely use it, because I can't cook. But if you do, then it will be all yours. Of course on a condition that you'll give me some of the food you cook. I like to eat." Liz was open to food. Always. "Of course." said Severus dryly, "Now I know how to bribe you." And Elizabeth laughed. It has been a long time since she laughed like that…
"Anyways," after calming down, she wiped her eyes and continued with the tour of her apartment "this here is the living room. We are going to use it together. As you can see it has everything a living room should have. The TV has all the channels and stuff. And don't worry, it doesn't add to your rent." She smiled.
It was huge room, with big almost floor-to-ceiling windows, and hardwood floors. Again lighter colours were used to decorate the room, mostly brown and beige. A big sofa and an extremely comfy looking cushioned armchair and a small table were set in front of a TV. If he was going to live here he had to mark this chair as his. Had to! It had his name written on it.
Liz saw the look on his face when he eyed the chair, and said "Yes, Ok. If you are going to live here, you can have the armchair. Happy?" She was giving up her chair? Why would I do that?! "Yes well, it is an IF I am going to live here." Liz frowned "Is there something you don't like?" she asked "No, everything is absolutely fine." He answered right away, and then added "No, I'm sorry, it is a beautiful apartment, but it looks expensive. I don't know even how much you ask for it." Liz understood then, "Oh, of course, and you haven't even seen your bedroom yet. Come on!" she took Severus' hand, and pulled him behind her through a corridor, to a dark brown, heavy looking door. Severus went willingly, because he was curious "Hmm... Here it is! Trust me when I say that you are going to like it very much! I am totally sure of it!" And she pushed the heavy door open.
Inside was brighter than the dark corridor, and his eyes had to adjust to lightness of it. And there it was again, these huge windows, but this time there also was a door with a mosaic on it that led to a balcony. He has never in his life seen anything like this. The view to the city was breathtakingly beautiful. And the room was huge! I mean it fitted a huge king size bed with a lot of pillows, two nightstands, biggest wardrobe he's ever seen, and even a table in front of a fireplace with a small sofa. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves with some books on them, and so on. Severus was amazed. And weirdly so was Liz. She acted like she hasn't been there before or at least in a very long time.
Severus took a deep breath, and released it. Then he looked the girl in the face and said "I am sorry, but now I'm sure I can't afford it," Liz didn't change her features, like she didn't hear him anymore, and continued excitedly "Oh, and I almost forgot, you get to have your own bathroom with a bathtub, and a shower! Isn't that something! And one more thing, do you perhaps have any pets?" Severus sighed and nodded "Yes, I do. I have a pet snake." Well then. If Severus would have had a camera he would have taken a picture of the face Liz was giving him. Bright round eyes were almost watery looking. Liz suddenly took his hand again and pulled him through a new door Severus didn't even see when they first walked in.
The second room which was apparently connected to his room -not his yet- was almost the same as his was. Only it was a little rosier, mostly in pink colours. She had a lot of books, the same floor to ceiling bookshelves. And then he saw it. On one of the shelves there was a glass cage. It looked almost the same as his snake cage was. She too had a snake. He was going to ask about it, but she beat him to it "What kind of snake do you have? Mine is a small grass snake. It is not venomous, but still some of the visitors who have come to see the room have been but off because of him. I don't know why…" but Severus knew very well why, "Yes, well, some people have fear of snakes. Mine is an albino python. He is almost totally white. Right now he is still young and small, but he will grow into a big and beautiful specimen."
And here she goes again whit the hand holding, Severus was already starting to get used to it, kind of "I love snakes. They are beautiful. And I knew I will find the right roommate today. I felt it in my bones. That's why I didn't send you away. At first you kind of freaked me out." Severus immediately tried to apologised, but she didn't mind at all, and continued "I have been looking for so long. It has been ages. And I have been so lonely! When will you move in?" To say that Severus was speechless was an understatement. He just numbly nodded and mumbled a little 'today'.
Liz was so happy that she squealed and suddenly hugged Severus. Unfamiliar with this kind of reaction, Severus just froze. He did not know what to do in this situation. He awkwardly stood there and didn't move. It was weird. When she understood what she was doing she immediately released Severus and apologised blushing bright red.
She kind of missed it, the closeness with another person, and she already started to like Severus. And the idea of them living together was awesome. She has found him. The person she did not dislike. The person she was OK whit, and who would never invade her privacy, because she felt that Severus also liked his own privacy. They would get along just fine.
It was so cool to have the person she was going to live with for a long time right in front of her. Amazing! "There is the matter about the money still. Or you know the expenses?" Severus said quietly, and Liz was quick to say "Don't worry. You can afford it! It is £50 per 2 weeks, all expenses included," this had to be some kind of joke. "You are kidding right?" Severus was astonished. "It can't be right! Right?"
"It is right! I am not looking a roommate just to earn some money. I don't need that. I have it already more than I need. However, I am looking for a roommate to chase away my loneliness. My ex-roommate just got up and left. Like 2 years ago or so. And I AM lonely, and I was hart broken when one day he wasn't there anymore. He was a damn good roommate too." She finished wistfully.
Severus did not know what to say. Was she hinting to something? Did she want something more than just a mere roommate? Should he come clean about a few things? And then he sighed and said: "Well if you want some kind of 'relationship' with me other than just a roommate, then I can say it right away that this is not going to happen."
"Oookay… May I ask why?" To say that Liz was curious was an understatement. Severus was taken aback, "I am… I mean… I'm not interested in woman that way." And then he blushed, bright red, from head to toes. At first Liz didn't understand what he was talking about. But when it dawned on her, she kind of lost it.
She started to laugh, and then laughed some more. And then she saw Severus's face, which was turning more embarrassed by the minute, and then she tried to control herself again "Chill honey. It is totally fine. And I never even thought about an, hmm, 'relationship' as you put it." Liz smiled sweetly at him, and he calmed a little. "I don't care what your preference is. I want you as a friend, and a roommate. Are YOU ok with that?" And he nodded, but worry didn't leave his features "I… I won't be here all the time. I work on a boarding school in Scotland. I am a teacher. I would be away most of the time." Severus was worried that it would be a problem.
"A teacher? Hmm… Does that mean you have the whole summer free?" she asked, and Severus nodded "Yes, from about June 15th to August 22nd. And Christmases also, about two weeks Christmas break." Severus said, and hoped it would be OK. He really liked the place. Apartment felt homey to him. Liz sighed happily and exclaimed "Great! When are you moving in?" And there it was again, the excitement that he was starting to feel too.
"Do you want to help me move? Like right away?" Severus asked. And Liz jumped up and down like a little girl in a candy shop "Absolutely! I can take my truck and follow you, if you want. Or we can ride together. I have relatively big truck, so I believe you don't even need to order a moving truck" Liz said. "It doesn't matter. I don't have many things so the moving truck wouldn't have been necessary anyway." Severus explained. "And I think we can both go with your car. It would be easier that way."