Severus loved summer. His colleagues thought it was because he could get away from the students, but the truth was that he liked living as a muggle for those few months. The vacation kept him sane. He never would have given up magic and he still kept his wand at hand, but he found the slower pace of muggle life a relief. He didn't even miss the improved healing of the magical world. He genuinely liked the excuse to take it easy for as long as it took to recover. As soon as he departed for Hogwarts he would have to fix himself up again, but with his potions he didn't suffer terribly much and didn't at all mind sticking with muggle methods for the summer.
Except for small things like a pain potion or household repairs that might have otherwise cost him absurd sums, he was all muggle all summer. He dressed the same as the other young men and altered his appearance so that people from the magical world would not recognize him. He'd long since learned how to magically reduce his nose and straighten his teeth, and the only reason he changed them back at Hogwarts was to maintain his cover at home. He had the feeling that it would come in handy, and so he performed those spells faithfully, cut his hair as soon as he got home, and cast glamors on returning to Hogwarts until his hair grew out and summer tan faded. He was unwilling to jeopardize his summers as Adrian Prince, ordinary muggle, for the world.
It quite frankly amused him when he saw some idiot colleague of his trying to find him, unaware that he was right under their nose. Many times he had told such a blunderer looking for directions that he thought there had been a Toby Snape in the neighborhood when he was a boy, but that the man had died years ago.
Some of the idiot colleagues were more persistent than others, though. He was sprawled on the couch, a cheesy monster movie in the VCR, enjoying being waited on by his girlfriend on account of having broken his leg the week before, when he heard Albus and Minerva's voices outside and then a knock on the door. Mackenzie left their popcorn and beer on the coffee table and went to answer the door with a threat of severe tickling if he started the movie without her. He could hear the conversation in the entryway.
"May I help you?" That was Mackenzie, and from her puzzled tone he guessed that they had turned up in robes.
"Yes, we're looking for Severus. Is he in?"
"I'm afraid I don't know who you're talking about."
"We're looking for Severus Snape. We were under the impression that this was his house."
"If we were wrong, please excuse us. We're sorry for having bothered you." Minerva seemed to be catching on quicker than Albus. Good for her.
"It's quite alright. I don't know any Snape, but perhaps Adrian might. We'll go check with him." A moment later the three tramped in, his visitors looking delightfully uncomfortable in their robes in such an obviously muggle house.
"Friends of yours, 'Kenzie? I thought today was just us." He gave her his best sultry pout, one that the older professors would never in a million years imagine on the face of their crabby potions master.
She blushed at his suggestive look. "No. These people are looking for a Mr. Snape. I don't know anyone by the name, but thought you might since you've lived here longer."
He shuddered. "Old Toby Snape lived on this street when I was young. Died years ago though, and good riddance to him. The man was a drunkard and scary to boot."
"The man we want is his son, I believe." Trust Albus to have recognized his father's name.
"No clue, sorry. I never knew he had a son until he died and people started saying it was the boy that killed him. I'd hope he's in jail still. Killers oughtn't be running free."
"Ah. Well then, we'll be going. You've been very helpful." They bowed out. He inwardly smirked at having given him the slip again. The nerve of them, deciding to drop by on his summer at home.
I got a request from thephoenixandthedragon4ever for more present(ish)-day Snape, so I picked the one fitting the bill that had the most votes on the poll. This story is pretty old; the first draft was written out on paper in high school and then I rediscovered it and typed it up at some point in college and have occasionally revisited and added to it. That said, I have a very soft spot for it. I like the idea of someone creating another identity, another life, and then discovering that they're happier as that person but oh crap now both of their identities have entire lives and people who'd notice if they disappeared.
I also just realized on pulling this out to post it that at the time this story picks up, he's not much older than me. Within the age group that I typically hang out with and view as my peers. I think the reason I didn't post this on whichever site I was on at the time I wrote it (quizilla?) was that I worried he was behaving too young, but no, I think high school me actually accidentally nailed it.