A/N: Hey everyone :D Sorry I haven't updated in forever! But I actually have homework over the summer...yeah high school sucks. But hopefully everyone likes this next chapter!

They couldn't sleep. Although Severus fell asleep a few hours after their unmerciful throwing into the closet, Harry and Snape stayed up, Snape uncomfortably aware of the fact that he was in a closet with Harry Potter. The darkness was very deep around them, the only indication of the passing hours the thin strip of the room visible at the bottom of the door, which began to grow lighter as the time moved sluggishly by.

The heat was almost unbearable in the cramped space. Snape waited for Potter to complain about it, ready for a vicious retort if he did, not being in the mood to deal with a whining teenager. But Potter never said anything, so Snape had no outlet to vent his anger on.

Early morning came and went, with young Severus still asleep, only his greasy black hair visible as his face was in his arms.

Then, when it seemed that they would never get out, footsteps could be heard approaching them. Harry lifted his head out of his arms at the sound, listening intently. He thought for a moment that Snape's father had come back, but these steps were much lighter than the heavy ones of the drunk.

The closet was thrown open and light flooded it. Severus started and blinked in the bright light, and Harry did the same. Snape, however, barely blinked, his gaze fixed upon the woman before them, who was scowling down at Severus.

The scrawny woman had her lank hair tied up in a messy ponytail, and she looked downright haggard. Wearing what appeared to be a muggle waitress uniform, a pencil was stuck behind her ear. As Severus stood, stumbling slightly but steadying himself by grabbing the door frame, she spoke.

"Why must you make him so angry?" Her tone was mainly exasperation, but it seemed to be tinged with some other emotion that Harry could not place.

"I didn't do anything!" said Severus, outraged.

The woman continued to scowl, but her expression softened slightly as she said, "All right, all right. Just-just get out of the house for a bit. Your father's asleep and I'd like to keep it that way." Her tone seemed to change; she sounded defeated. Severus looked like he wanted to saw more about it, but, hearing his mother's tone, didn't press it.

The woman exited the room. A few minutes later Severus followed him, Snape and Harry in his wake.

By this time, Harry had figured out the woman was Snape's mother. Her words had stirred something in his memory, and he was to busy dwelling on it to pay much attention to the rest of the house as they passed it, with its dirty walls and crooked paintings, nor to the man snoring on the stained couch that they crept past.

As Severus's mother turned into the kitchen, Severus made his way outside onto the front porch. Harry was still lost in his memory.

Harry was younger, perhaps ten or so. Everything was dark around him, and he was sitting on the ground. The house was quiet, much quieter than it had been yesterday. Harry shifted, wincing slightly as he pressed a careful hand to his face. It still hurt a bit. Suddenly, the dark cupboard was filled with light and a woman's outline filled the doorway. Squinting, Harry looked up at his aunt, who was in turn looking at him.

"Why did you have to do it, Harry?" she asked with a sigh. Harry didn't say anything. He knew he hadn't done anything. "Well, come out of there," she said, and Harry stood but nearly fell down afterward. She looked at him again, and then she left. Harry looked around, and a few moments later she returned with a popsicle. "Here," she said, handing it to him. "Now go into the backyard."

Harry was surprised, but licked it and went to sit down outside in the sunshine. His aunt was very strange.

"What are you doing?" Snape snapped at Harry, who he noticed had an oddly glazed expression in his eyes.

"Huh?" asked Harry, blinking in confusion as he was pulled back to reality. "Uh nothing."

"Eloquent as always, Potter," said Snape, rolling his eyes.

Harry looked around him and realized that they were outside. Severus stood on the porch for a few moments before shoving his hands deep into his pockets and setting off down the street. As Harry and Snape followed him, Harry said the thought that came to the surface of his mind.

"You know, I like walking around. I usually walk around the neighborhood while I'm at my aunt and uncle's. Better than staying inside with them."

Snape gave him a strange look as he spoke, but didn't comment. Harry turned his attention to the houses around him. They were clearly in a muggle neighborhood, and as they walked the houses became nicer and nicer. Here and there a muggle would be mowing the lawn or children would be running through a sprinkler. Severus turned down a side street, taking a shortcut, and they emerged at a park.

Not that many people were at the park, perhaps because it was such a hot day. Harry briefly wondered if Severus was uncomfortable in his jeans and black t-shirt, the same ones clothes he had been wearing the night before, but the thought was soon driven out of his mind. As Snape took a seat on one of the swings, the few children that had been climbing on the monkey bars quickly left, so that Severus was all alone. As the sound of the children walking away chattering died down, someone approached.

At first, Severus didn't look up as the sound of the footsteps grew closer, perhaps assuming them to belong to the children who had just left. But Harry and Snape did look up, and both of them received a jolt as they looked at the girl who came near Severus.

She had an orange pop in her hand and was sipping at it as she came over. "Hey Sev!" she called cheerfully, bounding over to him.

Harry gaped at the scene before him. Had she just called him Sev? But that was not the only reason he was surprised. Because Harry knew who this girl was. Knew her even though he had never spoken to her, and had only known her for a year.

Harry would have known that red hair anywhere, the red hair that was thick and shining in the summer heat, would have been able to pick those almond-shaped eyes out of a crowd of a hundred.

Lily Evans had just approached Severus Snape.

A/N: Review make me happy ^.^