"Since you are now a ward of Hogwarts you will be given private rooms for holidays." Professor Dumbledore was walking quite quickly for a man of advanced years. Severus didn't respond, he felt numb. Someone could probably hex him right then and there and he doubted he would even flinch. They came to a door, somewhere near the other private rooms the professors used. "This will be yours, my boy." He opened the door.

It wasn't much to look at. There was a very small sitting area with what looked like an equally small kitchen attached. A medium sized fireplace took up most of the largest wall. Severus hesitantly walked through the door opposite of where they had just come in and found a small bedroom with a brass framed bed in it. To the right was another door which led to his own private bath.

"If it would help, Severus, you can stay here until after the funeral." Professor Dumbledore clasped his hands together as he addressed the boy.

"There isn't much here." He replied. "But I'll stay here, thank you."

"I shall return after dinner and help transfigure some things. I can also have the house elves bring some things in to make it more comfortable. Let's see." Professor Dumbledore stroked his beard as he thought. "You will need a desk of course, some seating…perhaps some shelves?"

"Okay," Severus hugged his arms around himself.

"Would you like something to eat? I can have it brought here if you would prefer." The headmaster turned to the door, reaching for the knob.

"Yes, please." Severus nodded as he turned his back. He started at the sound of the door closing.

Finding himself alone he wandered into his bedroom and plopped face down onto the mattress. He lay there unmoving, trying not to think or feel until the sound of the house elves bringing him his dinner broke his concentration.

The headmaster had let him stay in his small private rooms for a few days, excusing him from meals and classes. On the fourth day he knew they would be leaving to attend his mother's funeral. He stood in his bathroom trying to look his best. That's where Professor Dumbledore found him when the time to leave was at hand.

They walked out of the castle and to the apparition point in silence. He was afraid if he spoke he would start sobbing again. Professor Dumbledore held out his hand to the boy, and he took it, slowly. In the blink of an eye they were gone.

He knew where they were immediately. They were in his backyard. The headmaster was walking up to the back door, leaving Severus to scramble to keep up with him. Professor Dumbledore reached up and rapped thrice upon the rotted wood.

As the creaking door opened, Severus cringed.

"What in the bloody hell do you think you're doing here?" Tobias shouted. He was drunk, drunk right before the funeral.

"I've brought young Severus to fetch his belongings before attending his mother's funeral." Professor Dumbledore replied as he pushed past Tobias with such ease he could have been pushing through tall wildflowers.

"You have some nerve you bastard!" Tobias stumbled a bit as he was attempting to shove his finger into Professor Dumbledore's face. "The crumbly old bastard what stole my only son coming in MY home and making demands?"

"Shut your drunken mouth you vile fool!" Professor Dumbledore had spun around and faced the man so quickly it caused Tobias to jump back and raise his arm in front of his face to prevent a strike from landing. Severus' eyebrows shot up. He had never seen his father so terrified. It was a pleasing feeling and it made him feel powerful. "You do not deserve the right to refer to that boy as your son. Is that understood?" Tobias nodded dumbly. "You will find a seat and sit there like the nasty little dog you are and you will not bother Severus as he packs his things. Is that understood?"

"Yes, s-s-sir." Tobias stuttered.

"Very well." Professor Dumbledore turned to address Severus who was staring at the man he had thought so very terrifying his entire life, who now appeared sad and pathetic. "Severus, go on and pack your things. Use your wand to shrink them down and put them in this bag." He pulled a small red velvet bag from his pocket and handed it to him. "If you want to take your mothers belongings, you may."

"Now wait just a minute!" Tobias cried out as she started to stand. Professor Dumbledore turned around looming over the now quivering drunk. "N-n-never mind, he can have anything he wants."

"Yes, I thought you would agree." Professor Dumbledore peered over his spectacles at Tobias before turning back to the boy. "Go on, Severus, make quick work of it."

"Yes, sir." Severus nodded before turning and sprinting from the room. He made his way to his bedroom first. He didn't have much to pack, some of his muggle clothing, a few books, and his blanket. Next he went into his parents' room. Seeing her few belongings atop the small table set his eyes to burning. He fought the urge and quickly took everything she had in there. There were a few pieces of jewelry and the photo albums. Pulling open the bottom drawer of her dresser he knocked away the false bottom and took her Hogwarts robe, her wand, and her school pictures. Finally he ran back down the stairs, all the way to the basement where an old trunk sat. Using his wand he blasted the lock free and lifted the heavy lid. Inside were all of her books from the Wizarding world. He took all of them. Standing for a moment he tried to think if there was anything else he wanted of hers. Then he remembered. With a sad smile he made his way back to the room where Professor Dumbledore and Tobias were.

"Did you get everything?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"There's just one more thing." Severus walked over to the small cupboard where his mother kept the cleaning supplies. Reaching all the way into the back he pulled out his mother's broom. "Okay. I have everything."

"Good riddance!" Tobias shouted. The headmaster did not address the man again. Instead he gently led Severus out of the house via the front door. It was time to go to the church.

He didn't want to be there. He couldn't fathom that the person he loved most in the world was lying lifeless in that shiny silver box covered with all colors of flowers. He wiped his eyes.

There were no other mourners, which hurt him deeper. Eileen was a kind and gentle woman. He couldn't fathom why more people didn't show to pay their respects. He didn't know his mother subscribed to any sort of religion, but she was being buried in the graveyard of a church. Severus didn't understand, and he honestly didn't care to.

Some rotund, bald man was droning on his words blurred to nonsense in Severus' head as he kept his eyes on his mother's coffin. When the man stopped speaking Severus looked up at Professor Dumbledore.

"Sir?" His lip was quivering, hot salty tears were splashed across his face.

"Yes, my boy?" He replied softly.

"Can we leave? I can't bear to see her put in the ground, sir." Severus' tears fell a bit harder at his declaration.

"Of course." Professor Dumbledore nodded. "Come…"

"One minute, please…"Severus turned and walked towards the coffin where he ran his hand along the cold metal. Leaning his face close to the box he whispered: "Good-bye, Mummy." He placed a kiss to that cold box before turning and making his way back to the headmaster.

"Let us go home." Professor Dumbledore put his arm about his shoulder and led him from the graveyard.

It wasn't a week later when he head news that his father had passed away. He fell down a flight of stairs, drunk, in a brothel.

He was glad.

But now, he truly was an orphan.

As he packed up his school things to head back to the Slytherin rooms he wondered what the future held for him. He knew one thing for sure, he had to grow up and be a good man. He promised his mother.