Don't blame me, love made me crazy
If it doesn't, you ain't doing it right
Lord, save me, my drug is my baby
I'd be using for the rest of my life
I've been breaking hearts a long time, and
Toyin' with them older guys
Just playthings for me to use
Something happened for the first time, in
The darkest little paradise
Shaking, pacing, I just need you
For you, I would cross the line
I would waste my time
I would lose my mind
They say she's gone too far this time
-Taylor Swift
Severus had never been a "kids" person, despite the fact he taught them for a living. Every once in a while, a great young mind entered his classroom and was tolerable, likeable even. Jamie wasn't much of a potionist, though she was quite clever even in his biased opinion.
He understood as much when Kingsley Shacklebolt approached him about giving the girl a lifeline this summer—a way to hide her face and regroup from the trauma of her sixth year of schooling. So yes, Jamie may not be the best assistant/apprentice he could hope to have, but she was his goddaughter and he loved her, and he knew she would be safe under his roof.
Perhaps he could get her to quit some of her more addictive habits in the meantime.
It was moments after Kingsley had left his office, shaking his hand warmly, off to check in with his family when another knock echoed off the door. Severus had just begun to fret about if he had the time in between finishing the last of his grading to pop home and dust off one his spare bedrooms when the knock startled him. Grumbling, he made his way to the door to throw it open.
"Ah, Severus, happy to have caught you," Albus Dumbledore stood, eyes twinkling with knowledge. Albus had this air about him, as if he could read your mind and knew things about yourself even you didn't know.
"Sir," Severus said stiffly. It was never a random visit with Albus, the man always had a reason and intent for dropping in. He held the door open without prompting, allowing his headmaster to enter and seat himself as he had many times before.
"I take it Kingsley has asked you if you would host Jamie for the summer," Albus said, not a question, but a broad statement.
"He discussed it with you, then?" Severus asked even though he already knew the answer.
"No." The old man replied idly, clasping his hands and breaking eye contact—his universal sign of shutting down that portion of the conversation. "I came to you because I wanted to point out three…situations, if you will."
"Situations," Severus raised an eyebrow and absently scratched as his chin. He needed a shave.
"Three students will be facing quite a deal of…personal growth and choice making this summer holiday," the old headmaster continued on. "They are at the cross-roads as we call it. Miss Shacklebolt is now ready to understand her role in everything and what her destiny in this impending war will be, just as Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter will be doing the same."
"You're not suggesting I invite the two boys for the summer as well, sir," Severus shook his head adamantly. "Sir, I will not be running a summer camp out of my home, I can assure you of that."
"No, Harry unfortunately needs to return to the home of his aunt and uncle," Albus replied ignoring the way Severus cringed at the mention of Lily's maternal family. "However, I understand you are familiar with young Draco."
"As his Head of House, yes," Severus frowned. "I also have encountered him frequently while meeting and dealing with Lucius, as you are aware."
"Yes, as my spy."
"And?"
"Draco has many decisions to make about his fate, his role, his life," Albus said. "He is impressionable and has been raised inside of a home quite tied to the Dark Lord. I for one, see potential within Draco, and I should like to see his intelligence and…morality put to better use. I'd like him to join you in your endeavors, Severus, for me."
"You want him to become your spy."
"Yes," he confirmed. "I want Draco to be given a choice without realizing he has to make one at all. Separation from his family during this integral time in his life and the opportunity to be steered in the right direction… why not this summer?"
"So, I'm to invite Draco to come to my home and what, subtly start bringing him along, making comments about the practicalities of choosing your side?"
"Precisely," Albus nodded. "As you know from my messages earlier, I am re-igniting The Order of The Phoenix. I need Jamie to become quite publicly involved, as you know, and I need Draco to be involved unbeknownst to the majority until it is the proper time."
"You already know that I'll accept this idea, don't you," Severus knew his face looked as if he were sucking a lemon as he processed the request (order). "What are you seeing that I am not? Shouldn't I have a say in all of this?"
"Severus, all I have ever done is ask you to trust in me, occasionally it includes trusting me blindly," the headmaster stood up, dismissing the conversation. "Now is the time for that."
"What reason do I give Draco and his family for inviting him to join me for the summer?" Severus stood up as well, utterly confused on how to invite a young boy to come stay with him for a whole summer without coming off as…well.
"You're a clever man, Severus, and a master of potions," Dumbledore said as he opened the door to Severus' office. "I know enough about Mr. Malfoy to know he receives absolutely outstanding marks in your class, surely you can think of something."
"Sir," Severus called out to his employer. "What do I do with both of them living under my roof? Won't they go at it like cats and dogs? The pair have never been friendly."
"On contrary, Severus," the man chuckled. "I should think both Jamie and Draco could benefit greatly from learning from each other about life and its many mysteries."
Severus was left behind as he processed what Dumbledore was telling him. Let the two young adults, still rather child-like, co-exist in his home while acting as pawns, neither the wiser?
Pawns, that is what they all were on Dumbledore's chess board. The man had been orchestrating and pulling the strings behind people and events for decades. To this day, Severus had the sense in the back of his mind, something he never spoke of, that Dumbledore had not seemed horribly surprised to learn Lily and James had been murdered. Severus knew there was a final grand finale the man was working things toward; he just didn't yet understand what it was or what it all meant.
"Damn it, now I have to find Draco," Severus grumbled as he made his way to the Slytherin common room.
To say things had been awkward was an understatement. Draco had somehow accepted his offer to study as apprentice this summer, under the pretense of assisting in restocking healing potions for both Hogwarts and St. Mungo's—a contract Snape had held for years and the source of his summer holiday income. Severus typically holed up in his basement laboratory in his dismal family home, chipping away at restocking the medical potions while also restocking his own school stores for the upcoming school year.
Spinners End was well…a home he had inherited for free, a place to sleep in the summertime…probably the only thing he really owned that would suggest he wasn't completely adrift. He rather preferred his office suite at the school, but it was the similar lonely existence at both residences.
The idea of spending the summer in the dirty, narrow shotgun home with two teenagers made his neck prickle. It was dismal, the entire neighborhood, endlessly grimy and bleak. He had enough sense to know these two teenagers did not need anything more dark or bleak in their lives.
It was with slight resignation that he apparated to the real estate office in Hogsmeade, making an inquiry to the summer homes that lined the far side of the Black Lake. Hogsmeade was a small remote village, rather touristy by trade, with lake front homes that were popular in the summertime for wizarding families to enjoy. He wasn't sure if he would call it luck, but within two hours he had the last set of keys to the last available lake house in his hands—having turned up just as a family was canceling their reservation.
The home in question was a small stone and plaster cottage, whitewashed from the sun, half-overgrown with rose bushes, creeping honeysuckle, and ivy that swept over the arch above the rounded front door, climbing the second story and towards the roof. The front garden, enclosed by a white picket fence, had nearly been overtaken by flora and fauna left to grow wild all spring.
He grudging had to admit it was a welcoming space, the gate made a gentle clicking sound as he pushed through it, winding his way up a small stepping-stone path, made more tricky due to the encroaching flowers and shrubs. The front step, shielded by a steeple overhang provided some relief from the sun, he could hear the lake water lapping against the shoreline behind the cottage.
Unlocking the door was no trouble, and inside he found a neat little living room, muted floral wallpaper, sage green painted bookshelves stuffed with books of all kinds, a white stone fireplace, and decorative, generic paintings and knick-knacks fit for a vacation home. The furniture were all covered by drop cloths to protect the fabric from dust and damage during the wintertime.
A small staircase led to the upstairs where there were two bedrooms and the only bathroom in the cottage. It was small, yet inviting and rather simple, a shell of a home perfect for living in for a few months. Back down the stairs and through a narrow hallway led to a little kitchen with a big picture window and glass paned French doors which gave a stunning view to the lake, glistening in the sun. In the distance, one could see Hogwarts castle.
A door in the corridor led down a small staircase to the cellar, which would be his lab for the summer. He was at least pleased to see narrow windows around the top of the walls, which allowed in natural sunlight, and the cellar door that led up to the backyard could be propped open to let in air as well.
Off the kitchen was a narrow sunroom that had been converted into a third sleeping quarters. A small twin bed pushed against one wall, a chest of drawers against the other, but which held nearly two walls of windows allowing beautiful views of the water and the scenery around the house.
In an attempt to be responsible, he had decided Jamie would sleep in the sunroom and he and Draco would take the upstairs, thus ensuring everyone was on their best behavior. From there, he apparated back to the school to bring his belongs back to the cottage before apparating to his dismal little home in Spinner's End, where he packed up in his laboratory into a single steamer trunk, charmed to hold a great capacity and not be heavy in the slightest.
He had watched both Jamie and Draco awkwardly linger behind at breakfast as the rest of the student body departed to return home for the summer. Draco kept shooting looks at Jamie, confused as to why she remained slumped at the Gryffindor table.
Severus called to her as he made his way out of the Great Hall, motioning for Draco to meet him as well.
"What are you doing still here," Draco frowned at her when they met at the giant doors to leave. The boy was trying to catch her eye, utterly confused, yet Severus had the sense to take note that the boy did not seem openly hostile to her either, like he had assumed he would be.
"Staying with S—Professor Snape for the summer," Jamie muttered, eyes red-rimmed, she scoffed the floor with the toe of her sneaker. "As his apprentice or something."
"As his apprent—" Draco flashed his gray eyes toward Severus, even more uncomfortable. "What gives? You invited both of us to help you this summer?"
"So it appears, Mr. Malfoy," Severus found himself sneering before he could catch himself. Jamie shot him a look and he forced himself to soften his tone. "I invited you, Mr. Malfoy, because you have an outstanding ability for potions and I see great potential in a career as potion master in your future."
"And her?" Again, Draco seemed to be trying to catch Jamie's attention long enough for her to make eye contact with him, studying her curiously. Jamie however, was sullen, seemingly uninterested in explaining anything to the boy.
"I invited her because…" he grasped for a believable explanation. It was no secret the girl didn't do the best in school, something even the likes of Draco Malfoy would be aware of.
"Because he's my godfather," Jamie announced, filling in the silence with a hoarse voice. She glanced up at Draco from beneath her eyelashes, typically a motion of flirting, yet it only made her look vulnerable…defeated.
"Well," Draco seemed to be mulling over the revelation. "I guess it's safe to presume you aren't Potter's godfather, seeing as you hate him and all."
Severus sputtered yet he was more caught off guard by the sharp barking laugh that escaped Jamie's lips, the familiar light of her old self flashing in her hazel eyes before it died down once more.
"Come, your belongings are waiting for you by the doors, we can shrink them, we only have a small walk," Severus instructed them. He had already owled the Malfoy's and Shacklebolt's to let them know of the residence change under the pretense they would be working up at the school often, with the opportunity to assist other professors as well.