If he would have known a month prior how quickly he settled into life living with two teenagers, he would have laughed. There was an ease in which they all moved about their day and evenings—he didn't dare comment aloud on it for fear the bubble would burst.
It was late afternoon, a month into their time at the lake house and Severus was trying to soak it all in. Jamie was here, she was starting to show more and more signs of her old self, she was busy and involved and trying. He also wouldn't be lying if he didn't acknowledge the three of them had put on weight, thanks to— as Draco would describe it: "Jamie going full Weasley".
He knew this period of pleasantness would soon burst, Dumbledore was due soon to come calling, escorting Jamie into events and situations that would be difficult. A lot was to be asked of Jamie, Severus had gathered that much. He knew it was not only him, but Kingsley and Guinevere, who were trying to prolong her innocence as a teenager for only a little longer.
Severus breathed a deep sigh as he stood in the humble kitchen Jamie had taken over, sipping the tepid cup of tea that he had left waiting for him for too long. Jamie had left it for him when he had told her he would be late for lunch, but that was hours ago.
He could hear voices in the backyard, and he cast his eyes out the window that hung over the sink, onto the back lawn that led down to the lake. A small wooden dock jutted out over the water and he could see two figures sitting, facing each other, and talking quietly.
The cottage had been a shell, impersonal, a black canvas when they had arrived. However, when Jamie, and Draco settled in, he had been shocked by the changes of having two other bodies in the home.
A tidy little potted Aloe Vera plant sat on the windowsill catching sunlight. A bowl was always full of fruit on the small slightly-scratched kitchen table, a litany of colorful notes left stuck to the front of the refrigerator, muck boots and brooms left by the back door.
His days were never too quiet, never too tidy, yet somehow, he found himself happier…well, more content, than he had been in maybe all of his life— he felt a great deal of tension that came with his usual solitary life easing from his shoulders. He wouldn't yet call the pair of teenagers that lived "under his roof" friends, yet, but they were slowly heading that way, which also worried him. Jamie and Draco were still unsure of each other, hesitantly getting to know each other while still clashing heads every so often.
Draco truly had an aptitude for brewing, and he spent many long hours with Severus working alongside him, learning the craft. Severus had every intention of taking the boy on as his full-time apprentice when he completed school.
Even Draco seemed lighter, in this new home, away from the impending war and his stifling father. Draco was beginning to laugh and joke around, his usual hautiness had withered away almost completely, and he watched Draco slowly gain some color, and some life. His pale complexion was no longer so sallow, his perfectly coifed hair was rumpled and growing long from the absence of his parents nagging and standards, and his hands were calloused from ingredient grinding and stirring. Draco looked like an actual teenaged young man, one who was allowed to actually have fun and be himself.
A routine had been established, Jamie would rise and make breakfast for the three of them, grumbling and sipping entirely too sugary sweet cups of coffee, her hair braided and pinned up on her head with a bandana, barefoot in his kitchen. She would grouse to herself as she flipped bacon or prodded at sausage, the wireless on the counter warbling out the news.
Draco, the morning person, would lean back, slouched and tilting his chair, smirking at her as he drank his juice, whistling, while he waited for food. Severus would be silent, flicking through The Prophet, muttering about the tremendous amount of idiots allowed into society, and Jamie would snicker in agreement. They would tuck into their meals, and Draco would wait for the other two to hit their quota of cupa's to be a little less hostile. Jamie needed two, Severus needed at least four.
Afterwards, if it wasn't the weekend, he and Draco would review what they were working on that day. Jamie would take note and check the records she kept of the potion and ingredient stores, and evaluate what she would need to collect from the gardens or what she needed to go shop for. Jamie occasionally brewed with them under the guise that she was there to learn and work, and she was very competent in her abilities, but preferred to be constantly moving and working on new things.
Jamie enjoyed keeping the stores and working in the garden for hours every day, walking to Hogsmeade for new groceries or necessities daily, and that was fine enough with Severus.
Severus had only simple rules: they could not sleep the summer away and they had to be productive. Everything else seemed sort of common sense. He knew better than to push the two of them too hard, Draco was at an integral part of his life, quite literally choosing sides, and Severus found himself wanting to look out for the boy.
Jamie was reeling from the events of the past year, or really, the events of her life. The girl still kept odd hours, she stayed up late and suffered from nightmares, but squeezed in a nap at some point in the afternoon or early evening, and she was slowly starting to look and act healthy.
She teased and argued mostly good-naturedly with Draco, kept up conversation with Severus and retained correspondence with her parents, cousins, and brother. He couldn't really request more from her—she was trying.
Jamie had never tried at much, but he watched her tackle the weedy overrun gardens with vigor, watched her grow and plan and cultivate the plants and ingredient stores, meal plan and stock the kitchen and look after the two of them. He knew she was just catching her breath.
He didn't make them work on the weekends, even though he still often brewed on his own, and it was on days like that where he would resurface from his basement lab and look out into the garden or out onto the lake to see the two of them semi-reluctantly spending time together.
He didn't think their friendship, if it got off the ground, could last, truthfully. Dumbledore was due to collect Jamie shortly and she would soon be busy. Tonight, he was expected to talk with Draco about what it meant to be a double agent.
Jamie was returning to school for her seventh year, and Draco was still on his fifth. The two were vastly different, the only thing in common was their summer circumstances.
"Family living looks good on you, Severus," a voice shook him out of his thoughts. He turned to see Albus watching him from the doorway of the kitchen.
"Glorified babysitting," he corrected the old man, turning away from the window. "Anyway, it won't last long, will it?"
"Severus, there's no need to put up a front for me," Albus sat himself down at the kitchen table, gazing out of the French doors to where the two teenagers sat talking. "It's quite obvious you've become attached to both of them."
"I'm just doing what you've asked of me," Severus occupied himself with starting a new pot of tea on the stove so he could hide his face.
"And you've done well so far," Albus chuckled. "As you know, Jamie will be accompanying me to the meeting tonight. Her parents will be there, so I would not be surprised if she is out late catching up with them."
"Of course," Severus shrugged his shoulders.
"You understand what you need to discuss with Draco?"
"I'm to talk to him about the power of choice, and the greater good, and human morality and whatnot," Severus remarked, a slight sneer in his voice at being instructed like a child.
"And whatnot," Dumbledore agreed coolly, taking the cup of tea Severus offered him. "Perhaps you should fetch Jamie and give her time to prepare?"
Severus took the hint and left the old headmaster in the kitchen, shutting the French doors behind him. He strode across the grass, fighting the feeling of dread in his stomach. This was it, then? The bubble was popping. Jamie was a pawn once more, and soon Draco would be as well.
"Hey," Jamie smiled warmly at him, shifting her weight back onto her palms. The sun was warming her skin, leaving it slightly tanned, a spattering of freckles drawing out across her nose.
"I'm sorry to interrupt," he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Professor Dumbledore is here, Jamie, he is collecting you for the evening…he needs to take you to a meeting and tell you some things."
He watched her falter, her smile fading, noticed how Draco straightened up as well, looking from Severus to Jamie and back again.
"When will I be back?"
"I assume very late, but you needn't worry as your parents will be there with you," he assured her. "You may very well end up wanting to stay with them for the night, or a few days."'
He didn't say, 'you may very well decide to just go home for the rest of the summer'.
"But I can come back, right," he was a little concerned about the tone of worry in her voice. He motioned for her to get up and follow him so they could talk privately.
"Draco, hang out for a while, I thought you and I could stop for dinner at The Three Broomsticks tonight," he called to his student. The boy nodded easily, yet his eyes stayed glued to Jamie, a look of concern on his face.
"Everything okay?" Severus asked Jamie once they were making the trek back toward the house. He stopped them under an oak tree, in the shade, and slightly out of sight of prying eyes inside.
"I miss my parents and want to spend time with them, but I'm not ready to go back to…how things were before," she admitted, looking incredibly young.
"You're always welcome here, well, anywhere that I happen to be calling home," he assured her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I mean it, Jamie, as your godfather I want you to know you always have a safe place."
"I know," she gave a tiny, sad smile. "These last few weeks were really good, weren't they? I have a feeling…well, things are going to change again."
"I can't be certain, but it would seem so," he sighed.
"Is there anything I need to worry about for tonight?"
"Worry…no, I don't think so," he lowered his voice. "Jamie…I can't say for certain what will be asked of you, but I want you to remember something, alright? Listen very carefully to me: you are your own person, and you are not responsible for saving everyone and doing everything just because people say you need to do it. Remember that. Do things because you feel in your gut it is right, and only because you want to. Do you understand what I mean?"
"Don't let Dumbledore try to guilt me like Harry," Jamie muttered, narrowing her eyes. Severus nodded, feeling slightly proud the old man hadn't been able to fool his goddaughter.
"Severus—" she called out quietly as he turned to lead her back to the house. "Can we trust him…Professor Dumbledore, I mean?"
He sighed slowly.
"Professor Dumbledore generally has everyone's best interests at heart, the man sees things we don't always see. I should think as long as you have your wits about you, you should be alright. You know I, myself, and your parents will be looking out for you as well."
Jamie seemed to think that over before following him inside. She greeted her headmaster politely and excused herself to change and clean up for the meeting.
Her mind was whirling as she took down her hair from the bandana she had been wearing, letting it fall in glossy waves around her face, barely skimming her shoulders. She had tanned in the weeks of working outside in the gardens and laying about the dock and lake.
She seemed healthier, looked better…even though her eyes didn't look like her own yet. They were dark, sad…still haunted.
Her mum had sent her a cotton navy dress, cap sleeved, with a modest neckline. The hemline stopped at the top of her knees, a soft navy belt fastened by a small buckle. A pair of matching navy ballet flats was included. Whatever the meeting was, Guin was sticking her in the outfit usually reserved for Sunday tea with Aunt Muriel… when she needed to make a good impression.
Last year, Jamie would have pushed back, sneaking little rebellious accessories or drawing her eye makeup on too thick. Now, she didn't have the time to poke at her poor mum. She left her face bare, save for some mascara and gloss to her slightly sun-chapped lips.
Her nails were dirty from constantly working outside, a quick charm had them cleaned and painted with a slightly lighter blue to hide what was stuck on.
She pushed open the door of her tiny bedroom, Dumbledore and Severus lifting their heads to look at her.
"Jamie, you look very nice," Dumbledore nodded approvingly. Severus nodded, trying not to look too uneasy.
"When do we leave?" She asked calmly, tucking her wand in the hidden pocket sew into the side of her skirt.
"We best be off now," Dumbledore stood. "We're just a quick walk out front and a trip of side by side apparition, dear, and we'll be at our destination."
"Okay," she sent Severus one last hesitant look, following Dumbledore out of the cottage and into the evening air.