Now that they were outside of his memories, Eileen regarded him differently than before.
His mother solemnly returned his wand. Instead of going back to her original position, she leaned further over and embraced him.
He thought about squirming away as he most definitely would have at sixteen, but resolved to letting her hold him...just a little.
"I'm so sorry, Severus."
He had a bad feeling about where this was going. "Whatever for?"
She let out a small sob. "Everything."
And there went his patience.
He slid away from her, returning to his end of the couch. He did not look at her and grabbed his plate. "I do not want your pity or your tears, Mother, you wanted to know what happened, so I showed you."
He finished the remainder of his lunch in a few bites.
"Severus."
He stood.
"Severus, look at me."
He sighed in exasperation, but did as she asked. There was no sign of emotion on her face, which was a relief.
"Thank you, for letting me know of your previous life."
He fidgeted uncomfortably. "Well...thank you for believing me."
She looked just as uncomfortable as he felt. "Do-...Should-...I don't even…Severus, you're the same age as I am, but you're only physically sixteen."
"I'm aware, it's tedious." He grumbled. "Now, if you would please excuse me, I have some notes to go over before supper."
Severus spent the rest of the afternoon and evening in his room, pondering his notes and theories.
He had a few ideas about modifications for the potion, though he would have to test them. He wondered how a certain classmate of his would feel about being a test subject once he got his hands on the materials needed.
It was about time to start helping with dinner when there was a soft rapping on his door, though he was too absorbed in his notes to notice the time...or his surroundings.
The boggart thunked in response.
"Enter." He said in a tone implying his visitor was a student interrupting him outside his office.
Eileen pushed the door open and poked her face in. "I thought you were going to get rid of that thing?"
"I said enter, not linger in the doorway." He snapped, belatedly realizing he was speaking to his mother.
Severus turned to see her enter swiftly and slam the door, an eyebrow raised.
The boggart thunked again.
"My apologies, I was distracted…"
She exhaled in annoyance and crossed her arms.
He gave her a pleading look. "Forgive me for being rude?"
"Perhaps." His mother's scowl relaxed a bit and she gestured towards his notebook. "Homework?"
"N-no, research...of sorts."
"On boggarts?"
"Werewolves, actually." He stood. "I assume you are here to recruit my assistance?"
"Yes, after you get rid of the owl in the kitchen."
He paused. "What?"
She swept out of the room without giving him an explanation.
He trailed after her, curious who had written to him this early in the summer.
Upon reaching the kitchen, he noticed his mother was nursing a cut on her finger, likely from the bird.
He did not recognize the owl perched on the back of his father's chair. Severus approached the moody dark feathered beast cautiously.
"How did you it get in?" He wondered aloud.
It cocked its head in response and nipped at his fingers when he made to remove the letter from its possession. Severus retrieved a small piece of meat from the leftovers still in the fridge to offer it.
It then loitered after he relieved it of its burden, surely waiting for a reply.
Bollocks.
Having left his wand upstairs, he tapped a charm with his finger to check for any unfriendly magic attached to the letter. The scrawl of his name on it was familiar, but he did not recognize it immediately.
Who in Merlin's name…?
Severus flipped it over and tore open the envelope. Unfolding the parchment, it read:
S. T. Snape,
I hope my letter finds you well. Did you manage to get hired to start your 'cloak fund?'
I have found myself incredibly bored this summer and it has barely begun. Mulciber is still not talking to me, and I have no desire to be considered 'annoying' by our older peers by attempting to correspond with them casually. I do, however, find myself curious about what we discussed before school ended. Might I request to stay with you for a few days? Whenever it is convenient of course, I do not wish to impose. Tenebra has been told to wait for your reply, since I know you do not have an owl.
I eagerly await your response,
L. B. Avery
Severus scoffed at the semi-formality of the letter. Purebloods.
"Who is it from?" Eileen asked.
"Leland Avery. He has asked to spend a few days here..."
"That is one of your dorm-mates?"
"Yes."
"Doesn't he become a death eater?"
"In another life, not necessarily this one."
His mother seemed to ponder the idea. "You wish to invite him, then?"
"Yes...I suppose I should ask your permission?"
"I believe we have come to a mutual understanding. Asking permission is for children."
"I appreciate that...more than you know."
"However, you will still need to ask your father."
Bugger. "Very well…"
Tobias might be an obstacle, but he could be persuaded somehow.
Severus continued. "The time is up to my discretion, I can set it up for a few weeks from now after I get my first paycheck. You and father won't have to worry about us emptying the cupboards or being underfoot. We can spend most of our time either out of the house or in my room."
Her scowl returned with a vengeance. "I won't show poor hospitality to a guest."
"Then I shall at least help with the groceries for the temporary extra mouth."
She stiffly nodded her agreement. "Very well. You know the rules, I expect your friend to follow them as well."
"Yes, mum."
For whatever reason she flinched when he called her 'mum.'
Avery was curious about muggles. So long as he didn't hex any for sport during his stay (as Mulciber certainly would) he could sate his curiosity. In the meantime, Severus could pull him in closer, especially since Mulciber was still being a prat.
Actually…
Severus snatched a blank parchment from the living room and quickly scratched a reply.
L. B. Avery,
I am delighted at your letter, though unfortunately not the time if it's arrival. This is no fault of yours, I am simply overwhelmingly busy since the end of term. Adding a work schedule between my projects and also readjusting to living among muggles has been quite the chore.
The Snape's would gladly host you in our home a few weeks from now once everything settles back into a routine. How does the last Friday of the month, the 25th, sound? You could arrive at your leisure, (I get off work at noon) then spend the weekend. Muggle clothes are recommended unless you want to be gawked at by the entirety of the town. If you have any desire to purchase a muggle artefact, I also recommend a trip to Gringotts.
I look forward to your visit,
S. T. Snape
P.S. If you wish to pass it along, I extend my invitation to Mulciber.
There, that should do it.
Mulciber definitely won't make an appearance. Even if he began talking to Avery again, he thought himself above being in the vicinity of muggles for an extended period of time.
After a quick readthrough to make sure he didn't miss any words in his haste, he stuffed it in an envelope, wrote 'Avery' on the front and held it out to the owl along with another piece of meat from the fridge.
She gingerly took the treat first, swallowed it whole then positioned the letter in her beak. Severus scratched her gently then opened the back door for her.
Eileen watched the whole encounter while holding her damaged finger.
"I don't like that owl." She said.
