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Title: Helping Out The Evans
Summer vacation seemed to vanish before Severus's eyes, relaxing in the mornings before the girls awoke, playing with the cat and board games or even going to the park during the day and then spending the evenings winding down before bed with various activities. Severus couldn't believe how fast summer had disappeared.
Severus heard from Hogwarts one sunny morning about a month before they were due to go back to Hogwarts. He went down to breakfast to find Mr and Mrs Evans already sitting at the kitchen table.
'Good morning dear' Mrs Evans said
'Good morning Mrs Evans' Severus said, covering his yawn with his hand grabbing out a bowl, spoon, milk and cereal. Seating himself at the table Severus reminisced about how different he acted since the start of the holidays.
When he first started living with the Evans' Severus was unsure about how to act around them and making sure to ask permission before he grabbed anything, but now having lived with Mr and Mrs Evans for the Entire summer and after several reassurances that he should feel free to make himself at home it was finally sinking in that Mr and Mrs Evans wouldn't treat him badly even when he was alone with them. It was in the mornings from 6 am until around 7:30 am, Severus would find himself alone with Mr and Mrs Evans free from the over exuberance and confusion of the four Evans' girls, as they were definitely not early risers.
When Severus was about halfway through eating his breakfast, Petunia came into the kitchen still in her pyjamas, she was almost always the first of girls to wake and thankfully just as quiet as Severus was in the mornings. By the time Severus had finished his breakfast and washed up his dish Lily, Rose and Tansy had all made their way to the kitchen and started to sleepily consume their breakfast.
Butterscotch bounded into the kitchen looking for her food. Severus saw that all four girls were busy, so he refilled her water bowl and placed a mixture of dry and wet food into her food bowl. Butterscotch rubbed against his legs as if to thank him and devoured her breakfast with gusto.
Five owls bearing Hogwarts tags on their legs glided in through the back window to land on the kitchen counter. Identical envelopes of yellowish parchment, addressed in green ink were clutched in their beaks.
'Letters from school' Mr Evans said to the girls who had barely raised their eyes from the table, passing out the identical envelopes to the child it was addressed to as he walked out of the kitchen to get ready for work.
For a few minutes, there was silence as the five of them read their letters:
Hogwarts Express
Kings Cross to Hogsmeade Station
Platform 9 ¾
1st of September - 11 o'clock am
Rules & regulations on the Hogwarts Express are consistent with those at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry and authorised by the Ministry of Magic.
There was also a list of the new books Severus would need for the coming year.
SECOND-YEAR STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE:
The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 by Miranda Goshawk
Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard
Book of Spells by Miranda Goshawk
Severus guessed that the books he used last year would be re-used this year for the other classes since it was such a short list. Even then Severus wouldn't need to buy any new school books because the ones his mother had were the same ones he needed and they were in excellent condition. That was until he got his hands on them. Lily and Petunia had been horrified when they had caught a glance at all of the notes he had scribbled into the margins of his books, especially his potions book. Throughout the year at Hogwarts, Severus had many ideas popping into his head on ways to improve upon the potion recipes in the book. His potions book was now filled to the brim with his spidery scrawling writing; he had even gone so far as to write down alternative instructions on the recipe itself.
'It doesn't look like we need many things for our second year Sev' Lily commented 'How about you Petunia?'
'The only new books I need for my core subjects are; The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 3 by Miranda Goshawk for charms, Intermediate Transfiguration by Emeric Switch for Transfiguration and Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard for defence, the books for my electives are Numerology and Grammatica by L. Wakefield; and M. Carneiro for Arithmancy and Spellman's Syllabary by Rosana Amorim, Ancient Runes Made Easy by Laurenzoo and Rune Dictionary by Merge Publications for Ancient Runes and the teacher is more than happy for us to use Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander for Care of Magical Creatures'
'Three books just for one subject that's a bit much!' Lily exclaimed horrified
Severus listened with dismay; it didn't sound like she would be enthusiastic to take the class that he was looking forward to the most after Potions.
'They are all very necessary' Petunia said defending the subject. 'Mother? When do you think we will be able to go to Diagon Alley to get everything?'
'Well, I think it will be best to wait until your father has a day off.' Mrs Evans said, gesturing to Mr Evans who had just walked back into the room in his uniform to bid everyone a good day.
'Thank you, love, I do feel a lot better when I am there to help you out with the pile of shopping you will undoubtedly be weighed down with. I'll let you know tonight when my next rostered day off is' Mr Evans replied kissing his wife and daughters goodbye as he headed off to work
'Petunia since you have grown this year we will get you a new uniform from Madam Malkin's and if you would be so kind as to pass along your copy of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration to one of the twins I would be most grateful. Lily, you can have Petunia's old uniform and her Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2, and can you give Rose your Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 and Tansy your Magical Theory book, I would be most grateful. We will have to figure out which one of the twins will best fit your old uniform Lily and then we'll hopefully be able to pick up a lot of the twin's other things second-hand including another uniform' Mrs Evans said hopefully, but she still looked a little worried.
Severus felt a bit awkward up until last year, Severus had been poor but stored in an underground vault at Gringotts in London was a small fortune that his mother had left him. Of course, it was only in the wizarding world that he had money; you couldn't use Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts in Muggle shops. His mother had told him to never mention the Prince bank account to his father; she didn't think his father's horror of anything connected with magic would stretch to a large pile of gold. Since the Evans had been so kind as to invite him into their home perhaps Severus could now repay their kindness.
'Tansy can borrow my Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 and Rose can have my Magical Theory book' Severus found himself saying, 'and I also grew a fair bit since my first year so if you wanted to you can have my small work robes, grey jumpers and winter cloaks. I even bought a pack of name tags from Madam Malkin's just in case, so if you want you can use mine to relabel everyone's clothes.'
Mrs Evans beamed in delight 'Severus dear, you're such a sweet and loving boy' walking over to him she enveloped him in her embrace. 'There is no need for your name tags dear, we have loads of those since they were only five Sickles a pack, but everything else would be lovely.'
Diagon Alley
Mrs Evans woke them all early the following Friday, after a quick breakfast of eggs on toast they all piled into the car. Being driven to the Leaky Cauldron by the Evans' was far more relaxing than taking the Knight Bus like he had done the previous year. Severus was currently in the back seats along with Petunia, Lily, Rose and Tansy while Mrs Evans was driving with Mr Evans in the passenger seat.
'I can hardly wait for my new elective classes this year' Petunia said excitedly
'Are you sure taking three extra classes won't be too much for you Princess?' Mr Evans asked worriedly
'It should be fine' Petunia said worrying her bottom lip, 'but if it does get to be too much I can always drop one of my classes'
'Alright, but just make sure to let your head of house know if you're having any trouble.' Mr Evans said
'Of course father'
The rest of the car ride was spent with Severus listening to the four girls chattering between themselves. Luck was on their side as they found a car park not too far from the Leaky Cauldron. Stepping through the archway was like coming home, Severus breathed in deep and they walked down the Alley. The colourful, glittering window displays of spell books, potion ingredients, and cauldrons were gleaming in the summer sun.
Severus watched amusingly as the girls skipped and bounced all the way up the street and bounded up the steps to Gringotts.
'Come on!' Lily called impatiently, her thick red hair flying behind her as she rushed everyone into the bank and up to a free Goblin sitting at the counter that ran all along the great marble hall.
'I will meet you back here,' Severus said to the Evans as he was led off to his underground vault by another Gringotts goblin
The vaults were reached utilizing small, goblin-driven carts that sped along miniature train tracks through the bank's underground tunnels. Severus enjoyed the breakneck journey down to his vault. When it was opened, there was a pile of silver Sickles and Gold Galleons inside, he put enough coins into a leather bag for everything he needed.
Back in the marble hall Severus re-joined the Evans'
'Madam Malkin's first for Petunia and Severus' Mrs Evans said consulting her list.
Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.
'Good morning Miss Evans, new robes again?' she asked Petunia, Petunia nodded. 'Yes, Madam Malkin, our old uniforms are going to Lily, Rose and Tansy. Severus is even lending them his work robes, grey jumpers and winter cloaks.'
'I take it your Severus, dear?' Madam Malkin asked Severus, who also nodded. She led them to the back of the shop where there were two footstools on the floor.
'It shouldn't take too long.' Madam Malkin said to Petunia standing her on the first stool.
Another witch came out, led Severus over to the second stool, slipped a long robe over his head and began to pin it to the right length.
While Severus and Petunia were getting fitted, Mrs Evans took Rose and Tansy to get them dragonhide gloves, a black pointed hat and two plain ties that would change into the house they would be sorted into. The fittings didn't take long and soon they were back out in Diagon Alley.
They stopped into Scribbulus Writing Implements to collect quills, ink and parchment. Lily used her extra pocket money to buy a bottle of ink that changed colour as you wrote.
They bought their books at Flourish and Blotts. The shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books with runes and even a few with nothing in them at all.
As Petunia walked around the shop getting her Third-Year spell books, Severus quickly purchased Curses and Counter-Curses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying, and much, much more) By Professor Vindictus Viridian, while Mr Evans went to the Second-Hand Bookshop and collected the rest of Rose and Tansy's First-year books that couldn't be passed down from Severus and Lily.
From Potage's Cauldron Shop Rose and Tansy each got a size two pewter cauldron and a mortar and pestle.
At Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment, the twins each got a nice set of brass scales, a collapsible brass telescope, star charts for Astronomy, a set of glass phials for potions and two new trunks.
Then they visited Slug & Jiggers Apothecary, which Severus still loved, he helped the Evans' stock up on all the best ingredients for their potions kits. Remembering all the extra brewing he had done last year Severus got himself a few extra ingredients.
Lastly was the wand shop, it looked narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders': Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window. A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they all walked into the shop. It was a tiny place, with the entrance kept empty except for a single spindly chair, a counter and a cash register. Severus looked at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling.
'Good afternoon,' said a soft voice. They jumped in fright, again. Severus narrowed his eyes, it was almost like Mr Ollivander deliberately scared his customers.
'Good afternoon.' Said Lily now beaming at the man
'What an exceptional family you have to be blessed with four witches.0 Now let's begin shall we who's first?' Mr Ollivander asked
'I'm Rose' Rose said stepped forward to go first 'and I'm Left-handed sir' she added
'Hold out your arm. That's it.' He measured Rose from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and around her head. As he measured, he said.
'Miss Petunia and Lily Evans and Mr Snape already know all this but I do like to tell all of the new First-Years about wands.' Mr Ollivander said before he launched into the exact same speech Severus had heard last year.
'Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, we use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand. Lest you beat him in a duel. But you are far too young for that.' Mr Ollivander was now flitting around the shelves taking down boxes as the tape measure was measuring all on its own.
'Right then, Miss Rose Evans. Try this one. Hornbeam and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quiet firm. Just take it and give it a wave.' Rose took the wand, waved it around a bit but Mr Ollivander snatched it out of her hand almost at once.
'Beechwood and unicorn hair. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Try –'
Rose tried but she had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched away by Mr Ollivander
'No, no – here, Ebony and dragon heartstring, ten inches, quite firm. Go on, try it out.'
Rose tried and tried. Finally, on the fifteenth try, Ollivander handed her a wand.
'Laurel with a Unicorn Hair core, 11 inches, quite supple.'
As soon as Rose touched the wand she smiled a radiant smile. She raised it above her head and brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of pink sparks shot out of the end like fireworks.
'Oh! Bravo, Miss Evans, Bravo, now let's see what match we can find for your sister.' He put Rose's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper.
'Your wand arm Miss Evans?' He asked Tansy.
'Right-handed sir.' she said, holding up her arm.
Mr Ollivander nodded happily, pulling boxes and boxes off the shelves, while his tape measure flitted around and measured all the possible measurements on Tansy.
'That's enough now,' Said Mr Ollivander handing Tansy her first wand. The tape measure clunked to the floor.
Tansy tried but the wand was almost immediately taken out of her hands. She tried and she tried the pile of tried wands, they were growing higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Mr Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become. Severus had noticed that Mr Ollivander seemed to love tricky customers; the pile of discarded wands looked to be even bigger than his pile had been. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Mr Ollivander presented Tansy with something that looked quite like Severus' own wand.
Tansy took the wand, it sat there peacefully, she raised the wand above her head, brought it swishing down and a stream of silver sparks shot from the end like fireworks, throwing dancing spots of light onto the walls.
'Oh bravo! Very good. Black Walnut, Quiet rare, 12 and ¾ inches with a Dragon Heartstring core, Unyielding Flexibility. Quiet the stubborn little girl aren't you?' Mr Ollivander said, placing it back into its box and wrapping it up. Tansy looked ecstatic. They paid seven gold Galleons for each of their wands and Mr Ollivander bowed them from his shop.
The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky as they made their way back down Diagon Alley, back through the wall, back to the Leaky Cauldron which was now empty except for the bartender who waved as they walked out onto Charing Cross Road. They crammed all the shopping into the boot of the van and set off. The ride back home was quieter than the ride into the city. As Mr and Mrs Evans' let them indulge in a special take away dinner since it was so late at night. Severus didn't realise how tired he was after his dinner until he felt someone gently shaking him awake.
'Alright, there son?' Mr Evans' kind face looked down at him. Severus nodded sleepily looking around. They were already back at the Evans' house. Severus slowly climbed out of the van. Since Severus didn't have too many things to carry, Severus helped Mr Evans carry Rose and then Tansy trunks from the boot of the van.
'Thank you for your help Sev.' Tansy said after he had placed her trunk at the end of her Lilac covered bed. 'I already took your shopping to the attic for you so you don't need to go back down to the van.'
'Thank you for your help, Tansy,' Severus said, hugging her in gratitude. Trudging up to the attic Severus meticulously and lovingly packed all of his supplies away into his Hogwarts Trunk. Getting ready for bed after a long and exhausting day Severus could barely make it under his covers before he succumbed to sleep.