Perhaps sensing his need for a change of scenery, Eileen called Pinky and called for the hot chocolate to be sent to the upstairs study.

Although, really, the word "study" felt dreadfully inaccurate. Yes, there was a desk and shelves filled with books, but there also contained two long, dark couches, and upright, roomy chairs that, Severus noticed upon sitting on, were surprisingly comfortable for their sturdy appearance. Which made him wonder if every piece of furniture in this house was meant to be soft enough to fall asleep on? He'd have to find out as he spent more time there. Given the size, this could take days...

"Here is the hot chocolate, Miss Leeny and Master Severus!" the elf squeaked, bringing Severus out of his musings. "Pinky brought biscuits, in case you is hungry. But Pinky can take them away if you is not wanting them?"

"No, they look delicious. Thank you, Pinky," Eileen answered, kindly. "You may go back to bed. I don't think we will be needing anything else."

"If you is needing anything, Pinky is happy to serve!" the small elf insisted, making a curtsy before vanishing with a plop.

"She was always my favorite," Eileen said, with a light laugh. "I hadn't realized how much I missed her, or her me. House elves can get very attached to the families they serve, Severus, especially if they are treated with kindness."

"Not everyone does?" Severus asked.

Although he was fairly certain he knew the answer. Sirius had referred to elderly elves being beheaded and their heads mounted on the fireplace.

How barbaric.

"Unfortunately, no. But my parents always instilled in us the importance of being kind to our elves," she answered, taking a biscuit from the tray.

Then, rather slowly, his mum took a seat next to him, and lit the lamps (oil lamps, he knew, from the scent) with her wand. With another flick, she lit the fireplace, for which he was glad. Severus wore only his sleeping gown, and the room felt chilly.

All the same, he felt himself shivering, and willed himself to stop.

"Here, put this on," his mum lightly ordered, removing her blue dressing gown and wrapping it around Severus' shoulders before he could protest.

"Won't you be cold?"

"I've never gotten cold easily," she's explained, with a light laugh.

Severus nodded, but his attention focused on what was covering her. It wasn't as long as a shirt, as it ended below her shoulders, but extended to cover where her legs began. Up the front were a row of something that weren't quite buttons, as they were metal.

He'd seen glimpses of it before, this white garment that covered the top of her body. When Severus had slept beside his mother over the winter holidays, she'd kept it covered with a dressing gown, and on the occasion he'd seen her only partially dressed, he'd turned away. It wasn't decent, he knew, to see a grown woman without all of her clothes. Even his mother. The dressing gown covered most of her nightgown, and all of the white garment, so it was all right. But she was sitting next to Severus in just her nightgown and the white garment, whatever it was, and didn't think there was anything unusual about it, so Severus supposed he ought to take his cue from her.

"Sorry," he said, embarrassed.

His mum looked down at the white garment and laughed. "Oh! I suppose you've never seen my corset before."

He shook his head, unfamiliar with the term, then looked down at his hands. This felt as awkward as when his father had told him about sex..."Your...what?"

"I wear it under my robes, sweetie, and over my nightgown. Not all witches wear them over their nightgowns, I expect, but those with smaller waists do." At his blank stare, she explained further. "Muggles have mostly stopped wearing them by now, but witches of magical parentage still prefer them over...other undergarments." Now, she reddened just a bit. "In a year or so, many of your classmates will likely start wearing them. Not Lily Evans, I expect, but many others will."

"Oh." Severus looked up for a moment to find his mum sitting next to him. The garment was very tight-fitting, and he noticed for the first time just how small his mother's waist was. He could probably wrap both of his hands around it, with room to spare. White button like things lined up in front, except they weren't buttons. It certainly looked strange, quite unlike her loose robes. And his, too.

"D-does it hurt?" he had to ask.

His mum laughed, as though she'd been expecting the question.

"No." She put an arm around him. "Well, I admit that it did feel rather restrictive when I began to wear it, but that was ages ago. I was thirteen, then, and I have worn it ever since, except for the months I knew you were growing inside me." Eileen gave him a rather wistful smile. "It rather feels like a good, strong hug."

Severus smiled, glad she enjoyed wearing this garment...this corset. Of course, he supposed that she wouldn't wear it to sleep in if she didn't.

Eileen tucked some hair around his shoulders. "But that's not what's troubling you, is it, Sev?"

Severus wrapped the dressing gown closer around him, and his mother summoned a blanket and wrapped it around them both.

"I expect I miss school," he began. At her encouraging nod, he continued, "And my friends. My room is brilliant, Mum, it really is," he added, quickly. "It's only...I expect that it feels a bit...empty, as it's only me there."

"Lonely" was the correct word, but he didn't want to complain.

Eileen pulled him a bit closer to her, and Severus let his head rest on her shoulders. While she didn't say anything for a few minutes, Severus had a feeling it was because she was trying to find the right words to use.

"Do you know, I very much felt the same after my first year," she answered, finally. Her voice was softer than usual, almost sad. "At home, I had my own suite of rooms, even my own bathroom. As you know, my family was very well off, and after you reached a certain age, you were given more space to yourself than many adult wizards who lived on their own for the first time! All the same, I quickly became used to living with my fellow Slytherins, and didn't find it particularly difficult to share a space with them. The problem, as you may realize, was that I could hardly spend all year at school. When I came home, I missed them, but I also missed living with them."

Eileen squeezed Severus' shoulder. "I expect your friends miss you as well, honey."

A feeling of warmth spread over Severus.

"What did you do when you were home for the holidays?" he asked.

Severus knew that his mother had always returned home for Christmas and Easter. Well, except for one year, when she spent both holidays at Hogwarts, but that had been to see what the castle was like during those times.

He recalled her telling her with a laugh that she had a far better Christmas than Easter at Hogwarts.

"Convinced my younger sister to share a room with me." She smiled rather ruefully. "We weren't close, especially after I became a teenager, but it was certainly better than being lonesome."

Severus wondered if she had reconnected with her sister as well as her parents. Now didn't seem like the best time to ask.

"I can't do that, though," he said, instead.

"No," Eileen agreed. "But if you can't sleep and would like to chat, or just want some company, you can always come and talk to me. We can have hot chocolate and biscuits, too."

"I don't want to wake you up, Mum. Not for something silly like that."

"Oh, Sevvie." She took him into her arms. "It's hardly something silly! Besides, you will see them quite soon, and the loneliness does go away."

Severus knew the former was true, but was less convinced about the latter. All the same, it was a relief that she understood.

They finished their hot chocolate, and then Severus allowed his mother to tuck him into bed and card his hair until he fell asleep.

Author's note:

Short chapter, but I couldn't think of too much else to write without dragging it out. Anyway, I expect previous ones were long enough to make up for this!

Next up-a visit to the grandparents!