Chapter Two: Padfoot and Knarl
Severus awoke slowly, feeling slightly disoriented. Where was he? He smiled slightly as he remembered the last night's flight through the window, onto the Knight Bus, and to the Leaky Cauldron.
Sitting up, he surveyed his surroundings. He had been too tired to look around the room when he had arrived, and now was his chance.
The room was nice, nicer than Severus's room at home. The bed had been very comfortable; he could tell that without looking at it. There was some nice oak furniture and a mirror that said "Good morning" when he looked at it. Sable was perched on the dresser. He was looking down at Severus with interest.
"Oh, go catch some mice or something," Severus said.
Seemingly taking Severus's advice, Sable flapped her wings a few times then flew out the open window.
The open window reminded Severus about the part of last night's escape that he didn't want to think about. The fact that he had run away. The fact that his father would be trying to find him.
He didn't want to be found.
He had told no one his name, but... In a flash, Severus realized just how stupid he had been to tell Austin Shunpike that his name was Artemis Snape. His father would ask if there had been a Severus Snape on the Knight Bus recently. Austin would reply with "No, but there was an Artemis Snape." The real Artemis Snape would know right away that it had been his son.
How had he been so stupid?
But it didn't matter now. What had happened had happened. Severus pulled himself out of bed. Sunlight was streaming through the window, illuminating the dust in the air so that it seemed there were great shafts of light pouring down from the heavens.
Having fallen asleep still wearing his clothes, he was already dressed and ready to go. He contemplated taking out the letter from Hogwarts, but he had only just arrived. He didn't have to go shopping for school supplies just yet. He would have himself a look around first.
Or rather, he would have breakfast first and then look around.
Severus had been so caught up in the excitement of all that had happened that he hadn't realized just how hungry he was. He had never eaten much at home; he preferred to get away from the table-away from his father soon as possible.
Still, it had been hours since he had last eaten. His stomach grumbled audibly as he made his way to breakfast. He wasn't completely sure where he was supposed to get breakfast, but certainly someone would know. In any case, it couldn't hurt to ask.
The man with the missing teeth-- whose name was Tom-- pointed him in the direction of Diagon Alley, where he would be able to find breakfast. He checked his pocket, just to make sure the money was still there. Of course it was.
Severus squinted as he stepped into the bright sunlight. He must have slept late, the sun was high. It must have been about noon or later, and he was very hungry. Before he went shopping, he'd have to get some lunch.
He wandered along the high street, eyes wide. The windows of Diagon Alley sparkled and glittered in the fall sunlight, and he could tell he looked out of place; drab and small and pale among all the people and bustle and light.
And there certainly was a lot of bustle and light. Shops lined the Alley, each special and different. Severus resisted the urge--barely--to go into a shop of spellbooks and spend some of his valuable money.
He passed a few restaurants, but none of them were quite what he was looking for. He wanted a lot of food for cheap. In fact, he had passed quite a few restaurants before he found what he was looking for.
The Year of the Knarl.
It was a dingy little place with a big red and gold sign hanging out front that stated in about four languages that this place was called the Year of the Knarl and it was a genuine Chinese Buffet.
A buffet was exactly what Severus was looking for. This particular buffet was having an all-you-can-eat-for-a-galleon-and-eight-sickles deal. Perfect.
Every once in a while Severus's mother had made Chinese food, at least when he was young. She had thought it would be a good idea for her son to try different ethnic foods. So Severus knew just what to head for at the buffet.
However, he couldn't help but be curious when he saw some of the foods that were a choice. Plimpy lo mein, for example. Plimpies were little ball- shaped fish with two long legs. The plimpy lo mein, incidentally, had little ball-shaped pieces of fish and a lot of noodles.
Severus took some of this.
Another thing that caught his attention were the Knarl steaks. They were small and brownish hunks of meat on sticks in some kind of sauce.
Soon Severus's plate was piled high with a myriad of different Chinese foods. There was always the fact that neither Plimpies nor Knarls originated in China, but at this point Severus didn't care. Food was food.
Severus bumped into a handsome boy who looked about his age. "Sorry," he mumbled.
"You should watch where you're going," the boy said, either ignoring his apology or not hearing it.
"Sorry," Severus said again, louder.
"You going to eat all that?" the boy asked.
Severus looked down at his plate, though he knew what was on it. "Yes."
"Wow. I was just wondering, because you're kind of small and that's a lot of food."
"Sirius!" a harsh voice floated over to the boys from a nearby table. "Are you coming?"
"Yeah, Mum, just a second," Sirius said. He turned back to Severus. "By the way, I'm Sirius Black."
"Severus Snape."
"No, Sirius Bl-- oh, that's your name."
Severus nodded. He didn't like this Sirius Black very much.Though he knew it was rude, he turned and began walking away.
"Wait!" Sirius said. "Are you alone?"
Severus nodded again, just wishing that Sirius would go away.
"Wow. Where are you from? My mum is always trying to watch me, I swear, she's the nosiest witch in this country. And," he brought his voice down to a whisper, "She's a Dark witch. But don't go squealing."
Severus' father was an Auror, but he didn't plan on telling him. He would probably track down and kill Mrs. Black without a second thought--or a trial. He was that kind of Auror. So Severus said: "What does it matter if I'm alone or not?"
Sirius shrugged. "It doesn't. Are you going to Hogwarts?"
"Yes, now will you just let me eat?"
Sirius made a face at him, but another call from his nosy, evil mother finally took him away. Severus didn't think he'd like Mrs. Black much if he met her. Severus turned his back on his fellow student and wandered away to find a table. He could only find a window seat, but he didn't mind. Sitting there, he could watch people go by with bags and packages, walking alone, or talking and laughing in big groups. In a way he kind of envied them, but he couldn't very well join them. They were so different from him. Only one of them looked even remotely like someone who would talk to him, but he was Artemis Snape.
Artemis Snape!
Severus ducked under the table. His father had been headed into a dingy little alley by the name of "Knockturn." After a few moments, Severus decided that his father must be gone. Anyway, people would probably notice him under this table.
"What are you doing under the table?"
Severus turned his head, his thoughts confirmed, expecting to see Sirius Black standing over him. Instead, he was confronted but a short blonde boy with bulging blue eyes. Startled, Severus tried to stand but bumped his head off the table.
"Uh, hello," he said awkwardly.
The boy grinned. "You're funny."
Severus was about to make a tart reply when the boy extended his hand and hauled Severus to his feet.
"Lovegood."
Severus blinked. "Excuse me?"
"My name. Lovegood."
"Snape, I'm Severus Snape."
The boy grinned again, his eyes bugging even more to make him look something like a Terrier being squeezed too hard. "I'd tell you my first name, but my aunt doesn't let me talk to strangers. My aunt's real nice, but she's so silly at times. Doesn't even believe in Crumple-Horned Snorkaks. Funny, isn't it?"
"Yes," said Severus. "Really funny."
"Odd though," said the boy sadly, "because my parents were killed by a Crumple-Horned Snorkak. You'd think she'd have minded. But the woman can't even have toast without butter, so you know she's silly, isn't she?"
Severus dumbly, but found himself liking the boy with the bulging eyes anyway. At least he was nice.
"Ignore Sirius," said the boy, waving his hand in front of his face as if trying to shoo away a fly. "He's just forward, that's all. His parents are rotten, see. My aunt calls him a bright young lad. Inquisitive, she calls him. Wish she'd call me that," he said sighing, "but she thinks I'm a bit slow, see. Here, you can eat toast without butter, right? Because I'd hate to have insulted you just now."
"Yes."
"Oh, that's a relief! My, you don't look good at all. Have you been eating enough? I think you ought to do better at Hogwarts, really. Sorry if I eavesdropped, but I'm going there too, in about a week. I'll be safe from Crumple-Horned Snorkaks there at least. Bet they won't like Dumbledore. He's a great man, Dumbledore, or at least that's what my aunt says. Hope he isn't like Sirius. Out of curiosity, what do you like on your toast?"
"Um, butter I suppose," said Severus. "But not all the time. Only on Tuesdays. At night. When my dad's playing cards," he improvised. Lovegood seemed so odd he might not like a normal, simple answer, and would probably use it to prove that Crumple-Horned Snorkaks did, indeed, exist.
"My! you are imaginative all right. Well, my aunt will miss me. See you at school."
Severus watched the boy retreat and began to smile. Today was turning out all right after all.
---
It was only after the boy had been gone for a few minutes and Severus was eating his plimpy lo mein that he remembered he had seen his father walking into Knockturn Alley. He would have to be careful.
A horrible thought struck him. What if Artemis was looking for him? He would have to lay low for a little while. The meeting of "Lovegood" had drawn his thoughts away from the prospect of being found by his father, and now the worry and fear was hitting him full force.
He had never done anything like this before. How would Artemis react?
"Bye Severus! See you at Hogwarts!" Sirius called.
Severus waved half-heartedly, just to be polite. Inquisitive. Right. He was full before he finished his food, and he left a half-finished plate on the table.
The worst part was that, since he hadn't finished his food, he had proved Sirius right.
---
He considered wandering around Diagon Alley for a while, but he didn't want to chance meeting his father.
Maybe he should go back to the Leaky Cauldron. He paid for his "Chinese" food and strode out of the shop. He had passed Sirius on the way out, and Mrs. Black looked as disagreeable as she had sounded.
Thoughts of Sirius' mother brought back thoughts of his own father. Why might he be in Diagon Alley? Or Knockturn Alley, or wherever it was his father had gone.
It must be that new job his mother had mentioned. The only other possibility that Severus could think of was that his father was looking for him. But, for some reason, Severus doubted that. He hadn't been sure lately if the elder Snape even knew he existed.
Pushing those thoughts out of his head, he shrugged and left for Diagon Alley to buy his school supplies. If he saw his father, he would hide. It should be as simple as that. And if it wasn't...
---
And it was. A week later found him at Platform 9¾, his school supplies packed neatly in his new trunk. Sable was perched on his shoulder. He hadn't gotten a cage... Sable was extremely well behaved for an owl, especially one he'd found in the forest. Perhaps Sable had belonged to some other wizard or witch in some time past. Oh well. Didn't matter.
Or at least, he thought he was 9¾. That was assuming it was between 9 and 10 somewhere. He stared blankly at the wall.
"Hey, Snape!" came a familiar voice. He flinched and turned, finding himself face to face with a very pretty older girl.
"You going to move?" she asked. "You're blocking the passage."
"What's taking so long, Bella?" asked the unpleasant voice of Mrs. Black.
"Midgits in the way," said the girl.
"I'm not a midget!" came the first voice.
"All first years are midgets. But you aren't in the way, are you?" asked the girl snobbily.
"Shove them, then," said the other first year, and Sirius's shaggy head poked around from behind the girl. "Hey, what do you know, it is a midget. Go on, give him a shove."
The girl shoved him, but instead of hitting the brick wall, he fell right through it and landed with a thud on a stone floor. The breath was knocked out of him, and when he got it back he noticed a boy standing over him. He had soft brown hair that looked as if it hadn't been brushed in a month and a long scar fading scar down the arm he was offering to Severus. There was something funny about him; maybe it was the nervous smile, maybe it was the slightly frayed robes, or maybe... no, he knew after a moment, it was the look on his face. He wasn't insane and bug-eyed, but he looked almost friendly.
"More midgets," lamented the girl called Bella, giving the boy a condescending glance. Then she did a double-take and stared at him, as if he were something deeply unpleasant. "Ugh," she said, "You're a Lupin, aren't you?"
The boy nodded, still holding out his hand. Finally Severus took it and allowed
Lupin to help him to his feet.
"Well," said Bella, "see you September fourteenth."
Lupin's face went very pale and he tucked his hands into his pockets. Sirius, who had been staring, shook his head.
"What was that about?" he asked.
"I- I don't know," said the boy called Lupin shakily. "Just, uh..."
But whatever it just was, he didn't get a chance to say, because a bell sounded and all three of them had to grab their luggage and head for the train.
---
Lupin and Sirius went to sit in a compartment in the front of the train with a group of boys, some first years and some obviously older. Severus headed farther back, relieved that Sirius hadn't tried to follow him. He decided to look for Lovegood, the one person on the train who he knew and didn't particularly dislike. He found him sitting along in a compartment in the back of the train.
"Oh, hi, Severus," Lovegood greeted him, then continued staring out the window.
Severus sat next to him for a few minutes, but when the boy didn't talk, he ventured to ask what he was doing.
"I," Lovegood said importantly, "Am looking for Crumple-Horned Snorkaks. You see, my aunt says that if I bring her a picture of one, she might believe me."
"Do you have a camera?" Severus asked for lack of anything else to say.
"No, but I'll deal with that when I get there."
"Okay," Severus said, and Lovegood went back to staring out the window. Suddenly the door slid open and Sirius, Lupin, and a boy Severus didn't know walked in. The boy had untidy hair and glasses.
"Hi, Snape!" Sirius said.
"Hello, Sirius," Severus replied flatly.
Unfortunately, Sirius sat down right next to him. "This," he proclaimed, "is James Potter. And I think you know Lupin?"
"Yeah, we've met," Lupin said. "And who's your friend over there?" he gestured to Lovegood, who still stared dreamily out the window.
"That's Lovegood," said Severus.
"Actually," murmured Lovegood, "it's Henrietta Eustace Waldetta Warren Lovegood the Third."
"Henrietta?" asked Sirius, lifting an eyebrow.
"Well, that's one of my middle names," said Lovegood, turning away from the window again. "My aunt doesn't like it if I tell strangers my first name."
"We aren't strangers," said Potter, giving Lovegood a funny look. "We've told you our names."
"Well, I still don't really know you." And he turned back to the window, more resolutely than before.
"Bit of a nutter, is he?" asked Potter in lower tones.
"Get out," said Severus angrily.
"Now now, manners, Snape," said Sirius. "We've been being told all day that midgets aren't wanted by the big gits in that other compartment. At least here, we're all titchy."
"Where's that scar on your arm from, Lupin?"
All four of them turned to face Lovegood, who was still scanning the countryside for the famed Snorkaks. Lupin shot a startled glance at his arm, then gave his sleeve a tug.
"Frightened my owl," he muttered.
"Oh," said Lovegood. "I didn't see you carrying a cage."
"It belongs to my parents," said Lupin blushing. "Come on, let's go back to the other compartment."
Once they were gone, Lovegood leaned over to Severus. "My first name's Aries," he whispered.
Severus nodded, then sat back in the seat, feeling suddenly very, very tired.
---
He was sitting on a Crumple-Horned Snorkak, looking down at his mother. She was doing something. Severus squinted to see what it was. She was... she was writing a letter. He urged the Snorkak forward to read it. He couldn't read it but he knew it was very, very important. What did it say? He had to read it. It was completely important, but the Snorkak was running away. Now there was a figure bearing down at her, pointing a wand. He knew the killing curse would come next. He tried to shout for her to get out of the way, but his mouth didn't move. Instead, the Snorkak was running him right into the gaping maw of a werewolf.
He woke up gasping. It had just been a dream, just a dream...Something was poking him in the forehead and in an instant he realized it was Sirius.
"You awake now?" he asked.
"No, no, I'm not," Severus answered sarcastically, still bothered by the dream.
But Sirius had turned to James and Lupin. "No, mum, no, not the Snorkak!" he yelled. James laughed and Lupin gave him a sickly smile. Sirius continued mocking Severus.
"Not the werewolf! Watch out! Nooooo! Damn Snorkak! No, mum, no!" James broke down laughing again but Lupin did nothing. Sirius, still chuckling, turned to Severus. "What's wrong, Snivellus, missing your mum already?"
"Oh, do leave him alone, Black," said Lovegood, giving him a withering glance. "Everyone knows you and your mum hate each other."
"Do they, Henrietta?" asked Sirius, smiling.
"Yes," said Lovegood. "And I should think that you would have some respect for anyone with any sort of imagination."
Sirius blinked a few times, then turned to Severus again. "See you Snivellus," he said. "Do try to avoid those Snorkaks in the future."
There was a burst of light and Sirius screamed, then went flying out the compartment door. Lupin hurried after him. "Sirius, are you all right?"
James, however, turned to Severus. "You're going to regret that, Snape," he said as he left, slamming the compartment door behind him.
"What-?"
"That was pretty good, I think," said Lovegood, "you know, for me having never done that before and all."
"That was you?" asked Severus.
"Sure," said Lovegood.
"What did you do to him?"
"I have no idea," said Lovegood, "now be quiet. I'm still looking for those Snorkaks, mind you." And without another word, he went back to staring out the window. Severus knew then, without a doubt, that he was definitely beginning to hate Snorkaks.
Severus awoke slowly, feeling slightly disoriented. Where was he? He smiled slightly as he remembered the last night's flight through the window, onto the Knight Bus, and to the Leaky Cauldron.
Sitting up, he surveyed his surroundings. He had been too tired to look around the room when he had arrived, and now was his chance.
The room was nice, nicer than Severus's room at home. The bed had been very comfortable; he could tell that without looking at it. There was some nice oak furniture and a mirror that said "Good morning" when he looked at it. Sable was perched on the dresser. He was looking down at Severus with interest.
"Oh, go catch some mice or something," Severus said.
Seemingly taking Severus's advice, Sable flapped her wings a few times then flew out the open window.
The open window reminded Severus about the part of last night's escape that he didn't want to think about. The fact that he had run away. The fact that his father would be trying to find him.
He didn't want to be found.
He had told no one his name, but... In a flash, Severus realized just how stupid he had been to tell Austin Shunpike that his name was Artemis Snape. His father would ask if there had been a Severus Snape on the Knight Bus recently. Austin would reply with "No, but there was an Artemis Snape." The real Artemis Snape would know right away that it had been his son.
How had he been so stupid?
But it didn't matter now. What had happened had happened. Severus pulled himself out of bed. Sunlight was streaming through the window, illuminating the dust in the air so that it seemed there were great shafts of light pouring down from the heavens.
Having fallen asleep still wearing his clothes, he was already dressed and ready to go. He contemplated taking out the letter from Hogwarts, but he had only just arrived. He didn't have to go shopping for school supplies just yet. He would have himself a look around first.
Or rather, he would have breakfast first and then look around.
Severus had been so caught up in the excitement of all that had happened that he hadn't realized just how hungry he was. He had never eaten much at home; he preferred to get away from the table-away from his father soon as possible.
Still, it had been hours since he had last eaten. His stomach grumbled audibly as he made his way to breakfast. He wasn't completely sure where he was supposed to get breakfast, but certainly someone would know. In any case, it couldn't hurt to ask.
The man with the missing teeth-- whose name was Tom-- pointed him in the direction of Diagon Alley, where he would be able to find breakfast. He checked his pocket, just to make sure the money was still there. Of course it was.
Severus squinted as he stepped into the bright sunlight. He must have slept late, the sun was high. It must have been about noon or later, and he was very hungry. Before he went shopping, he'd have to get some lunch.
He wandered along the high street, eyes wide. The windows of Diagon Alley sparkled and glittered in the fall sunlight, and he could tell he looked out of place; drab and small and pale among all the people and bustle and light.
And there certainly was a lot of bustle and light. Shops lined the Alley, each special and different. Severus resisted the urge--barely--to go into a shop of spellbooks and spend some of his valuable money.
He passed a few restaurants, but none of them were quite what he was looking for. He wanted a lot of food for cheap. In fact, he had passed quite a few restaurants before he found what he was looking for.
The Year of the Knarl.
It was a dingy little place with a big red and gold sign hanging out front that stated in about four languages that this place was called the Year of the Knarl and it was a genuine Chinese Buffet.
A buffet was exactly what Severus was looking for. This particular buffet was having an all-you-can-eat-for-a-galleon-and-eight-sickles deal. Perfect.
Every once in a while Severus's mother had made Chinese food, at least when he was young. She had thought it would be a good idea for her son to try different ethnic foods. So Severus knew just what to head for at the buffet.
However, he couldn't help but be curious when he saw some of the foods that were a choice. Plimpy lo mein, for example. Plimpies were little ball- shaped fish with two long legs. The plimpy lo mein, incidentally, had little ball-shaped pieces of fish and a lot of noodles.
Severus took some of this.
Another thing that caught his attention were the Knarl steaks. They were small and brownish hunks of meat on sticks in some kind of sauce.
Soon Severus's plate was piled high with a myriad of different Chinese foods. There was always the fact that neither Plimpies nor Knarls originated in China, but at this point Severus didn't care. Food was food.
Severus bumped into a handsome boy who looked about his age. "Sorry," he mumbled.
"You should watch where you're going," the boy said, either ignoring his apology or not hearing it.
"Sorry," Severus said again, louder.
"You going to eat all that?" the boy asked.
Severus looked down at his plate, though he knew what was on it. "Yes."
"Wow. I was just wondering, because you're kind of small and that's a lot of food."
"Sirius!" a harsh voice floated over to the boys from a nearby table. "Are you coming?"
"Yeah, Mum, just a second," Sirius said. He turned back to Severus. "By the way, I'm Sirius Black."
"Severus Snape."
"No, Sirius Bl-- oh, that's your name."
Severus nodded. He didn't like this Sirius Black very much.Though he knew it was rude, he turned and began walking away.
"Wait!" Sirius said. "Are you alone?"
Severus nodded again, just wishing that Sirius would go away.
"Wow. Where are you from? My mum is always trying to watch me, I swear, she's the nosiest witch in this country. And," he brought his voice down to a whisper, "She's a Dark witch. But don't go squealing."
Severus' father was an Auror, but he didn't plan on telling him. He would probably track down and kill Mrs. Black without a second thought--or a trial. He was that kind of Auror. So Severus said: "What does it matter if I'm alone or not?"
Sirius shrugged. "It doesn't. Are you going to Hogwarts?"
"Yes, now will you just let me eat?"
Sirius made a face at him, but another call from his nosy, evil mother finally took him away. Severus didn't think he'd like Mrs. Black much if he met her. Severus turned his back on his fellow student and wandered away to find a table. He could only find a window seat, but he didn't mind. Sitting there, he could watch people go by with bags and packages, walking alone, or talking and laughing in big groups. In a way he kind of envied them, but he couldn't very well join them. They were so different from him. Only one of them looked even remotely like someone who would talk to him, but he was Artemis Snape.
Artemis Snape!
Severus ducked under the table. His father had been headed into a dingy little alley by the name of "Knockturn." After a few moments, Severus decided that his father must be gone. Anyway, people would probably notice him under this table.
"What are you doing under the table?"
Severus turned his head, his thoughts confirmed, expecting to see Sirius Black standing over him. Instead, he was confronted but a short blonde boy with bulging blue eyes. Startled, Severus tried to stand but bumped his head off the table.
"Uh, hello," he said awkwardly.
The boy grinned. "You're funny."
Severus was about to make a tart reply when the boy extended his hand and hauled Severus to his feet.
"Lovegood."
Severus blinked. "Excuse me?"
"My name. Lovegood."
"Snape, I'm Severus Snape."
The boy grinned again, his eyes bugging even more to make him look something like a Terrier being squeezed too hard. "I'd tell you my first name, but my aunt doesn't let me talk to strangers. My aunt's real nice, but she's so silly at times. Doesn't even believe in Crumple-Horned Snorkaks. Funny, isn't it?"
"Yes," said Severus. "Really funny."
"Odd though," said the boy sadly, "because my parents were killed by a Crumple-Horned Snorkak. You'd think she'd have minded. But the woman can't even have toast without butter, so you know she's silly, isn't she?"
Severus dumbly, but found himself liking the boy with the bulging eyes anyway. At least he was nice.
"Ignore Sirius," said the boy, waving his hand in front of his face as if trying to shoo away a fly. "He's just forward, that's all. His parents are rotten, see. My aunt calls him a bright young lad. Inquisitive, she calls him. Wish she'd call me that," he said sighing, "but she thinks I'm a bit slow, see. Here, you can eat toast without butter, right? Because I'd hate to have insulted you just now."
"Yes."
"Oh, that's a relief! My, you don't look good at all. Have you been eating enough? I think you ought to do better at Hogwarts, really. Sorry if I eavesdropped, but I'm going there too, in about a week. I'll be safe from Crumple-Horned Snorkaks there at least. Bet they won't like Dumbledore. He's a great man, Dumbledore, or at least that's what my aunt says. Hope he isn't like Sirius. Out of curiosity, what do you like on your toast?"
"Um, butter I suppose," said Severus. "But not all the time. Only on Tuesdays. At night. When my dad's playing cards," he improvised. Lovegood seemed so odd he might not like a normal, simple answer, and would probably use it to prove that Crumple-Horned Snorkaks did, indeed, exist.
"My! you are imaginative all right. Well, my aunt will miss me. See you at school."
Severus watched the boy retreat and began to smile. Today was turning out all right after all.
---
It was only after the boy had been gone for a few minutes and Severus was eating his plimpy lo mein that he remembered he had seen his father walking into Knockturn Alley. He would have to be careful.
A horrible thought struck him. What if Artemis was looking for him? He would have to lay low for a little while. The meeting of "Lovegood" had drawn his thoughts away from the prospect of being found by his father, and now the worry and fear was hitting him full force.
He had never done anything like this before. How would Artemis react?
"Bye Severus! See you at Hogwarts!" Sirius called.
Severus waved half-heartedly, just to be polite. Inquisitive. Right. He was full before he finished his food, and he left a half-finished plate on the table.
The worst part was that, since he hadn't finished his food, he had proved Sirius right.
---
He considered wandering around Diagon Alley for a while, but he didn't want to chance meeting his father.
Maybe he should go back to the Leaky Cauldron. He paid for his "Chinese" food and strode out of the shop. He had passed Sirius on the way out, and Mrs. Black looked as disagreeable as she had sounded.
Thoughts of Sirius' mother brought back thoughts of his own father. Why might he be in Diagon Alley? Or Knockturn Alley, or wherever it was his father had gone.
It must be that new job his mother had mentioned. The only other possibility that Severus could think of was that his father was looking for him. But, for some reason, Severus doubted that. He hadn't been sure lately if the elder Snape even knew he existed.
Pushing those thoughts out of his head, he shrugged and left for Diagon Alley to buy his school supplies. If he saw his father, he would hide. It should be as simple as that. And if it wasn't...
---
And it was. A week later found him at Platform 9¾, his school supplies packed neatly in his new trunk. Sable was perched on his shoulder. He hadn't gotten a cage... Sable was extremely well behaved for an owl, especially one he'd found in the forest. Perhaps Sable had belonged to some other wizard or witch in some time past. Oh well. Didn't matter.
Or at least, he thought he was 9¾. That was assuming it was between 9 and 10 somewhere. He stared blankly at the wall.
"Hey, Snape!" came a familiar voice. He flinched and turned, finding himself face to face with a very pretty older girl.
"You going to move?" she asked. "You're blocking the passage."
"What's taking so long, Bella?" asked the unpleasant voice of Mrs. Black.
"Midgits in the way," said the girl.
"I'm not a midget!" came the first voice.
"All first years are midgets. But you aren't in the way, are you?" asked the girl snobbily.
"Shove them, then," said the other first year, and Sirius's shaggy head poked around from behind the girl. "Hey, what do you know, it is a midget. Go on, give him a shove."
The girl shoved him, but instead of hitting the brick wall, he fell right through it and landed with a thud on a stone floor. The breath was knocked out of him, and when he got it back he noticed a boy standing over him. He had soft brown hair that looked as if it hadn't been brushed in a month and a long scar fading scar down the arm he was offering to Severus. There was something funny about him; maybe it was the nervous smile, maybe it was the slightly frayed robes, or maybe... no, he knew after a moment, it was the look on his face. He wasn't insane and bug-eyed, but he looked almost friendly.
"More midgets," lamented the girl called Bella, giving the boy a condescending glance. Then she did a double-take and stared at him, as if he were something deeply unpleasant. "Ugh," she said, "You're a Lupin, aren't you?"
The boy nodded, still holding out his hand. Finally Severus took it and allowed
Lupin to help him to his feet.
"Well," said Bella, "see you September fourteenth."
Lupin's face went very pale and he tucked his hands into his pockets. Sirius, who had been staring, shook his head.
"What was that about?" he asked.
"I- I don't know," said the boy called Lupin shakily. "Just, uh..."
But whatever it just was, he didn't get a chance to say, because a bell sounded and all three of them had to grab their luggage and head for the train.
---
Lupin and Sirius went to sit in a compartment in the front of the train with a group of boys, some first years and some obviously older. Severus headed farther back, relieved that Sirius hadn't tried to follow him. He decided to look for Lovegood, the one person on the train who he knew and didn't particularly dislike. He found him sitting along in a compartment in the back of the train.
"Oh, hi, Severus," Lovegood greeted him, then continued staring out the window.
Severus sat next to him for a few minutes, but when the boy didn't talk, he ventured to ask what he was doing.
"I," Lovegood said importantly, "Am looking for Crumple-Horned Snorkaks. You see, my aunt says that if I bring her a picture of one, she might believe me."
"Do you have a camera?" Severus asked for lack of anything else to say.
"No, but I'll deal with that when I get there."
"Okay," Severus said, and Lovegood went back to staring out the window. Suddenly the door slid open and Sirius, Lupin, and a boy Severus didn't know walked in. The boy had untidy hair and glasses.
"Hi, Snape!" Sirius said.
"Hello, Sirius," Severus replied flatly.
Unfortunately, Sirius sat down right next to him. "This," he proclaimed, "is James Potter. And I think you know Lupin?"
"Yeah, we've met," Lupin said. "And who's your friend over there?" he gestured to Lovegood, who still stared dreamily out the window.
"That's Lovegood," said Severus.
"Actually," murmured Lovegood, "it's Henrietta Eustace Waldetta Warren Lovegood the Third."
"Henrietta?" asked Sirius, lifting an eyebrow.
"Well, that's one of my middle names," said Lovegood, turning away from the window again. "My aunt doesn't like it if I tell strangers my first name."
"We aren't strangers," said Potter, giving Lovegood a funny look. "We've told you our names."
"Well, I still don't really know you." And he turned back to the window, more resolutely than before.
"Bit of a nutter, is he?" asked Potter in lower tones.
"Get out," said Severus angrily.
"Now now, manners, Snape," said Sirius. "We've been being told all day that midgets aren't wanted by the big gits in that other compartment. At least here, we're all titchy."
"Where's that scar on your arm from, Lupin?"
All four of them turned to face Lovegood, who was still scanning the countryside for the famed Snorkaks. Lupin shot a startled glance at his arm, then gave his sleeve a tug.
"Frightened my owl," he muttered.
"Oh," said Lovegood. "I didn't see you carrying a cage."
"It belongs to my parents," said Lupin blushing. "Come on, let's go back to the other compartment."
Once they were gone, Lovegood leaned over to Severus. "My first name's Aries," he whispered.
Severus nodded, then sat back in the seat, feeling suddenly very, very tired.
---
He was sitting on a Crumple-Horned Snorkak, looking down at his mother. She was doing something. Severus squinted to see what it was. She was... she was writing a letter. He urged the Snorkak forward to read it. He couldn't read it but he knew it was very, very important. What did it say? He had to read it. It was completely important, but the Snorkak was running away. Now there was a figure bearing down at her, pointing a wand. He knew the killing curse would come next. He tried to shout for her to get out of the way, but his mouth didn't move. Instead, the Snorkak was running him right into the gaping maw of a werewolf.
He woke up gasping. It had just been a dream, just a dream...Something was poking him in the forehead and in an instant he realized it was Sirius.
"You awake now?" he asked.
"No, no, I'm not," Severus answered sarcastically, still bothered by the dream.
But Sirius had turned to James and Lupin. "No, mum, no, not the Snorkak!" he yelled. James laughed and Lupin gave him a sickly smile. Sirius continued mocking Severus.
"Not the werewolf! Watch out! Nooooo! Damn Snorkak! No, mum, no!" James broke down laughing again but Lupin did nothing. Sirius, still chuckling, turned to Severus. "What's wrong, Snivellus, missing your mum already?"
"Oh, do leave him alone, Black," said Lovegood, giving him a withering glance. "Everyone knows you and your mum hate each other."
"Do they, Henrietta?" asked Sirius, smiling.
"Yes," said Lovegood. "And I should think that you would have some respect for anyone with any sort of imagination."
Sirius blinked a few times, then turned to Severus again. "See you Snivellus," he said. "Do try to avoid those Snorkaks in the future."
There was a burst of light and Sirius screamed, then went flying out the compartment door. Lupin hurried after him. "Sirius, are you all right?"
James, however, turned to Severus. "You're going to regret that, Snape," he said as he left, slamming the compartment door behind him.
"What-?"
"That was pretty good, I think," said Lovegood, "you know, for me having never done that before and all."
"That was you?" asked Severus.
"Sure," said Lovegood.
"What did you do to him?"
"I have no idea," said Lovegood, "now be quiet. I'm still looking for those Snorkaks, mind you." And without another word, he went back to staring out the window. Severus knew then, without a doubt, that he was definitely beginning to hate Snorkaks.