New Neighbor
Chapter 2
The man cocked an eyebrow and frowned. "Have we met?" My jaw dropped in shock as I stared at the Snape look-alike. Realization dawned on the man's face. "Ahhh! You must have met my brother, Severus."
"B-b-brother?!" I squeaked. The man laughed and extended a hand.
"I'm Eryk Snape, Severus's twin brother." I sighed in relief, though I was still wary about this new Snape.
"Harry Potter." I shook his hand and he grinned.
"You're not as bad as he's ranted about in his letters! Why don't you come over for some tea?" I blinked at the man's cheery face.
"I have to finish my chores here or I...." I paused. He nodded in understanding. "I'm sorry. I would but..."
"It's okay. I'll just stay out here and keep you company." I smiled, thinking that maybe this Snape wouldn't be so bad. "How much do you get paid to do this?" I paused as I picked up the hose. "You do get paid, don't you?"
"No." Eryk gaped. "The Dursleys don't want me to waste their money." I confessed. He cocked an eyebrow. "Is that your bike?" I asked, changing the topic. His grin widened and he nodded enthusiastically. I was subjected to listening to him ranting on and on about his bike, and I found myself comparing him to the Potions Master we all love.
Eryk was the exact opposite of his brother. While they both looked alike, and while they both shared the intense love for something, they were totally different. Eryk was kind. He didn't raise his voice or lash out when you asked a question, and he talked nonstop about his beloved bike in a passion that makes most people jealous.
Snape, Severus that is, did none of that. He was cold and harsh, and loved to insult people. He might speak this passionately about potions, but there isn't anyone else that would understand or even listen to him, save Dumbledore I suppose.
I was snapped out of my thinking when Eryk gently shook my shoulder. He smiled. "I take it you're comparing me with Severus?" I nodded guiltily. "Everyone does that. Its amazing that we're brothers, eh?"
"Very amazing." I agreed. He smiled in response and I smiled back. "You should go before the Dursley's get back. They wont like seeing me talking with you." His smiled wilted.
"They hurt you? Cause if they do, just tell me and I'll set them straight for you!" I sighed. "They do don't they? Why I oughta...."
"BOY!!" I paled as Vernon came stomping around the house. "I thought I told you to not bother the neighbors!" I shrank back as he came nearer. "I'm sorry about him Sir, he's a little messed up in the head, if you know what I mean."
"He's not a problem at all Mr. Dursley...." Vernon pinched the back of my neck and I winced. Eryk glared as I was dragged back to the house but I shook my head.
"Don't, it isn't worth it.." I mouthed. He nodded once then turned away. I sighed as Vernon threw me into the cupboard and proceeded to hit me with all his might.
TBC
The man cocked an eyebrow and frowned. "Have we met?" My jaw dropped in shock as I stared at the Snape look-alike. Realization dawned on the man's face. "Ahhh! You must have met my brother, Severus."
"B-b-brother?!" I squeaked. The man laughed and extended a hand.
"I'm Eryk Snape, Severus's twin brother." I sighed in relief, though I was still wary about this new Snape.
"Harry Potter." I shook his hand and he grinned.
"You're not as bad as he's ranted about in his letters! Why don't you come over for some tea?" I blinked at the man's cheery face.
"I have to finish my chores here or I...." I paused. He nodded in understanding. "I'm sorry. I would but..."
"It's okay. I'll just stay out here and keep you company." I smiled, thinking that maybe this Snape wouldn't be so bad. "How much do you get paid to do this?" I paused as I picked up the hose. "You do get paid, don't you?"
"No." Eryk gaped. "The Dursleys don't want me to waste their money." I confessed. He cocked an eyebrow. "Is that your bike?" I asked, changing the topic. His grin widened and he nodded enthusiastically. I was subjected to listening to him ranting on and on about his bike, and I found myself comparing him to the Potions Master we all love.
Eryk was the exact opposite of his brother. While they both looked alike, and while they both shared the intense love for something, they were totally different. Eryk was kind. He didn't raise his voice or lash out when you asked a question, and he talked nonstop about his beloved bike in a passion that makes most people jealous.
Snape, Severus that is, did none of that. He was cold and harsh, and loved to insult people. He might speak this passionately about potions, but there isn't anyone else that would understand or even listen to him, save Dumbledore I suppose.
I was snapped out of my thinking when Eryk gently shook my shoulder. He smiled. "I take it you're comparing me with Severus?" I nodded guiltily. "Everyone does that. Its amazing that we're brothers, eh?"
"Very amazing." I agreed. He smiled in response and I smiled back. "You should go before the Dursley's get back. They wont like seeing me talking with you." His smiled wilted.
"They hurt you? Cause if they do, just tell me and I'll set them straight for you!" I sighed. "They do don't they? Why I oughta...."
"BOY!!" I paled as Vernon came stomping around the house. "I thought I told you to not bother the neighbors!" I shrank back as he came nearer. "I'm sorry about him Sir, he's a little messed up in the head, if you know what I mean."
"He's not a problem at all Mr. Dursley...." Vernon pinched the back of my neck and I winced. Eryk glared as I was dragged back to the house but I shook my head.
"Don't, it isn't worth it.." I mouthed. He nodded once then turned away. I sighed as Vernon threw me into the cupboard and proceeded to hit me with all his might.
TBC