Severus looked out his bed room window the ground was now covered in
snow. Normally he would have stayed at the school for Christmas break and
worked on some potions but he and his mother were getting along so well, it
just seemed wrong to leave her home alone. That and it was more quite at
home. Fifth year meant that the O.W.L.s would be given at the end of the
year and every one was stressing out over them. He didn't see the big deal
in the whole thing. If they had paid attention in class they would do just
fine on them. He got up and slowly made his way down the stairs to find his
mom sitting in the living room floor surrounded by boxes. The Christmas
decorations that Severus had not seen since before his father died over
flowed from them.
" Mama, what are you doing?"
" Oh, good morning. There is some breakfast on the table and you can help me when you are done if you want. I just thought that it would be nice to have the house decorated like it use to be. I miss all the big tree and all the lights and.. Would you like to go into town with me later and we could eat out and do some shopping for presents and maybe get a tree?" Severus watched his mother as she spoke her eyes began to grow wider and wider until he thought they would pop right out of her head.
"That sounds like fun mom, but what town?" The only town he could think of was the muggle one at the bottom of the hill. She couldn't mean that one.
"Well there is that little muggle town we could go look there first I guess. I love how pretty the town looks from the window at night all light up with different color lights and it would be fun to look around. Then we could go to Diagon Alley. You don't want to go do you?"
"No we can go if you want to." She was right what harm could there be in just going and looking around at things. He helped his mother put up some of the decorations before they both got tired of it and handed the job over to the house elves. He and his mother decided over breakfast they would go to the town later that afternoon, so that she could have time to get ready. He hadn't seen her happy in so long.
Severus sat at the bottom of the stairs waiting for his mother. She had been getting ready for what seemed like days, but was really more like three or four hours. "Its been so long since I wore muggle cloths. I hope that these are ok." Severus turned to see his mother making her way down the stairs in an out fit that he swore he had seen on that Evans girl and she was carrying a dark blue over coat. Severus looked at her and smiled and started to open the door. "You aren't going like that, are you?" Her nose wrinkled as she looked her son over.
"What's wrong with my robes?"
"Oh, come here. Going to a muggle town like that you'll get laughed at. Here we go they use to be your fathers and well they may be a little big but that can be fixed now go put these on."
Severus mumbled to him self and went to his room he replaced the robes with the green dress shirt and black pants. He looked in the mirror laughed at the way he looked and went back to his mother's room. She was dusting off a leather trench coat that she had removed from the closet. He grabbed the coat from her and started down the stairs.
"Severus you look nice," she called after him, "but your hair. Are you going to leave it like that?" Severus rolled his eyes, turned, and went back to his room. He grabbed one of the ties for his hair and pulled it back into a pony tail. He made his way back down the stairs where his mother was now waiting for him.
"Can we leave now." His mother didn't answer she only smiled and opened the door. They hardly spoke to each other as they made there way to the town. By the time they reached the edge of the town it had started to snow again. "What do you want to do first?" Severus shrugged. "How about we do a bit of window shopping?" He shrugged again and followed his mother. They wandered from store to store, and there was more than just 'window shopping' going on. His mother stopped in every store and bought at least one thing. He had no idea his mother had brought that much muggle money with her, or that she even had any idea how to use it. They were making there way back down the other side of the street to there house when his mother realized they had not eaten dinner yet and saw this small restraint on the corner right next to a tree lot. This is when Severus realized he had been tricked and was not going to get to go any where near a wizarding shop of any kind today. The found a table next to a window his mother left him after they ordered to go look at the bathroom. Severus sank into his chair and stared out the window. The snow had picked up and it really wasn't going to be fun to walk home in. His thoughts were interrupted by some one pulling on his hair. He turned to find a small, blonde little girl behind him.
"You have pretty hair. Almost like my dolly," she smiled and handed Severus a very well lover half bald doll.
"Thank you." He handed her back her doll. She defiantly wasn't from one of the richer muggle families but she had to have been the cutest thing he had seen all day.
"Lizzie, what are you doing? Don't you know you aren't to talk to strangers?"
"But sissy he isn't a stranger he is my friend. Aren't you?" Severus smiled at the little girl. He had spoken to soon about her being the cutest girl all day. The girl now standing behind the small child was absolutely beautiful. She had long silky blond hair, pale skin, and the most beautiful crystal blue eyes he had ever seen.
"I am sorry. She can be a brat some times. I hope she didn't cause too much trouble." Severus could not think of any thing to do but stare. He could tell this was a bad idea when the milky white skin of, what he thought to be an angle, started to turn pink.
"Um.. No. She was no trouble at all. Don't worry about it." The girl apologized again any way and walked her little sister, who turned and waved at him several times, back to a table full of teen age girls. He covered his face with his hands. If only he had something sweet or smooth to say to her. 'She was just there to get her sister nothing else just get over your self Severus.' He mumbled, and then turned back to his window. He watched the reflection of the girls in the window. They seemed to be having a great time laughing and talking. He was so busy he hadn't noticed his mother had returned to the table.
"Are you ok? You look like you are going to be sick or something." She looked at the window and then smiled at her son. "Which one are you staring at?"
Severus felt his face go red. "The blonde." He couldn't believe he had just told her. Not like he had a choice she would have been asking him all break if he hadn't. Much to his amazement she left it at that. After a few moments she spoke again. "You know I was thinking that since they tree lot is next door that we could go there and get a tree and there is no way that we are going to be able to get all of this home so would you mind if I got a cab."
Severus wrinkled his nose and whispered to his mother, "What's a Cab?" At which point she began to laugh hysterically and then excused her self to go call one. He went back to his ice cream and staring. He wished he knew what was so funny.
"Psst.psst."
"Your going to get into trouble again little one. I don't think your sister likes you getting away from her." Severus turned and smiled at the little girl who was under the table across from his.
"Is she looking?" he shook his head no and the girl darted out from under the table and into his lap. She threw her arms around his neck and started to sniffle. "She is wrong you arnt a stranger, you're my friend."
"Of course I am."
"What's your name? Mines Lizzie, and I am four, and this is my bear. I just got him today he was my Christmas present from sissies' friends. I don't know what to name him. Do you know any good bear names?"
He smiled at the girl .Her balding doll had been replaced with a small brown bear wearing a green scarf with silver snow flakes. "My name is Severus. I am 15, and that is a very cute bear. Oh and bear names, how about Kuma."
"Your name is sevarolus?"
Severus laughed and the little girl joined in even though she had no idea what was so funny. "Why don't you just call me Sev."
"Sev," She giggled. "Sev and Kuma, I like it." Severus felt his face begin to hurt he couldn't remember a time in his life when he had smiled this much.
"You have a sweet smile." Severus tried to keep from blushing but he just couldn't. The little ones sister sat down next to him. He couldn't speak. Every thing he could think of to say sounded so stupid. The little one started to cry and was hugging him so hard that he couldn't breathe. " He is my friend. I found him first. You cant have him, so go away."
He looked at the little girl, "That wasn't very nice."
"She isn't very nice, so why do I have to be."
"Why isn't she nice?"
"She is going to be all 'oh you is so cute. Will you be friends with me and forget all about my sister she is just a stupid baby.' And then you will follow her and forget all about me and I will be all alone with Kuma and we will cry."
"That had to be the cutest sarcastic voice I have ever heard, and I will not leave you hear to cry. I don't think your sister would either. You and Kuma are the cutest little things I have ever met, so I could never forget about you guys."
"Promise."
"Promise."
"You named your bear Kuma?" her sister said. Severus had almost forgot that she was there.
"What wrong with Kuma," Lizzie said and started sniffing.
"Yeah, whats wrong with it?" He decided that taking up for his new little friend was the best was the best way to start talking to the sister.
"Nothing is wrong with it. It is just the oddest name she has made up for one of her animals."
"Oh and you think you could have done better?" Severus smiled at her. He wished he knew her name and that they were talking about things other than a stuffed bear's name.
"You named it didn't you?" He nodded. "Kuma mean anything?" he nodded again. "Are you going to tell me?"
"I don't know if I should tell a stranger something like that."
"Ok Lizzie, what do I have to do to not be a stranger?" Lizzie leaned over and whispered in her sister ear and went right back to holding on to Severus.
"That's all I have to do. You two are odd. Ok. My name is Julie. I am 15, and I want to know what the name means."
"Hi Juile. I am Severus. Yes I know it's an odd name, and I just don't want to tell you right now what it means."
"Severus be nice to the young lady." He looked up to see his mother had returned.
"Lizzie, Julie this is my mother. Mother this is Lizzie and Julie."
Both girls smiled and nodded at his mother and she did the same to them. "Now what was it you wanted to know Julie? I might be able to help."
Julie's smile went evil. "What does Kuma mean?"
"It means bear but I forget what language exactly." She smiled. "Now my turn for the questions. Since my son will never ask you because he is to shy and has this fear of the word no, would you and your adorable sister like to join us at our New Years Eve party? Its not going to be any thing special, Just friends and family, But you two are more then welcome to come." "We would love to." Julie blurted out excitedly. She and his mother exchanged information about the party and then they said there good byes and headed out the door to find a tree.
Severus looked up at his mother, "We are having a party?"
"We are now," She smiled at him.
Severus paced the entrance hall. How could she have invited her to the house. It was too risky for someone like her to be there, and with his family. How many families had to be told that they were not allowed to eat the company when they arrived? What was thinking? Severus was interrupted but to loud knock on the door. He walked slowly to the door. He was shaking all over. He had never been more nervous in his life. He opened the door to find two snow covered girls. "Come in. Come in. You girls must be freezing. Severus dear you take there coats I will show them to the fire." Severus cringed as his grandmother lead the girl into the next room. He threw their coats into the closet and ran to catch up. He entered the room to find his mother and his grandmother introducing the two to the family. He breathed a sigh of relief and entered the room. "And that in the corner is my stupid grandson, but I think that you know him." Severus smirked and nodded, which made his mother and Julie giggle.
"Sev, I missed you!" Lizzie screamed as she ran at him. He knelt down and picked her up and swung her around. "I missed you too. How's Kuma?"
"Oh she misses you too. She cried a lot when you left. She couldn't come she is grounded she bit my dolly on the nose."
"Well that doesn't sound like her. I am sure she will be much better once you get back." "Severus, why don't you show the girls around your cousins are playing in your room. You should introduce them too."
Severus went red and gritted his teeth. "Why are they in my room mother?"
"Well I have food I need to check on, off you go."
"Don't be mad Sev." Lizzie kissed him on the nose, "I will beat them up for you. She cant get on to me I am a guest."
"Where on earth .."
Julie interrupted, "Its best to just not ask." She smiled.
"Ok then, shall we?" She blushed and took his arm which made the one he was carrying growl while they walked up the stairs. He showed them all of the rooms he though that they might like and ended the tour with his room. The monsters that he had for cousins were all about Lizzie's age, so she had no problem fitting in right away. The only bad thing about this was it left him and Julie alone. He led her over to the window seat on the other side of the room. He was shaking again. He had no idea what to say to her. They sat in silence watching the kids play or the snow out side, until finally Julie decided to break the silence. "You have a very nice house and I love you room. Your mom must have a really good job. Oh I shouldn't have..."
Severus laughed, "Don't worrier about that, and my mom hasn't got a job. I don't think she has worked a day in her life. My father had a really nice job doing something for the government. And the rest was inherited. I personally don't really like it. Its too big."
"Where is your father?"
"Oh, he's dead. And don't apologize for mentioning him. I am glad he is dead."
"You're glad he is dead? How can you be glad that he is gone?"
"I am no longer his favorite thing to beat on. He was never around that much for me to get attached to. How did we end up talking about depressing things? I haven't been to many parties but I don't think that that is what you are suppose to talk about."
"Al right then, school isn't sad. Tell me about school then."
"Well I go to a privet school and I am the biggest nerd there. Now what about you?"
"I went to a public school until last year. My parents started home schooling me, which I hate. I was, well I wasn't a nerd, but I wasn't popular either. I do get to see my friends every day, but I wish I got to do all the things that they do like the dances and things. I hope they will let me go back next year. Do they allow you to get letters at your school? Maybe I could write you or something."
"I think I would like that, but you would have to send them to my mom first. They only let us get mail from family. My mom would play along if I asked her too."
They sat in the corner and laughed and talked about almost every thing. They both had secrets that they were keeping from each other, but they had just met the trust wasn't all there. Severus was having the best time he had ever had, but that was all interrupted by to girls fighting.
"Give me back my doll!"
"Only when you give me back the chocolate!"
Severus shook his head and walked slowly over to the girls.
"I am a vampire you know," His cousin whispered to Lizzie, "And if you don't give me back my doll I will.."
"You'll what," Severus's whisper was low and evil making the little girl start shaking. Lizzie ran and jumped in to his arms and started to cry. "Don't let her eat me. I want to go home, Sev. Can you take me home?"
"What happened?" Julie was now next to him.
"My cousin threatened to eat her, now she wants to go home." He looked over at Julie and smiled softly, "Would you like to have me walk you home?"
"Only if you will go with me to my friend's party." Severus nodded and they made there way down stairs to the hall closet.
"Where are you going its only ten? Oh what happened to Lizzie." His mother was now standing next to him petting the little girls head.
"Someone threatened to eat her. So she wants to go home. I was going to walk them if that is ok with you."
"That's fine. Be careful and don't be out to late."
Severus and the two girls walked home getting into several snowball fights along the way. They finally reached the house with several minutes till midnight.
"Mommy, Daddy we are home, and we have company." Lizzie ran through the house screaming. The two teens laugh.
"It doesn't look like they are home." She looked at the clock and smiled "Happy New Year."
"Happy New Year," Severus smiled and very nervously leaned over and kissed Julie on the cheek. He blushed and laughed when he saw the shocked look on her face. "Sorry I didn't think it would scare you. It is tradition you know." She said nothing just looked at him. This had to be bad. "I think I should go now, tell Lizzie that I said Happy New Year." He turned at walked as quickly as he could with out running from the house and half way down the walkway.
"Severus," Julie came running out of the house after him. "I am sorry I just didn't know what to say. Don't leave. Please." She threw her arms around his neck and tried to hide that she had started crying.
"Hey, don't do that. I am not mad. I thought you were." Severus lifted her head and wiped away the tears that were running down her face. "You need to get inside before you freeze." He walked her inside; they said there goodbyes she promised to write every day. He smiled all the way home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Severus reluctantly returned to school the next morning. He tried all the way to the train station to convince his mother that she needed to home school him and that she would be a better teacher than the ones he had at school but all she did was hug him roll her eyes and push him on the train. It wasn't hard for him to fall back into his normal routine. The OWLs were coming up soon and he spent a lot of his time in his room or some corner of the common room studying. Well, trying to study. His mind kept drifting back to the break and Julie and Lizzie. She had promised to write him but it had been almost a month and not even his mother had written. He was getting worried but the only time he had to send the letters was at night and well he didn't want to deal with Potter and his goons. He would just have to try and do it during the day some time.
Severus wrote his mother and Julie and Lizzie several letter a piece then instead of breakfast he sent them all to his mother asking her to send the others by muggle mail and to send back any replies if he had any. She sent him back a letter that night telling him that he would have to wait for his letters from his 'girlfriends' until she thought that he was not going to be busy with tests and things, but he was more then welcome to write when ever he had time too.
The year seemed to fly by, he wrote every other day trying every thin he could to get his letters. Nothing seemed to work but he tried any way. The came when tests were to begin. He sat down for breakfast with some notes and the schedule of testing. He had a pretty easy day. he pulled his notes for DADA out to go over them, he didn't really think that he needed to worry too much about potions. As he started going over his notes he felt a tug on his hair. His mother's owl was looking at him like he was the dumbest thing she had ever laid eyes on. He took the letter off of her leg and gave her some of his eggs and she hurried off.
Dear Severus,
Your mother told me about the testing you were having to do at school. It sounded really important so I didn't want to bother you. Lizzie says Hi. She loved getting letters from you. She has been telling all the kids at her day care that you're her boyfriend. I know that we didn't know each other that well but I really miss you. We need to do something this summer. my parents don't think that you and I being 'friends' is a good idea. Are we friends or more than that? I guess that we never had a chance to be more than that did we? You have more important things to worry about right now, like passing all those tests. Your mom is going to let me come with her to get you from the station she says that you should write her about this too. Something about timing??? Well I will write again as soon as you write back.
Good Luck! Love,
Julie
Severus smiled and places that letter in his pocket. He went the rest of the day looking like he might have been the happiest man on earth, and the truth was that he just might have been. He headed off to his first test, DADA. The test took no time at all. He was the last out of the room after it was all over. Before his next test he decided that he would study outside like every one else, he a shady spot under a tree next to the woods. He was so into his studying for the next exam that he didn't notice that he had sat down several trees from potter and his group. They were complaining loudly about being bored while James tied to look cool catching a snich over and over.
"Hey, Sinvelous. What ya got there?" Sirius grabbed the notes from his hands ripping them. Why did they have to pick on him today? He was in a good mood. Severus made one of his usual comments to Sirius and James. Remus just sat under the tree watching. How he got to be a prefect Severus will never know. The next thing he knew he was upside down with his robes over his head. He was very glad at this point that he hadn't worn his boxers with the ducks on them that his mother had got him for Christmas. He wished he hadn't put his wand in his bag, which lay by the tree.
"James, Put him down."
"Oh Hi Lilly, How are you?"
"Remus as a fellow school Prefect I cant see how you could allow this to happen. I am going to get a teacher and see that you all have detention for thin now put him down." Severus wanted to kill her not only because she was a no-it -all- mudblood but she had appointed her self the personal care taker of any one who fell victim to an attack by the potter gang. Severus fell to the ground suddenly. He jumped up and dusted off his robes.
"I didn't need your help you filthy mudblood." He snarled at her causing tears to once again fill her eyes.
"That's not what it looked like to me"
"I don't care what it 'looked' like to you I don't need your help."
"Fine." Lilly pushed her way passed James and headed back to the school. Has soon as she was gone he found himself upside down. This time his letter from Julie fell from his pocket along with a letter he had started to her. 'Oh please don't let them see those.' He chanted over and over in his head. Sirius bent over and picked up the letters and read them to him self smiled and then began to read them out loud as a teacher showed up and placed him right side up. They were then escorted to the head masters office.
" Mama, what are you doing?"
" Oh, good morning. There is some breakfast on the table and you can help me when you are done if you want. I just thought that it would be nice to have the house decorated like it use to be. I miss all the big tree and all the lights and.. Would you like to go into town with me later and we could eat out and do some shopping for presents and maybe get a tree?" Severus watched his mother as she spoke her eyes began to grow wider and wider until he thought they would pop right out of her head.
"That sounds like fun mom, but what town?" The only town he could think of was the muggle one at the bottom of the hill. She couldn't mean that one.
"Well there is that little muggle town we could go look there first I guess. I love how pretty the town looks from the window at night all light up with different color lights and it would be fun to look around. Then we could go to Diagon Alley. You don't want to go do you?"
"No we can go if you want to." She was right what harm could there be in just going and looking around at things. He helped his mother put up some of the decorations before they both got tired of it and handed the job over to the house elves. He and his mother decided over breakfast they would go to the town later that afternoon, so that she could have time to get ready. He hadn't seen her happy in so long.
Severus sat at the bottom of the stairs waiting for his mother. She had been getting ready for what seemed like days, but was really more like three or four hours. "Its been so long since I wore muggle cloths. I hope that these are ok." Severus turned to see his mother making her way down the stairs in an out fit that he swore he had seen on that Evans girl and she was carrying a dark blue over coat. Severus looked at her and smiled and started to open the door. "You aren't going like that, are you?" Her nose wrinkled as she looked her son over.
"What's wrong with my robes?"
"Oh, come here. Going to a muggle town like that you'll get laughed at. Here we go they use to be your fathers and well they may be a little big but that can be fixed now go put these on."
Severus mumbled to him self and went to his room he replaced the robes with the green dress shirt and black pants. He looked in the mirror laughed at the way he looked and went back to his mother's room. She was dusting off a leather trench coat that she had removed from the closet. He grabbed the coat from her and started down the stairs.
"Severus you look nice," she called after him, "but your hair. Are you going to leave it like that?" Severus rolled his eyes, turned, and went back to his room. He grabbed one of the ties for his hair and pulled it back into a pony tail. He made his way back down the stairs where his mother was now waiting for him.
"Can we leave now." His mother didn't answer she only smiled and opened the door. They hardly spoke to each other as they made there way to the town. By the time they reached the edge of the town it had started to snow again. "What do you want to do first?" Severus shrugged. "How about we do a bit of window shopping?" He shrugged again and followed his mother. They wandered from store to store, and there was more than just 'window shopping' going on. His mother stopped in every store and bought at least one thing. He had no idea his mother had brought that much muggle money with her, or that she even had any idea how to use it. They were making there way back down the other side of the street to there house when his mother realized they had not eaten dinner yet and saw this small restraint on the corner right next to a tree lot. This is when Severus realized he had been tricked and was not going to get to go any where near a wizarding shop of any kind today. The found a table next to a window his mother left him after they ordered to go look at the bathroom. Severus sank into his chair and stared out the window. The snow had picked up and it really wasn't going to be fun to walk home in. His thoughts were interrupted by some one pulling on his hair. He turned to find a small, blonde little girl behind him.
"You have pretty hair. Almost like my dolly," she smiled and handed Severus a very well lover half bald doll.
"Thank you." He handed her back her doll. She defiantly wasn't from one of the richer muggle families but she had to have been the cutest thing he had seen all day.
"Lizzie, what are you doing? Don't you know you aren't to talk to strangers?"
"But sissy he isn't a stranger he is my friend. Aren't you?" Severus smiled at the little girl. He had spoken to soon about her being the cutest girl all day. The girl now standing behind the small child was absolutely beautiful. She had long silky blond hair, pale skin, and the most beautiful crystal blue eyes he had ever seen.
"I am sorry. She can be a brat some times. I hope she didn't cause too much trouble." Severus could not think of any thing to do but stare. He could tell this was a bad idea when the milky white skin of, what he thought to be an angle, started to turn pink.
"Um.. No. She was no trouble at all. Don't worry about it." The girl apologized again any way and walked her little sister, who turned and waved at him several times, back to a table full of teen age girls. He covered his face with his hands. If only he had something sweet or smooth to say to her. 'She was just there to get her sister nothing else just get over your self Severus.' He mumbled, and then turned back to his window. He watched the reflection of the girls in the window. They seemed to be having a great time laughing and talking. He was so busy he hadn't noticed his mother had returned to the table.
"Are you ok? You look like you are going to be sick or something." She looked at the window and then smiled at her son. "Which one are you staring at?"
Severus felt his face go red. "The blonde." He couldn't believe he had just told her. Not like he had a choice she would have been asking him all break if he hadn't. Much to his amazement she left it at that. After a few moments she spoke again. "You know I was thinking that since they tree lot is next door that we could go there and get a tree and there is no way that we are going to be able to get all of this home so would you mind if I got a cab."
Severus wrinkled his nose and whispered to his mother, "What's a Cab?" At which point she began to laugh hysterically and then excused her self to go call one. He went back to his ice cream and staring. He wished he knew what was so funny.
"Psst.psst."
"Your going to get into trouble again little one. I don't think your sister likes you getting away from her." Severus turned and smiled at the little girl who was under the table across from his.
"Is she looking?" he shook his head no and the girl darted out from under the table and into his lap. She threw her arms around his neck and started to sniffle. "She is wrong you arnt a stranger, you're my friend."
"Of course I am."
"What's your name? Mines Lizzie, and I am four, and this is my bear. I just got him today he was my Christmas present from sissies' friends. I don't know what to name him. Do you know any good bear names?"
He smiled at the girl .Her balding doll had been replaced with a small brown bear wearing a green scarf with silver snow flakes. "My name is Severus. I am 15, and that is a very cute bear. Oh and bear names, how about Kuma."
"Your name is sevarolus?"
Severus laughed and the little girl joined in even though she had no idea what was so funny. "Why don't you just call me Sev."
"Sev," She giggled. "Sev and Kuma, I like it." Severus felt his face begin to hurt he couldn't remember a time in his life when he had smiled this much.
"You have a sweet smile." Severus tried to keep from blushing but he just couldn't. The little ones sister sat down next to him. He couldn't speak. Every thing he could think of to say sounded so stupid. The little one started to cry and was hugging him so hard that he couldn't breathe. " He is my friend. I found him first. You cant have him, so go away."
He looked at the little girl, "That wasn't very nice."
"She isn't very nice, so why do I have to be."
"Why isn't she nice?"
"She is going to be all 'oh you is so cute. Will you be friends with me and forget all about my sister she is just a stupid baby.' And then you will follow her and forget all about me and I will be all alone with Kuma and we will cry."
"That had to be the cutest sarcastic voice I have ever heard, and I will not leave you hear to cry. I don't think your sister would either. You and Kuma are the cutest little things I have ever met, so I could never forget about you guys."
"Promise."
"Promise."
"You named your bear Kuma?" her sister said. Severus had almost forgot that she was there.
"What wrong with Kuma," Lizzie said and started sniffing.
"Yeah, whats wrong with it?" He decided that taking up for his new little friend was the best was the best way to start talking to the sister.
"Nothing is wrong with it. It is just the oddest name she has made up for one of her animals."
"Oh and you think you could have done better?" Severus smiled at her. He wished he knew her name and that they were talking about things other than a stuffed bear's name.
"You named it didn't you?" He nodded. "Kuma mean anything?" he nodded again. "Are you going to tell me?"
"I don't know if I should tell a stranger something like that."
"Ok Lizzie, what do I have to do to not be a stranger?" Lizzie leaned over and whispered in her sister ear and went right back to holding on to Severus.
"That's all I have to do. You two are odd. Ok. My name is Julie. I am 15, and I want to know what the name means."
"Hi Juile. I am Severus. Yes I know it's an odd name, and I just don't want to tell you right now what it means."
"Severus be nice to the young lady." He looked up to see his mother had returned.
"Lizzie, Julie this is my mother. Mother this is Lizzie and Julie."
Both girls smiled and nodded at his mother and she did the same to them. "Now what was it you wanted to know Julie? I might be able to help."
Julie's smile went evil. "What does Kuma mean?"
"It means bear but I forget what language exactly." She smiled. "Now my turn for the questions. Since my son will never ask you because he is to shy and has this fear of the word no, would you and your adorable sister like to join us at our New Years Eve party? Its not going to be any thing special, Just friends and family, But you two are more then welcome to come." "We would love to." Julie blurted out excitedly. She and his mother exchanged information about the party and then they said there good byes and headed out the door to find a tree.
Severus looked up at his mother, "We are having a party?"
"We are now," She smiled at him.
Severus paced the entrance hall. How could she have invited her to the house. It was too risky for someone like her to be there, and with his family. How many families had to be told that they were not allowed to eat the company when they arrived? What was thinking? Severus was interrupted but to loud knock on the door. He walked slowly to the door. He was shaking all over. He had never been more nervous in his life. He opened the door to find two snow covered girls. "Come in. Come in. You girls must be freezing. Severus dear you take there coats I will show them to the fire." Severus cringed as his grandmother lead the girl into the next room. He threw their coats into the closet and ran to catch up. He entered the room to find his mother and his grandmother introducing the two to the family. He breathed a sigh of relief and entered the room. "And that in the corner is my stupid grandson, but I think that you know him." Severus smirked and nodded, which made his mother and Julie giggle.
"Sev, I missed you!" Lizzie screamed as she ran at him. He knelt down and picked her up and swung her around. "I missed you too. How's Kuma?"
"Oh she misses you too. She cried a lot when you left. She couldn't come she is grounded she bit my dolly on the nose."
"Well that doesn't sound like her. I am sure she will be much better once you get back." "Severus, why don't you show the girls around your cousins are playing in your room. You should introduce them too."
Severus went red and gritted his teeth. "Why are they in my room mother?"
"Well I have food I need to check on, off you go."
"Don't be mad Sev." Lizzie kissed him on the nose, "I will beat them up for you. She cant get on to me I am a guest."
"Where on earth .."
Julie interrupted, "Its best to just not ask." She smiled.
"Ok then, shall we?" She blushed and took his arm which made the one he was carrying growl while they walked up the stairs. He showed them all of the rooms he though that they might like and ended the tour with his room. The monsters that he had for cousins were all about Lizzie's age, so she had no problem fitting in right away. The only bad thing about this was it left him and Julie alone. He led her over to the window seat on the other side of the room. He was shaking again. He had no idea what to say to her. They sat in silence watching the kids play or the snow out side, until finally Julie decided to break the silence. "You have a very nice house and I love you room. Your mom must have a really good job. Oh I shouldn't have..."
Severus laughed, "Don't worrier about that, and my mom hasn't got a job. I don't think she has worked a day in her life. My father had a really nice job doing something for the government. And the rest was inherited. I personally don't really like it. Its too big."
"Where is your father?"
"Oh, he's dead. And don't apologize for mentioning him. I am glad he is dead."
"You're glad he is dead? How can you be glad that he is gone?"
"I am no longer his favorite thing to beat on. He was never around that much for me to get attached to. How did we end up talking about depressing things? I haven't been to many parties but I don't think that that is what you are suppose to talk about."
"Al right then, school isn't sad. Tell me about school then."
"Well I go to a privet school and I am the biggest nerd there. Now what about you?"
"I went to a public school until last year. My parents started home schooling me, which I hate. I was, well I wasn't a nerd, but I wasn't popular either. I do get to see my friends every day, but I wish I got to do all the things that they do like the dances and things. I hope they will let me go back next year. Do they allow you to get letters at your school? Maybe I could write you or something."
"I think I would like that, but you would have to send them to my mom first. They only let us get mail from family. My mom would play along if I asked her too."
They sat in the corner and laughed and talked about almost every thing. They both had secrets that they were keeping from each other, but they had just met the trust wasn't all there. Severus was having the best time he had ever had, but that was all interrupted by to girls fighting.
"Give me back my doll!"
"Only when you give me back the chocolate!"
Severus shook his head and walked slowly over to the girls.
"I am a vampire you know," His cousin whispered to Lizzie, "And if you don't give me back my doll I will.."
"You'll what," Severus's whisper was low and evil making the little girl start shaking. Lizzie ran and jumped in to his arms and started to cry. "Don't let her eat me. I want to go home, Sev. Can you take me home?"
"What happened?" Julie was now next to him.
"My cousin threatened to eat her, now she wants to go home." He looked over at Julie and smiled softly, "Would you like to have me walk you home?"
"Only if you will go with me to my friend's party." Severus nodded and they made there way down stairs to the hall closet.
"Where are you going its only ten? Oh what happened to Lizzie." His mother was now standing next to him petting the little girls head.
"Someone threatened to eat her. So she wants to go home. I was going to walk them if that is ok with you."
"That's fine. Be careful and don't be out to late."
Severus and the two girls walked home getting into several snowball fights along the way. They finally reached the house with several minutes till midnight.
"Mommy, Daddy we are home, and we have company." Lizzie ran through the house screaming. The two teens laugh.
"It doesn't look like they are home." She looked at the clock and smiled "Happy New Year."
"Happy New Year," Severus smiled and very nervously leaned over and kissed Julie on the cheek. He blushed and laughed when he saw the shocked look on her face. "Sorry I didn't think it would scare you. It is tradition you know." She said nothing just looked at him. This had to be bad. "I think I should go now, tell Lizzie that I said Happy New Year." He turned at walked as quickly as he could with out running from the house and half way down the walkway.
"Severus," Julie came running out of the house after him. "I am sorry I just didn't know what to say. Don't leave. Please." She threw her arms around his neck and tried to hide that she had started crying.
"Hey, don't do that. I am not mad. I thought you were." Severus lifted her head and wiped away the tears that were running down her face. "You need to get inside before you freeze." He walked her inside; they said there goodbyes she promised to write every day. He smiled all the way home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Severus reluctantly returned to school the next morning. He tried all the way to the train station to convince his mother that she needed to home school him and that she would be a better teacher than the ones he had at school but all she did was hug him roll her eyes and push him on the train. It wasn't hard for him to fall back into his normal routine. The OWLs were coming up soon and he spent a lot of his time in his room or some corner of the common room studying. Well, trying to study. His mind kept drifting back to the break and Julie and Lizzie. She had promised to write him but it had been almost a month and not even his mother had written. He was getting worried but the only time he had to send the letters was at night and well he didn't want to deal with Potter and his goons. He would just have to try and do it during the day some time.
Severus wrote his mother and Julie and Lizzie several letter a piece then instead of breakfast he sent them all to his mother asking her to send the others by muggle mail and to send back any replies if he had any. She sent him back a letter that night telling him that he would have to wait for his letters from his 'girlfriends' until she thought that he was not going to be busy with tests and things, but he was more then welcome to write when ever he had time too.
The year seemed to fly by, he wrote every other day trying every thin he could to get his letters. Nothing seemed to work but he tried any way. The came when tests were to begin. He sat down for breakfast with some notes and the schedule of testing. He had a pretty easy day. he pulled his notes for DADA out to go over them, he didn't really think that he needed to worry too much about potions. As he started going over his notes he felt a tug on his hair. His mother's owl was looking at him like he was the dumbest thing she had ever laid eyes on. He took the letter off of her leg and gave her some of his eggs and she hurried off.
Dear Severus,
Your mother told me about the testing you were having to do at school. It sounded really important so I didn't want to bother you. Lizzie says Hi. She loved getting letters from you. She has been telling all the kids at her day care that you're her boyfriend. I know that we didn't know each other that well but I really miss you. We need to do something this summer. my parents don't think that you and I being 'friends' is a good idea. Are we friends or more than that? I guess that we never had a chance to be more than that did we? You have more important things to worry about right now, like passing all those tests. Your mom is going to let me come with her to get you from the station she says that you should write her about this too. Something about timing??? Well I will write again as soon as you write back.
Good Luck! Love,
Julie
Severus smiled and places that letter in his pocket. He went the rest of the day looking like he might have been the happiest man on earth, and the truth was that he just might have been. He headed off to his first test, DADA. The test took no time at all. He was the last out of the room after it was all over. Before his next test he decided that he would study outside like every one else, he a shady spot under a tree next to the woods. He was so into his studying for the next exam that he didn't notice that he had sat down several trees from potter and his group. They were complaining loudly about being bored while James tied to look cool catching a snich over and over.
"Hey, Sinvelous. What ya got there?" Sirius grabbed the notes from his hands ripping them. Why did they have to pick on him today? He was in a good mood. Severus made one of his usual comments to Sirius and James. Remus just sat under the tree watching. How he got to be a prefect Severus will never know. The next thing he knew he was upside down with his robes over his head. He was very glad at this point that he hadn't worn his boxers with the ducks on them that his mother had got him for Christmas. He wished he hadn't put his wand in his bag, which lay by the tree.
"James, Put him down."
"Oh Hi Lilly, How are you?"
"Remus as a fellow school Prefect I cant see how you could allow this to happen. I am going to get a teacher and see that you all have detention for thin now put him down." Severus wanted to kill her not only because she was a no-it -all- mudblood but she had appointed her self the personal care taker of any one who fell victim to an attack by the potter gang. Severus fell to the ground suddenly. He jumped up and dusted off his robes.
"I didn't need your help you filthy mudblood." He snarled at her causing tears to once again fill her eyes.
"That's not what it looked like to me"
"I don't care what it 'looked' like to you I don't need your help."
"Fine." Lilly pushed her way passed James and headed back to the school. Has soon as she was gone he found himself upside down. This time his letter from Julie fell from his pocket along with a letter he had started to her. 'Oh please don't let them see those.' He chanted over and over in his head. Sirius bent over and picked up the letters and read them to him self smiled and then began to read them out loud as a teacher showed up and placed him right side up. They were then escorted to the head masters office.