They Didn't Know We Were Seeds
Severus spends a lot more time at the Evans's home than he expected upon returning from Hogwarts. It's better than his parents' house, and the park too, but he still doesn't quite like it. The house is too nice, too warm. It's not a place meant for a person like him. Then there's the fact Lily's parents certainly don't seem to care for his near-constant presence, either. They watch him when they are around. Alert and on edge at all times. They never dare say anything to him, however. Lily cares about him too much for them to dare to. Petunia too, these days, seems to be coming around to him. She smiles at him, sometimes, anyway. The Evans love their girls far too much to upset them by insisting they not bring the odd Spinner's End boy into their home.
When they manage to catch him away from the girls, they often times try and interrogate him. Though, he's quite sure he's the only one who would call it such. To anyone who may listen in, it just seems like polite interest. He's the best friend of their youngest daughter; of course they want to know about him and his life – if only because he and Lily spend so much time together.
On one particular muggy Saturday, while Severus is out retrieving a letter from Sirius in the Evans's garden, Mr. Evans joins him in the small, closed-off space. With sharp eyes, he watches Severus pat the creature's head before sending it off. The owl knows to come back in a day's time. As Severus turns around to head back inside, the man effectively blocks Severus from doing so by filling the threshold of the back door with his body.
With feigned casualness, he pulls a cigarette from his breast pocket. "You're getting older, aren't you?" he remarks. "You smoke?"
Severus clutches his letter a little tighter and shakes his head. "No, sir."
Mr. Evans takes a drag from his cigarette. "Probably for the best," he says, "doctors now days say they're quite bad for you." He looks at the little stick of cancer in his hand. "Even so, can't seem to kick the habit."
Benevolently, Severus offers, "There are worse habits to have."
The man's face remains neutral as he asks, "That so?"
He has to look away. It's no secret how much Severus's father enjoys the drink.
Lily's father sighs. "What you got there?" he asks.
Severus glances at the letter in his hand. He wants to hide it in his pocket, but he worries what Mr. Evans would think of that. Finally, grudgingly, he tells the man, "A letter from a friend."
"Ah."
He shifts, more unease overcoming him as the man continues to block Severus's way back into the house. "I hope it's alright that my mates send their letters here. Dad doesn't like owls and Lily–"
"Doesn't like them? You're mum's a witch too, isn't she? How does she talk to her family and magic friends if she doesn't use owls?" Mister Evans asks, frowning and face just a little suspicious.
Severus forces himself not to shrink under the gaze. Quietly, he informs the man, "She doesn't, sir."
Lily's father stands a little straighter at the words, opening just enough space for Severus to squeeze past him if he didn't mind brushing up against the man's middle. "Never?" he inquires.
He gives a harsh shrug of his shoulder. Severus doesn't like this conversation. Severus doesn't ever like talking about his parents. Most of the time, he just likes to pretend they don't exist. "Not that I've ever seen."
"He wouldn't hurt the owl, would he?"
Severus lets his mouth lift in a facsimile of a smile. "The owl would be just fine, Mr. Evans."
Mr. Evans abruptly moves out of the doorway. "Been nice talking to you, Severus," he says.
"You too, sir."
-o-O-o-
The two of them are alone in the kitchen. Even so, Severus listens for his father in the other room. He strains his ears as the man grumbles to himself while gathering together his keys and wallet. Then as he puts on his jacket and shoes. Finally, Severus listens to the open and shut of the front door. His father is gone. He waits a few more minutes.
"My friend wants me to visit him," he says.
She doesn't look up from the plate she's rinsing in the sink. "Sirius?" asks his mum while handing Severus the plate.
"No."
His mother pauses in washing the dishes from dinner. As for Severus, he continues to dry the plate in his hand. Turning her head, his mother asks, "What's their name, then?"
"Sage," Severus answers.
Out of the corner of his eye, he sees her frown. "Sage what?"
He ducks his head a little, causing his hair to fall into his face. Severus has wracked his brain for the past few weeks, trying to remember if there's any bad blood between the Princes and the Montagues. If the Montagues' reputation for shady business dealings is something that would upset her. Days spent trying to decide if the very question would offend her. It's one thing, leaving her for school. He has to go. She can't very well teach him at home – not when his father will box them around the ears should they so much as utter the word magic around him. She gave – gives – so much up for him. A part of Severus even feels guilty. He leaves her and leaves her and here is he asking to leave her for a reason that is not vital to him becoming a functioning member of society.
A tiny, very child-like part of him wonders if his leaving will hasten her death. She will see he's got a life that doesn't need her and she'll unconsciously begin to think it's time to die. She'll get sick sooner now, or she won't fight it as hard when she does. His mother is a miserable person sometimes. Loathful, even. Yet he knows he can't blame her. He's the one who chained her to this existence. It is because of him she gave up her name and fortune. Any chance for happiness.
He doesn't want her to die. She's the one who showed him his first spell. Promised his future would hold more than his father's.
Finally, he murmurs, "Montague."
There's quiet for a moment. "They had another son? After the first one?"
Severus peers through his hair up at her. He doesn't know what to say to that. Finally, he offers, "Yes?"
"Hm…"
He takes a cup as it is handed to him. Severus dries it before he asks, "May I visit him?"
"You'll have to arrange it. I can't take you, nor can I pick you up. Your father would murder me," she says. Then, she laughs, like it's a joke. It's hollow, however, and they both know it's not. His father just might.
Severus exhales with relief. "I can do that."
-o-O-o-
He's sitting out front of the Evans's home with Lily, waiting for Sage's brother, Boyd, to show up. Sage's brother knows how to apparate and he's sufficient enough at it he won't accidentally splinch Severus if he uses it to transport them to the Montague Estate. As time continues on, Lily hands him half of her sandwich from lunch.
"Thanks," he says, before taking a bite.
She smiles. "You'll be okay, right?" she asks.
He nods. "I'm to spend a weekend with a thirteen-year-old. I'll be fine."
"I know, but it's not just him… It's his mum and brother too."
Severus brushes the crumbs from his hands. Eyeing Lily, he asks, "You like Sage, don't you?"
She looks away, off at some distant point down the street. "He was very kind to Mary," she replies after a moment.
He snorts, more amused than anything. "That's a rather evasive answer."
Lily puffs out her cheeks. "He's more your friend than mine," she mumbles. "You don't really spend much time with the three of us together – like you do with Sirius."
Fleetingly, Severus wonders if she's jealous. In their last lifetime, Lily was his only close friend. Now, with Sirius, and Sage, he could have a small group of close friends given enough time. "I could have him study with us next year," he offers.
"Only if he wants to," Lily says. "I don't want to make him uncomfortable."
Severus is about to assure her she won't when a barrel-chested young man with slicked back hair comes up the path to Lily's house. He looks very much like Graham Montague, Severus notes. Undoubtedly this man is Graham's father, Boyd. When Sage's brother reaches Lily and him, he stares down at them. "Are you Severus Snape?" he asks.
Severus hops to his feet. "Yes," he answers. Putting out his hand he says, "It's nice to meet you, Boyd."
Boyd shakes it distractedly and then looks at Lily. "Who's she? Sage said I was only picking up one kid."
"Just a friend," Lily answers, now rising to her feet. She juts her thumb behind her and explains, "This is my house."
The young man frowns. "If you can get to a friends house, why has Sage made me come to get you?"
"Lily lives a few streets away from me," Severus tells him. "Honestly, I decided it was better I meet you here. Spinner's End really isn't the first place someone new to Cokeworth should visit." Then, more to Lily than Boyd, he murmurs, "Nevermind how Dad would react to a strange wizard at our house."
Boyd looks between the two of them, gaze inscrutable. "Right," he finally says. "Do you have your things together?"
Severus pulls on the straps of the knapsack Lily let him borrow. "Yes."
"Come on then, we should get going."
Lily steps forward and wraps Severus in a quick hug. "See you soon!"
"Bye," he returns.
Already walking back down the path, Boyd calls back, "Hurry up! I'm on a schedule!"
Before racing off after the young man, Severus promises, "I'll tell you if anything interesting happened when I get back."
Arms wrapped around her middle, Lily grins. "You better!"
He smiles back quickly as Sage's brother yells from a little ways down the street. "I will leave you here if you aren't at my side in the next thirty seconds!" Severus rolls his eyes at Lily, who smirks back at him, mirthful, and then sprints after Boyd.
He'd hate to be left behind and disappoint Sage, after all.
Thoughts on this chapter? Which scene was your favorite guys?
Thank you so much for reading :)