They Didn't Know We Were Seeds

As Severus is heading towards the Great Hall for breakfast the morning after the holiday's end, he looks up from a book he's reading at an excited whoop.

"Severus!" Sirius greets with a broad grin.

He can't help but smile back. Closing his book with a satisfying thump, he strides over to Sirius at a speedy clip. "How was hols here at Hogwarts?"

Sirius's grin takes on a devilish quality. "I snuck Narcissa and Regulus out after dinner on Christmas Eve to walk around Hogsmeade. It's always so pretty at Christmas time." His smile falters ever so slightly. "It's what we used to do around Christmas time, us and our parents, before I got sorted into Gryffindor."

Severus holds back a wince and claps a hand on Sirius's shoulder. "Good for you, reclaiming the tradition."

Something a little hesitant, but hopeful ghosts across the boy's eyes. "Yeah? You think so?"

"I know so, Sirius."

All uncertainty extinguished, Sirius squared his shoulders and took on the bearing of a king. "Yeah, of course!"

Rolling his eyes, Severus begins to walk in the direction of the hall once more, Sirius in step beside him. "Did you finish your charms paper?" Severus questions. "I know you wrote a few days ago you were having trouble with it…"

-O-

Over the course of breakfast, Severus takes note of his housemates; who looks happy, upset, and unchanged. Many of the younger students wear expressions of pleasure or nothing at all. A few older students (in particular, fifth and seventh years) look harried, while a number more appear to be smug about something. He's not quite sure what they could be so happy about and as time goes on and breakfast comes to its end, he never spies Scabior. Severus begins to fear that perhaps his absence is the reason the upper years look so pleased. It wouldn't be too out of character for them to gang on someone they feel is a "nuisance". Especially if Scabior has done something they don't like to someone's little brother or sister.

When he sees Narcissa get up from the tables, he follows after her. Catching her as she's just about to leave the Great Hall, he asks, "Have you seen Scabior?"

The seventh-year shakes her head. "I think I caught sight of him coming into the castle yesterday, but…" she puts a hand on her cheek and looks away. "I can't be too sure. He, or whoever it may have been, was keeping his head down."

Severus ignores the way his stomach lurches and sighs loudly instead. "Sounds like he's sulking about something. I suppose I'll check his dorm before I head off to class."

Amusement pulls at the corners of Narcissa's lips. "Will you now? Wouldn't you say that's a prefect's job?"

He eyes the young woman. While he knows she's mostly joking, he does think he hears a bit of an edge to her voice. She doesn't like the idea he could be usurping her position from her. Narcissa enjoys having the affections of younger years. For him to steal them— Even if it's just one (one that no even really likes) will undoubtedly drive a wedge between them. "Well, then, how do you feel about me accompanying you to check his dorm?"

"I suppose I can't stop you, can I?" she teases, voice light and pleased.

Any offense he may have caused now smoothed over, he flashes a return smile out of relief.

-O-

"Edmund? Edmund, sweetie, are you feeling alright?" Narcissa questions. Her hands hover just above the lump that has to be Scabior beneath the sheets of his bed.

"Go 'way," he grumbles.

Narcissa shares a look with Severus. It's partly worried, partly annoyed. Scabior is not one to hide. In fact, he's more brazen than some Gryffindors. "If you're ill, I need to escort you to the infirmary to see Madam Pomfrey."

"I'm fine!" he snaps, continuing to stay hidden beneath the sheets of his bed.

Severus decides it's time he takes a stab. "If that's true, why are you hiding in your dorm instead of getting ready for class?"

The boy groans. "Why are you always around?"

"Excuse me?"

The sheets shift, but Scabior does not come out. "You always show up when the last thing I want is your – or anyone else's – help!"

Alarm causes Narcissa to go rigid. Expressing her feelings with a glance in his direction, the young woman places a hand on the lump which they know to be Scabior. "What do you need help with?" she asks.

"Nothing!"

Patience gone, Severus grabs the edge of Scabior's sheets and pulls. A moment later, the disheveled boy is revealed. He gapes at the two of them, shocked that they actually took his sheets from him. In his moment of surprise, he forgets what he's been trying to hide and Severus and Narcissa can see the ugly bruise that has nearly swollen Scabior's eye shut clearly.

Hands going to her mouth, Narcissa whispers, "Oh my…"

Climbing onto the bed, Severus grabs Scabior's face and begins to investigate the injury. He's sure it came from someone bigger than Scabior and he's just furious enough to want to duplicate the injury on the one who inflicted it on Scabior. As he is now, fourteen and still a bit on the small side, he likely wouldn't be able to, but he could surely do worse with the right hex.

"Who did this to you?" he demands. "I'll get them back for it."

Yanking himself out of Severus's hold, Scabior says, "I'd like to see you try an' take my Da on. 'E'd wipe the floor with your skinny arse!"

Severus blinks. That's not unexpected news per say, but he'd felt so sure it had been another student who'd done it…

"Why would he hit you? In the face?" Narcissa asks, pale and scared.

Scabior looks away. "'E was pissed and not thinkin' straight. I 'ad to take the punch. My wee sister isn't even five."

Narcissa titters something disparaging about Scabior's father before wrapping an arm around the boy and bringing him against her side. "Well, you can forget that now. You're safe back at Hogwarts."

The boy's eyes darken. "Polly an' the rest of my sisters an' brother aren't."

The seventh-year bites her lip and looks to Severus. What she expects him to say, he doesn't know. There's nothing that can ever truly comfort one who knows he's going to have to return to the nundu's den eventually. Or to one who knows he's left behind weaker prey to a capricious monster's mercy. Instead, Severus grabs the boy by the arm and says gruffly, "Come with me. I got some salves that'll clear it up in no time."

"How fast are we talkin'?" Scabior asks, following Severus easily at the promise of something to clear up his eye.

He grins wickedly in response. "Once you put some on, it'll be all but gone by the time you get to class."

Narcissa makes a noise from behind them. He chances a glance back, an expression of awe is on her face. He wonders what it's for. Is it for how easily Scabior follows him? Or is it because he promises a salve that works faster than anything on the market? He doesn't think he cares either way.

All that he does care about is that Scabior goes to class and he makes it to his own on time.

-O-

Slipping into his spot beside Lily in potions, Severus relaxes when he sees Horace has yet to even put the day's plan on the board. He's more than made it on time, he's arrived early.

"Where were you?" Lily asks as she sets up her cauldron. "I thought you wanted to meet up outside the Great Hall to walk to class together."

Severus nods. "Something came up."

"With Narcissa? The two of you passed me right by."

He says, "Yes, Scabior wasn't at breakfast and we went to check on him to make sure he was alright."

Lily uncorks her bottle of ink and sets it down between their desks. They no longer have to share ink, as Aunt Vesta sends him packages of school materials on a next to monthly basis these days, but it's a habit neither feels bothered to really break. "Is he alright?"

"Yes. We fixed him up and he went to class."

She smiles at him, a knowingness in her eyes. "I'm glad you could help him out."

"It was nothing," Severus replies. He means it too. Fixing a black eye did nothing to solve the true issue at hand. Scabior's father was a violent drunk and as long as the boy is here at Hogwarts, his little sisters and brother will have no one to protect them from the man's rages. Even worse, Severus doesn't have the first clue how he's going to save Scabior and his siblings from this.

He's just one man and there are so many other things (and people) that need saving too for the better future they were sent back to create to come to fruition.

They're back at Hogwarts! What do you think about their first morning back? What did you like? Dislike?

Thank you very much for reading everyone :)