They Didn't Know We Were Seeds

Mrs. Evans is humming along to the record player in the lounge room as she cuts up the treacle tart and puts the servings on plates for Petunia to hand to everyone gathered at the table. Dirk takes his slice enthusiastically; if dinner is any indication, pudding is to be superb. The realization leaves him a little guilty. Mei hadn't been a poor cook, in fact, he'd always been quite fond of her rump roast. However, he can't recall anything she cooked ever being so excellently seasoned. And his mother… It's always best not to think too hard about her meals. It's not like she means to cook so badly, but that without a sense of smell, she simply can't be expected to ever be anything but adequate.

Dirk glances at Lily, who smiles at him around her fork. He grins back. He wonders what a meal cooked by her tastes like. Hopefully, she's learned a thing or two from her mother and is at least half as skilled as her in the kitchen. And if not… Well, he's survived worse and it is her other qualities that have captured his heart. Her not being a fine chef like her mother won't lessen his love.

Everyone finally with a plate in front of them, Mrs. Evans returns to her seat at the table and remarks for the second time that evening, "It's so lovely you could make it, Dirk."

He just smiles. "You should really thank my parents," he replies, "they're the ones who agreed to make the hour-long drive here when they didn't have to."

James frowns at him from across the table, one of his hands going to fiddle with his glasses, "Why didn't you just take the Knight Bus? It's much faster."

Dirk shook his head and began to cut another piece off his treacle tart with the side of his fork. "Mum and Dad didn't like the sound of it when I explained it," he says. Then, looking to Lily's parents, he adds, "Not to mention they wanted to see Cokeworth and meet Lily's family." Lily's mother nods at this, as if it makes all the sense to her in the world, while her father hardly listens at all as he reaches into his shirt pocket for a pack of cigarettes.

From what he saw earlier today as he and his family drove into town, he doesn't think his parents are particularly impressed by Cokeworth. Though, they did appear to like Lily's mother and sister, who'd been quite welcoming and insisted his parents come in for a quick bit of tea before leaving Dirk here at the Evans's home overnight. His dad had seemed less than enthused with Mr. Evans, especially once he found out the man roots for a different football club than him, but Dirk suspects that'll smooth over with time. His mum will show him how silly he's being soon enough and then Dad will start to warm up to Lily's father. Just like he warmed up to Mei's father in his first life after it came out the man didn't follow football much at all.

Dirk is taken from his reflections by the clink of James laying his utensils on his now empty plate. "Yeah, I guess it probably does sound kind of strange to Muggles," James relents, only to look around the room at his girlfriend and her parents and add, "No offense to you all. I've just heard too many stories from schoolmates and stuff about their mums and dads getting a little leery when they tell them about some of our travel-methods."

Lily's mother offers an understanding smile while her husband snorts and heads out the kitchen door to smoke his cigarettes now that he's finished with his pudding. "None taken, dear," she tells James. "I even think I know what you mean. When Lily told me about, oh, what do you call it? Flew-travel and how you step into the fire. It gave me shivers at first, I'll admit."

Dirk grins, recalling the indignant expression his father wore the time he explained floo-travel to him. "My dad felt the same!" he breaks in, excited. "He just couldn't believe witches and wizards could so easily ignore human instinct and step into something that could very well kill them!"

A thoughtfulness to his expression, James now runs a hand through his hair and says, "It's not a travel method for everyone." He tilts his head before adding, "Though I think it's the traveling itself that those people dislike the most, but I'm sure for some out there the fire bit bothers them too or more."

Mrs. Evans appears she is going to say something when the noise of the record ending starts in the next room. She sighs and casts questioning eyes upon them. "Any preferences?" she asks.

They shake their heads and Lily tells her, "Anything you pick is fine, Mum."

She nods and gets up. "I'll be just a minute, then," she tells them before leaving the kitchen for the record player in the lounge room.

Once she's gone, Dirk recollects what it is they were just talking about and snaps his fingers as a new train of thought comes to him. Turning to Lily, he asks her, "With all this traveling talk, I can't help but remember! Lily, how are planning to meet up with Severus for that New Years Eve party he invited you to? Is his mother or aunt popping over to take you? Or were you planning to take this Knight Bus here?"

She shrugs her shoulders. "I'm not sure yet, he said he'd send a letter with the details. I imagine it'll arrive tomorrow or the day after."

"New Years Eve party?" Petunia prompts from across the table eyes narrowed. "You haven't mentioned it to Mum and Dad."

Lily rolls her eyes. "Yes," she answers with a note of exasperation. "I haven't said anything because, really, it's not for certain just yet. What I do know is the Fenwicks, people Severus knows, decided to hold a party and he asked me to come along as his plus one."

Dirk finds himself furrowing his brows. She hasn't mentioned that only she'd be going with Severus before. He wonders why and if it's something he should worry about. He trusts Lily, of course, she's not a tricky sort. Severus however… "Wait, it's just you he invited to the party?"

Lily frowns at Dirk and reminds him in a chiding way, "Well, it's not like he can bring Sage…"

"Oh!" James exclaims, bringing all of their eyes to him. Unperturbed in the least by all of the sudden attention, he only smiles like he's in on something before remarking, "Yeah, that makes sense. Fenwick's wife is the sister of his brother's wife, isn't she? I bet that's a sore spot for them, considering who the Fenwicks are and how they feel about blood." Some of the pride falls away and befuddlement starts to curve the corners of his mouth. "I'm surprised Severus is risking going to a party partly hosted by her. Won't that just upset his family if they find out?"

"Without a doubt," Lily agrees, only to sigh. "Not that Severus is too concerned, he's very certain it won't come out."

Petunia, chin in one hand, and her other occupied with using her fork to push around her last bite of treacle tart around on her plate, asks, "Is he lying to his mum where he's going?"

"No," Lily replies, only to continue, "but if any of the Montagues ask, he's spending the evening here. While they certainly don't like me, they haven't found a proper ground to object to me quite yet without fearing that it will lose them Severus in the process."

Petunia scoffs and mutters, "Like any of them are going to talk to some Muggles."

James quiets his girlfriend with a soft shush and takes one of her hands as he says, "He really cares what they think, huh?"

Lily's gaze frowns. "No, I would say he doesn't."

Dirk can't help himself. "Then why's he lying to them? And asking you to do the same for him?"

"Because he loves Sage!" she snaps. "What do you think will happen if his aunt or Boyd hear he's seeing the Fenwicks? They'll cut him and his mum from the family again and force Sage to ignore Severus as much as he possibly can at school and that'll be it for him!" Getting to her feet, Lily complains, "You always do this! Look, I know you think he's slimy, but he's only doing what he has to for Sage."

His cheeks burn and he looks at his lap. "Sorry," he mumbles.

"Is everything okay, kids?" asks Lily's mother from the doorway to the kitchen. All of their heads swivel in the woman's direction and they waste no time reassuring her.

"We're fine, Mum," Petunia lies. "Lily just misheard Dirk and got a little cross because of it." She then stands up and starts to gather the empty plates and utensils on the table. "James, will you get the cups for me?" she asks.

The boy all but jumps into action. "Sure!" he agrees, but before he picks up even one cup, he looks to Mrs. Evans who still looks a little worried as she fiddles with the locket hung around her neck, and says, "Thanks for dinner and pudding, Mrs. Evans. It was great."

The woman ducks her head and smiles. "You're welcome, James," she replies. Stepping into the room, she says to her daughter, "Let me take those, dear. You go have fun with the others."

"Are you sure, Mum? It's fine, I don't mind doing the dishes."

All but marching over to the sink and turning on the tap, Lily's mother shakes her head. "No, no. Go. It's not everyday Lily and James are here for you to see."

"Alright…" she relents as she steps back only to take the glasses from James and hand them to her mother before she takes her boyfriend's hand and turns to them and suggests, "Shall we play that exploding card game James brought?"

Lily nods. "Sure," she agrees. She turns and asks, "That sounds okay, doesn't it, Dirk?"

He blinks, feeling imbalanced by how quickly they've gone from fighting to amiable. Even so, Dirk has enough wits about him to answer after only the briefest of hesitations, "Yeah." To improve his act, he even smiles as he continues, "A game of snaps sounds great."

As they head into the lounge room to play cards, Dirk's smile slips. He know that even though it seems his and Lily's row is over, really, it's not. It's only on pause because of her family and James being around and soon, they'll be fighting about Severus again. Like always.

-o-O-o-

As Severus expected, Christmas Eve dinner at the Montague manor was a dreary affair. Vesta had definitely done her best to make it a festive affair, but it was futile in the face of Violet constantly sniffling into her napkin and Boyd never even touching a morsel of his dinner followed by their early departure from the manor before pudding. While things took a slightly more upbeat air during pudding with Demitri and Vesta talking about his upcoming visit to the Rookwoods, the evening overall kept its subdue air. Christmas day wasn't any better, either.

Now that it's boxing day, things are finaly starting to lighten up— Or at least for his mother and Vesta, it is. Severus can't help but to rolls his eyes when he hears them giggling like schoolgirls as he passes the lounge room they're sharing a bottle of wine in on his way to Sage's room. Really, he's glad his mother is happy and enjoying herself, but does she have to sound so childish while doing it?

He sighs to himself as he reaches the closed door of Sage's bedroom and grabs the handle. He's probably just being bitter, he realizes. Today's not going to bring him the least bit of joy and he doubts tomorrow or the day after or even the one after that will either. The closest he's likely to come this holiday season is the night of the Fenwick's New Year's Eve party. He'll see Lily, Clara, and toast to what will hopefully be a more promising year. Maybe he'll experience some elation when Demitri and Priscilla report they've killed another Horcrux, but Severus doubts it. At best there will be relief, he thinks. One more destroyed, one step closer to a final, faster end to Voldemort.

"Are you ever coming in?" calls the muffled voice of Sage from the other side of the door.

Severus frowns, a bit surprised. He then wrenches it open to see Sage waiting on the other side, arms crossed and eyebrow quirked. He returns the look and demands, "What?"

"For someone who says he was a spy, you sure let your presence be known outside my door."

"I wasn't trying to spy on you," replies Severus in a sneering tone. "If that was my intention, you'd have never known I was there."

Sage scoffs.

Severus resists the urge to take them into a row and instead says, "The Pensieve is ready if you are."

For a brief moment, Sage's expression turns to one of tentativeness, like he may back out on viewing Severus's memories of him, about him and his family, but it's quickly replaced with one of resolve. Severus almost admires Sage's bravery, but in the end, feels more pity for what the teenager. This is all stubbornness and he's about to shake himself with the reality that he really had meant nothing to Severus once, that he'd hardly lived at all in another life and will again if he's not careful.

"Let's go," Sage whispers brushing past Severus as he strides past him and out of the room.

It takes the two of them little time at all to go to Severus's room and close and lock the door. Going over to his Pensieve that he's placed on his old room's desk, Severus turns and looks at Sage. "This is really something you want?"

The teenager scowls. "Yes!" he snaps.

Severus casts silencing spells on the room and an extra locking charm or two on the door to keep out any surprise visits from either of their mothers or anyone else who may try to open the door. Before he puts his wand to his head, he warns Sage, "You're not going to like any of what you see."

Sage rolls his eyes and turns his attention to the window next to the desk. Severus releases a quiet breath and closes his eyes as he gathers together all his memories of Sage from before. There are not many and he rarely plays any kind of significant role, after he puts them into the Pensieve, he begins to gather together memories of Boyd, which are still few, but he often has a far more active role than his brother ever did in any of his old memories. There are none of Vesta to add, though, he does have a couple of Violet and Adam he chooses to put into the bowl, along with a few odd memories he has of the short-lived gossip surrounding Sage's demise. Finally, after a moment of consideration, he adds a few memories of Graham, just to let Sage see what he missed out on by dying so young. Finished, he steps back from the Pensieve and gestures for Sage to approach. "I'm done," he tells him.

Sage still looks a little suspicious of him as he approaches the bowl. Before he can put his face into it, Severus puts a hand on Sage's arm and waits for his brother to meet his gaze. When he does, he says, "Remember, these are all in the past."

The teenager looks a bit annoyed at this, but nods all the same. With that, Sage takes a breath and dunks his head into the bowl of swirling memories.

For what feels like ages, Severus hovers around Sage, watching, waiting, hoping that he finds what he needs to move on in the memories Severus is allowing him to see. Abruptly, Sage startles out of the Pensieve, gasping and eyes wet. Severus goes to touch his shoulder, but the teenager jerks away. Staring at him with wide, scared, devastated eyes, Sage whispers, "That's really it? All you knew of me before? I wasn't— You didn't even have anything to say when people were rabbiting on about whether I killed myself or not! It's like I was a stranger! A bloody person you read about in the papers!"

Softly, Severus says, "You were, Sage."

His brother blinks at his admission and then his face turns void of any emotions. "How?" he asks after a lengthy silence.

He frowns at his brother. "How?"

"How? How did things turn out so different here?"

Severus opens his mouth to answer, only to close it as he really thinks over Sage's question. It's not as easy as he'd first thought, there are so many little moments, little things, that brought his brother into a more prominent (no, a prominent) role into his life and to pinpoint just one feels impossible. "Chance," he murmurs. "It was all chance."

"Chance?" he mutters as his eyes begin to fill with tears.

Severus reaches for his brother's hand and grasps it— Hard. "When I found myself here, in this reality, I didn't know why or how. All I knew was it'd happened. Then I found Lily and we got to talking and realized we both had the same urge to do better. Neither of us knew exactly how we were going to accomplish that. Yes, we had ideas, like killing the Lord's Horcruxes and such, but the rest…" He shakes his head. "I could never have imagined I'd come to call Sirius Black a mate, but I do. I thought I'd never join Slughorn's stupid club again, but I did. Making friends with you, let alone calling you my brother, wasn't something I could have ever predicted.

"Somehow, though, through a few chance moments, you became a part of my life and took root." He forces a smile even as Sage hiccups and cries into the hand Severus isn't holding. "Do you want to know something, Sage? I'm glad for it. I'm glad you're a part of my life, that chance worked in my favor for once in my Goddamn existence and brought you to me. I think I would even say you're the best part of this unwanted second chance that I've had foisted on me."

Taking his brother's chin in his hand, he makes Sage meet his gaze as he whispers, "As the best part of my second chance, I just want to see you well, and, if possible, happy, but most of all, alive." Severus takes a breath and firmly, seriously, tells Sage, "I don't want you to become just some gossip everyone all but forgets again and that's what will happen if you take after Boyd and become a Death Eater."

Sage falls into his shoulder and sobs, "I want to live too. I don't want to become nothing!"

Severus slowly begins to pat Sage's back as he continues to cry. "It won't be easy," he says, "but, together, as brothers, we can make that happen."

Still crying, Sage nods into Severus's shoulder, giving him the answer he's wanted for so long. Severus breathes his relief and blinks away the tears he feels building in his own eyes. This time, in this universe, Sage will live.

Surprise! A new chapter :) How did you like it? The beginning scene at the Evans' boxing day gathering? Severus sharing his memories of Sage from before with him?

Also, if you're a reader of Boy-Snape, my de-aged!Severus multi-chap, a new chapter's been uploaded since the last TDKWWS update too.

Thank you for reading!