Saturday meant that Severus was dragged out of his rooms at an unlawful time by an enthusiastic Minerva McGonagall. He had been planning on resting for an hour or so longer than he usually would, due to the exhaustive nature of his week, but the godforsaken woman took it upon herself to rouse him out of bed by six-thirty.
While hot water cascaded over his head, he reflected that he should probably be glad that she hadn't felt obliged to lay out his clothes for him. She had gotten him his strong brew of tea, though, and that would help to wake him up.
They breakfasted together with the food on the tray that Minerva had brought, on a little-known balcony that overlooked a hidden courtyard filled with half-finished statues and wild grasses. The chill in the air woke Severus further, but the scalding tea warmed his fingers. It was a queer sensation, as it seemed almost as if they were the only two people that remained in the world. Secure in their companionship Minerva and Severus stood together, the few rays of sunlight making patterns on the cool stone and frosted grass.
When they reached their sewing room, Minerva sat at the empty table they used for designing and cutting patterns, while Severus walked the length of the room, reflexively straightening the items on the shelves that he passed. Returning, he stopped right in front of Minerva.
"We don't have any of the boy's measurements."
Minerva looked up at him smugly. "I owled Veronica Malkin and she sent them to me." She produced a piece of paper out of her robe. "None of the first-years unfamiliar with the wizarding world really go anywhere else, as her shop is so easy to find."
Severus rolled his eyes. Of course the woman would find a way around all the obstacles that he might be able to dream up.
"So, what do you think he will need? We can always do more in the next term as well, remember."
How could that woman think that he would want to make more clothes for the brat after already outfitting him?
"No."
Minerva had had knowing little smile on her face that was especially infuriating. "Hmm… We'll see. Now, he already has the ordinary black robes, and the cloak. I'm guessing that he only got the minimum required, so he will probably need a heavy winter cloak as well. He wasn't raised traditionally, so he would wear clothes under his robes as well, not an under-robe. Perhaps we could make him one, and also replace his muggle-style clothes he wears underneath. How's that to start: an underrobe or two, a winter cloak, and some new muggle clothes?"
Severus only blinked at her, overwhelmed. When Minerva was enthusiastic, she was enthusiastic.
"Look, Minerva, why can't the boy just buy his own-"
"Forgive me, Severus, if I want to do something nice for someone else. I know that nice isn't in your vocabulary, but somehow it is in mine. Deal with it."
He knew that it had been a last-ditch attempt, anyway. And, well, being snapped at by Minerva was distinctly unpleasant, as she could tear strips off him and they both knew it. Severus gave in.
"A winter cloak to start then, if you please, Minerva. I need something interesting, not just plain sewing like on muggle-style clothes, if you are going to convince me to undertake this project.
They both knew that he was already going to go through with it, but occasionally Minerva liked to give him the pretence that he was in control, even when he wasn't.
Minerva, searching in the drawer under the table for a pencil, conjured a large piece of paper. "A cloak should probably have some sort of warming charm in it, and maybe something to repel water and snow."
Severus nodded, and accepted the pencil she gave him. "A version of impervious, perhaps. Dirt-repelling, as well. Heaven knows that the boy needs it."
She snorted at him. Did she think that he was joking?
He twirled the pencil in his fingers. "The water and dirt-repelling will be easy enough- just more of those charms we developed for the staff room cushions. I still cannot believe that we needed to consider that then."
Minerva frowned at him, and said, "It was only because Pomona never quite remembered to clean up after a long day, and because Trelawney, the drunken fraud, kept slopping her firewhisky. Oh, and Filius would insist on levitating the teacups to him, and they would spill whenever he had to get them out of the way of someone… Alright, I concede that they were absolutely necessary, and absolutely shameful as well."
"Strength and durability runes embroidered on the inside?"
"Yes, of course- Severus, if they were on the outside they might fade."
"And we need to find another rune for warming, or at least a long-lasting charm. Self-regulating temperature- there must be a spell for that."
Minerva began to sketch out a basic design, and Severus dragged his chair closer to her so he could interject- a boy would need a lot of pockets, to keep things in, and, no, the lining shouldn't be a contrasting colour because he was sure that there was some connection between the colour of the thread they would use to embroider the runes and their effectiveness. Then he stopped abruptly and stiffened.
"Remembered who you were making this for, Severus?" She smirked at him. "Don't get too excited- it's for Mr Potter, not for you."
Much to her surprise, Severus smirked back.
"Minerva, I do believe that I should begin to focus on spells to keep him out of trouble rather than how to keep him warm. I shall develop a way of having this cloak record every time he breaks a rule or does something foolhardy, and he shall receive punishment for it, rather than simply getting away with it, or even getting rewarded for it." He rubbed his hands together in a faux-evil way, with a wicked grin on his face. "He will never venture out-of-bounds again."