AN: Two chapters in one day? This one immediately follows the very first oneshot of this series. It's the next day after that first family dinner. Let me know what y'all think!

Summer of 1976 Day 2

Severus and Remus Age 16

"The Truce"

Remus lay awake in his new bed and looked around his new room. Albus and Minerva had said he could fix it up however he wanted, but so far the only thing he'd managed to do was unpack his trunk. Not that there had been much in it to start with. Just some clothes, mostly ones that were too short now for his lanky frame, and his school books. Those he had taken and added neatly to the bookshelves above his desk. He had a couple of pictures as well, but he wasn't ready to pull those out yet.

The rest of the room was plain, with light blue walls, a desk and bookshelf, and a large wardrobe against the back wall. It was just fine with Remus. He was just happy to have a room after the fear he'd harbored of having to go to the orphanage. That would have been a nightmare of a completely different nature. There would have been no way to hide his lycanthropy there.

With a sigh, Remus sat up in bed and looked towards his closed door. He could hear someone downstairs, but there didn't seem to be anyone on the second floor at all. He debated about just staying in his room until someone came looking for him, not that he expected anyone to, but in the end, his hunger outweighed anything else. He pulled a long-sleeved t-shirt and a pair of jeans from the wardrobe and pulled them on before taking a deep breath and walking out of his bedroom.

Remus walked quietly downstairs and into the kitchen, immediately pausing in the doorway when he saw Severus sitting at the kitchen table, a bowl of cereal in front of him and a book open on the table beside him.

"Morning," Remus tried for pleasant but Severus just tilted his head in acknowledgment. "Where are-" he cut himself off. He was still trying to get used to the idea of calling his professors by their first names. No matter the fact that they had adopted him more than a month ago. It was still weird.

"School," Severus answered without looking up from his book.

"Right," Remus murmured before finally moving out of the doorway and fully into the kitchen. He looked around for a moment before spotting a box of cereal sitting out on the counter and decided that it would do just fine. He looked through the cabinets in search of a bowl and when he found one, he poured himself a bowlful of cereal and added milk from the refrigerator before grabbing a spoon and carrying his breakfast over to the table.

Remus sat down across from Severus and cast a glance at the book, noticing at once that it was their potions textbook. "Studying already?" he asked, taking a bite of his cereal.

Severus hummed in answer.

After that, the only sounds that could be heard were that of Remus as he ate his cereal and the pages turning in Severus's book. By the time Remus had finished eating and had taken his bowl and spoon to the sink to wash them, Severus's own cereal had gone soggy.

Remus heard his book close from where he stood by the sink and turned to see Severus walking towards him with his bowl. He dumped what was left of it into the trash and waited for Remus to finish so that he could wash it out.

Overall, Remus thought that breakfast, at least, had gone pretty smoothly considering that dinner the night before had been an utter disaster ending with them both getting lectured and made to do the dishes together. Remus thought that maybe that was why Severus was being so quiet this morning, so as not to have a repeat of the night before. If so, Remus couldn't blame him. He wasn't too keen on the idea of another scolding from his newly adopted parents either.

Both teenagers left the kitchen at the same time and headed back upstairs to their rooms, though when Severus got to his, he simply dropped his book off and started back down.

Remus looked at him curiously and said, "Where're you going?"

"Into town," Severus replied shortly before moving further down the stairs.

Remus waited a moment before quickly grabbing his shoes and following after him.

"Mind if I come along?" he asked just as Severus was about to open the front door.

He eyed Remus suspiciously before saying, "Why? I thought you were getting a head start on homework?"

"I thought you were, too?" Remus shot back, raising his eyebrow at the other boy.

Severus glared but finally, he nodded. "Come on, then."

Remus and Severus didn't have to walk far before coming to a turning point in the road. Severus explained that right led towards the grocery store, the police station, and a few small businesses, but left led to both, the town's library, and a bookstore. Left also leads to a couple of restaurants and the park. Severus went left.

"Do you come into town often?" Remus asked as they walked along the sidewalk heading for the bookstore.

"Sometimes. It gets kind of claustrophobic in the house after a while. With just them, you know?"

"I think they're pretty great," Remus wasn't sure why he felt like he needed to defend them, as if Severus had said something awful about them.

Severus scoffed, "'Course they are. That doesn't mean they're not just like every other parent on the planet. And who wants to be stuck inside with their parents all the time?" Remus didn't answer and Snape looked over at him and winced, "Sorry. I reckon you'd rather still have yours."

"Wouldn't you?" Remus asked quickly, hoping to deflect the attention off of himself.

Now it was Severus who didn't answer. He looked up and nodded at the sign above the bookstore. "We're here."

They spent the next hour scanning the shelves of the bookstore for anything they might like. Severus found a couple that he seemed to be interested in but Remus left the store empty-handed, not having any muggle money with which to buy anything. For that matter, he didn't have any wizard money either. He wondered how Snape had gotten any but didn't want to ask.

On the way back home from the bookstore, Severus actually seemed to be making an effort to hold a conversation as he told Remus about different places in town as they passed by. To be honest, Remus was surprised and figured that Albus must have had something to do with it. Not that Remus was going to complain. The less time they spent fighting, the better off they would both be.

When they got back to the house, Severus took his books to his room and Remus went into the kitchen to look for something else to eat. He found all the makings for a chicken sandwich in the refrigerator and decided to try and hold out an olive branch to Severus by making one for him too.

Once he was done, he carried them both upstairs and knocked lightly on Severus's door.

"Come in," he heard Severus mutter and then opened the door. Severus sat at his desk, already pouring over the new books, though he did look up when Remus brought the plate over and set it on his desk.

"Thought you might be hungry," Remus offered.

"Thanks," Severus replied, then before Remus could leave his room for his own, Severus said, "I reckon Dad's right, you know." Remus turned and looked back at him, his brows crinkling in confusion. "It's going to be an awfully long summer if we don't find a way to get along."

Remus nodded, "It doesn't look like either of us is going anywhere."

"And I don't suppose theirs any point in us both being miserable all summer just because they're forcing us together. Let's get it clear though," Severus said, his voice hardening, "we're not friends. You don't like me and I don't like you either. But I reckon- at least for summer break- we can have a truce?"

"I won't prank you if you don't prank me?" Remus hedged, not really sure if he believed that Severus would actually stick to his so-called truce.

Severus cleared his throat, "And I'll try to be nice if you will?"

"Alright. Sure."

"But when school starts back-"

The question hung in the air for a long moment in which they both stared at each other looking for anything in the other's faces or body language that would let them know they were being deceived. Finally, Remus nodded. "It'll be just like old times, I'm sure."

"Of course."

Remus tentatively held a hand out and after a second or two of hesitation, Severus shook it. And for today at least, the second of many days that summer, all was well.

End