Severus was following the pavement outside a muggle city; he didn't remember its name: it was inconsequential.
Everything was, after her death...
He didn't really know why he had agreed to Dumbledore's request, it wasn't as if his life depended on it, right?
Oh, yeah, it did. Bother.
But somehow, he had a feeling the meddling fool was trying to achieve something more than get him hexed.
Because Black would hex him the second he saw him, and Severus thought, in the tiniest corner of his mind, that maybe he deserved it.
No! He didn't! He hadn't done nothing wrong, had he?
Well, apart from getting your bestfriend and love of your life killed, sure, Severus: you didn't do anything wrong...
Shut up! I didn't...I TRIED!
Yes, you tried, and it made all the difference, but it wasn't enough, was it? She's still dead isn't she? And you can't do anything to bring her back, you can only hope to protect her son...
But why can't I do it in secret? Why can't I spy on the Dark Lord and protect the brat from a distance, thus protecting myself?
Because you owe the "brat" his parents, his mother...
The wolf will be there! He will kill me!
He won't and you know it; now, stop behaving like a child and face your punishment!
He found himself in a typical scottish landscape, staring at the door of a small cottage, that would have appeared in ruins to any muggle, and that would be invisible to every wizard who didn't know the Secret of his location.
This time Dumbledore was the Secret Keeper; Voldemort would have to sweat to gain access to Potter...
He was reluctant to knock and, at the moment, felt more inclined to go into hiding than anything. Before he could pull away, giving in to his basic instinct of survival, however, the door opened to reveal none other than Albus Dumbledore himself.
Severus sighed, it would be a long, long day...
"Ah, Severus! Welcome, welcome!" said Dumbledore, his maddening twinkling eyes incredibly bright with suppressed mirth.
Dumbledore was holding baby Harry, who was too busy playing with the man's silvery and incredibly long beard to notice the appearence of a dark stranger. The Headmaster gestured to his left where a living room could be found. It had two sofas, one on each side of the room and a plush armchair situated between the two, directly facing the fireplace.
"I think not." muttered Black from the couch where he sitting next to Lupin. The wolf elbowed Black in the ribs, hard. Severus suppressed a smirk, maybe the wolf wouldn't be so bad, after all...
Lupin stood from the couch, pulling along a very disgruntled Black, and came to greet him, exending his hand.
"Severus, it's a pleasure to have you here" the man said with a small smile.
"I don't know if you'll be so ready to shake my hand once we're done, wolf." Sneered Severus, but nonetheless extended his own hand, for the other to shake.
"Snivellus". Black was already eager to fight and would undoubtedly try to provoke him, but Severus didn't want to give him more reasons to hex him, besides the ones he would be providing in a few moments, so he kept his cold mask in place, answering trough gritted teeth.
"Black".
"Well, now that we're done with the greetings, maybe we could have a cup of tea?"
At Dumbledore's words Lupin hurriedly went to the kitchen to prepare a brew, leaving the three men (and a child) alone with each other.
Severus sat on the couch opposite to the one Black was occupying now again, and an uncomfortable silence descended on the household, only interrupted by the occasional giggling of Harry, who was having the time of his life messing with Dumbledore's beard.
Said wizard after a moment chose to sit right next to him with a wriggling Potter.
Oh, Merlin, why?
Severus hated kids, and he hated this one most of all: the living reminder that Lily had chosen another over him. And he had sworn to protect the brat with his life.
He wanted to throw up.
Unfortunately, throwing up would have been a rather impolite thing to do, so he tried to get up and away from that giggling demon.
Only to be stopped by Dumbledore's hand, barring him to move. So he was forced to endure this torture.
Merlin, why? Why couldn't Black just crucio him for a few minutes and be done with it? why?!
And then the baby, wriggling in the most powerful man of this age lap became very, very quiet and still. Harry had finally noticed him.
Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling at full force. Seriously, if the man's eyes twinkled any harder they would probably appear white instead of their usual deep blue.
Severus wanted to groan, but was stopped by the intensity of Harry's gaze. He felt suddenly nervous under his scrutiny, looking into those green eyes he had loved so much in another woman.
And for a fleeting moment, he thought he could learn to love them again, in her son's face.
Harry was apparently satisfied of what he saw in him, because he stopped staring.
After a moment he looked up at him and extended his arms: a silent demand to be picked up.
He was sure Black had fainted, because he couldn't hear him breathe anymore.
Severus scowled, so young and yet arrogant enough to demand things to strangers, typical of any Potter: he wouldn't coddle the boy. Somebody had to teach him that he didn't own the world, nor everybody in it.
So he turned away and pretended not to notice how the baby's eyes filled with tears nor how his lower lip trembled.
But then several things happened: young Harry cried desperately "Unca Sev! Up!"; Black, who had been in the process of throwing himself at him, for having dared to make his godson cry, collided with Lupin who, was coming in the livingroom with a tea tray.
The two men fell to floor while the teapot and the cups flew towards him, Dumbledore and Harry.
They would surely get burned.
He didn't even think.
He snatched Harry from Dumbledore's lap and turned his back to the teapot, thus protecting the Headmaster and the baby from the scalding water.