Well then, it's been a while hasn't it? Severus has a chapter all to himself today.
In other news, I tried my hand at NaNoWriMo this year (again) and after two different stories and a bit more than 4,000 words, it seems it's ended before it really begun.
I own very little. Sorry, this chapter hasn't been beta read, so there may still be rogue errors.
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An owl came to the Snape house late one afternoon, carrying a letter from one Lucius Malfoy. Severus' father tried to swat the bird away with a broom before his son took it away and retrieved the letter, thus ruining his fathers little mirage that magic didn't exist yet again.
Severus looked at his ordinary little house, knowing of the strange man who now sat in an overstuffed paisley chair, and the mousey woman he would sometimes forget was a witch. Their strangely ordinary life that they led alongside him. His parents loved each other, though in an odd, almost platonic way that poorly match couples usually did. A small, hidden part of the Slytherin's soul wanted more than his parents ever had, and he was beginning to think that maybe he could have it.
It could be true that absence makes the heart grow fonder. With Potter at the Evan's house, Severus found himself there less that week, meaning not at all. He had yet to set eyes on the older Gryff, and despite the roughness of their encounters throughout the school years, he found himself thinking about Sirius quite a bit, and in a more than friendly manner.
Shaking the train of thought out of his head, Severus headed back into the house. He passed his father in the den and his mother at her post in the kitchen, heading up the stairs and to the right. Feeling safe in the sanctuary of his room, the black haired young man broke the Malfoy family wax seal and opened the letter.
10 PM. Malfoy Manner.
-Lucius Malfoy
Was all it read. Severus was slightly puzzled. He had the right mind to know that Lucius was inviting him to a Death Eater event. What it entailed was a mystery. For now that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was growing in power, the Ministry looked more closely at mail for any leads that could send them on his trail. Of course, from the looks of it, it would take an idiot not to notice what this piece of parchment was. Though, he supposed the Malfoys were a well regarded pure blood family, perhaps it was passed off as a business proposal.
Exasperated, Severus glanced at his wall clock. It was a bit after one, he had to be at the manor in nine hours, and a large book he hadn't touched in a little more than a month. Watership Down was an interesting book from the few chapters he'd read, but he hadn't had the heart to open it after he knocked Sirius unconscious at the creek. Now seemed a good a time as any to read. The weather was favourable, and with an empty afternoon with nothing to do; reading outside seemed like the best way to stay out of trouble.
After telling his mother that he was going out and ignoring his father's yelling after him as he closed the door and headed down the street, to the familiar creek. Balancing as he crossed over the roots of trees that made the creek bed home, the Slytherin found his favourite spot. An older tree thats trunk had a seat in it near the base. Severus had discovered it as a child.
Sitting in the nook of the tree, Severus could see the spot where he and Sirius had fought that day when he was sitting in the very same spot, when out of no where-
A cracking twig caught the young man's attention. Sirius? He turned his head towards the sound.
"I thought I'd find you here."
"Oh, Petunia." Severus said disdainfully.
The eldest Evans girl pouted, "who were you expecting, Sevvy poo?" She cracked a smile and moved to lean against a tree by Severus, looking down on him.
He avoided her steady gaze, instead staring at his book. "No one."
"Whatever you say," Petunia said. "I just came to tell you that I'm leaving tomorrow."
"Okay..."
Petunia crouched down so that she was eye level with Severus. "I'm moving in with Vernon."
"Good for you," Severus looked her in the eye to see a mischievous sparkle.
She bit her lip. "I know your secret..." Petunia whispered, near inaudible. She leaned towards Severus and pressed her lips on his cheek, leaving a sticky gloss mark. "Good luck."
Severus was unable to move as Petunia backed up, tears made a slow descent down her face. He wasn't sure how to proceed in the situation he found himself in. Clearly, Petunia knew what was going on in some way, where she got her information he had no clue. He didn't even know how he felt about her proclamation, knowing his secret? He had many. He wasn't sure how he felt about having this muggle woman who was thuroughly infatuated with him for quite some time to be the first person to voice an opinion he wasn't comfortable with thinking about, much less talking about.
"You too." Severus finally said, his voice wavering.
Wiping her tears off on the back of her hand, Petunia nodded. "Thanks," she said. She turned around and headed off towards Spinner's End. Looking one last time over her shoulder, she yelled "goodbye!"
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At 9:57 pm, Severus apparated to the front gates of Malfoy Manor, a few seconds later he was joined by another. The young woman flipped her dark, wavy hair over her shoulder and straightened her robe before acknowledging him.
"Mrs. Lestrange."
"I see you made it in one piece... Pity." She said, always up for a little gore. Newly wed Bellatrix Lestrange pushed open the gate to her soon-to-be brother-in-law's estate. "Shall we?" She led the way, sauntering along. Severus' gait was stodgy in contrast, with little flourish.
Truth be told, Severus was beginning to get a little frightened. Though he was a practiced legilmens, if the Dark Lord was present there was a chance he could see the thoughts that plagued him. It was proper to have this fear. The Dark Lord was powerful, and had certain thoughts about what was and wasn't. Liking a blood traitor in any sense of the word would mean death, long and torturous death.
Severus emptied his mind, and brought a wall up around his mind. He could not allow a slip.
Others joined them, Rodolphus on the right, his brother on Severus' left . The Dark Lord's followers gathered like moths to flame.
The front door opened as they arrived to present a proud looking Lucius Malfoy, as well as a haggard house elf carrying her young on her back.
"Welcome, I trust the journey has not been to tiring?" The young heir said with a smirk.
The house elf curtseyed as they moved into the house. Severus absently gave her a curt nod and her eyes widened in fright.
"That will be all Bimble," a feminine voice said. Narcissa Black came into the grand parlour, a strained smile on her face. "Go put your child to sleep."
"Thank you miss... Thank you." The house elf said, "come now Dobby, bed time." With a flash, the two were gone.
"The Dark Lord awaits us in the dining room." Lucius said.
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And so we make our snail's pace foreward.