Author's note: I suspect some of you may have noticed that I started posting a new HP story this week which shock horror isn't about Snape or the Marauders. Just to confirm - a lot of that story was in fact already written some time ago (shortly after the release of OotP) and I am posting a part a day until it is all online. So don't be surprised to see those alerts. I haven't forgotten about the other stories and now the Lupin Origins is caught up with the Snape Origins one I hope to keep them running pretty much in tandom until the end of the school year.

Part 3

Severus woke up the following morning to the sound of off-key singing coming from the attic directly above him. He groaned and turned over, pulling a thick pillow over his head as he moved. It was no use; the sound of the screeching from Wormtail was not going to be drowned out this way. He reached across to grab his wand from the bedside table and considered casting a spell to dull out the sounds from above him.

"Oh, what's the point?" Snape snapped to himself as he dragged himself out of bed. He wouldn't get back to sleep now anyway. He'd just have to remember in the future that Wormtail was (who'd have thought?) a morning person and take precautions to ensure that he wasn't disturbed.

Thirty minutes later Severus was seated in the kitchen, studiously ignoring Voldemort's owl, Snowflake, who was tapping away at the window and trying to gain his attention.

"I'll let him in shall I?" Wormtail said from across the table where he was finishing off the last of the coffee, thus depriving Severus of his customary fourth mug.

"Leave him out there for a bit," Severus replied, stopping Wormtail in his tracks.

"It might be important?" Wormtail replied, looking worriedly at the window.

"If it was urgent the Dark Lord would summon me through the Dark Mark," Snape pointed out, as though to a child. "He only sends his owl for trivial nonsense."

"What if it's for me though?" Wormtail replied. Severus smirked as he waited for the little rat to realise what he had said.

"Perhaps it is," he finally replied when he had seen the desired embarrassed reaction from Wormtail. "Why don't you go see?"

Wormtail jumped up and scuttled to the sink where he reached to open the window and let in the now frantic bird. He reached for the scroll it was carrying and yelped in pain as Snowflake bit hard into his finger before flying casually over to the table and dropping the missive into Snape's porridge.

He scowled at the bird but picked up the scroll anyway.

Severus.

Confirmation is required that you are now available for additional duties throughout the summer holidays. Please reply in the affirmative by return, indicating preferred choice of service.

1. Potions Master

2. Torturer

3. Clean Up Crew

4. Werewolf tamer

Severus quickly ticked the first option as he had done every other time he had received the pointless form. It wasn't like he wasn't going to be ordered to do whatever the Dark Lord wanted, the pretence at choice and democracy was almost laughable.

Severus was about to send the scroll back when he spotted an addition to the previous ones.

Ensure Wormtail ticks his preferred choice of service from the following options.

Severus looked towards the little rat who was still blubbering over his cut finger. He didn't know what was in the message. He didn't know he had to choose something. Severus smirked to himself and ignoring the knowing gaze of Snowflake he silently read the options for Wormtail.

1. Clean Up Crew

2. Broomstick valeting service

3. Bathroom Attendant

4. Werewolf tamer

Severus calmly ticked the last box on the list. No sense letting the little rat have a cushy little number and he doubted that his waxing poetic about his pals at Hogwart's would go down too well with the current stock of werewolves. With a bit of luck he'd be maimed and incapacitated by the end of the week.

Severus re-attached the scroll and shooed the bird out the window before Wormtail realised he was missing something.

Next job - get ratboy out of the house for a while. Severus quickly did a scan of his potions cabinet and within a few minutes Wormtail was on his way to Diagon Alley for supplies.

"But what if someone recognises me?" Wormtail whined in horror at his first task of the day.

"It's the price of fame," Snape said consolingly as he unceremoniously kicked him out of the door, lying that he had run out of floo powder and suggesting Wormtail pick some up while he was there.

"Good morning Miss Pickles," Severus greeted his neighbour from the doorway. He snickered as he saw Wormtail look around and realise he couldn't apparate either.

Miss Pickles sniffed loudly but didn't reply. She looked down her nose at Wormtail as though trying to decide what he was. Severus gave Wormtail a smug little wave as he hurried down the road and out of sight. Severus knew that on a busy morning such as today he would have a rather long walk before he found somewhere quiet to apparate from. Not that he was bothered, the longer he was out from under his feet the better.

He nodded to Miss Pickles as he went back inside. It was a pity that there wasn't a permanent way to get shot of the little rat.

Then in a moment of crystal clarity it came to him.

A minute later Severus Snape knelt at the back door to his house with a saucer of milk before him on the step.

"Here kitty, kitty," he called, feeling slightly ridiculous and hoping Miss Pickles didn't hear him as he tried to entice her cat out from wherever it was hiding.

He hoped it was a good mouser.