Chapter 42, This Ain't The Summer Of Love
A few weeks before Severus's fourth year at Hogwarts was to draw to a close, his hopes for another nice summer at the WestCravens' was dashed. As many bad things do, it happened in the morning. Oh how Severus detested mornings! Though the topic had not been fully broached, Severus assumed he would see his friends at some point during the summer. Those hopes were dashed when Raislen got an owl from his parents at breakfast one morning in late May. The large brown owl swooped innocently enough over to the Slytherin table, dropping a letter beside Raislen's plate.
Raislen paused in the process of shoveling eggs into his mouth to breakthe seal and scan it over quickly. When he began to reread it, Severus frowned in concern. "Is something the matter," he asked. Letters did not usually require a rereading, after all.
"Hm," Raislen said. "Depends on how you look at it. "My parents plan for us to spend the summer abroad book hunting."
"They always do that, though," Severus said, failing to see how this was different from any other summer.
"Yes, but not the entire summer. This time, they have taken off work for most of my summer break. Apparently there is a traveling book fair thing, and they've signed us up. It tours various places from old libraries to excavation sites where ancient scrolls could be uncovered.
Only certain wizards get an in to buy from the establishments who own these libraries and host the excavations. Dad has a friend at the Ministry with whom he works that got us in. It's a rare opportunity so I am excited, but it means we won't be able to rescue you at all this summer, Kid." Raislen sighed. "Shit. Makes me feel guilty for being excited."
"Don't be," Severus said, meaning it. "I'm excited for you! You'll find all sorts of amazing things, and I know that you shall allow me to borrow anything I like, so it's alright."
"Really," Raislen asked, giving him a hopeful smile.
Severus nodded. "I'm not excited for me, because my summer will likely be dreadful, but that does not mean that I cannot be excited for you.""
"I'm sorry, Kid," Raislen said glumly.
Severus shook his head and forced a smile. "Really. It's alright. It's only a summer." He'd gotten through worse. He would get through it.
"You could come and visit me, and we could annoy Sirius together," Regulus invited happily. "Or perhaps I could come and visit you?"
Severus nodded. Surely that would be better than nothing. His stomach had a hollow pit in it that knew better, though. Regulus was nice, but he wasn't Heather and Raislen. Not to mention, he could only be trusted so far. Not because Regulus could not be trusted, but because of where his loyalties lay. No matter how much Severus liked a person, them signing on with Voldemort was a deal breaker in the end.
At least if he had to use Regulus to get into Voldemort's ranks, though, it was easier on the nerves to like him. Severus had trouble being social much less friendly with those he did not like, so having to pretend to be friends with Death Eaters he could not stand would make things even more unpleasant than he already knew they would be. "And if you're about, you can come over too if you like, Heather," Regulus added brightly.
Heather frowned, hesitating for an uncomfortable second before replying. Severus flashed an alarmed look at her, wondering just what she was going to say. Could this bloody summer situation get any bloody worse? Suddenly he regretted being happy for Raislen's exciting summer opportunity. It would've been better had Raislen just stayed home. Then things would not be complicated.
"I would like to, Regulus," Heather said slowly, true regret in her tone. "I would adore the opportunity for all three of us, no four counting Kreacher, to gang up on Sirius like the prat deserves. It's just that my family will be away for most of the summer too because my parents have another boring bardic tour lined up on which they are dragging me. There is more, though... I don't want to lie to you, Regulus, because I think you're a nice person really, but my parents won't allow me to come to yours because of your family's loyalties. My parents feel it could be too dangerous."
Regulus's mouth fell open and his blue gaze grew round with shock. "But you're a pure-blood with proper values! I know you are."
"Proper values as in not being an utter Muggle sympathizer, yes. I and my family do understand the danger they can present as well as the danger they have presented in the past. But the Voldemort way, it isn't ours. It... Well Regulus, it doesn't seem sound or safe. Not to mention many great wizards have failed in the attempt before when it comes to managing the Muggles, and Voldemort is clearly after doing far more than that. I do hope we can still be friends even if we disagree on this, though. I don't see why it should have anything to do with the friendship we all have."
"Of course we're still friends, silly," Regulus said. "You and your parents are just wrong about The Dark Lord is all, but I'd never stop being friends with people I like just because they are wrong. That would be prattish of me. I'd be no better than Sirius." He gave Heather a quick hug, and grinning in relief, she hugged him back, patting him on the shoulder.
Severus glanced away, squirming in discomfort, because such emotional displays were weird. He was relieved when it was over, and likewise relieved that everyone was remaining friends. He would've hated for his double agent in to be ruined over Raislen's inconvenient summer opportunity even if it did involve rare reading materials. That and he did like Regulus, and would have missed talking to him in truth. Also Severus would be lying if he didn't admit to enjoying the fact he was good friends with Sirius Black's younger brother. How Sirius must hate that! "I will write to my Mum and ask if I can come to yours at least for a few days if nothing else," Severus told Regulus.
Regulus nodded eagerly. "I know my folks will be fine with it. They liked you quite a lot, after all."
"My git of a grandfather should approve, but if for some reason, he decides to punish me for existing anyway, perhaps you and Kreacher can at least visit me a few times in hell for lunch or something. Trust me, you won't want to be at mine for more than a few hours at a time. It's a cold depressing place." As Severus spoke, he realized that his grandfather hated him in precisely the same way as the Gryffindor Gang of Gits. Simply because he existed.
Of course Old Man Prince had never said as much, but that did not make it any less true. He got the same hatred at home as he did at Hogwarts. When people claimed Hogwarts was a second home, they had no idea how accurate that was for Severus, but in the worst of ways."It's cold depressing place around mine too with Sirius about," Regulus said. "So I bet I'm used to it."
"I bet you are not," Severus muttered darkly, thinking of how unpleasant old man Prince could even make a conversation at the dinner table. "At least your parents are able to stand up to Sirius's rubbish while my own mum does not have the same luxury."
Regulus nodded. "You've a point. If you are unable to come to mine, though, I'll still brave it in the name of friendship." Perhaps that was the first time that Severus felt a flash of guilt for the lies he knew he would have to tell Regulus Black, his friend, in the future because of Voldemort. People he liked were bloody hard to find, and loyal people he liked, even harder.
Had he a choice, he would've been Regulus's friend with no ulterior motives, but Regulus's loyalty to Voldemort made this impossible. After breakfast and before first period Transfiguration class, Severus hurried to the Owlery to write his mum for permission to visit Regulus at some point during the summer. Regulus came along to write his parents for permission to have Severus visit. "If my folks say yes, and your Grandfather says no, perhaps we can make him change his mind by saying that my parents may be offended or feel slighted," Regulus suggested. One never knew what may work on old man Prince, for he was not always consistent, but Severus definitely felt it was worth a try.
"Good thinking," he told Regulus appreciatively.
As it happened, both Eileen and Regulus's parents said yes to a visit. Severus was allowed to spend a week at #12 Grimmauld Place. Eileen said that any time was fine if it suited Regulus's parents. "I think we should make it in the middle of the summer," Regulus suggested. "If it's too close to the beginning or the end, you will still have much of the summer without respite from your grandfather. With the visit in the middle of the summer, at least you have a break half way through."
"That makes sense," Severus agreed. They sat at the Slytherin table having breakfast and sleepily reading their mail while Heather and Raislen, who had no mail, watched on in interest.
Regulus grinned. "We can spend the first half of the summer writing back and forth planning out what we will do during the visit." Then there would just be the second half to get through once the visit was over, Severus thought glumly. He hoped that staying home would not be even more difficult because he'd gotten out last summer, but something told him that it would.
"I so wish I could help you torment Sirius," Heather said wistfully. "Know that I shall be wishing I were there while I am, instead, riding in a hot caravan and being miserable while daydreaming about helping you lot torment Sirius."
Regulus chuckled, bouncing slightly in his chair as his eyes glittered eagerly. "We promise to get some extra torment in there just for you."
"Why thank you," Heather said.
"Does Sirius know that Severus is visiting," Raislen asked Regulus, an amused glint in his large green eyes.
Regulus guffawed. "Of course not! It isn't as if I bloody talk to him!" He shuddered. "My parents don't write to him while we're here because why would they? He hates them. So he shall just find out the fun way when Severus rings the bell and is ushered in by Kreacher and myself. I have already asked my parents not to allow his friends to come and visit as James and the rest would only ruin things. I don't think they would have allowed Sirius's git friends to visit anyway, but I put in the special request just in case."
"Sounds like you've got things covered," Raislen said. "I hope you, Kreacher and Severus have a nice time and that Sirius does not."
Severus was feeling distinctly glum when term ended, because he knew that letters would only be sporadic from Raislen and Heather while both were traveling. Owls tended to get confused when not working from their usual locations. Rarely did people have time to write when traveling and having their normal routines uprooted anyway. Regulus promised to write so they could begin making plans for Severus's visit, and that would have to do.
Raislen promised to bring him something special back, which did pose an exciting prospect. "I'll miss you both," he said, staring miserably at Heather and Raislen as the train pulled into King's Cross. He was fourteen and felt like a baby being so silly about the two being away for so long. They had the right to travel with their families and to enjoy it, even if Heather would not enjoy it. At least her parents weren't dreadful to her like old man Prince was to him. In truth, Severus thought her vacations sounded interesting.
At least more interesting than him staying shut up in his hot attic bedroom to avoid a grandfather who sought to make him pay for existing at every turn. Watching him being mean to Eileen without fighting back was difficult too, but any time he fought back, things were harder for both him and his Mum. As that was never Severus's intention, he eventually gave up attempting to defend either of them. His grandfather always called it disrespecting him, no matter how much he had disrespected them first.
"We'll miss you too, Kid," Raislen said, giving him a quick hug. Heather did the same, and Severus didn't even mind hugs from either of them for some odd reason. "I shall miss you too, Heather Toy. Can I get a hug," Raislen asked hopefully.
Heather smiled sweetly. "No, but you can have this instead." As her fist hit him in the stomach, Raislen groaned.
"What'd I do?!"
"You know what you did," Heather shouted at him. "Stop acting stupid."
Raislen blinked, slowly straightening as he rubbed with one hand at his belly. Glancing from Severus to Regulus he asked, "What'd I do?!" Severus did not even bother to answer.
"Did you not even notice that you called her the t word," Regulus asked doubtfully.
Raislen blinked. "No. Actually I didn't. I swear, I didn't notice," he insisted to Heather's disbelieving expression. Well, Severus thought as the four friends reluctantly joined the throng of students on Platform Nine and three-quarters, at least they had parted on a normal note. Eileen gave him the third hug of the day, and like the other two, he did not mind it at all. He never minded hugs from his mum, though."I'm taking us out to dinner," she said exuberantly. "I figured we could at least start the summer off with something nice." He loved her so much for how hard she tried to make things nice for him.
"Thanks, Mum! Where are we going?"
"There is this place your father used to take me in downtown London. It has the best shell fish. I was in the mood to go there. It's Muggle, but I brought you a change of clothes, so everything is taken care of."
"Thanks. That sounds great," Severus said, warmed by the thought of eating somewhere his father had loved to go. The place was small, and pleasantly cool with pictures of ocean life on the walls along with the largest shells Severus had ever seen. Coming in from the hot London street was like a breath of fresh air.
"Of course we aren't telling your grandfather that we ate at a Muggle place," Eileen said, and Severus nodded.
"Obviously not." He chuckled. "Though watching him bust a gut over it would be amusing if he would not make us pay for it." And pay they surely would with lectures and berating that could go on for hours. Severus and his mum knew well how to keep secrets from the old man, though. They'd had plenty of practice, for secrets were a necessity if they wished to have any joy in their lives. The dinner was brilliant. The seafood was delightful and the conversation was relaxed and cheerful. Conversations were never so at Prince manor. Not with Grandfather Prince nitpicking at everything one said.
"So did you ever discover that Lupin boy's secret," Eileen asked as Severus popped another fried clam into his mouth.
"Not yet, alas. Perhaps Regulus and I can squeeze it out of Sirius when I visit Grimmauld, though," Severus said thoughtfully.