Severus stared at the paperwork in his lap, but didn't really comprehend it. He was still in shock.

He'd need to read it over carefully once he was back home.

In the meantime, it was taking all of his brainpower to process the fact that he was legally and magically recognized as Severus Tobias Prince-Snape, Probationary Heir to the House of Prince.

This was exactly what he had craved in his former life, formalized recognition and an honest chance to prove himself as worthy.

He should be overwhelmed with joy, but instead he was mostly confused.

How had this happened, now that he didn't truly deserve it?

He was beginning to feel not just like Fate's plaything, but like her chew-toy.

This changed things.

He hadn't calculated for this variable at all.

Part of him knew it would be best to avoid acknowledging his status to keep the timeliness as close to its previous incarnation as possible but selfishly, Severus didn't want to.

He wanted to introduce himself as the provisional heir to a respected house.

He wanted to force those who had ignored and belittled him for his blood-status and poverty last time to show him his due respect.

He wanted to make his Prince ancestors proud.

Maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't be so bad if he intentional skewed the timeliness in his favour, just a little.

It was one thing to work for enough money to ensure his survival, but openly embracing his heritage was something else.

It would be something just for him.

Something he wanted.

With a sigh, Severus called Hoistlift back into the room to finish up their business. The existential decisions and self discovery could wait. School shopping could out.

Severus left the bank with a shiny new vault key, a fancy theft-resistant wallet that would let him withdraw small amounts of Wizarding or muggle money directly from his vault, and pride in his bearing.

He was an heir.

A probationary heir, sure, but his appearance and countenance still reflected on more than just himself, now. He hadn't studied the fine print of his inheritance yet, but Severus did not want to risk losing it all by appearing slovenly in front of an influential witch or wizard.

He would need to take extra steps with his appearance, now that he'd be under additional scrutiny.

Dentistry was a foreign concept to wizards, but he was able to find a beauty boutique that specialized in whitening and straightening teeth.

His monthly stipend was generous, but not extravagant, so he knew he couldn't be frivolous in all of his shopping, but with his odd eye and stubbornly greasy hair, Severus decided that fixing his teeth would be a worthy expenditure, even if he had to fall back on some second-hand items to finish his list.

Tentatively, he entered the high-end boutique.

An explosion of twinkling lights marked his entrance, and a friendly old man called a greeting to him from the back, behind a gossamer curtain of swirling crimson and violets. Dumbledore would love this place.

Odd.

Severus realized it had been months since he'd thought of Albus on a personal level, and in a month, he would be meeting the man for the first time.

He'd have to be careful to avoid eye contact. He knew Albus was not above illegally delving into the minds of his students, and the only thing worse than the old goat growing suspicious of why a child was sufficiently proficient at occlumency to keep him out would be him catching a glimpse behind Severus ' shields and learning the truth.

Severus respected Albus as a tactician and a leader, but he was certain that the man would not rest until Severus was indentured to him for life if he knew Severus held so many secrets of the future.

The shopkeeper stepped through the gossamer curtain and greeted Severus properly with a warm smile. Something deep within Severus relaxed when the appearance-oriented businessman did not sneer or scoff at Severus' shabby clothes or unfortunate features.

"You're in Diagon shopping for your first year at Hogwarts, I recon!" the man said jovially. "Tell me I'm right. Now, what can I do for you?"

Severus smiled shyly, an odd affectation he had picked up over the last two year when a teacher or customer had given him a particularly heartfelt compliment. "You're correct, Sir. I was wondering how much it would cost to get my teeth straightened and whitened before school."

"Come closer then, Lad, and let me see what I'm working with. Ah, yes, your teeth have been living their own little adventure, haven't they? No matter. There are two major options for the procedure. The first is more expensive, but gradual and less painful. In this option, I would cast some preliminary spells on your teeth to direct the final results, and you would take a potion regimen every day over the next several weeks to slowly realign them.

"The second option is cheaper, but it will cause you some discomfort. In this option, I would give you a fast-acting potion, and then cast spells as the potion works to realign your teeth on the fly. This option is ideal for minor adjustments, but with your teeth as crooked as they are, the pain would not be insignificant, I'm afraid."

Severus and the man went over the pricing differences and the specifics of the procedures. Using his youth to his advantage, Severus asked the man more questions about the potions than would have been polite if the man knew he was a fully-fledged potions master. Unfortunately, the potions for both options required restricted ingredients and took weeks to brew.

Severus would not have time to finish them and complete the regimen for the gentle option on his own, and would not be able to cast the requisite spells for the second option on himself even if he could complete the potion for that one in time.

He sighed and braced himself for the impending pain. "I'll take the cheap option, please."

"Are you sure?" the man asked. "Perhaps we should discuss it with your mother. I do offer payment plans..."

"I can handle pain," Severus snapped, "and I'm using my own money to pay for this. I've worked hard doing odd jobs all year, but I won't be able to earn much while at Hogwarts, so a payment plan won't do much to help me."

This wasn't technically true, but Severus was not willing to waste his new stipend on something frivolous if there was a cheaper option, and he was hoping that his little sob story might afford him a bit of a discount.

The man gave him a considering look. "I'll make you a deal. If you can afford half of the gentler option today, I will defer the second half of the payment until September of next year. You can have all of next summer to earn the money to pay it off."

Severus shifted his weight and bit his lip. "I'll have to buy all my books and stuff for school first, and see if I have enough left over. Can I have until the end of the day to decide?"

"Your parents aren't paying for your school supplies, either?"

"No, Sir. My dad works hard, but there was an accident at his factory not too long ago, so money's been tight. Working for my school stuff was my way of helping out while he recovered."

Severus tried to ignore his twinge of guilt that he was contorting the truth like a gymnast. There was no guarantee that his stipend would last, and he was going to pinch every knut that he could while it did.

"That's very noble of you, Son," the man said tenderly. "Tell you what. I'll give you twenty percent off the first payment. Hopefully your dad will be back to work and able to help you with the second payment by next year, if you're still a little short. That really is the best I can do, I'm afraid. Do we have a deal?"

Severus made a show of doing mental math in his head, then nodded. "That's very kind, Sir. I'll take it. Thank-you. That second option didn't sound like it'd be much fun."

The man chuckled. "No, I don't suppose it didn't. Come on to the back with me, and I'll get you started."