Severus had greatly enjoyed playing snap with his three friends. He had barely thought about Lily during the train ride, with whom he would normally ride the train. His lost friendship still pained him. Walking onto platform 9 3/4 he must have gotten lost in thought for a bit, as suddenly a hand was clapped gently on his left shoulder. "Severus, what a suprise," Lily's father exclaimed. Severus felt horrified. It was clear that Lily's father had no idea of the falling out between them. He wore a big smile. "I haven't seen you in too long. I thought you spent your christmasses at Hogwarts? Of course we can give you a ride. No problem at all. We have room in the car." Suddenly the demeanor of Lily's father dropped. "Petunia had no time to come pick Lily up. She wanted to go and have fun with some friends." Then Lily's father smiled again. "But what a suprise to see you! How have you been doing, my boy? Still at the top of your classes?"

"Obviously," Severus says, allowing a smile to play on his lips. "Though Lily easily bests me in charms. As she always do-"

"Sev, there you are," interrupts Lucius. He pulls Severus in a quick hug. His eyes curiously glance over at Lily's parents. "You have not introduced me to your friends."

Then Narcissa gives Severus a hug. "Good to see you, Sev."

"These are Lily's parents, Iris and Luke Evans." Severus said. "Luke, thank you for your offer, but I am not in need for a ride this time. And these are Lucius and Narcissa, good friends from school that already graduated. I will be staying with them this christmas."

"Well, merry christmas, Severus," Iris says warmly. "I hope you will have a wonderful holiday with your friends."

"Already graduated?" Luke interrupts interestedly. "What job are you persuing if I may ask?" Severus bit back a groan. They should get going. It would be akward to see Lily and he did not want to see how dissappointed her parents would be finding out about their fight.

Lucius however gave them one of his most charming smiles. He always liked leaving good impressions to people, whoever they were. A quality quite useful for anyone interested in politics as Lucius liked to say. "My beautiful soon-to-be," Lucius started saying. He started glowing with a huge smile on his face as he softly carresssed Narcissa's back. "wife and I have been lucky enough to have been born into rich families. We want to use some of our money to start a research foundation for research on treating some magical ailments." Severus tried to hide his suprise at his friends words. It was true that Narcissa had showed interest in a profession in healing and in doing charity work, but he was sure that Lucius had never expressed much interest in holding a job. He had shown dutiful interest in politics. Other than that, he had only expressed interest in Narcissa and starting a family with her. Why would he hold a job when the family gold was more than enough to sustain them? "There will be a potions lab that I will guide. I hope that Severus here will one day be able to make some real contributions to research on healing potions. He is quite the prodigy and I would be more than happy to give him the opportunity to do free research." Lucius drawled smoothly. "My Narcissa will be in charge of healing charms research." Lucius then gave a winning smile. "Perhaps your daughter might one day find a place there." Severus nervously glanced at Lily that he spotted to have just walked out of the train. Luckily she seemed to be talking excitedly with Mary and Marlene on something and in no hurry of finding her parents to go home for christmas. Severus looked back at Lily's parents. It was clear that both Iris and Luke had taken an instant liking to Narcissa and Lucius and they both seemed to beam with pride when Lucius mentioned Lily working on healing charms research, but before Iris or Luke could say something, Lucius continued smoothly. "Unfortunately, we have to leave now. It was however a pleasure meeting Lily's parents."

Iris and Luke looked put out at their leaving. "I see you have made good friends, Severus," Luke said, some proud shining through. "It was nice meeting you. I hope you will all have a nice christmas. Owl us again, Severus, your last letter has been so long ago."

Severus felt a bit ashamed. Iris and Luke had always been too kind. He did not need pity. It had been stupid to write them letters and he felt a bit ashamed remembering having written them his first three years at Hogwarts, but at the same time he also felt hope and he realised he cared for them. He felt strangely sentimental. "Merry christmas to you too, Iris and Luke," Severus said.

Narcissa and Lucius echoed his sentiment and then Severus felt his insides turn as Lucius firmly grabbed his shoulder. They had apparated. "I hope you don't mind me keeping it short with Lily's parents. I figured it would be akward if Lily had joined," Lucius asked conversationally. Severus groaned. "I guess she still does not give you the time of day?" Lucius must have been able to tell from Severus face. "Figures, her loss if you ask me. Welcome, by the way, to Malfoy Manor. I know it is quite grandesque, but it has some coziness as well."

Severus had known the Malfoy's to have been rich, but he could not help but feel awed by the grand manor and the large terrain arround it. Then Lucius proceeded to show Severus his estate and he told him where he'd stay. He called the family house elves: Dobby, Lizzy and Lori and told Severus that if he was in need of anything he would only simply need to ask them. Only the third wing Severus was not to come. Abraxas, Lucius father, had two weeks ago contracted Dragon pox, one of the reasons for Lucius to start his research institute, other than not pledging his sympathies to lord Voldemort as he had more pressing matters to fund and attend to. No one could argue that, especially not now that his father had gotten quite sick. Lucius told him it would not due to catch the highly contagious disease, especially not know that he had the yule ball to attend, which would be special. There was a glint in Lucius eye, that gave Severus the impression that there was something more to it, then just what Lucius had told him till now.