Los Angeles, California. Creed Estate
Severus darted around his room, grabbing everything he needed for Hogwarts.
He was supposed to already be packed and ready but he had spent the last week of summer having fun and getting wasted (without his Ma's knowledge) after spending all summer training. And now here he was, running around like a madman trying to get everything in order.
"Where did I put my wand?" he muttered to himself, tossing aside a pile of clothes in search of the elusive item. His trunk lay open in the middle of the floor, half-packed with textbooks, robes, and various potion ingredients.
A sharp knock on the door startled him, and he looked up to see his Ma standing in the doorway, arms crossed and a stern expression on her face. "Severus Tobias Snape, what on earth are you doing? You should have been ready an hour ago!"
"Sorry, Ma," he mumbled, still frantically searching. "I just can't find my wand."
She sighed, stepping into the room and glancing around before walking over to his bed and pushing aside his pillows to reveal his wand.
Severus lunged across his bed and grabbed his wand with a look of relief. "Thanks," he muttered, giving his mother a brief, grateful smile. He quickly stuffed the wand into his pocket and resumed his hasty packing, shoving clothes, books, and whatever else his panicked mind thought he needed into his trunk without much care for organization.
His mother watched him for a moment, her stern expression softening slightly. "You know, Severus, you need to take your studies seriously this year. O.W.L.s are this year, and you can't afford to waste time."
"I know, Ma," Severus replied, slightly exasperated. "I'll be fine. Just as I told Rocky, I'm great at multitasking."
His mother raised an eyebrow before shaking her head and walking out of his room. "Just don't leave it all to the last minute," she called over her shoulder. "Breakfast is ready. Hurry up before it gets cold."
Severus nodded, grabbing his bong from under his bed and stuffing it in his trunk. He closed his trunk with a final click and took a moment to glance around his room, making sure he hadn't forgotten anything important. Satisfied, he grabbed his trunk and headed downstairs.
The smell of freshly cooked eggs and bacon filled the kitchen. Severus's mother had set out a plate for him, and he sat down to eat, feeling a pang of guilt for his rushed morning. His mother joined him at the table, sipping her tea and glancing at him over the rim of her cup.
"Are you excited to see your friends?" she asked, breaking the silence.
"Yeah," Severus said, nodding between bites. "It'll be good to catch up with everyone. And Lucius will love to tell me all about his summer in France."
His mother's smile flattened a bit. "Lucius Malfoy. Why do you have to be friends with him again? I bet he's only trying to use you!"
Severus shook his head. "You think the mailman is stealing your packages when they arrive a day late."
His mother sighed, a mixture of concern and frustration in her eyes. "I just want you to be careful, Severus. Not everyone has your best interests at heart."
"I know, Ma," Severus replied, softening his tone. "But Lucius has been a good friend to me. He's helped me a lot, and I trust him."
She nodded reluctantly, clearly not convinced but willing to let it go for now. "Just promise me you'll keep your eyes open. Don't let anyone take advantage of you."
"I promise," Severus said, finishing his breakfast and standing up. "I should get going if I don't want to miss the train."
His mother walked him to the fireplace, giving him a quick, tight hug. "Take care, Severus. Write to me often, and let me know how you're doing."
"I will, Ma," he promised, returning the hug. "See you at Christmas." He grabbed a pinch of Floo powder from the mantel and stepped into the hearth.
With a practiced motion, he tossed the powder at his feet and shouted, "King's Cross Station!" Green flames erupted around him, and he felt the familiar, dizzying sensation as he was whisked away. Moments later, he stumbled out of another fireplace into the bustling station.
Shaking off the disorientation, Severus checked his belongings one last time before heading towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Taking a deep breath, he pushed his trolley at the barrier and emerged onto Platform 9¾. The Hogwarts Express was there, its scarlet engine gleaming under the morning sun.
He quickly spotted his friends and was making his way to them when he suddenly heard his name being called out. Before he could turn to see who called him, he was wrapped in a big hug, the smell of roses attacking his senses.
He pulled back from the hug to come face to face with Rose Evans, Lily's mother. "Severus! Look at you, we didn't get to see you all summer, where were you?"
Severus glanced behind the woman and saw Lily standing next to her father, looking every bit as angry as her mother was delighted to see him. He gave Lily a nonchalant look before answering Mrs. Evans. "I've been busy, Mrs. Evans. Preparing for the year."
Rose Evans beamed at him. "Well, it's wonderful to see you, dear. You've grown so much! We missed having you around. You must come by for dinner sometime."
Severus nodded politely, though he could feel Lily's eyes boring into him. "I'd love that, Mrs. Evans. Thank you."
Mr. Evans gave him a curt nod, acknowledging his presence without as much warmth his wife displayed. "Severus," he said in a neutral tone.
"Mr. Evans," Severus replied, trying to remain composed.
Lily's mother patted him on the shoulder before stepping back. "Well, we won't keep you. I'm sure you have lots of friends to catch up with. Have a wonderful year, Severus."
"Thank you, Mrs. Evans. You too," Severus said, giving her a small smile before making his way back to his friends. But again, he was stopped before he could make it.
Lily's eyes were still smoldering with a mix of emotions. "Severus," she said, her voice tight. "Can we talk for a second?" Severus looked her up and down before scoffing.
"If I wanted to talk to you, Evans, I would have fucking reached out." Severus almost laughed at the way her eyes widened before she rolled her eyes and stormed off to her little Gryffindor girls.
He watched her retreat with a cold satisfaction, feeling the familiar surge of contempt. He'd made his choice long ago, and she had made hers. There was no room for regret or second-guessing. Severus turned and boarded the train, making his way to the very back where the Slytherin compartment was.
As soon as he found an empty compartment, he was quickly joined by a blonde Hufflepuff who looked ready to explode from excitement. The girl opened her trunk and pulled out a tiny basket full of sweets which she started snacking on without noticing him.
"Um..." Severus cleared his throat. The girl shrieked, the biscuit in her hand flying to the floor.
"Oh, Merlin's beard! I'm so sorry," she said, her cheeks flushing red as she scrambled to pick up the fallen biscuit. "I didn't see you there. I thought this compartment was empty."
Severus sighed, the initial irritation giving way to mild amusement. "It's fine," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "Just... try not to spill crumbs everywhere."
The girl nodded vigorously, her eyes wide with embarrassment. "Of course, of course. I'm Charity, by the way. Charity Burbage."
"Severus Snape," he replied curtly, not really in the mood for small talk.
Charity didn't seem to notice his lack of enthusiasm. "Nice to meet you, Severus! I was just so excited to get back to Hogwarts that I couldn't wait to dive into my sweets. Would you like one?"
Severus hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "No, thank you."
She shrugged and continued munching on her snacks, her energy infectious. Despite himself, Severus found her enthusiasm somewhat endearing. He pulled out a book from his bag and began to read, hoping to drown out the chatter.
As the train ride continued, the compartment door slid open again. This time, Lucius Malfoy and a few other Slytherins entered, their presence filling the small space with a sense of authority.
"Severus," Lucius greeted, his eyes flicking to Charity with mild curiosity. "Who's your friend?"
"She's not my friend," Severus said quickly. "Just someone who wandered in."
Charity, undeterred by the cold reception, smiled brightly. "I'm Charity Burbage. Nice to meet you all!"
Lucius raised an eyebrow but didn't comment further. Instead, he turned to Severus. "Severus, you promised you'd visit over the summer. What happened?"
Severus shrugged and glanced at Charity, who was handing out sweets to the other Slytherins. He sighed. "Just didn't get the chance, sorry mate."
Lucius rolled his eyes before taking a seat next to Severus. "Fine. Just make sure it doesn't happen again. I had our whole week planned."
Severus nodded, feeling the weight of Lucius's head resting on his shoulder. He went back to his book, but not before Lucius whispered in his ear. "But for real, who's the puff?"
Severus smirked slightly, finding Lucius's curiosity amusing. "Her name's Charity Burbage. She just wandered in here with her sweets."
Lucius chuckled softly. "Interesting choice of company for the journey back to Hogwarts. You always manage to attract the odd but hot ones, Severus."
Severus rolled his eyes and returned to his book, trying to ignore the buzz of conversation around him. Lucius's curiosity was typical, and he knew it wouldn't last long. Sure enough, Lucius soon turned his attention to planning their activities for the year, discussing various hair products and gossip.
The train ride felt longer than usual, but Severus was content to sit in relative silence, occasionally nodding or adding a brief comment when necessary. Charity, meanwhile, continued to chat happily with anyone who would listen, her cheerful demeanor a stark contrast to the usual serious tone of the Slytherin compartment.
One Weird Ass Ride...