Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)

Chapter 10

James didn't answer, and instead said, "I'm going out for a bit. Don't wait up."

"Be back before curfew!"

How could he forget? The Wind-Up Birds were perched on every corner of Diagon Alley, each one blaring out its repeated message, "BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY, ALL WIXEN MUST BE INDOORS BY NINE O'CLOCK. FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL RESULT IN ARREST."

James clutched the Walkman in his fist. He had a lot to do if he wanted to get this right. He needed to contact Lily, he needed to buy Severus clothes and shoes - what size did he wear? He'll have to guess - he needed to get- what were they called again? Cassettes? He wanted to get everything right. He needed to get it right. Even if James never did anything else with his life, he will at least get Severus out of St Mungo's.

*****

Severus looks up from his book when his door is thrown open without so much as a knock, and only manages to say, "Potter, what-" when a pair of trousers are thrown at his face. "Oof!"

"Put those on!" Potter barks out, pointing wildly at him.

Severus peels them from his face. "First you strip me, now you dress me up. Make up your mind, Potter."

Potter's face flushes beat-red and Severus can't help the dark satisfaction he feels at the sight of James Potter squirming with shame.

"I'm sorry," he says wretchedly. "Do you have to keep bringing that up?"

"If it keeps making you blush like that," Severus answers before he can think better of it, and now it's his turn to blush. That- that sounded- he looks away and makes a show of holding up the pair of black denim trousers. "Why do you want me to wear these?"

"Not just those. I also got you robes and shoes."

"At least they're in my favourite colour." He picks over the rich, midnight black items, ignoring Potter's scoff and half-muttered, "As if it was hard to figure out." Severus has never owned such well-made clothes. "But you still haven't told me why."

"We're going outside-"

Severus, quick as lightning, is already on the far side of the room before Potter has even finished his sentence. His heart is hammering inside his chest and he can feel the prickle of sweat beading at his forehead. It's been- too long, and he remembers cruel faces passing him in the hall, eyes cutting him, the whispers. The urge to look behind him when he knows no one is there grows inside him. "Absolutely not!"

"Just a walk in the courtyard. Come on, it's a beautiful summer day. I'll be with you the entire time."

"So you can curse me the moment my back is turned!?" He sneers, his voice going up an octave. "You- You-" James Potter has been looking less and less like the James Potter from his nightmares, but swimming in front of his vision is the boy he remembers a year ago, with his cold, laughing eyes and twisted smirk.

Potter ducks his head, stares at his feet, blinks rapidly as if fighting back an onslaught of emotion, and the illusion is broken. He doesn't look nearly as tall or as broad as the boy from his memory. This boy- this boy is harmless. Severus feels his shoulders relax slightly. He uncurls his arms from around his waist.

"I don't know why you keep trying," Severus finally says. "I like it here."

James snaps his head up. "You don't. You just don't have anything else to compare it to. The rest of the world isn't Hogwarts, or Spinner's End-"

Severus stiffens. "What do you know about Spinner's End?"

Potter glances around, as if casting about for a lie, before finally looking Severus in the eye and admitting, "Enough. Look, Severus, I know I've been a brute to you in the past, but I promise you I will never hurt you ever again. If you need safety, I'll protect you. Please trust me when I say there's more to life than this." He gestures at the white walls and the white tiles and the white curtains.