Severus... Reformed / SNILY (COMPLETE)

Chapter Twenty-Six

"Do you think his parents will wonder where he is?" Lily asked evilly, staring down at Potter sprawled on the train's floor. Glass pooled around his head.

"No," Severus sighed. His wand appeared in his hand. "Reparo." The glass immediately jumped back into the door's frame. "Ennervate."

Potter's eyes flickered open. He took in the sight of Severus above him with a wand pointed directly at him.

"Argh!" He yelled.

"So childish," Remus murmured.

"I know right," Alice agreed.

"Snape, I'll have my godfather after you!" The fallen boy threatened.

Severus cocked his head to the side. "I don't think even Godfather Albus can protect you from four eye-witnesses that will fervently state you attacked me first," he replied smugly.

Potter gasped, and so did Lily, Lupin, Alice and Mary.

"His godfather is Professor Dumbledore?" Mary exclaimed. "How unfair is that?"

"So that's how you escaped every single detention you got yourself into it," Lily stated, hands on hips.

"And pranked every student at the school," Lupin said, annoyed. Alice nodded along with them.

"Get up, Potter," Severus sighed again. The boy scrambled to his feet. "If you don't decide to be an impulsive little twerp now," Severus added, watching as Potter reached for his own wand, "I might let you off this train before it goes back where it came."

Potter paled at that statement and hurried off down the corridor.

"Wouldn't want to worry your parents, would we now, ickle Potter," Mary called scathingly.

"We need to wake Maisie," Natalie reminded them. "Tell them that we're here. Home." She smiled warmly round at all of them, and all but Severus returned her smile.

If it's home I'm meant to be going to, I should be staying on the train and going the other way, he thought sadly.

*

The platform was utterly crowded. Owls hooted and cats tripped you over wherever you tried to go. Algie Longbottom's toad Trevor was bouncing on Frank Longbottom's shoulder. Everywhere you looked there were students hugging their friends goodbye and kissing hello to their families. Severus waited impatiently as Lily said goodbye to Alice, then Mary, then Maisie, then Natalie, then Selena, then Emily, then Alicia... The list went on. Lupin approached him, even as he stood leaning against the far wall, trademark scowl on his face.

"This is it," Severus smirked, eyeing the brown-haired boy.

"Goodbye," Remus nodded. "Well..." He held out a hand (Severus wasn't the hugging sort) and the other boy shook it.

"Send me an owl when it's time," Severus reminded.

"I will," Remus smiled briefly and followed his waiting parents through the wall to the other side.

Lily eventually returned.

"You waited for me?" She asked, surprised.

"Obviously," Severus replied, lip twitching.

"My parents are over here," she said, grabbing his hand and pulling him in the direction of the Evanses.

"How good it is to see you again, Severus!" Rose Evans exclaimed happily, pulling him into a hug. The Muggle woman had nursed him through Pneumonia three years ago, technically, and had always had a soft spot for the poor boy.

"Good to see you too, Mrs Evans," Severus replied, his voice sounding muffled. A tear escaped his eye. He hadn't seen Rose Evans since she'd died shortly before Lily in 1981.

"What's wrong with your eye?" Lily laughed.

"Something in it, I expect," Severus responded, rubbing at it, acting as though nothing had happened.

"Hello, Master Snape," Mark Evans greeted, shaking his hand. "Long time, no see."

"Indeed," Severus nodded. How true it was. And... "Nice to see you too, Petunia." He turned to the third and final Muggle. There was no point for any antagonism. After all, they'd both had the same agenda: saving Harry Potter's life.

"Snape," she said suspiciously. "Where are your parents?" She added, sniffing.

Severus gazed around the platform. It was nearly empty.

"At home, I expect," he answered indifferently. Lily gave him a troubled look.

"They didn't come to pick you up?" She questioned, upset.

"Well, I didn't tell them when and my father can't read the calendar," Severus replied bitterly.

"What about your mother?" Rose inquired gently.

"Probably daydreaming."

"Neighbours?"

"They don't acknowledge my existence."

"Friends?"

"There aren't any."

"Well, I suppose you'll have to come home with us. It's not like you can walk back."

Severus snorted, but managed to pass it off as a sneeze. He'd had to walk back in his third year last time. His mother had just died and his father had been drinking even more than usual.

"That's very kind of you, Mr Evans," he said graciously. Petunia came and whispered in his ear.

"Huh, so your parents don't even remember that you exist. How touching."

"How very kind of you too, Tuney," he commented, walking away with Lily, totally aware to the death glare she was giving his back. 

*****

A.N. So, their first year is over. I realised that I might be slightly abandoning James Potter at the moment so he will feature more in their second year.

Thank you for reading, and PLEASE COMMENT!!!!!!!!!!! :)