Severus... Reformed / SNILY (COMPLETE)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Halfway through August, Severus received a formal invitation from Remus inviting him over for a few days. Due to his mother's almost comatose state, and his father's careless attitude, he neglected to tell anybody but Lily that he would be going, and instead decided to Apparate back in at night-times to ensure that his mother was still eating.

It was early one morning that he Apparated over to Remus'. The Lupin's, it turned out, lived in Devon, far from any prying eyes and vulnerable Muggles for Remus to feast on during full-moons. Severus Apparated behind Remus' house and then proceeded to turn the corner, where Remus' mother waited just outside the front gate.

"You must be Severus," she greeted cheerfully. Severus' first impression of Mrs Lupin was of a kindly-looking woman, who was neither plain, nor stunning, but who had a pleasant appearance, and a friendly demeanour. She seemed tired, and despite being cheerful, seemed fractionally cautious. This was likely because she was the Muggle in the family, and Severus was the first friend Remus had invited over.

"Yes, it is," he replied politely, and stuck his hand out for the woman to shake, who did so surprised, perhaps used to wizards misunderstanding the gesture. "You have a beautiful garden, Mrs Lupin."

"Oh, thank you," she replied blushing. "I do my best. And it's Hope. Please call me Hope. Mrs Lupin makes me sound so old and decrepit."

"Which you most assuredly are not," Severus said. Hope reminded him of Rose Evans and he didn't wish to be a burden whilst he was staying here.

"You're sweet," she commented, and then looked behind him. "Did your mother not come with you?" She questioned, looking like she expected Mrs Snape to pop out of one of the hedgerows.

"No," he answered coolly. "She was otherwise indisposed. I came alone."

"You wizards have ways of getting around, I'm sure," she smiled uncertainly. "Should we go and find Remus?"

Severus didn't answer, but smiled back, and the two entered the house.

It was more of a cottage, but still bigger than Severus' home. The walls were painted a demure white, but there was a personal touch, too – photo frames on the mantelpiece, books lying haphazardly around, and a bloom of flowers lay on the draining board, waiting to be arranged into a bouquet for the aquamarine vase nearby. The main room was a kitchen, dining room and living room combined, and Remus himself was draped over the sofa arm, eyes glued to the pages of a comic book. As he heard them enter, he dropped the comic onto the sofa and stood up hurriedly, his hair stuck up at odd angles.

"Ah," said Severus, chuckling, "typical that the only mess in this pristine house is your hair, Lupin."

Remus went red as his mother laughed.

"It never stays flat," he complained petulantly.

"Yes, it does," his mother disagreed good-naturedly, and went forwards to smooth it down. "There, that's better."

"Thanks, Mum," Remus said, embarrassed, and gestured towards the ceiling. "Should we go to my room?"

Severus nodded and they hastened upstairs, up two flights, to the attic.

"My room," Remus stated, throwing an arm out at the one door there. It was pretty self-explanatory.

"You tried to tidy it, did you?" Severus observed, an eyebrow raised. While the bed was rumpled, it was made, and the clothes were folded neatly. However the books were piled in columns everywhere on the floor, and the desk was littered with papers and rolls of parchment.

"Yes, I did," asserted Remus, giving Severus a look. "I'm sorry it's small – there was only space for me to have the attic when we moved here."

"That's fine," Severus said, making his way over to the window to have a look out at the waiting sea and crystal clear sky.

"I'm sure you're used to better_"

"It's fine, Remus." Severus was thinking how he was actually used to worse. His room was half the size of Remus' but, then again, his was meant to be a cupboard for the boiler before the boiler was sold.

"Um, okay. You'll have to help me move the mattress into here," Remus continued nervously.

"Hmm," Severus voiced. He had somehow picked up an errant pencil and now tapped it against his head. "Or I do this. Stand aside."

Remus hurried out of the way as Severus cast a wandless spell to clear the room, invisibly forcing all the books under the iron bedstead, and moving the mattress from the hallway outside into the room.

"Shut your mouth, Lupin, you'll catch flies," Severus stated as he returned to his former pastime, gazing out of the window.

Remus, shocked as he was, closed his mouth, and continued to stare in astonishment at Severus' back.

"Yes, Remus, what is it?"

"The restriction... The Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery! You can't just break the law!"

Severus turned his back on the window and faced Remus.

"I didn't," he said simply. "You likely recall how you weren't punished for any silly, impulsive spells you performed when you were younger?" Remus nodded. "The Decree can't track spells that are performed without a wand, because it is assumed that those spells are being done by youngsters who haven't learnt how to control their magic yet."

"Genius," Remus muttered.

"I know, Remus," Severus said sarcastically. "I thought of it."

Remus glared at him, and an uncomfortable silence followed.

*****

A.N. Yay! A long chapter for once! 

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