Severus... Reformed #2 / SNILY

Chapter Two

Diagon Alley was a bustling hive of life. Severus had to admit that, while he wasn't a people person, Diagon Alley was one place where he truly felt alive. It had been the first place he'd experienced magic in abundance and the first time he'd felt truly grateful towards his mother for giving birth to him. They'd been here once together and he would cherish that day forever.

"Severus," Eileen smiled, a rare sight. "Where would you like to go? We could have an ice cream."

Severus knew that Fortescue was a very old friend of his mother's, someone she hadn't seen since her Hogwarts days. Severus also knew that his mother knew he wasn't a fan of ice cream, so she must have an ulterior motive in going for ice cream. That motive being to renew her acquaintance with the man.

"Only if we have enough money," Severus replied, ever the pragmatist, peering up at his mother with his big onyx eyes through the black silk curtains that were his hair.

She laughed.

"I'm the parent here, Sev. This is your day. We'll eat ice cream and buy a wand and forget about boring old Cokeworth."

Severus liked when his mother pretended everything was okay and that there wasn't a horrible Muggle at home who would get back home long after they returned expecting a nice hot meal ready and waiting on the dusty kitchen table. Truth be told, this was one of her lucid days. Tomorrow, she'd be a changed woman wearing a frown and a vacant expression. But sometimes he hated understanding so much of what was going on; he despised the knowledge he was burdened with. Yes, he would smile and go along with his mother's plans. This was her day and he wouldn't let anyone take it from her.

Severus smiled a sad smile at the thriving street. That had been thirty years ago. Thirty years in mind, two in body and his mother was now dead.

"Sev?" 

It was Lily who spoke now. He had to shake off the past.

"We're going to the apothecary now - you may need some stuff for your famous potion," she laughed, tapping the side of her nose.

Severus rolled his eyes and followed his friends and Petunia to Slugs and Jiggers. Both Lily and Remus' parents had come since the Ministry of Magic had finally wired the Evans' house up to the Floo network and the four parents now sat in the Leaky Cauldron getting to know each other. Severus wondered if Regulus knew how he felt, with parents sat at home ignoring his existence. He knew that Sirius had visited Diagon Alley with Potter and his parents and felt only sadness.

"Mr Snape?"

It was the proprietor of the shop who addressed him. Severus had known him very well in his previous life, right until his wife and children were murdered by Death Eaters early on in his teaching career. Severus had been part of the Order clean-up crew to see if anything remained. With those images seared into his mind, he had returned to Hogwarts unseeing and tormented. For once, Dumbledore had not said anything. Someone had given him a hug. Poppy had given him Dreamless Sleep and the addiction had started. He became a soldier, a soldier in a bloody war, fighting on both sides and hoping for an outcome which didn't involve his death. He'd been selfish, right until the day of his death, and then he'd done all he could to save the lives of people he cared about. He'd saved Remus' life. He'd lied to Voldemort. Harry had defeated the Dark Lord once and for all.

"Mr Selwyn," he responded amicably, trying to dislodge the memories.

"I saw in the Daily Prophet that you made great strides in potioneering history," he said with some curiosity. "I would enjoy knowing how you managed to create a potion to strengthen magical cores and indeed how you managed to research magical cores themselves."