you step out of the bathroom the next morning, showered, clean and dressed. you squint your eyes in the direction of the kitchen as you hear the familiar sound of turkey bacon sizzling on the pan and toast popping out of the toaster.
you walk to the kitchen in your fluffy slippers and your summer dress, with sleeves that reached your elbow and could be easily rolled up to treat the slowly decreasing purple spot on your arm.
severus has done wonders on it, finally managing to create the manent potion to help keep you anchored to this reality and prevent you falling into the other one in your sleep.
the punctures have begun to heal and you can only thank the man smiling at you as he places cups on to the the dinner table.
it was slightly strange when you thought about it.
severus snape- smiling- and of all people, smiling at you.
"sleep well?" he asks, turning to wave a hand and watch the plates find their placement mats on the table.
"yes." you say, reaching out to grab an apple from the fruit bowl but wince as snape slaps your hand away.
"what was that for?" you groan and he rolls his eyes.
"can't you see me setting up the table? don't you smell the food in the pans?"
you feel your ears go pink at the pure annoyance in his voice.
"don't go and eat an apple for breakfast when i've just gone and got your meal ready!"
you twist your foot around on the hard wood floor and look down at it. "okay, i- i'm sorry then."
"it's fine." he says, waving a hand dismissively. "go and turn the radio on. the muggle one, not the wizarding one- i've heard enough of fudge's pretentious blabber."
you giggle at severus' snide remark at the minister of magic and turn the dial on the muggle radio to the bbc channel.
'and next we'll have andrew marr- one of our bbc correspondents for number ten reporting back to us in a minute or two but before that here's holly stratford with the weather-'
the muggle news drones on as you wonder back to the kitchen table and stare at severus' hair pulled up into a bun.
it's adorable but at the same time you have a weird urge to snip it off.
"oi!" severus says, throwing a tea towel at you.
"what?" you laugh, catching it before it can crash into your nose.
"leave my hair alone!" he grumbles, pulling his hair out of the bun. "and it is not adorable."
"oh it is!" you laugh. "and stop reading my mind! it's a violation of my privacy!"
"not my fault your thoughts are so loud." he shrugs.
then, the doorbell rings and your eyes light up at the the name that flashed in your head.
minerva.
severus nods at you and you race to the door and twist the door handle before being tackled into a hug.
"y/n!" minerva sighs, bending down and wrapping you in her slender arms.
she was wearing a big woolen jumper, a nice light creme colour that made the hug extra warm and fluffy. you wondered how on earth she wasn't burning in the summer heat.
"i missed you," you say backing away into the kitchen watching her kick her shoes off and follow.
"as did i, dear." she grins, throwing her handbag onto the sofa.
"severus." she says, leaning over the kitchen table to give severus a quick kiss on the cheek.
"minerva."
"mmm- that smells delicious," she sighs, "what are you making, dear?"
"bacon, eggs, the usual, minnie- don't get to excited."
you hear him chuckle, as you and minerva sit down at the table and watch severus plate the food.
she raises her eyebrows at you and you laugh, picking up your knife and fork.
severus sits down himself and says a quick 'go on' before you all start to tuck in, helping yourself to mash, or ketchup.
"so, y/n," minerva begins just as the three of you process how delicious the breakfast is. "are you excited to go to diagon alley?"
"yes, i am." you say, your grin reaching your ears. "i remember it being marvellous in the books and i can't wait to see mr. ollivander."
"i've pre booked your appointment with him, to make sure you get your wand today- and mr. ollivander says he can't wait to meet you." minerva says, reaching for the condiments.
"i haven't told him about your situation- you being from a different reality and so on, but the old nutter may just know- he seems to know a whole bunch of things just by looking at people."
"a legilemens?" you ask.
"possibly." says severus. "i got the feeling that he could read my mind when i was getting my wand."
"read your mind?" you ask, your eyebrows furrowed. "but -but- you're a powerful occlumence."
"i wasn't then." he says. "i trained up from books i found in the restricted section only in my first term."
"sorry- minerva." he coughs, as minerva glares at him.
"don't you go copying him." she says, waving her fork at you.
"but it's all just a bit of fun- isn't it?" you try but severus cuts you off.
"no, y/n seriously." he says sternly. "no funny buisness."
you clamp your mouth shut and slump in your chair, picking at your food.
"anyways, you'll have enough fun, helping us figure out what to do next year."
minerva adds lightly, nudging your elbow and you look up smiling.
you can't wait for a chance to help, it'll be like working for the order. the next year has troll, half-giants, unicorns, giant chess pieces and ghost in store for you and it's you burden that you have to wait till next morning to leave.
"it's a bit last minute, though, getting my wand now?" you ask.
severus nods. "mm. we wanted to wait till it was less busy so we wouldn't have to explain anything to anyone." .
"and why do we set off for hogwarts tomorrow, don't teachers get there before hand?"
"usually," minerva answers. "this year, however, albus asked for teachers to have set up their living quarters by last week."
"for obvious reasons." severus adds.
a smile creeps up your face.
"you won't leave me alone."
you haven't left the house other than to take out the trash in about a month and this is the first time you really are going outside.
it wouldn't be so daunting, seeing as though you weren't you usually aloud outside in that other reality anyway, but this was the wizarding world.
you were going to diagon alley, and you couldn't be more nervous.
"are you ready?" asks minerva, from down the stairs and you turn your head, allowing you voice to travel down the stair way.
"one minute!"
you turn back to the floor length mirror that severus bought for you, looking up and down at yourself, suprised at how neat you looked. how healthy- you looked.
you were wearing the same summer dress but wore leggings and boots with half an inch of a heel.
you stood unusually straight as your shoulders felt weighted by the small shoulder pads in the witches cloak minerva had bought for you, and you admired the soft gold detailing up the side.
but most importantly, you look so alive.
your hair is healthy looking, a soft shine to its strands and your skin bright and your lips a shade of pink.
minerva had dropped off a few magazines and with them you learned to elongate your usually short eyelashes with magic and make them permanently curly and black.
your eyes sparkle with an excitement you couldn't put in to words and you spun on your heel, making your way down the corridor and to the front door where minerva waited for you.
"minnie," you call her name as she fastens a golden broach to her breast pocket.
she looks up at you with the same peircing green eyes.
"you look-" her expressions soften and she smiles. "you look great. like a proper witch."
you feel heat rise to your face. "thank you."
you hear the sound of footsteps as severus comes walking towards you. he looks at you for a second before shaking his head and reaching into his pocket and pulling out a silver brooch.
"come here," he says, and you step closer, letting him bend down and attach the brooch to you.
"what's this for?" you ask softly.
"look at the engraving at the top."
you look down and in very small cursive writing there is, infact, an engraving.
snape. 01.72.624
"what are the numbers- why does it say your last name?" you ask, laughing a little in confusion.
"it's the address of my fireplace. if ever you get lost show someone the brooch and they will return you to me." severus says.
"o-okay." you say, turning around and looking at minerva.
"she won't get lost." she says sternly. "i'm with her."
"whatever." severus hesitantly shrugs.
minerva turns to unlock the door.
"we'll be off then, severus. take care and we'll be back in a couple hours."
you hear the sound of her boot against the gravel at the bottom of the steps leading to the front door.
"y/n." severus calls and you step away from where you were about to follow minerva.
you stare at him for a second and you wait for him to say the words you knew were coming.
"come." he says and you bolt towards him and let him engulf his arms around you.
"be safe, y/n." you hear his voice from inside his chest. he smells like smoke.
"merlin, we need you to be safe."
"because i'm important to the plan-" you say pulling away and squinting up at him. "or... because you care?"
"care? for you?" severus smirks, holding your hand for a final moment. "not a chance."
you turn then, leaving the front door and grabbing minerva's hand with the same that had just slipped away from severus'.
this was going to be a whole lot of fun.