Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

April 1968

Severus is hiding in the bushes, watching the two sisters from a far. He can not tell if the red head is a witch or not, and has not gathered enough might to go and confront them.

He is not brave.

What if they laugh at him too?

He knows he has not the best marks at school – because what use is there if he is leaving for Hogwarts in a couple of years? - and that his appearance is not that far off his below average marks.

He will never be a popular boy, and he knows. He accepted it long ago than only good-looking people got to get away with being mean and stupid and awful. Guys like him , kids like him who aren’t cute and adorable will get punished whether they are responsible or not.

It matters not.

The red head Evans he has seen plenty of in school. they are classmates after all. Coke worth isn’t that big to have two elementary schools.

The Evans girl has never been one of the people who mock him for his patched clothes or poor state, but has not been one of the people who stood up for him. Last year there was a transfer student who did that, and after his back-up, those muggle bullies backed down a bit. He remembers there were a few others who protested, who went to teachers and all that, most of them were upper years but the one who started it was the transfer student.

The red head Evans wasn’t among them.

So, he hesitates, and when he makes up his mind, both girls are gone.

The Evans girls don’t come back to this park again that summer, because Lily has not heard she might be a witch, has not made a friend in Severus Snape, and doesn’t want to postpone their yearly trip to the sea to talk about magic stuff with her friend.

Severus who doesn’t have a friend, stays in home and helps mother brew potions, and hides in the park bushes when father comes home drunk.

They don’t see each other until Hogwarts.

September 1971

When Severus boards on the train, there are only two cabins empty. One that is occupied by a certain red head he knows from muggle school, and one with a scarred boy in second-handed robes.

He doesn’t like the girl who is wearing the best robes Madam Malkin could offer, wearing a false smile. He can tell false smiles because he has practiced his in front of the mirror way too much. False smile for his da’s drinking buddies, false smiles for his ma’s co-brewer in saint Mungo.

And he knows no-one in Coke worth is that well-off. It must have cost a fortune and the girl must have thrown a mighty tantrum to get them.

He doesn’t like false smiles or spoilt people.

What does She have to be afraid of anyway? She has a nice family, nice robes and a face many would fall for. The smile reminds him too much of the deadly beautiful flower he read about in 1000 herbs and fungi, the flower that uses its prettiness to catch unaware insects and kill them.

The boy on the other hand is a lonely hurt thing. His robes similar to his, and his sad face just like those days he hides in the bushes so father cannot find him.

“Do you mind if I seat here?” he asks.

The boy’s face lit up, but dims again “are you sure?”

Severus scrunches his face, why would the boy be uncertain? Does he not see Severus is in the same estate of poor he is?

Or something else?

He watches him again, he looks sickly, and those scars…

He can remember something he had read the day before in fantastic beasts, about werewolves…surely the school doesn’t allow them to attend?

“yes” he has to be sure. It is really a big thing to accuse a boy to be a werewolf.

“Remus Lupin”

It’s really unlikely, isn’t it? Who would be cruel enough to name a werewolf Remus?

“Severus Snape”

They both go to Slytherin.

November 1971

Severus watches Remus in their dorms. It is really suspicious that he gets sick every bloody time there is a full moon, but he holds his tongue.

So far, Remus isn’t bad company. He is a half-blood like himself, and being trapped in Slytherin without any camaraderie scares him a little bit. They are not friends, no sir, there is no friendship in Slytherin, only allies.

But still, it is good to have someone to be willing to seat near you, doesn’t call you half-breed every other day or eat with you on the same table. Their dorm-mates are all pure-bloods and make faces at them. Remus is a half-blood himself so he doesn’t get to subject Severus to ridicule, even if he is better with people, has somewhat nicer robes and has not attracted the Gryffindore Bullies.

Oh yes, Severus managed that on his own, running his mouth about something he can’t remember what . and voila, the “rivalry” as Professors like to refer to it was born.

At least Remus warns him if he thinks they are going to attack, if he does not partake in it or defends him openly. Oh Slytherin is all about brotherhood and cunning and ambition, that doesn’t mean for him. The united front, the snakes have their own backs is all a dream for a half-blood like him. He doesn’t get support, nor a heads up or encouragement. Things don’t go the way mother said.

 Not For a lowly half-blood like Severus.

Remus at least has a father in ministry, that gives him semi-immunity and grudging acceptance.

Severus doesn’t have that. 

So it goes on, and he loses more points than he gets. The only bright side is that Potter and Black and Pettigrew have only Potions with him, so it doesn’t happen as often. Sure they mainly target him for their pranks, but they don’t have so many classes together for them to reach him.

He is also a boring nerd who spends more time in the library than around people. He knows once he goes back to spinner end, he wont get the time to study at all, so he needs all the time. He is essentially muggle-raised, so he needs to know loads better about the pure-bloods, the way to conduct, the traditions. He loathes admitting that even Lupin knows more than him. He doesn’t have time to dawdle.

He has to make a name for himself.

Teachers don’t mind him at all. They are mostly in awe of the muggle-born Lily Evans brilliance and did you know Sirius Black is the first Black who ended up in Gryffindor?

Gryffindor means Bullies, Slytherin means conditional support, Hufflepuff means cowardly and Ravenclaw means turning a blind eye, avoidance.

That was the summary of his first term. Next ones are just the repeat of it.

1972

His father gets more violent, his mother more withdrawn. He finds his mother’s forgotten magical books in the attic, and takes up memorizing each one that interests him, reading it loud when his parents get loud.

These days that’s all they do. Some seemingly innocent remark, some hissy feat, then a crash and a curse or two. He knews the schedule too well.

by the end of summer, he has memorized some books cover to cover.

He packs the books to Hogwarts.

By the end of the year he has memorized them all.

-because Slytherin doesn’t get easier, and because he has no other option to not fall victim to either red tied Bullies or green tied bullies. Because no one gives a damn and he has to hide in library and go to his bed in his dorm when all of them are sleeping.

Because…

October 1973

It does get better slowly, as he learns more ways to avoid conflict, and finds out being a teacher’s pet can get you a measure of safty.

By the third year, he has established himself as the brightest student of his year. He is the first one in everything from herbology to transfigurations. He hated transfigurations, and he hated that Potter was the best in that class, so he begged his mother to teach him before hand and allow him the use of her wand.

She accepted most reluctantly, on the condition he helps in brewing for saint mungo.

Helps is a misleading word, when he is brewing most of them, even OWL levels.

Anyhow, he is the best. In defense, he knows all about theory, curses and counters, and dueling thanks to Marauders. In charms he has long past Evans, because sure natural talent she has, but she lacks his motivations to be the best. She wastes time on friends and social gatherings, when Severus only goes to library and back, practices spells whenever he can.

Potions he can pass his Owls with O now- Newts with EE perhaps- Herbology , history and others are a walk in the park. He started tutoring older Slytherins and when Slughorn sees improvement, he talks to him for the first time since he entered Slytherin.

Results? He gets to brew for the hospital wings when old sluggy hears he has been brewing for saint mungo since his second year. It means more money for him.

He also gets his own lab space, and slughorn suggests he can get his OWLs now, so he could be his apprentice next year.

“you are wasting your time in potions when You can easily be an apprentice my boy!”

Severus smirks, he doesn’t doubt it is not at all because he wants to have his back, but because he is a lazy arse. He will get to laze around and make Severus do all the prep work and hospital brews.

At least Severus can get a mastery by the time he graduates. He knows getting a mastery is about 5 to 7 years and he only gets what? 4 years? But he can work with it. If he tries hard, he can get his NEWTs instead of Owls this year, and if he can make or alter a potion by the time he graduates and pass the guild exam he is set to go. He can apply for Saint mungo, he already is brewing for them, that must count for something right?

Right.

He knows it’s a long shot. The whole school hates snakes, and snakes now only come to tolerate him.

-just because he cozied up to their head of house, and the man showed him a sliver of attention. Just because he praised the lazy man who was responsible for the whole house, and instead opted not to bother with anyone not worth his time. Because nobody cared and he had to lower himself and use flattery, and because his stomach rolls and bile rises in his mouth and he has no other way.

And what if they call him a know-it-all or teachers pet? What if Slughorn wipes his hand on his robe when he had ruffled his hair? What if he has been called mudblood and half-breed?

He can stand it. He has to stand it. There is nobody else there to help him, he has only one person.

Himself.

 it’s the only chance he’ll get.

September 1974

Severus has a plan, and he needs a half giant to comply with his needs. He wracks his brain over what to do, and at last he gives up. What a simple lad like him has to offer? Hagrid has no brains so to speack, he has lots of food, employment, and residence, and free access to all the bloody creatures his stupid heart desires.

He stops in the middle of his mental rant.

January 1974

He gets his NEWTs in Potions with O in January 1974 at 14. He is only a third year and getting his newts has pushed Slughorn to accept him as an apprentice finally.

His mother was really not amused to sign it. She knew she had to go back to brewing potions on herself again, and she couldn’t force her son to gift his hard earned money to the family – his useless father’s booze- but Sluggy must have made her see reason.

He gets his own rooms now. He doesn’t need to watch his every move or be wary of his room mates.

And he is free from Spinner End.

He insisted on only one thing in The apprenticeship contract he signed. To stay in Hogwarts.

There was protests from everyone and their mother of course. Eileen wanted him home to make him do her own chores, Dumbledore didn’t want to allow a snake to stay in the castle and Slughorn didn’t want to forgo his holidays and stay with his young charge.

The bastards.

He had to Slytherin all of them, he still smirks when he remembers how baffled they were when they saw Hagrid telling them he will watch him. He can stay in the castle as long as he wants. The only condition was for him to stay with an adult, and he had gotten Hagrid – the resident of the castle in all year along- to sign it for him.

To think all it needed was to brew some simple potions for thestrals and talk about dragons with the idiot. It only got him what? A term of planning?

Hagrid is an idiot, but he is a well-meaning idiot who saved him from having to go back to his parents.

He keeps brewing medicinal potions for his animals even if he doesn’t need to.

He is not friends with the half-giant!

He isn’t ,all right?

Alongside potions, he got OWLs in astronomy, history and care of magical creatures . He isn’t planning to continue those subjects. After all he is an apprentice now.

And they were utterly boring.

He had chosen care of magical creatures and arithmancy as his electives. Creatures was easy, he knew all about the important stuff from his potions books and the fun parts from Hagrid. He knew many things about many rare species, like acromentala, or hippogriffs.

Now that he is done with that subject, he has to sit at another elective. All students are required to take at least two of them, and he would kill himself before sitting at divinations or muggle studies.

Instead he opts to sit at runes . This is where he makes his first friend.

-He doesn’t want to think about making his first friend at 14, or if he grudgingly has to accept Hagrid as a sort of friend, at 13. It is pitiful, but at least far better than Lupin who doesn’t have anyone at all.-

At the first lesson in the second term, the professor eyes him with suspicion. He himself would have eyed a new student in runes with suspicion, seeing as half the year was spent and he had gotten into this class by the mercy of Slughorn.

Maybe it was a mistake?

But he can not back down now, can he? he is bored already, not having many classes left. He only has charms, herbology, defense, transfigurations and now runes and arithmancy. He is done with the hospital brewing in a day, and all his homework he can get it done on Saturday. He loves potions, but even he feels tired of reading potion’s all the time.

So challenge.

He is so focused on his work he doesn’t notice the girl sitting beside him.

” you got that bit wrong” she says.

“I think I know my way around it” and dismisses her.

“but you really need to check the part..”

He is annoyed now “ I don’t need your input” and moves to another table. It takes him an hour to solve the runic translation, and it is with great embarrassment he understands the girl was right after all.

It is near the end of the class.

“Pandora Lovegood. Your head is full of wrackspruts Snape. You should get a friend”

She sat beside him in runes- again- and not wasted a moment in starting to talk.

“oh? Are you offering then? “ he says with a sneer, still annoyed that she was right.

What does this ridiculous blond haired witch want? She is a pureblood in his year and a ravenclaw. He knows everyone keeps whispering behind her back.

She is weird.

Just like her cousin Xenophilus Lovegood, who is a year above them. 

“what if I am?”

And she extends her hand.

Far be it from him to act as a harridan and not shake the hand , he may not be rich or a pure-blood, but he tries hard to be a gentleman.

“Severus snape ,charmed”

He isn’t charmed at all, at least not at that moment.

March 1974

 Severus would not admit it under torture, but befriending – being pushed to rather- Pandora is good for him.

Its through her that he makes his second friend, her cousin Xeno.

Xenophilius Lovegood. As strange as his name is.

Surprisingly that is good for his side business of potions. Nothing abnormal, just calming droughts, anti anxiety and pepper up, sometimes bruise balm or pain away potions. Xeno knows the forbidden forest like the back of his hand, and the unlikely trio find many useful things- ingredients- in their trips to to the forest.

Sometimes Hagrid – who Severus would NOT call a friend, but the giant is too obnoxiously persistant in calling him one- accompanies them.

Severus now has a semi-solid income. His brew for hospital wing, his potion business and now tutoring – since he has OWLS in astronomy, history and care of magical creatures, NEWT in potions- leave him with small but steady flow of Galleons. If he wanted, He could even rent a room.

Since he has gotten with Lovegoods, the Marauders aren’t bothering him too much and instead focus their efforts on Lupin.

He wonders if its because it wont be 2 or 3 on 1 now. Cowards the lot of them.

Targeting a loner like Lupin? He doesn’t feel a jota of guilt over it, after all the boy had not stick his neck out for him, why would he? if those hooligans are busy with him, they might leave him alone. Merlin knows they didn’t even when he became Slughorn’s apprentice.

“Severus! Do you mind?” says Pandora.

“hmm?”

He doesn’t know what the witch was saying at all, too focused on the material before him. He has to write an essay on “calculating the amount of magic one should use in brewing a drought of living death”.

“I asked you to accompany me to Hogsmeade”

Severus coughs so hard he nearly chokes. He must have heard wrong.

March 1974

He in fact has not. 

He had not even thought of girls or dating until Pandora asked him out. He had to search deep inside, and he was horrified to find out he wanted to go, but was too chicken to try. He had been rejected far too many times to handle this one, and besides Pandora and Xeno are his only friends, and Merlin if he messed up…

What if she doesn’t like him? What if she wants to go as friends? What if she doesn’t like a poor not so handsome half blood with short fuse?

Hagrid doesn’t think so.

“ya’ll be fine lad. I see in her eyes.”

-he doesn’t in fact do fine. He ends up defending Evans from Potter since the stupid git didn’t take no for an answer. Then there is Lupin whom they had been harassing when Evans stepped in to help him, and there is Xeno who wanted to give him moral support and Pandora looks lovely and all of them end up hexing each other in the yard.

When later that day, Pandora comes to the hospital wing, he is dreading it.

“don’t ever change Severus” she says, and kisses the side of his mouth.

Lupin chortles, Xeno congratulates him and he hides under the covers until Madam Pomphrey comes back. 

July 1974

He becomes a regular at Lovegoods, though he is staying at Hogwarts. The couple are nice, boring and old. Xeno’s parents live directly across from Pandora’s, and they all spend evening together, having tea and talking about anything and everything. He feels he is really experiencing living in a family.

He likes it. He can get used to it. Whats wrong with living a nice, boring life in a clean silent neighborhood which doesn’t smell like burnt food and booze and raw swedge? 

Not at all like life in Spinner End. Waking up at all hours of night because of shouting matches. Hiding in tiniest places , hiding his meager possessions in even tinier places.

Talking of the devil..

Now that he is free from school, Eileen badgers him to brew again for the summer.

Severus doesn’t contest. He is bored out of his mind, and the shadows under Eileen’s eyes doesn’t mean anything good.

“you don’t need to do anything if you don’t want to. You have no responsibility” says Pandora when he reveals he has started brewing for saint Mungo again.

He shrugs. He has made enough money to get by, and he has free room and board. If he goes on like this, at this rate he will be able to buy a small suit in muggle Londen by the time he finishes school. with being a potion master, he can apply for a job at the hospital and he is set. He is not naive as to think he can pull off becoming an unspeakable, but at worst, he can get a job at ministry .

He doesn’t feel its right to leave his mother – however unsuitable she was at mothering- with all those problems. He owes his magic to her.

Pandora sighs and drops it. She rests her head on his shoulder after that, and that’s nice.

He can live like this.

January 1975

He starts 1975 with getting NEWTs in Defense, and OWLs in Herbology. He doesn’t have many classes, only 4 left.

-charms, transfigurations, runes and arithmancy

Still, he doesn’t plan on getting any owls in any of them until 5th year. Transfigurations is hard, runes and arithmancy he likes, and with his free schedule, he has switched all his classes to be with Pandora.

Its great.

They are great. He has 5 friends now, madam Pomphrey and madam Pince have joined his small list as of his 15th birthday. He had made a tiny mistake, and slipped that he never had a birthday party.

“that is an outrage!” Xeno huffed.

And a week after his birthday passed, he found himself in a café in Hogsmede, with all of his three friends.

But he had 5 gifts.

He raised an eyebrew.

“I mus’ have told Poppy an’ Irma an’ they wanted to say ‘ello” Hagrid mumbles.

Those two women friendship is weird. Pomphrey doesn’t change much, but they end up having tea and biscuit from time to time, and Pince does not bother him or the Loegoods when they make a mess of her perfectly ordered library. She even allows him to take a look at the catalogue and order the books that he thinks is best for the library.

Its in small things, really.

While his relationship goes slow and steady, seemingly other students suddenly go wild. They make up and break up at a speed that is even impossible for bunnies.

The outside, on the other hand…

Slughorn expresses his worry for him, and it’s a first. It seems that he has caught so many eyes in every direction.

“my boy, I fear you have turned quite a lot of eyes towards yourself”

At one side, there is an opposition with a self proclaimed Lord Voldemort. At the other side Dumbledore is eying him too calculatingly.

And then there is ministry who has sent him a pamphelet for becoming an AUROR of all things.

Tension, escalating fights and people taking a side.

He has a bad feeling in his gut.

Maybe he should have stayed his hand. Maybe he shouldn’t have gotten so many OWLs and NEWTs early.

“what is done is done.”

Pince suggests all of them – the kids she calls them- get out of here as soon as they can.

Both Xeno and Pandora agree.

September 1975

 Its their fifth year, and nothing makes sense any more.

Sure, Severus and Pandora hold hands, kiss and snuggle as much as they want, but that’s it.

Hagrid sneaks out of the castle on some stupid task or another for something he doesn’t tell them, and he always tells them anything. Pomphrey has her hands full with injured students daily because Merlin forbid they act like human beings and talk before raising their wands.

And Pince, she has risen a ward around the forbidden section, since so many attempted to sneak there.

Severus is busy, this is his third year of apprenticeship and even if he doesn’t have many classes, he doesn’t have time to blink. He has been called the “m” word so many times he has lost count. Fortunately, since he has gotten his defense NEWT and demonstrated how good he was – he disarmed both Black and Potter at the same time- everyone leaves him alone.

-he doesn’t know why his apprenticeship didn’t have that effect. He had humiliated himself by admitting he was being harassed – the time they had thrown him into the lake, at winter- and Slughorn only blabbered about boys are boys and rivalry. The good for nothing scare crow.

Pandora is busy, because hello, she has OWLs, Xeno is stressing about his future, his Perfect duties, and “how he has not dated anyone yet”.

Thanks Merlin he’s not been made perfect or he would have blown someone, or something, or both.

Lupin on the other hand is not faring well.

Severus knows for sure he is a werewolf, and he already told Xeno and Pandora. Xeno found a runic ward that specifically trapped the wolf for exactly 13 minutes.

“why 13?”

Xeno shrugs, and pandora hums.

Sometimes he really wants to smack them.

Remus Lupin has it hard. Severus knows from experience how things are in Slytherin, and even if he is a perfect, that doesn’t save him from facing cruelty in his dorm.

Potter, Black and the ever cheering Pettigrew don’t let him have a moment of peace. if they don’t hex him in corridors, prank him while having his food or destroy his work or project, they taunt him.

At least they fear Severus. Not only he has shown them up, but also many of their classmates use him as a tutor for their OWLs, and he has two or three NEWTs students too. If they dare raise their wand against him, they have to face the wraith of their whole year.

 Severus takes pity on the hidden Werewolf, and hangs around him more. Remus is surprisingly intelligent, if too much reserved and bitter. He is all sharp edges and cutting remarks, lashing out at the simplest things.

Severus doesn’t hold him to it, if he was poor, and bullied, and wasn’t safe in dorms and ridiculed daily with no friends, he would have snapped.

He starts researching potions to at least help him with his monthly visit.

He finds Belby.

December 1975

Finding a second master is both a blessing and a curse. Belby has him by his balls, and he doesn’t have time to breath.

-at least he is more of an equal than Sluggy, Damocles is anything but lazy or stupid. He never smiles at his misery, and doesn’t try to say things like “you be the greater one” or “ boys are boys” or “a silly name calling”. He stays silent and listen, which is more than anyone else has done. Domocles can not do much for his parents, or his life struggles.

About the potion On the other hand, it seems together they can make it work.

“ the process is too slow, and it doesn’t work half the time. If it is too time cosuming and costly, we better not do it at all. What use there is for a solution if no one can use it to solve their problem?My arithmancy work shows clearly that it will be more effective and can be brewed with less effort and time.”

Severus is half telling the truth, its not his arithmancy, but Pandora, and it is not clear at all. It only suggest there might be a better solution by 12 percent, but its better than dangling a costly potion in front of the werewolves – most of them are much pooerer than even him at his frist year- and throw it in their hopless faces.

“but we have not figured the main ingredient yet! We only used werewolf blood, and it almost always kills the infected no matter what we put in there to prohibit coaggulation”

True, Belby is pulling his hair. His contract doesn’t allow him to consult with Pince, or Poppy who may know something, or Hagrid who knows more about the creatures than a master. The best he came up with was acromentala.

“ I have already said we can use acromentala, but what part?”

And they still haven’t figured it out after monthes. It drives Severus – who solves everything in the fastest way- mad.

He has not gotten a letter from his mother, Pandora is buried under school work, Xeno has finally found himself a witch – Dorcas Meadow- and Lupin is literally out of control. These days he doenst know he sticks to him to save his hide, or other’s hide from him.

They are still not friends.

Lupin thinks he is too good for the likes of him, being a perfect. Sometimes Severus thinks he itches to give him orders too. He is only ever thinking of himself, and his own Misery, justifies his bad temper, his no-friends mode and violent ticks by being sick.

Being poor. Being a halfblood in slytherin.

Well Severus was just like him. It is his fault he has not made any contact at all? He curses Marauders as much as they do, and he doesn’t use kid spells. He attacks to hurt.

Yes, teachers don’t have his back. They possibly know about his problem and don’t trust such a dark creature. Although he is a perfect, lower years don’t come to him at all.

They are scared.

Severus feels the boy is on edge, and all it takes for him to fall is one push.

When Remus’s date – a girl named Marlene- for the last Hogsmead trip turns out to be Peter Pettigrew under Polyjuice, the die is cast.

“you will come to regret it” Lupin says coldly. Severus thinks he has seen a flash of yellowish in the boy’s eyes.

It promises death, and Severus shivers involuntarily.

January 1976

He finds out why mother hasn’t sent a letter.

They are dead.

They are both dead.

And it was the stupidest thing ever. A car crash.

He doesn’t grieve.

But he goes to madam Pomphrey.

“Am I a bad person for not …” he asks, tears in his eyes.

“oh my boy” she says, her eyes softening.

And she hugs him.

February 1976

He thorws himself into work like there is no tommrow. He only sleeps 4-5 hours, and all his time is dedicated to the potion.

-dead. They are dead.

And he tries to not think about it.

Like never. At all.

Ironically, it’s the flash of poisonous yellow- the promised death- in Lupin’s eyes that make him think of using drought of living death.

They add aconite to the mix, and let it absorb the moon light the night before the full moon.

The result? The transformation is a lot easier, and the subject sleeps through it. It only takes half a day to brew, and isn’t that costly. Any NEWT potion student can brew it, and besides Aconite all of the ingredients are easy to find.

“My boy! You are going to be the best potion master of all times!” Slughorn says. Him and Belby don’t waste time in presenting the potion to the European Potion department, and it gets approval a short while after. 

“can we change the name?” it’s the only objection Severus has. In their haste to introduce the potion, and the EPD to apporove it, the potion is stuck with the worst name possible.

The Belby-Snape werewolf solution is born, or BS potion as other potion masters started to call.

Pandor giggles. Together pandora and xeno have come up with a list of totally ridiculous names. Among them are: wolf cuddle, good doggo, sleepy furry. Not that the BS is a good name. 

“heyya snapy, is it true the potion is named BS cause you are secretly a vampire?”

Honestly, if he hears another of those vampire jokes,he will strangle someone. It’s BELBY SNAPE potion not blood sucker! And severus doesn’t genuinely like sun, he is too plae and gets sun burn and that’s it! Its not that those clowns haven’t seen him walk in day light!

The variation with vampire blood – which makes it so that the wolf turns only for an hour instead of whole night- is called BSV. It doesn’t help the acronym “blood sucker” much. They only call it blood sucking vampire potion.

Not that the real name is that awesome.

Belby-Snape potion with Vampire blood. It is only in clical trial phase but the name has stuck.

Abnoxious.

The only thing that makes Severus stop whining is when Xeno points out “How Snape sinior – Tobias- would feel if he knew his sir name was used on a potion”.

It’s really quite hilarious.

Even if it makes him think about them. Rare moments when he wasn’t drunk and she wasn’t unfeeling.

So he laughs and jokes and doesn’t think about them.

Or tries to.

Their friends have found time in their busy schedule to celebrate this. Poppy sips her wine, and Pince eyes the last slice of cake hungrily. Pandora has his left hand in hers, coloring his nails a nice blue.

Hagrid and Xeno are talking animatedly about whether a centaur could kill a dragon or not. The new addition to their group, Dorcas who is Xeno’s girl, is more interested in talking with him about the potion.

“I think it wouldn’t be fair if they don’t give you a Merlin award, or at least your mastery”

Severus doesn’t agree. Merlin award would be nice, and the money wouldn’t be bad either, but he doesn’t like the idea of getting a mastery.

“I am already too much in the public eye, the only thing that’s protecting me is my status as a minor and the fact any interview couldn’t happen without presence of both Belby and Slughorn.”

He doesn’t add that he doesn’t like it for his mastery project to be a shared one, however it is. There would be doubts. Those old rotten people at the congress would say most of the work was done by Belby or even Sluggy, never mind Slughorn himself admitting publicly he had no hand in the potion.

Never mind he already has his NEWTS, and has been an apprentice for years.

But he can not say that to her, can he?

When Pandora badgered him to be his friend , or Xeno suddenly came along, he was younger and less jaded. There was nothing interesting in him besides being book smart and getting NEWTS or OWLs earlier wasn’t that out of the picture.

Now people are starting to call him the youngest potion master ever and he fears that it will happen. He has to regard anyone and anything suspiciously.

Was the girl who smiled at me seconds ago from the death eaters? 

Was the boy who hit his shoulder to mine one of Dumbledore’s secret group?

Is the ministry secretly observing him?

Hagrid was different, the man can not keep a secret if his life depended on it. He is kind to all form of life, wouldn’t harm a fly. Poppy has seen him at his worst, crying his eyes out and sniffing like a baby after being hit with a simple jelly legs jinx. Pince is in love with her books and doesn’t give a damn to either side of the war as long as no one touches her precious books.

Dorcas is too new. Too gryffindore. Added to the circle too late.

Too much like her when she looks at Xeno. Just like she would look at Tobias..

He tries not to think about them. Try being the word.

Xeno knows this, and Dorcas knows too.

“all will come around “ Xeno believes.

On another note, he has finally given Pandora a necklace suiting her. Before this, he was too worried for money to be able to gift her something like this.

Now with the potion patent and all magical Ministries falling over themselves to get the rights to brew it, he will have all the money he wants.

And he wants Pandora.

Mr and Mrs Lovegood don’t have any objection as long as they wait to be out of school to get engaged.

-even though he is a halfblood. Even though they know he has practically raised himself and doesn’t come from a good background.

Life is too good to be true. His gut tells him there would be something to ruin the mood.

March 1976

 On March 15th , he stands in the Ministry auditorium alongside Belby, getting his Merlin award 3rd class.

Pandora is his date for the night, and she is clapping alongside Slughorn.

Although Severus has declined the potion Mastery, the guild recognized him as one of its members and he is now the official YOUNGEST POTION MASTER IN HISTORY.

he gets more jealous glares than before.

The funny thing is, it’s the first interview he has to give. Both his masters are present, the headmaster is present and Lovegoods parents are too.

He is anxious.

And he wasn’t anxious when he was presenting the potion in the conference a month ago, or when he went to French ministry to sign his name on the contract for using his potion.

Absurd.

April 1976

Severus and Pandora are walking back from the library, When they encounter a frantic Evans and crying Pettigrew.

“I don’t know! I don’t know! All I know is that Lupin told them to go somewhere”

Things click.

Severus and Damocles are still in trail phase of the BSV, and Severus volunteered Lupin. The boy who had recently taken up with Severus former dorm mates.

Avery and Mulcibor. Everyone says they are up to to no good, telling the most exaggerated tales of blood rituals and dark magic.

Severus doesn’t believe them, just like he hasn’t believed those Gryffindore supporters and Dumbledorians.

Propaganda and trash talk, the lot of them.

So what if they bully other students? They are no worse than their red tied counter parts.

What was it they said? Boys will be boys?

“but they use dark magic!” Dorcas protests.

“and who has NEWTS in DADA between us? In most types of magic, intent is what important. Yes even the unforgivable like Imperio or Avada can be used in medical affiars. Nothing we learn at Hogwarts is trully dark. Do you think one can not kill with a light charm, like Leviosa? How about levitating a person and bashing his skull against the ceilings?”

“but..”

Severus continues. He has had it with the stupid double standards.

“ yes, Crucio is trully dark, but you know ministry Aurors use it in interrogations? Do you know your precious Dumbledore, the hero of all light shit, used fiend fire against Grindlwald? If you don’t believe me, believe the history books, or the picture taken of him unleashing it”

She leaves.

As much as he likes, he can not dismiss her remarks that easily. It seems in those months he was occupied with his own shit, Lupin was totally defenseless.

And in his misery, he has taken up with the blood purists.

No, Severus doesn’t give a damn. They can curse, and cause mayhem and do shitty thing. He gets why he has done it, he was alone and unprotected. Being a perfect has not protected him, and even being seen with Severus didn’t do much. Lupin was under too much pressure with no-one to turn to, and he tried getting relief in whatever he could.

He knows- and he knows that Lupin is sart enough to know- that those blood purists only use him for his knowledge and getting their homework done. Even if Lupin wasn’t a werewolf in his spare time, the fact that he is a halfblood is a stain on his name in Slytherin.

Lupin wants to survive. He can not begrudge him for that.

So he extends a hand, he nominates him for the BSV trial, without him being aware its Severus doing it. He makes Sluggy tell him.

-because he doesn’t want him to feel unsafe, well more unsafe as it is. There is war, there is school and OWLs and Hogwarts house conflicts to deal with, bullies and blood purists and too much shit around. He doesn’t want him to have another thing to deal with, to be frightened for his furry problem on top of everything else. His head of house is a better option.

Slughorn is taken back “ Mister Snape! Merlin how..when..?”

He shakes his head.

“ no professor, he didn’t tell me, but you do know I worked on the Bs potion right? “

Does he seriously think he is that dumb not to know?

He leaves it to the old Sluggy and that’s it.

Or maybe not.

Severus and Pandora are walking back from the library, When they encounter a frantic Evans and crying Pettigrew.

“I don’t know! I don’t know! All I know is that Lupin told them to go somewhere”

And Severus thinks about those murdorus yellow eyes. he bets his wand that Lupin has tampered with the potion.

Genious isn’t it?

Lupin was humiliated. He was bullied by them far too many times, and he was getting angrier and more violent.

And the moon in full.

It was to be his first dose of BSV, and it’s on trial. If he told Black and Potter how to get to the Willow tree- a really easy task- they are toast.

Lupin will claim the potion didn’t work, and with his semi allies in Slytherin who hate Potter and Black more than they hate Lupin, there would be his word against Pettigrew.

A spineless coward who will easily get it back if threathened.

The BSV is on trial, but Lupin would not give a damn if he ruins his and Belby trial or reputation. If he kills them tonight, no-one will buy the revised version, maybe not even the BS itself.

He wants revenge even if all the world, all werewolves who are being accepted back to the society slowly in the world burns.

The fucker.

He runs.

“get Dumbledroe!” he shouts, and runs.

Chapter Text

April 1976 part 2

Severus ran as fast as he could, not sure if he would be on time to put a stop to this lunacy. He hoped since the due were always late to every event, they would be late to arrive their shared date with a werewolf too.

Was it selfish that he prayed that Lupin had not drunken the potion to mess with the trial?

He reminded himself that there was the life of three other people involved, and if either Lupin or Dumble’s wanted to throw him under the bus, they would.

Damn it, he had worked too hard for this to be discredited! The stupid potion was all that was standing between the werewolves and ministry, or werewolves or the dark lord.

He tripped over himself, hit the ground several times and hurt his knees and hands on sharp stones.

Out of breath and out of his mind, nearly mad with fear he arrived the tree he had seen Lupin disappear behind.

And stood frozen.

He hadn’t asked how to get past the murder tree, had he?

Of course not. Of course he forgot, because whenever his life was made easier?

He inhaled deeply, and again. And again.

There was no time to waste.

“Damn it Sev! Why your bloody legs are so long!”

He turned back and saw his girlfriend standing right behind him.

“You forgot to ask how to get to the tree you imbecilic goat! What were you going to do oh almighty master potioneer? Stun the tree?”

He opened his mouth to let her know he wasn’t that stupid and...

“Oh, I see, you wanted to petrify it instead”

And he closed his mouth. Sometimes Dora – his nick name for her- could read his mind with such efficiency it was terrifying.

Was it weird he wanted to kiss her like right now? Fuck Lupin, Black and Potter and his potion and politics and God she looked gorgeous!

“Severus NOW!”

When he was busy ogling his girl, she had somehow did something with something and the murder tree didn’t seem hell bent on killing them.

“God Severus! For a genius you are so dumb! Get going you sodding creep!”

Eh right. There was time for ogling, and cuddling, and kissing, and why there wasn’t a ring in her finger again?

“NOW I SAID!”

They went hand in hand. Ready to cast the runic ward.

He heard a very distinctive semi human- semi beast roar of pain, or something else and his body shivered.

Dora’s voice softened. “Whatever happens, we will stay together”

He squeezed her delicate hand “Together”

 Like a promise.

And suddenly they found themselves in the run-down shack, Black frozen in place, Potter trying to flatten himself against the wall and merge with it. Lupin was naked on the floor, twisting and in the middle of the transformation.

Lucky Severus had seen many of this he was an expert.

“We have exactly 90 seconds”

 Then barked orders at Black and Potter “ready yourselves to cast crucio” and he nicked the tip of his finger to draw the rune, Dora luckily was smart enough to already start drawing the other half.

He thanked all deities up there who sent him this witch, or they would be toast. Since there wasn’t enough time to draw the rune for only one person.

Black was out of his Terrence first.

“Why you little Snake...” he protested.

“Cut the crap Black. I know you and your buddy know perfectly well how to use Crucio, and that is exactly what you are going to do. The only curse that would stall the wolf is that”

Thankfully there were no more protest.

Half way done, the beast opened his eyes and snarled.

“Now Black!” and he heard, and felt the distinctive feel of a dark spell.

“Crucio!”

But the beast didn’t stop, it only grew angrier.

“Potter you dolt, do it!”

And that seemed to work for the boy to do just that.

After another two short bursts of the curse, the ward was done. He disarmed both the boys to avoid hurting Lupin more than he already was and risking brain damage. Since those two started to enjoy it a tad too much.

“After me”

They followed wordlessly.

April 1976 part 3

They all went to Dumbledore who met them half way.

Before those two could say a word, he started.

“This should remain between ourselves”

He didn’t let any of them to interrupt “those two have been harassing Lupin for years, and last time they did it so close to the transformation they must have offended the beast in him.” Or maybe he was twisting the truth a bit. Nothing was done after all.

“Even if he goaded them, they chose to go there in the first place. You have already forgiven these hooligans far too many times, so it is only fair now”

Black protested” right Snivvy, that was different! it was only...”

Pandora interjected “light magic? Prank? Did you see anyone beside you laughing? Did you know people avoid you and try being friendly with you out of fear? Wake up. you are no better than any death eater”

Severus knew how Dumbledore thoughts would be. Saving his neck, since there would be consequences for letting a werewolf attend school. Severus thought he maybe did it to gain a spy in werewolves.

Another thought would be those two boys. His crusade needed money he didn’t get from ministry, and man power.

Another point was Severus himself, the boy wonder and youngest potion master.

“Do shut your mouth when adults are talking” and silenced him, and Potter for good measure.

“Now headmaster, me and Pandora have life debts over these two, I will not hold Lupin for that. I cannot tell anything for Dora but if needed, I will push for it”

Dumbledore watched him with curiosity, a hint of understanding.

“You want it off the records.”

He nodded.

“It would jeopardize the BSV and the BS potion. Many ministries around the world are setting leaner laws for Werewolves due the success of Bs, and the fact that BSV has reduced the transformation to only one hour each month. Some of them are trying to change the them to being instead and allow them to attend school”

“And Lupin is in trial” Pandora offered.

“You do understand that Mister Lupin attempted Murder?”

He shot back “you do understand that throwing a boy who doesn’t know how to swim into the lake at WINTER is attempted murder?”

They came to an understanding quickly after that.

May 1976

“Why?”

Severus arched an eyebrow.

“Would you care to elaborate?”

Lupin stared openly. The silence remained.

“Why did you do it?”

Oh that.

“It seemed fair”

He hadn’t pulled Lupin out of trial. Hadn’t informed Slughorn or Belby. The BSV was approved a week before and now there was murmur of changing the strict laws of werewolf monitoring. Potter, Black, Pettigrew and Evans were sworn to secrecy and for once it was Lupin who didn’t face any punishment.

“I hate you, you know? I hate you more than I hate them. You who got to be popular, and curse free, and happy. we started at the same cabin on the same day, and yet I have nothing and you have everything. Potter and Black I understand, but you… you are everything I wanted to be, and dint get to because I was...”

He snorted.

“Hate me as much as you want. You are the only one who did that to you. I don’t say that bullying hadn’t affected you, or your condition, but it is your attitude. The fact that you think the whole world is indebted to you just because you happened to be unlucky enough to be bitten. You just point fingers at anyone but you and justify your cowardness, and your lack of action and that bloody brutality you show openly.”

He hissed, letting all his fury of the years watching Lupin washing over him “I lost my parents, and before that, I was living in the castle since 14, and even before that I had no-one. I made my first friend even later than that. But you? You had a father who wanted you even if you were the way you are, and a mother who…”

He shook his head.

“Dumbledore accepted you. Your parents accepted you. I had no such thing.”

He leaves him baffled like that.

July 1976

  He proposes to Pandora. Xeno calls him a sap, and Dorcas glares at him until he apologizes.

-actually, he proposed right outside Dumbledore’s office. On the stairs. He didn’t even have a ring, but all Pandora did say was fucking finally.

All of them planned to drop out of Hogwarts. With war raging on, both Saint Mungo and Auror office dropped their strict standards and accept anyone with high Marks in OWL.

Technically school is only mandatory until OWLs too. Severus will be busy with BSV, seminars and working at the department of potions in the hospital, with Pandora working on her own apprenticeship in spell damage part.

Xeno and Dorcas are both starting to work in daily prophet, and since Dorcas is the first of them to hit 17 – Xeno already is- the journal didn’t complain much. They wanted as many fresh blood as they could to cover the unworldly traffic of news.

The best part is how Xeno is supposed to be responsible for news on science stuff, meaning he visits the research section of the hospital every other day. Neither Xeno nor him have any idea why they thought “since he was a Ravenclaw, he was into research”.

Dorcas on the other hand, is responsible for politics.

Now that Dorcas doesn’t have her foolish red wearing idiots around, she is proving to be less of an idiot herself. When Severus and Dorcas start a debate, both Xeno and Dora leave the place. They could get messy, sometimes they end up dueling even.

Whatever.

Hagrid squeezed the life out of him when he heard he isn’t coming back. Poppy dabbed at her eyes and Irma said that any book he wants from her library he could get as long as she is the librarian.

An offer that he is grateful for.

The matching ring with the single emerald on his finger brings a smile to his face. The silliest thing is that Xeno picked up the same cut and style for Dorcas – she will have my balls if you propose and not I- just with an Amitis.

A purple stone that resembles both of them, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, it’s what they tell others.

The truth is that first Xeno picked up an obsidian, and Dorcas hexed him back to hospital, where Pandora informed his idiot cousin that it meant “I wish you death” in some magical cultures. When they went back to the shop, it only had the purple one left.

Mr. and Mrs. Lovegood- call us mother and father dear, would you? - are great. They are all living in one messy house now until they can get their feet under themselves and rent a flat.

Life is great. Leaving the pressure of Hogwarts is great.

NOT BEING An APPRENTICE anymore is great.

February 1977

 He hears Potter popped the question, and Evans said yes. He hears Frank Longbottom got married, and Edgar Bones, and Greengrass, and Bulstrode.

All he hears about is marriage. He cannot figure out why these stupid gits are doing it in the middle of the war.

At least him and his pack are moving out completely. He does have enough money, but he had been offered a position in Unspeakable department in America, and he itches to try it. Xeno is thinking of getting his own paper and in this climate, he will never be able to start it in Britain.

Dorcas just wants to visit her parents who happen to live in south America.

The whole bunch move out by the end of February.

October 1977

After one of their experiments in skin growing Potion fails again, he goes back to studying Biology and chemistry, and finds out that he is an idiot Because he wasn’t considering growing the skin from someone’s own skin sample, their stem cells.

There is this talk about stem cells in non-magical science, the idea that you can make very young and not yet differentiated cells grew into a certain type of cell is genius. The problem for nonmagical isn’t there in magical world, and all they need is to be careful so the cells are only given to ones they have magical affinity.

He patents the potion again under his own name, and now he is truly recognized for his art. After a long line of reviews, he is offered a position in the newly formed science department of Ilvermorny.

“What do you think love?” he asks his wife while he is playing with a strand of her hair.

She ponders.

“Well, you have money, you have fame. You aren’t interested in Unspeakable work anymore and you are the kind of man who enjoys hard work, and of course the sound of his own voice”

He pouts, and she kisses him.

“And it will be a good practice for our own child, when we decide”

May 1979

He didn’t think he would enjoy teaching but he does. He has started teaching Potion-Chemistry mixed classes, where the restrictions of Potions are compensated by using Chemistry. He hasn’t planned on teaching any Biology-healing, but has a few workshops here and there, mostly showing the process behind Bs, BSV and skin grew.

The best thing is that he only teaches OWL up students, who have passed the age of brattiness.

Pandora on the other hand, is working towards Wand-making and wand-lure.

Following his discovery of skin grew, there is a shift in magical circles, talking about the possibility of crafting a wand for a person instead of the other way around. It is rooted in old ways and it is not cheap, but the fact that the core could be taken from one’s own, or their Parents is fascinating.

“it’s not that novel, Veela already use their own hair for wand core, and it is not that we are not magical ourselves!”

Pandora’s theory is that we can use one’s hair, or skin, even blood and combine it with a magical addon it fits. For Severus it is a dragon scale.

For herself, it is the feather of a hippogriff.

The old farts don’t accept it at first. So, they do more research, more experiments.

They find that these wands last longer, cannot be taken from the person easily and don’t change allegiance too. The spells cast are more durable, and protective wards are specially more powerful.

” Yes, they take more time to figure out the combination, and yes, they are more costly, but they are for a life time!” pandora gowns when her work is rejected for another time by American society of wand lure.

The Pandora Snape theory becomes the apple of the eye of the wizarding world when Xeno throws a Crucio – Severus had a mind to castrate him for his brilliant idea-to shatter one of the protective shields Pandora has risen.

The shield doesn’t shatter.

They have finally found the counter to Cruciatus curse.

June 1979

It’s not fair.

It is bloody not fair!

“Do you have to really go to Britain now? Just to make some wands for their useless Aurors?”

Severus whines. He actually whines. He doesn’t want his wife to go there, in the middle of war and danger so she could make some wands for the snobby Aurors.

Many ministries around the word have made their degrees about the self-made Wands, the name they are calling the new generation of wands.

• “But the name is stupid!”
• “Not more than your BSV!”

They want their ward masters and head aurors to have it, nonnegotiable. A dozen of them have already passed laws. Many of them send their best wand maker and Pandora teaches them how to test one’s core to get the feel of what magical being and what part may go best with what parts of the person’s body.

The blasted British have requested- no ordered- she comes herself.

The nerve of theses fuckers!

“Smile dear, think of it like I am going to visit my parents”

He still doesn’t like it. He is a little bit jealous, because while his BSV has changed laws around the world for werewolves and now they face significantly less restrictions – like getting to go to school, get a job and recognized as beings- this Pandora Snape method has made more of ruckus.

“Cheer up Severus, it seems like our fate to have better wives than we deserve” Xeno pats his shoulder.

Dorcas Lovegood too, has become a very famous journalist. her political column is the sole reason of the paper – informer- getting famous. She has already been upgraded to be the head of political section and she is not stopping there.

Xeno now works for his wife “I have the greatest boss!” and then whispers “anything goes wrong? I buy her flowers, go on a date, and then late at night—"

Severus whines again anyway. I t is not fair that Xeno gets to work with his wife and he doesn’t. Pandora now works as a freelancer, making wands and researching wands. Severus teaches at Ilvermorney and occasionally does things for unspeakables.

Parts of it is fear of war and danger, but part of is that he fears she leaves him for another one, a better person.

They had not time for themselves much. All they have done is work and work and more work, even if they have money. The BSV and Wand making pays off, but Pandora says if they opt to bring a child to this world, their eating once in a day and crashing on whenever they felt can not happen anymore. They need to buy a bigger house, they need new furniture, many things…

The stupid thing is, everyone is having a baby. The Bones are having a girl, The Potters are having a kid, The Longbottoms are having a kid…

And they are not. Xeno and Dorcas said they wanted the world to become more stable, war at Britian sure has its effects in American society.

“and we are so young! Maybe I want one when I am thirty, but not now!”

But Pandora and him have tried. Tried for a year -even though they are young- and nothing. Both of them have been only child, and therefore want at least two kids.

What if the problem is Severus? What if she leaves him for this? Merlin knows she has better options!

“stop it you silly. I am not leaving you. Together , remember?”

Says his brilliant wife.

“but Dora, I just so much love you that I don’t know sometimes what to do with myself, I always think that this life is a joke, or a dream. that in another life  I am a lonely bitter man who doesn’t have anyone—”

She smiles, takes his face in her soft hands “well maybe I have been remiss in my wifely duties? How about I show you how much I love you? Or how much this “

And kisses him hard.

“is not in anyway a dream?”

“oh please!”

She pushes him back to bed.

July 1979

He hates it that he is again in Britain.

Two weeks ago, Pandora contacted him via Floo, told him her work is done. He wanted nothing but his wife to come back.

He had been sleeping with the scent she left on their sheets, hugging her pillow to his chest like a baby.

He had been an absolute arse to all his students. Putting the fear of Merlin, Morgana and a couple others in their hearts. Once he even got a first year to cry just with a smirk.

Hanging out with Xeno didn’t work. Duelling with Dorcas didn’t work. Even daily letters and Floo calls didn’t work.

So imagine the disappointment when Dora called and said she wont come back on time, since her parents got sick.

Of course he was sad and worried about his in-laws. But he Was more worried about the love of his life working in a semi-fallen ministry with Aurors whom they couldn’t trust.

Two days ago, she called and said they passed away.

“Please Sev. I cant do it alone. I need you”

And here he was. He wished he had seen them before their death, or at least could have gotten them to leave Britain and come to America, but neither he nor Pandora could.

When he arrived, he found himself with an arm full of a crying witch, not any witch but his love. It made his heart to ache in pain. Her pain.

“sh love. I got you”

 They had stayed for a week, and then another. Thirteen hours ago, they were supposed to get to their portkey and leave, but Dora got a letter from an auror she had made a wand for, which said they had problems with the wand and it was misfuctioning.

She was supposed to be here an hour ago.

Something was not right. Just like the day he found out his parents were dead, like the night he had to rescue Potter and Black from a transformed Wolf.

“dammit woman! What could be wrong!”

He has tried calling her on the phone, sending a note via Owl and Patronus, none worked.

He starts walking up and down the street, then frustrated, he goes into Knockturn to find some muggle Cigar, the proper way with Tobbaco and paper.

A hand clasps his arm, pulling him behind in a dark alley, another hand pressing  something over his nose and mouth.

This day isn’t shaping up to be any better, huh? He thinks as he passes out.

Chapter Text

July 1979 -2

“Come on Princess. Chop chop. We don’t have much time!”

Severus knows that voice.

“you bastard”

In front of him, the familiar face of Remus Lupin is half visible in the artificial light. He looks haggard, diminished. Older than he should look.

“Ya, I look like shit”

Maybe he can stall him, maybe he can wiggle a bit and get out of these ropes... its muggle London- he guesses. He can work with it.

“don’t even think of it.” Lupin raises his hand; Severus wand is in his hand too.

“That won’t work for you”

He snorts.

“I know. Who doesn’t know? The bloody Pandora-Snape theory.” He jumps down, slowly approaching him.

“You should have stayed where you were. Hell out of Britian.”

“Oh yeah?”

He doesn’t like his tone, the way he thinks he has the upper hand.

God Pandora…

“Your wife is all right. Just held up in ministry because of a hag named Umbridge”

Venom drips of his words.

“Personal?”

“That bitch regulates the werewolves supply of BSV. She made it certain just a specific number of people could brew it, then when it didn’t work, she rationed the ingredients so none of us can get to it easily”

He shrugs.

“And this is related to me how?”

The wolf sort of snarls.

“You bloody fucker, you don’t give a damn, do you?”

Severus doesn’t. he had done what he could. Asking him for more is just plain rude.

“You got bloody rich because of us, got out of this shit hole and.”

“I didn’t”

Lupin stops his rant.

“The recipe is dedicated to the public. The ingredients are another problem but I didn’t get a single knot from this you arse”

He says, even when he sure as hell knows he has no right to ask him.

“Pandora?”

“Held up as I said. The bitch is a Sympathizer. Asked her to craft a wand right at the last minute and then didn’t take no for an answer. Your wife refused, so she got her contained for next 48 hours”

The wolf robs his nose.” Haven’t figured it out yet?”

Severus has not. Umbridge likes this new dark lord for some reason, and she wants a personalized wand for some reason.

What is the catch?

Then shakes his head. “For a genius, you are certainly dumb”

“Excuse me?”

“you idiot! It was all a plan to get to you!”

Get to him?

Right.

The dark lord. War.

The sexist gits didn’t think a woman could be a genius. They thought it was all his work and Pandora was just a front.

“if I hadn’t gotten you then, a group of them were going to capture you, torture you until you accepted working for them”

Severus huffs. As if.

“in fact it was Dumbledore’s order who got rid of them.”

The sodding lemon sucker. Of course he would get involved too. Life never went easy on Severus now, did it?

And that colorful clown would just love to show up and rescue him like a damned damsel in distress. He didn’t like when Severus made him do what he wanted, did he?

“they know I throw Dumbledore under the bus, don’t they?”

He had. Rejected the man so many times he lost count.

“bad for you then, because we have to get you out of here with the help of said man”

Fuck.

July 1979-3

“there is no need for that my boys”

Severus is seething inside. He had avoided Dumbledore until now, just to be trapped now and here with the man.

Lupin must be his spy, then.

-is the wolf completely off his racket? No good thing will come out of this arrangement. Not that Severus gives  a damn, but from all their class mates, he was the one who had two functioning brain cells.-

Dumbledore, thankfully, came alone.

“and how Ilvermorny treats you Mister Snape?”

“that is master Snape to you” he spats out. He has not worked his ass all his young life to be called Mister.

The man thankfully inclines his head “my bad Master Snape”

He eyes the man verily still. His cheerful grandfatherly persona is mostly fake and they both know it.

“look headmaster, all I want is my wife. I will go back, and you will go back to whatever you were doing before I arrived.”

“Sadly that can not happen”

Severus massages his forehead, he was certain he wouldn’t let it go “ and pray tell, why not?”

“He knows of you. He specifically searches for you”

He shakes his head “ staying here will not help”

“Neither will going back”

They both stay silent.

“ I am afraid  I have to insist on going traveling for some time. I can not even predict what he can do should he gets his hand on either of you”

Severus supposes that’s the greatest compliment the man will ever give him. At least he isn’t a sexist like the bloody wolf.

“I have already spoken with both Mahotokorou and Nigerian school.”

Severus sighs.

Japan is ok, but he is not sure he wants to go all the way to Africa. His skin is too pale for the African sun. he will be burnt to the crisp in less than 60 seconds.

But one can  reject Dumbledore so many times, and it was easier done from a distance. His damn aura alone can manipulate a person to say “yes” to whatever skem he comes up with.

“will I at least be able to use my own name?”

“do you think Flamels use their own name?”

Fair point.

Pandora arrives shortly after their conversation and Dumbledore depart, muttering about Umbridge the goat, the hell hound, the waste of space.

Lupin gives them the illegal portkey then. The bastard.

He clutches his arm when he is about to activate the portkey.

“none of them really give a damn”

He watches the desperate man, who works for both of Britian mega lunatics. Severus had saved Lupin once, and now Lupin has saved him. That makes them even.

But still, Severus cares. He does not like Lupin one bit, but those people with lycanthrope aren’t to blame. He had made that potion for helping them, and a bitch was preventing them from getting their hands on it.

The same woman who had bothered the love of his life.

“the vampire blood, it is the main ingredient that Umbridge controls?”

He nods.

“I will modify the recipe, maybe it wont be as effective, not only one hour being a wolf. Maybe it will be two hours, but I will send the new recipe”

Lupin lets go of his arm.

January 1980

Severus has just sent the new recipe to Lupin. It ends up at an hour an a half, using a mixture of different assortments that could be found anywhere on the world.

Lupin hasn’t even thanked him for it, the sod.

“still angry at Lupin?”

Pandora sats herself beside him, throwing an arm around his shoulders.

“my dear husband, do let it go”

He can not. He hates that Dumbledore had saved him, and Lupin intervened.

“maybe you can help me my dear wife?”

She smiles.

“with pleasure”

May 1980

Travelling around the world isn’t that bad, honestly. He loved being in Japan, and learning from Egyptians and Nigerians was interesting.

Of course Severus didn’t listen to dumbles and did not stay at Japan or Nigeria.

Besides, he and Dora didn’t go on a honey moon, did they?

June 1980

“there is a letter from Xeno”

“fuck”

“fuck indeed”

The letter is a panicked jumble of words informing them of Dorcas pregnancy and his hopelessness in understanding her mood swings.

“didn’t we agree not to bring any kids for some time?”

Dora shrugs, hands him another set of letters.

“that”

The thick manila has the official seal of the school. none of the casual letters had that.

“ is from Ilvermorney” they both say at the same time.

September 1980

Starting yesterday, Pandora is teaching Wandlore for NEWTs, with Severus becoming the head of horned serpent ( teaching magical science, a new mix of potions, biology and chemistry just to 5^th years and up, thank fully). At first he was proud to represent Slytherin, but then his wife informed him that it translates to Ravenclaw with a smirk.

-how he could not know that? He was teaching there and didn’t get it!-

Xeno laughed at him until his sides hurt.

“you surrounded yourself with Ravens my friend, you have no-one to complain but yourself”

Severus retaliates by telling Dorcas Xeno had a drink with him – even if he hadn’t.

“you bloody promised!” screams the pregnant woman.

“you promised not to indulge until I could too!”

Serves him right, the bastard.

November 1980

Belby finally accepts his invitation and moves to America. Severus had been badgering him to get out of there for months.

Ilvermorney accepts the man with pleasure, and Belby himself loves teaching Potions.

Things are calm around here.

Britain on the otherhand…

Things were hectic.

Dumbledore had sent him a few letters, telling him to do something for his country, as if his country did shit for him. As if he hadn’t fled Britain with difficulty just months ago. Following every letter, he got a note from Lupin telling him not to.

“do you think we can try our hands at creating a philosopher’s stone?” Belby snaps his fingers to get his attention.

Severus robs his chin “ must you even ask?”

February 1981

 Dorcas gives birth to a beautiful girl just on the eve of valentine’s day.

“valentina. We’ll name her valentine or it would be a sin”

Pandora looks skeptical, Xeno bites his tongue.

He has no such obligations to her” you know that is the name of a dead muggle priest who used to marry soldiers before going to war and was hanged for it?”

Dorcas curses him so bad he can not sit straight for a whole day, Pandora is of no help.

“Dorcas named her Valentina Severina Lovegood”

Severus only sighs. Nothing is more vengeful than a Gryffindore, huh?

April 1981

“They are using unforgivable legally”

Severus huffs.

“does it matter what they use? Can one not murder another with levitating them onto a lake while unconscious?” he says even when his shoulders tense.

At least he doesn’t have anyone in Uk.

October 1981

“the Longbottoms are  dead”

Dorcas says as she burps little Tina , throwing the newspaper on the table.

“I knew them” Xeno offers sadly.

“isn’t it disrespectful that they are celebrating?”

Pandora hugs him around the middle and kisses his shoulder softly.

“do you want to?”

Pandora whispers.

Severus looks at his wife, his best friend and the woman he is the godfather of her child. He looks at the innocent little Valentina Severina and thinks of her being called Snivelina, having to endure even half of what he – what all of them went through.

How they still did not acknowledge Pandora for her theory and just named him as the most prominent British wizard of their era.

How Dumbledore tried his best to get him back, even when he didn’t want to. Tried pressuring him, even when he hadn’t helped him when he needed and asked for help when he didn’t have a right.

He thinks of Ilvermorny, how he is respected and they had not made him teach potions, they had not made him do anything he doesn’t want to. How Belby isn’t harassed by media for being a dark magic supporter.

Dorcas has a life here. Xeno has a life here.

They all have.

“I don’t “