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It was the middle of July in 1976 and hotter than anything in Cokeworth, England. Severus Snape, desperate to escape his house – which, after all, was populated by his drunken Muggle father and his miserable mother – was at the park. He was on the merry-go-round, lying flat on his back with his knees at the edge, bent so that his feet touched the ground. He was listlessly nudging the ground with the toe of his right foot every few seconds, causing the merry-go-round to spin slowly. Severus was watching the blue sky go round and round above him, the leaves of a nearby tree occasionally passing into and out of view. All in all, he was terribly bored.
Normally during the summer holidays – when Severus Snape was forced to leave the wonder that was Hogwarts – he hung out as much as possible with his best friend, Lily Evans. His former best friend. She didn’t speak to him anymore. Not since he’d called her a horrid name while embarrassed and angry. Or rather, not since he’d tried to apologize and realized that Lily wasn’t going to forgive him. She thought he was dark. She said he was evil. He wasn’t evil. He just wanted people to stop looking down at him; to stop picking on him. He wanted to be powerful enough and wealthy enough that no one would ever sneer at him again. He wanted to make everyone who’d hurt him pay. And if being a Death Eater meant he could accomplish that…well then, that’s what he’d do.
Severus sat up suddenly, startled by the sound of female voices. “I don’t see why you’re always so mean to your little sister.” One voice said. “She seems sweet.”
“She is not sweet, Valerie.” Severus winced at that voice; he recognized it. “She’s a little attention-seeker and I hate when she’s home. Our parents spend all summer doting on her and completely ignore me. I swear, I’m ready to just leave.”
Severus was considering leaving when the girls walked around a curve in the path. One of them was a short, chubby brunette girl with muddy brown eyes and freckles. The other girl was a taller – though not quite as tall as Severus, despite being a year older – with ashy-blonde hair and pale blue eyes. Her lips were thin and nearly-always pressed into an unyielding line of disapproval. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed Severus, who was dressed in black trousers and a green tee-shirt that had been Christmas presents from Lily. That, of course, had been before she’d stopped speaking to him.
“Snape.” The blonde said, her voice cool but slightly curious. “I haven’t seen you around this summer. I expected to find you trailing after Lily, like usual.”
Severus stood, his black eyes glittering and his voice a silky purr as he spoke disdainfully. “Lovely to see you, Petunia. As to Lily…” Severus paused and then said carefully. “She and I had a slight difference of opinion at school this past year.”
“Really?” Petunia’s lips curved into an unpleasant smile. “Well, that explains why she’s been storming around the house, grumbling about snakes, doesn’t it?”
The other girl cleared her throat and Petunia rolled her eyes. “Oh, how rude of me. Snape, this is my friend Valerie. She lives a few streets over from Lily and me.” Petunia waved absently in Valerie’s direction, then added. “Valerie, this is Severus Snape. He attends the same boarding school that Lily does.”
“It’s lovely to meet you.” Valerie said politely, a hesitant smile on her face. “Um…Severus is an interesting name. I rather like it.” She blushed slightly and added. “I think your voice is lovely, too…very cultured-sounding and elegant.”
Petunia turned to look at her friend as though she had sprouted a second head or a third arm. “What are you talking about?” She hissed.
Severus blinked slowly. “Oh. Well.” He cleared his throat, feeling distinctly uncomfortable. “That’s very…nice of you.” He took a step backwards and bumped into the merry-go-round, nearly falling over because of it. As he stumbled and righted himself, he added. “I should just…go.” He turned to Petunia and said. “Please tell Lily…tell Lily I said hello.”
Without another word, Severus rushed off towards Spinner’s end, ignoring the fading sounds of Petunia scolding her friend for ‘flirting with strange boys’.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Petunia was curled up on the sofa, reading a book, when Lily came in later that night. “Hey, Tuney…how was your day?”
“Fine.” Petunia replied, not looking up from her reading. “I saw your friend today.”
“What friend?” Lily asked, sitting down next to her sister.
Petunia set the book down on her lap and gave Lily a look that clearly said she thought she was being stupid. “I only know one of your friends, Lily. That Snape boy.”
Lily’s face paled drastically and she reached out, gripping Petunia’s arm in a bruising grip. “He came here? Was he looking for me? Was he alone? What did he say?”
“You’re hurting me!” Petunia cried out and Lily quickly let go. She gave Lily a cold look and said. “He was at the park when Valerie and I got there. He just said you two had been fighting and to tell you hello.”
“Tuney, don’t talk to him.” Lily said pleadingly. “Please. If you see him again, just stay away. Leave as fast as you can.”
Petunia frowned in annoyance. She had no desire to talk to Severus Snape, but she didn’t appreciate being told who she could and couldn’t speak to. “Why do you care if I talk to him?” She demanded, glaring at her sister. “Afraid he’ll stop liking you if another girl is nice to him? Afraid he won’t follow you around like a puppy anymore?”
“What?” Lily was stunned. She hastened to explain. “This isn’t about that, Tuney! Severus…he’s not the same boy he used to be. He’s made these friends…”
Petunia scoffed, her whole face twisting into a sneer. “You really are something, Lily. You just can’t stand someone else having something you view as yours, can you?”
“No, Tuney, you don’t understand!” Lily’s voice was rushed and frantic now, her words tripping over themselves to get out. “They’re dangerous. Their leader…he’s trying to take over the Ministry of Magic. He promises his followers power and money to get them to follow him. He…”
“Oh, heaven forbid Snape should have money and power!” Petunia spat sarcastically. “Honestly, I can’t say I blame him for wanting it, with the hovel he was raised in. Anyone who doesn’t want more and better is an idiot.”
“Tuney, he could hurt you.” Lily said, pleadingly. She was pale with fear, her green eyes wild, but Petunia didn’t seem to notice. “You can’t talk to him. You aren’t a…”
Lily stopped speaking suddenly, but Petunia had seen her lips purse to make the ‘W’ sound and her eyes narrowed dangerously. “Because I’m not a witch?” She hissed coldly. “I can talk to whoever I want, Lily, and my normalcy has nothing to do with it! You…you…” She was so furious she was literally trembling all over. Her voice shook as she added. “But since you’re so adamant about me not speaking to magical people, I won’t be speaking to you anymore!”
Petunia stomped off and Lily curled into a ball on the sofa, crying. Her magic seemed to get in the way these days, rather than helping. Especially with her sister. Sometimes she wished she could just give her magic to Petunia; at least then they wouldn’t fight.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Petunia went to the park for several hours every day, hoping to run into Severus Snape again. She couldn’t quite bring herself to go and knock on the door of his house at Spinner’s End, because it seemed a hopelessly desperate thing to do, but the park seemed like a likely place to run into him. After all, Snape had spent a lot of time there in the past. It was four days later that Severus finally showed up. He was wearing simple black trousers again, similar to the ones he’d worn the last time she’d seen him, and a black tee-shirt. He stopped short when he saw her sitting on the bench.
“Petunia.” He said stiffly, looking distinctly uncomfortable. “You don’t usually come to the park.”
“Well, I wasn’t sure how else to find you.” Petunia said, her voice soft. When Snape’s eyes widened, she added. “Lily has forbidden me to speak to you. As though I were a child she could order about, rather than a full year older than her.”
Severus snorted softly. “Yes, well. Lily is probably right.” His voice was lower than Petunia remembered it being; smoother, with a more cultured quality too. She wondered how she’d failed to notice that the last time they’d spoken. “Besides, you’ve never wanted to speak to me before so why should it matter if you can’t?”
Petunia pursed her lips in annoyance, folding her arms across her chest. “Because, Severus, it’s not her decision who I speak to. And so I have decided that I will not only speak to you, I will be utterly pleasant and charming as well.”
Severus raised an eyebrow. “Will you really?” He asked, amusement coloring his voice. “And what makes you think I want to speak to you?”
“Lily hates when others have something she views as hers.” Petunia said simply. “She’s terribly jealous, you know. Of your new friends, I mean. She’ll be more jealous if I’m your friend. And she’ll be furious I’m being around magic more. She hates when I try to have anything to do with magic.”
“That’s ridiculous.” Severus said, rolling his dark eyes at the blonde. “Lily is the least-jealous person I’ve ever met. She’s generous and kind-hearted and she wouldn’t begrudge anyone anything.”
“Oh, and I suppose you know her better than her own sister?” Petunia snarled, standing up abruptly, her hands fisted at her sides. “I’ve lived with her for her entire life; I think I know her a small bit better than you do!”
Severus started to protest, but stopped at a sudden thought. Lily had never had any problems with his study habits – which had always included an interest in the Dark Arts – until he’d begun spending time with Mulciber, Avery, and Malfoy. Had she really wanted to keep him all to herself? Was she truly afraid she was losing him? The thought made his heart race and he knew he had to see if Petunia was right. He had to know.
“Alright.” Severus asked her cautiously. “What do we do?”
~*~*~*~*~*~
The two weeks following Severus and Petunia’s conversation at the park were tense at the best of times and horridly uncomfortable at the worst. Severus would come to the house and ask for Petunia, much to the confusion of Mr. and Mrs. Evans. Lily would glare heatedly at him when she was around and Severus would merely smirk and raise a sardonic brow, as though inquiring as to what, precisely, her problem was. Petunia would smile and kiss his cheek in greeting, give her sister a haughty, superior look, and then they would leave.
That was when things usually got tense and – often – awkward. Severus and Petunia didn’t really enjoy each other’s company, after all. They mostly walked around Cokeworth aimlessly, though they sometimes went to the park. Severus tried to come by every day, though it was rarely at the same time since Lucius Malfoy had helped him get a job as an assistant at the Apothecary in Diagon Alley. And so he often came by after working, which meant it was after supper time and the sky was turning pink and orange as the sun set. It also meant that by the time Severus got Petunia home, the streetlights were on and the sky was dotted with stars.
They were a few blocks from Petunia and Lily’s house that evening, nearly two weeks to the day after their conversation in the park, when Severus spoke. “The stars are quite bright tonight.” He wasn’t sure why he was speaking; perhaps the silence had simply become too oppressive for him to bear.
Petunia stopped beside him and Severus stopped as well – two steps ahead of her – and turned back to look at her. Her blonde hair was twisted into an elegant coil at the back of her neck and she had put pink color on her lips that somehow made them look fuller; less thin and disapproving. She wore a simple lilac-colored sundress and white sandals. Her blue eyes were wide with surprise. After a moment of strained silence, Petunia looked up at the sky.
“They are bright.” She agreed, studying them in shock. She hadn’t thought Severus Snape was the sort to notice things like stars. “I’m a bit surprised you noticed them at all…”
Severus made a small sound of amusement and his lips curved upwards very slightly. “There’s an Astronomy course at Hogwarts.” He explained. “I’m very aware of the stars, all the time; especially because of my potions. Certain ingredients must be picked at certain times, or added at certain times, and some potions must be brewed whilst a certain star or constellation is visible.”
“Oh.” Petunia turned her eyes back to Severus. He was dressed in black pants again – he rarely wore anything else – and a black button-up shirt. His clothing was much improved since he’d gotten a job this summer and had money; she had to admit he looked far better when he was well-dressed. “I don’t know anything about stars, except that they’re pretty.” She wasn’t sure what to say about his potions or Hogwarts, after all. Magic wasn’t something they normally discussed.
“I can teach you.” He offered, stepping closer. He stood behind her – she was startled to realize he was a full head taller than her - and placed his face next to hers, his chin hovering just above her shoulder.
Their cheeks were touching and his breath was hot against her skin; his voice was a low, throaty purr in her ear. “That right there,” he said, pointing up at the sky. “That’s Hercules. And above him…” Severus shifted his hand slightly, pointing to another cluster of stars not far from the first. “That’s Cygnus. If you look between them, that little bunch of 5 stars is Lyra.”
“Oh…” Petunia’s voice was soft and a bit breathless. “Do you really know all of the constellations, then, Severus? That’s so impressive!”
Low, rich laughter rumbled up from Severus’s chest; his breath moved over her skin in short bursts as he laughed. “I don’t think I know them all. But most of them, yes. I study a lot.”
When she said nothing, he pointed to another grouping of stars – this set spread out in a wiggling line that he traced with his finger – and said. “That there is Draco. Unlike the others I pointed out, it’s visible year-round. It’s what is called a circumpolar constellation.”
Petunia turned her head slightly, her pale eyes meeting Severus’s dark ones. For a long, tense moment neither of them spoke or moved or even breathed. Then, very slowly, Severus shifted forward. His lips touched Petunia’s in a feather-light brush; it was gentler than the touch of a butterfly’s wings. Once, twice, thrice their lips touched – each time just as soft and tentative. Then, as though a spell had been broken, Severus stepped back. He and Petunia stared at each other in stunned silence; neither had expected this. Neither knew how to handle this. Neither was even quite sure what this was.
Finally, Petunia asked, very softly. “Do you have work tomorrow?”
Severus blinked slowly, and then shook his head. “No.” He answered, his voice lower than it had been before. It seemed to brush over Petunia’s skin, warm and soft like velvet. “We could go somewhere, if you like.” He spoke in barely more than a whisper, his lips hardly moving. “I can take you to Diagon Alley, for ice cream, or…”
“Diagon Alley?” Petunia whirled around in startled surprise. “You…I…can we?” Her voice was eager and pleading. “I’ve only ever been with Lily, for her school supplies, and I wasn’t allowed to explore, really, since it was all about Lily…”
“Of course.” Severus assured her. He found himself surprisingly eager to show Petunia his world. “I would delight in helping you to explore. I can show you where I work and perhaps teach you a little about what I do.”
Petunia’s eyes were shining, her cheeks flushed with happy color; she practically glowed with happiness at the thought. “Oh, Severus, how wonderful! I’d love to see where you work!” She reached out, touching his arm lightly, a tentative smile on her face. “You truly don’t mind bringing me? Truly?”
“Not at all.” He assured her and was quite stunned to realize it was true.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Petunia was having an amazing time. Severus had taken her into the Magical Menagerie and explained all the various magical creatures to her. She’d been instantly enraptured by the adorable little Kneazle kittens, with their tufted-tails that resembled a lion’s. Severus had watched her stroke the head of a beautiful charcoal-grey Kneazle with an indulgent look on his face. When the sales girl had hinted that perhaps he might like to purchase the cat for his ‘lady friend’ Severus had very softly intoned ‘Perhaps I’ll get her one for her birthday. I’ll have to check with her parents first, though.’ and Petunia’s heart had raced.
After that, they’d gone to the Apothecary Severus worked at; Slug & Jiggers. He had introduced Petunia to his boss as ‘my girlfriend’, with a tentative smile at Petunia as though seeking her permission to call her that. She had flushed pink and stuttered a bit, but she certainly hadn’t objected to the term. He had then taken her around the store, pointing out the Potions he knew how to brew best and explaining what they did and what sorts of things went into each one. Petunia was fascinated; Severus’s eyes glowed when he spoke of Potions and he gestured a lot with his hands. His enthusiasm was infectious; she found herself asking all sorts of questions just so he’d keep talking.
For the first time in her life, standing in line at the ice cream shop beside Severus Snape, Petunia felt as though she could truly have some part of the magic her sister had. Though she could not attend Hogwarts or buy a wand or cast spells, she could share in this world through Severus. He would bring her into it, happily and enthusiastically. He would explain it all to her and let her share in it. He would teach her everything and together they could send their children to Hogwarts. She could have some part of everything that had always seemed so very out of her reach. All she had to do was take Severus as well.
With a single glance from under her lashes at the pale-skinned, dark-haired, dark-eyed young man who was studying the flavor options with an intense expression on his face, Petunia knew it would be no hardship to spend her life with him. He seemed to make her feel calmer; to wash away the bitterness she had felt gnawing at her insides for so many years. He made her feel like she belonged. And though she knew he had only agreed to spend time with her to hurt Lily – to make Lily jealous – she knew that that was no longer a factor. Now, it was about them. It felt lovely, to stand somewhere out of Lily’s shadow for once. It felt perfect.
Severus ordered for them; double scoops of ice cream (strawberry for her and vanilla with a hint of mint for him) in pretty little glass bowls. He carried them outside to one of the little tables and she trailed happily along behind him, enjoying the sunny day. They sat down next to each other on the little bench and ate their ice cream. Every now and then, Severus would point to someone or something on the street – a classmate or robes or a broomstick or cauldrons or owls – and explain what (or who) it was and the significance. Petunia was halfway through her ice cream – Severus seemed to have forgotten his entirely as he spoke – and was resting her head on Severus’s shoulder while he explained the importance of cauldron material (pewter versus brass versus gold) while she lazily ate more. This was turning out to be a perfectly lovely day.
Suddenly a lovely voice pealed from behind them. “Severus, darling!” Petunia straightened up and both she and Severus turned around. “Oh, how lovely to see you!” The young woman speaking was willowy and graceful, draped in robes of ice-blue silk, and had her platinum blonde hair piled into elegant curls atop her head. Her voice was soft, breathy, and cultured; her face was like a Botticelli angel. “And who is this lovely girl with you?”
Petunia smiled; the angel didn’t seem false in her pleasure at seeing Severus nor in her compliment, which put her at ease. When Severus didn’t say anything, Petunia glance over at him. He sat, frozen, his face paler than normal and his dark eyes wide. His mouth hung partly open but no sound emerged; Petunia wasn’t sure what was wrong. She glanced back at the gorgeous blonde, who looked just as confused as Petunia felt. Finally, years of good manners won out over concern.
“I’m Petunia Evans.” She said politely, holding out her hand. “I’m not certain what has come over Severus; he was fine just a moment ago. He was talking about the effects of cauldron materials on different potions…”
The woman laughed, grasping her hand in both of hers; they were slim and long-fingered, soft and snow-white and as beautiful as the rest of her. “I’m Narcissa Black, soon to be Malfoy.” She wiggled the fingers of her left hand, showing off a stunning diamond ring. “My fiancé, Lucius Malfoy, is a good friend of Severus’s.”
Narcissa finally released Petunia’s hand. Her eyes narrowed suddenly as she thought. “Evans…” She murmured softly, a frown creating a little crease between her eyebrows as she thought. “Evans, Evans, Evans…where have I heard that name before?” Suddenly her eyes lit up and she smiled at Severus, who was watching her warily. “I know! That little red-haired Gryffindor girl you used to tag along after is named Evans, isn’t she?”
Petunia watched Severus, biting her lip nervously. When Severus merely flicked his eyes nervously from Petunia to Narcissa and back again, Petunia sighed and spoke once more. “Lily Evans is my younger sister; she’s how Severus and I met.” She reached out and took Severus’s hand, squeezing lightly when she felt how clammy it seemed. “Are you feeling alright?”
“We should go.” Severus croaked, his voice hoarse and higher than normal. “Now, Petunia. Come on, I’ll take you home.” He stood pulled Petunia to her feet.
Narcissa frowned at him. “Really, Severus.” Her voice was soft, but chiding. “You’re being almost unforgivably rude.”
“I’m sorry, Cissy. I’ve just…” He looked around, his whole body tense with fear. “We really have to go. I am sorry to rush off like this, but…”
“Severus!” The dark-haired young man jumped a foot in the air, his breath coming out in a strangled squeak at the sound of his name. “Please, introduce me to your friend!”
Petunia turned to see the speaker, who had just approached them. He was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. His white-blonde hair was long – past his shoulders – and tied back into a neat queue. His eyes were a light grey and he wore elegant looking robes only a few shades darker. His face was like a Greek god’s; he was Adonis in flesh and blood before her. He slipped his arm around the waist of the gorgeous Narcissa and Petunia imagined with a twinge of jealousy how beautiful any children of theirs would be. This man was Lucius Malfoy, a good friend of Severus; why did he seem so afraid?
Suddenly Narcissa gasped, her eyes wide and horrified. One delicate hand flew up to cover her perfect Cupid’s bow mouth. Her voice was tinged with repugnance as she spoke. “Severus, please tell me you didn’t!”
“We’re leaving, Cissy…” Severus pleaded, his wide and fearful eyes dancing from her angelic face – twisted with revulsion – to the confused look Lucius was wearing. “Please. I wasn’t thinking; it won’t ever happen again. We’re leaving…”
“What’s going on?” Lucius demanded, his voice suddenly ice cold. Though Petunia wondered the same thing, she suddenly wasn’t sure she wanted to know. “Someone explain!”
Narcissa’s glittering blue eyes locked on Petunia’s confused blue ones and she said silkily. “That is Petunia Evans, Lucius. Older sister to Lily Evans, that Gryffindor girl Severus used to spend so much time with.” Her eyes shifted to her fiancé’s and she added with a sneer. “You remember her, surely; the redheaded mudblood.”
Severus was trembling and Petunia recoiled instinctively from the venom in Narcissa’s voice. She was suddenly quite sure that ‘mudblood’, whatever that meant, was not a nice thing to be calling someone and she was quite sure it didn’t reflect well on her to be the sister of one. “Severus is right…” She said, her voice weak and shaky. “We should be going.”
“You brought a Muggle to Diagon Alley?” Lucius’s voice was a low, dangerous hiss. “You are sitting there, eating ice cream with and touching a Muggle?” He looked both angry and disgusted and Petunia suddenly wanted to cry.
“She already knows about magic.” Severus said, though his voice was the barest whisper of sound and he didn’t sound convinced of his own logic. “I didn’t see the harm…”
Narcissa made a strange noise and her nose wrinkled in distaste. “Lucius…” She whimpered, looking suddenly faint. “I touched it!”
She held out her hands and Lucius pointed his wand at them “Scourgify.” He snapped and Narcissa shuddered as the cleaning spell left her flawless skin free from Muggle germs.
“Thank you.” She sighed, shooting a cold look at Severus. “Severus, you shall have to work quite hard to make this up to me, I assure you.”
Severus nodded jerkily. “Of course, Cissy.” He rasped; he couldn’t seem to make his voice function properly anymore. “Just let me take her home. I’ll fix this.”
Lucius’s face was as cold as his voice as he said. “You’d better, Severus. The Dark Lord may be willing to overlook your…unfortunate…bloodlines, but I assure he will not overlook an error of this magnitude. I should not like to have to inform him of this.” He flicked his eyes distastefully to Petunia, then settled them back on Severus. “Fix this.” He ordered. “Or we will.”
Severus nodded, then took off – practically at a run – for the exit from Diagon Alley. Petunia – her hand still clasped tightly in his – was half-dragged along behind him. She wanted to protest; she wanted to demand Severus tell her what had just happened. The cold words of Lucius Malfoy were ringing in her ears, though. ‘Fix this. Or we will.’, he had said. Petunia knew, in some part of herself, that he had been threatening her life. Lily’s terrified warnings and desperate pleas came flooding back to her, as did her sister’s frantic insistence that Severus Snape was friends with dangerous people. Petunia knew, with sudden frightening alacrity, that that was absolutely true.
As soon as Severus tugged her out of the Leaky Cauldron, he flung his wand up into the air and summoned the triple-decker purple bus they’d used to get to London. On the trip there, with Severus smiling and telling her stories of people he’d met while riding back and forth from work every day, it had seemed fun and exciting and adventurous. Now, the hulking monstrosity with its wild-eyed driver and wizened old attendant seemed frightening. Something she wanted to stay far away from. Something she didn’t belong anywhere near.
Severus tried to pull her towards it and she resisted, her heart pounding loudly in her ears while her breath rushed too-quickly in and out of her lungs. “No…” She whispered, twisting frantically as she struggled to get away from Severus. “No, I won’t…I won’t get on it!”
Severus turned to stare at her, his dark eyes huge in his pale face. “Petunia, please…” He pleaded, tugging on her arm again. “Just let me take you home. I won’t let anyone hurt you, I promise. I can deal with them; it’s not a problem. I just need to get you safely home so I can talk to them.”
“No.” Petunia shook her head, still breathing far too quickly; her head was starting to spin. “Severus, let me go. I’ll find a payphone and call my parents to come and get me. I’ll be fine. I’m just not getting on that thing.” She tried to keep her voice calm and steady, but it shook slightly.
“What are you talking about?” Severus demanded, frustrated that Petunia wasn’t cooperating. “You’ve already ridden it!”
“Severus, I can’t!” She cried out, thankful the dismal little side street around them was empty; she detested public scenes. “I don’t…” Her voice broke and she finally managed to twist her hand free of Severus’s. She took a trembling breath and whispered. “I don’t belong on that thing. Or in your world.”
Her eyes moved over the purple bus once more, then met Severus’s dark eyes. They were filled with a desperate sort of pleading. “Please, Severus, understand. Your friends…Lily…they were all right. I’m not meant for this…for magic and spells and that sort of thing.” Tears filled her eyes, glistening wetly as they clung to her lashes. “I’m not meant for you.”
She turned and fled down the street, out into bustling London, and Severus watched her go, feeling cold and numb. “You getting on, boy?” A wheezy voice asked and Severus nodded woodenly, climbing the steps of the Knight Bus.
He paid the man and sat on a plush armchair near the front, saying in a flat voice. “Spinner’s End, in Cokeworth.” Then he turned to stare blindly out the window as the bus lurched into motion with sickening speed.
“Sorry your lady dumped you.” The elderly attendant said in his out-of-breath voice. “Were you two a couple long?”
Severus shook his head. “No.” He said softly. “This was our first real date.” He turned to look at the man – who was always kind to him when he went back and forth to work, chatting pleasantly – and forced a weak smile. “I suppose it’s good it ended now, before we really started to care about each other. It’s probably better this way.”
As he turned back to the window he added softly. “At least this way, no one got hurt.” Severus Snape ruthlessly pushed away the memory of Petunia running away in tears – and the dull twist of agony it caused him to feel in his chest – that proved those words false.