Just like Brothers

Chapter 2

The first night was odd, to say the least. Severus was gone for all of an hour to retrieve Harry's belongings. The Dursley's were ecstatic to finally get rid of the boy.

Severus then went to the police station and reported a case of domestic violence that gained Vernon Dursley jail time. After returning back home he enlarged all Harry Potter's items that he had shrunk to fit into his pocket.

It was now 6:30 and the two members of the Snape/Potter household were awkwardly sitting in the dining room eating dinner.

Harry stared down at his chicken going over the day events in his mind. He's was confused beyond belief on how he landed up in his potion professor's home. What were his friends going to say about this? Granted Snape had saved him a few times but still why did he have to live with him. Harry hesitantly picked up the chicken leg and began to eat in silence.

"May I please be excused." Harry's voice pierced the silence.

With a slight expression of shock on Snape's normally neutral face, he nodded. Harry brought his plate to the sink before turning on the water and started to scrub. He washed all the dishes as Snape just watched in utter shock. When the boy had finished he set the dishes out to dry, wiped his hands, and quickly retreated upstairs to his new room.

Confused at the boy's odd behavior Severus sat unmoving for a second to think.

Did James Potter's son just ask to be excused and then did the dishes? Without an argument or being asked to?

For any teenage boy that was unusual behavior but coming from the Potter name? That was unheard of.

Returning back to the unfamiliar room that was now his own, Harry flopped onto the bed shutting his door behind him. The room was now full of his scarce belongings including Hedwig's cage, his magic trunk, and his clothes. He leaned off the foot of his bed to open the trunk and grab his transfiguration textbook, a piece of parchment a quill, and a bottle of ink. His assignment was to read the remaining 8 chapters and write a 5-page essay. Sighing he cracked open the textbook and started to read.

About 3 chapters in his eyes drooped and he began to drift off to sleep, that's how Severus found him an hour later, fast asleep, using a textbook as a pillow. With a flick of his wand, the transfiguration book was placed neatly in his trunk along with the paper and quill, and the spilled ink was cleaned and placed on the desk. He exited the room, leaving the chosen one to sleep. He gave the green wall one last glance before shutting the door.

Severus decided to retire to his own chambers. His room was grey with black accents. Above the backboard of his bed was an enlarged framed picture of him on the first day of Hogwarts. Unlike most pictures in the wizarding world it was unmoving. This was because he was next to a certain muggle-born Lily Evans who insisted on documenting that stepping stone in their lives. She had her arms flung around Severus's neck and they both had a smile on their face. Lily's smile was large and toothy making her sparkling emerald eyes crinkle at the corners. Severus's smile was more relaxed, not showing any teeth and if you didn't know him you would think he was not excited to be there. But if you looked closer at his coal-black eyes you would see a boy who was happy and content. The frame of the picture was white and along the bottom in a beautiful script it read.

Love you Sev!  Always- Lily

The man sighed with the memory of his childhood friend. If only he had made different choices maybe she would still be here... maybe they would still be friends.

Silently the Potions Master sat at his desk and begun to work, writing out lesson plans for the following year.

The next day came and went uneventful and so did the next. And before they knew it a week had passed with Harry living in the Snape house. Not many words were shared between the two during this time. Harry normally stayed up in his room and worked on homework while Severus stayed to his study brewing potions. They had no visitors, not even Harry's owl that was delivering a letter to Ginny Weasley.