Storied

Wind whipped the black hair around Severus’s face as he wrapped his scarf more securely around his neck while walking to the apperation point beyond the gates. His long black cloak trailing behind him in the snow, his boots however good at keeping his feet warm as he was glad to have these new dragon hide boots gifted from Minerva that very Christmas.

To say London was busy would be an understatement. He growled gently as he walked out of the side apperation alley way and straightened his coat for what felt like the fifth time in only a moment. He however was on a mission as he headed to Gringott’s looking to setup a secondary account under the pen name he had mulled over the night before. The goblins making him give blood and all sorts of things to obtain the account yet it only took him a full half hour and Sebastian Wilde had a newly minted account.

His next visit was to Amanuensis Quills. He had preferred this shop to Scrivenshaft's in Hogsmead ever since he was younger. The quality of parchment in his opinion was better and here he could get notes books that were perfect for writing. He also put in a order for his notebooks for his classes. After the war…being able to have a second chance…even if at first he had cursed Potter for saving him. He was able to be himself. He had hated teaching before but now…it started with a simple innocent question from a first year.

“Why don’t we have class journals” at first he had dismissed it with a harsh comment almost sending the little Hufflepuff to tears but she withheld them and he had been impressed and at the end of the class she had shown a backbone and asked him why he had made fun of the idea when it was a good way to truly judge a persons understanding of the process if they wrote it down. To say that he was rendered speechless by a first year had stirred something in him and by the next class period he had the notebooks…perfect for problem solving and note taking. The higher up in the classes you went..the better the notebook and his 7th year NEWTS students received two…one for the class and the second when they graduated. For the past five years it had been a great success. While still a right dick as they were all still idiots…there were a few that he had no issue in getting new notebooks for when the one they had was filled. It was indeed a good way to determine where people were lacking as was a good way to address issues without confrontation. The only ones who did not get this luxury were his Slytherin’s. They had to talk with him face to face once a month about their progress in classes. This was something he had done for years before when he was still a new professor. He knew how his own former house mates were treated at home…when they came to school he would make sure his snakes were protected far better than they were at home. Another reason why he had a small following of former students. Unlike Slughorn he wanted nothing in return.

His eyes skimmed the quills as a perky young witch…who when seeing him flushed prettily as she had been one of his students…not but recently.

“Hello Professor Snape..how can I help you?” she asked as the older man gave her a look and rose a brow.

“Miss Helts…yes I will be needing a custom dictoquill as well as a custom writing quill with ever fill ink in a standard number seven” he stated as the girl moved to look into her stock behind her. Her fingers pulling out several boxes to open as several styles were presented as well as parchment to sample on.

“Mister Talrus say that the Octavian is the newest on the market. Comes with free replacement once a year if you buy the writing station” she said as she motioned to her left and there was a unfolded cabinet display with all sorts of quills and nibs as well as other bits and bobs but Severus shook his head.

“Just the quill will do as well as those notebooks and a bone knife” he said as his had gone missing. The sale girl soon had all his items and gave him a soft smile.

“Ninety five galleons” she said as Severus handed her a Gringotts card and she glanced at the name and rose a brow but said nothing as she charged the account and he took the card back, his face stone cold of emotion. The younger woman bagged his items and handed them to him.

“Please come back to see us soon Professor” she stated as Snape however just turned and left without further conversation. The cold air of the alley making him hunch his shoulders slightly as he made his way to his next destination. He frowned as he stood outside of Obscurus Books before going in and asking the desk clerk for a new authors packet. It was what he would have to complete and turn in with his completed works. He was a published Potions master after all, yet this time he picked up a packet for his fantasy drama as well as one for a journal he wanted to publish on the effects of Mirtha Essence with Garr’s breath in a strengthen potion for frail pregnant women, a collaboration actually with of all people Hermione Granger who had once worked at the Ministry but was now researching witches health after the damage she had endured at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange had made her almost certainly sterile. His disdain for her have diminished over the years of correspondence…not that he sought out her for conversation but a clever mind was always a welcome retreat.

Upon leaving the publisher’s store he bumped into a smaller figure, knocking them to the ground with ease. His eyes looking down at the mussed hair of Harry Potter. His eyes narrowing as he was still in a sore spot with the younger man for saving him. The younger man looking up to him and his eyes brightening.

“Professor!” he scrambled to get up and dusted the snow from his cloak as he was dressed in Auror robes. His round glasses on the tip of his nose which was a bright red from the cold.
“Auror Potter…do you always go around knocking into innocent shoppers in a hurry on a regular…one would think someone would file a complaint.” He said as the younger man only grinned wider.

“Sorry Professor but it was you who side swiped me this morning” he said as he looked up to him and then down to his bags.
“Care to get a cup of tea?” he asked and Snape rose a brow at the surprise invitation, he was hesitant but gave a nod as he followed Potter to the tea house where they found a small table by the window in the back and he sat his bags down along the wall out of the way.

“I received an owl from McGonagall this morning…asking me to come and be the New Defense …professor” he said knowing Snape actually enjoyed that subject better for teaching as Brewing was his joy and hobby. Severus sighed and shook his head.

“ If you are here to apologize for me being over looked for the position…look else where. I find now after the war…potions can be more relaxing to teach now that I do not have to pretend to be someone I was years ago.” He stated as he looked at the small menu.

Harry watched the older man and frowned.
“So your not mad?” he asked and Severus shook his head.
“Every year you were at Hogwarts…Riddle tried to kill you…and yet here you are” he said as soon their order was taken and he looked fully at the young man who was a spitting image of his father with his mothers eyes.

“I guess now I should call you Professor Potter” he said and Harry shook his head.
“I would like you to call my Harry sir…” he said and Severus frowned.
“I did not know we had a repore like that Mr. Potter” he said as Harry grinned.
“We don’t…but I am sure we will…Hermione has been telling me all about your work and what good you are bringing to women like her.” He said which made Snape shift in his seat and pay extra close attention to his tea as it was brought to him.

“I was not aware my work was up for public review” he stated and Harry chuckled as he sipped his own tea and a simple shake of his head.
“A shame you hide your goodness behind a dour expression” the other man stated and Snape could not help but scowl at the younger man who had made it clear he was part of his life whether he liked it or not a life debt was a life debt even if Potter claimed he owed him nothing.

That evening when he was back in his dungeon chambers he placed the newts students notebooks each in a basket as he made them a kit…it was a highly prized gift that only the students in the know knew about and strives to get into NEWTs levels potions which was one of the hardest subjects at that point.

Next he took out his quills and set them in their new spots on the desk, the dicto-quill was a long green feather quill that he waved his wand over and spoke the phrases to direct the quill with his voice and his voice alone. He set it to take direct quotes, none of the embellishments like Rita Skeeter would produce. While he enjoyed writing it was easier to take notes with a dicto-quill in his research so now that he had a new one of those he could set back to work once school was underway.

He also found himself with a brand new parchment book. The pages ready for the quill. His mind burning with ideas. A list to start. What ideas were he most into. He had always found a slice of life type adventure story was always his go to. Perhaps it was his lack of personal relationships. He of course was a man of discretion and privacy so where he went for his regular entertainment. Of course his best friend and former death eater Lucius Malfoy had served his time in Azkaban and after the war had disappeared from the public eye and opened what Severus called a cat club. A place for witches and wizards alike who wanted anonymity could come to…release some tension. He thought about writing about the nights he spent in this establishment. It however was not in line with the genre he enjoyed reading. His quill scratching against parchment as he brainstormed various ideas in various scenarios.

Hours would pass and the notebook he had was several pages in on just this thoughts and idea and notes…character designs…some based off of real people he knew. One in particular being Harrison Reils. Harrison was a troublemaker in his job. Always causing others to bend over backwards in what they were doing to bail the young man out of some rough situations. Tomis Howl however being the man to bail him out of his latest trouble demands payment for the service he had done him ending up with both men falling into bed together in a very hot and steamy relationship that would change the younger man forever.

When he finally was too tired to continue his writing Severus noted that hours had passed and he was almost thirty pages written out with a separate page of ideas noted down. Dark eyes looking over his neat spiked script. His cheeks flushing as he reread the description of the younger man. Messed hair…bright green eyes and pleading lips. Only one man’s image coming to mind and his eyes closed as he put the quill down and stood from the desk and shook his head.

“ Fucking Potter”