Before Harry Met Sevy

Chapter Nineteen: Visiting the Manor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus stood at the top of the stairs, looking over the railing into the living room below. He was trying his best to appear nonchalant, but the excitement of his impending visit with Lucius was nearly bubbling over. Twenty minutes, he thought as he glanced down at his watch for the tenth time in as many minutes. Then it'll be months before I have to come back. The thought of not being around his family until Christmas was elating, and he glanced at his watch again. Nineteen minutes. He sighed. Four o'clock seemed as though it would never come.

A loud crack outside drew his attention to the yard below. His nose pressed to the window, he watched as Lucius made his way to the front door, rapping loudly with a silver-tipped cane. I haven't seen that before, he thought with interest. Not relishing the idea of having his wealthy friend see his meager bedroom, Severus grabbed his trunk and began hauling it down the stairs. He reached the bottom just as his father emerged from the living room. With a nasty sneer, Silias wrenched open the door.

"Lucius," he greeted silkily as the boy who nearly towered over him stepped inside. Lucius smirked slightly as he spotted Severus, then turned to Silias.

"Father and I would like to extend our gratitude for allowing Severus to spend the week at the Manor," he stated as his eyes took in his surroundings.

"You're doing me a favor, getting rid of him early," Silias replied. Lucius cast him a hard look.

"Had we known it benefited you in any way, I am sure we would have reconsidered," he retorted, his eyes now locked on the older man's. "The fact that you do not realize -"

"We should get going," Severus broke in. Though he was leaving for now, he had to return to the house eventually, and as much as he'd enjoy seeing Silias told off, he did not want to think of the welcome he'd receive at Christmas. Lucius' eyes flicked to his friend.

"Indeed." He reached down and gave the boy a hand with his trunk, and the two carried it to the fireplace. "It would be helpful to shrink this," Lucius commented loudly. Silias sneered at him.

"Shame neither of you are out of school," he drawled. "Maybe when you're all grown up, you'll be able to do things like that." Lucius' eyes snapped with anger at the tone of the man's voice, and he stepped up to him, unabashed.

"And perhaps when you grow up, you will be granted the companionship of the right people." He turned on his heel, tossed Severus' trunk into the hearth, then stepped inside and shouted, "Malfoy Manor!" Without hesitation, Severus grabbed a handful of the Floo powder and followed, almost before Lucius had completely vanished.

They emerged from the same fireplace the Snapes had come through at Christmas, and Severus saw with amazement that the opulent decorations which adorned the house on his previous visit were evidently the norm. In the dining room, the same jeweled goblets and silver were laid out, though for far less people. The same wizened house elf appeared by their side, taking Severus' trunk before he could protest.

Instead of going through the doors and onto the veranda, Severus followed Lucius and the house elf across the dining room and through the sitting room, where a spiral staircase led to the second floor. The boys dragged the trunk up the stairs, and down the corridor to which it led. Doors were spaced nearly twenty feet apart, and to Severus the hall seemed to stretch on endlessly.

"Your room's just across from mine," Lucius announced, stopping after the fourth door. The house elf opened it to reveal an enormous chamber with a magnificent bay window on the far wall, overlooking the grounds. Severus stared out in awe over the view - this was definitely better than what he was used to.

"There's a loo over there," Lucius pointed out, directing Severus' attention to the door to his left. "Mikin, tell Father that we've returned, and we will see him at dinner," he directed the house elf. Mikin bowed and silently left the room.

"This room is the size of my house," Severus said in wonderment. Lucius smirked.

"Not quite, but it is the largest of the guest quarters. Father and I wanted to make a good impression, you know." It was Severus' turn to smirk.

"A room half this size would have impressed me, and you know it," he chided. "Now you're just showing off." Lucius' smirk turned into a smile as he laughed.

"So it would seem. I'll show you around before dinner."

"I haven't unpacked -"

"Mikin will attend to it," Lucius replied with a wave of his hand. "If we're to cover the grounds before six, we'd best get moving."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lucius had not been exaggerating about the size of the manor and grounds. They were nearly late to dinner, as Braeden commented on when they took their seats.

"Have you had an enjoyable summer, Severus?" the man inquired as the soup was being served. Severus, still a bit overwhelmed, shrugged.

"It wasn't bad, sir, but I'll be glad to return to Hogwarts."

"Indeed?" Braeden remarked with a raised eyebrow, "Headmaster Dumbledore must not be making too much of a muck-up of things, then."

"No, sir," Severus responded uncomfortably. He knew Lucius' feelings about the headmaster, but Severus couldn't see anything wrong with the man thus far.

"Severus is top of his class in Potions, Father," Lucius announced, turning his father's attention away from Severus' reply.

"Is that so?" Braeden asked evenly.

"Professor Melison constantly hangs Severus' achievements over the less talented students in my N.E.W.T.s class. Says he's on track to becoming a great Potions Master." Braeden looked impressed, despite his obvious efforts not to. Severus, for his part, was beginning to feel slightly ill-at-ease. He wasn't used to anyone complimenting his talents so openly.

"And how are your marks in Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Braeden inquired, idly sipping his soup.

"I do well," Severus answered, growing more uncomfortable by the minute.

"Don't be stupid, Severus," Lucius chided. "You're top of your class in that as well. He does have a bit of trouble with Transfiguration, though," he added almost as an afterthought. Severus was alarmed that Lucius knew so much about his schoolwork - no doubt his friend had been keeping tabs on him throughout the school year.

"Good," Braeden said firmly, not attempting to hid his approval. "It seems you are every bit the boy Lucius has told me so much about." Far from calming him, the man's words elicited a tendril of fear from the boy. He was gazing at Severus with an odd gleam in his eye that the boy could not explain. "The second floor library should be of interest to you. Feel free to browse it at your leisure." Severus thanked him quietly, then turned again to his soup.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Braeden took the boys to Diagon Alley, as Lucius' letter had promised. They went into the routine shops to obtain Lucius' supplies, and then stopped outside of Flourish and Blotts.

"We have one final destination," Braeden announced after looking carefully around him. "I am in need of a few things not found directly in Diagon Alley. You should familiarize yourself with the area to which we are headed," he instructed as he began to walk towards the end of the alley.

By the time Severus realized where Braeden was leading him, they were at the entrance to Knockturn Alley. He had just opened his mouth to question whether they were in the right place when a familiar sight blocked the path.

"Severus!" The boy gave an embarrassed nod to his uncle. What was Sebastian playing at? "You will excuse us for a moment, won't you, Braeden? Severus has forgotten a few things for school that we need to pick up."

"I already have my school things, Uncle. This is the week I'm staying with the Malfoys," Severus said tightly.

"There are a few which have been overlooked," Sebastian argued, taking hold of Severus' arm. "I will see that he meets back up with you this afternoon." He began to half-drag Severus from Knockturn Alley as the Malfoys stared after him for a moment. When Severus turned to look, they had already gone.

"We have gotten all my things," he snapped. "What are you playing at?"

"Do you realize where they were taking you, boy?" Sebastian retorted, his voice crisp and even.

"Of course! Mr. Malfoy needed -"

"Whatever he told you was a lie, Severus."

"How do you know?" he demanded, trying to wrench his arm free from his uncle's grip. Sebastian responded by increasing his hold.

"I know Braeden Malfoy all too well. He's a dark wizard, Severus, and an evil man."

"He's done nothing evil to me!" Severus argued, his temper continuing to rise.

"Don't you see what they're doing? They're trying to get you on their side!" He paused as his eyes searched his nephew's face. "And they've nearly succeeded, haven't they?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Severus protested. Sebastian knelt in front of the boy, his hands like vises on Severus' arms.

"Listen to me, boy," he pleaded, his eyes boring into Severus' own. "You must not allow them to use you. They'll discard you the moment you're of no value to them."

"I'm twelve! What possible use could they have for me?" There was a pause as Sebastian seemed to consider his words. Finally, he shook his head.

"You don't understand," he said wearily. "You don't now, and perhaps you never will." He stood up, looking defeated as he released Severus' arm. His gaze turned down Diagon Alley, and a smile suddenly lit his features. "Come boy. There is something you need."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~