A Boy Not Quite Like His Father

"Teach me," he whispered.

"Excuse me?"

"Teach me."

"Teach you what?" cried Severus, exasperated.

Liam cocked his head. "You know, I haven't the faintest idea."

Severus looked at him, exasperation now melding with incredulity. "Then why in the name of Merlin did you ask?"

Liam blinked for a moment. "Still don't know," he replied, an odd tone to his voice. "I suspect it was just one of those things she wants me to say."

Severus blinked rapidly, confused. "What who wants you to say?"

"Mum," said Liam quietly. At this remark, a shadow passed through Severus' eyes, and his lips pursed.

"Your mother is dead, and therefore cannot want you to say anything," he hissed, a strange emotion filtering into his words.

Liam glanced at him quickly, surprised at his show of temperament. "What's wrong?"

Severus seemed to wilt, his shoulders going slack, and his head drooping down to rest on his arms, which were crossed on the table. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing," he proclaimed sarcastically, his voice muffled.

Liam bit back a retort, and instead went back to reading, his brow furrowed in concentration. A moment later he jerked his head up and cried, "Merlin's balls, Sev, would you fucking either loosen up, or tell me what the hell is wrong with you!"

Severus slowly raised his head, an eyebrow raised, and his lips curled into a rather malicious smirk. "What's wrong? You want to know what's wrong. Of course you do. And you, just like your father, must always get your way. In that case, I lay down my vast and interminable mind at your feet, oh High and Mighty Liam Potter, King of the Universe, so that you might purge it of all the knowledge which you desire."

"I'll hold you to that, then," Liam replied coolly.

Severus sighed and dropped his head into his hands, muttering about insufferable Gryffindors and annoying family resemblances.

"Right, so. What problem is it that you have with my mum? She's been dead for years--why does it still bother you?" he questioned, poking Severus in the side when he didn't answer.

"Stop touching me at once, you insufferable demon child. I'm thinking of what to say."

Liam arched an eyebrow in a way that was so reminiscent of his mother that Severus' eyes flashed.

"Very well. Your mother and I were never fond of one another. When she married your father, our tolerance of each other became non-existent. Does that satisfy your annoying inquiries?" he snapped.

Liam thought on this for a moment before replying. "Not hardly. Why did mum and da getting together make you so angry?"

Severus' head sunk down into his palms once more, and he mumbled something unintelligible.

"What was that?" asked Liam carefully.

"I said, I'd need a hell of a lot of alcohol before I answer that question," he replied waspishly. Moments later a loud clunk was heard, and Severus looked up to see a bottle of Odgen's Old Firewhiskey and two shot glasses on the table in front of him. He looked questioningly at Liam, who shrugged.

"It's raining. It's dark. We've got nothing better to do than get terribly sloshed and talk about imbecilic questions until dawn."

Severus' lips twitched into the barest hint of what could've been a smile.

"Alright then. Inebriated we shall become."

Liam bit back a laugh at his godfather's formality and poured out the amber liquid.

"Drink slow, we've got a long night ahead of us."

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"...So...you were... in love *hiccup*... with my da?" inquired a spectacularly drunk Liam.

"...*hiccup*... yeah... he was a bloody *hic*... fucking handsome...*hiccup*...bastard, he...was..." confirmed a far more sloshed Severus. A dreamy smile overcame his face. "...Had a really nice arse, too...he *hic* did..."

"Haha! You loved...*hic*...my da! And you...*hic*...hated my mum...why, again?" Liam scrunched his brow in a very confused manner.

Severus looked at Liam like he was the world's biggest idiot. "'Cause, she married your...*hic*...da, and I...*hic*...wanted to marry him...*hic*"

Liam found this very confusing. "My da...*hic*...was a...wizard...stupid! You...*hic* can't marry another wizard! ...*hic*... Elsewise I'd be...*hic*... married to...*hiccup*... Ben...*hic*..."

"Who's... *hic*... Ben?" questioned Severus in a worried tone.

"Why'da yoooou care?" slurred Liam in what he had meant to be a smooth and taunting response. Needless to say, it didn't end up that way. He noticed this and giggled.

"...*hic*...Cause.... *hic*... you look just...like...*hic*... your...daaaaaa...*hic*..." said Severus, leaning closer.

A strange light sparked in Liam's eyes. "Do I now?" he asked in a decidedly un-drunken way.

Severus' hand on his thigh answered him. "Yeaaaaaaaaah.... Actually...*hic*...you doooo..." said the older man.

Liam cringed. "Sev. Sev! Detoxicus!" he cried, poking Severus with his wand as he said the final word. A large puff of steam poured out the Slytherin's pores, the result of which was an unintoxicated Severus, looking very confused.

"Merlin, I have a headache. What happened?" he asked, shielding his eyes from the light.

"You hit your head on the table and got knocked out," replied Liam slowly.

Severus eyed him for a moment, then, seeming to find this response acceptable, nodded and stood up. "I think I shall be off to bed, then," he said softly.

Liam nodded. "I'll be up a while, if that's okay."

"Go to bed soon--you have school in two days, remember."

"Yessir."