Dawning Realizations And Unwelcome Visitors

Few people knew this, but Severus Snape was most definitely a morning person – one of the few times a small smile could be seen gracing his lips was around the hour of six o'clock in the morning, as he sat at his oak and rosewood kitchen table watching the crimson-tinted sun rise. There was something about the delicate bite in the crisp air, the soft light, and the stillness of the gold-gilded world around him that made being in that moment seem...worthwhile.

He was hard pressed to smile that morning, however – September 1st was right around the corner, and once it came, he would have spend another year of his miserable life lecturing ungrateful, talentless brats who never ceased to amaze him by their stupidity. Ah, Hogwarts. What was once a haven away from his drunken bastard of a father and morbidly depressed mother had become the bane of his existence, and that was saying a lot - his existence wasn't a particularly happy one to begin with.

He sighed deeply as he sipped his cup of Darjeeling. Less than one more week of peace left; only a few more days to work on his most recent research project. Idly, he picked up the notes he had left on the table the night before, staring unhappily at the numbers he'd written down.

Adder's fork – 20 minutes

Eye of frog – 17 minutes

Claw of weasel – 12 minutes

All unsatisfactory. He needed the reaction time to rest well under 10 minutes (preferably under 5, but who was he kidding?), or else the essence of wormwood would end up spoiling and losing its potency, making the whole concoction little more than vile-smelling sludge. 10 minutes was a small window for a compound so stable, however. Indeed, this most recent project of his was a true challenge, and had the potential to hold his attention for quite a while. It was a shame...it was likely that he'd have to put it on hold; he never could quite think straight with Monday morning potions lectures hanging over his head. Unless...perhaps he needed an acidic neutralizing agent...essence of rose? Bluebell seeds?

He started as three sharp knocks sounded on his front door.

He scowled. Who could possibly be at his door at this hour? Really, who was that rude? He certainly wasn't expecting anyone. He had half a mind to hex whoever was waiting on the other side of his door. Honestly, they deserved it...

He took a deep breath. Come now, Severus, he told himself. It wouldn't do to start hexing muggles. He didn't need that on his record. After all, if he was going to be caught hexing someone, it was going to be those blasted Weasley twins.

He shook his head. Oh well, best get this over with.

When he opened the door, he was expecting to see a postman, perhaps, or a delivery man of some sort. The last thing he was expecting was to find a little boy standing on his doorstep. The child was dressed in loose-hanging, ratty clothing, beneath which he appeared to be quite bony and very much on the small side – he couldn't be older than 8 or 9 years old. He frowned. What was a child so young doing at his door, alone, at 6:30 am in the morning?

He was about to shoo the little cretin away when it looked up at him, an action that nearly caused him to gasp and stumble backward; for staring up at him through a messy black fringe, behind a broken pair of glasses, glowed two bright green eyes, a curious glimmer lighting them intensely. Two very familiar eyes. Eyes he didn't ever expect to see again. No...this couldn't possibly be...

"Hello, are you Mr. Severus Snape?" the boy asked without prelude, and apparently completely unintimidated by him.

Quickly, he snapped out of his shock. Green eyes, especially of this brilliant shade, were rare, but this was no doubt just another child, another insufferable spawn of one of his neighbours, most likely bothering him at this indecent hour on account of a dare or some such similar drivel.

"Yes," he drawled slowly, allowing his voice to darken in the way that always made his students pale in fright.

The boy, however, seemed completely unfazed. "Oh, good. My name's Harry Potter. May I come in?"

Severus's brain just about shut down completely at that. So much for his 'just another child' theory. "Harry...Potter?"

"Yes sir, that's me. Can I come in?"

Still too stunned to speak, he settled for stepping out of the doorway and allowing the young child to walk into his house.

He'd just allowed a Potter into his house.

"You have a lovely home Mr. Snape."

Severus stared at him.

....

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