Survival Bonds

Chapter 8: Like father like son

Snape and I settle into a loose routine. I wake up early like I'm use to. The house elves and I clean. Severus lays in and does not typically wake up until nearly eleven. Unless he's been summoned. I hear him coming and going at all hours, but he rarely has anything to report. Voldemort summons him a lot. Sometimes Snape is gone for an hour and sometimes he's gone all night.

Typically, during the day, Snape is here. Around eleven, Niffy wakes him and has both Snape and myself eat lunch. Afterwards, Snape will go downstairs to his lab and brew for a few hours. Promptly afterwards, he always takes a long shower. He really is a creature of habit. Sometimes he and I will play chess- I never win.

Sometimes he's in a decent mood and willing to talk, other times he stiffly ignores me. I think I prefer angry outburst to being ignored. For the most part, Snape has been true to his agreement for truce.

Right now, he's not up for a game of chess and there is nothing to do. He's reading something. I'm not really sure what, the cover isn't in a language I know.

"Cor aut Mors?" I try to words on my lips. He doesn't look up from the pages but answers my unspoken question.

"The language is Latin." He says simply. "Latin is the birth of all languages. Most spells are derived from Latin. It is a language that you would do well to learn." He turns a page and mutters to himself. "Not that you would ever willingly commit yourself to learning something useful." I don't rise to his bait.

"Can you read any other languages?" I ask instead.

"I am moderately fluent in seven languages. I could not pass for a native speaker, but I can understand the language enough to get the meaning in a conversation."

"Why."

"Why what Potter?"

"Why try to learn more languages that you have no need for." He closes the book, holding the page with his finger.

"No one can predict what skills you will need in the future. Should I would day need to know Latin, I have the bones to muddle though, which is far better than venturing ahead blindly. The languages that I have chosen to learn have not necessarily been ones that I would have chosen myself, but occasionally I come across an ancient text, and if I wish to read it, I must know the language enough to read it. Latin is a common language that ancient texts are written in."

I want to question him further, but his hand clasps around his left wrist. A twinge of pain settles on his features.

"I am being summoned. Tell Niffy that I will not be needing lunch." He summons his robes and his mask. The horribly misshapen look of it. The mask truly does remind me of someone being tortured.

"Snape, be safe." He doesn't say anything as he vanishes before my eyes. The book he was reading lays innocent in his chair. "Cor aut Mors." I open the books, and it just looks like words jumbled together. I can't understand it.

"Harry, where has Sevy gotten off too." Niffy asks as she comes into the room

"He was summoned, he said that he will not be needing lunch." I wonder how long he will be gone this time, I think to myself. She hums softly.

"Very well. Niffy is going to lay down for a quick rest. Simply summon Niffy if you is needing anything." I take another look at the book. He seemed enamored by this book. He was very intently reading the contents of it. I find myself wondering around this humble place.

So, this is where Snape grew up. I go upstairs. The master bedroom. I suppose that was his parents. He said that his dad is dead. I wonder if his mom is still out there somewhere. I would think she would want to know that her son is in a soul bond. But he hasn't mentioned her once. I open the door to the master bedroom. It's in fairly good condition. Naturally there is a thick layer of dust from disuse, but the furniture is actually relatively good quality. The bed is made as if the owner of it could come home any minute. Across from the bed is a chest of drawers with a grand mirror over it.