Snape's New Flower

Stupefy

We agreed today would be the day we introduce him to my parents. Introduce us, as a couple.

I told him everything I thought he should know about them, that way there would be no surprises. My mom is a witch, my dad a muggle. My mom can be sweet, she was sweet, but over time my dad's jealousy and anger at his own mediocracy has turned my mother bitter as well. They love me in their own way, but prefer when I'm not around.

All in all, Severus and I just have to be polite and mundane and my parents would be fine. To them, he will just be a mere teacher.

As long as they don't know his reputation, which they shouldn't. My mom stopped reading The Daily Prophet after the fourth time my dad caught her and told her (threatened her) to stay away from that crazy world. The world he so badly wanted to be a part of he couldn't even admit it to himself. I imagine my mom obliged, feeling guilty and for the power she was gifted.

I dressed quickly, put on some light make up made myself presentable. It was harder for Sev, who had perpetually unkept, oily hair, and all his clothes looked like it was stolen from some goth victorian vampire. Would it kill him to own a pair of jeans?

Stupid question, of course it would.

I directed him to wear a simple black shirt and pants, and luckily it was summer so he could get by without one of his famous cloaks.

We set off, arm in arm, mutually praying for this to go well.

I apparated us close to my parents' muggle street, somewhere I knew we wouldn't be spotted by any passerby's. We look out of place enough without appearing out of thin air as well. Snape had to catch his balance, free hand shifting to his belly as if to settle it. Not used to being the passenger, I suppose.

We walked silently to my parents front step and he waited for me to knock. I shot him my last authentic smile for the evening and raised my fist to the door.

Nothing.

I knocked again.

Still, nothing.

It was my own fault for not giving them a warning, I just wanted it to be a surprise. Or perhaps I didn't want them to say no, we don't care. Either way, here we are.

I dug through my enchanted bag, digging around for the key I hadn't laid eyes on in almost a year. I was about to forfeit when I felt the cold metal brush up against my pinky. I pulled it out from under what felt like a tampon, careful to not drop that in front of him.

I wiggled the key in the lock, holding my breath, worried they might have changed the lock or even moved since I last spoke to them. I wouldn't put it past them, they'd done it before. But it clicked and I was able to push the door open, catching my breath. Big mistake, as I was hit by a foul smell.

"Ugh," I exclaimed, turning away.

Sev blocked a good portion of his nose with the back of his hand and stepped inside, turning every light in the house on with the flick of his wand. So much for behaving like muggles.

I followed him inside but he stuck his hand out, stopping me in my tracks. "Wait here," he commanded, and I could tell it was not the time to argue.

He walked slowly up the stairs, wand at the ready. I watched as he disappeared, heart pounding. This felt wrong. I stepped back outside, feeling bad I couldn't watch his back, but I wouldn't be of any use sick anyway. I bent over, catching my breath. That smell. What was it?

A few minutes passed until Sev emerged from the door, closing it behind him. "You need to call the police."

"Sev..." I said, peering behind him to catch one last glimpse of the house I spent my last few dreaded summers at. "What is it? Let me go in."

"No," he said, solemnly. "It's your parents. You need to call the police."

"What are you talking about, where are they?" I said, panicking now.

He placed his hands on my shoulder and said, clearly, "We're going to go back inside and you're going to call the police. Tell them you just got home from boarding school and your parents are..."

He didn't say it. He didn't need to say it.

I nodded and not a moment passed before he pushed the door open, muttering a spell that caused a momentary vacuum that took the odor with it. I marched to the phone in the kitchen, dialing 9-9-9 robotically, and told them what I was supposed to. It was almost word for word, until that last word he didn't have the heart to say.

Dead.

My parents were dead.