Safe Haven

Galloway

He cracked his eyes open: pastries, and potions tickling his nose. Pepper up, healing draught, strong coffee, and possibly croissants.

He looked beside him and noticed a set of towels, washcloth, and various bathing accessories with a hand scrawled note

"Good morning Severus. The shower is in the same room you are. No offense but you should shower before you come out, you look awful"

He managed a small chuckle, taking a look around at the small room that he had been laid in last night. Sage green walls surrounded him with paintings of the sea, high waves and bright skies. The dark espresso furniture brought out the greens in the duvet cover and cream sage rug. He had never been to the seaside, he had always had to stay close to the castle or to his home in Spinners End. Maybe some day.

Once he actually found out where he had apparated.

He slowly stood up, every bone in his body protesting and aching. Small and deliberate steps to the bathroom, which was bright and open with ceramic white subway tile and a huge skylight overhead. He quickly charmed it out of a self conscious need for privacy. Daring to look in the mirror, he gripped the sink at the sight of himself.

Dried maroon blood coated his neck and shirt, vest and cloak askew and torn, and his hair twisted up in clumps of dried blood and grass. But there was no scar where his neck had been lacerated. He took a deep breath, performed a quick cleansing charm to get all of the debris off of himself. But he needed to stand in the water and physically experience the clean. As much as the students viciously joked that he was greasy and dirty, he routinely bathed.

What would he even do now? For all the world knew, he was dead. Hopefully it would stay that way. He couldn't believe that anyone would search for him or seek him out. He would be seen as better off dead. And he can't say that he would mind that.

After steeping like a strong tea bag, he tried to focus his brain and transfigure his clothes so they weren't obviously worn during a war. He cautiously walked out of the room, down a long and thin hallway out into an apothecary style cafe and kitchen with herbs lining the wall. He stayed partially hidden behind the corner to scope out the scene.

"Well shit...Look at this!" Hazel held up what Severus recognized as the Daily Prophet to the as of yet unnamed man beside her

"Hazel...I can't see that paper, remember" he reminded her with genial exasperation, wiping out glasses with a quick flick of his wrist

"Oh, right, I always forget. It says that the headmaster of Hogwarts, the one who killed Dumbledore, is actually innocent. And blimey they've blasted every one of that poor man's memories across the front page" she waved the paper around, voice in disbelief

"That sounds a bit overkill. Who was the headmaster? Did you know any of them?" he asked her, clearly separated from the magical world

"One of yours"  rang through Severus' brain from the first time he saw them

"It's our guest. No one knows where he is. The paper is saying he's presumed dead because that Harry Potter boy watched him get...eaten by a snake?! What the hell is going on at that school?" Hazel stated, her face amused and dare he say, excited?

"Your world is full of oddities, that is for certain. So, we're harboring a fugitive? Sounds about right for us, but do you reckon he still feels like murdering people?" the burly redhead asked lightheartedly

"No, I generally prefer to live in a state of self loathing and despair. Outside circumstances forced my hand on that one death" Severus decided to give away his location and introduce himself using his dry cut wit