Bittersweet (A Severus Snape fanfic)

Prologue

The rain gently pattered against the window pane, and the wind could be heard slowly wrapping itself around the trees and the house. It was 10PM and the dark night sky cast a shadow on the secluded set of houses that sat on the outskirts of a coastal muggle town.

From the outside, the building looked like four, normal terraced houses attached together. From the inside however, it remained one long house, complete with a basement.

The inhabitants of the house were viewed as 'odd' to their muggle neighbours. They rarely exited the house, and when they did it was at bizarre hours. Not once had they been seen to use the back gardens.

So one night, when a bearded elder wearing odd blue robes appeared out of nowhere and began walking up to the house, the neighbours were...intrigued.

The old man knocked on the door, admiring the ivy that had grown across the brickwork and part of the window. He was immediately allowed entry by the eldest of the neighbours.

"Ah, Tezzaria, what a lovely house you have!" The man said politely, as he was shown through to the living room. He sat down on the sofa and accepted the cup of tea the woman had set before him.

"I do take pride in my home." Tezzaria nodded, sitting opposite the man. She looked over into the corner, where a young woman sat painting her nails. "You couldn't paint your nails somewhere else Laura? I've never been fond of the smell that nail varnish emits."

"It smells better than my room. Donald put a stink bomb in there." Laura said with an overly-dramatic sigh. Tezzaria pinched her nose in stress.

"Why is it that none of you kids can ever be trusted?!" She huffed angrily, before getting up. "Sorry, Albus, I'll be back in a tick."

Albus nodded and Laura took out her wand, casting a spell to dry her nails. She then sat next to the old man.

"Long time, no see!" She said with a grin.

"It is Miss.Twycross!" Albus nodded, smiling softly at her. "I'm afraid I'm not here to see you though."

"Please say you're not asking something of the boys?" Laura's face quickly dropped to annoyance and she crossed her arms. "They're incapable of everything."

"No, no. I'm not here for the boys." Albus chuckled, before taking her hand softly and inspecting her nails. "Teal. What an excellent colour. I hope to get some curtains for my study in the same shade."

Laura nodded and looked at her nails proudly. Albus let go of her hand and took a sip of his tea.

"So that must mean you're here for..."Laura rolled her eyes and sighed "...Penny."

"Penelope is a gifted witch, Laura." Albus reminded her. "I was told not to pick you because you would be busy."

"I'm not busy!" The blonde said shrilly.

"It was simply what I was told." Albus said softly, with a twinkle in his eye. "Though I may have a job for you soon."

The old woman returned to the living room and retook her seat. She leaned foward and rested her elbows on her knees, which were spread apart a little. Her hands clasped together, and she looked like a football manager negotiating a plan.

"So, the deal's still on?" She asked, smiling "1000 for Penny."

"We didn't agree on 1000, Tezzaria." The man said sternly.

"I know, I'm just playing." The woman laughed, though it was obvious that she was hoping to boost the deal. "500."

"500." Albus agreed "I'll send one of my staff to pick her up the day before term starts-"

"I'm afraid that you'll have to visit the pharmacy before Penny is allowed to be taken. She needs to pick up some medication before she goes, and I was hoping you'd take her." Tezzaria cut in. "I'm busy at the market."

"Very well." The man nodded "I will take Penny to the Pharmacy two weeks before term starts."

"Nice." Tezzaria nodded "The woman who owns the place, she has a range of different potion ingredients. It may be wise to stock up."

"Thanks for the advice. I'll also send Severus." Albus nodded and stood up. "I'll be seeing you soon."

"Goodbye." Tezzaria nodded, and with that, the old wizard apparated out of the house. "Your room stinks. I'd invest in a lock."

"He'll still find a way." The blonde sighed, walking past Tezzaria and grabbing the air freshener from the cabinet. "Night, Tez."

"Night Laura." The old woman replied, as she cleared up the tea with a flick of her hand.

---

The weather in Cokeworth wasn't much different from the small coastal town that Dumbledore had previously visited. The rain continued to pour, though it was less heavy here. The air was thick with dirt and fog, and the stormy night sky stopped the moon from illuminating much onto the cobbled street.

Dumbledore quickly knocked on the door of a house that sat glumly on a road called Spinner's end, and waited for the door to be answered. He only had to wait briefly, before a grumpy man answered the door.

"Severus, may I come in?" Dumbledore asked with a smile, and the greasy, dark haired, grumpy man who had answered the door moved the door back in one fluid motion, letting the older wizard step into his home.

The door was then swiftly shut, and Severus led the way to his sitting room. He quickly sat down in his arm chair, and Dumbledore took the opposite chair that sat in the corner of the room. Dumbledore peered out of the window, out to the horrible weather.

"Terrible weather, isn't it, Severus?" Dumbledore said, looking back to Severus who was now reading the daily prophet.

"Why are you here?" The grumpy man asked, not even bothering to look at Dumbledore over his paper.

"I need your presence by my side on a trip to a small pharmacy." Dumbledore explained "This year, as you know, we are in need of a few new staff members. One of them needs medication before she joins us at Hogwarts."

"And how does her medication concern me?" Severus said sharply.

"It doesn't. But the pharmacy does." Dumbledore said, crossing his arms. Severus folded the paper and rested it in his lap. "They have an ingredient storage room there. Tezzaria, the woman who sorted out our new professor, informed me that the storage could be of great help to our own collection."

"And you couldn't go on your own?" Severus asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"We both know you're better at potions than me, Severus." Dumbledore smiled, looking over his spectacles at him. "Plus, it will do you good, some human interaction."

Severus glared at Dumbledore, but the elder wizard just chuckled.

"I'll see you in two weeks, then." Dumbledore said after a short pause. "Have a good night, Severus!"

Dumbledore stood up and smiled before disappearing. Severus picked up his newspaper and began reading again.

--A/N: I've never written a fanfic before. I've written countless of one shots and Headcanons, but never a fanfic, and never for Harry Potter either! Anyways, I hope you like the start of this fic. I don't have an upload schedule, I post whenever I've finished a chapter. Please like and comment! Love you!--