Very beautiful CI by moriarty. @ TDA. 
 

Severus groaned grumpily at waking up at a godly hour; he didn't know what woke him up or why, but he didn't feel sleepy anymore. So with that, he pushed himself up against the bed rest, thinking of what he could do at this time of the night, or the morning to be precised.


Eventually, he found himself sitting at the table in the kitchen, already a cup of coffee prepared for him by his house elf or what he believed her to be his friend, Ixia.


"Would, you like anything else... sir?" asked the said elf.


"No thank you," said Severus, sipping the hot liquid carefully. "You may go on about your business."


With a perceptible nod, she walked away, leaving the man alone to his affairs.


'Sir' was better than 'master.' Severus had inherited her when the last member of the Prince family had died two years ago. The man did not want her at first, seeing that he preferred to be alone, but then, despite his personality, he could not turn away someone in need of a place to stay. When he first met her, Ixia was much smaller at the time, but she has grown over the period of her living with him. He insisted that whilst she was under his roof, that she was to address him by his first name, including some other terms such as dressing in proper attire. (Severus refused to have anyone dress in those horrid rags the slaved creatures had to wear.) Also take breaks and awards, if not payment.


Severus knew it wouldn't be so easy for her to live under those conditions, even though she accepted them. At first, she'd slip and still call him the name, 'master,' while apologizing profusely and try to find ways of punishing herself. With that in mind, he had to add more conditions to her being with him, and that was no self-punishing and definitely ceasing the endless apologies; it'd get on his nerves. Of course, with time and patience, she was getting the hang of things, even if it did take her a long time for her to do so.


Staring at nothing but the space of the room, Severus continued to down his drink until all the contents were gone. Next, he got up from his seat and went to the sink to wash off his favorite cup. Once he was finished, he began to look out the curtained window of Spinner's End, focusing on a particular house across the street from his.


Every morning, when he'd wake up, Severus would look at that house, and every night, he would give a brief glance at it before he went to bed. He haven't seen anyone go in or come out whenever he'd return for summer holidays. Perhaps that was because he never hung around long enough to see anything. Usually after watching the house for some time, he would lock himself up in his laboratory to work on potions for stock for the Hospital Wing and for his potion storage in his other lab at a magical school called Hogwarts. Surprisingly today though, the door of the particular house opened, and a lady, quite old, rushed out in her nightie and robes with no shoes on.


His eyes narrowed as he started to realize she was running towards his direction, noticing her distraught expression as she gained closer. Placing his cup into the dish rack, he hastily went to the front door. Opening it up quickly, the lady was already there, long tears staining her cheeks and dripping into her clothes.


"Severus?" The lady asked in confirmation, biting her bottom lip mercilessly.


It took a moment for the said man to find his voice before he responded. "Olivia?"


'Olivia' had let out a choked sob, covering her mouth with her hand and squeezing her eyes shut while more tears dripped from the corner of her eyes. Severus could only look at her dumbfoundedly in his own way. He was not a person of comfort, so he was lost as to what to do.


When Olivia finally had a hold of her self, she began to speak through her hiccups. "Severus... please come with me..."


Still frozen by the door, Severus couldn't understand why she'd even want him around her. The last time they had spoken was five years ago and not under the best circumstances. Shaking himself inwardly away from his horrific thoughts, he made himself not remember.


"Please, Severus. It's urgent!" Olivia begged; her watery eyes searching him pleadingly.


Not being able to withhold any longer, Severus magically summoned his robes soundlessly and threw it on his body. This did not shock the woman though, for Severus knew that she knew of his secret and for a long time now.


Severus almost debated telling Ixia something before he left, but this apparently was an emergency, so he decided to lock the door behind him, and hoped the elf would know somehow of his absence, and he hoped that it wouldn't take him long.


Following after Olivia down the street, Severus cast a glance at the dark eerie sky and wrapped his robes tighter around him from the chilly air. Within minutes they were inside; Severus felt the world around him slow down as he took in the interior of the foyer.


Everything was just the same as it was when he first visited the place: all the pictures and antiques; nothing has changed; he faintly heard Olivia speaking to him as he made his way inside the living room. Again, things were they way they were.


A lump formed in his throat as he became overwhelmed by nostalgia. Luckily, Olivia came to his rescue and pulled him in front of the familiar telly, all the emotion he had disappeared with a quickness as he stared at the screen in confusion.


"In other news," said a male reporter in the television box, "We return to Little Whinging neighborhood for the latest reports." -


Severus felt Olivia's hand gripping tightly to his biceps, distracting him from the broadcasting news for a minute. She looked like she was about to cry some more, but she was trying to hold it in. The man clasped his hand over her's for support. While even though he wasn't the person to give comfort or the person to confide to, it was the least he could do, especially for what happened to her.


Turning his attention back to the telly, the reporter started to talk.


"Here behind me," the male reporter stood to the side for a minute so the camera could get a good look at the house behind him that was completely wrecked from the outside, and there were people surrounding the front area. "Is a house that was broken into and two people were found dead inside."


Severus started to wonder what was the significance of this particular news that had Olivia wanting him to see this, but he waited patiently and continued to watch.


"Neighbors say that they heard a series of loud 'popping' sounds and when they went to investigate from their windows, they saw various lights flashing within the home we're standing in front of." That sent chills down Severus' spine. "As many of them began to call the police, the last thing they saw were bright green flashes and saw a group of smoke busting out of the windows and flying into the sky."


The camera then lifted up to show what Severus thought he'd never see again, at least not any time soon.


And there it was. The Dark Mark.


"She's dead... They confirmed it," Olivia whispered.


Severus turned to her, while still looking sideways at the dark mark mocking him from the box. "Who do you speak of?"


"Petunia... my first baby... she's dead."


Severus jumped as he caught her from falling down onto the floor; he helped her to her couch and crouched in front of her. "How can you be so sure that it's her?" He couldn't help but ask, observing her intently, not letting go of her hand.


Choking down another sob, Olivia said, "B-because, I just talked to her on the p-phone..." She shakily pointed to the phone by the back of the living room where the entry of the kitchen was. It was hanging from the wire, swinging back and forth lazily. "A-and... a-and..."


"And what, Olivia? Tell me!" Severus demanded, gripping onto her elbows now, conveying with his eyes of how important it was for her to keep going.


The said woman stared back into his eyes for a brief moment before she was able to find her voice again. "I... I heard t-them killing her..."


The grip Severus had on her lessened immensely, and his heart plummeted to the pit of his stomach.

---

It did not take long to get in contact with Albus Dumbledore, his employer... his mentor. When Severus met up with the old man, Albus was already ready to leave for Surrey, where apparently Petunia Evans was living.


Albus knew where he was going, so Severus side-apparated with him and appeared blocks away from the residence. Placing on his hood, they made their way down to Number Four to be exact, and Severus couldn't resist thinking how similar all those darn houses were; he wouldn't be able to tell which from what.


Another thing Severus couldn't get out of his mind was how it took a great deal for him and Albus to calm Olivia Evans. Albus handled the situation better than Severus him self ever could. He didn't know how the old man put up with the harsh words: words of a mother who probably still did not forgave him the last time something like this had happened.


Before Severus knew it, Albus and him were in front of the house that was on the telly. The crowd clearly did not go anywhere, which irked Severus to no end. Surely people had better things to do then to be putting their noses into business that's not theirs.


"Everyone, please move aside, so officials can come through."


And the people did just that, though there were a lot of bustling and stepping over people's toes. As the crowd divided through the middle, a dark skinned man approached them and shook Albus' hand.


"Albus," the dark skinned man spoke, who Severus recognized to be Kingsley Shacklebolt, an auror from the Ministry of Magic. "Am I glad to see you."


"Likewise, my friend. I made it as soon as I could." Albus replied, smiling sadly at the other man.


While the two men were exchanging greetings, Severus carefully listened to the noise of the audience. A couple of things he picked up were quite intriguing.


"Yes, the Dursleys are dead."


"What happened to their son?"


"What about that other boy... what's his name?"


"Authorities can't find him... Strange lad that one is."


"Come, Severus." Albus touched his shoulder.


Severus followed the old man into the house, immediately feeling the aura of dark magic. On the floor, by the stairway, was a white tracing of where the corpse was. Severus looked away instantly, finding himself looking at the photos instead: each and every one of them. And there was one thing that Severus found odd. "Albus?" He called the old man's name without turning around.


"Yes?" He heard the old man answer back.


"Doesn't... Potter... live with Evans?"


"Yes,"


Then why Potter isn't in any of of the pictures? Severus thought. Instead of the dark haired boy that he knew the boy had, the one in pictures had blonde hair.


Severus looked down at the outlining of... Evans' figure that was very close to the wall by the stairs. He noticed that the wall was bare compared to the rest of the decorated house. Stepping cautiously to the wall, Severus felt something radiating from it, almost like a strong energy.


"Severus?" Turning his head around, he saw Albus and Kingsley watching him questioningly.


Not giving them an answer, Severus carefully placed his hand on the wall, and he was filled with strange warmth. Not too long afterwards, Severus heard gasps and sounds of shock when the wall began to melt.


Severus did not move his hand, for he felt no danger. The wall melted completely into a door. A cupboard, Severus figured. He exchanged glances with those behind him for a little bit, then he took out his wand as did the others.


"Alohomora," whispered Severus and the door flung open. What was inside, made Severus forget how to breathe.


In there, was a boy staring back at him with those frightened emerald eyes that haunted him to this very day. Harry Potter.
 

---

Edited: 3/21/13


A/N: Dear readers,


First and foremost, I'd like to say thank you for those of you who are reading this. I hope that you're enjoying it so far.

Secondly, I was once known as Angels17 and Angels93 - the one who wrote "Harry Potter Dream," "Behind the Haunted Green Emerald Eyes" and "Harry Potter and the Power of Lightning Bolt" before I took them down and get those accounts deleted. I won't go into a long story of where and why I disappeared off to, but do know that A.) This story is a rewrite of it and B.) I do plan on bring back "Harry Potter and Power of Lightning Bolt" back as well bigger and better than the last time I had posted it. Learning what I know now of writing has inspired me to update quickly, at least weekly, and probably even sooner than that.


Last but not least, I'd like to acknowledge that I do not own HP but J.K. Rowling does, and a warm thank you to my sister for a quick revise before I posted this. And just to let my readers know, I am working on chapter 2 as I speak.


Again hope you all like this one better than the last one and please review. I'd appreciate to read your opinions and thoughts. Though, do keep negativity to yourself.


Thanks for reading and stay tune for more updates.



- Asphodel