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The Long Road	By : SinisterMe Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Snape/Remus Views: 63598 -:- Recommendations : 3 -:- Currently Reading : 18
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Harry Potter world, which is trademarked by J. K. Rowling. This story is purely for entertainment purposes, no money is being made from it.

Chapter List
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Severus woke around the same time he usually did, lying in bed for a while and looking up at the ceiling. Today would be interesting, if nothing else. He rose and dressed, careful not to wake Lupin, who had an arm thrown across his face and still seemed to be sleeping soundly.
He went into the bathroom, washing his face and trying to wake himself up completely before going to peek in to see it Teddy was awake yet. He found the boy curled up in the far corner of his bed, the sealer jar that had been placed in there as a nightlight tucked securely in his arms. It was odd that the boy was still slumbering, so far he had been a consistently early riser.
He let the boy be, heading downstairs and putting on a pot of coffee. He read the Prophet and drank a cup in peace before going back upstairs to rouse Lupin. The werewolf was already awake, lying entwined in the covers and blinking his eyes blearily. Severus got him up and dressed, floating him down the stairs in his armchair as usual, setting him down at his place at the kitchen table.
“Where is Teddy?” Remus asked as Severus pushed a cup of coffee at him across the table.
“Still asleep; he’ll get up when he’s ready,” Severus said, sliding a section of the paper over to Lupin.
Remus nodded, flipping idly through the pages. They shared a companionable silence while drinking their coffee and reading the gossip in the paper.
Snape was filling his second mug before the little boy rounded the corner, rubbing his eyes. He looked surprised to see both of them up and about.
“’Morning,” he yawned.
“Good morning,” Remus said cheerfully. “Did you sleep well?”
Teddy seemed reluctant to answer, sitting at the table and plunking his dragon down on it. “Not really…” he said.
“Why not?” Remus asked, closing his chunk of the paper and looking attentively at his son.
“I woke up and… I don’t know. It was scary; maybe it was another dream?”
“Do you remember what it was about?” Remus asked, concerned.
Teddy snuck a look over at Snape and shook his head.
Severus put down his coffee. “You’re not going to upset me,” he said. “We have no control over our dreams.”
“I dreamed you died!” Teddy blurted out, looking at Snape with wide eyes. “When he hit you with the magic, it burned you all up, not just your shoulder!” The boy sounded very forlorn about the whole thing.
“Why didn’t you come looking for me or your father?” Severus asked calmly, having a hard time believing his imaginary death would have such an impact on the child.
“I was afraid it might be true and I didn’t want to know if it was!”
“You found the nightlight, I assume?”
“Yes, sir. I’m very glad you’re okay!” The boy did sound quite relieved about it.
“It would take more than Harry Potter to kill me,” Severus smiled. Although he was sure that was what Voldemort had thought too, right up until the end. He would be saying something completely different if all of a sudden he had to teach the brat all over again for another seven years. “Everything is going to be fine, Teddy.”
“But he’s coming back today,” Teddy said as if that would explain everything.
“He’ll be much better behaved today,” Remus said, hoping it was true.
Snape ‘harrumphed’, taking a sip of his coffee. Personally, he thought it quite endearing that the boy had been concerned for him, even if it was over a dream; especially since in his last nightmare the child had dreamt he’d whipped him. It just went to show the meandering paths people’s subconscious minds wandered down. He stood and went to the stove, putting on a large pot of oatmeal and preparing it quickly, serving up three steaming bowls.
They managed to get through breakfast and the dishes without interruption. Teddy was looking over the book Snape had given him the other morning, already saying the letters with it as it magically ready them aloud. Remus was watching him from across the table with pride shining from his face. Snape had to admit to himself that the boy brought out the best in both of them and he probably wasn’t even aware that he was doing it.
He put the dishes back in the cupboard after drying them by hand. He exited the kitchen, returning with a couple of books, a scroll of parchment and quill. These he placed on the kitchen table, sliding one of the hardcovers over to Remus.
“Just in case you’re feeling like joining the club,” Severus said, looking over at Teddy, who had his face buried in his book.
Lupin recognized it as the novel he’d been reading for a while now. “Thanks, sir.”
Snape just opened his book and began to read, scribbling notes in his spidery writing every once in a while.
They sat in tranquility for a while; only the sounds of pages flipping, Snape’s quill scratching at the parchment and Teddy’s soft voice were heard. Severus thought he could quite get used to this; a little company never hurt anyone.
Just then there was a hesitant knock at the front door. Damn and blast, must he always be wrong?
Teddy’s head snapped up at the sound and he grabbed his dragon off of the table, holding it close to his stomach. Remus closed his book and looked at Severus to see what he would do.
Snape merely set down his quill, marked and closed his book and stood. “I wonder who that could be,” he said sarcastically to himself. He turned to head to the door.
“Take me with you, sir,” Remus requested. Teddy climbed off of his chair to stand by his father, indicating that he would like to come as well, though he looked much more uncertain about it.
“Alright then,” Severus sighed, levitating the chair. “Let’s go answer it before the stupid boy tries to open it himself and ends up turning my house into a wind tunnel.” He walked them through the living room, setting Lupin’s chair down in there; he went on in to the dining room that attached to the veranda. Severus then went into the porch and opened the front door.
Standing on his front step was, of course, none other than Harry Potter. The more irritating fact was that he was flanked on either side by a fully grown Weasley and Granger. Surely this was the stuff of nightmares? Was it too late to add a shot of whisky to his coffee? Perhaps if he just politely slammed the door in their faces they would all go away.
“’Morning, Snape,” Harry said, his tone edgy.
“Yes it is; my compliments for noticing. When we parted yesterday, I said bring tact and common sense. I didn’t say anything about Weasley,” Severus said with a raised eyebrow; he had to get a dig wherever possible.
“Yes, well… after what happened yesterday, Ron and Hermione didn’t think it was such a good idea that I come over here by myself again,” Harry admitted, running his hand through his messy hair in the same aggravating manner his father had. Severus had to take a deep breath; why did this boy always have the ability to get under his skin without even trying?
“Because they were afraid you would try something equally stupid today; or for fear that you might not show back up after our little visit?” Severus asked acidly.
“A little of both, sir,” Hermione said with a quirk of her lips.
He turned his attention to her briefly, finding the young lady smiling. She always did have more sense than her male counterparts; she, at least, could tell he wasn’t being all that serious, despite his tone.
“Well are you going to invite us in or are we going to stand on your front step all day?” Harry asked impatiently.
Snape smirked, closing the door a little, “Well, since I get a choice…”
“Get off it, Snape. Let’s be reasonable here,” Harry said.
“Oh yes, I see – there are witnesses, we have to be reasonable today!” Harry turned red in the face; Severus wondered if it was from anger or embarrassment. Oh this really was too much fun! “Stop spluttering and come in then,” he snapped, stepping aside.
The three of them shuffled into the house; Snape closed the door behind them, ushering them through the dining room and into the living room.
Snape took them in for a second; they were all older than the last time he had seen them, their appearances had changed considerably; he supposed, so had his own. He wondered what Remus would look like to them, shrunken and thin as a rail; his feet balled up in swaths of bandages. Teddy was a boy now, his infancy left behind years ago.
Severus led them into the living room. He wondered if those were tears he saw in Granger’s eyes as she looked upon them for the first time from where they were waiting.
“Hello Hermione; Ron; Harry,” Remus smiled. “It’s good to see you all again.”
“Remus!” Hermione said, rushing forward with her arms held wide.
Teddy’s eyes got big and he hurried out of the way, moving to stand by Snape, startled by all of these unfamiliar people. Severus rested his hand on the child’s shoulder lightly, wondering if Teddy had come over here because he was frightened or because the boy trusted him to defend him.
Remus returned her embrace, a startled look on his face and flinching despite himself. What was Harry doing bringing all of these people over here without permission? Severus surely wouldn’t enjoy having his home invaded by anyone uninvited, let alone the entire Gryffindor trio.
Hermione pulled back and he was confronted now by Ron, who had a sloppy grin on his face. Ron stuck out his hand, like he wanted to shake with Remus. Lupin accepted his hand, not expecting the young man to come in for a one armed hug also. Ron let go and went to stand by Hermione, apparently unsure of what to do now.
“Well everybody sit down then,” Severus said, sounding more irritated than he was. He levitated Lupin’s chair so it was closer to the sofa. “I’d call Fred to make some tea, but I’m afraid of what he will put in Mr. Potter’s; so I’ll do it myself. It’s only polite.” As he started to walk toward the kitchen, he noticed that Teddy had his fist gripping onto his robe. “Come on, then,” he consented quietly to the boy.
Teddy followed close to his side even after they were through the door and in the kitchen. Severus pulled out a large tray, setting out his mismatching tea cups instead of the good china; otherwise Fred would kill him. He set the kettle on to boil, getting down on one knee to be the same height as Teddy, who hadn’t left his side through the entire procedure.
“Is everything alright?” he asked the boy.
Teddy shrugged then clutched his dragon a little more tightly.
“You don’t have to worry; those people aren’t here to hurt you or your father,” Severus assured.
“Who are they, sir?” Teddy asked.
“Well, you remember Harry Potter from yesterday,” he and Teddy both looked at the ward covered hole in the wall. “The lady is Hermione Granger and the other man is Ronald Weasley. The three of them are friends of your father’s.”
“Why did they come here, sir?”
“I imagine they came to see you and your father; to make sure you were both okay.”
“They didn’t come to see you?” Teddy asked.
Snape actually chuckled at the idea. “No, they certainly didn’t.”
Teddy looked more nervous than ever. “Are they going to want to talk to me?”
“Yes,” Severus said, pondering how he would explain this all to Teddy, “They want to be friends with you and your father; I know it’s frightening to meet new people. Your father or I will be with you at all times; I’ve known these three since they were children themselves, they won’t try to harm you.”
“But yesterday-” Teddy protested.
“Yesterday was unique; how about you try giving them another chance? I know it’s difficult, but I would like you to try.”
“But what if they don’t like me?”
“I don’t think you have much to worry about where that is concerned. You are a very friendly, considerate boy; they would be daft not to like you.”
“…Okay,” Teddy said, clearly not convinced.
The water began to boil.
Severus stood and took the kettle off the burner, filling a large teapot and tossing in a couple of bags of tea he’d prepared from the garden. He turned around to see Granger standing just in the doorway. He wondered how long the girl had been there. She was looking at him rather strangely; maybe she had heard his conversation with Teddy.
“I was just coming to see if you needed a hand, Professor,” Hermione explained. “Sweet Merlin!” she muttered upon seeing the damage to the outside wall.
“What, you don’t like the remodel?” he joked darkly. “I’ve not been anyone’s Professor, let alone yours, in years. I’ve got everything in hand, go on ahead,” he said to Granger. “Ready?” he asked Teddy.
The boy nodded. Snape took up the tray and followed Hermione back into the living room. The conversation the other three was having hushed immediately.
Snape pretended not to notice, setting the tray down on the coffee table. He pulled a wing back chair away from the wall and sat down. No one said a word.
“Well isn’t this pleasant?” Severus said out loud to the room.
“Well it certainly could be,” Harry replied sullenly.
“Harry,” Hermione warned.
“Yes I know, best behavior,” Potter mimicked.
“I see some things never change,” Severus said. He looked at Teddy, who was still standing at his side even though he was seated. “Would you like to sit down, Teddy?”
The boy shrugged, looking at the open space next to one of the strange people with trepidation.
Snape stood and pulled another chair closer in between him and Remus. “How about now?”
Teddy nodded, climbing onto the chair. “Thank you, sir.”
“Not a problem,” Severus answered quietly. He looked over to see the entire room looking back at him. Severus leant forward and poured himself a cup of tea, mostly for something to do with his hands. There had never been so many people in his house at once (or at all) since he’d started living here after the war.
“Thank you for having us over, sir,” Ron said, seeming to remember his manners.
Snape fought the urge to say that he hadn’t invited them over in the first place. He gave a jerky nod instead.
“Yes; it’s a very nice place,” Hermione agreed.
Severus thought this discussion had better come with a barf bag if it went on for much longer.
“’You certainly have gotten big, Teddy,” Hermione continued, smiling sweetly at the little boy from across the table.
Teddy shrunk down, putting his stuffed dragon in front of his body protectively.
“That is a very nice dragon,” she said, leaning forward. “Where did you get him?”
“Sir gave him to me,” Teddy answered in a small voice. “He’s a German Spinescale.”
Harry shifted where he sat on the couch. Ron seemed to be taking his cues from Potter and stayed quiet.
“That’s wonderful,” Hermione said, pouring herself a cup of tea. She seemed determined to make the best of the situation. “I’m not your mum, make your own tea,” she said to the boys in a stage whisper. Ron went for the pot, passing it over to Harry when he was done. Harry set it back on the tray.
Severus set his cup on the edge of the table, pouring another one and passing it to Remus.
“Thank you, sir,” Remus said immediately. He turned to the other three. “My hand is healed, but still quite weak,” he explained, flexing his fingers in the air for them to see.
Harry shot a withering look at Snape; who just about snorted into his teacup. Hermione just looked at Lupin steadily, silently asking for an explanation. Ron seemed to be trying not to look at anything unparticular, shifting his gaze nervously around the room.
“I was in bad condition when Teddy and I were retrieved from the auction house,” Remus said, losing some of his colour. “The worst of my injuries are still mending,” he gestured to his feet.
“How do you get around?” Ron asked.
“Sir levitates me around in this chair,” Remus smiled. “Of course I didn’t go anywhere until recently; I slept most of the time when I first arrived here.”
“What kind of injuries did you have?” Harry asked, a concerned look on his face.
“Well- I was burned quite seriously over a lot of my body; I think my ribs were damaged as well. Apparently they don’t do upkeep on inherited slaves at the auction, probably because we don’t make them any money,” Remus said, smiling ruefully.
The trio all appeared to be trying to hide their awkwardness with Lupin’s last statement. The other man didn’t notice as he was looking at his knees, but Snape saw it clear as day.
Hermione was the first to recover. “You’re looking rather well for all of that, Remus,” she said.
“Yes, well I’ve been getting lots of rest and sir has me on a regimen of potions,” he said.
Hermione sipped her tea, “I’m glad to hear it.”
“Sir?” Teddy asked quietly, not wanting to attract the attention of the entire room.
“Yes?” Severus replied, leaning closer so he could hear the boy.
“May I have something to drink?”
“Certainly,” Severus nodded, wondering why he hadn’t thought of that when he was making up the tray. He stood and went to the kitchen, pouring a tall glass of apple juice and taking it back to Teddy.
“Thanks,” the boy smiled up at him, taking a long drink of his juice.
Snape picked his cup back off the table, wishing he had an easy way out of this awkward hell of a conversation.
“So, what?” Harry asked, seeming to be letting go of something he had been reigning in for some time. “You all just sit around the house and Snape brings you beverages and everything is just wonderful?”
“Harry!” Hermione pleaded.
“Maybe this is a conversation Teddy shouldn’t be privy to,” Remus suggested, looking imploringly at Severus. Harry was known to have a bit of a temper; Teddy was very sensitive to such strong emotions and Remus didn’t like the idea of frightening him.
Snape could take a hint. “What do you say, Teddy, would you like to go into the kitchen and look at your books some more? I’m sure Fred would sit with you.”
Teddy nodded, looking quite relieved.
“Fred? Who the hell is Fred?” Ron asked with raised eyebrows.
Fred appeared suddenly in the middle of the living room. “You has better be watching your language, young man. I is being Fred, you is having a problem with that?”
“Erm… No?” Ron replied. “I’ve just never encountered a House Elf named Fred before.”
“Well you is encountering one now,” Fred said, putting his hands on his hips.
“Fred, would you go and sit in the kitchen with Teddy for a while? There might be just a little too much commotion for him right now,” Snape asked.
“Oh come, little one. We is not being interested in their conversation anyway, right?”
Teddy grinned, accepting Fred’s hand when it was held out to him. He took his dragon and his apple juice and went into the kitchen with the house elf.
“Nice fellow,” Ron said uneasily.
“He’s still rather angry about the state of his kitchen,” Severus said in way of explanation. He waved his hand and a simple ward wove its way over the door between the kitchen and the living room. That way Teddy would be sure not to hear anything that would upset him.
“We told Harry not to come here yesterday; we’d only just found out where Remus was. We’d known he and Teddy were alive for some time before the Professor was able to get him from the auction house; we just couldn’t find him until his paperwork was filed with the Ministry,” Hermione said. “Harry was livid; we tried to get him to stay at our place but he Apparated away.”
“You can stop talking about me like I’m not here, Hermione,” Harry said.
Hermione rolled her eyes and took another drink of her tea.
“Yes, okay; I was bloody angry when I came over here, okay? Good thing I had a couple of hours to cool down while I picked through Snape’s wards,” Harry continued.
“Yes, how fortunate for everyone,” Snape said with a sneer.
“Yes, well if you hadn’t been such a bastard and kept the fact that you knew where Remus and Teddy were completely to yourself, I might have had the chance to react differently.”
“Oh yes, I see now. It was completely my fault you broke onto my property and demolished my kitchen. Thank you for clearing that up,” Snape snarled. He really had to get it together; he began to clear his mind, taking a very deep, very even couple of breaths.
“Well you could have sent out an owl, at the very least,” Harry said.
“Yes, I could have; however, I didn’t. Yet here you are in my living room anyway. Funny how things work out, isn’t it?” Severus really didn’t have a reason as to why he hadn’t informed the Order. Other than the fact that he had no idea what the Lupin’s condition would be, either physically or mentally, when he went to retrieve them. He knew what Macnair was capable of and had seen him reduce people to nothing more or less than he wanted them to be on more than one occasion. For all he’d known, he was going to pick up a man whose spirit had been totally broken. He’d wanted to assess the situation before getting a bunch of meddling Gryffindors involved, but he doubted Harry Potter would think that a decent excuse.
“What did you think, that none of us would find out? You just wanted to bring him here so you could do whatever you wanted to him and the rest of us wouldn’t be around to object? Why would Macnair leave them to you anyway? You two were still buddies, or what? You have that much in common with the man that you’re just going to take up where he left off?”
“You talk too much, Potter,” Severus said, sounding bored. “And you’re too easily distracted. So distracted in fact – and by me of all people, I’m flattered, honestly – that you’re not doing what I hope you came here to do. I think I’ll disappear into the lab for a bit so you can get on with it.”
“Merlin, you’re an insufferable git. What do you think I’m really here for, with all your goddamn intelligence and insight?” Harry was a little red in the face he was so angry.
“I think you’re here to reconnect with Lupin, but I’m not entirely sure since you seem to prefer arguing with me.” Severus stood, looking at Remus. “If you need anything, Fred will come get me.”
“Yes, sir.” Remus was at a loss for words. Severus just continued to surprise him.
Harry was silent as Severus walked from the room.
The auditory ward Snape had put in place across the doorway into the kitchen dissolved as he crossed it. The room was so quiet; they could all hear Teddy speaking from the kitchen.
“Hi, sir; what are you doing?”
“I’m heading down to the lab for a while; what are you working on there?” Severus voice was heard.
“I’m colouring a dragon! I’m going to make him the same colours as my dragon!” Teddy sounded quite thrilled about it. Fred smiled indulgently from his seat beside the boy.
“I think that’s a wonderful idea, you’ll have to show me when you’re done.”
“Okay! Can I come down there with you?”
“What about colouring your dragon?”
“…I’ll bring it with me! I can sit at the table and finish it. I won’t be in the way, sir, I promise.”
“I never said you would be; alright, come along then,” Severus finally conceded.
“I is being up here; things is needing to be done in the kitchen,” the house elf said.
“Sounds good, Fred.” He secretly thought that the elf was reluctant to leave their guests unsupervised. He took his books and parchment from off the kitchen table and opened the door to his lab, allowing Teddy to go down the stairs first and closing the door behind them.
A/N: Sorry! This has been my longest wait between chapters yet, and the chapter isn’t even all that long!

Of course, insert the usual excuses here – life just takes over sometimes!

Hope you liked the latest installment – I’ve never written Harry, Ron or Hermione before so please forgive any freedoms I may have taken (or likely will take) with their characters. The next bit definitely won’t be so long in coming.
Let me know your thoughts! You know I love ‘em!
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The Long Road