*****I do not own any of this, nor do I make any money from this. I only write for fun, and to help stretch my brain muscles for my own original works.

This fic will be very long, taking Severus from age 11 clear up to at least 38. So, pull up a chair and make yourself at home, it's going to be a long trip. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the story! *****

"Hurry along, Tiddles, the Evans won't wait all day!" Severus looked up at his mother. She had tried to look her best before leaving the house. Her hair was pulled back into a fuzzy looking bun at the nape of her neck, and she was wearing her best clothes. He frowned. If his father saw her wearing those she would surely be in trouble.

"Mum, please don't call me Tiddles." Severus replied. He looked down at his feet as they walked. His pants were too short, his shoes too worn. The luggage his mother had given him looked older than his grandparents. The corners were smashed and frayed, the lock no longer worked and he had watched in despair as his mother had tied it closed with twine.

"You may be a big boy now, going off to Hogwarts and all, but you'll always be my little boy." She ran her hand over her sons' downy hair affectionately. As soon as her hand dropped he reached up to smooth it back down. "Please, remember your manners when we get there. It was kind of the Evans to offer you a ride to the train."

"I will, Mum." Severus sighed rolling his eyes. He wouldn't have dared do that to his Father, but lucky for him he was still passed out from his nightly outing to the local pub. By the time he woke, Severus would be long gone. His heart jumped at the idea of being free, but his stomach sank knowing his mother would have to remain behind and deal with the aftermath of his going away.

"Here we are!" She cried, delighted they had made it in time. The Evans were just coming out of their front door when they made their way to their front gate. One cross looking girl stood by their car, her arms crossed and eyes narrowed as she saw them approaching. The small ginger girl came running at them as fast as her little legs would carry her.

"Severus! I'm so glad you came!" She smiled at him, he returned the smile, bashfully. "Pleased to meet you Mrs. Snape, I'm Lily." She held out her hand to shake the older woman's.

"Good morning, Lily. It's so very nice to meet Severus' friend." His mother shook the child's hand.

"Hello!" A woman called out, waving eagerly at them as she walked over. "I'm Rose, Lily's mother. You must be Severus!"

"Good morning." Severus nodded. He locked eyes with Lily, squirming uncomfortably.

"I'm Eileen, Severus' mother." Elaine held her hand out to Rose, who shook it with enthusiasm. "I cannot thank you enough for offering to take Severus along to meet the train."

"It's nothing really! I'm glad we have a spare seat. Lily's older sister, Petunia, well…she's decided she would rather not go so she will be staying with our neighbor until we return." Rose had turned to look over her shoulder just in time to see her daughter huff and stomp away. "Do you have any children at home?"

"No, Severus is an only child." Eileen replied. Severus looked up and spotted the sadness in her eyes.

"May I ask, are you…like Severus and Lily?" Rose blushed, her green eyes appearing brighter form the color in her cheeks.

"I am." Eileen nodded. "My husband is like you though, so that makes Severus here a half-blood."

"Half-blood?" Rose asked, her curiosity peaked.

"Yes. I am pure blood, which means that both of my parents were magical. Half-blood is when one parent is magical, and then there are children like Lily which are referred to as Muggle-borns." Eileen explained.

"That seems like a rather odd way to classify people who all have the same abilities." Rose wondered aloud.

"It's all nonsense." Severus mumbled causing Lily to cover her mouth as she giggled.

"That train will leaving whether or not two naughty little children are on it!" A deep bellowing voice called out causing Severus to jump. Lily's father was jogging towards them smiling. Severus wondered why Lily's parents smiled so much.

"Hello, I'm Harold, Lily's father." He extended his hand to Eileen.

"This is Eileen, she is Severus' mother." Rose introduced her.

"Pleased to meet you." Eileen shook his hand nervously as she dropped her head and looked to the ground.

"The pleasure it all mine. Severus is a fine young man. I couldn't begin to tell you how much he has eased our Lily's fear." Harold put his arm around his daughters shoulder.

"Severus is a good boy." Eileen nodded.

"I hate to rush you ladies, but we really must be leaving if we are to make it on time." He turned a concerned eye to his wife.

"Yes, dear," Rose was smiling again. "It was nice to meet you Eileen, I do hope to see you again soon." Rose gently pulled Lily away to give Eileen and Severus a moment alone. Eileen lifted the hem of her skirt above her knee and knelt down, looking her son in the eye.

"Severus, behave yourself at school. I know you're a good boy and you are very smart. Write to me when you can." Severus noticed she wasn't smiling.

"Mum, do I have to go? Can't you teach me how to use magic? I can go to a muggle school and learn from you at home, I promise I would help and I wouldn't get under your feet." Severus began to plead.

"No, Tiddles, you must go." Eileen brushed his long hair back from his face.

"I don't want to leave you alone with him, Mum." Severus whispered.

"You needn't worry about me. You go on, do your very best and make me proud. I love you, Severus." Grabbing either side of his face she leaned his forehead towards her and planted a soft kiss there. Quickly she stood up, smoothing her skirt, she grabbed his bag and handed it to him. "Go on, they're waiting for you."

Reluctantly he walked towards the Evans' car, sending a glance over his shoulder to his mother. She was watching him, her arms crossed about her chest, a hand pressed to her mouth. Harold was waiting by the boot to take his bag. Ashamed of it, he didn't want to hand it over. He held it low, hoping Lily's dad wouldn't see it.

"It's alright, Severus." Harold reached over and put his hand upon his shoulder causing him to flinch. "When something is worn like your bag there, it means it has character. Could you imagine the stories that bag could tell of all the adventures it has been on?"

"Yeah?" Severus looked down to his bag.

"Of course. Items like that give a man character, they make you interesting." Harold nodded as he tentatively reached out once more to take the bag from his hand. Severus inhaled deeply before handing it over.

"I don't believe you." Severus finally spoke as Harold shut the boot. "But thank you for trying to cheer me up, Mr. Evans. I know that the other kids will laugh at me, they always do."

"Go on and get in the car." Harold motioned to the car, watching the boy hang his head as he walked.

Severus slid in next to Lily who was giddy from excitement. Mrs. Evans was sitting patiently in the front seat waiting for her husband.

"Severus, did Mr. Evans say what he was doing?" Rose turned and looked at him.

"No, mum." He replied shaking his head. After several moments they heard the boot open and close quickly before Mr. Evans opened his door and got behind the wheel.

"Everything alright?" Rose asked.

"Fine, darling. Let's get these kids to the train station." He started the car and began to pull away. Severus looked out of his window, his eyes finding the form of his mother as she walked home without him.

The ride didn't take as long as Severus had expected. He had never been to the city and most certainly had never been to Kings Cross. His jaw was slack with amazement. When Mr. Evans parked the car he sat frozen, wide-eyed, taking in the scenery.

"Come on, Severus!" Lily poked him between the shoulder blades to grab his attention. Opening the door, he walked backwards to the boot so he wouldn't miss anything.

"I would like you to have this, Severus." Mr. Evans gave him a gentle pat on his shoulder. Severus turned around, confused, until he saw the man pointing to a very nice suitcase.

"I couldn't accept that, sir." Severus shook his head. He really did want the suitcase, but he couldn't be impolite, it would hurt his mother if she found out.

"Nonsense, it's a gift. Let's make sure you start out the same as all the other first years. Wouldn't you like that, Severus? A nice fair chance?" Mr. Evans asked. Lily and her mother were standing off away from them, pointing to things and talking. Severus looked back to Mr. Evans, and battled internally.

"Sir, is it impolite to accept a gift?" Severus finally asked. He didn't have much experience with gifts. The last gift he could remember getting were his school things, from his grandfather. He remembered back just a month before. His mother's father had shown up out of the blue, and took him to Diagon Ally. He had never been there either. His father was angry that his father-in-law purchased everything for him to go to school. In the end, after a night of raised voices and threats, his grandfather left having won out. He was off to Hogwarts. His grandfather had died just three days after their trip. Severus pushed the memory from his mind.

"It can be impolite." Mr. Evans patted the new suitcase.

"I don't want to be impolite. I'll accept the suitcase. Thank you, Mr. Evans." Severus reached down and began to untie the twine of his suitcase, unpacking his meager belongings and shoving them into the new suitcase.

"It's my pleasure, Severus. There, is that everything?" Mr. Evans asked.

"Yes, sir." Severus hoisted the suitcase from the boot before Mr. Evans closed it. "Oh, could you please not toss that in the rubbish bin? My mother wouldn't like that."

"Not a problem. I'll keep is safe for you until you return on holiday. Deal?" Mr. Evans chuckled.

"Deal." Severus felt like he could walk a bit taller now, now that he had a nice suitcase like everyone else. They joined Mrs. Evans and Lily, he could over hear Mrs. Evans questioning her husband about the suitcase. He whispered something to her before she looked down at him, with pity in her eyes.

"Oh, Severus, isn't this exciting?" Lily exclaimed as they walked into the station.

"Yeah." He replied, but excitement wasn't the emotion he was feeling.