CHAPTER 1: The Muggle, The Geasy Git and The Proud Wizard.

THE smell of a hot roasted coffee was a bless, especially if one was having it first thing in the morning. Claire Rollin inhaled deeply her freshly brewed cup of coffee, and let out a satisfied sigh. Sitting comfortably on her study desk in the room, with papers and reference books everywhere within her sight, Claire couldn't help but to think life couldn't get any better than this.

Claire slowly raised the cup to her mouth to take a little sip of her coffee, when something had nearly made her spilled the coffee on the desk and thus, ruined her newly cleaned white t-shirt－a loud moan came from one of the rented room in the apartment, beside her private room.

Claire hissed at the hot coffee spilled on her shirt and some part of her right hand. She got up and rushed to the bathroom, to the sink and turned on the cold tab water to wash away the coffee stained on her hand and to cool down the heat.

All the while she was doing so, the disturbing noises came from the rented room grew louder by seconds, much to Claire's great annoyance. Washing her hands with soap, before drying it with a clean cloak, Claire made her way to the rented room, fully prepared to give the room's resident half of her mind for ruining her peace first thing in the morning.

She knocked the next room's door hard, rapidly and loudly.

"No one is interested in listening to your early morning activities, Lucius Malfoy. Kindly drop it or keep it DOWN!"

And then she stomped away, to the kitchen where breakfast was served.

"Tough day already?"

"How can you stand hearing that every single morning?"

"That's because I've put on a Silence Charm in my bedroom every night. Perhaps you would like one in yours too?"

Claire rolled her eyes. "Thank you for TELLING this to me up until now! Honestly Severus Snape, you really are a mean person." She narrowed her eyes at the black greasy haired older man with a baritone voice, smirking at her, before taking her seat at the small rounded dining table in the kitchen.

Claire looked at the delicious pancakes served by the older man and nodded her head rapidly in approval. Taking the honey bottle on the table, she poured it all over her pancakes before offering to do the same for her house mate.

"Thank you." The man nodded.

Claire acknowledged his thanks, picked up her fork and began to eat silently.

Who would have a thought that she would be having a decent meal WITH Severus Snape, the most hated and despicable Potion Master from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Wizarding World of all the people and survived afterwards?

If anyone from the Wizarding World witnessed this scene, they would surely think the war had changed the ever so mean Potion Master for the better.

For Claire Rollins, she had never been one to believe in anything related to supernatural. She was the type of person who believed strongly that if she could touch something and see it, then it was real.

Which was why when the first time she met the two men who had claimed they were Wizards from the Wizarding World, Claire had broke into a laughing fit, thinking not only did she was at the edge of losing her sanity, but these two men before her were crazier than her!

It wasn't until Severus had shown her through Legilimency Spell, that instantly made Claire believed what they were saying was true. She found out later that the two Wizards, were one of the many survivors from a recent Wizarding War known as the Battle of Hogwarts.

Both had claimed they were pardoned from the executions and punishments they'd been responsible for in the Battle, and left the Wizarding World after the trials with hope to rebuild their new lives away from the harsh and painful memories.

For Severus Snape, after he'd almost died from being bitten by a gigantic snake, he desperately wanted a new start after being both a spy and a servant to the once fearsome Dark Lord, Lord Voldemort, and also, to the greatest and powerful Wizard in his time, Albus Dumbledore, for more than decades.

For the once proud and veined Lucius Malfoy who was also, the Patriarch of the Malfoy's Fortunes, having to lose his beloved wife in the war had hit him harder than anything he'd been through. In his grief for his wife, he'd chosen to abandon everything and left the Wizarding World－leaving his only son to manage the Malfoy's business in his absent.

"Ah, before I forget," Severus waved his wand and a gold pouch appeared before them on the table.

"I'd went to the Gringotts Wizarding Bank yesterday and had it exchanged the currency. That should be enough to pay for this month's rent and on top of that, buy our monthly supplies as well. "

Claire frowned at the pouch laying on the table before her. She turned her attention back to her half-eaten pancakes.

"I'll pay my own share, Severus. You know that. Besides, this is more than just for a monthly supplies, isn't it? You're paying for him too, didn't you?"

Severus sighed heavily. "Miss Rollins-"

"Don't you 'Miss Rollins' me, Snape!" She pointed the edge of the sharp fork at him. Snape raised an eyebrow but didn't say or do anything. He simply crossed his hands over the chest and allowed the young woman to continue with her rants.

"It's been five freakin' months! How long does he plans on grieving for his dead wife like this? It's not even healthy! Bringing home bimbos whom he'd picked up on the street every night, why, he might as well helps us out with the money issues we're currently facing here!"

"Losing someone you greatly loved is not an easy process to heal, Miss Rollins. It takes a long time to recover and to be able to pick yourself up again. Lucius just needs some time. He'll get over it soon."

Claire chewed thoughtfully at the last piece of her pancakes.

"It's not that I'm don't pity him,Severus. I am and I do still. It's just that, he's been taking those bimbos out to fancy restaurants, wasting money on them on expensive gifts and whatnot, while the two of us are forced to save our savings and eat the yesterday's meals and canned food! It's so unfair. I don't even expect him to clean up the house, but will it kills him to contribute his share of the rent and maybe, shared a bit of his good fortunes with us?"

Severus sighed again. He waved his wand and the two dirty plates went to the sinks and washed themselves.

Claire sighed heavily. As much as she liked to watch the magic he used in her presence, she was certainly not in the mood to be fascinated by it this morning.

Severus stood up, brushing for any lints stuck on his dark blue long sleeves turtle-neck sweater. He stared at the young Muggle who was still fuming over the money issue.

"Miss Rollins, regardless how you felt about Lucius, I must insist you use the money I've given you to pay the rent for the three of us and buy all the necessarily supplies we need. Now, I would love to stay here and chat more with you, however, I do have classes to teach." Severus pitched the bridge of his nose. Already he felt a migraine was coming even before he leave this place.

If the students whom he'd taught in Potions at Hogwarts, whom he'd often referred to as 'dunderheads', and had the pleasure of punishing them whenever they made mistakes had made his Hogwarts days miserable, the Muggle students whom he now taught in Chemistry was even more worse!

The only thing Severus Snape was thankful for while teaching those idiotic Muggles was that no explosions or magical side-effects would occur in the Chemistry lessons.

Claire chuckled heartedly at Severus' hard facial expression. She knew exactly what went on through his head; she saw it every morning before he left for work. Her chuckles had earned her a playful glare from the brooding man. Times like this, it made the burdens on her shoulders a bit lighter to know that ever since she had established a friendship in Severus since he became her housemate, her workloads had decreased rapidly.

It wasn't easy, to say at the very least, to make friends with Severus Snape and gained his trust and respect. He was a very private man who would only speak when spoken to. It taken Claire three months to be exact, to earn his trust and finally, gained his respect.

Claire remember exactly how it happened; how she first befriended with Severus Snape.

It was on the third months since they had became house-mates. Claire had been staying up late to write a report when she heard a sound, a low murmuring sound coming from the next door.

At first, she'd simply ignored it.

It wasn't any of her business to meddle whatever her house-mates do in their own private room.

But as the time passed by, the low murmuring sound became louder and soon, it turned to a loud shout that Claire could made up the words through the thin walls in the silence of the night.

"No... My Lord.. Please..."

That got her indeed curious. Claire got up from her seat and made her way to Snape's room. She took in the dark, still debating whether she should be standing here in the first place.

Eventually, Claire had decided it was best to knock on the door and got it over with.

"Mister Snape?" Claire had gently knocked on the door again. "Is everything okay, Mister Snape?"

When there had been no sound on the other side of the door, Slowly, she'd turned the knob. Claire had been surprised he didn't locked it at night.

Ah well. It's not as if she had any intention of coming to a grown man's private room late at night after all.

Claire was merely wondered why he chose to leave his room unlocked that's all.

His room was dark, but she could still made out a few stuff in there with the help the little light from the moon. Like, the forest green curtains hanging by the window to the right, the study desk filled with organized parchments and (is that a quill on his desk?), and also black and red inks.

On his bed itself, was a small cupboard where he kept a table lamp, digital clock and also a half-empty bottle of red whiskey.

But that hadn't been the room that caught her attention at that time.

It was the man on the bed.

He had been struggling in his sleep. Beads of sweat on his forehead. His hands on his throat, as if he was choking himself.

Claire had rushed over to the bed. She carefully tapped him on the shoulder, waking him up from his nightmare.

"Mister Snape, wake up! Wake up, Snape!"

Severus opened his eyes in panicked. Without any warning, he summoned his wand and launched curse spells at her.

"Expalliarmus! Stupefy!"

At a close distance, the pains from the curses were unbearable. Before Claire knew what was going on, her world had turned to a total blank.

When Claire woke up a moment later, she found herself on the bed, in his room with the table light on the small cupboard beside the bed had been switched on.

Severus was sitting on the chair beside the bed. His eyes, filled between fear and anger. They had been staring at her even before she woken up.

"Why are you here, Miss Rollins?" His voice was cold and unkind. It'd actually made her flinched a little bit.

"You, made me came here actually."

"Explain." Severus raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms on the chest.

Claire sighed. "I was doing some work in my room when I'd heard murmurs coming from your room. Initially, I'd thought of ignoring it, but the murmurs grew louder and eventually became a shout. I'm surprised your 'friend' didn't wake up. You were actually quite loud."

"I see." Severus spoke after a long pause.

He uncrossed his hands and handed her two types of portions; Calming Draught and Blood Replenishing. He'd then proceeded and told her to take them as soon as possible.

After she had reluctantly drank the potions, Severus gave her a final glance before he stood up and said, "You may rest in here for tonight, Miss Rollins. I apologised for disturbing and on top of that, hurting you in the first place. Rest assure it will not happen again."

"Now hold on a minute here!" Claire got up from the bed. "This is your bed and this is your bedroom. I'm should be the one who leave, not you!"

"No." Severus shook his head. "I insist. You've been through something that usually a Muggle would not have survived. Yet you did, at such a close range nevertheless. Bear in mind, it's not my intention to keep you in my bed all night long, Miss Rollins. I'm just simply taking precautions, just in case there are any side-effects to the curse."

"Fine. Where are you going to sleep then? There's isn't any space left on this single bed."

"You don't need to worry about me, Miss Rollins." Severus walked to the edge of the bed. With a wave of his wand, he transformed the book shelves on her left, to a simple makeshift bed.

"Now rest. Merlin knows you need one." He switched off the light again, with a wave of his wand.

Claire rolled her eyes at his comment and slide her down to the comfort of the bed. His bed. Indeed, she had been feeling sleepy before Severus disturbed her. Closing her eyes, Claire remembered something that might just helped him got over with his nightmares and sat up.

"Mister Snape?"

"What, Miss Rollins?" Came a tired tone from the man.

"Um.. You know the nightmares you had a while ago? It's not the first time, you know. You've been doing that ever since you came here."

"My apologies for causing such grief and disturbance to your peaceful nights, Miss Rollins. I will be sure not to disturb you in the near future then."

"That's not what I meant! Listen, I may be able to provide you something to ease the nightmare. That is, if you would allow me to..."

She could heard him sighed heavily in the darkness beside her.

"I doubt whatever you had in mind could possibly be the cure to end my long-time nightmares, Miss Rollins. Now if you don't mind, I would like to get some sleep."

"Judge me all you want, Mister Snape, but I do believe what you need is a human contact. Here, I'll show you."

"Merlin's Beard, woman! Go to sleep! What makes you think you could-" Before he could finished his words, Severus felt a soft hand reached out and clamped his hand with hers.

Severus was stunned and speechless.

Here was a young woman, half his own age, was holding onto his hand like it was nothing. Nobody dared to do that to him.

No women ever dared to touch him. They all feared him.

"When I was a child, I often had nightmares. My mother would held on to my hand each night as I went to sleep. It actually worked. The nightmares eventually ended and I was able to sleep by my own." Claire looked at his direction with a small smile. "Sometimes what you need the most is just a simple human touch, Mister Snape. I may not know you well enough, and I highly doubt whatever visions that you'd shown me was enough to know who you really are, but at the very least, let me offer you something: a friendship. You look like you desperately need one."

A friendship. That he wanted so much but never had the chance. He had it once, but he'd lose his friendship with Lily Evans because of his own stupidity.

Not only had he lose her friendship, he'd lose her as a person to love as well.

Slowly, Severus curled his fingers around her.

He could do this again.

He could try to open up his heart and build a friendship. Hopefully, this time, it would last. After all, he did want to start a new life in the Muggle World.

If this young woman was willing to offer her friendship to him, honestly, how bad could he possible be?

That was how their friendship begun.

In time and slowly, they developed a strong bond.

Each night, before he drifted to sleep, Severus would hold on to her hand and opened up about his bad childhood past little by little, and his life as the infamous 'greasy git' Professor at Hogwarts.

Claire in return, had opened up about her own past to him; of her parents, her friends and her life back at the University. Her heartbreak over her parents' death and disappointment for not be able to pursue her studies.

The two of them continuously to built their friendship over the months. Though sometimes they did clashed with each other's opinions and ideas, it allowed them to understand even more of each other's strengths and weaknesses.

It allowed them to grow.

Together, they've formed a strong friendship and built a trust between them.

CLAIRE let a very unladylike yawn and covered a hand on her mouth. She rubbed her eyes for the tenth times as she reread the reports she'd done earlier over and over again before clinking the 'Send' button and have it delivered to the Editor of the Daily Newspaper.

Working as a freelance columnist for the Daily Newspaper had allowed her to spend more time at home and take care what need to be done. Claire enjoyed tremendously the time she had at home alone.

Except on Fridays and Saturdays.

On Friday, Claire had to leave her comfort home and worked as a waitress at Thomas's Deli across the street from her apartment. Then, on Saturdays, she would be doing her part-time job as a salesperson at a retailed shop in London.

Severus would often picked her up from her part time job due to the late night hour shift and far away distance from home. Ever since they befriended, he had been watching over her like a hawk.

Claire had even referred him to her fellow colleagues and friends as her 'Protective Uncle' whenever he dropped by at her working place.

Which earned her a playful death glare from the man and chuckles from her friends and colleagues.

Stretching her arms, Claire got up from her seat and was halfway heading to the loo when her mobile phone started to ring crazily.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Claire. How are you doing? Listen, I know today is your day off from work, but Cassidy took an emergency leave. Her sister is giving birth. I was wondering if you could come and cover her shift for tonight? I'll even pay you double!" said Mr Doyle, her Boss at the Deli.

"Sure thing, Boss."

"Oh, wonderful! Thanks a bunch, love! See you later tonight then!" He hung up quicker than Claire could say 'bye', before she rushed to her destination before she was rudely interrupted.

Claire closed her phone and turned it to a Silent Mode. She had informed Severus about her working at the Deli tonight and that she had prepared dinner before leaving the apartment.

The time now was eight o'clock sharp at night. The Deli, was fully packed with hungry customers. Claire was dressed in white long sleeved and collared t-shirt and a long black shirt, matched with a pair of black low-heels sandals.

As always, she was always attentive to the customers who need her attentions. When she was bringing two plates of hot meals to a couple seating at the furthest table at the back where it was more private to dine, she was shocked to find who the couple were.

Brown eyes met with dark grey eyes who also looked into her in the same shock state that she was currently in. Neither of them talked until a faint cough disrupted them.

"Lucius, do you perhaps know this girl?" said a young woman irritatingly.

Lucius was the first to break the gaze and coughed lightly. "Yes. She is one of the people I'm currently living with."

"I see." The tone that the woman used, indicated she was clearly not impressed.

"I-I'm sorry!" Claire apologised and served their meals. She then straightened her back. With a clear and professional voice, she asked the couple if they need anything else before she leave.

"No. That will be all, thank you."

"Please enjoy your meals then, Sir. Madam."

Claire walked away discreetly as fast as she could. Once she reached to the counter, away from Lucius' sharp gaze, she broke to a laughing fit.

"What? What?" asked Marina, her best friend and colleague. "What got you so worked up, love?"

Claire took a long deep breath. A wide smile spread across her lips. "I know how much he values his bimbos now!"

Marina raised an eyebrow. "Who and what are we talking about here?"

Claire rolled her eyes and pointed where Lucius and his date were seated. Both didn't looked too happy with each other.

"Oh, your Uncle is here? He's the least favourite one, right?"

"Yes. A proud Malfoy like Lucius would rather killed himself than to dine in a place like this! He's the fancy type kind of man after all."

"Okay. So what got you all worked up?"

"Look at the bimbo! Clearly, he doesn't value her that much if he takes her to eat in a place like this! The bimbo I met this morning, I'd heard from Snape that he took her to a five star hotel in London. Honestly, such a prick!"

Marina sighed and tapped her friend's head. "You've finally lost it haven't you, my dear? Oh, poor baby! Living with two grown men have finally made you lose your nerves!"

Claire rolled her eyes again. "Marina, you're exaggerating!"

"You clearly need to get yourself a boyfriend, Claire Rollins! Ever since your Uncles been staying at your place, they're all you talked about! I know you adored your Uncles, but you need someone to take your mind off them! Now, remind me again how the three of you are related? Why haven't I heard any of them before? I've been your best friend since when we were babies!"

Claire took a deep breath. "They're my paternal uncles. Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy are my father's uncle's cousins. Twice removed. It's pretty complicated to explain to outsiders of the family, really. The very reason why you never heard any of them before is because our family and theirs aren't close." Claire lied.

"Okay. So, how did you met them? Or did they met you?"

"Apparently when the news of my parents' accident reached to the rest of the family, Snape and Malfoy were already in London. They came to the funeral and offered to help me with anything. When I'd told them about the debt I'm in with the renting and all, they'd agreed to move in with me for two reason; one, Snape who was a Chemist, had decided to switch his career to become a teacher. Whereas, Malfoy is a successful Entrepreneur. " A stingy, miserable Git.

Claire forced a smile to her friend. "Basically, they both were in need for a place to stay. As it happened, I have two empty rooms. So, they moved in."

"That's nice of them. At least you have relatives staying with you. Especially during hard time like these." Marina gave her a one arm hug. "But I know you Claire Rollins. You are brave and wise young woman. No matter what happens, you can get through anything if you put your mind into it!"

"Thanks, Marina." Claire smiled warmly at the support. Later, she took out her mobile phone and very discreetly, snapped a picture of Lucius and his date before sending it over to Severus.

About a minute or two later, she received a reply from him.

'He seems to be very unhappy.'

Claire replied, 'Serves the miserable Git right.'

'That is hardly a nice thing to say.'

'Shush you! By the way, Severus, did you checked the mails today? Is there any letters for me from Holland?'

'Yes. From one Amanda Richard. A friend of yours?'

'Sort of. I'll talk to you later. The bloody Git is calling.'

'Be nice.'

Claire walked over to Lucius table. With a steady smile, she asked him, "How may I help you, Sir?"

"Yes. The bill, please."

"Right away, Sir."

Before Claire could walk away, his date asked her where the restroom was.

Claire returned in less than a minute later with the bill and handed it over to Lucius.

"It's funny to see you here of all the places, Miss Rollins. I don't know how much they pay you, but the food here is rather distasteful." He threw in the money.

Claire gave him a subtle glare as she calculated the money and took it.

No change.

Clearing her throat, Claire replied politely.

"Perhaps you should consider eating elsewhere in the future, Mister Malfoy, if the food here is not up to your standards. To be frankly honest, I'm still in shock to see a man of your status taking his date, a brunette, to dine in a place like this. After all, you'd dined at a five stars hotel last night with a gorgeous blonde. Finally decided to be thrifty?"

A hard fist landed on his table, and immediately caught everyone's attention.

Lucius gritted his teeth.

"What I'm doing with my personal life is none of your business, Miss Rollins. It'd be wise for you if you keep your mouth shut about it or else risk of having to deal with unfortunate consequences, Miss Rollins."

Lucius stood up and glared sharply at her, before he walked toward his date, who was busily looking herself through the compact mirror.

He wrapped one hand around her waist and left the Deli.

Claire stared at the empty space.

Had she just being threatened by Lucius Malfoy; ex-Death Eater, terrorist and also a powerful Wizard?

Opening her mobile phone in a rush, she quickly typed a message to Severus.

'I think I'm in need of a protection.'

He replied in less than a minute. 'What happened?'

'Lucius Malfoy has just threatened me.'