AN: Hello to all and welcome to a new story! Just a quick note to say that, as with many of my stories, this fic largely ignores books 6 and 7. Any differences to the timeline are fairly irrelevant within the context of this story but most of the changes are explained as we go along.

I will be endeavouring to upload one chapter a week, probably each Friday. So, without further ado, here's the first one.

Chapter 1

The end of the war brought with it many things. For Severus, it brought a freedom he had never known before. Exonerated, pardoned and indeed rewarded with an Order of Merlin (2nd class, but you couldn't ask for everything), he had the very great pleasure of finally being in charge of his own life.

There were celebrations to attend, Ministry receptions to appear at and interviews to give to the press. All these things he did with not one ounce of good grace, behaving as though he was being horribly put upon every single time. The truth, of course, was that he finally felt he had been given the credit he deserved. He had spent years making sacrifices, risking his life at every turn, and not once had he been given any acclaim for it.

Of course, the wizarding world still saw Potter as its saviour. Well, admittedly the boy was the one to finally kill the Dark Bastard, even Severus couldn't take that away from him, but he had received no small amount of help from those around him. If he said so himself, Severus had been primarily responsible for that help.

They had spent many months training together and had even managed to work well together towards the end. Potter had become a capable and dedicated student, a feat that Severus had thought would never be achieved. The year after the boy left Hogwarts for good had been spent learning defensive measures, dark magic and protective shields, all in preparation for his final showdown with Voldemort.

Severus had never imagined that Potter would learn to take instruction well, nor that he would show more talent and skill in defence than almost anyone Severus had known throughout the years. He would never say so to the boy, but he had found himself impressed by the fighter Potter became.

Now he saw him at all the occasions they wound up attending. Potter always made a point of seeking him out at these events, and although Severus did nothing to encourage it, he wasn't as hostile as he could have been. It did his image good after all to be seen with the wizarding world's darling and every picture that was snapped of the two of them together went some way to elevating him in people's opinions.

From what he could tell, Potter seemed to have taken some kind of shine to him. It amused him to offer the boy hints of encouragement, to see how far Potter's courage would take him. Indeed, Severus couldn't quite work out what Potter's endgame was. He was earnest and polite, a far cry from the sullen teenager he had been, but whether it was friendship or something more he wanted Severus couldn't tell.

As the anniversary of Voldemort's fall rolled around, Severus found himself standing in the Ministry's grandest function room making spectacular headway with the free champagne. Thankfully the speeches had been made, most of which Severus had largely ignored, and all the formal recognitions of the anniversary had been observed. All he had to do now was enjoy himself and wait for Potter to make his usual approach.

He had to admit that the boy wasn't looking half bad. His 20th birthday had taken place a few weeks earlier and it seemed that he was maturing into adulthood rather nicely. His sharp green eyes were no longer obscured by unflattering glasses and he had developed a jaw that could cut glass.

Throughout their training sessions Severus had managed to catch a glimpse or two of the boy's body and it had held the promise of becoming something quite delicious. The dress robes Potter was wearing to the anniversary event were tailored closely to his physique and Severus could see that the boy had very little to be self-conscious about.

He was standing speaking with Draco, the two keeping close to one another, serious but not sombre. It was an odd sort of friendship that had developed between them, one born of necessity. Draco had come running back to Hogwarts during the Easter holidays of their 7th year, beaten to within an inch of his life and begging for sanctuary.

He had been inducted into the Order amidst loud and sustained protests from Potter and his sidekicks but somewhere along the way the protests had died down and he and Potter had learnt to work well together. With both Weasley and Granger killed during the final battle, Potter had gravitated to Draco more than ever.

It was strange, but Draco seemed to genuinely like Potter. Invariably they attended these events together and Severus had watched them on several occasions, paying attention to the way they interacted. Potter appeared to feel a great sense of affection for Draco, a sentiment that was obviously returned.

He watched them now, heads bowed low over their drinks. Draco bore little resemblance to the entitled, spoilt brat he had once been. He had grown up quickly after returning to Hogwarts and he had matured into the sensible, competent young man Severus had always believed he could be.

He watched as Potter gestured towards Bill Weasley, who was standing a few feet over speaking with a group of dull-looking men and women. Draco cast his eyes to the man then looked back at Potter, nodding and saying something that had both men laughing. A slight flush crept over Draco's cheeks and Potter clapped him on the back, grinning.

The messy head looked up and Severus found himself meeting eyes with Potter across the room. Here we go, Severus thought, and sure enough he watched as Potter said something to Draco then made his way over.

"Good evening, sir," said Potter with a polite smile.

"Potter," Severus said in acknowledgement. "Thank you for keeping your speech short. I was ready to hang myself by the end of the Minister's."

Potter smiled wryly and said, "It's for my own benefit as much as anyone else's. I've done so many of these things now I'm starting to get sick of the sound of my own voice."

Severus raised an eyebrow and said, "In the interest of civility I shall say nothing."

Potter huffed a small laugh and took a sip of his champagne. "It seemed faintly vulgar to be giving a speech anyway. It may well be the anniversary of that bastard's fall but people seem to forget that it's also the anniversary of a lot of people's deaths," he said, suddenly appearing all of his twenty years and then some.

"Of course," Severus said with a sharp nod. He had no wish to spend the next hour acting as a sympathetic ear for Potter's woes. He felt sorry of course for the losses that had been suffered but he had no wish to discuss them.

"Molly and Arthur couldn't face coming," Potter continued. "Bloody understandable."

Severus couldn't say that he had mourned for Ron Weasley, nor for Granger, but their deaths had hit Potter hard. In the scheme of things Severus could appreciate the sadness of two young lives cut so appallingly short.

Indeed, so many had given their lives in the fight that the weeks after the final battle had largely been spent attending funerals. It had been a dark and difficult time despite their victory and no one had come through the period unscathed.

"Bill's here representing the family though," Potter continued, his expression lightening a little as he looked over to see the eldest Weasley grabbing a couple of flutes of champagne and handing one to Draco. "No ulterior motives of course," Potter said, turning his attention back to Severus with a grin.

"Indeed?" Severus said, mildly intrigued.

Potter nodded. "It's a rather badly kept secret. It's early days but…I don't know, something tells me they might be in it for the long haul."

"Lucius will be turning in his grave," Severus replied, an eyebrow quirking in dark amusement.

"Won't he just?" Potter said with a laugh. "If I couldn't see how completely smitten Drake was I'd think he was doing it solely for that reason."

"Wonders will never cease."

Potter inclined his head in acknowledgement then frowned as he caught sight of someone across the room. "Oh for fuck's sake," he growled. "Not him again."

"Who?" Severus asked, following his line of sight to see a lanky, red-faced man trying to make his way through the crowds towards them.

"Lester Cauldfield," Potter said with a sigh. "He's the Ministry's new PR man and he won't give me a moment's peace. He's sending me owls almost every day and he turns up everywhere I go. I was at the supermarket the other day, the muggle supermarket, and there he was! It's bad enough being trailed by the man but it's another thing entirely when you've got a packet of bog rolls under your arm!"

Severus snorted and noticed that the man was coming nearer. "I suggest you make a swift exit if you wish to avoid further contact with the man."

"Good idea. Come on, let's swipe a bottle and head for the balcony."

Severus hadn't intended to be part of Potter's escape plan but, on reflection, there was little to keep him there. He followed the boy through the crowds and headed out onto one of the many balconies with him, feeling the shimmer of a concealment charm settle over him as they sat down. Potter had learnt a thing or two after all.

"You'd think the man would have the decency to leave me alone on a day like this," Potter groused as he popped the cork on the bottle of champagne he had liberated.

He poured them both a generous glass and Severus took his with a nod of thanks. By the look on Potter's face he imagined it wouldn't be the first bottle the boy would be liberating that night.

"Anyway," said Potter after taking a particularly large gulp, "how are you? It's been a while since I last saw you."

"Well enough."

"I take it your heart isn't yearning to return to teaching?"

"Certainly not. So far it's the best thing to come out of the bloody war."

Potter smiled and Severus sipped his champagne. One good thing he could say about teaching was that the job had enabled him to save for twenty years and by the time he left the profession he had a healthy little nest egg.

He was currently enjoying a very comfortable lifestyle simply living off the interest he had accrued. He had rented a beautiful flat in Oxford and was considering the many avenues that were now open to him where employment was concerned.

"And you? Have decided on a profession yet?" Severus asked, watching as the boy's brow furrowed slightly.

"Not really," Potter said with a sigh.

"According to the papers you've had several lucrative offers from a number of quidditch teams."

Potter attempted a smirk and said, "Been reading up on me? I'm touched."

"One can hardly escape you."

"Sorry to intrude," Potter said with a huff, chugging back another mouthful of champagne.

Severus raised a brow and decided to change his approach. Sitting across from Potter, he had had the opportunity to determine that the boy was just as appealing as he had initially thought. As dull as the evening had been it didn't have to end the same way. He could think of no more satisfying an ending than to bed the boy.

There was a certain skill to seducing Gryffindors. They all had ideas of romance and connection, and there were very few who could be led to the bedroom without the promise of one or the other. Severus was well-versed in the pretence of offering these things but Potter knew him well enough to see through these techniques. He would have to be a little smarter.

"I confess myself intrigued to what the wizarding world's saviour will do with himself now he finds himself an adult with a life's burden removed from his shoulders," Severus said smoothly.

Potter's face softened and he gave Severus a small smile. "I'm glad you still don't think I wanted all that. You used to think I was some sort of fame-hungry idiot."

"Those particular scales fell away some time ago," Severus replied, deciding to appeal to the boy's sentimentality.

He had learnt, during their training sessions together, that Potter felt terribly misunderstood. If he could make the boy think he had come to think of him differently, that he was viewing him with different eyes, he was sure he would have the boy in his bed by the end of the night.

"My question still stands – what do you want to do with your life now it's your own? Correct me if I'm wrong but I can't imagine you simply wanting to cash in on your name to secure a position."

It was utterly shameful, but as a very endearing flush crossed Potter's cheeks, Severus didn't feel remotely apologetic about it.

"You can't imagine how thrilled I am to hear you say that. I've been hoping that you'd…come to see me differently," Potter said, dipping his head as he smiled down at his lap.

Severus refrained from smirking. It was almost too easy.

"Honestly I'm not sure what I want to do," Potter continued. "I think I might just take some time to try and figure it out. I don't want to rush into anything and find myself on a path I don't want to be on."

Severus nodded, pretending to be interested in the boy's nonsensical rambling. He could put up with listening to Potter's life plans if it helped him in his end goal.

"I think I've found a place to live though, I'm going to put in an offer for it. It's in the South West, an old house with a bit of land. Drake's going to come and live with me for a bit."

"Oh yes?" Severus asked, trying to inject a little jealousy into his voice.

"Nothing like that," Potter said with a placating smile. "He's going to study to be a Healer and I said he'd be welcome to live rent-free at mine. It'll save him a fortune and I'd be glad of the company to be honest."

"I never thought I'd see the day that you two would end up as roommates."

Potter gave a gentle laugh and said, "No one's more surprised than me. Drake's very different to the snotty brat he used to be. We've…grown very close. I doubt I'd have got through the last year without him."

It was surprising to hear Potter speak of Draco with such warmth and stranger still to imagine them living together. The shadows of the boys they had been were nothing more than distant remembrances now. War had a way of turning things upside down and never letting them return to the way they had been.

"And what will any paramour think about you living with another man?" Severus asked, laying the groundwork for his carefully planned seduction.

Potter blushed and looked down to his lap. "Nothing to worry about there. I haven't got any 'paramours'."

Severus held back a smirk. It was like hexing newts in a cauldron. "I find that very difficult to believe, Mr Potter," he said smoothly. Potter looked up at him questioningly and he elaborated, "You're a very attractive man. Surely you have a queue of admirers?"

Potter's blush deepened and he busied himself with topping up his glass of champagne. "No, no queue," he muttered. "Besides, I'm not very attractive, not attractive at all really. If anyone were to be interested in me I'm sure it would just be because of my name."

"Come come. You're being far too modest," Severus said, topping up his own glass. It was interesting to see Potter get so flustered over a simple compliment and Severus decided that another bottle of champagne would be required to get the boy to lower his inhibitions.

"No I'm not. I'm very average."

Severus loved a person who was oblivious to their own charms. It made the seduction process so much easier if his target thought themselves unworthy to begin with. When Severus finally did bestow his 'attentions', the recipient was so grateful that it made them that much more pliant.

"Well Mr Potter I don't think you're 'very average'," Severus told him and watched as a hint of realisation swept across the boy's face.

"Oh," Potter said quietly, blinking in shock.

Severus gave the boy a calculatedly appraising look and said in a low voice, "Drink up, Mr Potter. The night is still young."

The night, in fact, was well into its adolescence and by the time they had made headway with the third bottle it was creeping towards one in the morning. Severus had spent the hours on the balcony systematically dismantling Potter's barriers while making it clear what he had in mind for the end of the night.

As Potter's inhibitions had lowered, he had begun to return the hints that Severus was dropping and none too subtly as the alcohol had flowed. By the time Severus had summoned together the wherewithal to apparate them back to his place, he had Potter pinned against the wall of his hallway while he became acquainted with the boy's tongue.

"You don't know how long I've wanted this," Potter panted, his speech slurring as he tried to shuck out of his formal robes. "I could never work up the courage to – "

"Yes Potter, all very interesting," Severus growled, wrenching the robes from the boy's body, sure he heard a seam or two rip along the way. "Your wishes would come true a lot faster if you'd get your kit off more quickly."

"Sorry," Potter said breathlessly. "Just nervous."

Severus grabbed the boy's belt and yanked him into the bedroom, stealing another forceful kiss as he went. Potter was sloppy with alcohol, his kisses wet and unskilled, but Severus didn't intend to spend too much time with something so mundane.

He had been mentally undressing the boy all night, eager for the moment when he would finally get to see just what was concealed under all that clothing. He took his opportunity now to divest Potter of all those fabric impediments, not caring to be gentle.

He yanked Potter's shirt off then pulled the boy out of his trousers, leaving him in nothing but fitted boxer shorts. There was nothing disappointing about the sight that was laid bare to him. Potter was lean and toned, all compact muscles encased in pale, smooth skin.

Severus allowed his eyes to rove over his prize, his mind a little cloudy from all the champagne. He was in no mood for any lengthy or drawn-out foreplay; he wanted to claim Potter as quickly and as fully as possible.

He pulled the elastic of Potter's boxers and said, "Off." Potter complied quickly and readily, showing an ability to follow orders that he had never demonstrated in the classroom.

Severus allowed himself a minute to appreciate that Potter probably shouldn't be termed a 'boy' any longer, not with that healthy, flushed cock bobbing against his stomach. Potter was looking up at him expectantly and Severus couldn't help but roll his eyes. He should have known Potter wouldn't be anything special in the bedroom, gorgeous body or not.

He reached out and kissed Potter roughly, the boy breathless against his lips. He broke away and said gruffly, "Turn around Potter. Brace yourself on the bed."

Potter's eyes widened and he said, "Can we just – "

"For fuck's sake, Potter," Severus said with a heavy sigh. "We don't need a running commentary."

"No, no it's just that I…I'm not…"

"If you want to argue the toss about who gets to top then you'll have to do it with someone else," Severus said, shifting out of his shirt and stepping out of his trousers.

"No, I…I really want to do this," Potter said, trying to speak slowly to stop his speech from slurring. "I was just hoping we could talk about it first. It's just that I…I haven't – "

"Either turn around and let me fuck you, or piss off home," Severus said, in no mood for Potter's need to look deep into one another's eyes or to indulge whatever foolish Gryffindor notions the boy had about sex. If he wanted that then he was in the wrong house.

"That's…that's how you want to do it?" Potter asked.

Severus decided he'd had enough of Potter's wittering. He was not one for taking his time in the best of circumstances, least of all when all he wanted to do was to plough Potter into the mattress then send him on his merry way. He grabbed Potter by the shoulders and spun him around and pushed him towards the bed.

Potter's hands flew out in time to stop him from falling onto his face first and Severus took a moment to appreciate the sight of Potter laid bare for his pleasure. He divested himself of his underwear then reached for his wand. He performed a thorough cleansing spell then summoned his lubricant from the nightstand.

Potter was probably used to his fawning admirers worshipping him, used to having them bend to his every whim. Well, not this time, Severus thought with a smirk. As far as he was concerned, Potter was there for the taking and he was going to enjoy himself using that delectable body.

He slicked his fingers well and circled Potter's hole, drawing a gasp from the boy. He pushed one then another inside and Potter inhaled sharply, tensing slightly as he did so. Severus wanted him tight, but no so tight as to impede movement. He stretched the boy, his fingers scissoring as he pushed in and out of him. Potter kept making breathy little noises and Severus wondered just how many sounds he could draw from the boy.

He withdrew his fingers and slicked up his hard prick liberally. It had been too long since he'd an opportunity like this and he intended to enjoy himself. He gripped Potter's hip with one hand and guided his prick forward to the boy's entrance with the other. The muscles in Potter's back tensed and Severus pushed himself through the boy's tight ring, savouring the delicious feeling.

Potter let out a low groan and his hands clenched tightly in the bedsheets. Severus allowed himself a moment to adjust, letting Potter wiggle around, smirking as he made him wait. He gripped both of Potter's hips firmly then pulled out before thrusting back in again. Potter made a higher-pitched noise this time and his breath hitched. His entire body was as taut as a piano string and Severus was going to enjoy the benefits of that tightness around his cock.

He began to move faster, setting a hard and fast rhythm. Potter clenched around him, the heat and tightness overwhelming. Potter really did have a gorgeous arse and Severus allowed himself to grab one pert cheek as he used the boy's body mercilessly.

The noises from Potter were getting louder. He should have known the boy would be a screamer; he couldn't do anything subtly. It was only mildly distracting; Severus had put up with worse. Potter probably thought it was terribly sexy.

Severus sped up, thrusting with abandon as his pleasure grew nearer. He closed his eyes, listening as Potter's breath became harsh and ragged, feeling the body beneath him tremble slightly with the effort of holding itself up. His balls tightened and his nerves began to hum then before he knew it he was pumping hard into Potter as he found his release.

He let out a low moan of satisfaction then snaked his hand over Potter's hip to finish the boy off but he found the boy's cock was now limp. Severus smirked; he must have fucked the boy to orgasm already.

He withdrew slowly and Potter winced. There was a smear of blood on his prick, which came as something of a surprise. He supposed he'd been a little rougher than he might usually be, but he hadn't heard any complaints from Potter.

The boy slowly pushed himself up from the bed, his body still shaking a little. He turned to face Severus but looked at the floor instead of looking up at him.

"Would you mind…could I…could I use your bathroom?" he asked, his voice hoarse. Served him right for all that screaming.

"It's through there," Severus told him and Potter slunk off into the adjoining en-suite, grabbing his strewn clothing as he went.

Severus cast a quick cleaning charm on himself as he heard the water begin to run then put his underwear back on and retrieved his pyjamas from his nightstand. As far as encounters went this one hadn't been too bad. Potter wasn't anything special when it came to sex but fucking that delicious body felt like a long-overdue reward.

The toilet flushed and moments later Potter opened the door and hovered awkwardly on the threshold. He was fully-dressed again, minus his formal robes, and underneath his flushed cheeks he looked a little pale. Probably feeling the effects of that final bottle of champagne Severus thought with amusement.

"I trust you'll be able to make your way back to wherever you're staying?" Severus asked. Best to make it clear that under no circumstances would Potter be staying with him. He wanted to stamp down any notions the boy might have about repeating the encounter. Once was more than enough.

"Yes, yes no problem," Potter said, again refusing to meet his eyes. He was probably aware of his rather poor performance. "I…I'll be on my way then," he said, sweeping out of the room without so much as a backwards glance.

Severus was a little surprised. He'd expected Potter to try and steal a goodbye kiss or some other pathetic Gryffindor notion but perhaps the boy wasn't as insipid as he'd imagined.

He heaved a satisfied sigh and got into bed. His body felt deliciously sated and he felt like he'd finally been compensated for all those bloody awful years trying to mould Potter into the warrior he finally became. He had had his first decent shag in ages and had been successful in his mission to tumble Potter into bed. Sometimes, life was good.

Three months went by and Severus didn't hear from Potter once. He couldn't say he was bothered by it, but he was surprised. He had expected Potter to turn up on his doorstep the following day with some starry-eyed notion about the two of them 'dating'. Severus couldn't imagine anything more abhorrent.

It didn't happen though. For a day or so Severus imagined that perhaps Potter was trying to play it cool, trying not to seem too eager, but it appeared that the boy simply wasn't interested in repeating their encounter. That suited Severus just fine. He had used the boy to scratch an itch and it looked as though Potter had done the same with him. No harm, no foul.

It was odd though; normally within three months Severus would have seen Potter at at least a couple of functions, but the boy failed to make an appearance at any of the occasions Severus expected to see him. When he asked Draco, who never failed to be in attendance, the blond simply shrugged and said that Potter was busy finalising the purchase of his new home.

It didn't matter. Severus went about his business as he always had done and only very occasionally did he give Potter a passing thought. He was enjoying his independence and as autumn began to settle into England his thoughts turned to the many lucrative offers of work that had come his way.

The most attractive offer came from an industrial potions laboratory in Croatia. He had been offered the post of senior researcher and would have a team working directly beneath him. The position came with the promise of extensive travel, a fantastic benefits package and best of all – the chance to leave England.

He had been considering it for a while. There was nothing to keep him in the country now that he had served his purpose and he felt that there was no better time for a fresh start. While it was true that his name had been officially cleared there was still a vast number of people to whom he would always be a murderous Death Eater. If he was to have any hope of leaving that shadowy past behind him Severus felt that he needed to have a complete change.

So it was that the last week of November found him packing up his rental house in Oxford ready to set off for his new life in a few days' time. He was halfway through organising his vast book collection when the front doorbell went.

Sighing, he placed the precious tome in his hands atop a nearby stack and made his way into the hallway. Opening the door, he was surprised to find Potter standing on his doorstep, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans.

"Potter," Severus said, feeling a sense of smug satisfaction that the boy had come crawling back to him. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Can I come inside? I'd like to talk to you about something," Potter said, seeming a little twitchy.

"I suppose so, as long as you don't intend to stay long. I'm rather busy," Severus said, moving aside to let him in.

"Don't worry, I won't take up any more time than I need to," Potter said, a slight bite to his tone.

Probably upset I didn't fall over myself trying to see him again¸ Severus thought with a smirk as they moved into the living room. He took a look at Potter as the boy positioned himself in front of the fireplace. He looked pale and his eyes were shadowed with dark circles; no doubt he'd been taking advantage of the many party invitations that always came his way.

"I'd offer you something to drink but I have nothing in at the moment – "

"Doesn't matter," Potter said, waving his hand. "It's not really a social call. There's something I need to…I wanted to come here to say that – "

"Potter, let me spare you the embarrassment," Severus said, taking a seat in the leather armchair he had brought from his dungeons and looking up at the boy standing rather miserably in front of him. "As…diverting as our little night together was I have no desire to repeat the encounter. Once was more than enough for me."

"That was really the furthest thing from my mind," Potter said sharply, and Severus' eyebrow raised itself in surprise. "Look, it happened and it was…it's done with…but now I – "

Potter trailed off as he looked around the room, taking in the bare shelves and half-filled boxes. "Are you going somewhere?" he asked, frowning.

"Yes, I'm leaving the country," Severus replied, crossing one leg over the other.

"You're leaving the country?" Potter echoed stupidly. "Why?"

"I've been offered a position with a research company in Croatia. I'll be there by the end of the week."

"Oh," said Potter quietly. "It's…it's definite then?"

"Quite definite."

So much for Potter's protestations that he wasn't looking for anything between them. The boy looked crestfallen.

"I know you probably won't change your mind, but there's something that you should – "

"You're quite right, Potter. I won't change my mind," Severus interrupted him, getting to his feet. "I've spent my entire adult life in one form of servitude or another, for the first time since I can remember I'm finally free. I'd say I've earnt the right to choose my own destiny. There's nothing keeping me here after all."

"And this is what you want? This will make you happy?" Potter asked, looking at him plaintively.

The little sod probably wants me to sweep him up and declare my long-held but conflicted feelings of love for him, Severus thought spitefully. Well, I shall just have to make sure that those hopes die a very definite death.

"What will make me happy is to leave this dreary and depressing place once and for all. What will make me happy is to leave behind every last connection to my miserable and burden-filled past. I cannot wait to live a life unencumbered by the responsibility of looking after a child with an uncanny ability to constantly throw himself into near-death situations all while being vilified by cretinous members of the public who wouldn't know their arse from their elbow."

"Alright," Potter said, holding his hands up. "You've made your point."

He looked paler than he had done when he had first arrived and there was an unnatural flush of colour in his cheeks. Rejection hurts, Severus thought snidely.

"I came here today to tell you…well…it doesn't matter now. You're going and by the sounds of it you won't be coming back."

The boy took a deep breath then met Severus' eyes squarely, the intensity in those green eyes taking Severus by surprise.

"I sincerely hope you have a happy life," he said quietly, extending his hand towards Severus.

Severus was rather at a loss but shook the proffered hand nevertheless. Potter held onto his for a moment longer than necessary, his mouth pinched, looking as though he would dearly like to say more.

He nodded sharply then let go and left the sitting room, Severus hearing the front door shut moments later. It would have been very possible to sit and think about Potter's odd behaviour but Severus decided that enough of his energy had been wasted on the boy in the past.

As far as he was concerned in a week's time he would be starting a new life and he would be able to put all of this behind him. Soon enough Potter would be nothing more than a distant memory and he would be able to put the last twenty miserable years behind him.

AN: That's your lot for now. Please leave a review and let me know what you think.