"We're here. Goodbye."
An old man with wiry, gray hair and beard spoke rather brusquely.
"Thank you, Mr. Aberforth, thank you very much."
Snape steadied himself and expressed his gratitude repeatedly. He truly had not expected that the person who would bring him back to Spinner's End would be Aberforth.
Watching Aberforth vanish with a faint pop, Snape carried a large birdcage in one hand and a box of owl nuts in the other, and started walking home.
Bang!
Just as Snape knocked the first time, the wooden door swung violently open.
Eileen was standing just inside, worry written all over her face.
Snape quickly lifted the cage in his hand and said, "Look, this is the most beautiful horned owl in the whole of Eeylops Owl Emporium."
The owl, hearing the noise, stretched its head out from beneath its wing.
It rustled its wings and hooted softly toward Eileen.
Eileen took the cage, though a trace of worry still lingered in her expression.
"Are you alright? Last night I received a letter from Dumbledore, saying he had something to discuss with you."
"Oh, that," Snape said, setting the box of nuts on the table. "I ran into him in Diagon Alley, and we talked about future career choices. I still haven't decided what I'll do, so he wants me to think carefully about which N.E.W.T. subjects I should take next term.
"It got a little late afterwards, so I stayed the night at the Leaky Cauldron." He yawned repeatedly. "But I didn't sleep very well, the bed boards were too hard.
"I need to go up and get some rest. See you later."
...
Knock, knock, knock.
Hearing a sound at the window, Snape looked up. An owl was tapping its sharp beak against the glass of the sitting room window.
He quickly set down the trunk he had been packing, went over, and opened the window.
The owl swooped inside, folded its wings, landed neatly on the wooden table, and elegantly lifted its right leg.
Snape leaned closer and took a large square envelope from its claw. His name was written on it.
"Who sent the letter?" Eileen asked.
She held a small handful of owl nuts, offering them to the messenger to taste.
Snape tore open the envelope and unfolded the parchment inside.
"Ah... my O.W.L. results!"
Ordinary Wizarding Level Examination Results
Passing grades: Outstanding (O); Exceeds Expectations (E); Acceptable (A)
Failing grades: Poor (P); Dreadful (D); Troll (T)
Severus Snape's results:
Astronomy: A; Care of Magical Creatures: E
Charms: O; Defence Against the Dark Arts: O
Divination: E; Ancient Runes: O
Transfiguration: O; History of Magic: P
Herbology: O; Potions: O
He handed the parchment to Eileen and said, "Only History of Magic I failed, but I got six Outstandings!"
"I failed History of Magic too..." Eileen glanced down at Snape's report card and a smile spread across her face. "Well done, that's wonderful, nine O.W.L.s passed. We should go out for a meal today, this deserves to be celebrated."
In the following days, aside from flipping through a few old books he had brought back, Snape slowly packed his things.
Eileen sometimes helped him, though more often during the day she would go out to the newly purchased house. But she would never tell Snape where it was, saying only that she wanted it to be a surprise.
Just before the start of term, Eileen finally finished arranging the new home.
"Are you packed? Tomorrow we can move in!" Eileen shut the door and smiled at Snape.
Snape replied listlessly, "I've been packed for ages. You still won't tell me the location?"
"You'll see when we get there. You'll love it. We'll leave first thing in the morning," Eileen said.
"Alright then, I'm going out for a walk."
Snape decided to take another look around the area.
Crossing the rust-streaked railings, he entered a playground bathed in the glow of sunset, a huge smokestack rising against the horizon in the distance.
The playground was deserted. Weeds taller than his ankles sprouted through cracks in the asphalt. Among them were scattered weathered plastic bags and scraps of paper.
Two old swings hung silently in the middle of the playground.
The seats had long since lost their color, and the wooden surfaces were covered with cracks.
Only when the breeze passed gently by did they make a faint creaking sound.
Snape walked through the playground and then into a copse where a small river wound its way, letting his steps carry him forward.
"Good evening, Severus."
The greeting startled him awake. Without realizing it, he had walked to the Evans family's house.
"Uhr, good evening, Mr. Evans!"
Mr. Evans gave his car door a gentle push shut. He looked as though he had just returned home from work.
"It's been a long time. You've changed a lot, Severus."
"Mm... Mr. Evans, is Lily home?" Snape asked.
"You've come for her? She and her mother are away, but Petunia is at home," Mr. Evans said warmly.
"Petunia?" Snape suddenly felt a desire to see her, and asked, "May I see her?"
"Of course, go on in. I'll go pick up something for you both to eat!"
Mr. Evans opened the door, and before Snape could refuse, drove off quickly in his car.
From the doorway looking into the living room, he could see Petunia sitting on the sofa watching television.
Snape called her name: "Petunia."
She turned her head toward the door.
When she saw it was Snape, she snapped off the television and sprang up from the sofa.
"What are you doing here?!"
She shrieked in alarm, then her face twisted with disgust.
"I'm sorry, I came to apologize for the past."
Snape stopped in his tracks.
"I don't need your apology!"
Petunia grabbed a book furiously and hurled it at him.
Snape stood still, not dodging, only swaying slightly when the corner of the book struck his forehead.
The pages fluttered, and a small cut opened on his temple, blood welling from the wound.
A flicker of panic crossed Petunia's eyes. She retreated slightly, her clenched hands loosening unconsciously.
"I'm sorry, if that makes you feel any better."
Snape spoke calmly, though inwardly he smiled: if Petunia hadn't thrown that, today's visit would likely have had no effect.
"Why didn't you dodge!"
Petunia ran into the kitchen, pulled a roll of bandages from a cupboard, and flung it at Snape with force.
"Thank you," Snape said lightly, pressing the bandage against the wound. "Don't worry, just a scratch."
"I must apologize to you. Tomorrow I'm moving away from Cokeworth, to somewhere far from here."
"That has nothing to do with me!" Petunia's tone was still sharp.
"Yes, I agree. After all, I was a jerk in the past. I thought I was special, but really I was just a foolish boy.
"I hit your shoulder with a stick, and I spied on the letter Dumbledore sent you." Seeing Petunia's expression darken, he quickly added, "That was all my fault. I ignored the hurt it caused you. I'm sorry."
The sound of a car engine hummed in the yard.
Clutching his forehead, Snape hurried out of the house, calling back as he went: "I must go, I can't let Mr. Evans see this. If he asks, just say I went home.
"And Lily is not a freak.. she is your sister."
Hearing this, Petunia looked as though she had just swallowed an entire lemon.