A Bend in Time

Severus Snape hurriedly climbs the broken, splintered cement steps to the rusted front door of their old flat. Turning the paint chipped knob, he shoves open the old door as the unoiled hinges let out a loud shriek. Slamming the door shut, he pauses at hearing clinking sounds from the kitchen.

With a surprised look on his face, Severus gapes as he finds the floors have been swept clean as the air smells faintly of lemon-scented cleaner. He hurriedly steps into the kitchen to his right and finds Rowan washing piles of dirty dishes in the sink causing him to almost drop the food in surprise. Had he walked into the wrong house?!

Hearing a plastic bag rustle, Rowan turns back to greet Severus with a tired smile. "What did you bring back?" Rowan asked as she wiped the sweat off her forehead on her sleeve and dried her soapy hands on her loose, rather worn, patched shirt.

Severus mutely holds up the food and mutters, "Fish and Chips and tartar sauce."

"Good, let's hurry and eat up before father and mother get back," Rowan hastily said. She motions for him to sit at the now clean, wobbly old table as they evenly split the food between them and began to eat.

After a mouthful or two, Severus hesitantly says, "You know, it's pointless to clean. It's just going to get dirty again.

"Maybe, but it won't be so hard to clean up afterward," Rowan argued.

Severus rolls his eyes and grimly says, "It never lasts."

Rowan shrugs, "But I can try, Severus." Rowan frowns and paused, "Severus, that sounds much too harsh for my precious little brother to be called." She purses her lips as if in thought. "Hmm, I think, I'm going to call you, Sev from now on."

"What!?" Severus indignantly sputtered.

"It's cute," Rowan mumbled with a mouthful of food.

Severus's face turns from red in embarrassment to green with fury then back to pale as if in resignation. "I think that bump on the head finally addled your mind," Severus grumbled back.

Rowan shrugs and says, "Maybe, but you're still my precious twin brother."

Severus turns his head away in embarrassment and coldly grunts despite the light flush on his cheeks. Rowan grins to herself at the adorable sight before her. Before her hunger wins, she ravenously devours the food before her. Yet despite her hunger, she stops halfway upon noticing the wistful gaze on Severus's face.

"I'm not that hungry, you finish the rest," Rowan wrinkled her nose as if she was truly full. Without another word, she rose from her seat and returned to washing the remaining dirty dishes in the sink.

Severus hungrily devours the rest of the food licking even the crumbs from his fingers and the plastic container. Abruptly catching himself, a splotchy flush crept up his face. He glances around but Rowan doesn't seem to have noticed. Feeling guilty, he carefully crumbles the plastic container and hides it underneath old trash lest their father finds the evidence.

Feeling uncertain he taps his foot against the floor with his hands deep in his pocket. Severus's long greasy hair falls over his face, but Rowan doesn't turn away from her task. Peeking through this curtain of hair, he frowns and scowls at himself for being so weak. "So, what do you need help with?" He curtly asked.

"How about you finish up the dishes? While I tackle the downstairs toilet and the upstairs bathtub. " Rowan replied as she dried her wet soapy hands once again on her patched shirt.

Severus snorts in reply and rolls up his sleeves as he grudgingly begins to wash the remaining dishes. Pleased by Severus's offer to help, Rowan heads off to the grimy bathroom to clean. It was quite a strenuous task. It is rather dark by the time the two of them finish their tasks. Exhausted and alone, the two of them tuck themselves into their twin-sized beds in their single shared room.

The house is eerily quiet with the occasional sound of police sirens heard faintly in the distance accompanied by the howls of dogs and screaming tomcats. Their parents are out working on all counts. However, their father was likely already at the pub spending any hard-earned money on a pint of beer or a shot of whiskey. And their mother, well, she might be off wandering about herself lost in her own world.

Rowan passes the time by counting the many, many cracks in the faded gray ceiling. "You asleep yet, Sev?" Rowan finally asked.

Severus grunts as he rolls to his side to face her. "No. Why?"

"Do you like Lily Evans?" Rowan pointedly asked as Severus bolts up in bed and almost slams his head into the wall as there is no bedboard. Severus sputtered in embarrassment as his entire face lit up as bright as a tomato and can only fiercely point at Rowan.

"But I've seen the two of you play together and if I'm not mistaken by your cherry red demeanor, you LIKE her," Rowan said with a sly grin. "But don't worry, I won't tell anyone," she crossed her hand over her heart in promise. Of course, she may have also crossed her fingers.

Severus indignantly chokes, before angrily sputtering, "None of your business!" And slumping onto his bed pointing his back towards Rowan. He digs his head into the thin, patched, lumpy pillow and pulls his ragged blanket up to his neck.

Rowan's cheer immediately fades away recalling how the pair of childhood friends were separated at Hogwarts. Their friendship continued to splinter until it ended tragically in their 5th year. Both of their lives, really, ended in tragedy.

"Hey, Sev?" Rowan solemnly whispered.

"What?!" Severus snapped.

"Try to be a good friend," Rowan seriously said. "And promise me, that you'll at least have the courage to tell Lily how you feel when we are older," trying to convey the importance of the statement. At least in this manner even if Severus lost Lily in the end, he would have at least had the opportunity to express his feelings for Lily.

Severus turns around to face Rowan and opens his mouth to snap at her but stops. Rowan's midnight-indigo eyes were dead set. Unable to simply scoff at the statement, he pauses to think. Maybe, Rowan thought he wouldn't have a chance with Lily, and that stung his pride.

"What does it matter," Severus gruffly said. "I don't stand a chance."

Rowan opens and closes her mouth into a thin line. She hadn't meant to suggest that Severus didn't stand a chance. But her words seemed to have come out all wrong.

"All I mean is that sometimes a girl's heart can mature faster than boys, and before we know it, someone else may have already taken root before you ever stood a chance."

"We both know I have an ugly mug," Severus crossly said turning his back again towards Rowan. "There is no need to mince your words, Rowan! I can take it!"

"That's not what I meant," Rowan sighed in frustration. "All I mean is that we both smell and are in urgent need of a bath and a haircut."

Severus subtly moves his arm and sniffs his armpit before wincing at the sour odor. Maybe, a bath is long overdue. He smelled a bit rancid if he was honest.

"And who knows, maybe a fresh lemony scent and a haircut will earn you a nice compliment from Lily," Rowan especially emphasized the last part.

"Fine," Snape grumbled with a spark in his onyx-colored eyes. "Goodnight, Rowan," he firmly said and closed his eyes with a bit of a smile on his face. He imagined a bright sunny day with him and Lily playing by their tree.

"Goodnight, Sev," Rowan softly echoed curling on her right side facing the door. She closed her eyes, but her thoughts were far too loud. It was rather late when her finally body succumbed to exhaustion. However, she slept fitfully all night full of terrifying creatures chasing her only to catch her in the end.