Chapter 30

The following days were a time for relaxation, waiting for our grades to come out and then leaving school for the holidays. With no classes and no homework, people had plenty of free time, which led to the hospital wing getting busier. In just a few days, several groups had already come through. I set my emotions aside and focused on my work, deciding not to dwell on my feelings. Severus and I were only fourteen and had been friends for so many years. Confessing my feelings might make things awkward. It was better to maintain our current friendship and subtly make him like me over time, then confess... That was my hopeful plan. For now, I'd naturally leave a mark in his heart. I believed in the saying "love grows over time."

My time in the hospital wing was always fulfilling. When there were no patients, Madam Pomfrey—who let me call her Poppy in private—taught me various diagnostic spells. Different injuries required different diagnostic methods, and judgment came with experience. Madam Pomfrey, in her early forties, had been in medical work for about twenty years and was extremely experienced. She had me review old case files and analyze them, and she would let me observe and try diagnosing patients during her rounds, helping me gain valuable experience.

As I became more proficient in diagnosing injuries and illnesses, I noticed something odd. I often found scratch and bite marks on Remus, not the kind from playful scuffles, but more like those from fighting with a wild animal. Though he concealed them well, my practiced eye caught them. I tried to find Remus's records in the hospital wing's logs but found only common ailments like colds. This was unusual. However, I soon realized that Madam Pomfrey was aware of his condition; she would never ignore injuries even I could see, yet she showed no special concern. This was likely related to Remus's secret, and since both the Headmaster and Madam Pomfrey chose to keep it hidden, I decided to feign ignorance too.

After the holidays began, our weekly work in Hogsmeade became less convenient. If we changed locations abruptly, the timing and our connection to Hogwarts would be too obvious. So, we had to use Floo Powder to travel from the Leaky Cauldron to the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade every week. It cost a few Sickles each time, but it was the best solution for now.

Severus now lived alone at home, undoubtedly buried in his potion lab in the basement. Knowing this, I got a key to his house and started visiting daily, dragging him out for meals. Tito insisted I stay at Severus's house, as taking him home would mean explaining things to my parents, which I didn't want. The wizarding world was too complex for them, and the less they knew, the better.

My frequent trips between home and Severus's house made Isaya give me increasingly peculiar looks. One evening, Isaya came to my room before bed, holding my hand as she sat on the edge of my bed. She looked like she wanted to say something, so I waited quietly.

Isaya stroked my hair, smiling, "My little Sawyer is growing up!"

"Pfft..." I couldn't help but laugh, "Sorry, dear mother, but I'm not used to such an opening line..."

"Alright, alright," Isaya sighed dramatically, "I'll get straight to the point. Do you like someone?" Though phrased as a question, her tone was certain.

"Straight to the point indeed. Yes, I do," I nodded.

"It's Severus, isn't it?" Again, her tone was assured.

I blushed slightly but nodded again, no need to hide it. "Yes, but he doesn't know yet, and I'm not planning to tell him now."

Isaya's face softened with affection, "Since you've confirmed your feelings and have a plan, just follow your heart. Just remember, we love you."

It wasn't the first time I'd heard such sweet words, but my nose still tingled. Burying my head in Isaya's embrace, I hid my moist eyes. I smelled a faint, familiar scent—the clean smell of laundry, my mother's scent. I blinked away a few tears and wiped my eyes on Isaya's clothes. I thanked Merlin, God, Buddha, whoever, for giving me this family.

After calming down, I sat up. Isaya tactfully pretended not to notice my red face.

"Well, thinking about it, Severus is a good boy," Isaya teased me, "You've been childhood friends, playing together since you were five. Good luck, Sawyer, I have high hopes for you two!"

Joking around made me feel more at ease. "Then I'll work hard to make Severus like me. Isaya, you and Dad have to support me emotionally!"

"Of course, I wish you success soon!" We laughed together.

"Severus, it's lunchtime—" I called out to the basement. Tito had prepared a delicious meal, but food wasn't as appealing to Severus as it was to me. I often had to go down to his potion lab and drag him up.

After only two steps down the stairs, Severus emerged.

"You're quick today," I turned back to the dining table, "Come, sit."

"Just finished," came Severus's usual concise reply, which I was used to by now.

"Oh, try this new dish Tito made," I half-stood, helping him to a serving.

Severus took a bite and nodded, "Not bad."

We ate in peaceful silence. I occasionally made small talk, and Severus responded, making for a harmonious meal. His facial expression softened, and he seemed to enjoy the calmness. I had a fleeting thought that we looked like an old married couple, content and happy. The thought startled me, making my face flush, so I buried it and tried to hide my embarrassment.

"Ahem, Lily is coming over this afternoon, right? We should review the progress of our potion shop this term." I put down my napkin and started clearing the table. I wasn't used to letting Tito handle everything, so I often helped out. Tito had protested tearfully a few times, but I persuaded him otherwise.

"Yes, she should be here soon." Severus remained in the living room reading rather than returning to the basement.

I brought out some freshly brewed tea, placing a cup on the low table beside Severus and holding another cup as I picked up a book to read.

Our reading was interrupted by the doorbell—Lily had arrived.

"Hi, Sawyer, Severus." Lily raised a basket, "I brought some snacks Petunia made!"

"You're adorable," I said, taking the basket, "Let's do our review in the living room. Tea?"

"No milk, thanks."

I went to the kitchen and brought out the tea Tito had prepared. We spread our papers and records across the carpet, checking each item one by one. The afternoon flew by as we went through every transaction since taking over the potion shop. After deducting the cost of materials and rent, we had a net income of 482 Galleons and 11 Sickles. Not a lot, but we hadn't received any high-end potion orders, like Felix Felicis or Veritaserum, which were expensive to make but sold for high prices.

After the holidays started, Severus visited Knockturn Alley, finding materials we couldn't order by mail. They were pricey, but we all invested our savings into the potion shop for these rare ingredients. Though we weren't earning much yet, business was picking up, and the shop was a valuable experience for Severus, who was becoming a skilled potion-maker. The shop held significant meaning for all three of us, beyond just making money.

"Not bad, right?" Lily waved the ledger, visibly excited.

"Definitely. We're just students, after all. It's great." I collected the scattered papers, feeling satisfied.

Severus stood, straightening his clothes, and headed for the basement stairs. "I need to redo the morning's potion." His voice had a note of excitement.

"I was planning to go to Diagon Alley to pick a gift for Petunia to celebrate the potion shop's success. Looks like it's just me and Lily then. See you at dinner!" I called after him.

Severus responded without turning around.

"Severus is immersed in his potions again," Lily said, smiling and shaking her head. "Let's go!"

Lily and I ended up choosing a small magical orb as a gift for Petunia. It contained a bit of magic, allowing non-magical people to cast a few simple spells. I remembered how Petunia and I used to admire magic before I received my acceptance letter. We envied Lily and Severus and lamented not being able to join their magical conversations. I always felt guilty for leaving her behind when I entered the magical world. I hoped this magical orb would make up for some of that.

It turned out I made the right choice. Petunia was thrilled when she received the gift. In Severus's living room, we taught her the spells and gestures using my spare wand. She cast her first spell, Lumos. When the wand tip emitted a faint glow, Petunia's expression was beyond excited.

The orb had enough magic for one more spell. We listed a few easy spells, and Petunia chose the Levitation Charm. To avoid wasting magic, she practiced the pronunciation and wand movements before using the orb. The quill on the table floated up, hovered around the room, and fell back to the table as the magic depleted. Petunia looked like she might cry.

"Petunia, you did great! Many of our classmates had to try several times before succeeding!" I said cheerfully.

Lily hugged her sister, exclaiming, "Dear Petunia, I'm so happy! See, you can do magic too, right?"

Petunia took a deep breath, looking much better. She released her red-haired sister, sniffing, "Thank you both, I love your gift so much. I'll remember this magical moment forever!" Petunia looked at us sincerely.

Severus smirked, "Looks like Sawyer's gift choice was spot on. At least it didn't make Petunia cry."

Remembering how she almost cried earlier, Petunia's face turned red. We all burst into laughter.