Annabel Lee

Severus’s Point of View

Summer was insufferable, my father was making my mother and I miserable. Most of the time I would just stay inside, because some of the kids outside were worse than my father, but occasionally I stepped out of my house to walk around aimlessly.

"Severus, dear," my mother spoke coarsely from her place on the couch. "There were some errands I had planned on doing, but since I'm incapable of doing so could you do them for me?"

"Sure, what are they?"

"Nothing to hard: groceries and laundry were about it." She ended with a cough. My mother has been sick for a week now, but it was getting better.

"Of course," I shrugged gently and she smiled beckoning me down to her level. Up close I could see the perspiration raised at her pale forehead and the flushed color that invaded her cheeks seemed darker.

"You're such a good son," she mused grasping at my hand. "Tobias won't be home till late when his work gets out, so don't worry about time, ok darling?" I nodded, trying not to blush at all the pet names my mother called me.

"Right."

About three hours later I was still working on the laundry. I had had to hand wash them and was now waiting for them to dry from their placed on the pin line. Our backyard was fenced off with crooked beams of colorless wood, so I was free to relax a little.

Not much longer now. I sighed taking for torpor.

Crack!

I jumped up from my broken down lawn chair and rolled onto the floor.

"Lucius why do we have to visit him here? Can't he just visit us at your summer home?"

"Just relax; I don't like being around the muggles either. We just have to."

"What are you three doing?" I asked looking at Regulus, Lucius, and Narcissa. Regulus helped me to a standing position.

"We sympathize with you for your… unfortunate living company," Lucius said looking at a gap where out neighbor across the street was staring at us, stupid muggle. "So we decided to drop by." I nodded with a grunt; I actually didn't want them to be here. They didn't need to see my neighborhood, home, or family.

"Ooh la la, fancy knickers mate. I didn't know you had a sister," Regulus laughed plucking a specific pair of clothing off the line. I turned red and snatched them from him stuffing them at the bottom of the laundry basket.

"Those are my mother's!" I growled at him and he turned green. Lucius and Narcissa started laughing uncontrollably while he tried to wipe his hands clean.

"Look, I have some chores to do, so if you don't mind," I snapped pulling the rest of the clothes from the line and into my hamper.

"Oh we'll be glad to come along, I want to see how these pathetic muggles live," Lucius sneered brushing off his clothes like muggle air would ruin the fine fabric. I snorted and tried to ignore them.

"Severus is everything alright?" my mom asked opened her eyes just wide enough to see me sitting on the floor across from her folding the clothes. Then my friends walked into the room.

"Hello Missus Snape," Narcissa said walking over closest to her.

"Oh hello dear," she croaked before coughing.

"Are you sure you want me to leave? I can stay; we don't need more groceries for another day or so." She stopped me and shook her head while reaching out for my hand.

"Go spend time with your friends. I'll do the folding, I have to make myself useful," she laughed dryly as Narcissa helped her sit up. Narcissa smiled and stood up next to Lucius.

"It was nice seeing you, Missus Snape," Narcissa called as we left the house with whatever money I had in my pockets. "Poor woman had to marry a muggle," she said kindheartedly putting a hand to her head.

Spinner's End was filled with identical red brick homes, but it was divided in half by the park across the street. The side of the park my home was on, the one near the wool mill, that was the 'darker' neighborhood, the less fortunate. If you went six homes left of my house though, from that point on to the houses were considered more proper and higher class. There were bigger houses and bigger yards, like Lily Evan's home.

"Whoa, I'm starting to like it here?" Regulus smirked looking behind us towards the even more unfortunate looking homes, though there were only three or four farther down than us. Trademark black hair accompanied by a red leather skirt, tube top, and pumps clothed of a certain young woman leaning against a street lamp. It was Widow:

The neighborhood prostitute.

"Oh shut up you perv!" Narcissa smacked him and Lucius commented on him having good taste, which also got him a hit in the arm.

We walked a little bit farther until we had past the park and got to the grocery store. I went done the lanes I had memorized 3, 4, 6, 9, and 14. Milk, bread, cereal, apple juice, a small box of lemon bread, and ingredients to a few homemade meals. It came up to about forty dollars, which my father had saved up from each time he got home from work.

"This is boring," Regulus moaned throwing his head back and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"I told you I had chores," I retorted. Lucius punched him in the arm.

"Shut up Regulus, no one needs your grousing," he muttered darkly. I made my eyes staring at the mark that ran up his left forearm. Lucius followed my gaze and shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh yeah, we didn't get to send you an owl. I finally got it, brilliant huh?" he laughed unaware of the small uneasiness in Narcissa. Regulus laughed slapping me on the back.

"Soon me and you are going to have one too, right mate?" I smirked at the feeling gripping around our small group. Pure domination of anyone who bothered us could be taken. Ultimate power.

"The Dark Lord is powerful, he wants to cleanse the world and get rid of all blood traitors and unworthy mudbloods," Narcissa hissed, finally getting the hang of talking about it. The thought of Lily entered my mind and I turned my head towards the house she lived in as we pasted it. Would she be killed too?

Regulus has stopped in his tracks about three feet behind us.

"Come on Reg!" Narcissa said walking back to him to pull his arm, but he wouldn't budge. Narcissa turned her head to look where he was looking and stopped too, but looked angry, not confused.

Mrs. Prodder's son, an annoying seven year old boy who was a nonstop talker, was squatted down in front of a bench with someone under it.

"Even the homeless are bothered here? Damn Snape," Lucius said with raised eyebrows. The boy continued to poke the blanked person as blue, busted up knit gloves gripped the blanket tighter around themselves. I frowned and bit back the feeling of nausea.

"That’s the only homeless person here; they usually aren't out this close to night though..." It was close to five. Narcissa, who had been cringing ever since she got to my street, shivered.

"It must be terrible to be that poor, no money, no clothes, and no travel!" she gasped at the last one and we all tried to contain ourselves from rolling our eyes.

"Krispin, get away from her!" Mrs. Prodder chased after her spoiled, curly-haired child. Her air of wealth and superiority suffocated me. "We don't need to associate ourselves with her kind of people," was her crude remark as she pulled her boy up and away to their white picket fence home.

"Come on Regulus, really what's with you?"

"Doesn't that look like Annabelle?"

The blanketed pauper scooted themselves from under the bench and pulled the blanket off. Frizzed out blonde hair peaked out from a knit cap.

"Oh my gosh!" Narcissa started running over and got in front ofthe girl Annabelle. We all ran over because the moment Narcissa tried hugging her, she pulled away quickly brandishing a small pocketknife. "Annabelle it's us," she whispered and her eyes went wide as she slowly lowered the weapon. Annabelle blushed, standing up along with the rest of us. She made an awkward as hell wave with a smile cast down at the ground.

"What are you doing out here?" Regulus asked quietly rubbing the back of his head. I had taken my time looking over her appearance.

Her hair was frizzed out under her hat; she wore a black long sleeved shirt with a dark plaid flannel over it. She had turquoise gloves that had some fingers missing on them, and those exposed fingers were now playing with the torn up leggings she had on.

She appeared to have no pants on, but the multiple layers of tops she wore hung low enough so that it wasn't a real issue. The real kicker was the high silver colored rain boots she wore, even though she must have been sweating in them, it was summer after all.

Annabelle started blushing as she tried fixing herself. I lowered my heavy head and scratched it.

"You never told us you were... less fortunate," Lucius said phlegmatically. She flinched slightly and sat down on the bench taking off her hat and brushing her hands with her fingers.

"Never asked," she whispered closing her eyes. Her smile was nervous, but attempted to make it welcoming. Narcissa became speechless, and she plopped down on the bench beside her. Annabelle sat up and smiled pulling the blanket off her and folding it up. "Surprised?" Wait was that directed at me. I scowled quietly.

"You live in my neighborhood, you could have at least told me."

She smiled and pulled her small pack of things onto her lap. My eyes turned bulbous while the others gave us a strange look.

"Well we're staying at Snape's house until later tonight, come over with us," Regulus said being the first to crack a smile.

She smiled and started pulling her hair.

"Oh come on, Snape doesn't mind! Right, mate?" I was still fixated on absolutely nothing. Annabelle took my silence a different way though. She smiled and shook her head standing up.

"Annabelle!" Everybody turned around to stare at the hooker I described earlier. "Sweetie, how many times have I told you to come in before it gets later?" Widow chatted carefully making her way up to us and standing in front of our homeless friend, who was blushing and smiling shyly.

"It's not dark yet."

"Oh quiet you, now come on. The other girls are just as worried as I am."

"How do you know Annabelle?" Narcissa said protectively grabbing a hold of our friend's hand. She freaked and went wide eyed standing up frightened as hell. Since she was right next to me, I carefully put my hand onto the top of her head.

"It’s ok," I whispered while the hooker and our gang were shouting at each other. Annabelle looked at me and fought back her pale face until it turned a blushing pink again. She smiled slightly and looked me in the eye, which was uncommon for her.

"Thanks." I found myself blushing as well and turned my head away.