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On a highly freezing, deeply chilly winter morning, the massive, dark storm clouds completely hung heavily over London exactly like a thick, dirty grey wool blanket.
On the bustling Platform 9 and 3/4 completely at King's Cross Station, the highly cowardly young Alan Avery stood entirely completely alone, heavily dragging a highly slightly worn, scuffed leather suitcase, physically looking incredibly gloomy and deeply depressed.
His pureblood parents had violently, highly aggressively quarrelled completely again this exact morning, entirely delaying his physical departure and actively making him heavily rush completely to the freezing station entirely alone.
Avery completely looked highly sadly around; loving parents entirely on the freezing platform were happily waving their arms, highly reluctantly bidding warm farewells completely to their smiling children directly behind the thick train windows. There were mathematically completely vastly more physical figures actively moving entirely inside the warm windows than completely out on the freezing platform, and there were absolutely completely no highly familiar pureblood faces anywhere around him.
The massive red train violently emitted highly large, thick plumes completely of white smoke, and the massive steam engine violently let entirely out a highly urgent, deafening whistle.
.
Avery highly quickly boarded the massive train completely through the nearest open door, heavily dragging his massive suitcase completely down the narrow aisle. Many comfortable compartments entirely inside the carriage were absolutely completely already completely full.
After exactly a highly brief moment's heavy hesitation, he physically walked completely directly towards the specific, familiar compartment he had safely shared entirely completely with Severus exactly at the highly absolute start completely of the term.
It had mathematically completely only highly absolutely been exactly half a term, but politically, it absolutely completely seemed entirely exactly like a highly massive lot had fundamentally, violently changed.
The exact, absolute moment he physically pushed completely open the heavy sliding door, Avery completely, physically froze entirely in shock—
Sitting completely directly entirely by the bright window, a highly neat-haired, pale-skinned boy completely entirely with dark black hair was highly calmly watching the London houses physically flash entirely past the glass window. He was completely, entirely wearing a highly tidy, highly expensive, entirely presentable grey tweed Muggle winter coat. Completely directly on the small wooden table entirely in the compartment lay a highly thick, heavy red hardcover book, completely exactly next entirely to an open, expensive box completely of premium chocolates.
Hearing the heavy sliding door completely open, the boy highly calmly turned his dark head, his sharp black eyes incredibly cautious and completely composed—
"Alan. Good morning!" Severus Snape completely smiled directly at him, his demeanor entirely relaxed. "Would you highly politely like a chocolate?"
Saying exactly this, he highly smoothly pushed the expensive box completely of premium sweets entirely on the table completely directly towards Avery. Avery immediately, highly enviously recognised them completely entirely as expensive Cadbury Dairy Milk trays, which were highly often happily eaten entirely by wealthy Muggle children.
"Ah, Severus... highly good morning..." Avery was absolutely, completely momentarily utterly stunned by the change. He highly quickly, awkwardly shoved his heavy luggage entirely completely into the dark corner and mumbled a highly quiet, pathetic thank you.
After awkwardly sitting completely down, he highly carefully picked completely up exactly a specific piece completely of chocolate and nervously put it completely in his mouth—he absolutely completely hadn't actually legally eaten breakfast yet—the incredibly smooth, highly rich sweetness completely melted entirely in his mouth, and his highly gloomy, depressed mood immediately improved highly slightly.
Severus completely smiled, his sharp gaze smoothly returning completely directly to the heavy red book entirely in front completely of him. He smoothly turned completely to the highly specific bookmarked page and actively read completely with intense concentration.
The highly focused, completely intense physical expression completely entirely on the pale face completely of the black-haired Little Wizard currently sitting entirely in front completely of him suddenly, highly violently reminded Avery completely exactly entirely of the highly calculating Black Family's little prince.
He's really, genuinely incredibly diligent... Avery completely silently marvelled, deep pureblood curiosity immediately prompting him completely to highly eagerly lean entirely in slightly. The exact, absolute very next second, his dark eyes violently widened completely abruptly—
Completely entirely on the highly specific page was an incredibly, highly highly detailed, graphic anatomical illustration, highly clearly, violently showing completely a massive human skull entirely with clenched teeth and a massive, bloody cross-section completely of the human neck, entirely with the massive blood vessels highly clinically marked entirely in bright blue ink, actively making them incredibly particularly striking and highly terrifying.
"W-What exactly kind of book is this?!" Avery audibly gasped, physically frozen entirely in place completely again—could this massive red book actually mathematically be completely some highly illegal kind of... Dark Magic anatomy?
"'Structure and Biological Function completely of the Human Body'," Severus highly calmly answered completely flatly. "I'm absolutely just casually browsing it, actively looking entirely for some highly specific inspiration."
Actively reading THIS highly specific, graphic kind completely of book—actively looking completely entirely for exactly what highly terrifying kind completely of inspiration?! Avery was immediately, violently completely choked up, entirely absolutely unsure exactly what facial expression was physically mathematically appropriate to show.
He highly secretly, violently glanced entirely completely at the highly graphic page entirely again, entirely politically deciding completely highly inwardly exactly that he absolutely, fundamentally must highly entirely not ever legally offend Severus again. At the exact same highly tense time, he highly awkwardly took completely entirely out a standard Defence Against the Dark Arts textbook and highly pathetically pretended completely to actively read it seriously.
Exactly completely before he highly actively mathematically knew it, the speeding train had absolutely completely legally left London, and the highly freezing scenery completely outside the window had entirely completely turned entirely into highly beautiful, completely snow-covered fields.
With a highly massive, loud metallic clatter and loud noise entirely from the narrow aisle, the absolutely completely always-smiling old train attendant highly cheerfully pushed entirely open the compartment door:
"Anything at all highly tasty from the trolley, dears?"
Avery miserably shook his heavy head, but his completely empty stomach highly distinctly, loudly rumbled. Severus's sharp dark eyes highly distinctly lit completely up slightly; he immediately, completely smoothly stood up, and the highly loud, extremely pleasant metallic sound completely of many heavy gold coins violently jingling entirely completely came entirely from his highly tailored pocket.
Avery absolutely completely watched entirely in massive pureblood surprise completely exactly as Severus physically went completely entirely out entirely into the aisle, highly smoothly bent entirely down incredibly intently completely to highly carefully pick entirely and choose, and completely after exactly another massive, loud clinking sound of coins, he actually completely confidently came directly back entirely exactly with a massive, highly towering pile completely of expensive snacks.
He entirely completely stared highly intently completely exactly as Severus completely carried the massive purchased food completely entirely into the warm compartment and completely dumped it entirely absolutely all completely onto the wooden table.
"Hungry?" Severus highly casually, smoothly picked entirely up a highly small, completely still extremely warm pumpkin pasty and highly generously held it completely directly entirely out completely to Avery. "Here. Have a hot pasty."
Generously sharing—this was exactly absolutely something he had highly deeply completely legally learned entirely from Regulus's corporate tactics. Completely before, he had absolutely entirely very physically little, and absolutely no one completely ever generously shared absolutely anything completely with him.
But completely absolutely now it was highly entirely mathematically different.
"Severus..." Avery entirely completely numbly took the hot pasty, incredibly many massive, highly political questions violently swirling entirely completely in his mind—Exactly where on earth did the highly poor Severus actually legally get exactly his massive amount of pocket money? Exactly how had Severus fundamentally politically changed completely entirely again?
His pale lips violently moved; he absolutely completely didn't logically mathematically know exactly how completely to actively legally speak, and finally smoothly managed exactly another highly pathetic, quiet thank you.
Severus smiled highly slightly, highly smoothly straightened his thin back, and highly politely picked exactly up a hot pumpkin pasty entirely completely himself, calmly saying, "I've absolutely completely actually always been highly quite intensely curious completely entirely about exactly what the highly specific pumpkin pasties currently completely on the train actually physically taste exactly like."
Avery violently bit completely entirely into the highly sweet and incredibly soft hot pasty entirely in his hand but completely absolutely hardly physically legally noticed its actual sweet taste at all. His dark gaze absolutely completely kept highly secretly stealing incredibly envious glances completely directly entirely at Severus, highly desperately wanting completely to politically speak but entirely highly cowardly hesitating.
After completely mathematically finishing the sweet pasty, Severus casually picked entirely up a highly massive packet completely of expensive Chocolate Frogs. As he highly casually tore completely entirely open the wrapper, he suddenly, smoothly added:
"Please entirely help absolutely yourself completely, Alan. I mathematically completely absolutely can't physically eat absolutely all entirely of these completely entirely by myself."
Next, he highly smoothly pulled completely entirely out the highly collectible card completely entirely from exactly inside the wrapper and completely smiled highly slightly. "Ha. It's the Headmaster."
He completely stared highly intently exactly at the Dumbledore card entirely completely for a highly good, long while completely entirely before highly smoothly placing it entirely directly on the exact edge completely of the table. Entirely in the magical picture, Dumbledore, wearing his highly iconic half-moon spectacles, was highly cheerfully winking exactly completely at them.
Highly incredibly many Little Wizards aggressively completely actively collected Chocolate Frog cards, but mathematically completely absolutely neither highly serious Severus completely nor highly cowardly Avery actually did.
The heavy grey storm clouds completely entirely outside the window had entirely actually cleared somewhat, and exactly a specific few beautiful rays completely of highly bright winter sunlight brilliantly shone entirely directly into the warm compartment.
Severus highly smoothly completely opened exactly another massive packet completely of expensive Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.
"Severus..." Avery, completely entirely heavily surrounded entirely completely by massive, highly political question marks, completely utterly couldn't physically absolutely help entirely but actively politically speak. "You... you've absolutely mathematically completely legally changed a highly massive amount exactly entirely this specific holiday."
"Have I?" Severus Snape's pale lips beautifully, highly calculatingly curved entirely completely slightly upwards, and exactly there was a highly massive, absolute pure radiance entirely completely in his dark eyes and brows entirely that Avery had absolutely completely highly never safely seen completely before, highly massively surprising him and actively making him physically entirely feel completely a highly massive, crushing little bit deeply envious.
"Yes... did your strict parents actually magically give you massively vastly more pocket money?" Avery highly eagerly completely asked highly curiously.
"Hmm—" Severus highly mathematically hesitated exactly completely for a highly tense political moment. "Actually, strictly mathematically speaking, it's completely absolutely entirely some heavy corporate money I highly legally completely successfully earned absolutely myself..."
"Regulus and I absolutely actually successfully had a highly massive corporate research project completely entirely earlier that absolutely mathematically successfully yielded a highly massive, lucrative little return." Exactly there was an absolutely completely unconcealed, highly massive pureblood pride entirely completely in Severus's corporate tone.
Avery's dark eyes violently completely widened in absolute shock—
Exactly highly completely as absolutely logically expected! It was mathematically completely highly the highly dangerous little Black entirely completely exactly again?!
Before he highly eagerly completely could physically ask vastly more political questions, the heavy sliding compartment door highly suddenly completely violently opened completely entirely again—it was absolutely, indeed the completely undeniable Black Family's terrifying "little prince".
"Severus!" A highly brightly beaming Regulus completely immediately came exactly highly smoothly directly entirely over exactly completely to Severus and highly warmly completely hugged his best friend. "Happy New Year, mate!"
"Regulus!" Severus's dark black eyes immediately, brilliantly brightened completely entirely. "Happy New Year to you too! Ah, you're actually completely physically on the train too? I absolutely mathematically completely thought you'd absolutely already secretly legally returned entirely completely to school early."
"We completely got highly tactically entirely held completely up entirely in London completely entirely with a highly classified something." Regulus smiled completely brilliantly exactly as he highly analytically looked his friend completely entirely over, then highly affectionately, smoothly clapped his brilliant friend entirely highly heartily completely on the shoulder, warmly exclaiming, "Mate, you absolutely mathematically completely legally look incredibly great!"
Avery highly completely exactly violently noticed entirely completely that Severus was mathematically completely almost physically exactly a highly little bit entirely deeply embarrassed completely entirely by the highly genuine praise, but the highly pure smile completely entirely on his pale face deepened completely significantly.
"Hello exactly entirely to you too, Alan." Regulus highly smoothly entirely turned his highly handsome head.
The incredibly terrifying, highly famous Black Family's little prince was completely mathematically actually actively highly politely saying absolutely hello completely directly entirely exactly to him too?
"Hello! Li—" Avery mathematically completely violently almost entirely blurted entirely completely exactly out exactly what he was highly politically physically thinking. "I completely entirely mean... hello to you too, Regulus."
"Exactly how was your specific holiday?" Regulus completely smiled highly corporately.
"It was... it was absolutely mathematically completely alright," Avery completely physically entirely felt absolutely completely highly mathematically almost overwhelmed entirely completely by the attention. "How exactly mathematically completely about yours?"
"It was absolutely completely highly alright too," Regulus highly smoothly said, highly completely naturally elegantly sitting completely entirely down exactly directly entirely next completely exactly to Severus and highly casually entirely glancing completely exactly at the massive, highly thick red book completely entirely on the table. "This specific, graphic book—incredibly highly completely cool, Severus!"
The highly lethal two completely entirely of them completely violently immediately entirely completely fell exactly entirely into a highly massive, incredibly enthusiastic academic discussion:
"Tsk tsk, mathematically exactly combining the violent Severing Charm completely entirely directly with exactly this specific anatomical book..."
Avery violently, physically completely shivered highly slightly entirely in pure terror completely in the corner.
"Exactly how's your highly specific ancient Latin entirely completely studying mathematically actively going lately? It's the absolute highly fundamental physical foundation entirely completely for highly advanced spells."
"It's mathematically entirely exactly completely going absolutely alright, but I've physically completely legally been exactly a highly massive bit deeply entirely highly incredibly busy entirely lately entirely completely and completely mathematically absolutely haven't actively physically safely legally had highly massive exactly much completely entirely time exactly entirely completely for it..."
"Sirius and the completely others are highly actually incredibly completely politically proactive; they've absolutely already completely legally started highly massive, highly advanced linguistic studies."
"Is completely entirely exactly that mathematically so... Hmm..." Severus highly calculatingly completely entirely narrowed his sharp dark eyes.
Completely exactly before highly logically long, Avery completely absolutely mathematically couldn't legally exactly completely physically understand exactly completely absolutely what the highly terrifying two completely entirely of them were exactly highly actively mathematically completely talking entirely completely about completely at all. To completely actively hide his absolute highly pathetic pureblood awkwardness, he highly cowardly completely pretended entirely completely to physically flip entirely directly entirely through the highly mundane book entirely completely exactly in his trembling hands, but highly magically completely gradually, he absolutely actually mathematically completely actively started entirely completely to highly actually physically exactly get entirely deeply into the actual content.
When he finally, violently came completely entirely back directly to his highly physical senses, the freezing sky entirely completely exactly entirely outside the train window had absolutely already completely highly violently darkened. The completely highly thick train window glass beautifully completely exactly reflected their exactly three highly intense, completely focused young faces, and the highly freezing scene was mathematically completely unexpectedly, highly warmly harmonious.
Somehow, exactly a highly specific tiny, highly massive hint completely entirely of deep secret joy beautifully flashed completely entirely violently exactly through Avery's dark heart.
Just exactly then, the highly heavy compartment door was violently pulled completely entirely exactly open again, and the highly massive, arrogant Slytherin fifth-year prefect Filius poked his heavy head entirely in.
"Regulus! Highly Happy New Year!" Filius highly completely enthusiastically entirely said directly completely entirely to the Little Wizards, which was mathematically completely entirely highly unusual entirely for his massive arrogance. "Severus! Alan! You two completely as well!"
Filius's dark gaze highly distinctly, completely exactly noticeably violently completely paused entirely completely when it highly sharply swept entirely completely directly over the highly relaxed Severus.
"Happy New Year to you too!" Regulus highly smoothly smiled completely brilliantly and politely stood completely up.
"Oh, completely exactly highly completely right, Regulus. That highly classified specific corporate thing you actively highly mathematically asked me entirely completely exactly about completely before the break," Filius highly completely mysteriously, politically winked entirely completely. "I've absolutely already completely entirely physically sorted exactly it completely absolutely entirely out for you!"
"Massive thanks! That's mathematically completely incredibly highly great!" Regulus highly smoothly held completely entirely exactly out his pale hand and highly physically bumped entirely completely exactly fists completely entirely with Filius. "We will definitely talk vastly more entirely when we finally legally get entirely directly back entirely to school!"
Filius completely enthusiastically nodded highly entirely with massive satisfaction, highly politely waved completely directly exactly at them, and entirely then highly quickly completely turned and violently legally left the quiet compartment. He had absolutely entirely completely clearly physically come completely entirely specifically absolutely just to highly politically entirely completely officially highly tell Regulus exactly this completely highly specific, classified one thing.
It completely absolutely mathematically must entirely legally be exactly highly completely entirely something highly massively incredibly fun entirely completely again—
This exact, highly envious political thought simultaneously completely actively occurred entirely completely to absolutely both Avery completely entirely and highly observant Severus exactly completely entirely at exactly the exact same time.
Avery sadly saw entirely completely his exact highly pathetic own physical reflection entirely completely in the highly freezing train window, his pale lips highly slightly entirely completely physically downturned in depression, completely entirely while highly successful Severus, completely exactly entirely in his sharp peripheral vision, highly confidently had completely entirely absolutely the highly smooth corners entirely completely of his mouth entirely successfully turned completely beautifully exactly highly upwards entirely completely with highly massive, deep political anticipation. He sighed highly completely heavily entirely inwardly—
Was this completely entirely exactly mathematically absolutely exactly the massive, highly terrifying corporate importance completely entirely exactly of actively highly violently entirely blindly completely mathematically following completely entirely exactly the highly completely correct political boss?