Chapter Text
Fleamont Potter was having a good day. He woke up bright and early to his wonderful wife snoring away beside him, the house elves made his favourite breakfast of toasted tuna sandwich alongside a nice hot cup of café latte. He then visited the newly purchased plot of land that was his new pet project, the architect having green lighted his plans for it. Then he had been notified that APottercary, the potions company that he had started in his youth, had been contacted by a client that would potentially bring in millions in sales if negotiations went well. Add to that that he was currently walking down Diagon Alley that was not too crowded, considering it was still school holidays, he was certainly having a good day.
Considering his own amazing day, he had thought to buy his wife a gift. Perhaps a good book that they did not have in the Manor library or that new broom that was said to have just been newly launched. He was sure anything he bought, Euphemia would love anyways. Then perhaps after that they could go out for a nice dinner, James wasn’t due home until that weekend.
Fleamont was lost in thought when a body ran into him, just slightly clipping his side. He turned to see if the person who ran into him was alright to see a boy, perhaps his son’s age but surely no older, already bowing his head and apologising, hair a dark curtain obscuring his face.
“I’m so sorry, I hadn’t seen you there sir. Please forgive me, I’m in a rush.” The dark haired teen said then turned and rushed off. Fleamont hadn’t even the time to reassure him that he was alright.
Of course, being the ex-auror that he was -no matter how out of practice considering he hadn’t seen someone coming right at him- he realised something on his body was gone. A quick pat of his robe pocket and ah, his money pouch was gone. So the boy was a little thief.
Fleamont wasn’t too concerned, there was not much money in there to begin with and he kept his Gringotts card by his chest pocket under his outer robes. His good mood for the day dipped a little but it wasn’t easily stamped out.
He was also a tad bit curious.
That being said, Fleamont disillusioned himself and took a bit of time to pull his invisibility cloak from his pocket and over himself before he followed after the oddly dressed teen. The teen turned off into a small alley, pressing himself into the walls and looking around before he withdrew the stolen pouch to check its content.
Fleamont looked the boy over from head to toe while he was busy counting his spoils. He deduced that the teen must have been a muggleborn as his clothing was nowhere near wizarding standard. An overly large jacket that was mottled with stitches that must have seen better days over a black shirt that looked a sightly better but was also stretched at the neck, dark blue jeans that was ripped at odd places but had the largest holes at the knees, exposing what looked to be purple bruised skin if Fleamont squinted to see in the dark alley. The boy’s shoes were yellow with use and must have been held together with mending charms with how... used they looked.
Any annoyance that Fleamont may have felt at getting robbed eased completely at his assessment of the boy. He was so thin and sallow looking, he definitely needed that pouch of money more than Fleamont ever will. Before his thoughts could spiral down to unfortunate children the boy was on the move again.
Fleamont followed the boy to Flourish and Blotts, easily side stepping the other customers as there weren’t that many to begin with. The boy had a basket in hand and walked straight to the back where the second hand books were, gathering a few books.
A sixth year, as Fleamont recognised some of the books from his son’s book list. The boy did not gather that many books, certainly not enough to fill an entire book list. Curious, as Fleamont was sure the money in the pouch would be enough to cover even all new books.
The boy went back to the front, stopping beside a bookshelf and picking out a thick tome that Fleamont recognised as the newly published guide on potions ingredients. He had purchased one himself as soon as it was published and it certainly held many new additions to the pre-existing list of ingredients and their usages. It was not cheap though and he kept his own copy at the company’s research and development department for the use of his employees.
Fleamont could see the boy staring longingly at it for a few moments before placing it back onto the shelf gently, as if taking care not to damage it. The boy then went to the counter to pay for his purchases.
Perhaps Fleamont should have left at that point, his curiosity of his young thief quenched. But sue him he hasn’t done anything as impulsive as this in a long time and today was a good day for playing detective so he stayed under his cloak and continued to follow after the teen.
The boy came to stop near Madam Malkins, glancing at the shop and seeming to stop and think for a moment before he went off to a side alley again to pull out the pouch and count the galleons left inside. Fleamont was left wondering again. If the boy wanted regular robes there were certainly cheaper alternatives than Madam Malkins, the only thing Madam Malkins carried that was unique to them was Hogwarts uniform robes as no other stores were authorised for them. But the boy was surely not in his first year and Hogwarts robes were charmed specifically to grow with the wizard or witch so why would he need another set of them?
Fleamont heard the boy sigh, the galleons must not have been enough for whatever he wanted. Here Fleamont was debating to himself, should he offer some assistance to the boy? It wasn’t as if he stole so he could buy some pointless merchandise, he clearly needed the money for school items and it was one thing to know that some children were unfortunate enough to not be able to afford things they needed but it was another thing to witness it.
Before Fleamont could make a decision the teen was on the move again, this time quickly down the small alley. As they moved deeper into the twisting and turning small alleys Fleamont came to the dawning realisation of where the boy was heading.
Knockturn Alley.
Perhaps he was wrong after all and the boy was after some illegal contraband with his stolen money. Fleamont sighed, and here he was thinking he wanted to help the boy, guess he thought too early.
Fleamont was about to turn and leave, not wanting to see what illegal things the teen would buy and ultimately ruin his day, when the boy shimmered right in front of him into someone else. Mousy brown curly hair of the same length and skin tanned to a light golden. The boy stopped abruptly, making Fleamont jerk in his steps.
Fleamont held his breath, not even going to risk the noise of that.
The teen took off his jacket, shrinking it and shoving it into his jeans pocket where he had stashed his shrunken books. He placed his wand back into the holster on his wrist and used both hands to pull at the front of his baggy shirt, tying itself into a knot exposing the boy’s glamoured midriff.
The boy took a deep breath and was whispering to himself, Fleamont chanced a few step closer to make out the words. “... can do this, just one man. Just like before, quick and easy. Think of the robes, think of the robes.” The glamoured boy shook himself while he repeated his mantra ‘think of the robes’.
Fleamont was starting to get a clearer picture here, and he was not liking the conclusions he was coming to. The boy was either going to rob someone else, unlikely as Knockturn alley visitors weren’t ideal victims, or he was about to sell himself.
The boy stepped forward into Knockturn Alley proper, raising his head and loosening his body to affect an air of nonchalance and confidence. Fleamont followed behind him, just itching to grab the boy and leave the dark alley. But no, there were too many eyes here.
The boy sauntered on, nearing where Fleamont recognised as where the prostitutes gathered. Merlin was the boy even of age to be doing this kind of thing?
Just as the boy turned the corner, Fleamont decided he needed to act now before one of the men that had been eyeing the boy followed him down. He sped up and shot a hand out to grab the boy and apparated back to the first side alley where the boy had hid while counting his spoils.
Fleamont took the opportunity of the boy still being disoriented by the sudden apparation to put up privacy wards and pulling off his invisibility cloak.
“Merlin I haven’t been this impulsive since I quit the Aurors.”
Fleamont speaking seemed to have stirred the boy up from his confusion. He twisted and yanked his hand away but was no match for Fleamont’s grip, which was no wonder as Fleamont noticed how thin the wrist in his grip was.
Fleamont was finally able to get a second look of the teen head on, he still wore the glamour but Fleamont saw fear in the boy’s eyes before he schooled it over into a glare. “If you wanted me you could have just said, no need to pull me away.”
“Actually no, I just wanted to speak.”
The boy stared back at him shrewdly, “Well unless you’re paying me to speak, you’re just wasting my time.”
Fleamont smiled wryly at the boy, “Well I would but it seems my pouch had been picked right out of my pocket earlier.”
The boy’s eyes widened, “You!” Then his struggling to get out of his grip began anew.
Fleamont clicked his tongue, “Hey now, none of that. I’m not going to turn you in, I just wanted to speak to you.”
The boy was evidently not listening to him as he began to bodily pull himself away from Fleamont despite how futile his earlier attempts were. Fleamont sighed, “How about this, I pay for the robes you wanted and you repay me for everything by sitting down for tea and having chat with me.”
The boy was getting desperate, desperate enough to pull out his wand with his non-dominant hand but unluckily for him Fleamont still kept up some of his training regime from his Auror days, the boy’s wand was in his hand in no time.
What he wasn’t expecting though was for the boy to throw in a punch which he narrowly avoided on pure reflex but left his mind reeling. In turn his grip on the boy loosened enough for the boy to pull back and away from him, but Fleamont still had his wand with him which might have explained why the boy had not run off already.
Fleamont could see the boy’s mind running, eyes darting to the entrance of the alley behind him. He decided to speak before the boy decided abandoning his wand would be better than whatever he thought Fleamont was going to do with him.
“Hey, calm down. I’m not going to do anything bad. I saw you were interested in the Ingredient Liste tome, so why not lets have a chat, potioneer to another.”
The boy visibly looked him up and down and back up to his face again but he did not show any recognition. Not surprising as Fleamont was not very active in the wider potions industry if the boy was trying to identify him from that, and it did not look like the boy had any interest in cosmetic potions. If he was very well read he might recognise him by name though, if not by his family name.
“What’s it to you?” The boy said cautiously.
Fleamont shrugged, “I’m having a good day, came upon a budding potioneer then I thought well why not invest in the future of the industry?” He tried to word it in a way that had nothing to do with the boy, aware that any hint of pity or charity would be thrown right back at his face.
“I don’t need your pity!” The boy growled, eyes sharp and looking every bit ready to pounce.
Well Fleamont was right, but he resisted placating the boy as he knew it wasn’t the right way to go with boys like these. “Well you certainly helped yourself to it.” He gestured to the pocket where the boy had pilfered how money pouch.
The boy’s cheeks reddened. Interesting.
Fleamont saved the boy some dignity of replying, “How about it? I’ll get you your robes, we go for some tea and if I think you’re especially promising I’ll get you the tome too.”
The boy, perhaps reluctantly, nodded.
———————————————
Severus was going to spontaneously combust.
How the fuck could he, who has been as a kid picking pockets ever since he saw some other kids do it, get found out in the worst way possible? Right before he was about to truly sell himself for the first time ever. In the wizarding world.
Yes. Truly.
He’s done things for some boys and even girls in school in exchange for favours or rare things that he as a half-blood would never get his hands on, but never has he ever done things in exchange for money. Well, nothing of a more personal nature at least. He’s sold plenty of essays and notes and potions for galleons.
And now he was being led down Diagon Alley towards Madam Malkin’s by the man who caught him.
His glamour was dropped at the man’s behest after he had returned his wand, and Severus was only following along because he was going to get robes and perhaps that tome that he had all but salivated over. And all the man wanted in exchange was a chat over tea. Oh yes, Severus would even get food out of it too.
He was wary, a little bit, but if the man wanted to murder him or abduct him he would have done so when he apparated earlier. Severus scoffed at the thought, the man would have been better off abducting someone’s pet dog than him, he was well aware that he was worth nothing.
At the start of the day he had bid goodbye to his mother with his sack of secret coins to Diagon Alley to buy his supplies before anyone else would even begin to think about school. This was partly to ease his anxiety of his father ever finding his stash of hard earned coins and partly so he could avoid anyone from Hogwarts.
Now that he had fucked things up with Lily, there was no one left in that godforsaken school that was worth seeing. Least of all his fellow Slytherins. If they saw him in his barely held together muggle clothes he would never have another peaceful day in his dorms again.
He was halfway through purchasing his books when he found out he wouldn’t have enough for all that he needed, which ended up in his little impromptu pick pocketing. He had picked the richest looking man on the street, which was not saying much as there weren’t that many people to begin with. The man’s robes looked rich enough and Severus could see the bulge in his conveniently placed pocket, he went straight for it.
He made sure to bow and apologise, covering his face and speaking fast. When he was a kid all he had to do was run into his target, filch the goods and run as nobody expects a kid to apologise for running. But now that he was older and supposed to be schooled in polite society it would be expected of him to acknowledge his mistake and to appease the other party, show deference. Everybody likes feeling superior, especially rich people.
The gold was enough to get him the rest of his books, though not enough for the new school robes and undergarments he was hoping for.
He could go without them, truthfully, wouldn’t even have thought to buy new ones as his old ones still just barely fit and he could stitch them up muggle style if the mending charms he had on them really gave up. But, when Potter and his goons had upended him and... humiliated him in front of the entire school, it burned him to be seen in tattered robes and patched pants.
It made Severus clench his fist in anger and mortification now to even think of it. He was poor, ugly, unsociable. Those were facts that he had already come to terms with. He was used to being overlooked or scorned for those facts. But for his privacy and dignity to be ripped away from him like that, for everyone to laugh at, it hurt and ate at him inside.
Perhaps it was irrational, the thought that he could restore his dignity with new clothes, as if he could shield himself with them. He knew it was irrational, no amount of new clothing could take back the fact that nearly the entire school had seen him in his pants held upside down against his will. But it was the only way he could think of to gather his tattered dignity from its pieces and go through with the next two years of his schooling.
They arrived at Madam Malkin’s and the man held the door open for him. Severus tried to stand straighter when he walked in, trying to channel the lessons that Lucius had given him as he was about to let a man buy him robes.
“Hello sirs, welcome. How may I help you today?” The seamstress, which Severus assumed was Madam Malkin asked.
The man nodded his greeting then gestured at Severus. Severus tamped down at the embarrassed flush that he felt was close to emerging.
“Good evening, I’m here for two new sets of school robes and some plain undergarments.”
“Alright then, step on up here and I’ll take your measurements.”
Severus stepped up and raised his arm as the tape measure flew around his body.
“What happened to your old sets? And only two? Wouldn’t four be the usual number?” The man asked from behind Severus, voice curious.
“Nonsense, two is plenty enough. Four would just be excessive spending.” Severus scoffed at the man. As expected of the rich and wealthy, they would never understand the term adequate.
The man hummed before he spoke again, “Make that four sets Madam. You never said what happened to your previous sets?”
Severus was about to protest but thought better of it, if the man wanted to buy him more then Severus should just take it. Consequences be damned.
“My old ones are almost beyond mending charms and stitching now.” Severus replied simply, it was half the truth anyways.
“Merlin! My dear my family and I have been selling Hogwarts robes for ages and they have never been beyond repair, charmed to grow along with the child. Were you fighting Hippogriffs in them?” The seamstress asked incredulously from where she was comparing swatches of fabric.
Severus shrugged, “They were second-hand, and you could say Trolls always seem to have a fight to pick with me.” He laughed at his own little joke.
“Your house?” Madam Malkin asked after he had stepped down from the raised platform.
“Slytherin.” Severus’ eyes cut across to stare down the man when he heard the man’s noise of surprise. “You have a problem with that?”
The man’s eyes widened before he relaxed and chuckled, “No, just surprised is all. You strike me more as a Ravenclaw.”
Severus gave the man a narrow eyed stare before turning back to the seamstress and asking how long it would take before it was ready.
“Give me two to three hours then you may come back to collect them. Would you like to settle the payment now or later?”
“Now, thank you.” The man’s quick reply saved Severus from another episode of should he really trust that the man was going to buy his clothes. If he paid now and became a suspicious person later, Severus would just have to escape him and pick up his clothes and leave.
Severus watched as the man took out a Gringotts card from his breast pocket, his eyes widened in disbelief and shock. The piece of dull metal was gold in colour, denoting a Lord’s vault. Severus has only ever heard of a gold card from his housemates, never actually having set eyes on one before. He nearly salivated at the thought of so much money, imagine never having to worry about your next meal.
Holy shit, Severus thought a moment later, what had he just gotten himself into? He knew the man was wealthy but thought the man was nothing more than a very wealthy wizard but no, he was a Lord! Severus wasn’t even sure if he wanted to know what Family he was the Lord of. Merlin he really fucked up.
“Now that’s done, what say you about some tea?” The man smiled at Severus, holding a hand out indicating for him to move first.
Severus stared at the man for a moment before deciding he’d already done the worst he could possibly do and the man still bought him clothes so he shrugged, “Up to you, I’m fine with anything.”
“Alright then, let’s head to my favourite café.”
The man’s favourite café turned out to be a quaint little café at a quiet yet bright corner of Diagon Alley. They had a beautiful selection of dainty pastries, breads, teas, and coffee.
Severus felt his stomach clench as he looked at the display cabinet. He’s gotten better at ensuring he got proper meals for him and his mum over the summer, but as he needed to save money for his school supplies also he had needed to cut a few meals. He’d been especially careful about spending this summer as the events of fifth year had cut into his ability to earn as much from the students, which resulted in empty stomachs more often than not.
“Order anything you like, my treat.” Severus pulled his eyes away from the glass, looking over to the man who smiled gently at him, the crow’s feet at the corner of his hazel eyes creasing.
It took all of Severus to hold back from going crazy. They all looked so good, even better than Hogwarts’ usual fare and that was saying a lot to someone like Severus who thought Hogwarts’ meals were the pinnacle of delicious foods. He picked one piece of round pastry that had what looked like jam inside and a red bean bun, both looked large enough to be filling.
“Would you like some tea to go with that?” The witch behind the counter asked after picking out both their selections.
Severus looked over at the man, tilting his head in askance.
“A pot of Earl Grey, thank you.” The man replied before whipping out that eye-catching gold card to pay. Merlin, Severus thought he would never get tired of seeing the dull gold clutched between those long fingers.
Severus kept his eyes on their floating tray and the man led them to a seat in the café’s upstairs balcony, stomach already gnawing at itself at the thought that those delicious bits of bread were going to be inside him soon. But of course, manners drilled into him by Lucius had him sit and wait for the man to be settled and make the first move before he even dared to pick up his fork and knife.
The man suddenly chuckled which had Severus looking up at him oddly, “You know, I have yet to ask your name, or give you mine. I’m Fleamont.” The man, now named Fleamont, held out a hand for Severus to shake.
Severus dipped his head before grasping Fleamont’s soft hands in his much rougher ones, “Severus.” It did not escape his notice that Fleamont never gave his family name, and Severus kept his out in likewise.
It was odd though. Those who had good names were prone to throw it around like it was proof that they were above you, as his experience in Slytherin had attested to. It was odd that Fleamont, who was clearly a Lord of a wealthy family, would feel the need to conceal his lineage in the face of someone like Severus who was obviously unthreatening and clearly not a pureblood. Even the blasted idiot Black who had proclaimed to hate his family still used his Black name to get out of literally attempted murder.
Severus decided that those were thoughts for another day when he had perfectly good food right in front of him ready for him to devour, no point letting things like that distract him from focusing on the mouth-watering breads. He waited exactly three seconds after Fleamont had taken a sip of his tea to pick up his cutleries, the manners he had learned warring with his desperate hunger.
It was hard to hold back the moan at the first burst of flavour on his tongue, he barely managed to. He might have groaned a little, just a bit. Thankfully Fleamont never commented on it.
“How are your OWLs?” Fleamont asked after Severus had finished the pastry.
Severus stared at him, really his results were of no business of Fleamont’s but this man was feeding him so. “Seven Os Two Es and one A.”
Fleamont raised both brows, “Impressive, congratulations! What are you planning to take for NEWTs?”
“Thank you.” Severus ducked his head as he felt a spot of heat rise on his cheeks. He tried his best to not think about it but the fact was that there had been nobody to congratulate him on his results, even his mum wasn’t able to as all talk of magic inside the house was banned. And Lily… the less said about that the better. So Fleamont was the first to do so. A literal stranger.
“I was hoping to take eight. Potions obviously, Charms, Defense, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Herbology, Astronomy, and Transfiguration.”
It was quite ambitious of him of course, normally students would only take five, the requisites of their desired occupation. And of course, most Slytherins being rich purebloods their occupation being unemployed living off their family’s money. But Severus needed this, he needed the best results he could earn, to show himself that he could do it, that he could rise above the mistake his mother had made.
“Merlin, that’s… I am very impressed. I could only wish my son took his studies as seriously as you.” Fleamont sighed wistfully before suddenly turning bright eyes back onto Severus, “I have a potions company, if you’d like I could provide you with an apprenticeship. Though it is a cosmetic company, mind you. Perhaps that might not be the direction you are heading?”
Severus was taken aback at the sudden offer, an apprenticeship? Right now? Before he had even done his NEWTs? Merlin that was a good opportunity. He didn’t even care that it was cosmetics focused because any knowledge was knowledge, and it wasn’t as if he hadn’t improved upon old recipes of scar removal for aesthetic reasons before. There was a vague thought at the back of his mind about Fleamont’s son but, an apprenticeship!
“Merlin, I.. before my NEWTs?” Was all Severus could ask because, really?
Fleamont chuckled, running a finger over his chin thoughtfully, “Well, perhaps it may be a tad too soon. Though, it is the summer and you have a few months before term starts.”
“Yes!” Severus said enthusiastically before remembering himself and forcing himself to lean his back on the back of the chair. “I mean, yes, I definitely have nothing to do this summer and if you would be gracious enough to allow me to learn under your company’s potioneers I would be grateful.”
Fleamont grinned at Severus’ clear enthusiasm, barely able to keep himself seated with excitement. He couldn’t help but wish, again, that his son was as eager to learn from him. “I’ll see that something is arranged and inform you by owl.”
Severus frowned and shook his head to Fleamont’s curiosity, but before he could comment the boy spoke, “Best not to owl. I live in a muggle area.”
Fleamont nodded in understanding, making sure to keep his face neutral as he realised Severus was observing him carefully. “How about we meet back here in a week’s time? I will prepare a short contract and we may discuss terms before we finalise anything.”
Severus smiled, relief clear on his face. Fleamont gave himself a pat on the back for the job well done.
They conversed more on the topic of potions and Hogwarts professors, swapping ideas on the development of the industry and bemoaning that Binns was still teaching to the detriment of the entire British Wizarding world. And upon seeing how the boy’s eyes sometimes darted down to his uneaten pastry, he loudly complained that he had drank too much of the delicious tea and was much too full for the pastry, not wanting for food to go to waste, offered it to Severus.
After they were done and the sun was close to setting, they left to collect Severus’ clothes and when Severus looked as if he was ready to bid him farewell Fleamont gripped him gently by the elbow and led him to Flourish and Blotts. He walked in, picked up the Potions Ingredients Liste tome, paid for it, and handed it to Severus.
“Here you go, it will do better in your hands than standing in the shelves of a bookstore.” Fleamont smiled at Severus, making sure to display as much genuine truth as possible. He knew the boy would not take lightly to being pitied.
“Merlin… Mr Fleamont, I... thank you. You have been exceedingly kind to me, how may I repay you?” Severus asked hesitantly, hand raised to receive the tome but not fully accepting it yet.
“Think nothing of it Severus, I enjoyed conversing with such a bright mind and I wish to see what you will achieve in the future.” Fleamont took Severus’ hand in his and placed it on the book, then grabbing Severus’ other hand and placing it under to support the tome before he let go and smiled brightly.
Severus truly felt his heart warm in that moment. When was the last time someone had done something kind for him? Lily, perhaps. Definitely. But now she was gone, and here was this stranger being so kind to him and expecting nothing in return but wanting to see Severus succeed?
Severus swore to be the best potions master this world has ever seen if only for Fleamont to know that Severus was thankful for his kindness.