Chapter 3 - Bump Ⅱ (1/2)
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 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 wryly 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 with 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, you don't have 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 in thought and thoughtfully says, ”Hmm, I think, I'm going to call you, Sev from now on.”
”What!?” Severus indignantly sputtered.
”It sounds cuter,” 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. Hungry and still very much being children, they earnestly devour the food. However, she stops halfway as she notices the wistful gaze on Severus's face. ”I'm not that hungry, you finish the rest,” Rowan loudly proclaimed, before getting back to washing the remaining dirty dishes in the sink.
Severus hungrily eats the remnants of the food, before carefully destroying the plastic container and hiding it under old trash lest any evidence is found by their father. Feeling embarrassed, he loudly coughs to grab Rowan's attention and gruffly says, ”So what do you need help with?”
”While I tackle the downstairs toilet and the upstairs bathtub. How about you finish up the dishes?” Rowan replied as she dried her wet soapy hands once again on her patched shirt.