The next morning, at the table in the dining area, Sirius looked over at the corner table sitting across the room, where the basket of food that Mrs Hammond had given them sat.

“We should go to the Nameless restaurant today,” Sirius mused. “What do you lot say?”

Harry glanced over at Severus, to see his reaction, before looking over at the corner table that Sirius was staring at, saying, “Alex made that food over there—why do you want to go to the restaurant?”

Sirius frowned, his eyes not moving. “He makes good food.”

“Yes,” Harry agreed slowly, “but he made us that basket of food over there.”

Sirius now looked at Harry, who was pointing over to the basket, and frowned. Harry tried to explain again, but failed. Finally, he looked over at Severus again for help.

“Severus,” Harry tried, “could you please help…?”

Severus looked down at his plate of food that Nome had made for breakfast, looking amused, but kept silent.

Sirius shook his head, changing the subject. “So, we'll need to get rid of that paper today, ri-ight?”

Harry looked up at Sirius, saying hastily, “I'll do it!” He looked back and forth at the adults, adding, “I need to be the one to do this.”

“I think it would be fine,” Severus spoke up. “Just—what is that?”

Sirius looked behind him, then looked back at Severus with a funny look on his face. “It's the door, Snape—you've never heard or seen one of those before?”

Severus scowled. “At ten thirty in the morning, Black?”

“Oh.” Sirius nodded, pushing his chair back to stand up. “I forgot it was so early. One minute.”

Sirius walked out of the dining area and into the foyer. The knocking continued as he approached the french doors. Opening the door, his eyes widened, and he froze, staring forward with a look of pure surprise on his face.

He quickly found his voice, yelling out into the house, “Snape!” as he gave a weak smile to the people on the threshold.

He felt Severus's presence beside him. There was a small gasp, though he knew it didn't come from Severus, but from Harry. Sirius couldn't seem to peel his eyes away from the scene in front of him.

Several people coughed, waiting for someone to speak. Sirius could only gape. At least a dozen people were in front of him—though, maybe it was less.

“Sirius,” Alex Bewley greeted uncertainly, but tried to use his most professional tone. Numerous other people that worked at the several other different restaurants and diners in the town stood nervously beside him on the threshold. “Severus, Harry. We, the people of the town, have reason to believe that it was a young Harry's birthday fourteen days ago—”

“Reason to believe?” Severus repeated. He still seemed to be surprised, as well, over the amount of people standing in front of their house. “Every single one of you people have memorized Harry's birthday.”

“It's… like… a… holiday here! Only… not really…” Sirius added, trailing off. He quieted himself with a small grin.

“Well, fine, we knew,” Alex corrected, looking sheepish. “What we don't know is why it wasn't celebrated! You never went out to eat—it's a tradition!—and, none of us have seen you out since Severus and Harry returned from that boarding school—”

“What happened?” One of the people in the crowd surrounding their house yelled out.

“Nothing happened!” Sirius yelled back, scowling. “It just… y'know… something came up and we just didn't… couldn't…celebrate—”

“We were worried!” Somebody else yelled out.

“Well, that's very nice,” Severus said uncomfortably. “Now, all of you—go home!”

“Everything's all right?” Alex questioned hesitantly. “Nothing's wrong?”

“Nothing's wrong,” Sirius said exasperatedly. He took Harry gently by the shoulder and pulled the boy in front of him, for the people to see. “See? Look, here's Harry. He's fine.”

“Alex!” Someone yelled from the crowd. “Is he really okay?”

Alex inspected Harry closely. Harry slowly began to inch away, and Alex turned towards the crowd, nodding his head.

“He looks fine!” Alex announced. There was a murmur amongst the crowd, and one by one, they slowly started to leave.

“Hi Sirius!”

A rather short girl with long blonde hair waved brightly from the departing crowd, giving a flirtatious smile as she started to leave, too, with the rest of the people. Looking embarrassed, Sirius gave a weak smile and turned away.

“Who's that?” Harry asked, grinning.

“Elizabeth Hawlen,” Sirius answered in a whisper, glancing over his shoulder to see if she was still there. “It's horrible—she likes me.”

“That's horrible?” Harry frowned. “Shouldn't you like that?”

“Well… I do,” Sirius replied. “I just don't like her, and what makes it horrible, is the fact that she is Mrs Hammond's neice, and so she can't know that I don't like her, 'cause then she'll tell Mrs Hammond, and Mrs Hammond will ask why…. Do you know how many times I've tried to get her to start to like Snape?”

Severus scowled as he shut the door. “I prefer that she like Black—I am not the dating type, and never plan to be.”

“Oh yes, how could I forget?” Sirius started to imitate Severus. “'I am quite content with Harry, and need no type of female friend, thank you very much.'”

Severus scoffed. “Well, I don't.”

Sirius snickered as Severus walked away from the door and back into the dining area.

“I think,” Sirius said, throwing his playful attitude aside and turning austere, “the only girl he ever did love, was your mother—Lily—and I don't think he wants that to change. Hence… the no female friends—”

“Black.” Severus stepped out of the dining area, glaring at Sirius. “I can hear you.”

“Well… that's good, at least you're not deaf,” Sirius said. He winced as the doorbell started to ring, a knock on the door. Once, twice—another ring from the doorbell, two more impatient knocks. He moaned. “That's Elizabeth. I just know it. Harry, could you—?”

Harry's eyes widened. He took a few steps back, shaking his head.

Sirius pouted. “Why not? I—I'd do it for you!”

“If Harry doesn't wish to answer the door,” Severus said calmly, “then there is no reason why he has to.”

“Ple-e-ease, Harry?” Sirius implored, wincing again as there was another knock, and then another. He dropped to his knees, in front of Harry's feet, and clasped his hands together. “Oh, please, Harry, oh please! I… I'll… I just don't want to talk to her!”

Harry raised his eyebrows. “You really don't want to talk to this Elizabeth Hawlen?”

Sirius nodded eagerly.

“Fine,” Harry agreed, stepping past Sirius, walking towards the door. Sirius immediately scrambled up and ran into the lounge.

Harry pulled open the door, nervously looking at the woman who stood on the threshold. Short, blonde and perky-looking—it was Elizabeth Hawlen, Harry realized.

“Hi, Harry,” she said, grinning broadly. “How are you today?”

“I'm fine,” Harry replied, glancing down at his feet. He felt awkward talking to someone that he didn't know, yet they knew him. Though, it wasn't actually 'him', Harry just wasn't going to correct himself anymore. “A—are you looking for Sirius?”

She nodded. “Yes, yes. Where is he?”

“He…” Harry faltered, turning red. Of course, if he was going to lie for Sirius, he'd have to make up an excuse for why he couldn't talk to this lady! “He is, actually, um…”

“A bender,” Elizabeth Hawlen finished with a disappointed sigh. She nodded her head, her shoulders sagging. “It's so… obvious. He's handsome, he lives with Severus, I haven't seen him with any women… unless…”

“No!”

There was a loud crash from the lounge, a yelp from Sirius, and then Sirius appeared, hopping into the foyer while trying to nurse his foot.

“No, no, no,” Sirius said, letting out an “Oomph!” as, still trying to nurse his foot and hop towards the door at the same time, he tripped and fell.

There was a chuckle from the dining area—clearly from Severus, who Harry assumed was most amused by what was going on.

Sirius stood up, dusting himself off. He limped the rest of the way towards the doors.

“I,” he started slowly, cringing, “am not attracted to the same gender—nor am I attracted to Snape! I am very, very straight—the straightest! Honestly.”

Elizabeth Hawlen stared at Sirius, and then slowly turned around, making her way down the steps. “Goodbye Sirius,” she called over her shoulder, walking through the grass until she approached the street, where she passed a few people who were looking at the Snape manor and whispering.

Sirius turned towards Harry, looking exhausted.

“I'm really not,” he insisted.

“I know,” Harry said austerely, nodding his head. “I believe you.”

“Good,” Sirius said, looking satisfied. It lasted very shortly, and then a grim look took over. “Now, I have to go fix that lamp in the lounge…”

Harry grabbed onto the doorknob, ready to shut the door—but then the people, standing out in front of the house, caught his eye. What were they doing?

“Harry!” One of them yelled, a chubby, older-looking woman, rushing towards the door. “Good, OK, now tell me—will you be on Mahon Hollow around one thirty-five?”

Harry was at a loss for answers, so he stared at the woman blankly. Where was Mahon Hollow?

“I—I don't think so,” he replied.

“Okay,” she said thoughtfully. “What about Crescent Avenue? Around… two fifteen?”

Harry shook his head, turning around to see Severus walking slowly towards the door. He felt grateful that he wouldn't have to answer anymore questions that he didn't know the answer to.

“Oh, Severus!” She said, continuing. “Where do you think you will all be around one thirty-five and two fifteen?”

Severus stared blankly at the woman, who was looking back intently, waiting for an answer. After a moments silence, he said, “Goodday, Ms Bellingham.”

'Ms Bellingham' gave Severus a look, but gave up. “Goodday, Mr Snape…”

“Who was that?” Harry whispered as the lady left, and Severus began to shut the door.

“Jen Bellingham,” Severus answered, just as Sirius rushed out from the lounge, yelling, “Is that Jen?”

“You just missed her,” Harry answered. Sirius's shoulders sagged.

“She stole my hat,” he said, sighing. “I think she wants to keep it—whenever I ask her for it back she always changes the subject, and whenever she sees me she ignores me.”

“Did you fix what you broke?” Severus demanded. “You're exasperatingly clumsy.”

“Not on purpose,” Sirius insisted. “On occasion I can be quite clumsy… and often just to annoy you…”

Sirius wandered back into the dining area, and Harry followed with Severus.

“You've destroyed every single thing in this house,” Severus pointed out. “If you've just tried to break things to annoy me, don't—”

“I've always fixed them,” Sirius argued, sitting down. “It's fun to see your face twist like it does when you hear something shatter—you should try it sometime. Or that time when I tried to have a food fight with you—”

Severus gave Sirius a dark look. “Don't get another idea, Black.”

“Everyone needs a laugh once in a while,” Sirius said innocently. “Harry didn't mind the idea. He had the time of his life throwing those noodles across the room. They looked especially nice in your hair, Snape. They made good wall decorations, too.”

“Don't bring Harry into this,” Severus said, scowling. “Another stunt like that and you won't be having any food to throw around, Black.”

Sirius's mouth fell open. “You wouldn't let me starve, you're not that mean!”

Severus narrowed his eyes. “You're going to test that theory?”

Sirius drew quiet, looking over at Harry who was silently watch the two argue. He pushed in his chair, offering Harry a smile.

“You'll get used to it. The arguing between Snape and I,” Sirius elaborated. “You'll become accustomed to it sooner or later, since it does happen… often.”

Harry grinned. “Maybe I will. Can I ask a question?”

“Other than the one you just asked?” Sirius said, and he nodded. “Go ahead.”

“This town… is my birthday really…?”

Sirius exchanged glances with Severus before looking back at Harry.

“This town,” Severus started out slowly, “is…”

As Severus trailed off, obviously looking for the right word for the description, Sirius tried to help out.

“It's… bizarre?”

“Quite,” Severus agreed. “They have become familiar with your birthday. I suppose they found it odd when we didn't go out for your birthday, which we normally celebrate every year since we moved here. You've become considerably popular within the town—”

“Considerably,” Sirius repeated, nodding his head in agreement. “Let's finish breakfast now then, shall we? I'd like to at least eat in—”

Sirius let out an exaggerated sigh as the doorbell began to ring once more. He walked slowly towards the door, looking exhausted. Harry couldn't tell what was being said. The voices were hushed, and when Sirius returned he had a satisfied grin on his face.

“Did Jen Bellingham give you your hat back?" Harry asked, looking up at Sirius with a grin.

Sirius shook his head, and walked over to Severus. Harry frowned as he watched Sirius whisper something that, as much as Harry tried to strain to listen, he could not comprehend. Severus's expression remained blank.

“Very well,” Severus said out loud, briefly looking at Sirius, and then turning his gaze towards Harry. “What do you say that, afterwards, we take an excursion—”

“In other words, a trip,” Sirius clarified.

Severus gave Sirius a cold look. “—An excursion to Mahon Hollow?"

Sirius's grin widened as Harry's puzzled expression deepened. “Crescent Avenue too, of course, since they're linked together.”

“Why?” Harry questioned suspiciously.

“No reason,” Sirius replied hastily. “Just… no reason at all…."