Flat Mate Wanted.

The headline of the personal column caught his attention for reasons he had no clue about. Severus Snape, as alive as anyone else stared at the headline. Why would such a insignifigent ad catch his attention.

He had been living peacefully in the muggle world for several years since his 'death'. Five years in fact. He had survived Nagini's poison thanks to his beloved potions. He remembered what he had told the students. "I can show you to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stopper death."(Philospher's Stone).

He had never spoke truer words. The potion he used was little known and borderline illegal. The Constoletum potion required nine months to brew. It also required freely given unicorn blood, freely given phoenix tears, and freely given unicorn tail hair. It had taken him nearly a whole year to obtain the ingredients, but the potion would stay fresh for fifty years before expiring.

The only draw back to this was the pain. It hurt having your whole body filled with such pure materials if you had ever practiced the dark arts. And he had. Since childhood and he also had the dark mark while this was happening.

It had worked and he had slipped away quietly while everyone was celebrating Voldemort's demise. He had apperated to Diagon Alley wandlessly. It took a lot more energy but his wand had snapped under Nagini's weight. He had went straight to Gringotts and withdrawed half of his money putting the rest under an false name he would go by from now on. Evan Abner.

The name was chosen based on two things. In honor of the girl he had loved his whole life, Lily Evans. And Abner meant little warrior and was Hebrew in origin. He had purchased a seven compartment trunk, several years worth of Potions ingredients, a pitch black male boobook owl, and several owl order catalogs for various stores, and finally a wand. Phoenix tail feather, Kaya wood, fourteen and a half inches, springy, good for logical arts such as potions, ancient runes, astronomy and Arithmancy. (http://wizardingrealm.net/index.php?showtopic=7791).

He then converted the remaining money into muggle pounds and departed from the Magical World. He had changed his hair to dark brown, had it cut about an inch or two shorter. He had made his nose a little less hooked, and made his skin tan instead of sallow. He had also charmed his voice a pitch lower making his voice deeper. He had also made himself practice being 'nice' to idiots. It had taken several years, but living around rude muggles it became easier.

He shook himself out of his memories. Looking down at the rest of the ad he read.

Flat Mate Wanted

Flat Mate Wanted. Rent is 190 pounds plus half utilities, half groceries. If interested call Syon Tabor. (020)-949-2737 to schedule meeting.

Severus couldn't help it he laughed. A full bellied filled with humor laugh. "What a name." He said once he had finished. He had loosened up quite a bit with his freedom and less stressful job. "Followed by good luck, followed by misfortune. What were the parents thinking?" He asked his owl Fausta. Fausta opened his wings and flapped them several times in agreement.

He looked at the worn threadbare furnature, the yellow stained walls, the ripped and torn carpet and shrugged. What did he have to lose? This place was a dump. He could at least give the person a call.

He picked up the battered phone and punched in the numbers. 949-2737. "Hello, Syon speaking." A cheerfully chirpy voice answered. Snape instantly thought about hanging up. "Hello?" The person on the other line answered again. "I read your ad in the paper." Severus stated as blandly as he could.

"Oh. You want to set up a meeting then?" He asked still cheerful. "Yes." Snape replied. "Uh. How about Valeria's at 65 Gray's Inn Road, in London?" The other male asked. Severus thought about it. Gray's Inn Road was only several blocks away. Easy enough to get to. "That's agreeable." He answered. "Tomorrow at lunch?" The male on the other line asked. "Fine. See you then." Severus answered.

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Nearly twenty blocks away a dirty blonde haired man hung up the phone. His hair was untidy and any efforts made to correct it were doomed from the start. His emerald green eyes glittered in hope. It had been too long since he had had any contact with anyone besides his landlord and the shop assistant at the grocery down the road. And of course his owl.

His owl, was a small barn owl. Common but very reliable. Her name was Avivit. He had gotten her for companionship before he had quietly left the wizarding world for the muggle one. His old owl Hedwig had died shortly before his seventeenth birthday.

He had caught up on his education and was currently going to college for his bacholors in Languages and in Craft Arts. He cheated a bit with craft arts by using magic. But it was how he paid for everything. He had money in his vaults, sure, but he wanted to make his own way in the world.

He now knew several more languages: Latin, Spanish, French, German, Hebrew, Russian, and Japanese. He also knew several magical languages: Gobbldygook, Mermish, Parseltongue (which somehow stayed with him even after Voldemort's soul piece was gone) and even knew a small amount of Giant which took a long time to find one that knew enough English to help him.

He looked over at Avivit. "We might have a new Flat Mate soon." He told her quietly. She openned her eyes lazily with a hoot then closed them to go back to sleep. Syon Tabor smiled and as a beam of sunlight hit his forehead a paper thin scar in the shape of a lightning bolt appeared for a second before disappearing along with the light.