Chapter Text
Severus rolled his eyes at James' answer.
"You kidnapped me from the past, fifteen years into the future and you don't even have a plan on what to do with me?! What, are you going to keep me in your house forever?"
James sheepishly scratched the back of his head, his confidence crumbling. It seemed like he hadn't thought that far ahead, a fact that Severus found aggravating and just a tiny bit amusing.
"Well... that's an idea of what could happen," he admitted jokingly
Severus let out an annoyed huff in response.
"I refuse to become your prisoner," he said firmly.
James looked like he was about to protest but Severus cut him off before he could speak.
"No, Potter," he snapped. "I won't allow it."
James raised his hands in a placating gesture.
"Okay, okay, I get it, I understand Severus," he said, his eyes softening with understanding.
He leaned back against the couch, thinking for a moment. Severus just watched him with a cool and calculative look, arms crossed over his chest.
"Listen, I didn't mean to make you feel like you're being held prisoner. That wasn't my intention at all. I just..."
He paused, his voice trailing off.
"I just wanted to keep you safe. I didn't want you to die. Not like you did in my timeline. Which is still technically this time we're in right now but with you from the past of course there'll be a diff-"
"I get it." Snape said cutting Potter off, that the older man knew was a less forward way of saying stop talking.
James nodded, silently thankful that Snape had stopped him from rambling.
Silence returned to the room, making the atmosphere awkward and the two more averse to speaking. James was unsure of how to continue the conversation while Severus looked deep in thought.
After a few minutes, James first spoke up, he cleared his throat to break the silence.
"Listen, I know this wasn't the most well thought out plan... but I did it for a good reason. I saved you from dying. That should count for something, no?"
"Yes, I should be on my knees thanking you for it." Was the Slytherin's retort.
"I'm serious. You're not going to die because of what I did."
"Because of what you did that caused our suspensions or do you mean what you did which was bring me to your time? Well, whichever you mean doesn't matter because I don't see how this could work."
Instead of getting mad like he expected, Severus heard James' voice soften.
"What do you mean it wouldn't work?"
"You can't just show up in this time with no identity, no documents, no history, no money."
That made James realized just how troublesome it was going to be to handle things.
"Right. I forgot it's not like you can waltz up to gringotts and ask for your family vault."
Severus gritted his teeth at that example. He couldn't do that even if he was in his own time.
"I don't have a gringotts family vault you dummy."
James's eyes widened at Snape's comment; just now realizing that he had not even considered that possibility.
"Oh... I'm sorry for assuming."
Severus only shrugged in response.
James was clearly caught off guard by this revelation.
"I didn't know that." He said.
"I guess I always assumed that everyone had some kind of savings account at Gringotts. Or at least enough to get by."
Severus' snort was louder this time, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Really? After all the years we'd been students together? You didn't think to consider the fact that not everyone grew up with a silver spoon in their mouths like your lot?"
James blushed red in shame at the implication. He knew it was true, he did come from a wealthy family and had grown up in a comfortable life.
"Like I said I just guessed and assumed-"
Severus didn't give him a chance to finish, cutting him off with a harsh laugh.
"You assumed wrong, Potter. You assumed that everyone had the same privileges as you. That everyone had access to the same things as you. You assumed that everyone was just like you."
James was visibly uncomfortable now.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
"Didn't mean what? To be an ignorant prat who thinks everyone is as privileged as you?"
Severus' voice was sharp, cutting right through James.
"Well, even Remus had a small savings account in gringotts so I guess it's not that he was poor, you just had shitty parents."
As soon as James said what he said he wished he didn't. The way Severus' face fell and darkened at what he heard made him regret it.
"How dare you!"
Forgetting the situation they were in, Severus stormed out of the house, trying to get away from James.
James cursed himself for the insensitive remark, immediately regretting his words as he saw the pained expression on Severus' face.
"Severus, wait!"
He jumped up and ran after the Slytherin, but he was too late. Severus was already out the door, slamming it shut behind him.
James stood there for a moment, looking at the now-closed door. He knew he had crossed a line, saying something he shouldn't have.
He took a deep breath, then pushed the door open and stepped outside. He looked around, trying to spot where Severus had gone.
"Severus!" He called out, his voice loud and desperate. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it!"
It was a good thing the Potter manor was big and had its own farm adding to its surface area as it would take a while for a young boy to run and reach the end.
That meant he still had enough time to try and find him.
James wasted no time searching for Severus. He quickly grabbed his wand and started running in the direction he thought the other boy had gone.
He searched the property, checking the fields, the barns, any place he could think of where Severus might have gone.
"Severus!" He called out again and again, each time with more desperation in his voice.
He was getting worried again.