It hit him like a sledgehammer to the gut once they had stepped through the barrier onto Platform Nine and Three-quarters. The finality. The fear.

He stopped.

"Severus? What is wrong?"

All around them children were laughing - shouting greetings to each other and almost careless farewells to their families.

"I'm afraid..." Before he could stop it, a large tear escaped and rolled down his cheek.

Mum wrapped him up in her arms. "Be brave now... everything will be alright, just you wait and see. By the second week there, you'll be so busy having fun with all your new friends, you won't have time to write me letters." She gave him a squeeze. "Now get on that train or they'll leave you behind!"

Severus reluctantly let go of her - they had gone through too much trouble to get here for him to back out now. As he miserably settled into an empty seat, he heard voices from the next cabin.

"Did you see that kid snivelling at his mother?" Derisive laughter followed.

Somehow... the prospect of making friends suddenly became a lot more intimidating.

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Little Severus and his mum. I quite like how this one turned out and since you guys must be tired of me drawing Blue all of last week... have some cute little Snape.

Eileen & Severus Snape are the intellectual property of JK Rowling... who chose such freaking horrible names for Severus' parents that I felt like gagging.