HP: Those Years Sleeping with the Half-Blood Prince

He tried to ease the tension with jokes, but Severus still didn't look up.

He knew Ian was speaking from the heart, and this unreserved acceptance and help weighed heavily on him, leaving him somewhat at a loss.

"Your parents..." he began with difficulty.

"My parents?" Ian laughed. "You're not completely unaware of my mother. She idolizes anyone capable of handling complex potions and treatments. If you go, she'll probably want to drag you into her greenhouse and discuss things with you all day long."

"My dad was recently transferred to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Magic. He's incredibly busy, but he's very easy to talk to and trusts my mom and my judgment a lot. Besides, they know what kind of friends I've made. I mentioned you to them many times last semester, and they're just happy about it."

Severus recalled the high-quality white cinnamon essence that Ian's mother had sent before Christmas, and the occasional mention in Ian's correspondence of his parents' praise for him "having such a dedicated academic friend."

That seems... not to be a family that would be averse to his arrival.

The barriers in my heart are gradually loosening.

Reason told him that this was the best solution, but the emotional hurdle of "self-esteem" and "unwillingness to disturb" still stood in the way.

"I need to conduct potion experiments, and some of them... may have unusual smells or sounds." He tried to find a more practical reason for refusing.

"My house has a complete set of soundproofing and explosion-proof spells. My dad was afraid I would blow up the house, so he had it reinforced by a professional. There are also special ventilation and purification magic circles that lead directly to the wasteland in the backyard," Ian answered fluently.

"...It might require a lot of materials."

"So what? The point of buying materials is to use them, right? It's a waste to let them gather dust in the warehouse. If you use them and achieve results, you might even help my mom optimize a few backup recipes for St. Mungo's, which would make her even happier."

"My... lifestyle might be a little different."

"Who cares?" Ian finally couldn't help but reach out and pat his shoulder lightly. "Severus, you're here to do research during the summer vacation, not to attend etiquette training. As long as you don't add dried lizard to your pumpkin juice when you eat, and don't snore and disturb me next door when you sleep, you can do whatever you want. Dora doesn't even say a word when I go to the kitchen to flip through cakes at three in the morning."

Severus stiffened slightly when he was slapped, but did not dodge.

The last line of defense seemed to crumble quietly in the face of Ian's matter-of-fact attitude and those specific and tempting conditions.

He looked up and met Ian's smiling and earnest gaze.

There was no pity or charity in his eyes, only a calm acceptance that said, "This is normal, come on."

After a long while, Severus sighed almost inaudibly, very softly, as if he were releasing the last bit of pent-up frustration in his chest.

He nodded very slightly, avoiding Ian's gaze, his voice so low it was almost inaudible.

"...Then...I'll take my leave."

"That's right!" Ian's smile widened as he withdrew his hand, as if he had accomplished something incredibly simple. "Then it's settled. I'll leave on the first day of my vacation. Don't bring too much luggage; I have everything I need at home, or you can just buy it. Oh, and remember to bring your precious set of equipment; some of the models in my workshop might be a bit outdated..."

He began to plan with great enthusiasm, his tone light and cheerful.

Severus listened, his gaze returning to the book "The Origins of Medieval Black Magic," but the words on the pages were somewhat blurry.

A strange sense of security enveloped him.

……

The night before leaving school, a relaxed excitement filled the common room.

Luggage was piled up in the corner, and students gathered in twos and threes, exchanging contact addresses for the holidays or making final confirmations about their summer visit plans.

Regulus Black sat quietly in a high-backed chair near the fireplace, a book in his hand, but he didn't read it. He just listened to several older Slytherins discussing the summer salon that would be held at a pure-blood manor, his expression as calm and undisturbed as ever.

Chief Prefect Everett Travers moved through the crowd, fulfilling his final duty, reminding everyone to pack their belongings and not to be late the next morning.

His gaze occasionally swept over Severus and Ian in the corner, paused for a moment, and then looked away without saying anything.

Back in his dorm, Kevin had just stuffed his pile of Quidditch magazines and protective gear into his suitcase when he plopped down on the carpet, scratching his head. "So, Severus, are you really going to Ian's house this summer?"

Severus nodded slightly and walked to the bedside.

"That's awesome! I remember Ian saying his mom has an amazing greenhouse! Does that mean you can use all those rare materials freely now?"

His tone was full of pure envy, not jealousy.

"It's for limited use for research purposes, Kevin," Aris corrected, as he neatly arranged his quills by color and size and put them into a specially made pen case.

"And you need to follow basic laboratory safety and materials management guidelines. However, this is indeed an excellent opportunity, Severus. Given your academic acclaim, a stable and well-resourced environment is crucial."

Severus was wrapping several notebooks and the glassware in layers of soft cloth and putting them into his suitcase.

Upon hearing this, he didn't stop what he was doing, but simply hummed in response.

Ian leaned back lazily in his armchair, tossing a Galleon in his hand.

"That's right, so if you two get bored during the holidays, you can fly over to visit, just don't do it when my parents are having a reception at home."

"It's a deal!" Kevin's eyes lit up.

The next morning, the Hogwarts Express whistle echoed through the mountains.

Students, pushing their luggage, made a racket as they crossed the platform and surged toward the train.

Ian and Severus found an empty cubicle and put their luggage away.

Kevin and Aris soon squeezed in, followed by Lily, who was carrying a pot of Mibumibao that was dozing off.

"Happy summer vacation, everyone!" Lily greeted everyone with a smile, carefully placing the flowerpot on the small table, then looking at Severus with genuine concern in her green eyes.

"Severus, Ian told me you're going to his house this summer? That sounds great. Best of luck with your research!"

"Thank you, Lily," Severus said softly, his gaze lingering for a moment on her bright smile before turning to the scenery rushing past the window.

The train traveled through fields and villages, the carriages filled with the rustling of candy wrappers, the buzzing of conversations, and the occasional cooing of an owl.

When the train finally slowed down and came to a gentle stop at Platform 9¾ at King's Cross Station in London, the crowded people and rising steam could be seen through the train windows.

"We're here!" Kevin jumped up and eagerly opened the car door.