Cokeworth, Spinner's End.
Tall chimneys stood silent in the gloom and smog, like ghosts from a bygone age. This abandoned industrial city was full of decay.
At the far end of a walk along a sewage-filled river, past a dilapidated railing, lay a narrow cobblestone lane.
The houses lining both sides of the lane were run-down. Almost no one bothered to maintain the place anymore, and makeshift attic extensions were everywhere.
"Is this the place?" Narcissa nervously pinched the fingers of her right hand with her left.
"Mm." Lucius leaned on his copper snake-headed cane and gazed up at a house with a roof like the crooked tip of a wizard's hat. His eyes were full of nostalgia. "One summer, I brought Bella and Evan Rosier here to find Severus. He was furious that we'd shown up unannounced, but he still welcomed us warmly."
Narcissa pressed her lips together and glanced around before giving a faint sigh. "No one likes showing their friends how desperate they are."
"That's not how it was." Lucius smiled faintly. "Severus is far too proud for that. He has an extraordinary talent for magic, invented so many spells, and even corrected mistakes in his textbooks. His humble background only makes his accomplishments more impressive."
"He just didn't want us meeting his Muggle father." Lucius's expression turned strange. "The old man had a very odd temper, and Severus knew we looked down on Muggles. He was worried his father would get hurt."
Narcissa tensed at once. "You didn't hurt his father back then, did you? We are here to ask him for help..."
"Heh." Lucius gave a rueful snort. "Mr. Snape was a strange old man, but he was formidable. He made me drink a whole bottle of terrible wine."
Time passed so quickly. It seemed