Loving Lily: A Snily Story

Chapter 34 - Severus's Lesson

Suddenly, a yelp and a snap rang out.

Everyone instantly looked over in the direction of the noise.

Severus's eyes widened.

Lily shrieked.

He gasped in horror upon the realization that Harriet didn't weigh enough to keep the folding theater seat in place without assistance.

The seat had devoured her, a predicament from which Severus hastily rescued her from as he pushed his hand back down on the seat.

"Harriet!" He whispered in hushed urgency, "Are you alright?"

"I'm alright, Daddy." Harriet whispered back.

Severus expected his little girl to cry, but instead, she just scowled at the theater seat with a look of annoyed vexation.

As Harriet resumed watching the vibrantly coloured muggle animation that blasted across the impossibly wide screen above them, Severus moved the arm between the theater chairs and placed his leg on the edge of Harriet's seat to ensure his little girl wouldn't be swallowed whole again.

Severus and Lily felt fortunate that despite the noise from the theater, little Ellery slept soundly, blissfully unaware of anything else besides Lily's smell and heartbeat that echoed through his tiny ears.

The adults tolerated the film.

Seveus had never cared much for muggle entertainment.

Lily laughed occasionally, but Lucius and Narcissa wrinkled their noses at what they found to be a grotesque display of a lesser world.

Draco blinked in awe as he saw his very first cartoon.

Most children his and Harriet's age already had three of four favourite television shows.

Harriet enjoyed the film and Draco did as well, at least until a large, purple monster appeared onscreen towards the end.

As he watched, Draco let out a scream loud enough to rouse Ellery.

"AAAAAGGGGHHH!"

Lily scowled over at Narcissa as she patted her baby's back when he started to whimper, but as the two witches locked angry gazes, Draco's terrified screams didn't stop.

"AAAGH!"

"AAAGH"

The monster continued his appearance until the final two minutes of the film, yet the creature's exit did nothing to calm Ellery or Draco down as their shrill cries began to mix together.

"AAAAGGGHHH!"

"WWWWWAAA!"

"AAAGH!"

"WWWWWAAA!"

Once the film ended, Lily and Narcissa left their husbands behind to rush out of the theater in mortification while they carried their crying children in their arms.

Ellery's confused screams deafeningly mingled with Draco's frantic whines.

"AAAAAHHH!"

"WWWWWAAAA!"

"AHHHH!"

"WWWWWAAA!"

Lucius stood to his feet with a sigh and followed the muggles who moved towards the exit in a teeming crowd.

Severus looked over and helped Harriet out of her seat as he lifted her gently into his arms.

"All he does is cry." Harriet commented with an irritated scowl.