Misunderstood

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞: 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐖𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐭

                          
                                          ❝𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮
                                            𝘐 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘺.❞

"COME BACK IN WHEN you've learned some manners!"

The door slammed in my face, and I was left on the doorstep as I held back my tears.

'Don't cry, Severus. Crying is for the weak.' I kept telling myself. My clothes were dirty and my sleeve was torn. I didn't even have time to grab my old coat when Tobias shoved me outside like a dirty old mat. All I did was confront him when he hit my mother.

 My eyes were blurry from all the tears I was trying to keep in. My hands were covered in mud, and so was my shirt, since I'd fallen right into a puddle. The wet, gross feeling made me want to puke. I clenched my fists and began to shake from the cold. Then, a sweet melodious voice called out to me.

"Boy? Why are you crying?" she said softly.

"I'm not crying. Go away." 

"But it's cold! Shouldn't you be in bed right now?"
"I should be asking you the same thing."

"Well, that was rude. If you don't want to be helped, I should best get on my way."

I heard her footsteps fade away.

"Wait!" I called out. I didn't know what made me do it, but I supposed I could use a little bit of company right now. I ran to catch up with her, and she turned around to look at me. I noticed her beautiful green eyes, which looked like the pretty emerald on my mother's 'family' ring. Her dark red hair was half tied, and I barely realised that she was waiting for me to tell her why I had stopped her.

"I, uh, I didn't mean to come off as rude. I'm sorry." I said quietly. Her otherwise guarded expression fell, and she smiled.

"It's okay. My name's Lily. Lily Evans. What's yours?" 

She shook my hand and began walking forward, beckoning me. I knew that I wasn't better off outside my house, so I just followed her.

"Severus." I half-whispered.

"What?" 

"That's my name. Severus."

"Nice to meet you, Severus. What were you doing out there, all alone?"

"Well, my--"

I was about to say 'father', but stopped myself just in time. That man would never become my father. Not until hell freezes over.

"Tobias kicked me out." I rephrased. 

"Who's Tobias?"

"My mother's husband."

"Isn't he your father?"

"No. Not my father."

"How?"

"He just isn't. Fathers don't hit their sons." I muttered.

"He hits you?" She appeared surprised.

"Yes. He hits me and my mother. Does your father do that?"

"No. He loves me and my mother. I also have a sister. My father loves her very much too." 

Her reply made me feel a bit disappointed. I had hoped that she could relate to me somehow, but I suppose not every man is as bad as Tobias is. Not everyone's a bastard like him.

"Do you have a sister?" she asked.

"I don't have any siblings."

"Do you want one?"

"Not really. I never thought about it. But I don't think I'd want one, since then, Tobias would hit them too."

"Tobias seems like a bad man."

"He is. He's a monster."

"I suppose he has to be a monster to kick out a child. Wait. Would you want to stay over at my place?"

I stopped and stared at her blankly, as if she'd grown two horns or something.

"Well?" she asked, excited.

"I - I don't know--"

"Oh, come on! We could play games, talk for hours, and do so many things! Even get you some clothes! You can wear my father's ones, I'll sneak into his room and get you an outfit."

I really did feel cold, and the chilly breeze blowing really didn't help. So, I just nodded and we kept on walking, breaking the heavy silence that surrounded us by occasional conversations, while I pondered over the first act of kindness anyone had ever shown to me.

***

Notice the Peter Pan reference? 

Also, what did you think of the prologue? I decided to change a few things and make some minor changes.