𝔸𝕝𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕋𝕚𝕞𝕖

To Scheme and Plot

It's still fake as hell, though, so for the billionth time, you wonder how your mother falls for Eileen's painfully fake charms.

Once Eileen returns her attention to Rosamund, her shrill laugh a telltale sign, you face Severus again and study him. When it becomes clear he's steeling himself, you already know he won't tell you anything more today. Just moments before, he looked like an average child, exuding good behavior and a demeanor that spoke of innocence and sweetness, but it all but washed away now.

Lacking emotion and boldening a cold aura, he speaks harshly when saying, "Forget it. You must tell your mum that we had a big fight, okay? It's better if we don't meet again."

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April 3rd, 1967

Severus clearly doesn't know you very well if he thinks you'll heed his warning. One way or another, you'll find out what Eileen is planning, and while it seems like he's trying to protect you and Rosamund, he'll one day find out that you're much stronger in that aspect.

To be fair, you're much more experienced, mature, and intelligible than Severus would ever have given you credit for. After all, no average seven-year-old, witch or not, could even think of what you're busy concocting.

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April 17th, 1967

It'd been three weeks since Severus had heard from you or Eileen from Rosamund, so he thought you were safe and in the clear. Even if it meant facing Eileen's wrath, it was okay. He was able to protect two kind souls from the abhorrence that was his mother, and he'd have hated himself if his father, Tobias, found out. He'd have ruined everything trifold with his filthy, muggle ways and violent, controlling demeanors.

On his particularly rough days, Severus often kept himself alight with imaginary scenarios where you and he would reunite at Hogwarts in a few years. You'd have been sorted in Slytherin—obviously—and the two of you would become as thick as thieves. You'd share every class, make fun of the Gryffindors, and help your house win the cup at the end of the year, and when you got impeccably close, Severus would help you improve your skill in the dark arts (that was the duty of every Slytherin, in Severus' books).

Today was one of those days when Severus needed those whimsical daydreams.

"Ugh! Tell me what it is you've done!" Eileen's high-pitched scream echoed through the Snape house. It wasn't a feat, necessarily, as Tobias, Eileen, and Severus lived in what was seen as no more than a roddy shack, but it hurt Severus' ears nonetheless.

When he heard Eileen's feet stomping through the hall, Severus steeled himself, thinking, 'Mum isn't the violent one.' As she sprang his bedroom door open violently, he told himself, 'She'll just shove me into the basement and forget about me for a few days. I'll be okay as long as Dad's not home.'

But, you see, Severus severely underestimated how upset Eileen was... Nor did he realize how happy she'd been, thinking about how well her latest scheme was working.

In just a few steps, Eileen bent down and grabbed Severus by the collar of his shirt, lifting him in the air while she screamed, "I know it was you, Severus! Why haven't I heard from Rosamund and Arden? What did you do?!"

Frozen in response, Severus couldn't reply. His lack of a reaction wasn't because Eileen thought it was his fault; even if it wasn't, Severus was always the first person to be blamed for anything. In a house with a selfish and neglectful mother and violent father, it was to be expected. Even at the young age of seven, Severus was well-accustomed to moments like these. What shocked Severus were two things: one, that Eileen was being physical with him, and two, that she was so enraged that she hadn't even thought to use her wand instead.