Author's Note: Well, I just decided to, yet again, attempt to write a story set in the Marauders' Era but, as is usually the case with all of my stories, this is set in an alternate universe. I will tell you right now that I picked random names for Eileen's parents as well as for James's parents (since the names of James's parents aren't confirmed) and Lily's parents (since we never learn her parents' names). There will be a lot of OCs since I don't know many people who would have been Hogwarts students during the seventies and I hope that none of my OCs end up like a Mary sue or Gary stu. I hope that you enjoy my second attempt at a Marauders' Era AU story and reviews, as always, are much appreciated.

"The choices of one shape the futures of all."

-Star Wars: Choices of One by Timothy Zahn

Ripples

The Last Straw

Eileen knew that her husband wasn't a kind man. Her parents had warned her against marrying him though, at the time, she just thought they were attempting to control her life and force her to marry a pureblood. Now, she realized her parents weren't warning her because they wanted to control who she married, they were warning her because they were right.

Her husband, Tobias Snape, drank a lot and often came home drunk. It was because of Tobias's drinking problem that Eileen was forced to live in a state of poverty after her parents disowned her. He often drank away her money and whatever money he didn't drink away, he gambled away; Eileen only managed to keep food in the house because of the money she stashed away from her husband.

Tobias knew that Eileen was a witch but he had forbidden her from using magic in the house and, when he was drunk enough, often beat that rule into her. She came to fear using magic around her husband but it wasn't as if not using magic saved her. Her husband still treated her badly but she refused to let on that anything bad was happening to her. She still loved Tobias and felt that he would change. Her chance at seeing whether her husband would change came three years into their marriage when she gave birth to their son, Severus.

Tobias was ecstatic at being a father but he still drank a lot. Eileen had taken to keeping her son hidden in her room whenever Tobias came home after a night of drinking. Tobias tried to quit but quitting drinking is not easy. However, everything changed when Severus was four and began exhibiting signs of accidental magic.

Tobias was furious when he saw it and, even though Eileen knew her son had no control over it, he screamed at him for making a mess and not bothering on thinking. He insulted Severus using language that Eileen definitely didn't want her son picking up on. As a result, she angrily shouted back at Tobias while her son, scared by what was happening, just remained crouched in the corner.

Eileen never did figure out what caused Severus to become upset enough to where his performed accidental magic although the shattered window indicated that it had been bad.

"He shattered that bloody window," Tobias growled furiously gesturing to the window.

"He didn't do it on purpose, Tobias," Eileen shouted back. "It was an accident."

"I told you I didn't want any magic in my house," Tobias shouted.

"He can't control it."

"Well then make him!"

"I can't do that if you don't let me use magic and he won't learn how to control it until he goes to Hogwarts when he's eleven."

"He won't be going to that bloody school!"

"Then how do you expect him to control his magic if he can't?"

Tobias slapped Eileen hard across the face, hard enough that Eileen stumbled backwards before he hissed, "Don't you dare take that tone with me, woman."

"Mummy!" Severus, having seen what happened, cried. He was never present whenever Tobias hit Eileen before and the fact that yet another window shattered was proof that Severus was angry. His obsidian eyes flared as he glared at his father.

"Don't hurt mummy," he shouted.

"Why you little brat," Tobias snarled glaring at Severus who, to his credit, didn't flinch away. "Don't you dare tell me what to do."

Severus glared at his father as he said, "Mummy didn't do anything wrong." He did flinch away when his father stalked toward him though.

"Don't talk back to me," Tobias hissed and, too Eileen's shock, hit her son hard.

Severus was in shock as he stared at his father holding his cheek with big tears welling up in his eyes.

That was the last straw.

Eileen hissed out, "accio wand," and her wand, hidden in the bottom drawer of her dresser, flew into her hand. She pointed her wand at Tobias who had heard her speak and had turned around to face her.

"Put that thing away," Tobias shouted.

"No," Eileen snarled. "I've dealt with you constantly hitting me for no reason, Tobias Snape. I dealt with it because I thought you would change, I thought maybe being a father would change you but it obviously hasn't. You've crossed the line in hitting my son. My parents were right about you. Severus, come here!"

Severus, still holding his cheek, scrambled around his father and dashed to his mother's side.

Tobias glared furiously at her. "What are you going to do, witch?" he said. "You have nowhere to go! But fine, leave. I don't give a damn. You'll come crawling back to me in less than a week."

"I don't think so," Eileen growled before she took Severus's hand and summoned hers and Severus's things. Though out of practice, Eileen was able to recall the spells needed to pack their belongings. She also remembered the shrinking charm and was able to apply it before she tucked the smaller suitcases into her pockets.

"Goodbye Tobias," she said coolly before she stalked out of the house guiding her son behind her. Once she was clear of the house, she looked around for any muggles but, thankfully, she didn't see any.

Eileen was also very grateful that she remembered how to apparate. She knew of only one place she could go and she could only hope that she wouldn't be turned away. She looked at her son. "Hold on tightly, son," she whispered.

Severus nodded slowly before tightening his grip on her arm. Once she was sure her son was secure, Eileen took a deep breath before turning and apparating away distilling the air with a barely heard pop.

She landed on a stone pathway that wound its way across the wildly waving stalks of grass. The pathway, going around a pond, ended at the steps in front of the beautiful manor. The manor was two stories high made from stone with large sash windows currently open to allow in the cool evening breeze. Decorative pilasters that held up a crown of stone were on either side of the stone steps that led up to the wooden double doors.

"Mummy, where are we?" Severus asked softly.

Eileen turned to her son before smiling gently. "Welcome to Prince Manor, my son," she said softly. "Come, your grandparents already know we're here so we may as well go greet them." There's no backing out now, Eileen thought as she took a deep breath, steeled herself for seeing her parents after seven years, and began making her way down the stone pathway to the manor.

When she reached the door, she started to regret her decision because she was proud and not about to admit that she was wrong to her parents. However, she didn't want to prove Tobias right by going back to him and she didn't have anywhere else to go. Besides, she was hoping her parents would at least accept Severus.

Taking another deep breath, Eileen knocked on the door before waiting for someone to answer. The door opened and the little house elf, dressed in a pale blue dress with a white belt around her waist, looked at Eileen, her large eyes going larger. "Mistress Eileen!" She cried and hugged Eileen's legs causing the black-haired woman to laugh.

"It's been a while Nira," she said.

"Nira get Mistress Abigail and Master Vladimir for yous right away," the house elf said before she released Eileen and disappeared with a pop.

Severus stared. "What was that?" he asked.

"That's a house elf, Sev," Eileen said.

A few minutes passed by and Eileen was starting to regret coming again when her mother stepped into view. Standing at around the same height as Eileen, Abigail Prince didn't look her age despite the gray in her light-brown hair, which was currently in a loose bun on the top of her head, and the crow's feet around her pale-blue eyes. She stood staring at Eileen for a long moment clearly unsure of what to do or think for that matter.

"Eileen?" she said finally.

"Hello Mother," Eileen said softly. Well may as well get it over with, she thought before she sighed and said, "You were right about Tobias, Mother."

Abigail let go of the door and stretched out a hand to touch Eileen's cheek. "What did that bloody muggle do to you?" she demanded.

Eileen shook her head. "It's nothing, Mother," she said. "Is Father home?"

"He's coming," said Abigail. "It's been seven years, Eileen."

"I know."

"I always knew that muggle wasn't good for you but why did you decide to leave now?" asked Abigail.

Eileen hesitated then placed a hand on Severus's shoulder ushering him forward. "Mother, I'd like you meet my son, Severus."

Severus gazed at Abigail shyly. "Hello ma'am," he said politely.

Abigail knelt down in front of Severus before stretching out a hand to touch Severus's cheek. "He takes after you so much, same hair, same eyes, everything," she said. "I can't even see that despicable muggle in him anywhere."

Eileen smiled a little.

"Come inside," Abigail said grunting as she pushed herself to her feet. "It's too chilly out here." She turned around before leading the way into the manor; Eileen, taking Severus's hand, followed her.

They walked into the sitting room, which was decorated with gray couches with pale-blue blankets draped over the backs, a fireplace that occupied the wall across from the couch. At an angle on either side of the couch were two pale-blue armchairs. There was a glass table in front of the couch with a vase filled with flowers in the middle. Above the fireplace were magical photographs and Eileen was surprised to see that many of them were of her and her parents taking when she was younger. She didn't think her parents had kept those photos after they disowned her.

"Come, have a seat. Nira!"

A pop sounded and Nira appeared before them. "What can Nira do for yous, Mistress Abigail?" she asked.

"Will you bring us some tea and some pumpkin juice for Severus?" asked Abigail.

"Nira will get right on that, Mistress," Nira said before popping away.

Eileen, guiding Severus to the couch, sat down with her son at her side and Abigail sat down in one of the armchairs. "I know that this is sudden and I should have written you ahead of time but we were a bit short on time," she said as Nira came back and Eileen accepted the tea she handed her. Severus, taking the pumpkin juice, sipped at it while gazing around the sitting room curiously.

"I understand," said Abigail. "But you left him?"

Eileen nodded. "I had nowhere else to go, Mother, and I didn't have any money. Tobias spent all of it already. I was hoping that, maybe, you would at least allow Severus to stay here. I can do my best to pay you…"

"Pay me? Eileen, you're my daughter!"

"But…"

"Eileen, I would never turn you or your son out. I know that your father won't either."

"No I won't."

Eileen turned at the new voice as her father, Vladimir, made his way into the sitting room. He was a tall, broad-shouldered gentleman with graying-black hair and eyes the same color as Eileen's and Severus's; a deep, impenetrable obsidian. He walked over to the couch and Eileen stood up to face her father.

"I'm sorry Father, you and Mother were right," she began.

"I know, sweetie, I heard everything," her father said gently. "I knew you would come to your senses eventually."

Eileen smiled,

"Now, are you going to introduce me to my grandson?"

Eileen chuckled before she introduced Severus to her father.

"Hello Severus," Vladimir greeted him.

"Hello sir," Severus said softly with the same politeness he used when greeting Abigail.

"Only four and already acting like he's older," Vladimir said with a shake of his head though there was a smile on his face. "Nira, why don't you show Severus around the manor while my wife and I talk with our daughter?"

"Yes, Master Vladimir. Come, Master Severus," Nira said practically bounding on the heel of her feet as Severus, looking at his mother for permission, got to his feet once Eileen nodded before following the house elf as she led the way out of the sitting room.

"Are you planning on getting your marriage with Tobias annulled?" Vladimir asked.

"It takes money to do that and…" Eileen began.

"Nonsense, we'll pay for it if it means getting Tobias out of your life. We'll even pay to change your son's name to Prince."

"I can't ask you to…" Eileen began.

"You're not asking. You're our daughter and Severus is our grandson. It's the least we can do and you can also stay here with your son naturally."

"We'll get you reinstated as our heir as well," Abigail said.

Eileen's eyes widened. "But…?"

Vladimir sat down beside his daughter and gently put a hand on her shoulder. "Whatever you may think, Eileen, we did not disown you."

"What?"

"We told you we were going to because we wanted you to understand exactly what you were giving up and how, in the end, it wasn't going to be worth it," said Abigail as she moved to sit on Eileen's other side. "It may have taken seven years but at least you've finally opened your eyes to the truth."

"You're always welcomed here, Eileen. We've been waiting for you to come home since you left," Vladimir said softly.

Eileen felt tears well up in her eyes; she had been worried that they would kick her and Severus out but it looks like her worries were in vain. She pressed her face into her father's shoulder and wept feeling her father's strong arms wrap around her. Her mother hugged her as well as she sobbed for the first time in a while.

"Mummy, are you all right?" Severus's little voice broke through her sobs and Eileen, wiping her eyes, looked at her son before smiling.

"I'm fine Sev," she said softly.

Severus, who was standing with Nira at his side, frowned. "Are we gonna be staying here?"

Eileen looked at her parents who nodded before she looked back at her son. "Yes, son, we're going to be staying here," she said before she held out her arms and Severus walked over to join her before wrapping his arms around her. She held her baby close to her while her parents stood up and moved away talking in low voices to each other.

In that moment, she knew that she had made the right choice to leave her husband.

A/n what do you think?

Blaze: aww, I don't know why but I see four-year-old Sev as incredibly adorable

Adult Severus: (scowls)

Darth: (laughs)

Severus: (scowls, picks up bazooka and fires at Voldymuffin)

Voldymuffin: (still alive; remember, horcruxes) what did I do?

Severus: you were there (shoots Voldymuffin again)

Voldymuffin: stop doing that!

Blaze: (pushes Voldymuffin into Rancor's pit) that was the first chapter and I hope that you enjoyed it. Reviews, as always, are much appreciated and chapter two, which will introduce another main character whom may or may not be OOC (I'm hoping may not but, to suit the purposes of this story, it will likely be may), will come out as soon as I possibly can.