Eat Your Heart Out
Prompt: Albus Severus Potter (8) and Lily Potter (6) have been convinced that Severus Snape (52) is a zombie.
Warnings: OOC. Rated T- For language. Snape lives.
It wasn't a rare occurrence that over twenty people joined together at the newly improved Burrow for dinner once a month. It was a celebration of sorts. Voldemort was dead, finally, and it seemed as though everything was right in the world.
"I swear it, Albus. I'm your big brother, I wouldn't lie to you." James said seriously to his younger brother of two years. Albus's green eyes were impossibly wide with fascination and a bit of fear. Lily, seated right next to her older brother started to whine.
"But zombie's….eat people!" She whispered in horror that only little kids can manage. Teddy snickered quietly behind James's shoulder and James elbowed him sharply.
"Snape is a zombie, Lils, I swear. He wants to eat your hearts!" James insisted evilly. Teddy composed himself and knelt in front of Lily and Albus.
"Just us!" Lily asked with a pitiful whimper. Teddy nodded sadly, inwardly hiding a smile, "He can only eat hearts that are younger than ten years. That's only you two!"
Albus glared at his brother and Teddy angrily, "You guys are playing aren't you?" He demanded. James jumped in before Teddy could start laughing.
"No. I wouldn't lie to you, remember! I guess you'll just have to go see for yourselves. He's in the room on the fifth floor, on the right of the staircase. Be careful, or he'll get your hearts!" James said, pulling out all his hidden acting skills. He had to hurry before his mum came in. Most every adult was in the dining room setting the table for dinner, including Snape.
"Okay. We'll go, right Lily, just to make sure!" Albus said, now fully believing his older brother and Teddy.
"Kids! Dinner's ready!" Their mum's voice hollered from the room over. James sighed, his plans put on hold.
The head of the table was Arthur and then on his left Molly, Fred, George, Bill, Fleur, Charlie, around to the other end of the table was Ginny, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Snape, Minerva, Draco Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy and Astoria Greengrass, a friend of the Malfoy's. The kids found their seats randomly conjured up in between unsuspecting adult. James ran for the chair that popped up between his Mum and Dad while Teddy ran for the seat next to Aunt Hermione. Lily headed for the chair that was between Fred and George, her favorite uncles.
"Why, who do we have here?" Fred asked curiously. George grinned, "We have a darling little girl, Fred!" Lily giggled at them and looked down at the floor.
Albus waited for the last chair to appear and it was right next to Grandpa but Victoria beat him to it. The only chair left was next to…Snape.
"Alright everyone, dig in!" Molly commanded. Albus pitifully sank into the only remaining chair and did his best not to cry. He was sitting next to a zombie that wanted to eat his heart!
Dinner lasted just shy of an hour and Albus and lily snuck off the first moment they got. Lily wanted to be absolutely sure Snape was a zombie, but Albus was already convinced after having spent an hour sitting next to the man. Never mind, Aunt Minnie was on the other side. She was so old and quite these days. She was nearly 88 years old; it was surprising the she could still teach school!
It took them a while to hike up the many stairs of the burrow and by the time they reached the fifth floor everyone had realized they were gone. Albus wanted to turn back but Lily demanded they keep going.
"We'll have our hearts eaten and they'll never know what happened to us, Al!" Lily said, tears welling up in her eyes.
Albus admitted defeat and turned the knob on the door of Snape's temporary room for the night. It clicked open without resistance and lily pushed him in first. The bed was mad up neatly and a cup of water was sitting on the night stand.
"It doesn't look like a zombie's room." Lily said softly as she peered into the room behind her brother. He pulled her in sharply and laughed when she squealed.
"Look in the closet!" Albus said. The door was pulled open and the only thing inside was Snape's outer robes.
"Why are two little Potter's in my room, snooping?" A curious deep voice drawled. The kids spun around in terror and Albus made sure lily was behind him. Lily started to cry, loud teary sobs. Albus whispered to her that he would let 'the mean zombie man' hurt her.
Snape's eyebrows rose to his hairline. "Well?" He asked, crossing his arms. The sudden moment caused the kids to tumble away and Albus joined his sister in crying. Snape was bewildered by their actions and had no patience for it.
"Potter!" He screamed and his yell made the kids cry louder. Hurried footsteps came up the five flights of stairs and Harry Potter came into the room with wild eyes.
"Why on earth did you yell like….oh dear." Harry had spotted his two crying children who were too afraid to even run past Snape to his side.
"Al? What's wrong?" Harry asked, looking over at Snape. Snape shook his head, "I asked them why they were snooping in my room and the waterworks started. I think they might be under the impression that I am a …zombie."
Harry burst into laughter and looked from his kids teary faces to Snape expression of distain. "Why would you think that, Severus?"
"Because your son you so dreadfully blessed with my name said, 'I won't let the mean zombie man hurt you.' Good enough, Potter?"
Harry started to laugh again glared when Snape hit him in the back of the head. "Have you forgotten the two crying children right there, Potter. Deal with them!"
Harry knelt down next to his kids, "Severus isn't a zombie. I promise. James and Teddy told you didn't they?" Lily nodded.
"Well, they'll be in trouble. Now, go give Severus a hug and apologize for coming into his room." Harry didn't look at Snape to see the outrage on his face. Lily, quick to trust her father, ran to Snape and jumped into his arms, which reached out to catch her on instinct. She hugged him fiercely, "sorry, Sev'rus, I thought you were a zombie!" She whispered and Snape glared at Potter so angrily that Harry felt bad for subjecting him to a lily hug. She hugged like no other. Albus went and latched himself onto Snape's legs, "Sorry, Snape." He muttered and ran from the room before anything else could be said to him.
"Can you carry me down? My legs are so tired from all the stairs." Lily pleaded with large eyes. Snape didn't spare Potter another look and headed down stair, with Lily in his arms.
Ginny's eyes popped out of her head when she saw her daughter in Snape's arms. Lily pressed a kiss into his cheek and ran over to her mother, wiping away her tears.
"I though Sev'rus was a zombie. Don't worry, he's not. He's very nice." Lily informed everyone. Even Snape couldn't glare at such a little girl and settled for hitting Potter in the head as he walked by.
"Teddy? James? I think Severus would like a word with you." The two boys played innocent and as Severus lead them into a spare room on the first floor. The door stayed closed for about fifteen minutes and when the boys came out they had the strangest expressions on their faces. Teddy ran up to his room and James followed after him.
"I do think I should return to teaching just to inspire fear in such little minds. I do miss it." Snape said and laughter broke out among the room. Even Aunt Minnie laughed. Lily went over to Snape and planted herself in his lap and everyone was smart enough to know not to say a word.