A/N: TW- I've chosen to rate this fic with an "M" rating as there will be graphic content based on both domestic violence and child abuse, some situations containing mildly sexual content and humiliation and coarse language. If you don't want want to read about these themes, maybe this isn't the fic for you but thank you for your interest anyway. Consider yourself warned!

Disclaimers: As always I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters. They belong strictly to the queen Miss JK Rowling and her affiliates. I have borrowed some lines directly from Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows in the chapter "The Prince's Tale" so those don't belong to me either.

Chapter 1: Severus

Severus Snape lie awake in bed staring fixedly at the ceiling, arms behind his head, as he did almost every morning. He wasn't quite ready to get up and face the day yet, not with what he knew was probably waiting for him downstairs.

His father, Tobias, had come home late last night, dizzy with drink and not short on temper. Tobias had a nasty habit of going to the local pub after work and 'visiting' with his workmates until the wee hours of the morning. He was of the impression that no man was worth his salt if he couldn't put in a full, hard day's work.

"A man has to be able to provide for 'is family, boy. Ain't no man, less you can bring home the bacon."

Severus knew that they may be a little better off if his father didn't spend so much time at the pub drinking himself senseless every night, but he knew better than to voice those sorts of opinions, unless he wanted to be beaten within an inch of his life. Tobias was a rough man with traditional values. Unfortunately for Severus, those values included teaching your offspring respect through more physical means.

Severus threw his arms above his head and stretched, yawning, before turning himself over to roll out of bed. His family was quite poor. A lumpy mattress was all that consisted of his bed and his blanket was an old thinning sheet that was badly frayed along the edges and had been repaired more times than he could count. The discolored mattress took up most of the tiny attic which was where Severus slept. It couldn't really be considered a bedroom. What remained of the room housed a few boxes and a trunk of his mum's old school things. The boxes contained few possessions that were either too ruddy or too precious to sell. Among the few effects they had, many of them were books and Severus spent a great many hours poring over them whenever he had the chance.

Severus had always known that he was a wizard. His mother, Eileen, had never hid it from him because he was to never ever do magic in front of his father. Tobias hated magic.

"It just ain't natural Eileen!" he would shout. "I don' want them villagers knowin' you's a witch and throwin' me outta my own house!"

From what Severus could gather, his mother's side of the family were all witches and wizards. He never knew any of them and Eileen never liked to talk about them if she could help it. Severus wasn't sure if it was because of his father or if it was because the subject was too difficult for Eileen to talk about. In either case, it left Severus to be educated about the Wizarding World strictly through his mother and only in secret while his father was away putting in that 'full hard day's work'.

-0-

"Severus, come here," Eileen whispered urgently.

"Mum?"

Severus was outside, ready to head into town and see if he couldn't find some odd jobs that needed doing for the townsfolk in the hope that it may provide him and his mother with a little extra pocket money for the night's supper. He abandoned his route and walked uncertainly towards his mum, who was crouching low behind the house and waving him over encouragingly.

"Severus, come quickly! I need to show you something. You need some learning up."

She sounded a little too frantic for his liking, and her voice was a harsh whisper that floated towards him on the breeze. Severus stumbled clumsily towards her. When he was in arms reach Eileen grabbed hold of his shoulders and whisked him behind the house, glancing over her shoulder with wide, watchful eyes.

"That's a good boy. Now, listen to me Severus. You can't ever tell your father what we been up to back here, OK? Promise me Severus! You promise me!"

Severus nodded feverishly.

"Good boy, that's my sweet boy. Now listen carefully Severus. I know that you know better than to get in your father's way when he's been drinkin' but I want you to know how to do this on the off times he finds you anyway."

Severus nodded once, his face was stony and his lips pursed together tightly in a straight line of determination.

"It's very VERY important you don't use no wand, you understand me? You need to know how to do it without words and without a wand neither, so your father doesn't ever find out about it."

-0-

Severus stood up from the floor on which he rolled and began to dress himself. His clothes were ancient. Baggy and badly mismatched. They hung off his small frame so severely that he had the appearance of a small boy playing dress-up in his father's clothes. Tobias couldn't afford to keep buying him new clothes so he wore his father's old ones, which Eileen altered frequently.

The trousers were folded underneath at the ankles and held in place with a few clumsy stitches. They needed to be easily removed so that they could be let down as he grew. The overhang of fabric inside made them difficult to step into, often catching his foot and slowing his progress. His shirt was a button down smock that was yellowed with age and had a lacy cravat collar. He wore a dark fading blazer with fat round buttons on the sleeves overtop his button down, which came in handy when Eileen needed to adjust them to Severus's growing form.

Severus hated his clothes. They made him feel like an oversized bat and he would often feel embarrassed to be seen out in public with them. He knew he looked ridiculous and he couldn't stand the frequent judgemental stares from the townsfolk, both from children and adults alike. He knew better than to complain about it though. He avoided his father at the best of times, and tried his best to keep his head down and interactions to a minimum everywhere in-between.

Severus padded lightly down the stairs, being careful to avoid the ones that creaked. It was routine to let Tobias sleep for as long as possible. Most days he could avoid seeing his father at all in the morning. Severus would either hide in the attic until his father got up and left for work, or he would sneak out before the man could wake-up. It wasn't until nightfall that the hurricane that was Tobias Snape would blast into the house in a drunken stupor and unleash his madness upon all he could lay his hands on. Yes, it was the night you needed to be leery of.

Eileen was already in the kitchen, making her way carefully and silently around the room in an attempt to fix breakfast. There was a loud snort from the single bedroom across the kitchen and Eileen had jumped and frozen in place, not daring to breath. She continued only when she could hear heavy breathing and soft snores drifting back from the tiny bedroom once more, indicating that Tobias was still fast asleep.

She noticed her young son at the foot of the stairs and eyed him warningly, placing a single finger across her lips in a gesture of silence. Severus nodded wordlessly in response and carefully made his way across the room. He picked his chair up off the floor in order to move it so the legs couldn't scrape against the floorboards before he sunk himself into it.

The Snape family home was very small indeed. It consisted of one large room that was divided into the kitchen and sitting room and one small bedroom off the stunted hallway. The sitting room held nothing but a few mismatched sofa chairs, a small wooden side table and a rickety old rocking chair, where Eileen used to sit up, back when she was still nursing Severus. The floo took up what remained of the space there. The stairs that led to the attic where Severus slept was the only other room in the house.

The kitchen was small yet functional, though only just. There was a tiny stove and a refrigerator taking up most of the kitchen space and a laundry line was strung from the kitchen window and across the width of the room, quivering over the countertops. Eileen normally only hung the laundry during the day when the kitchen was otherwise not in use, and the placement was to soak up as much of the sun as possible during the hottest hours of the day.

Eileen had to be very careful how she chose to use wandless magic. She still chanced it every now and again, but she was forbidden to use her wand while under Tobias's roof, and if he caught her at it, he would make her pay dearly for it. She had to do most of the chores and cleaning the Muggle way, by hand and elbow grease. Certain things were, for Eileen, worth the risk however. This was such a circumstance as she peered sadly into the stingy pot of warming beans on the stove.

Taking one last calculating look at the closed door of their tiny bedroom for assurance, Eileen closed her eyes and concentrated. Severus noticed her lips move in a silent incantation though no words escaped between her lips. The pot of warming brown beans rose noticeably as she mouthed wordlessly under her breathe, making it more satisfactory a meal than before she began her chanting. She couldn't chance letting it rise too much, because Tobias would really let her have it if he thought she was using three cans instead of the usual two. Desperate times called for desperate measures however, and as much as she put up with from Tobias, she refused to let her son die of starvation if she could help it.

Satisfied, she quickly spooned runny beans over top a few slices of bread for Severus and placed them in front of him. She speared half a sausage and plated it beside his bread. They were only allowed two. Eileen split hers with her son so that Tobias could have a whole one and hopefully spare them his temper.

She poured herself a cup of herbal tea made from the dried herbs that she grew in their tiny garden. Things such as creams and sugars were luxuries that Tobias only allowed on rare occasions.

"Wast o' ruddy money that's what that is," he would say.

Eileen sat herself down with her cup of plain herbal tea while at the same time setting down a tall glass of water in front of Severus for his breakfast. Severus was only allowed to have milk or juice once a week if he was lucky. Water was sustaining and didn't cost anything, and so water was what it often was. Severus tucked eagerly into his meager breakfast hoping to get it down and be out the door before his father woke.

There was another loud snort that emitted itself from the bedroom followed shortly by the sounds of stirring bedsheets.

"Oh no," Severus thought to himself dejectedly.

Tobias Snape appeared in the doorway of the bedroom in his pants and long coat. His hair was in disarray and his eyes were shot with red from the night before. His eyes drooped heavily, making the bags under his eyes appear as though they were created from sliding down his face by the mere weight of them. He thundered across the room like his feet had grown ten times heavier whilst he slept.

He scraped a chair loudly across the floor and collapsed into it, sitting directly across from his young son, who had frozen in place and stared determinedly down at his plate.

"Food Eileen," he said gruffly.

Eileen immediately got up and started plating Tobias's breakfast for him. He watched her for awhile as he waited, eventually catching the wisps of black hair that intercepted his vision causing him to notice Severus sitting like a statue across from him.

"Well, if it isn't my boy," Tobias said silkily. "How are ya today, son?"

"Fine, sir" Severus responded automatically.

"Don' look to me like you's fine. Why don't ya look at me when I'm speakin' to you boy? A father deserves some respect." He slapped his palm against the table making Severus jump. His black eyes left his plate to lock eyes with his father's tired face. "Tha's more like it. Got to show 'em who's boss, show 'em that a boy need be mindful of his Da."

Eileen quickly placed the plate down in front of Tobias to offer him some distraction from their son, her hand resting lovingly on his shoulder to ensure she win back his attention.

It had worked, Tobias's attention turned to the plate of food in front of him, and he started shoving long strips of bread and mushy beans into his mouth, his hands dripping with the runoff. He was chewing with a flourish but it soon slowed and became more deliberate as if he were tasting it for the first time.

"What is this Eileen?"

"W-what do you mean Tobi?" Eileen asked cautiously.

"Did you burn these here beans?" he asked stiffly.

"No! I swear I didn't burn them! I was watching them the whole time."

"You been using magic then?" Tobias shoved the plate away from himself and started to rise. Eileen placed a firm yet gentle hand on his shoulder to keep him in his seat.

"Here, Tobi, you can have mine, I haven't touched them yet. I'm sure they weren't burnt. Severus never said nothing about it." Tobias turned and looked at Severus who still sat unmoving in his seat.

"He don't ever say nothing do he?" Tobias retorted. "Ain't nothin' but a little sissy. You could serve him dog shit and he wouldn't say nothin' 'bout it, look at him Eileen!" Tobias gestured towards his son.

Severus stiffened as Tobias picked up a piece of his bean soaked bread and waved it in front of Severus's face and under his nose, taunting him.

"Hey Sev! I got your order here! Dog shit on bread, you gon' swallow that real nice ain't ya? Ain't no meal tha's better than this is there, boy?"

"Tobias stop that! Let him alone!" Eileen shrieked, making a grab for the arm that was still waving around in front of Severus's face.

Tobias whipped himself around wrenching his arm free from his wife's grasp and backhanding her with it hard across the face with a sickening smack! Eileen let out a small scream and recoiled in shock, her hand resting against the spot where Tobias had struck her. She looked up at him, her eyes brimming over with tears and betrayal. Severus's fists were clenched together so tightly in his lap, he left half moon imprints from his fingernails in his palms, which also happened to be slick with sweat. It was as though everyone was frozen in time. Nobody moved or spoke. Tobias continued to stare at Eileen as if he couldn't comprehend what he had just done, his arm still suspended in midair ready to strike again. The Snape residence was entirely still.

-0-

"Now look, Severus. Once you've mastered practicing non-verbal spells you need to learn this one first. It's very important." Eileen and Severus were out behind the house again, tucked away in a nestle of trees to avoid any wondering eyes that may happen to pass by. "Say as I say, Sentirenon!

"Sentirenon," Severus repeated carefully.

"Good Sev, good. Now you need to practice the wand movements but you need to have them pictured very clear in your mind. Don't move here," Eileen grabbed Severus's hand and cupped it in her own. "See it here," she placed her fingers at his temple.

Eileen demonstrated the wand motions for Severus to memorize and had him repeat consistently for almost an hour, coaching and correcting whenever need be. When she was satisfied with his work she slunk against a nearby tree and sat down, sweat freckling her nose and forehead. Severus sat down next to her.

"What…what will it do to me?" Severus asked.

"It's a desensitization spell." Eileen answered. Severus continued to look at her patiently, waiting for more details. Eileen sighed. "It's going to block a good portion of your nerve endins', she explained. "Severus, do you understand what that means? You won't be able to feel none as much. You use this in an emergency when things get real bad with your Da…"

-0-

They stayed like that for a few moments longer. Moments that seemed to take a lifetime before Tobias cleared his throat and stood up straight, tossing the piece of bean soaked bread at Severus where it bounced off his chest and lay dead on the table.

"I didn' mean no harm by it Eileen," he huffed.

"No, no, no Sev. Again. Concentrate."

Tobias crossed the room and disappeared into the bedroom once again. Severus knew that on the occasions his father was sober enough to realize what he did to him or his mum, he would spend the next little while alone in a whirlwind of remorse and self pity.

"Mum?" Severus tried quietly.

"It's fine Sev, go outside and play."

Severus got up from his position at the table and walked towards Eileen who was still holding her cheek. He reached out to her, trying to get a look at the mark that was undoubtedly sprouting beneath her fingertips. Eileen's hand shot out and grasped Severus's hand painfully in her own to stop him from getting any closer.

"Severus Tobias Snape!" she roared. "You get out of this house this instant, do you hear me!"

An angry look of hurt flashed across Severus's young face while he wrenched his hand free of his mother's grasp. He gave her an icy look of contempt before whipping around and storming out the front door, slamming it furiously behind him.

Severus trudged along miserably, fuming after the confrontation he had back at the house. His feet kicked out sporadically to hit anything they could reach: leaves, twigs, rocks, small bits of rubbish, anything he could to vent some frustration. His hands were stuffed in his pockets in tight fists.

Severus didn't notice where his feet were carrying him. He took off through the bunch of trees by the house that wrapped themselves around Cokeworth. He stopped in the middle of a thin clearing and kicked extra hard at a fallen stump that lay there abandoned and forgotten, moss infecting the hollow shell of its diseased remains. Before he knew it, his mind was whirling once again, sending him backwards:

-0-

He was five and he had found a tiny bat that lay in the grass obviously injured by something. It squeaked pathetically, it's wing torn and leaking small beads of blood. Severus felt sorry for it. He scooped it up and took it home. He had powers. Magical powers. He bet he could do something to help heal the small creature. He hid the bat in a small box in the attic and attempted to nurse it back to health, concentrating with all his might to make his hands produce the magic that would bring the bat back to life.

One night his father had caught him at it, and he grabbed the box and his son and hiked them out into the yard.

"Ya see this here Sev?" Tobias indicated the poor mewling bat. "It's not worth nothin' to you or me. This parasite ain't doin' no good to anyone. It's nuthin' but a furry casket o' rabies and its in this family's best interest to exterminate it. Now boy, you gon' put this vermin out of its misery, or so help me-"

Eileen came out of the house and peered around the side of the stoop.

"Tobi, what are you doin' with Severus?"

"Teachin' 'im to be a man. You coddle the boy too much Eileen! He needs some toughenin' up!" Eileen had come up behind them and seen what Tobias had taken from the house. She let out a small gasp which she stifled against a closed fist.

"Tobi! You can't! He's just a boy!"

"Shut it Eileen!" Tobias shouted. He put the bat on the grass in front of Severus and handed him a large garden stone. "Do it Sev, show yer ma how much of a man you are!"

-0-

Severus sniffed loudly as a tear slid smoothly down the bridge of his long hooked nose, followed by another which balanced precariously on its tip. He wiped them away furiously. He hated showing weakness, if his father caught him crying-

Severus closed his eyes and concentrated. Somewhere close by the smell of fresh burning wood hit his nostrils and he opened them again to look down at his handiwork. Three ragged, angry gashes were burned deep into the wooden trunk of the nearest tree, still red hot in the center. The outer portion of the scarred marks were nothing but cracked and crumbling charcoal.

He glanced around to get his bearings and figure out where he was. His feet had carried him almost automatically to the edge of the wooded barrier and he recognized it immediately. He was on the brink of the park that the Evans girl lived near.

He glanced around the nearly deserted playground and then spotted two far away figures on a swing set. One girl was wearing a white floral sundress and had vibrant red hair, the other was in a matching yellow pencil skirt and blouse with her blonde hair done up in a bun. Severus recognized the red headed girl immediately, a tinge of color peppered his sallow cheeks and he dived under the nearest hedge of bushes to avoid being seen by the girls.

He had been watching the red headed girl for quite some time now. Lily. Her name was Lily. He first noticed her when he was skulking around town, looking to make some pocket money to buy food. Severus was outside the grocers offering a hand and loading the shopper's many parcels in hopes he may receive compensation from a generous stranger.

The girls had left the store with their parents, and the elder sister had tripped over the curb and stumbled backwards. She should have hit her head against a nearby lamp post had it not bent unnaturally to avoid collision with the girl's skull. Severus gawked in confusion. While the adults were busy tending to the elder girl's skinned knees and tearful sobs, Severus was watching the red head analytically. She had gone momentarily rigid, and she had an intense look of contemplation on her face. From there forward he was determined to find out if she was like him.

He kept an eye out for opportunities to spy on her whenever he was out of the house and exploring the town, which was often, to further confirm his suspicions. Severus had played the moment out in his head many times before. How he would tell her that she was a witch and he a wizard. That they were special, better than everyone else and there was a whole world of their kind hidden away in plain sight. He would tell her all about the magical boarding schools, but especially Hogwarts, where they were destined to go and get special training. How they would become inseparable.

The fact that the girl, Lily, was very pretty did not escape his attentions either. He sometimes found himself fantasizing that their inevitable friendship would blossom into more and he would see himself kissing her cheek, or holding her hand. Such fantasies were a good distraction from his otherwise miserable existence.

Severus peered through the bushes watching the girls. Lily would swing as high as she could before she would jump off and float back down to the ground and land gingerly on her feet unharmed, giggling frantically. The other one was screaming at her not to. He could hear some distant excited chatter before he realized that they-

They were running straight towards his hiding spot! Severus flushed and ducked his head hastily out of sight. He heard the approaching footsteps grow nearer and stop on the other side of his bush. Severus's heart was racing now, and he swallowed hard as he listened carefully and tried to peer through the gaps in the branches.

Severus saw Lily duck down to pick something up off the ground. He caught a flash of her red hair as she bent over. She straightened and there were a few moment's silence that were followed by the shrill shrieking of the other one.

"Stop it!"

"It's not hurting you," he heard Lily protest in annoyance.

"It's not right," the girl said softly. More silence. "How do you do it?" Even Severus could hear the desperation that clung heavy in her voice. He couldn't handle it anymore, and he rolled his eyes in exasperation. She had to know what she was. She had to know that she was special. She was better-

Before Severus realized what he was doing he had jumped up and stepped over the bush towards Lily.

"Well, it's obvious isn't it?" -

A/N: End chapter one. I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update as I'm very busy with wedding things and podcast happenings but likes and reviews may encourage me to pump them out faster ;)

Thanks for everyone who chooses to support me on this venture! I'm sure it will be an emotional ride we can partake in together. :3

*Minor re-editing*