A/N: This was written for round 6 of the Houses Competition. Anything you recognize I do not own.

House:Gryffindor

Category: Theme

Prompt: Father and Son

Word Count: 613

Tobias Snape was a difficult man to understand. His father never understood his fascination with witchcraft – work of the devil that was, but no exorcism would get rid of it. His mother never understood why he always looked at owls strangely as if they were a portal to a different world – on his eleventh birthday he stared extra hard at the owls. Nonetheless, they were proud of their son's achievements in school – however they were disappointed that their son was of the devil. When Tobias was grown and his parents were dying their final words to him were thus "We love you, but we would have loved you more if you were not the devil."

He was disappointed they thought he was the devil, but proud they still loved him.

-

Eileen Prince was a difficult woman to understand. Her father never understood her fascination with muggles – he tried to see if anyone had cast a hex on her, but that came up empty. Her mother never understood why she stared at black colored boxes all the time – on Saturday mornings Eileen was up early to stare at the boxes for hours. Nonetheless, they were proud of their daughter's achievements at Hogwarts – however they were disappointed their daughter was a blood traitor. When Eileen was grown they disinherited her, and their final words were thus "We love the idea of you, but we would have loved you if you were not a blood traitor.

She was disappointed they didn't love her, but proud she stood for what she believed in.

-

Severus Snape was a difficult man to understand. His father never understood his fascination with motorbikes – why be ordinary when you have magic? His mother never understood why he tried to learn all the magic he could at a young age – what was the point of a stasis charm when there was an ice box? Nonetheless, they each found something they were proud of in him (the motorbikes for his mother, and the magic for his father) – they also found things 'wrong' with him which they blamed each other for. When Tobias left the last words he told Severus were, "I love you for your magic, but I would have loved you more if you hated muggles."

He was disappointed his father wished he was a blood supremacist, but proud that despite all the arguments his father loved him.

When Eileen left the last words she told Severus were thus "I love you for your muggle blood, but I would have loved you more if you didn't join the Dark Lord."

He was disappointed his mother didn't approve of his life choices, but proud she stood by her beliefs after her hard marriage.

"You have your mother's eyes"

Harry Potter didn't understand Severus Snape. When Harry was young, he thought Snape was evil – it depended on who you asked for if that was true or not. When Harry was older, he thought Snape was a traitor – again it depended on who you asked when. When Harry was an adult, he thought Snape was a romantic – no just obsessed. In the afterlife, Harry finally was able to ask Snape an important question - it had been on his mind since Snape died – "why were your eyes both disappointed and proud when you said I had my mother's eyes?"

The answer was thus, "Because life is full of disappointment and pride. I was disappointed you had your mother's eyes as it made it hard to hate you, and proud you had your mother's eyes for the same reason."

And Harry was disappointed and proud.