Don't own harry potter
Pleading Skies
this is reality until the end of the story.
Severus Snape walked down the dingy street, a wrought iron fence stood as he walked past. The trees creaked in the autumn breeze, sending brown leaves twirling to the ground. Suddenly Severus stopped and turned to the arched iron gate that creaked in the wind.
"Mummy look I'm a bruder," three year old Severus laughed.
"Yes, you are aren't you?" Eileen looked down at the bundle in her arms, before looking at the toddler.
"Can I see?" He whined, standing on his tippy toes.
Eileen brought the bundle down so Severus could see. Severus looked at the sleeping baby, his hair matched Severus's and his face was a replica of his too. This thrilled Severus to no end.
"Mummy what's his name?" Severus cocked his head to the side.
"Maurice Leo Snape," she replied kissing his temple before raising herself up from her kneeling position.
"Mummy why does Morrie sleep so much?"
'He's a baby dear, that's what baby's do," she replied.
"Oh," Severus said wandering his way to the cradle to look at his brother. "Can we eat now?"
"Sevvie look what I can play!" Maurice called from the sitting room.
Seven year old Severus walked into the dingy sitting room. Next to the double windows cover in grime, with faded emerald green curtains drawn back to get what ever little light they could, was an up right piano where Maurice was sitting.
"Listen Sev," four year old Morrie squeaked.
He played a lovely song on the yellowed keys, Severus sat in the next to the piano and nodded along, "that's brilliant Morrie, even Mum can't play that good."
It was no secret that Maurice was a prodigy in his own little way.
Suddenly the front door flew open scaring the living day lights out of Maurice causing him to bang on the piano. Their father came flying into the room.
"What the hell do ya think your doing, boy?" Tobias snarled at him.
"I'm sorry Pop, I didn't mean to," Maurice whimpered.
"Its my fault Pop, I made him do it," Severus gulped.
"Your a little devil aren't you Severus? Where's your mummy now?" Tobias dragged Severus from the room by his ear.
Maurice cried silently for his mother as he listened to Severus's screams through the thin walls. Maurice sat for hours until he mother got home from work, as soon as she enter the house he through himself at her.
She held him close rubbing his hair away from his face," go to your room and I will go get Severus, hurry."
Eileen Snape drew herself to her full height and stormed through the house leaving Maurice behind.
Severus lead Maurice from the house where their father was past out from drinking. He lead him down the grungy street and to the old play park where two other girls were playing.
The redheaded girl caught sight of them and ran over, "Hello I'm Lily Evans and that's my sister, Petunia," she pointed to the other girl.
"Hi I'm Maurice and this is my brother, Sev," he introduced.
"Would you like to play with us?" The boys nodded and ran after her.
Months later Severus and Lilly sat underneath a tree watching Morrie run about through the long grass.
Severus pushed the gate open, winding at the shrill squeak it gave in protest.
Maurice screamed as the belt ripped open his skin, "I'm sorry," he cried.
Severus listened begging his mother to hurry back from Diagon Alley. Suddenly the door opened and Maurice was thrown into Severus's lap. Accessing the damage Severus went and got a cloth and water. He carefully cleaned the wounds like his mother showed him. Making his way to the sitting room he went into his mother's potions room and grabbed a pain relief potion and hurried back to Maurice.
"I'm sorry Maurice, I promise as soon as I come of age I will get you out of here, alright?" Severus told him.
"You promise?"
"I promise," Severus said firmly.
Severus was eleven, meaning his Hogwarts letter was due at any time. He was excited to go. He would be free of his father, he frowned at the thought, Maurice was in greater danger with him gone.
An owl pecked at the grungy glass, Severus made his way around the kitchen table to to push the window open.
"Thank you, Mr. Owl," he said turning the letter over to open.
Grinning he ran to his mother's potions room and showed her the letter.
"Wonderful Severus, you'll be a bright wizard. Why don't you go get Morrie and we'll go to the Alley?" Eileen used her arm to wipe the sweat from her face, her hair was graying from all the stress she was under, but she didn't care.
She smiled as Severus ran from the room to fetch his brother.
Severus walked down the brick path, trying not to get tangled in the overgrown grass. The trees loomed over head making it look grim.
Severus couldn't wait to board the scarlet train, and see the castle. Standing on the platform Severus hugged his mother and his brother.
"Don't go Sev, please!" Maurice pleaded crying his heart out.
"I've got to Maurice, I'll be back for Christmas. I'll write to you, love you," Severus ran towards the train waving to his brother.
Severus didn't see who he ran into,"Sorry I'm so sorry."
The black haired boy snarled at him, "watch where you're going greasy git."
"We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year," Eileen and Severus sang as Morrie played the tune on the piano. Getting up from the piano Maurice handed him a photo.
"Mum helped me make it move," Maurice told him.
Severus looked at the photo of the two of them, they waved at him before returning to their silent conversation. Severus handed him a small box. Maurice tore into it, a confused look was on his face as he pulled out a silver pocket watch.
"What am I going to do with this Sev?" He asked.
"So you can count down the time until I come home," Severus answered.
"Thanks Sev," he said before placing it in his coat pocket.
He hated school with a passion or more like Potter and his friends, and was glad that summer was here. He sat back in the soft seat of the train compartment waiting for it to enter the station.
Severus was confused when he got off the train, his mother nor Maurice was waiting for him. He made his way to Lilly hoping to get a ride home.
Severus went off the path and through the tall grass. He stopped.
Severus dragged his trunk through the door and dropped it with a thud.
"Maurice I'm home," he was met with silence, "Mum?"
He made his way through the molding house and entered the sitting room and screamed.
Maurice sat on the floor his head against the edge of the piano, eyes open but unseeing. A trail of blood flowed from where his head met the piano and down the side of his face into the corner of his eye making him looking like he was crying red. The blood dripped off his chin.
Severus couldn't find his mother or his father, crying he lifted Maurice and carried him to his bed and closed his eyes. Severus heard a slight ticking in the pin drop silence and realized it was the pocket watch. Severus grabbed it and threw it against the wall. The ticking stopped.
Severus sobbed, the watch was supposed to count down the minutes till he got home not to his brother's death. Severus retrieved the watch, it now had a large crack down the center of the glass. He shoved it in his pocket, kissed his brother's forehead one last time and left dragging his trunk behind him.
Severus stopped in front of the grave.
Maurice Leo Snape
Brother, Son, Friend
1963-1971
Severus pulled the photo from his pocket and looked at it.
"I'm sorry i failed you, and now I failed Lily. I should have been there for both of you. I'm a terrible brother and friend," a tear dripped on to the picture," Maybe you two will watch over each other and keep one another safe and happy. Love you, and miss you," Severus shivered as a cold breeze went by.
He left a single lily on his brother's grave. As he pulled the squealing gate shut he realized for the first time in ten years, Maurice's pocket watch start to tick.
He shuddered as something ticked his mind, "You didn't fail Sev it wasn't your fault. Love you."
