Sanguinem Magicae
Severus Snape stood pale and solemn as he held his mother upright, as she wept silently over the grave of Tobias Snape.
He had been informed of his father's death, by Headmaster Dumbledore. It had been a shock to him, and he had kept his features blank as the news sunk in.
Dumbledore had not prepared Severus for such tragic news. The old fart had assumed he had hated his family with every bone in his half-blood body, but Dumbledore did not know him nor the secrets he kept - secrets of a man who had loved him; memories of a man who had held him close and told him he was proud of him.
Most of the memories may have been before he had entered Hogwarts but they were memories, nonetheless. They were important to Severus.
He had kept many secrets from his school friends as well as professors. They were not interested in him or his past. They assumed he had had a horrible childhood without any love, but only part of that was true.
Memories from his childhood flooded into his mind as they lowered the coffin of his dead father into the ground.
Severus shushed his mother when she let loose a cry of alarm. Then, with a gentleness rarely permitted, he was allowed to hold his frail mother close. Then he watched stoically as the final shovel full of earth was thrown over his father's remains. Only then did his mother break free from his arms.
Severus watched as she placed a bunch of daisies onto the grave. Looking closer, he saw more daisies woven in a chain that held the little posy together. He knew that story.
It was one his father often told of the first time he had met his mother, Eileen. They had made daisy chains together. She had adorned them both with chains and that had been the beginning of their courtship.
There was no wake for Tobias. He had not wanted any fuss. He had been slowly dying for years, his lungs full of the debris of cotton dust from working in the mill. He had coughed his guts up on many occasions since his sickness had first struck, when Severus had been seven years old. Other memories swirled in Severus' mind as he led his mother away, back to their home at Spinner's End.
He had one more day of his leave remaining to be with his mother and help her in her bereavement. He had not wept for his father, but his mind kept flickering back to his past; the past where the happiest memories were kept tucked away in that special secret area of his mind.
Only when he had settled his mother into her bed, given her a draft of Dreamless Sleep, and closed the door did he relax.
Severus sat in the little kitchenette at the same table and chair where he had sat all his life when at home. This house had witnessed some horrific fights between his parents and, later, between them and him; but there had also been a few fleeting but very happy memories, too.
His seventeen-year old brow wrinkled deep in thought as he sipped his mug of tea. It was strong, dark, and just the thing Severus needed. He smiled as he recalled his father teaching him to make a good brew.
His mouth twitched as he remembered. Then he broke into an open smile at the recollection. It had been such a simple thing, but one that Severus treasured. His mother could never make a good brew. It was his father who had taught him the proper Muggle way to do it.
Their home was in a poor area, but everyone around kept their homes and yards clean and tidy. Washing out was on the line every Monday, if it remained dry.
It was when Tobias took sick that their happy world began to collapse in around them. Then, for Severus, the happy memories grew less and less until there were none. At eleven and a half, he had gone to Hogwarts and dreaded returning home for holidays, the reason being that they were not holidays for him. He was often caught up in between his parents' constant arguments.
Eileen tried her best to keep her house clean and Tobias happy, but she was worn down by depression because, without her wand and magic, she felt like nothing but a Squib. Her family had lost contact with her even before Severus had been born. This added to her woes. She loved Tobias but his constant bouts of sickness and unemployment left her a tired and broken woman.
In the end, Tobias had died from pneumonia at forty-five years old, his widow elderly beyond her time. She was barely forty but looked closer to seventy.
Standing up from the table with his empty mug in hand, Severus automatically washed up without magic. He rarely had been allowed to use his magic at home unless it was ordered by his parents.
He headed to bed knowing it would be the last night in the house until the summer holidays began. One more year and he would be leaving school. He knew what he wanted to do: to become a Potions Master. It was his goal, but tomorrow he had one more thing to do before returning to school. He would be taking his mother to the solicitor to hear the reading of Tobias's last will and testament. He had scoffed when his mother had informed him of this two days before but had put it out of his mind, thinking it would be worthless.
The bed was cold, but that was nothing new; whether winter or summer, his room was always cold. It hardly ever received the sun and remained in shadow even in daylight. He burrowed down under the sheets and tried to relax, but he was too bloody cold to do that.
He got up, put on two pairs of socks and a Muggle jumper, and returned to bed. The single bed soon warmed up and he fell asleep.
He woke with a start. He had dreamt of his father. He sat up and only then noticed his face was wet from his own tears. He had been crying in his sleep. He was too hot now. He removed the jumper and went for a pee.
He sat on the edge of his bed before getting back in as he tried to recall the dream, then swung his legs up and over onto his single bed, removed one pair of the socks, and settled under the blankets once more. This time he remained awake, his hands clasped behind his head on his pillows as he recalled the best happy memory he had of life with his father.
Puffing away on a Muggle cigarette helped to ease the tension Severus felt. His parents had been arguing since he returned home from Hogwarts. It was a pattern ever since he could remember.
His mother had been screaming, spitting out vile and abusive words that were not only directed towards Tobias but also towards him.
He was never good enough in her eyes - like his father - due to their Muggle blood. He got enough taunting at school about blood status; he resented it even more at home.
At sixteen-years old, he could not fathom why his mother even married his father. They hated each other. He had been working himself up into knots. He kept wondering if they were together only because of him. Had he been the only thing holding them together?
He sat up on the coal bunker and puffed on his cigarette. It was a safe place to have a smoke as both his parents were out.
Severus sniffed, having caught a summer cold, but felt better puffing away on a fag. He was unable to use healing spells at home and his mother refused to use magic.
This was what had set off the argument the previous evening after suppertime. Tobias had asked his wife to help heal Severus, but she had refused. She preferred Severus to refrain from using magic at home as it had made her very uncomfortable.
Tobias had tried to do the best for his son but got knocked down by Eileen's nasty retorts. Then he lost his cool and the evening ended up with Severus heading for his bed at a run, his parents screaming at each other in the kitchenette, unaware he had gone from the room.
Severus never heard the back door open and a figure pause to watch him puffing on his cigarette. It was only when he heard the voice near him that he realised he was not alone.
"That'll stunt yer growth," came the deep warning uttered by his father, Tobias.
Severus jumped as if stung by a bee. He swatted at his burning cigarette, trying to put it out, but the ash had fallen on his jeans and burned through to his leg. He jumped up and patted at his leg, trying to hide what he was holding from his father's view.
Tobias had not witnessed anything so funny in years, and he laughed so hard tears ran down his cheeks. Then he began to cough.
Severus glared. He was bloody annoyed; he had burned his leg at the top of his thigh but had also ruined a good pair of Muggle jeans. Then it dawned on him that his father was laughing. He had not lashed out at him for smoking on the fly.
"Da?" He warily spoke to him, unsure what reaction he would receive.
"Boy," laughed Tobias, "that was the funniest thing!" He took in big gulps of air before starting to cough once again.
Severus panicked when his father could not regain his breath. He ran inside and brought out one of the kitchen chairs and assisted him onto it. Tobias was still laughing between fits of coughing.
Concerned about his father's health, Severus returned with a glass of cold water from the tap.
"Da, drink this," Severus cajoled, passing the glass into his father's hand, and kept hold of it until he was sure both were safe.
Tobias took a small gulp of the cold liquid. Then he exhaled and sipped at the water more slowly. He was still smiling and shook his head.
"Severus, you will be the death of me yet!"
Severus paled further. He was waiting for the angry outburst to come next, but it never came.
"Thanks for the water; it helped." Tobias chuckled again. "But, maybe don't smoke so close to the house next time, eh?"
Severus looked flummoxed. His mouth was open and he stood anxiously, his gangly teenage frame ungainly. Tobias had to bite back a choke and try not to laugh again as he noticed the burn marks on Severus's jeans.
"Best get cleaned up, lad, before your Mam gets back," suggested Tobias, with a slight grin still on his features.
Severus nodded, then glanced over at his father's face. "Are you alright?"
"That I am, son; that I am." He continued to chuckle as Severus headed back indoors.
Nothing was mentioned to Eileen about the incident. It was a secret shared between father and son.
At the weekend Tobias sat out in the backyard on one of the kitchen chairs, smoking. Severus had returned after a kick around with some of his Muggle friends. They had been playing football on the old overgrown pitch.
"Where's me mam?" Severus asked as he sat on the doorstep with a tumbler of water in his hand. The weather had remained quite dry and it was good to get out into the fresh air without it raining.
"She's upstairs. She's been working her fingers to the bone all week. It's not as if we need the extra brass at the moment, but I suppose it'll come in handy later."
"What's for tea?" Severus asked as his stomach let out a loud growl of hunger.
"I swear, you've got hollow legs, boy. Lets give your mam the night off; have fish 'n' chips for tea, we'll fetch it from the chippy later."
Tobias eyed his son. He had noticed Severus had grown up a lot since the last time he had been at home. He was becoming a young man. He puffed on his cigarette, smoking it down to the butt, and then threw it onto the paving before crushing it underfoot.
Tobias stood up. He towered over the seated Severus.
"Up you get. I've something to show you."
Severus followed his father down to the garden shed. The shed was Tobias' domain; Severus had never been allowed inside. It was locked up like the Muggle crown jewels in the Tower of London.
Tobias turned as he reached the door to his shed. Taking a set of keys out of his trouser pocket, he held them in his hand, and then tossed them up and down for a moment as he decided what to say to his son.
"Before I open the door, you must swear that, no matter what you see or do inside, it's between you and me."
Severus stood next to his father. Both had their shirt sleeves rolled up and wore Muggle jeans, with dark hair. Their colouring was similar. Severus was tall but his father towered over him by at least another head and shoulders. He was considered to be a handsome man. Severus had inherited everything from him except for his big nose and big ears; those he had inherited from his mother.
"What's this about, Da?" Severus asked, unsure of why his father was showing him his shed.
"Swear it, Severus, or I can't let you in." Tobias glared at his son; he was serious about this.
Severus shrugged his shoulders, and then nodded.
"Tell me boy!" Tobias was a tad gruffer than he wanted to sound with the lad, but it was due to him being nervous.
"I swear, I will never speak of this to me Mam, is that enough?" Severus stared up at his father, unsure of his secrecy.
"It'll do, but shake on it," Tobias demanded.
Tobias spat into the palm of his hand and then held it out to his son. This was an old gesture he'd seen his father use before, like an Unbreakable Vow in the Wizarding world. He copied his father, spat into his palm, and shook his father's hand firmly.
Tobias smiled broadly and patted Severus on the shoulder with delight. "That's me boy," he pronounced proudly.
The shed door was opened, and it was dark as Hell's waistcoat till Tobias flipped on a switch. Then it was lit up with electricity.
Severus stared. He had never known what was inside the shed, never having asked or wanted to know, just assumed his father had done Muggle things inside, like make shelves for his mother ; but, it was probably mainly to keep out of the way of her sharp tongue.
Severus shook his head as he looked around inside. It was much larger than he had anticipated. He glanced swiftly over at an old settee along the back wall. Under the window was a small sink and drainer, complete with cupboards.
What had fascinated Severus and captured his attention the most were the books; there was a whole wall of leather-bound books from the floor to the shed's roof. Severus was impressed.
"In you go, boy. Don't want the neighbours to see," urged his father as he put a hand to his back and gave him a gentle shove, indicating for him to move.
Tobias soon had Severus seated with a book in his hand while he made a pot of tea on the gas camping stove. He filled up two big china mugs with the most delicious tea Severus had ever tasted. Tobias grinned, seeing him notice.
"This is loose tea; best type you can get. Me own mam always had this loose leaf tea. She swore it was better than those teabag things yer mam insists on buying; but, this is my treat. Yer Mam can't stand this type of tea; her loss, I say."
Severus smiled. He liked the scent of the tea - the way it tasted on his tongue. It was strong and fragrant. He liked it a lot.
"Thanks, Da, I like this." He nodded and smiled as he returned to reading the book his father had allowed him to read.
"Remember, boy, this is our secret." Tobias winked at his son and chuckled when Severus laughed.
Over the next few weeks the two became much closer, and, on one memorable occasion, as Severus got up to leave, he was stopped by his father.
"Here, son, take this. I am trusting you now." Tobias held out a silver key. Severus recognised it as being similar to the one his father used to open the shed's padlocks.
Severus took the key and smiled. With bright eyes, he asked, "Can I go in on my own?"
"Yes, I'm trusting you, boy. Leave the place as you find it. You can read all you like, drink the tea, but remember to be quiet about it. This is between you and me, remember?"
Tobias tapped on his nose with his large index finger and stared at Severus until he nodded in return. "Good."
"Thanks, Da." He grinned from ear to ear before he turned away and ran off to find his Muggle pals.
It was nearing the end of the summer holidays when Severus realised that many of the arguments between his parents were started by his mother, and why Tobias went to his shed for peace and a smoke.
On one occasion in the shed, Severus got up the gumption to ask, "Did you and me mam only marry because of me?" Severus looked troubled and kept his gaze down, embarrassed at even asking the question.
Tobias growled low in his throat, and Severus winced. He wondered if he had made his father angry. He cringed, expecting a slap on his cheek.
Instead, Tobias moved towards him and an arm was tenderly wrapped around Severus in a hug. A kiss was placed on top of his head. Severus blushed at the unexpected contact, but the warmth of his father holding him felt so good.
Tobias' voice soothed him as he spoke, "No, nothing like that. Your mam gets angry, mainly with you being our only one. "
Severus' blood ran cold. Was his father telling him the truth? Was he not at fault, after all?
"We wanted more children," Tobias' voice cracked with emotion. "It was my fault I could not give your mam any more." Tobias took in a deep breath. "We argued a lot about it, boy, but it's not your fault. Never that. This sickness of mine also gets her down and is part of why she will not use her magic."
Tobias stood upright and fidgeted, realising this was crunch time and that he had to reveal to Severus his deepest secret.
Severus looked up at his father and paled. He knew his father was about to tell him something more, and, by the look on his face, it was not going to be good. He had been wondering about his father's health, and, so, he blurted out, "Da, are you dying?"
Tears swam in Tobias' eyes. "I have a lung disease as you know, boy, but, yes, it will get me in the end; hope to be around for a year or two more yet, though. No, boy, it's something else I must speak to you about. This you must never reveal to anyone."
"Does me mam know?"
"No, she does not know, Severus." Tobias hunkered down beside Severus and once, eye to eye, he announced, "No one must know, not even your mam. You must keep this a secret until you have your own son, and then you will - like me da did before me - reveal the secret."
Severus held his breath. It seemed his father had been hiding something all his life, and he was about to find out what.
Tobias removed the ring he always wore on his right pinkie finger. He held it out to Severus in the palm of his hand.
"Look at it, boy. Do you recognise anything about it?"
Severus was puzzled but picked up the ring and gazed at it. It felt strange in his hands, and his fingers tingled as he touched the engraving on the front of the ring. Then he gasped as it changed colour and turned into another shape .
Severus looked up at his father in utter shock. The ring had changed, but how could "his" father own something magical?
"It is magical?"
Tobias nodded. "Yes, son, it is. I inherited this ring from my father, and one day it will be passed down to you, and then the family magic will be yours."
Severus' eyes bugged out as he gasped, "You have magic, too, Da?"
"No, not really, lad, but give me back me ring and I shall tell you the same tale me da told me; but, first things first. Put the kettle on."
Tobias took back the ring, and, as he returned it to his finger, it changed back into its original design and colour. It looked insignificant once more.
Tobias hugged Severus to him and together, they made a restorative mug of tea.
"The tale me da told me was that Merlin, the magician, wanted his own bloodline, so he secretly had six magical rings made. Each contained a spell, and when the first wearer placed it on their finger, the magic spread from the ring and transformed that person into becoming part of Merlin's own bloodline.
"The six rings were given by people chosen specifically by Merlin. He wanted the best blood for his line. My father, my father's father, and many generations before handed down the ring to their sons, which is how I ended up with it. Each bloodline of each ring can only have one child born to that bloodline. In our family it is always a male child, so, when I die, you will be the sole heir to this ring."
"Where did the other five rings go?" Severus asked, curious.
"I have no idea. I am not magical, so I don't know that much about it; but, once upon a time, our family did have magic. That's all I can or am able to reveal to you, Severus."
Severus smiled. "I'm not a half blood then?"
Tobias frowned and shrugged his shoulders, as he did not know.
"Thanks for telling me this, Da." Severus smiled, his whole face lighting up.
Tobias could not recall seeing his son looking so happy. He joined in and smiled along with his son.
"Remember this, Severus: no matter how snippy I get with this illness, know this boy, I am proud of you and what you're doing. I also love you and your mam."
Severus gulped, wiped a tear from his eye, and gave his father a rare hug, squeezing him hard.
Severus wiped the tears away from his face as he recalled that special secret. Then he remembered about the ring. He supposed that he would be collecting it at the solicitor's the next day.
He glanced out of the window and huffed. 'Today.'
Eileen refused point blank to go to the solicitor's for the reading of her late husband's will. Severus turned on the spot in the kitchen and left with a sharp crack.
Exiting the solicitor's office in Muggle Manchester, Severus swiftly walked towards a known Apparition point and Apparated himself right inside the shed that had once belonged to his father.
He needed a brew, but he needed even more time to himself to take in his father's will.
He wore the ring on his left hand. It did not look magical, but Severus knew it to be the ring his father wore. He also took from under his jacket a large ancient book. It had clasps of metal around it. The solicitor had said even his father had failed to open the thing. It was a family heirloom to be passed down only to the eldest son.
In shock, Severus was pale and rather shaky as he sipped his mug of tea. The aroma instantly brought back memories of his father, and he cried big, gasping sobs. He had to put his mug down as the tears fell.
He owned the house they lived in now and he also had his father's ring, as well as some magical book his family in recent years had failed to open. Severus knew the instant he touched the ancient relic that he would be the one to open the book and reveal its' secrets.
The tears were of the loss of his father, but also of the joy that he was a descendant of strong magical bloodlines from both parents. He knew he would have to keep this a secret from everyone, but, inside, he was doing somersaults.
Severus wiped away his tears and picked up his mug of tea. Raising it up in the air, he toasted his late father.
"Thanks, Da, I will keep your secret and pass it along to my own son whenever I have one!"
The End