DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling! Had the series been mine, it never would have made it through the rough draft stage! Let's be thankful that I indeed do NOT own Harry Potter!
Chapter 1
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"Sorry ter toss yeh out like that mate, but Bert said yeh're too pissed to stay. He doesn't want another brawl on his tables," said Doyle the doorman. He looked at his favorite regular with smidgen of sympathy before giving him a good shove on the back.
Tobias Snape grunted as he stumbled then fell onto the pavement outside of the local pub. He tried to roll over onto his back a few times but quickly gave up, letting his face rest on the cold cement instead.
"Bert is a right annoyin' ol' wanker," Tobias slurred into the ground.
Maybe he did have too much to drink, but he sure as hell wasn't going to admit that to Doyle. He hated being told what he was or what he wasn't. It was his decision on how plastered he really was.
Doyle shook his head, a grin spilt his beefy face, showing heavily yellowed and crooked teeth.
"Don't go passing out on the stoop again Toby, ya hear me?" He gave Tobias' booted foot a kick, indicating for him to get up and move.
"Aye. I hear yeh." Tobias sighed heavily.
Tobias staggered up onto his feet. He gave Doyle a wave before teetering down the sidewalk. He probably would have just stayed out front of the pub. He really didn't have anywhere else he wanted to be right now anyways... But last time he slept on the stoop he was booted from the pub a whole week.
He didn't want to go through that rubbish again.
Lost in his drunken stupor and dread of going home, Tobias hadn't been paying much attention to where he was going. He tripped over a crack in the side walk.
"Aw, damnit!"
He rolled out onto the cobbled street. Again laying sprawled out on his belly. He didn't move for several moments, seriously contemplating just sleeping out here on the street. It's not like he had anything on him worth mugging.
"Nah, she'd jus' bitch about that too. Along with everyfin else," he grumbled to himself.
He was about to lift himself up when something caught his eye. A strange little bug crawled into his line of vision. The hell is that? He thought to himself. The little critter looked a lot like an ordinary caterpillar to him but it had a strange glow about it.
"Wot's up with that? Did yeh fall into that river? I just' knew it was radioactive!"
He watched it as it came closer to his face. The little critter completely mesmerized his booze hazed mind with its meandering movements. He's never once seen anything like it in his life. Maybe he could sell it or—
"Lookie there! Another one! Tis yer little lass, aye?"
He must have really been sloshed. Here he was laid out on the street talking to glowy bugs. He was going to have one hell of a hangover tomorrow.
Letting out a long sigh, Tobias pushed himself up, this time only wobbling a little. He smiled at his small victory. He didn't have a whole lot to be proud of these days after all.
He looked down at the ground. There were the bugs again but this time they multiplied into four, all gathered around his feet.
Curious little things they were, he thought. Tobias tipped an imaginary hat to the bugs. "Pleasant company yeh were but now I gotta head home to the Misses." He grimaced at the thought.
He took a moment to let his current situation sink in, he couldn't help but laugh. If anyone saw him talking to some strange insects they would think him mad. Maybe someone would be kind enough to check him into a loony bin. Then maybe he'd have a lot more preferable company.
He whistled some old drinking tune as he ambled down the street. He barely made it to the end of the street before something stung the back of his neck.
"The hell was that?" He rubbed at a spot on the back of his neck, there was a lump there. Was it a bee? He didn't hear any buzzing, besides his own head. He was starting to feel kind of funny. Maybe he was having an allergic reaction.
"It's prolly nofin'. I'll get it checked out some other time."
He continued the trek home, still rubbing at the lump.
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Severus Snape watched his mother pace back and forth through the living room, muttering to herself about Muggles and their stupid vices. His father was late. Again. He probably passed out drunk in some gutter. Severus got up from his seat on the stairs. He didn't feel like waiting up for the fool to show his face.
He just reached the top step when he heard the door open and his mother's angry greeting being cut short. Wand clutched tightly in his hand he raced back down. He almost tripped on the last step at what he saw. He stared with wide eyes and mouth gaping. What is going on here? He thought.
His father had mother in a tight embrace, snogging her senseless!
It's not like he's never seen then kiss but, it was a rare and very disturbing sight. Severus shook himself out of his daze. He didn't know what was going on but as long as it didn't wake him up late in the night, he'd be okay. He just turned around when a pair of arms circled around his waist, pinning his arms to his sides.
"My dear little boy, give yer Pa a hug!" Tobias snuggled his son close.
"What are you doing old man? Let me go!"
Severus tried to struggle out of the grip but it was just too strong. He could smell a bit of alcohol on his father's clothes but it didn't stink on his breath. He couldn't turn around and look at him in the eyes.
"I said let me go!" Severus demanded.
Tobias finally set Severus back on his feet, patting him on the head like a child.
"Ye're a good lad, Sevvy."
Severus whipped around to stare at him in shock. But the loon just smiled at him serenely. Severus stared at him in the eye for a long moment. He wasn't drunk, his eyes were clear of any haze. Although, there seemed to be a strange… brightness to them. Something really strange was going on here and Severus didn't like it one bit.
"How about I make some tea?" Eileen twisted a lock of hair with her fingers, looking up at Tobias through her lashes. He smiled at her and she giggled.
Severus choked on air. He forced himself to calm down and breath, His mother never giggled! Never! He took a few steps up the stairs, he was starting to feel a little light headed from this… whatever it was.
"You alright, sweetie?" Eileen stood on the landing, looking at Severus with concern.
Sweetie? Severus hasn't been called that since he was nine.
"Um, I think… I'm going to go lie down. I'm a bit tired... " He said slowly. And thoroughly freaked out. Severus went up to his room in a daze, closing the door behind him.
Tobias wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulders.
"Think he'll be alright, dear?"
"Of course he'll be alright, honey."
Tobias and Eileen went to the kitchen to make some late night tea, arms twined together.
On the hand railing of the stairs, a small glowing creature inched its way up to the top.
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A/N: If the glow-in-the-dark bug sounds familiar, I based it off the Souls in The Host by Stephanie Meyer. Sorry, I actually really enjoy that book a great deal. Though I swear I am taking loads of liberties on it. I really hope we can still be friends!