Disclaimer:
I do not own the characters of Harry Potter, these belong to that wonderful author JK Rowling and the various publishing companies used to publish her works. I am however borrowing them, no not to make money but for fun and fun only.
Summary: A simple change one cold winters night long ago and Severus Snape grows up in a loving family. Religious Themes and some dark themes but not too many.
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December 14, 1959: Spinners End, Cokeworth England:
Tobias Snape was a proud man, he would admit to that freely. He was not a very handsome man, his nose was too large, his brown hair though short was lank and greasy. He was tall, think and had the look of a man who worked very hard for a living. Or he had until the mill went on strike and with it now Christmas time he was having to face the fact he was going to end up on the doll. It was for this reason he had sacrificed his beer, something he loved, there was no money for such things now, not with a pregnant wife and a child on the way.
Tobias was seated in the small kitchen of his house, small it may be but it was his, inherited from his father who had died years prior it was something he could give his wife. He looked up at Eileen, a tall thin woman with long raven locks of hair she had tied back from her sallow face and though to many she was no looker to him she was perfect. She did her best to fit into his world and right now was clad in a simple gown blue, a starched white apron, thick stockings and sensible shoes, the mark of a housewife here in Cokeworth. She looked lovely pregnant and he was glad to have her as a wife, and glad he could have helped her and fallen in love with her too.
"Looks as if the mill is going to be on strike for a while." Tobias said.
"Oh?" Eileen said not looking up from her cooking.
"Yea, but we, well we can go on the dole, for a bit mind you." Tobias said, "register our baby and all."
"No." Eileen said.
The room was quiet but for the radio playing Christmas music and Tobias felt his heart sink. But Eileen had been thinking, how Tobias had come along at the right time and took her in when the magical world was too dangerous for her. How he did not care shew as a witch and could do magic. She put the stew on stasis and turned to face him, a kindly look on her face. She took a seat carefully by him and took one of his weathered hands in hers. Such a smart man should not have to work so hard at a job he hated, it was not fair and she knew it killed him inside.
"I saw the bookshop needs someone." Eileen said, "try them first please?"
"But they will not want me, I have nothing to offer them." Tobias replied.
"Yes you do, the mills are not for you Toby, you are better than that work. I know this, you are smart and wasted there." Eileen said, "I believe in you."
"Well, I could try, but if it does not work, well, the dole it is." Tobias replied.
He smiled, a warm smile, this was a turning point for Eileen. She had realized she had been mourning her past life, of balls and such and not paying attention to what she had and what she had was good. She decided to really take care of her family and if, well if that meant her son would end up knowing the muggle world well so be it. Even if he decided that he would not go to magical school.
"Our son will have to be registered though." Eileen said slowly.
"Eh? Thought you were against that?" Tobias said, "what of your world?"
"If, if it is meant to be than it will be, but I can't loose you." Eileen said, "it will be hard mind you but I am willing to see my son live a non-magical life to keep you and him both."
"Eileen, I, I love you so very much." Was all Tobias could say.
What more could he say? Eileen was one of a kind and all the bitterness that had been welling up inside him was fading away. The soulless work that some of those he worked with truly enjoyed but he did not. The same house he grew up in suffocating him, his worry for his wife, all was fading away. Eileen was willing to sacrifice all of her old life, the life she had grown up in, even if it meant her son would not ever know it. All for him, she loved him and he could see that now. He would do right by her, and go and find a job he could do and something he loved. Or at least something that did not suck out his soul.
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York County Hospital: January 09, 1960
Tobias walked into the hospital room his wife was in with their new baby boy. He walked over and saw the tiny bundle in his tired but pleased wife's arms wrapped up warmly in a soft blue blanket. He had a soft tuft of black hair on his little head and looked cute at this age. He yawned a toothless yawn and looked up with newborn blue eyes. Tobias soon found himself with his son in his arms and he smiled at this little boy who he and Eileen would raise the best they could, with lots of love and care.
Tobias had a new job, working at a bookstore as the manager of the place, it was a bit of a walk from home each day but far, far better than the mill ever had been. The strike was still in full swing and instead of having to go on the dole he had been able buy things for his little family, a small cot for his son, baby things, a new dress for his wife for she deserved such a thing. Better food too, more meat and less boxed food in their house, they could afford fresh foods now and they would not starve at all.
"I was thinking Tobias for his middle name." Eileen said. "After you Toby."
"Severus fer the first." Tobias said, "after a saint, good man that saint, helped Christianize England he did."
"And a good thing that, Severus Tobias Snape, I like it." Eileen said smiling, "he will be strong and smart, like his dad."
"Oh I think the smarts go t' you my dear." Tobias said smiling. "What would you say t' a new house? With what I make now we could do it, I could sell the Spinner End house and get us in a better place, there is a plot for sale and Mr. Tine will let us stay over the shop until the house could be built."
"I would like that." Eileen said, "but that house, you grew up in, your father gave it to you, you do not have to build a new one just for me."
"I want to, stay in Cokeworth but start new, never was a nice house, I want better fer you and our boy."
Eileen would not argue, sure the muggle world, the non-magical world was hard to live in at times for her. She still missed the balls and every day magic and the like, she had been a pureblood princess and it was hard to leave that world for this. But looking at the love in Tobias's eyes she knew she was a lucky woman. Her father had saved her soul as the only marriage for one so ugly like her in the magical world was not for love and besides the one man who wanted her there had served dark lords and would expect the same of any child she bore him. No this was far better and she had been petty to think that Tobias and the muggle world were not the best she could do. They were, and money was not the way to gage happiness in life.
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December 25, 1967: Tanners Road, Cokeworth England:
Little Severus Snape was looking forward to Christmas as he did every year. He would get a few good gifts, first his stocking filled with candy, fruit and nuts, then one or two toys and lots of new clothing. This year would be no different and he was up early and out of his room and down the stairs to the living room in a flash as soon as his clock hit six in the morning. He loved this house, his father had helped build it, modern the neighbors called it but Severus loved it. The ground floor was all open, and the house was L shaped with the large living room forming the bottom of the L and the dining room kitchen the top. Huge beams held up the second floor were there were two large secondary bedrooms and one huge master bedroom and bath on that floor, and the talk of the town a second toilet on the ground floor!
Severus was not thinking of the novel home he lived in, a whitewashed brick home with green shutters and slate roof. No he was more interested what was in the living room and hoped this year he had beat his dad into the room on Christmas! He looked around at the two blue sofas, the bookshelves against most of the walls of the large room, the tree that took up a corner, a merry crackling fire and TV and his father seated in his blue wing-backed chair smoking a pipe reading the paper. Severus sighed, he had been beat again! He was not sure how his father did it but knew little boys should be up before parents on Christmas! His father looked up and smiled at his son, he needed a haircut but that could wait as it was not too long and he saw his son was in his new pjs from the night before his black eyes bright with joy.
"Happy Christmas dad!" Severus said grinning.
"Happy Christmas Severus." Tobias said letting Severus give him a big hug.
"Happy Christmas mum!" Severus sand running up to hug his mother.
"Happy Christmas Severus." Eileen said smiling at her little boy.
Severus would be the only child the Snapes would ever be able to have. They wanted more but were unable to have any more and so Severus was a bit spoiled but his parents loved him. To Eileen he and Tobias where her world, she was as good a wife as she could be and had made this cozy house a home filled with love and happiness. They were not rich, not even close but they lived a comfortable middle class life along with other families here. They saved money by growing a large garden in their backyard with Eileen canning, pickling and the like the non-magical way, for the most part.
She still used magic now and again and helped Severus learn to control his accidental magic, he was strong in magic and learned well. Severus was well schooled in both worlds as his father did not mind him learning magic at all as Eileen had done so much for him. His slight fear of magic left him as he saw his wife use it only for good and his son looking to follow her footsteps. The Snape family was odd to be sure but they were a loving family and could not be happier than they were now.
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So there is that, a new story and the start of something great I think. A few changes here and Severus ends up with a loving home, it takes two to tango as they say and that is what happened here. They are not perfect, who is but here they love each other and Severus too very much.
Anyway, review please!
