There was something about dreams which fascinated Severus Snape.

The ability to live out an alternate reality created in the depths of the subconscious was, to any human, a blessing nonetheless. Of the best type of dreams are the dreams in the minds of children; their innocence and imagination intertwining with one another to create a heavenly fantasy only understood by them. It was an escape from the physical world full of boring rules and nasty adults.

In their dreams, they are the kings and queens, rulers of their own destinies.

In their dreams, they can soar up tothe highest heavens, climb the tallest mountains and swim in the deepest of seas.

In their dreams, they defeat monsters and slay demons, rescuing the innocent and keeping the peace.

In their dreams, they are viziers and conquerors of unnamed lands, ruling over them in fairness and just.

In their dreams, they live to see loved ones both alive and gone.

And to those whom death has welcomed, in dreams the living and dead bond.

Epics and adventures so often sung by bards over a fire, these are what dreams are made of! Heroes and villains each playing a part in their tale, none is more important than the other.

Thus when one compares between reality and dreams, if one was given the chance what would they pick?

The answer is as obvious as one plus two equals three.

Such was young Severus Snape at the tender age of thirteen; he still believed and had faith in his dreams. A member of Slytherin House, it wasn't hard to guess that the boy was highly ambitious while using his wit in order to achieve his gain. However, contrary to what most people say about Slytherins, not all of them were self-centered snakes, for indeed young Severus had a goal you see, embarrassingly enough the goal sounded rather Hufflepuff-ish and Gryffindor-ish to the ear; if being compared to Puffs and Gryffs was bad enough to the common Slytherin!

He wanted to use the cunning and wit of Slytherin House for the happiness of his mother and his friendship with Lily Evans.

Eileen Snape, formerly known as Eileen Prince was a proud witch in every right. The Princes were one of Great Britain's most known Pureblood Family and can trace back their lineage to Merlin himself. They also, having been an old family, wielded much political and financial power on the island and had great influence over legislations made by the administrative part of the government thus securing their positions as an untouchable family. The Princes also produced many successful witches and wizards whom help shape the future of the Wizarding World.

However it wasn't a secret that they had prejudice over those lower than them in both lineage and wealth.

Eileen Prince was the only child of Matthias Prince and Elena Prince thus being the only child, was subjected to the exclusive nature of a pampered noble. She was a combination of her father's handsome features and her mother's feminine beauty. The Prince Manor was the eighth biggest manor in all of Wizarding Britain and had facilities which could even rival the estates belonging to the nobles of the European dynasties; six house-elves which was more than the average noble family, a mini zoo of exotic magical creatures most notably among them was the Great Portuguese Yellow Griffin, acres and acres of forest land covered the manor which some of the land was used for agricultural purposes, and a Gothic-styled castle which covered a vast area which could bring the Hofburg Palace in Austria to shame.

She was well versed in Latin, English and French which she was taught at a very young age. Her mother was a scholar- who retired early to care for the her young counterpart-acted as her personal tutor and filled her with various branches of knowledge making her a young prodigy at that age. She enrolled in Hogwarts of course as per family tradition and was housed in Salazar's house which was also the abode for generations upon generations of Princes dating back from the Founder's time. In all her years spent there, she graduated with high honors and ease, Potions being her major. She then navigated her future to a course in becoming the youngest Potion Mistress in three hundred years.

Yet the winds of fate which guided her as she sailed the ocean of dreams sought a different direction instead.

Falling in love with a muggle named Tobias Snape was not under her list of ambitions to achieve.

Tobias Snape was through and through a handsome man, his most signifying features being his aquiline nose and sharp blue eyes. His body was of strong build with his curly hair of brown colour. He also stood a few centimeters taller than most, yet his height didn't make him look intimidating. But what made him special were not his looks which could be easily spotted elsewhere; it was the beauty of his heart.

It was a life changing decision for Eileen in regards to Tobias Snape. Then again, she did it with no regrets whatsoever even if it was against her father's result of the union between her and Tobias did not came without a price; her disownment from the noble house of Prince.

Accusations from her father whereby Tobias wanted to use her and steal her magic were brought to deaf ears by Eileen as Eileen argued the opposite; and she was right. Tobias did not care nor alienated her gift, instead he embraced it wholly. The man believed in fate and that if such powers were not meant to be given to him then he will accept what was written for him. This ignited the flame of their feelings towards one another to a whole new level in which Tobias proposed his undying love- to Eileen's delight, she gladly accepted. They married early at the age of eighteen for Eileen while Tobias four years older.

In animosity, her father using his influence over society, made life difficult for Eileen in the Wizarding World-old friends refusing to speak to her, jobs being held from her, ridicule from the public- thus a decision was made; her exodus and exile from the Wizarding Britain to Muggle Cokeworth in the less extravagant and indeed poor part of that area; Spinner's End.

Yet, even without the richness of her past, Eileen was content. With the birth of their beautiful son Severus Snape – the name taken from her favourite grand uncle- the family from two became three. Her loyal and dedicated husband- the sole breadwinner of the family working as a construction worker- was willing to use his free time after work by bonding with her and Severus, even refusing his mates to the local pub every now and then –the man never touched alcohol, vowing to not be like his drunkard of a father. He gave them his all- his love, his devotion, his commitment- for the sake of his little family. He treated Eileen like a queen even making a flower crown for her which she strengthen with magic and wore occasionally at home, a bittersweet gesture of comfort from him to remind her of what she lost for a better gain.

His actions proved above all else that muggles were not inferior to wizards; they were far more noble than themwith regards to the love and intelligencethey posessed, making up for their lack of magic.

It was a simple yet perfect life. Eileen was never happy as she was. Nothing in the world could convince her otherwise.

Yet again, it was and had always been written in books of old, holy and sacred that life is a test for all of us- and the best among us are the most noble in the kingdom; the patient- and indeed the strongest are the ones with the most trials inflicted upon them.

It was not Eileen's decision, yet it happened anyway.

The untimely death of Tobias Snape.

It was a week before Severus's third birthday in the month of January, nobody expected it to happen.

She still remembered the morning before his departure from the world as he was about to head out to work.

Heteased her playfully by sneaking kisses on her lips and neck. He then whispered in her ear that he had gotten a promotion at work and told her that maybe they could move out from the old appalling looking house to a better neighbourhood. Eileen who was caught in the excitement, practically jumped at him in a bear hug snuggling him like a big old stuffed animal. Tobias then kissed her on her forehead taking in the sweet fragrance of lavenders that stuck in her long straight ebony hair. Placing her down back on the floor, he then placed his hands on hers-the contrast between their skins were very obvious, Tobias being a mild olive tan while Eileen a ghostly pale white- and looked into her eyes. He then asked.

"If there was a chance in the world that you were given everything you used to have with some other bloke better than me, would you take it?" Tobias asked with doubt clear in his eyes.

Eileen always knew that Tobias was insecure about his relationship with her. Even if he doesn't mention it, Eileen could feel the doubts bothering him even if he hid it with a smile. It made her sad to know that he often felt this way; undeserving of her love and devotion after everything she's sacrificed for him.

Am I even worthy of you, Eileen? A question which haunts him constantly day and night.

She pondered the question, looking at the ceiling with a hum to add effect. She placed a finger on her chin and put out her 'thinking face' as he used to call it then looked in his eyes, again his feelings worn at his sleeves for her to see.

Tiptoeing from where she stood, she then brought her lips to his, answering his question.

"It was obvious," she whispered to herself, "there's nothing in the world that can bring me away from the path that I chose now."

And with that she summoned her flower crown- white lilies and evergreen leaves embedded on it- with a wandless Accio and placed in his hand. She then took out her wand and duplicated the crown. After duplicating the crown, she then changed the design of the crown and transfigured the lilies to look like sapphires which matched his eyes and leaves to look like silver. Happy with her handy work she then invited Tobias to kneel on his knees.

"As the queen of the realm of Spinners to the beginnings of End," she said in a regal voice yet a playful smile appeared on her face, "for your services to me Tobias of the line of Snape, in happiness and sorrow, in sickness and in health, I award thee the highest honour of my kingdom," she paused for a moment, "the twin headdress to my crown," she said as she placed the crown on top of his head, "and the love of my heart," she ended, with a kiss on his lips.

That was the last of her memories of him before the angel of death took him to be brought back to the Kingdom.

It is a common belief that the worse of our memories are the ones that haunt our dreams the most.

However, to Eileen it was not the most painful but the most beautiful moments of her life that inhibit her dreams reminding her that even if all was lost there was once a time she loved and was loved.

Her love and faith never died the day he left; instead it intensified bringing her hope that one day she will be able to see him again.

And in the summer night warm yet cool, two souls slept peacefully under the roof of old Spinner's End.

One dreaming of heroes and dragon, the other dreaming of things never lost.

Streams of light were sieving through the windows and drapes of Spinner's End as the morning arrived, the sun climbing slowly up the horizon. No corner of the house was left dark as beams of light bounced on the surfaces of the walls with light also entering the residence through the holes spread out on the ceilings and roof of the house.

Especially the ones in Severus's room; there were a number of holes and patches of mold growing on his ceiling.

Summer was often the time holes and other forms of deterioration would appear around Spinner's End as the combination of hot humid days, rainstorms and strong winds would damage parts of the disheveled looking house. It was a daily chore for Severus who would help his mother magically in patching up the house the best that they can- even with the help of magic, it couldn't completely stop the damage from happening- and a very tiring chore it is as magic involving repairs consumes much of one's energy.

The boy in question was currently still asleep on his bed right beneath the covers, the summer heat not bothering him from his rest. It was only during summer he could afford an extra hour of sleep from his usual waking up time of seven-thirty, the time he would always wake up at Hogwarts. Also at home, he need not need to stay alert for troublesome housemates wanting to cause harm or damage upon him thus in bliss he took much opportunity during these times to actually relax.

Indeed, old habits die hard for his senses were very much sharp even in his slumber. His nose caught scent of cooked eggs and grinded coffee resurrecting him from the sanctuary of his four poster bed. Sitting up from his sleeping position, he stretched like a cat and yawned with his mouth open. Satisfied, he then took out his wand from a small wooden cupboard that had seen better days placed at the side of his bed.

"Tempus," he said casting the spell to check time. The time was quarter past eight which was earlier than he expected to be awake. Nevertheless he could not come back to his bed and continue on his slumber even if he wanted to.

Doing simple chores like arranging the bed and sweeping the floor the muggle way was in a way very relaxing to Severus even if it looked tiresome. His mother always stressed that having magic did not excuse him of being lazy and relying on magic to do easy tasks as that was not only a waste of magical energy, it also reflected the arrogance of wizards whom do not want to be seen as doing things 'muggle'.

After cleaning up his room, he then proceeded to the bathroom to take a short shower and brush his teeth. Looking at his reflection in the mirror as he brushed his teeth, Severus was a spitting image of his mother- pasty pale skin, thin lips, dark hair with ebony eyes, oval shaped face as well as high cheekbones- with the exception of his aquiline shaped nose, body size and height which he inherited from his father. He still had boyish looks- his teeth were somehow crooked with his adult teeth growing next to his baby teeth, which in a way made him look a bit silly when he smiled widely- but he was blooming into a fine young teenager, the baby fat on his cheeks reducing day by day.

Exiting the bathroom, a grey towel wrapped around his waist, he then went back to his room to put some clothes on. His room was definitely not big but certainly not small either; it was just the right size although lacking the luxuries of a more well off home. There was a bed wrapped in torn bed sheets, an old wooden cupboard at the side with some scratches on it, a wardrobe with some holes on it in front of the bed, a carpet on the floor that looked faded, and a study desk with neatly arranged stack of books on top facing the window.

As he rummaged through his wardrobe, a place where he didn't really bother to clean up at all, from the pile of clothes present he picked a pair of clean underwear, worn-out looking jeans and an oversized dark green football jersey-with the initials ' ' with the number 9 at the bottom- and immediately put them on.

The aromatic smell of breakfast was still lingering in the air which Severus's stomach responded with a growl. In his hungry state he ran down the stairs straight to the kitchen even jumping a few steps on the way, a loud thud accompanying each landing. It seemed very impulsive of a Slytherin to act, jumping up about and running around but this was home and to Severus this was the place where he could truly be himself; a child on his way to growing up.

"Severus Tobias Snape!" shouted Eileen from the kitchen, "How many times have I told you not to run down the stairs like that? And wipe off that cheeky smirk from your face, young man!"

The smirk that was on Severus's face moments ago left his face immediately. Although she was facing the other side of the kitchen- which Severus swore that her line of sight did not even crossed to him- she still managed to catch Severus off guard.

"Your cooking smells delicious, mother," Severus said trying to change the subject.

Eileen gave a slight nod acknowledging her son's compliment. "Severus, can you help me arrange the table while I finish the cooking?" asked Eileen in a commanding yet motherly tone.

Severus immediately set out the table for two, pouring a cup of coffee for her mother and some orange juice for himself although at heart he wanted the caffeine induced liquid instead. He was an avid fan of the beverage, drinking it almost every morning at Hogwarts for breakfast against his mother's wishes. His mother never allowed him a sip at home saying that he was too young for it. Severus couldn't understand why though he was already thirteen, a full pledge teenage why couldn't he have coffee for breakfast instead of tea?

"Orange juice is much healthier than coffee, my little raven," she said in that neutral tone Slytherins often used when trying to prove their point, "and since you're a growing boy, you need all the vitamins and minerals you can get. Also, coffee is an adult beverage much like mead is one, drinking it too often may make you highly dependent on it, an addiction you may say. Thus would you rather sacrifice your growth for the sake of an enjoyment which may last you a few minutes at most?"

The frustrated boy did try to secretly take a sip once, his lips almost touching the bitter nectar but his efforts were null as his mother caught sight of it and gave him a cold stare, daring him to try. He didn't of course, knowing the consequences of going against his mother.

Indeed, if home was a place where he could drop the persona he wore in Hogwarts, then certainly habits from there must not be brought back home as well. At home, he would wear a different mask in front of his mother; the obedient child mask.

Then again, knowing his mother, if she could catch him doing things like smirking behind her back without her looking at him even, there was also a guarantee that she actually knew the atrocities her son committed at Hogwarts which goes against her home rules.

Mothers know best after all.

Breakfast was a simple and quiet affair; fried eggs, two sticks of chicken sausages, bread and butter and his infernal orange juice- not that he hated it, he just preferred coffee instead. Severus was enjoying his meal. He took a stick of sausage and some fried eggs and placed it in between bread to make a sandwich. After consuming the whole lot in a polite manner of course- his mother always reminded him to chew his food and not eat like a barn animal- he took the glass containing his orange juice and drunk his fill.

Having finished his meal, he then brought his glass and plate to the sink to the sink to be washed. He even offered his mother if he could help her wash her own plate and cooking appliances which she used to cook- Eileen always cooked by hand instead of by magic, believing it to be more personal and also showing Severus that there was nothing shameful of his muggle heritage-which she gladly accepted.

Although in the perspective of a keen observer, Severus and her mother seemed to be living in poverty. To most, they lived in a rummage of a house especially at Spinner's End at the outskirts of Cokeworth. Severus also had to wear hand-me-downs mostly from his late father as well as Eileen whose efforts of working odd muggle jobs to sustain both of their living expenses were well known among the residents of the area.

Yet when it came to food, Eileen always did her best to provide the absolute best. Even if she had to sacrifice her own needs. Severus's health was most important to Eileen thus being able to afford a decent meal for him was number one on her list of priorities. Eileen truly loved her son.

"Mother," Severus said as he was washing the dishes by hand, "I'm going to the park to meet Lily later on. We're going to finish our Charms and Potions assignments."

It was very well known to Eileen that her son and Lily Evans, the Muggleborn witch who lived in the prosperous part of town were close like two peas in a pod, inseparable even.

Before the Evans moved to Cokeworth from Liverpool, Severus was a lonely child. He tried to hide it but she knew that he was often bullied and treated badly by the children at school due to how poor he was. Severus went to school in saggy clothes which are too big for him, his books were old and torn because they were donated books from a muggle charity. He also didn't have a school bag, instead he used plastic bags to carry his belongings to school.

At the age of eight, the tension between the bullies and him grew so badly that he had accidentally a burst of accidental magic which brought catastrophic consequences to the school. Fortunately the muggles concluded that it was just a faulty mishap thus avoiding the arrival of Obliviatorsto Saint Thomas's Elementary School.

A memory surfaced to her thoughts.

It was a busy day for Eileen at the launderette. The amount of clothes to be washed and fold increased twice as much compared to normal days due to the downpours that were almost non-stop this week. She was a diligent worker even without magic; she performed her tasks in a very determined way, such an attitude which impressed her boss Mrs. Painetill this day.

Although it wasn't close to a job that she actually wanted, but she was thankful nonetheless. After the death of her husband, her only means of finance was Tobias's savings in the bank which amounted to three-hundred and fifty pounds. And with that amount, she survived for the next eleven months as finding a job for herself was nearly impossible with no muggle qualifications what so ever.

She once tried to fake a muggle certificate but knew better than to use such means to earn a living.

Then on a cool winter day, a day before Christmas when she was literally begging for aid at the rich neighborhood of Cokeworth-the neighborhood which Lily now resided at- as her begs for help were simply scoffed and ignored, she met Mrs. Paine.

Mrs. Paine was a small lady in her late years of seventy, her hair was grey while wrinkles were present on her skin highlighting her age. After being asked to the front door of each of the houses in the neighborhood both politely and rudely –some of the residents gave her a tongue-lashing which if Eileen wasn't patient enough, she would have actually hexed them- Eileen wanted to give up. She was now in a state of desperation as her stocks of food at home were running dry. There was a voice in her head that told her to go and steal but she knew not to follow the thought. Her conscious and soul wouldn't allow it.

Eileen was a strong woman. Even before her marriage to Tobias, she tried her best not to indulge and wallow in self-pity and depression knowing to stay positive and trust in the judgment of the One above. But she was only human after all.

There on the sidewalk as the sun was about to set in the sky, she dropped and cried, her hands covering her face. She was an outcast both in the muggle and the magical world, and she couldn't do anything about it. The love of her life was gone and she had no way to earn a living plus. She desperately wanted death to take her now and end it all. She couldn't stand it any longer!

Yet an image of a little boy with her ivory eyes popped up in her head, said boy was turning four in a few weeks. He needed love, he needed someone to take care of him and shelter him from the cruel world, he needed to know that even in bad times in the end there will be light and the good would always succeed.

He needed a mother.

She perished the thought of suicide and abandonment immediately. Collecting her thoughts she then stood up from her awkward position on the cold sidewalk and cleared her eyes. That was when she was greeted by worried face of an old lady with a slight hunch on her back with two glasses of warm cocoa in her hands.

Surprised, Eileen was immediately brought to attention as she was slightly embarrassed at the scene moments ago. The lady gestured at her hand and offered her the warm cocoa which she accepted. In silence she then led Eileen to a humble and small single-storey house right behind the sidewalk she was crying on and allowed her in.

From there the friendship between Mrs. Paine and Eileen Snape started. Mrs. Paine understood the struggle of Eileen as she too lost her husband at a young age, her husband perished in Dunkirk during the World War. After a heartfelt conversation between the two, Mrs. Paine offered Eileen some money and some food to Eileen in which brought Eileen to tears again. Eileen promised her that she would repay her someday but Mrs. Paine needed not any of that.

"I own a launderette by Henry's Hardware store and if you'd like, I could use another helper there," offered Mrs. Paine in a kind voice.

Eileen immediately accepted. She thanked her over and over again which earned a chuckle from the old lady. She felt like a child during Christmas- which by fate was tomorrow- as relief filled her. She now had a means of stable income to support herself and her son.

Moving back to the present, as Eileen was folding some clothes Mrs. Paine opened the door which separated the lobby and the laundry machines with a panic look on her face.

"Eileen, Eileen! There was an incident…."

She immediately ran off to the hospital,ignoring the sensation of light rain on her. The chill of autumn did not bother her in a slightest sense, the clothes on her back and shoes were damp and wet after splashing into potholes and puddles. Her heart was beating fast anxiously as tears threaten to escape her eyes. She was already a few blocks away from the hospital with exhaustion enveloping around her yet she persisted and moved on, the distance from her workplace and hospital was already a marathon.

The automated door of the hospital entrance opened welcoming a distraught looking woman who had seen better days. The light makeup she wore on her face was nothing but gone, the remains of eyeliner smeared on her face. A testament to the weather outside, she was dragging herself in the hospital lobby like a wet dog after playing too much in the rainy showers. Her feet and body were aching but she heed that no mind, for her purpose of coming here were as clear as pure water- she could only prayed and hope everything was alright.

Her prayers were answered but her hopes were not granted.

There in the emergency ward was her paled skin and ebony haired son wrapped in bandages from head to toe and was in a state of peaceful slumber, an innocent look present on his face. Eileen who could not hold the dam building up in her eyes, allowed the tears to fall as her accompanied by soft and pitiful sobs. The personnel who were watching paid her no mind understanding the plight of a mother who had nearly lost a child. A nurse among them who saw the mother trembling, her knees threatening to drop on the ground immediately went to her and offered words of comfort.

And so Eileen began collecting herself and calm her mind. The words of comfort echoed in her mind assuring her that harm did befell upon her son but harm did not carry him beyond. She began to piece everything rationally in a way her scholarly mind could and the waves of her emotions which were running rampant slowly went under her control preventing her from acting by impulse.

Yet as she stood by the side of a sleeping Severus, looking at the injuries which engulfed his small little body, she broke again.

And no one blamed her for it.

"Mum, I'm sorry…."

That was the few words spoken by little Severus. Eileen had visited her son every single day this past week after the incident and only today on the fifth day did he actually said something. The past few days were dreadful for Eileen as every visit lead to a crying and distressful Severus who neither said anything nor spoke anything to her. The doctor advised Eileen that Severus was still undergoing trauma and that Eileen was not to force any means of affection or strike a conversation with the boy until he was ready. Thus starting on the second day, Eileen's visits were silent and the only affection Severus accepted was a calming stroke on his long hair.

"It's okay my little raven, it's okay," said Eileen in a soothing motherly voice while stroking her son's hair.

The doctor also said not to speak of the incident until Severus was ready to come to terms on his own. The mind of a child was more sensitive to that of an adult, and if an adult could easily be facing long term psychological damage from calamities inflicted upon them, what then of a child?

The burns on his skin that spread around Severus's right abdomen were covered by the baggy hospital clothes and bandages he wore but as light crept through the fabrics, some of the damage could be easily seen. The reddish-white scorch marks on his skin were like tattoos inked in irregular patterns but such scars are not something a child should have. There were also small spots of newly grown skin, pink its color on his right cheek and his right eyebrow which was always a thin line ceased to be at all.

"It's all my fault, I... I…" choked Severus in a squeaky voice tears like waterfalls exiting his eyes. "I made the fire mummy, I burned the school down."

What Eileen heard from the town's people was that the entire west wing of St. Thomas's Primary School was reduced to ashes and debris. The fire was quick and rose high but thankfully the entire school population at the time managed to escape unscratched except three students in particular, one of them would be her son. The firefighters and investigators who went on the scene deduced that the flames were started by a faulty line in the circuit located at Severus's class room. Even Eileen believed in the investigators words the first time and like most parents blamed the school administration for their negligence of the school building's well being.

But now, as Eileen looked into the eyes of her son, guilt present in them, she knew as a fact that it was truly her son who did it. There was an internal conflict playing within her now, should she be happy that her son had a burst of accidental magic even if it nearly cost his life?

Eileen had nearly accepted that her son may be a squib after all- which she believed was not entirely a bad thing. He had no accidental burst of magic from his toddler years which was the ideal time for magical children to make toys move on their own or create dancing tea pots. As the son of a magical, she taught him from an early age regarding magic similar to what her mother Elena taught her when she was younger. Severus was always eager to learn from her mother and was more excited to have lessons from her regarding magic than going to school. On the weekends instead of spoiling her child with comic books and toys- in which she could not easily afford, she invested the free time she had by teaching him a bit about potions and additional languages.

Severus was certainly an intelligent child. He could read and count from the age of two and write at the age of three. As a child Severus was like a sponge soaked in water, able to retain and absorb information without trouble. Languages used to be a problem especially Latin for Severus until the age of seven for the grammatical rules which exist in the language was beyond that of modern day languages. French was easier for Severus spoken, but in terms of writing and grammar the difficulty was the same as Latin. English was no problem at all since that was Severus's first and native language.

But yet his intelligence came with a price of course; the lack of friends.

Coming from a less privileged background, in addition of being a smart cookie was to most muggle children, the conditions suitable for an individual to be the target of their ridicule.

And based on Eileen's prior observations with regards to her son's treatment by his peers, she believed that the spontaneous combustion was the result of anger towards her son's tormentors.

And so as Severus was still in tears sitting on his hospital bed, Eileen gave him a soft hug.

"I'm not angry at what has passed," whispered the tearful Eileen, her voice raspy as the bittersweet emotion of sadness, happiness and thankfulness settled in her heart, "I'm just happy that you're alright."

After breakfast, Severus went back upstairs to his room to collect his books and quills on his study desk. Almost all his assignments completed, Severus was determined to finish the remaining ones with Lily today. He had at least two weeks of holiday left before Hogwarts and he wanted to spend it on experimentations most notably from his grandmother's journal.

The journal was a birthday gift from his mother for his eleventh birthday, and he treasured it like how dragons treasured their eggs. It looked old and had a few rips and scratches here and there but the knowledge of magic within them was enticing. The spells and potions written in the journal was strictly not for the younger mind, as most of them were classed Dark by the Ministry of Magic. Yet Eileen in continuing the scholarly spirit of her mother encouraged Severus to delve into both Light and Dark magic.

"Magic is magic, no matter Light or Dark. One can easily use a Light spell to kill while another can easily use a Dark spell to heal. This is the reason why I raised you with muggle morals and the spirit of belief my little raven. For indeed, what is most important is but one word; intention."

Such were the wise words of Eileen that Severus hold dear within him, even if Eileen during most of her 'lecturing mode' times, talked like a pious sage giving a sermon to a congregation instead of a mother to a son. It was one of the few quirks from his mother which made her who she was.

It is an already established fact that Eileen is weird in her very own way. She could be the loving annoying mother all teenagers loathe at showing open affection to her son which was to his pleasure strictly at home- Severus was already thirteen, for God's sake!- or she could turn into a wise scholar who lives and strives to preserve the holy fire of knowledge.

It was an oddity that she belonged to the house of Salazar Slytherin and not the house of Rowena Ravenclaw.

Stacking his Charms and Potions Year Three books neatly on his desk, Severus then tied the books with a string which made items lighter than its actual weight as the string was enchanted with the Featherweight charm. The string was an invention of Eileen and it worked wonders for Severus who was usually seen carrying many books around at Hogwarts. Severus could cast the charm but there was always a mishap or two that prevented him from casting charms perfectly.

Charms was the only subject at Hogwarts that he could not get a steady O in. Out of seven exams he has sat at Hogwarts from First Year, he managed to only get Os in two exams one in a midyear exam in his Second Year and the last O was for his pre-Easter exams also in Second Year. The rests were EEs and that one A for his end year exam in First Year.

Lily was a prodigy in Charms, straight Os from First Year and favoured by the ever jovial Professor Flitwick. Being Muggleborn was not a setback for her to be ahead of her pureblood classmates which in turn infuriated the lot- especially the ones in Slytherin House- for this proved that talent was not only reserved for the well-bred and that made Severus proud. Lily was Severus's best friend and that maybe just maybe if he proved himself he could be much more.

But why does it feel like she's slipping away?

Thus placing his books in a sling bag- a gift from Mrs. Paine for his tenth birthday- he then exited his room and went downstairs in which instead of running like this morning, he walked. As he was at the bottom of the flight of stairs, he noticed the presence of her mother in the living room and peeped on her from where he stood.

Eileen was sitting on a well designed ironwood rocking chair transfigured from an old couch in the living room while reading The Daily Prophet, a cup and teapot floating in the air. There was a look of concentration on her face, her thumbs stroking the coarse paper as the teapot poured tea in the cup; such was the image of Eileen on a lazy Sunday morning.

And then she coughed.

Severus eyes sprung wide open. Curious, curious. It has been a long time his mother was ever sick. Eileen was known to make her own health potions from the ingredients available around Cokeworthand was always looking healthy.

"Mother," Severus said in a respectful tone.

Eileen was not paying attention, her gaze still firm on the newspaper.

"Mother, mother?" Severus said raising his voice slightly and thus gaining the attention of his mother.

His mother seemed to be in a haze-maybe it's the sickness for she was rarely in such a state- and was slightly startled at her son. Eileen looked as if she saw a ghost, her pale skin already ghostly white was now fairer than before.

Curious indeed.

"Yes, Severus?" she replied in her typical tone, her skin now gaining back the original color. "Are you going off to see Lily?" she asked.

Severus nodded and with a slight bow- a tradition of some pureblood families to show respect to elders- and thanked her mother.

As Severus exited the old house through the front door, his mind began to wonder at his mother. Why was the sense of abnormality lingering around her, and even if it was a trick of his mind, his mother was paler than usual?

He sighed then shrugged off the thought. Maybe it was just his head playing games with him.

Or was it?