Chapter Seven
"I thought I told you never to lay a hand on Mum again," hissed Severus, slowly, menacingly advancing on his father, his wand ready to do irreversible damage.
Tobias's eyes were large with shock, rage, and fear. Severus could see every vein, red against the stark white. "Y-you wouldn't dare," Tobias muttered. "She deserves it, lying witch that she is."
"I wouldn't dare, you say, Father?" Severus asked silkily, dangerously low. "You fail to comprehend what magic can do to you, you bastard. You have absolutely no idea what I'm capable of. Did you know, Father, that the other kids at school have accused me of knowing more Dark spells than anyone else in the school?"
Tobias held his hands out in front of him placatingly, shaking his head slowly. "N-no, that's a lie. You're just a boy. A wretched waste of a boy."
From the side, Severus saw his mother trying to intervene. Eileen was sobbing and begging pathetically with them. "Severus, please... Tobias, he's only a boy..."
Severus pointedly ignored her. As long as she stayed out of his way, he wouldn't have to magically bind her. "You've done enough damage around here, Father," he spat. "Here's your choice - either pack up your things and leave and never return, or suffer being on the receiving end of my fury. The choice is yours, Father. If I were you, I'd choose the first option."
Severus was imaging, with a twisted pleasure, using his own spell, Sectumsempra, to slice the man's genitals straight off... and that would just be the beginning. He knew he wasn't supposed to use magic underage, and even though his father knew this, Severus did live his mother, who was a witch, even though she hadn't done magic in years. Strictly speaking, if he did magic, it would be underage and breaking the International Statute for the Secrecy of Magic, but the Ministry didn't monitor houses with at least one magical parent. What the Ministry didn't know wouldn't hurt them... and more importantly, wouldn't hurt Severus. He inwardly grinned evilly. It was all too convenient, after all.
When Tobias didn't reply immediately, Severus said, "I've been on my good behavior, Father, but that can be easily remedied. It's your choice. Now, choose."
Tobias had the audacity to laugh. "Do you think I'm to be fooled by your empty threats, boy? You can't-"
"Trust me, Father, you don't want to try my patience right now," Severus hissed, closing in on the man. "Now, stop your blubbering and tell me what your decision is!" he snarled.
Casting a glare of loathing from Eileen, who was still whimpering helplessly off to the side, to Severus, Tobias replied, "Fine, fine... I'll leave."
There was something about his father's voice that Severus didn't trust, so he said, "Very well. Now, go pack your things and get the hell out of here. I'll help you."
Tobias looked questioningly at his son, but by "helping," Severus meant following his father into his bedroom to ensure he actually did as he said he would. "Go," Severus commanded, keeping his wand out and directed at Tobias.
Tobias muttered a couple of obscenities under his voice and shuffled up the stairs to his room. "This isn't necessary, Severus," Tobias said, trying to reason with the younger man. "I promise-"
"Shut up," Severus snapped. "You've lost the right to make empty promises a long time ago. You have five minutes, and then I want you through the front door."
Tobias stumbled to the closet and pulled out a suitcase and began to haphazardly throw clothing into it. All the while, he kept muttering swear words and would occasionally beg his son again. "Please, Severus," he implored, desperately using his son's given name for the second time, "show some mercy... Where will I go?"
"I am showing you mercy," Severus ground out. "And it's not really my concern where you go. Go to one of those friends' houses you sometimes crash at. Your drinking mates will be happy to see you, no doubt. The lot of you can get pissed together as much as you want and only have each other to deal with."
Tobias was still fumbling around when five minutes were up. "Come on," Severus said. "Now."
"But- but-" Tobias started to protest.
Losing the shred of patience he had left, Severus crossed the room to where his father stood and pressed the tip of his wand into the man's back. "Go. Now."
Tobias half-drunkenly crossed the room and down the hall and stairs. Once they were standing at the front door, Severus opened it and said, "I trust you've packed some money?"
"Yes," Tobias replied. Just then, he dropped his suitcase and made to grab Severus's wand, but Severus was too fast for him. Being younger and having years of experience in combat were at his advantage.
"I'll snap your wand just like I did hers!" Tobias was raging.
Severus didn't take a moment to think. He magically blasted Tobias straight through the door, a shove so powerful, the man was in the street, several feet away, sprawled on the pavement. Severus then did likewise with the suitcase and slammed the door, bolting it with the locks and magically warding it. He no longer cared about using magic underage. In his mind, he was a grown wizard. His mother had suffered enough. Severus proceeded to ward all the windows and the back door.
Finally calm again, knowing Tobias couldn't get in no matter how hard he tried, Severus found his mother still sitting on the floor in the same place she had been earlier. She had stopped crying, but her knees were drawn up to her chest, with her arms around them, and she was rocking back and forth. It was a small, terrified position.
She flinched as Severus offered his hand to help her up. Anger at what his father had done and at himself for never helping her in his past life boiled inside Severus. Eileen turned to look up at her son's face and gasped with a choked sob, thinking he was about to harm her, for the anger was showing on his face.
"It's all right, Mum," he said roughly. "I'm not upset at you. Just... grab my hand. I promise- I'd never hurt you."
Eileen hesitated, but then reached for his hand. He pulled her up and instantly wrapped his arms protectively around her. "He's gone now, Mum. He's gone. He'll never hurt you again, I promise. You're safe now."
Eileen wept into her son's shirt. After a few minutes, he led her to the couch and gently forced her to sit down. He remained with her until she had calmed.
"Severus, you... you used magic," she croaked, her voice afraid.
"Yes," he said evenly. "I had no choice, Mum."
"But you're only sixteen."
"Yes, but the Ministry won't know who performed the magic. You're a witch, Mum. Surely you haven't forgotten that."
Eileen frowned at the floor. "But... I haven't done magic in years."
"That doesn't matter. They know you live here, too. We'll be all right now. Maybe we can go to Diagon Alley and get you a new wand soon," Severus suggested, trying to lighten the mood a little.
But Eileen didn't seen responsive to this. She withdrew into herself again. Sighing sadly, Severus led her to bed and returned to his own room after that. As he reflected on what had just happened, he realized with shame and defeat that maybe it really was too late for his mother. Had Tobias inflicted too much damage on her already that it couldn't be undone? Was Eileen afraid of magic now?
Severus recalled an earlier conversation he'd had with his mother when she had said she loved her husband. He worried she wouldn't see reason as easily as he hoped.
"What's he done to you, Mother?" Severus asked, staring at the ceiling. "What's he done?"
Like in times past whenever he was feeling particularly forlorn and detached from the world, Severus brought out his wand and zapped flies.
