He could hear it from the street, the yelling coming from inside the house he grew up in. Sighing heavily and tightening the grip on his trunk handle, he walked inside. His father was drinking, what else was new? He crept past the living room and up the stairs as he had done many summers now. His father was drinking again; when he wasn't, he was passed out in his favorite chair or at work. As he said before, his father was a man of the Lord and believed in drinking the blood of Christ nightly. It wasn't the water and the wine trick they did in church; it was straight up whiskey.
He could hear his mother sobbing downstairs and knew that if he went down there, he would do more harm then help. When it got quiet, he snuck out of his room and made sure his mother was okay even though he knew she wasn't. He just needed to check on her and see how much worse she had gotten. She was sitting on the couch in the living room. He didn't know why it was called a living room when they all died a little inside each time they entered it.
"Mum." He said quietly from the doorway.
She was staring into the fire and sitting with a stiff posture, her back straight and her hands in her lap. He moved to bend a knee in front of her, crouching down and grabbing her hands.
"Your hands are freezing, Mum. Let me get you a blanket." He reached for the blanket on the back of the couch and wrapped it around her tightly. Whenever he was home, he reverted to the Cockney accent his father raised him on. It wasn't until he was older that his mother taught him the Proper way. He learned a lot more when he started school at Hogwarts.
"It set him off you know." She said quietly without looking at him.
"The owl?" he didn't know why he asked. He knew the answer.
She nodded and swallowed hard. "Wasn't the poor thing's fault. It waited on the back porch for me; I don't know how long it was there. Your father never goes out there. Just bad luck I guess."
"I'm sorry Mum, I…" he sighed and rubbed his forehead.
Heavy footsteps sounded above them, the ceiling above them creaked, and some dust fell. They both stopped breathing immediately and waited for it to get silent once more, praying that he wouldn't come back down.
"You petitioned for a girl. Under the Prince name," she said and looked at him head on. Her lanky black hair was a trait that he inherited from her. Her eyes were black as well; he got those too. She was thin, but that wasn't genetic, it was poor living and lack of life in her.
"If I didn't… he would have had to sign to." He said and pointed up to the ceiling in reference to his father.
She sucked on her bottom lip and looked back to the fire for a few more moments before slowly nodding her head. "I understand." She looked back at him and grabbed his hand. "This girl... is she nice?"
He couldn't help but smile and feel the twisting of his stomach at the thought of the silver eyed girl who had stolen his heart. "She is. And She's very pretty. You'll like her, Mum. I just know it."
"I tried to hide the letter. Your father saw it. He… wants to know what he gets out of it if he lets you-"
"I'm not letting him anywhere near her! He isn't going to 'let' me do anything!" Severus started to raise his voice. Juliet was the one good thing in his life right now, and of all the things he wasn't going to let his father ruin it for him.
"Severus, lower your voice!" she hissed.
The footsteps sounded from above again. "What the bloody hell is that noise?"
"N-nothing dear, it came from outside. Neighbor kids I think." She called back.
"What's a man gotta do to get some goddamned quiet around here?!" he yelled and slammed the bedroom door.
They both exhaled a sigh of relief when the heard the bedsprings shift from the bedroom upstairs. He was laying for the night, and they could rest easy for now.
"You'll sign for me, won't you? Please, Mum." He begged.
She looked at him long and hard. "Severus, I left the wizarding world a long time ago. I don't know."
"Things have changed, people have changed. They won't know you, no one will recognize you. Besides- everyone in the Prince line is dead but us." He never wanted something more in his life than for that petition to be signed. He thought it was Lily's return of undying love and affection, but that was just child's play compared to the feelings he had for Juliet.
"We'll see. Let's hope your father forgets about it alright? You've had a long journey; let's get some shut-eye while we can and talk about it more when your father goes to work tomorrow."
It was the longest week of his life. He stayed out of his father's way as much as he could. Of course, it would only last for so long until his father was looking for him. "The bastard leech returns." Tobias spat from across the breakfast table.
There was a platter of food before him and nothing in front of his mother and nothing at his seat. Yet his father always said a family of the Lord breaks bread together at the family table. There was a glass of water in place of where a plate of food should have been for an average family. Severus didn't respond verbally. Just nodded his head in greeting and took his seat as quiet as he could.
"You sure they don't allow you lot to stay over the summer? Been the best times of our life without you here. Innit been, Eileen? Tell 'im." He complained with a mouthful of food.
Eileen looked sadly at Severus. "It's been quiet."
His father laughed and pointed his fork from her to Severus. "Quiet. Some good ol' peace around here and I don't want you to fuck it up."
Severus nodded his head and kept his eyes downcast downward.
"You hear me boy? Answer me when I talk at you."
"Yes, sir."
Tobias stood up and grabbed his lunch box from the counter. "You need to learn some manners boy, you're comin' of age next year, and you can bet your arse you'll be working at the factory with me." He walked out the front door and slammed it behind him.
They both let out an exhausted breath. Severus let his head thud on the wooden table in front of him and moaned, "This is my legacy?"
Eileen pushed the plate of half eaten plate of food in his direction. "Eat up."
He raised his head and shook it. Sliding the plate back to his mother. "No, Mum. You eat. I'm not hungry."
She took the plate and ate quickly; she couldn't remember the last time she had this much food in her stomach. "I'll go." She said suddenly between bites of food.
He perked up, "Really?"
She nodded her head and looked at the front door for a moment, waiting for his father to come storming back in. She knew he wouldn't, of all the poor qualities of her husband his greatest one was showing up to work on time and every day. "Promise me… you'll get out of here. Go far away and don't look back when you become of age."
"I can't leave you-"
"Don't worry about me. Just promise me that you won't let him ruin your future too." She begged him and grabbed his hand from across the table.
"Your future isn't over Mum. Far from it, as I see it. You're a witch; you'll live five times longer than Da'. We can leave right now. I'm friends with a lot of Sacred 28 who wouldn't think twice about helping out one of their own. Lucius' da' will help us until we get on our feet, I know it!" he said and squeezed her hand.
"I can't leave your father- I mean- what would he do without me?" she shook her head.
"He'd probably complain that it was still too loud." Severus scoffed.
That made her laugh at least. Music to his ears, he hadn't heard his mother laugh in years.
"I'll get a job this summer. You'll see, I'll find some shop that'll hire me for the summer or something. I'll save up, and we can get a cheap place in Diagon Alley." He wanted this for so long as well, and he never dared bring it up to his mother till now.
"You're your own man after I sign this petition for you, Severus. You don't need me dragging you down. Live your life free and to the fullest. Come, get ready. We are going to Diagon Alley." She smiled at him and stood up.
An hour later he was pacing in the foyer waiting for his mother. He was wearing his best robes, which weren't really his in the first place. They were an old set that Yaxley had given him earlier that year when his mother sent him new ones. He couldn't wait for the day when he could buy his own things and spoil his mother and girlfriend. Most children didn't want to work and tried to live off their parents as long as they could. Not Severus, he wanted out. He wanted freedom and all the perks that came with it. He wanted to be a potions master one day, the youngest the world had ever seen and would do anything and everything for it.
He wanted to make new potions and gain royalties from them, travel the world and discover new ingredients and document them. He had grown up on an old dirt road and always did as he was told. All of his things were second hand from the rich kids. He grew up faster than other, and he grew up mean, he wouldn't deny that. He knew he was an "angry little shit" as his father called him growing up. He didn't care at all, he wanted a piece of the world, and he would claw and bite his way to the top if he had to.
His mother came down the stairs holding her purse that he was sure her old wand was in. She was fidgeting with her robes. "It's been so long; they don't fit me anymore."
"You look great, Mum. I can make them fit for you." He took his wand out.
"It's fine. Let's go, get this over with and come straight back home." She said and held her arm out to him.
She apparated him to the outskirts of Knockturn Alley; it was the only quiet place she knew of to sidelong apparate with him. They began to walk towards Gringotts where Garrick asked to meet him. He had a solicitor there that would make sure everything was done properly and sent to the Ministry right away.
"So tell me about this girl." She said as they strolled to the bank.
"She's perfect, Mum. Her name is Juliet; she's a Ravenclaw and really smart. She's mute, you know. She can't speak. She uses sign language like you taught me." He went on and one about how amazing Juliet was as they walked. He was excited to see her again and hoped that she missed him too.
He held the door open for his mother and let her enter first; he ran a hand through his hair making sure it wasn't sticking up. "How do I look?" he asked his mother.
"Very handsome." She gave him a small smile and fixed his collar of his robes.
"Please don't say like my father." He snorted and saw her smile meet her eyes this time.
He heard a whistle from his right, Juliet. She was able to whistle though she couldn't speak. She had a unique whistle for everyone in her life, and it was their call sign or name when she needed their attention from a distance. He looked over towards the private offices and saw her standing there by herself. She smiled and waved at him, she was wearing light blue dress robes with darker blue trim, and her hair was up with the combs he had bought her for Christmas.
"She's very pretty." His mother said from his side. He nodded and blushed slightly, leading his mother by the arm towards her.
Severus greeted Juliet with a bow and kissed her hand. "Lady Juliet, this is my mother, Madam Eileen Prince." He told his mother that the contract would be signed under her maiden name and had to be addressed as such.
Juliet smiled at his mother and gave her a small curtsy. 'Madam Prince, it's very nice to meet you finally.' She pulled out her wand, and the little black ribbon spelled the words as well.
His mother smiled and signed back. 'I have heard many good things about you.'
Juliet's eyes widened with her smile. 'The same about you. It's very refreshing to meet someone else who can use sign language as well.'
Garrick came out of one of the offices with and smiled at them. His mother stiffened at his side, and her smile faded away immediately. He waved at them to come with him into the office. Juliet walked away first, and his mother held him back for a moment.
"You didn't tell me she was an Ollivander!" she hissed.
"What? You got the letter from him!" he hissed back.
"Your father didn't let me read the whole thing! Merlin's beard you petitioned for a Sacred 28?! I didn't even know Ollivander had a daughter!" she was starting to panic.
"We'll be there in a moment!" he called out to Juliet who was looking back at them. "First of all, you haven't been in the wizarding world in probably twenty years, second of all what do you mean by that?!"
"I didn't mean that you weren't good enough. It's just… Merlin… Ollivander accepted you?!" she started to fix her robes and mess with her hair. "It's like meeting royalty! I thought maybe she was a Weasley!"
"Ouch Mum… Ouch." He said and started to walk away from her.
"I didn't mean it like that!" she whispered before meeting Garrick and Juliet in the office.
"Ah good, you're here! Madam Prince, a pleasure to meet you again. I am Lord Garrick of House Ollivander." He greeted and bowed to her, kissing the back of her hand. Then he welcomed Severus who bowed and shook his hand.
She returned his greeting with a curtsy and bow of her head. "Lord Ollivander, pleasure is mine. I must confess, I haven't seen you since Severus here was getting his wand all those years ago."
"Ahem, I am Martin Elting, Lord Ollivander's solicitor. I'll be handling everything here today." He greeted and kissed her hand as well, then shook Severus'.
There were no chairs in the room, just the desk in the center and Mr. Elting was standing on the other side of it with the petition with the scroll sitting in the middle of the desk. "Lord Ollivander, I believe you have some things to say before we sign?"
Garrick immediately rounded on Severus. "You remember what I said before, boy? You hurt her…"
Juliet stepped in between them and put her hand on Garrick's chest. 'PAPA STOP!' she mouthed to him.
"Sir, I wouldn't dream of hurting her." He stood up straight and kept his hands behind his back.
"I have raised my son better than that. If he does step out of line I assure you, I will deal with him accordingly." Eileen said sternly.
Severus looked at his mother with wide eyes; he'd never heard her speak like that before! She gave him a firm look then nodded to Garrick. "Very well, let us sign," Garrick said and nodded to the solicitor.
"Madam Prince, if you will sign your name." Mr. Elting held a quill out for her to take.
She looked at Severus then at Juliet and signed her name. "I wish you two the happiest of days."
"Lord Ollivander, if you please."
Garrick stepped forward and scowled at Severus, reading his thoughts before finally signing his name on the scroll.
"I need both of you to touch your wands to your names and the petition will be sealed." He explained and held his own wand out above the scroll. Once both heads of house touched the tips of their wands to the scroll, he continued. "On this day, July 8th, 1976, I Martin Elting witnessed the approval petition that allows Severus of House Prince to court Juliet of House Ollivander. Granted with permission from both heads of Houses. This petition is to be approved base on Lady Juliet's acceptance of Lord Severus. Does the Lady accept?"
Everyone turned to her, Severus felt his heart race and a hard ball form in the back of his throat as he looked at her expectantly. Begging her mentally not to deny him when he had just gotten this far.
'I accept Lord Severus.' The little ribbon spelled out to them and she smiled.
"This petition is approved and will be made public that Lady Juliet is promised to Lord Severus. This petition is also open in the clause of marriage. Should Lord Severus wish to take Lady Juliet's hand in marriage and join the two great Houses of Ollivander and Prince, he will be required to gain approval from both Heads of Houses. Does Lord Severus accept?"
"I accept Lady Juliet and the conditions of the petition." He said firmly. He had never been so sure of anything in his life!
"I hereby swear as witness to the signing of this contract. House Ollivander and House Prince are now joined by courtship with potential marriage. This contract may be broken by one or both houses with valid reason and cause."
Three wands formed a golden triangle between each other above the contract. The scroll lit up in a bright golden color then sealed itself. They put their wands away, and the solicitor grabbed the scroll. "Pleasure doing business with you as always, Lord Garrick. Madam Prince, I hope you have the most pleasant day, and I wish the best for the new couple. I will see this to the Ministry at once, and news will be sent out with this evenings Prophet. Good day." He bowed to all of them and walked himself out of the office.
Juliet waited for the door to close before she launched herself at Severus. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. Eileen looked at her son with a caring smile; she was so pleased that her son had found the happiness she could not. Garrick just had an amused smirk about him.
"I believe it's time for dinner, would you do me the honors of joining me Madam Prince?" Garrick offered and held his arm out.
Dinner? How long had they been there?! She started to panic. "Apologies, Lord Ollivander but I must be getting home. Perhaps another time."
Garrick didn't have to read her mind to know that she was afraid of her husband. "I understand. Perhaps Severus can stay? I think the new couple would like to spend a bit more time together. I will see that he is home safely at a decent hour."
She looked over at the hugging couple with sad eyes. "Yes, I think that might be best."