Title: what rhymes with… Despair
Challenge: #311: Song
Word count: 6 x 100
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Mother Goose can't save your soul.

More men arrived in the room as Greyback and Severus continued stared at each other. A tall, rather well-presented man in a slightly shabby waistcoat approached Greyback and tapped him lightly on his shoulders.

"Quite a selection you have here," the man said.

"Take your pick," Greyback said, stepping slightly aside. "Except that one," he added, pointing at Severus. "I've plans for him."

"Pity that," the man said, tapping his chin with a gloved finger. "Good posture on that one, would surely sell well in the Continent."

"No."

The man tutted dismissively, then turned to examine the cowering children closely.

Child traffickers? Severus had heard about this, of course, somewhere down the pipeline. Orphans and not-so-orphans being sold abroad to wealthy families. And there were a lot in supply in war-ravaged Britain.

"Those three. That one. That, that, and that," the man ordered. Children were dragged out of the group and lined against the far side of the room.

The man paused for a while, then turned to Greyback and said, "Are you sure that boy is off-limits?"

"No means no, Grumby."

"The boy next to him, then."

It took a while for Severus to realise that Grumby meant Perry.

"No!" Severus exclaimed before he could stop himself.

"What did you say, boy?"

"No?"

"No?" Greyback asked, amused. "You mean, we can't take your friend here?" Greyback stepped forward and yanked Perry out from the group. Perry gave a little yelp of surprise.

"I… Just…" oh Salazar, Severus cursed under his breath. You and your bloody big mouth, Snape! "Don't take him away."

"What can you do about it, eh?"

"I…" Severus shifted from foot to foot. "I… I'll kill myself! I'll bite off my tongue and kill myself. Then you'll be in big trouble with Lu… with my father!"

Much to his consternation, Greyback and the rest of those oily men let out a huge bark of laughter. Severus grimaced inwardly. Should've known, he thought. Threats just wouldn't sound right when one sounded like a six-year-old.

"Spine," Greyback said after a while. "Are you sure you're Lupin's?" His eyes narrowed, as he leaned down to put his face as close to Severus's. "You don't sound like your father at all."

"I…" Oh bloody hell. Think, Snape! Think! "I… they… they said I take after Andr… after my grandmother."

"Ah… yes.. Andromeda Black," Greyback said, straightening up to his height.

Not a million years Severus would've thought that the famous Black temper would play a role in saving him.

"You amuse me," Greyback said finally. "You can have your friend back. For now." Greyback shoved Perry back into the group, much to Grumby's annoyance.

"But…" Grumby started, only to be silenced by one sharp look from Greyback.

"Pick another."

"But…"

"Pick another. Or don't pick at all. There are still others who'd buy these children for prettier pennies than yours!"

"Fine! But see if I'll ever do business with you again!"

"Oh you will, Grumby," Greyback said, smiling almost benignly.

In the end, seventeen children were picked. Severus wished for anything that he could save them, too. But in the end, he could only stand helplessly as those children were ushered out, crying and wailing. He felt numb inside, almost didn't realise that Perry had wrapped a hand around him in a loose hug.

Greyback and Grumby and a few other men left the room, leaving the children with their original minders.

He felt Perry tremble, heard him sobbing quietly.

Rock-a-bye baby.

"Don't cry, Perry. Please," he whispered.

When the bough breaks.

"You too," Perry replied between hiccups. "You too."