I loved Laura Granger's idea that the boy on the merry-go-round should be Vernon. I may go back and change it later.
Wonderful chapter 28
Do Wishes Come True?
On returning to the place where Tobias and Eileen had sat on the grass, Severus was reminded by his father that the popcorn box was his to hold on to. After a while of sitting there watching his parents smooching and cuddling in turn with watching other kids ride the merry-go-round Sev grew bored. He knew better than to actually ask to do something. That was the surest way to not get what was wanted. Squirming was something he couldn't stop himself doing. Ele couldn't help notice. She suggested, "Why don't we go over by the fountain?"
"Wha'for?" Toby could not see the point.
Eileen being clever enough not to say, 'because Sev is bored,' instead said, "I think it's pretty there."
"All right," a grumpy Toby agreed.
Ele and Sev shared smiles behind Tobias' back.
At the fountain, which looked as big as their whole house to Severus, the Snapes found a small space on its edge to sit. Eileen and Tobias went back to 'making up.' At least here Severus could watch the ducks and coy fish swimming in the fountain's pool. He followed a line of orange fish as they passed on their way to some kids who were feeding them. The ducks were gathering at the same spot. Sev looked up to see if Toby was watching. The boy took out one kernel of popcorn and covertly let it drop into the water.
Zoom about ten fish went for the one scrap of food. 'This could be fun.' Sneaking one piece at a time amused the little wizard for two reasons; He was pulling one over on Toby, and the fish were knocking each other out of the way to get to what they wanted. 'Smart fish.' It did not interest the ducks. Severus thought it might be time to try a handful. Looking up to make sure Toby wasn't watching he reached into the small box. Just then Sev's father turned around.
"What'cha going to do with that?" Toby questioned.
The handful of popcorn went to Severus' mouth in hopes of fooling Toby.
It looked as if the father was not fooled, but before he could reprimand the boy, the mother groaned, "Leave him alone Toby." There was a moment of silent flexing of the two parents' wills. "He wants to play like all the other kids."
"But he ain't like all the other kids, is he?"
Eileen shot Tobias a look that told him to, 'knock it off.'
"Go'on then, feed you're stupid ducks." Toby's words were like a starter's pistol going off. Severus instantaneously leaned in closer to the water and spread a handful of what the ducks wanted. Now that there was enough to bother with, a good number swarmed over to Snape's part of the fountain. This turned into a sort of 'duck war' between Sev and a group of kids a few feet away. He would throw his and the ducks would cluster near him. They would throw theirs and the ducks would cluster near them. Back and forth the ducks swam until Severus found his fingers scraping the bottom of his empty box. The other kids won only because of their rather larger supply of popcorn.
Severus was disappointed but not angry, it wasn't as if those kids were purposely trying to keep the ducks away from him. They were just having fun. The watching of the other kids feeding the ducks was soon obscured by another set of children running up to the fountain between Severus and the duck feeders. "Hurry up Gran," a boy called out in excitement.
The children's Grandmother stopped to take a few breaths as she leaned on her cane. "Hang on, the wishes won't disappear if I take an extra minute to get there. When she could breathe she continued to the fountain's side. "All right now - - " The old woman took a coin purse out of a sweater pocket and searched for three pennies. As she did she told the children, "Now you best be thinking of what you want to wish for." She began handing each of her grandchildren a penny. "Now stand up along the edge of the fountain.
During this exchange Severus had been watching them intently. Something in his continence must have told the woman if anyone needed a wish, it was this little boy.
"You there." The boy was sure he was going to be told staring was rude. "You come over here as well."
Severus cocked his head before pointing to himself and silently mouthing the word, 'me?'
"Yes boy you." She beckoned him over with a waving hand. She dug in for another penny then held it out for Sev. "You can have a wish as well."
Severus took the penny and lined up with the other children. "Now think of your wishes." The Grandmother instructed again. "Don't tell or it won't come true. I'll count. On three toss your penny in as far as you can."
As this played out at the edges of his attention, Toby began to think this might not be a good idea. It was too late. Severus' penny was flying into the fountain with the three other children's. Tobias Snape was thinking to himself, 'what a fool woman.' Didn't she know that his son was a freaky wizard boy and his wish was likely to actually come true right then and there? He braced, thinking, 'I'm going to end up a donkey-man again.' When the pennies hit the water, nothing happened. Toby was spared because there was something Severus wanted more than to turn his father into something unnatural.
The little wizards heart flew with that penny all the way to the water, then it sank with it when after a minute, his wish had not come true. He looked around for the family of the red haired girl; Again nowhere to be seen. Being young, he expected instant results. Sev came to the conclusion, 'Muggle magic doesn't work.' If he had kept his eye on the penny longer, he might have seen what only the fish saw. The fourth penny began to glow with a slight greenish light, only for a moment, but with magic, a moment was all it took. The thing that Severus didn't know at that time was that some magic took a while to work. He had wished to see the little red headed girl again. He hadn't specified that he wanted to see her right that moment. He didn't know it might be a while before his wish came true, but the forces of magic were working on that wish even as he turned away from the fountain to ask his parents something pragmatic, "Are we going to have lunch today?"
It was reaching one in the afternoon and they were getting just as hungry as the child. Toby did not say the expected caustic words. He mumbled, "S'up to your Mum." He held back not adding what he was thinking, 'She's the one with the money isn't she?'
Eileen wanted to watch the money, but she thought of what her son had said the night before. 'Why didn't you sell it when we needed food?' She became determined that they would have one good meal out before the money ran out again. Somehow she had no doubt in her mind that they would be in that situation again.
"Since I will be at work during tea," Ele began. "Why don't we splurge on dinner now."
Severus knew his birthday was still a few months away, but this day was turning out to already be better than that occasion had been the year before. Ele suggested a nice if not fancy restaurant. Toby didn't protest. Toby never fussed about having good stuff if he was included. It might even be like old times. That day all of the Snapes had the best meal they had had in a long while, and most likely would have for a long while after. When they reached home and Ele had to go to work they were all still happy. Even when Eileen reminded Tobias that he had promised to look for a job the nest day there was no arguing. There was no arguing because there had been no drinking.
Despite all of the little boy's fears, bad Toby did not show up that day. It was the first time in over a year Severus could say he was going to bed happy.
tbc
