A/N: I was informed that wolves were eradicated from the british isles a few hundred years ago, which I did not know (thank you mcpel) and did not even think to research (which I have now done.) I am probably going to go back and tweak the story to reflect this if I remember to…I also would like to apologize for how late this chapter is, work is continuing to be a nuisance and this last week was particularly bad. Anyway, your very delayed chapter awaits:

As expected. Upon entering his home, his mother was on him.

"Severus Tobias Snape, do you have any idea what time it is?"

She was whisper yelling, which meant father was home...

He kept his voice low. "Actually no...ten perhaps?"

"It's nearly ten-thirty! You told me you'd be home before supper."

"Yes, I know, something came up."

"What could possibly come up?"

He sighed and had a look of defeat. "I suppose it doesn't matter...It won't happen again." Probably.

She got that concerned look again. "What's wrong, Severus? You've been acting so strange. You stay out hours past when you said you'd be home, not to mention you've barely been here since returning from school. You have gotten yourself a job, your father is pleased about that by the way and you have been exceedingly kind to me in unusual ways, yet you lie to me? I want to know what's happening to my son!"

"...I have not lied to you once, since returning from school this summer."

"Are we not counting today?"

"When I told you I would be home before supper, I had no intention of breaking my word. I decided to not allow some idiots to find themselves in harm's way, it seemed a bit more important at the time. I was mistaken and I apologize. They were informed that I would not be joining them on their next 'adventure' of idiocy."

"Alright then, since you did not mean to be untruthful that particular time, what about the other day? While your explanation of why you have been acting so strange was amusing, it was obviously in jest. Making up a story is also lying, Severus. I want to know the truth."

Severus blinked. "I have not lied to you once, since returning home from school this summer."

His mother frowned.

Just then his father emerged from his lair (better known as the living room) to join the conversation.

Tobias leaned against the wall, one hand rubbing his eyes, trademark whiskey bottle in the other. "I tho' I'd heard the door-"

Severus deemed the conversation over now that his father had interrupted and was visibly deciding what he was most mad at him for. He began heading to his room, he could sneak down later if his empty stomach woke him before a reasonable breakfast time. "Good evening mother, father."

"You weren' home f'r supper, boy." He slurred.

Severus resisted the urge to be upset by his father's insistence of calling him 'boy.'

"Indeed." He forced out as neutral as he could manage.

"Don't e'spect to be fed if y're not even gon' to bother comin' 'ome on time! Nex' time I'll lock y'r arse out!" He said louder than necessary.

Severus just continued to climb the steps.

"Answer me, boy!"

You asked no question, foolish drunk.

He attempted to follow Severus up the stairs, surely with the intent to manhandle him in some fashion. He stayed just out of reach once he realized he was being pursued, even if it was clumsily.

"Go lay down, father, we both have work in the morning." Severus stated calmly.

"You don' tell me wha' to do, boy!" The man said as he made a grab for Severus. "C'mere!'

Tobias growled in frustration from losing his balance and sliding down the few stairs he managed to climb.

"Y're grounded 'till I say!"

Severus ignored him and continued up to his room. He heard his mother attempt to help her husband back to his chair, but he loudly rejected her offer, smashing his nearly empty bottle on something.

After removing his clothes for bed, Severus warded his door just in case Tobias sobered before morning and remembered he was upset.

He listened to his parents fight about what to do with him. They concluded their inconclusive battle with his father crash landing (presumably on, or at least near, his chair) and his mother stomping up the stairs to her room.

Their room? No, definitely hers.

After the evening's entertainment for everyone in a three block radius, he felt restless.

He leaped over to his jacket to remove his shrunken notebook and jar from the pockets, then settled back into bed and created a bluebell flame to set on his nightstand in the jar he returned to normal size.

Severus began scribbling the ingredients of the wolfsbane potion.